Minutes
(Minutes subject to council approval)
CITY OF NEZPERCE, IDAHO
SPECIAL MEETING
July 18, 2024
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE NEZPERCE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEZPERCE, IDAHO, HELD ON July 18, 2024.
PLACE: Nezperce City Hall, 606 Maple Street. Time: 4:10 PM
THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY Mayor Tyler Nelson at PM
PRESENT were Councilmembers Tyler Nelson, James Zenner, Kelby Heartburg, and Kimberly Ingram via Zoom, Maintenance Department Craig Cardwell entered the meeting at 5:10 pm, and Clerk/Treasurer Rhonda Schmidt. Guests attending were David Watkins and Kayla Brown, both are JUB area managers. They introduced themselves to the council.
BUSINESS TO BE CONDUCTED
- Proposed Budget Review for FY2024-2025: Clerk Schmidt presented the proposed budget to the Council, within the proposed budget is an increase in the base water rate. Clerk Schmidt answered budget questions, following discussion Cm. Zenner made a motion to approve the budget as presented, motion was and seconded by Cm. Heartburg. Motion carried.
- Evaluations – Barnard and Ross: Clerk Schmidt presented to Council completed evaluations for each employee that were found in their personnel files. Clerk will follow up with wage increases. Barnard’s wage increase occurred on July 1, 2024, and Ross’s will increase on July 16, 2024.
- JUB Follow-up Meeting: Mayor Nelson, addressed the city’s concerns with area managers Watkins and Brown which were:
- Our issue with the contractual increases, that are unexplained. It seems like at each meeting we have with JUB the project increases.
- When did Phase 2 get into a redesign phase?
- It was never our intention for Amy to step aside or be removed from the project.
- We want JUB to understand that we are not touching the bond if we do not have to, as we have a duty to the residents of Nezperce to keep costs down.
Following Mayor Nelson’s remarks David Watkins and Kayla Brown addressed the concerns the city has and wanted to discuss goals. David wanted the City to know that they understood there have been some communication issues and that he understood our concerns. Kayla added that they have a qualified team that has been included in the planning of the project; there have been qualified eyes on the project at every angle. They have a new engineer in mind to work with the city and hope that going forward they can rebuild the trust that was lost. JUB has been working with the City of Nezperce for over 20 years and they would like to continue to work with the city. To help with communication it was decided that anything that needs council decisions will be noted as “Important” so that the clerk can get the information to the council for a decision. Maintenance Cardwell will be the feet on the ground person, and he will relay his decisions needed in the field to the council. It was also decided that the city wants more time to review contracts before signing, at least a couple weeks in the city’s hands for attorney and council review before signing.
Mayor Nelson will call and schedule a meeting with engineer Amy Uptmor to discuss her decision to leave and ask her to come back to the project.
ADJOURNMENT: Mayor Nelson adjourned the meeting at 5:58PM.
The next regularly scheduled city council meeting will be on Monday, Aug. 12th at 7 a.m. at City Hall.
Tyler R. Nelson, Mayor Rhonda J. Schmidt, Clerk-Treasurer