David D. Ogden, Mayor
Wendy McLaughlin, Clerk–Treasurer Shelley Jones, Deputy Clerk–Treasurer Arlynn Jacobson, Public Works Director
Calendar:
Sept. 30 Oct 11 Sugar Salem Harvest Break
Oct 3 Planning & Zoning @ 7:00 p.m.
Oct 10 – City Council @ 6:30 p.m. Public
Meeting for
comment on Title 9
– Administration
Oct 14 CITY
CLEAN–UP BEGINS Columbus Day
**Garbage pick–up will not be affected**
Oct 17 – Planning & Zoning @7:00 p.m.
Oct 24 – City Council @ 6:30
p.m.
FUTURE DATES
TO REMEMBER:
Nov 5 Election
–
Day -Remember to Vote!
Nov 7 – Planning & Zoning @ 7:00 p.m.
***All city meetings are subject to change – see city website***
Sugar City
Happy Halloween
OCTOBER 2019
**PUBLIC MEETING** Meeting for Public Comment on City Code Title 9 Administration to be held on October 10th at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. **
WATER METERS: Last meter reading of this year will be taken at the end of this month. To keep your average utility bill for the winter lower, stop outdoor watering by October 20th. MAKE SURE METERS ARE UNCOVERED! The public works crew has had problems reading meters because some are covered. Please do not store cars, trailers, woodpiles or other objects on top of city meters. This takes the crew more time to do their job efficiently.
FALL TREE PRUNING: While trimming your trees and bushes this fall, please remember to trim along the streets and back off of street signs. Branches along streets must be trimmed ten (10) feet up off the ground. Thank you!
ALLEY CLUTTER: We have noticed that many of the city alleys are being used to park campers, trailers, fire wood and other debris. Please remember that these city easements are for utility services, city equipment and emergency equipment only. *Please do not fill alleys after fall city clean–up until the week before the next clean- up in the spring. Storing debris is a violation of city code 3-1-13:A.‘
CITY- WILE CLEAM
UP
W
CITY WIDE CLEAN–UP: The date for city clean–up to begin is October 14th. Please do not put items out on the roads or alleys more than one week ahead of time. If you have items that you need to discard before the city clean–up, please note that we have a dumpster on the west side of Silo Park off of North Front & C Street. Please follow the guidelines below for items to be removed or placed in the dumpster.
Due to regulations, we cannot pick up:
leaves and grass clippings unless they are bagged,
tree limbs that are longer than five (5) feet,
large remodeling materials, roofing, large pieces of concrete and tires, hazardous waste such as paint, chemicals, batteries, & used oil.
Please keep piles away from fences, sheds or other items to alleviate the potential for damage.
SPRINKLER SYSTEMS: If you didn’t have a test on your sprinkler system backflow preventer done last year, please have one done this year and bring your report into City Hall. This is necessary to ensure that contamination of the water supply will not happen in the event of a pressure loss to the water system. Thank you to those that have already brought in test results!
BURNING WITHIN THE CITY: City Code does not address burning waste. County guidelines must be followed. See the following website: http://www.fdmadison.org/. You can register there and read the regulations for burning.
Ph: 208-356-7561
Fax: 208-359-2654
Office Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
P.O. Box 5610 E. Center
Sugar City, ID 83448
Sugar City
David D. Ogden, Mayor
Wendy McLaughlin, Clerk–Treasurer Shelley Jones, Deputy Clerk–Treasurer Arlynn Jacobson, Public Works Director
October 1, 2019
Dear Friends,
I was reading the other day and came across a quote that I would like to share with you. It reads:
“The tricky thing about living in a society that allows you freedom is that everyone else has it too. Some people can’t handle that. They can’t accept their neighbor making a different choice than they did. That’s the tricky part, letting someone else have the freedom to choose. A choice isn’t really a choice if there is only one option. It’s inherent with real choices with true freedom that everyone can make their own decisions. For us to be free, we have to come to terms with that. We have to understand that not every decision is ours to make. Not every decision is a good one.” (A.C. Cobble)
—
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We can’t all be to every meeting, and vote on every subject, so we elect representatives who can do this for us. We authorize them, to the best of their ability, to try and decide the best path for our city. I have learned a lot about this process during the last nine years; five serving on planning & zoning, and four as your mayor. It is not always easy to make good decisions, but I know for a fact that everyone who has served has tried to do so with
your best interest at heart.
We will soon have another choice to make, and that is who will be representing us on our city council, and as Mayor. In an effort to help you get to know those who have agreed to run for these offices, there will be two nights in October where you can come, listen and ask questions. The first is on October 17th, at 7:00 pm, in the Sugar–Salem High School Auditorium. It is sponsored by the Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce. The other is on October 30th, at 7:00 pm, also in the Sugar–Salem High School Auditorium, and is being moderated by State Senator Brent Hill. I encourage all of you to come and get to know us.
This has been a very busy month. The planning & zoning commission has worked very hard to review and make recommendations on four new plats, which would make possible both townhomes and cottage homes in the Old Farm Estates area. These were recommended for approval by the planning & zoning commission, and then approved by the city council.
Ph: 208-356-7561 Fax: 208-359-2654
Office Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
P.O. Box 56-10 E. Center
Sugar City, ID 83448
Although these tend to be smaller than a normal residence, they would still be owned and/or occupied by a single family.
The new water project continues to proceed as anticipated. From the very beginning the city council and I have been aware of the impact the increasing rates would have on some of our lower fixed income citizens. I want to assure you that all of the income generated from the rates you pay go towards actual costs of operating the system. First, a water study was requested by the prior mayor and council, which indicated the city was deficient in several areas, as per Environmental Protection Agency requirements. The main one was the capacity of the system to provide fire flow, in the event of a fire. Second, a project was recommended by the engineering company who did the water study as to how to fix those issues. Third, based on the approved project amount, a rate structure was recommended by the same engineers. None of this has been arbitrary, and the city council has done its due diligence and adopted this project and these rates based on real numbers and real need.
In fact, the water project has been very timely. Without the increased capacity, especially in fire flow, I doubt the city could provide the capacity to support the new Junior High School, which it appears is broadly supported by you. And to answer the needs of the lower fixed income citizens, the city council will be considering a circuit breaker program, much like many utilities use, so that we as citizens can help those who have a real need. I will keep you informed as to the progress of the council as to this issue.
As my term winds down by the end of the year, I would like to thank each of you for the opportunity to serve you. Regardless of what happens in the upcoming election, I have enjoyed working with the city council, staff and all of the other elected officials in this area. My retirement has allowed me the time to come in each day, attend the important meetings, and network with all of our public and private partners. It has helped to keep me busy and doing things that I have come to enjoy. Thanks again for this opportunity.
Sincerely,
David D. Ogden
David D. Ogden, Mayor
Ph: 208-356-7561
Office Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Fax: 208-359-2654
P.O. Box 56 – 10 E. Center Sugar City, ID 83448
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