City of SUGAR CITY
IDAHO
City of Sugar City
10 East Center Post Office Box 56 Sugar City, Idaho 83448
February 2010
Dear Sugar City Residents:
Support our local businesses
I love you
Calendar:
February 4, 7 p.m. – Planning & Zoning Meeting
February 11, 6:30 p.m. – City Council Meeting
Public Hearing: Proposed dog control ordinance
February 14 – Happy Valentine’s Day
February 15 – Presidents’ Day
City Hall will be closed
February 18, 7 p.m. – Planning & Zoning Meeting
February 25 – 6:30 p.m. – City Council Meeting
NOTICE TO WALKERS AND JOGGERS: The city would encourage walkers
and joggers to please read Idaho Code – Title 49, Chapter 7, a copy of which is included with this letter. Please use good judgment, obey the rules and remain safe.
PROPOSED DOG CONTROL ORDINANCE: A public hearing before the city council on the proposed dog control ordinance is scheduled for Thursday, February 11, 2010, at 6:30 p.m. A copy of said proposed ordinance is available at City Hall and on the city Web site.
DOG LICENSES: All dog licenses expired December 31st. Resolution 2009-6, approved and passed by the city council on December 10, 2009, sets the licensing fee for each dog at $12 for each calendar year commencing on January 1, 2010. Just a reminder, inside dogs also need to be licensed.
L.I.D. REMINDER: Please pay your L.I.D. by February 19 if you received a bill.
STATE OF THE CITY OF SUGAR CITY 2010: A copy is included with this letter.
OVERNIGHT PARKING: JUST A REMINDER OF OUR SNOW ORDINANCE – NO PARKING IS ALLOWED ON CITY STREETS FROM DECEMBER 1ST THROUGH MARCH 1ST, BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 12 O’CLOCK MIDNIGHT AND 7 O’CLOCK A.M. THIS IS THE TIME WHEN MOST SNOW IS CLEARED FROM THE STREETS.
SNOW SHOVELING: The city would like to remind those out shoveling their sidewalks and driveways to not shovel the snow into the streets because once the plows have gone by it becomes a hazard on the street and often packs down and becomes difficult to remove. We recommend finding a good spot on your property to pile the excess snow. We also remind you that cleaning the ends of driveways at your homes is an extra benefit and is not to be expected. Sometimes the city crew is so busy clearing the streets of snow that they cannot provide this service to the residents.
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!
Mayor Glenn W. Dalling
City Council and Staff
NOTICE TO WALKERS AND JOGGERS
PLEASE READ THIS IDAHO STATUTE
Idaho Code – Title 49, Chapter 7
49-708 IC. (1) Where a sidewalk is provided and its use is practicable, it shall be unlawful for any pedestrian to walk along and upon an adjacent roadway.
(2) Where a sidewalk is not available, any pedestrian walking along and upon a highway shall walk only on a shoulder, as far as practicable from the edge of the roadway.
(3) Where neither a sidewalk nor a shoulder is available, any pedestrian walking along and upon a highway shall walk as near as practicable to an outside edge of the roadway, and, if on a two-way highway, shall walk only on the left side of the highway.
(4) Except as otherwise provided in this title, any pedestrian upon a roadway shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway
PLEASE USE GOOD JUDGMENT, OBEY THE FOLLOWING RULES
1- Walk single file facing traffic on the left side of the
road.
2- Move clear of the pavement to the shoulder when a
vehicle approaches.
3- You do not have the right-of-way. Pedestrians
have the right-of-way only in marked crosswalks. 4- Refrain from listening to “walkman radios”. Don’t
be distracted, listen for traffic.
5- Be safe. Obey the law. If you cause an accident,
you could be liable for damages.
STATE OF THE CITY OF SUGAR CITY 2010
The City of Sugar City remains a great place to live. For the most part, it is quiet and peaceful and a great place to raise a family.
We recently received a positive report from our auditor. He reported that the city was financially in good condition in view of reduced allocations from the State of Idaho. We have been able to do business as usual with no layoffs and no curtailment of services to the citizens. This has been possible due to small reserves that are a credit to previous administrations as well as the present administration. We have also found it necessary to freeze our employees’ salaries.
We have also been able to maintain our equipment, including water and wastewater systems, in good condition. During the recent power outage, generators activated the sewage lift pumps and water pumps and they functioned perfectly. We have been diligent in using our road money for the streets and for the most part they are in good condition. We have created and funded a capital equipment budget for updating our equipment as well as keeping them in good repair. The bonded indebtedness on the water and wastewater systems is being paid off along with and including a reserve buildup to cover at least any major repairs and appropriate improvements.
We are fortunate to be able to utilize well-qualified people who are willing to work part-time and complete their work in a half-day in two key positions, our city clerk and treasurer. We have part–time office workers to assist these persons, which has been economically effective. Our public works director and our maintenance staff have been and are efficiently doing good work as well. They have been able to use the Madison County inmates very effectively. The well-kept parks and streets are a tribute to their efforts.
Snow removal this year has been a challenge due to small snowstorms that do not justify plowing and then they build up on the roads day by day. Our policy has been to wait for at least two plus inches of snow before going out to plow.
We feel a sense of pride in our parks and the enhancement projects that have been completed on our south and west entrances. One prominent citizen said that each time that he returns from work, he enjoys the west entrance project. During the summer, the beautiful yards and gardens throughout the city add to the beauty of the city.
We are fortunate to have a very successful summer recreation program for the youth. It is directed and supervised by volunteers and almost entirely financed by the participants.
There are conditions in the city where the economic downturn in the country has caused hardship for some, including unemployment and the inability to pay for their utility bills. We are anxious to see a turn-around in the economy, people back to work and an optimistic outlook.
Our Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council have worked hard and spent many hours during the past few years in revising and updating our city ordinances and code book. We thank them for their good work.
The City Tree and Beautification Committee continue to work hard to enhance the city. They are responsible for the annual display of flowers on the south and west entrance projects as well as the Center Street potted flowers, the tree decorations and the lighting ceremony, together with the annual Christmas program and refreshments.
Summarizing, the city is in good financial condition. The business and service departments are functioning well. The roads and streets are in good condition. The city is enhanced by the two entrance projects and the work of the Tree and Beautification Committee.
Perhaps the most important are the good people who live here and raise good families and keep their homes and yards attractive. Without question, it is a beautiful city and a great place to live.