City of SUGAR CITY
IDAHO
City of Sugar City
10 East Center Post Office Box 56 Sugar City, Idaho 83448
April 2014
Support our local businesses
Dear Sugar City Residents:
Calendar:
April 3, 7 p.m. – Planning & Zoning Meeting
April 10, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. – Retirement Open House
April 10, 6:30 p.m. – City Council Meeting
April 17, 7 p.m. – Planning & Zoning Meeting
April 20: Happy Easter
April 24 – 6:30 p.m. – City Council Meeting
Dates to remember:
May 9 – Arbor Day Celebration
May 19 Spring cleanup starts
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July 26 – Pioneer community breakfast
EASTER EGG HUNT: The annual Easter egg hunt will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 19, 2014 at Smith Park. It is for children ages one to ten.
FLOWER BARREL FUND: The Beautification Committee is looking forward to a beautiful, wind and frost–free June with live flowers blooming in the barrels on Center Street. We so appreciate your donations to fund this project. Thank you for dropping off your contribution at the city hall.
SPRING PICKUP: Spring cleanup begins May 19.
WATERING: Because of our warm March weather, we read the water meters the end of March. This means you will see an adjustment to your water bill based on how good our winter estimate was. This also means you can start watering those trees and flowers again.
RETIREMENT: Sharon L Bell will be retiring as City Clerk this month after serving for 161⁄2 years. Please join us for a retirement open house on Thursday, April 10, 2014 from 4:00-6:00 pm. at City Hall. Refreshments will be served.
Sharon will be difficult to replace. Her knowledge and skill will be missed. Her pleasant countenance and upbeat personality has made her a joy for all of us who work closely with her. Her pleasant greeting to all who enter the office will long be remembered.
GRAIN SILO: In regards to the grain silo please be reminded that for the past 8 years the city officials have made every effort possible to save the silo as a historic structure or landmark. We finally concluded that the preservation was too expensive and unwise and the liability too great. Rest assured that we all share sentimental feelings regarding its demolition. Please see enclosed copy of the February newsletter insert regarding more details.
Mayor Glenn W. Dalling City Council and Staff
2014 FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER INSERT GRAIN SILO
In the late 1990s Steiner Elevator Company determined that the Sugar City grain elevator was no longer economical to operate. At that time there were office facilities and a feed storage area to the south of the silo and coal sheds on the north from which they sold coal. Steiners‘ property to the east of the silo had long been maintained by the city voluntarily to enhance the appearance of the city since 1969.
Steiners closed their business and on October 8, 1997 the city purchased the property for $52,000 and approved another $20,000 for demolition and cleanup of the existing facilities.
June 11, 2001 the city received a bid from Ard’s Construction to tear down the elevator buildings and the silo, and to clean it up and haul it away for $248,776. On the same date the city received a bid from Ron Parkinson for demolition, cleanup and hauling away the debris for $47,000. The minutes do not reflect the reason for the decision to only clean up around it and not for removal of the silo. City officials have been concerned about the appearance of the silo for many years since it dominates the west entrance to the city, although some thought it to be historical landmark. The silo was constructed in the year 1906 and declared structurally sound in the year 2005, except for some damage caused by the 1976 Teton Dam flood.
The appearance of the silo continued to be a concern. On January 21, 2008 a plan was presented to restore and enhance the appearance of the silo (picture enclosed). The city applied for a grant to complete the project in the amount of $494,635. The city would need to pay $39,000 to complete the project. The grant was denied and since that time that source of federal funding is no longer available. More time elapsed, but the desire to do something about the appearance of the silo has continued.
Recently we have become more concerned about the safety and liability due to the fact that the east square on the side of the silo does not have a solid foundation and footing. This enables young people to tunnel the dirt berm and enter the silo and climb the rickety stairway to the top and look out the doors near the top.
Another liability, which surfaced recently, is the fact that a small amount of grain has been left in the silo bins and encourages the production of mice, and the broken windows allow access by birds. This has created a serious health hazard that has been brought to our attention. Due to the liability risks, we have been counseled not to clean it up ourselves but to obtain professional people.
In view of what has happened, here are the choices that face the community and the city council:
(1) Leave the silo standing; cleanup bid $63,784.32. This solution solves only the health
hazard and no regard to the appearance of the silo.
(2) Removal of the silo $41,000, which would include $30,000 for demolition, and $11,000 for digging a hole and burying most of the rubble and covering or hauling away that which cannot be buried.
(3) Removal of the silo $68,000, which would include $30,000 for demolition, and $38,000 for hauling all debris away and filling the hole, which was created by removal of the footings/foundation.
JANUARY 23, 2014 THE COUNCIL VOTED TO ADOPT #2 ALTERNATIVE.