Meeting Minutes
February 22, 2021

Attendees

Staff and Guests

Welcome and Introductions

Mayor Trevor Chadwick welcomed everyone to the February 22nd TVP meeting.

Idaho Legislature

S1108 - John indicated that Kelly Packer with AIC met that morning with Bobbi-Jo Meuleman with the Governor’s Office. One of the main things communicated to Bobbi-Jo regarding S1108, was capping new growth percentages that local government could capture would eventually lead to capping new growth.

She also made it real clear that fire districts rely on property taxes for 80-85% of their funding.

We have to continue to brand S1108 as a limiting growth bill. This is inconsistent with the Governor’s grow Idaho initiative. It will hit the floor over the next couple of weeks. He will be recommending to his council to continue things as is, till we know what the outcome of this is.

John felt that we need to be prepared to really bombard the Governor’s office. We need to point out the Grow Idaho Initiative and restraints on growth send a wrong message to businesses that are looking to come here.

The reason he keeps mentioning the Grow Idaho initiative in case we need a backstop from the governor, is the heavy reliance on this initiative from the Treasure Valley. As goes the Treasure Valley as goes the State. If we are creating problems for entities like Amazon to come to Idaho, then this is significant. These companies are going to have to be close to population centers, so they have access to the employment base they need. This why we are making the case that we have to be able to grow to create the amenities we need to maintain the quality of life that attracts the new growth the governor wants.

He added, it is time to turn people loose on the governor’s office with your letters. We have to show how it impacts our ability to create the quality of live components that are necessary to keep people here and attract the employers the governor wants.

Garret indicated Bobbi-Jo is getting mixed messages from Cities. She has talked to cities that have indicated they could live with S1108 the way it is. John said, this is probably correct. The city of Twin Falls has a different perspective.

Robert mentioned we need to use caution in how represent the growth component to the general public as there are a lot of people who would just like to see us stop growing.

Other pieces of legislation that are happening at the moment are:

H0073 – Transparency Bill is working its way through. It has some punitive language they are trying to change if they can.

S1111- City Council Districts was heard that morning and passed in committee. Lauren said this is a second-round bill to delineate how they do it. Senator Winder made it clear it would be post census data due this year.

H0030 - Post Funding. This was an effort to take part of the liquor fund to fund Post. It was held in committee.

H1044– this was an Urban Renewal clean up to make sure city councils had to approve any eminent domain use that was exercised by the urban renewal district.

HJR 3– Constitutional amendment on warrantless misdemeanor arrest. The AIC supported this effort. The Supreme Court decision doesn’t allow police to issue

Press Conference on S1108

Kathy Griesmyer indicated for the Press Conference on February 25 they have organized a zoom press conference and would like to have everyone join so they can show the geographic representation and the diversity of the Partnership members in opposition to the bill.

Her thoughts included having a small city, large city, county and public safety official speak at the press conference.

Robert said he thought it would be best to have a district fire commissioner speak instead of having a city fire chief. Nampa is moving to a district and might be the best one to speak. John said his police chief could speak on behalf of the State police association.

Lauren said part of our target is the business community. As a result, it might be best to have Mayors of smaller growing communities speak to this instead of the larger communities.

Through discussion it was felt that Mayor Kling, Mayor Stear, Mayor Chadwick, Commissioner White, Nampa Fire Chief and the Garden City Police Chief be the major speakers at the press conference.

Joe moved to approve minutes and financial statement. Jason Seconded. Motion approved.