Saturday, January 30, 2010

City Council Meeting Feb 2, 5:30 pm in City Council Chambers

The Jerome City Council will meet on February 2, 5:30 pm at the City Council Chambers, located at 100 E Ave A. The agenda for the meeting is provided below.


Call to Order – 5:30 PM.
Pledge of Allegiance
Agenda Amendments
Employee of the Month
1. Mayor to announce Kenny Shaffer as the Employee of the Month for January
Public Hearings
1. To hear public comment regarding a proposed revision of Title 17 of the Jerome Municipal Code that addresses all land use regulations within the City of Jerome.

Consent Calendar
The consent calendar consists of items that are considered to be routine in nature and will be enacted in the form of one motion. Any item can be removed from the consent calendar and heard in its regular order at the request of any council member or the mayor.

2. Approve the minutes of the regular January 19, 2009 city council meeting.

Citizen Correspondence, Issues & Reports

Resolutions
3. Resolution No. 07-10 – Urging the U.S. Air Force to select Idaho for its F-35 missions
4. Resolution No. 08-10 – To set the 2010 Irrigation Assessment Roll


Contracts/Capital Acquisitions
5. Approve the contract with Web Impakt to design the city website at a cost of $12,950 - IS
6. Approve the contract with Dr. E. Terrence Jones for the administration of a citizen survey by telephone and statistical analysis in the amount of $8,000 - Admin

City Council Discussion & Possible Action Items
7. Request approval to hire a temporary employee from May 1- Aug 27, 2010 at a total cost of $4,392 – IS
8. Request approval for City Clerk Shonna Fraser to attend the IIMC Conference in Reno, Nevada at a cost of $1,516 - Admin
9. Declare the two ovens in the Depot building surplus - Admin

Council Reports
City Administrative Report
Department Head Reports
Adjourn

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Carbon Monoxide 101


Carbon Monoxide: The Invisible Killer

If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a hundred times: I don’t have to worry about carbon monoxide poisoning in my home because I’ll smell a leak in time to get out safely.

Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Tragically, that kind of thinking can prove deadly for Jerome residents.

Here are the facts: Carbon monoxide (CO) has no odor. You can’t smell it and you can’t see it.

Dangerous levels of carbon monoxide can build up from any fuel-burning appliance or equipment if it isn’t working properly or if the CO that is produced isn’t conducted safely to the outside. For example, if there isn’t enough oxygen available to run your furnace, the rate of CO production can greatly increase. If you don’t have a venting system to capture the CO, then heavy or light CO production can lead to a deadly build-up in your home.

According to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 656 people died from unintentional non-fire gas poisonings in 2001, and most of those deaths involved carbon monoxide. NFPA and the Jerome City Fire Department strongly recommend that every home be protected by at least one CO detector, which can alert you to dangerous levels of CO in your home in time to prevent poisoning.

Early warning of hazardous CO levels is very important, but prevention comes first. Know what you need to do to ensure your home is safe from CO. Cooking and heating equipment and motor vehicles in attached garages make up a large percentage of the home CO problem, but NFPA says that portable electric generators, camp stoves and lanterns can also be culprits when not used properly.

The symptoms of CO poisoning – severe headache, dizziness, nausea – can seem like other illnesses, such as the flu or food poisoning. Learn the signs; CO poisoning requires immediate medical attention.

You can prevent CO poisoning in your home with these key actions:

• Install at least one CO detector near the sleeping area; test it every month and learn the sound of the alarm.
• Have heating equipment inspected each year to identify damage or malfunction; make repairs as needed.
• Open the flue before using the fireplace.
• If you use a kerosene or gas heater, open a window slightly when the heater is in use.
• Use equipment properly; never use an oven to heat a room and never bring BBQ grills indoors or into a garage or covered porch.
• Generators must be used outdoors in well-ventilated areas, never inside the home or garage.
• Always move vehicles out of the garage after starting the ignition and then close the door.
• Don’t allow snow or anything else to block the vents for your dryer, stove or heating equipment.

If your CO alarm signals, take it seriously. Quickly check to see if the battery power is low. If the alarm is steady, assume there is a CO leak and evacuate your home. Call the Jerome City Fire Department at this number, 911, and report a suspected CO leak. Our personnel will let you know if it is safe to go back inside or if you need to arrange for a technician.

Carbon monoxide: you can’t see it or smell it, but with the right actions you can stay safe from it.

Monday, January 25, 2010

PREVENTION: Cooking Fires Can Turn Deadly


A cooking fire can quickly turn deadly. Sadly, many begin and end the same way.

In Wisconsin , three children under the age of six died when smoke and heat filled their second-floor apartment, preventing escape. Their mother managed to climb out a window and call the fire department from a neighbor’s house, but she was unable to save the children. The fire occurred in a two-story, wood-frame, multi-unit dwelling. The unsprinklered apartment had no smoke alarms.

The fire began when a pan of food left cooking unattended on the apartment’s stove overheated. Flames spread from the pan to the kitchen cabinets and other combustibles until it involved the entire room. The woman, who was in her bedroom, smelled smoke shortly before 1 a.m. and went to investigate. When she saw the fire, she ran from the apartment, leaving her three sleeping daughters, ages 5, 4, and 3.
Home cooking fires kill hundreds of Americans and injure roughly 4,000 more each year. Aside from death and injury, other personal losses are suffered with half a billion dollars in homes and their contents destroyed annually.

During Fire Prevention Week emphasis is placed on raising the public’s awareness of fire prevention and safety with a special focus this year on the importance of preventing cooking fires in the home. This year’s theme for Fire Prevention Week is “Prevent Cooking Fires: Watch What You Heat.” Fire Prevention Week is scheduled to take place October 8 through October 14. NFPA has been the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for more than 80 years.

According to NFPA statistics, cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home fire injuries. Most cooking equipment fires start with the ignition of common household items such as food or grease, cabinets, wall coverings, paper or plastic bags, curtains, etc.

Cooking equipment, most often a range or stove top, is the leading cause of reported home fires and home fire injuries in the United States, says Marty Ahrens, manager of NFPA’s Fire Analysis Services. Cooking equipment is also the leading cause of unreported fires and associated injuries or illnesses. When cooking equipment is described as a cause, it means that cooking equipment provided the heat that started the fire, not that the equipment malfunctioned. More cooking equipment fires are caused by human error than malfunction.

According to her most recent research on cooking fires, the leading cause of cooking equipment fires is unattended cooking. Cooking oil, grease and frying are frequently factors in these fires. Fifty-five percent of the civilians who were injured in home cooking equipment fires in 1999 to 2003 were injured while trying to fight the fire themselves. Most reported home cooking fires stay small, with 71 percent of the incidents either coded as confined cooking fires or having flame damage confined to the object of origin. Even so, 38 percent of the reported injuries and 8 percent of the fatalities resulted from these small fires.

Please be careful when cooking and always make sure all sources of heat are strictly monitored. A fire extinguisher should be in every kitchen, visual, and easily accessible. For any other questions, call Fire Chief Mike Hatfield at 324-2323.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

City Council Meets January 19, 5:30 pm


The Jerome City Council meets next Tuesday, January 19 at 5:30 pm at Council Chambers, located at 100 E Ave A, Jerome, ID 83338. A copy of the agenda is printed below:

Call to Order – 5:30 PM.
Pledge of Allegiance
Consent Agenda
The consent calendar consists of items that are considered to be routine in nature and will be enacted in the form of one motion. Any item can be removed from the consent calendar and heard in its regular order at the request of any council member or the mayor.

1. Approve the minutes of the January 5, 2010 regular meeting and the January 5, 2010 executive session.
2. Officer’s reports – Fire, Building, Library, Law Enforcement, & Finance

Citizen Correspondence, Issues & Reports
1. Letter from Kelly Bangerter regarding the landscaping and snow removal contract for the Fire Department

Resolutions
2. Resolution No. 05-10 – Amending The City Procurement Policy
3. Resolution No. 06-10 – Amending Guidelines For Approving Training Requests

City Council Discussion & Possible Action Items
4. Approve the Public Works Director to submit an application to the Local Federal-Aid Incentive Program – Public Works
5. Approval to hire Daniel Hair as a temporary summer employee at a cost of $4,392 – IT
6. Approve the renewal of the 2010 Taxi License for Twin Falls Taxi/Transportation - Admin
7. Approve the purchase of a trailer mounted valve exerciser from Industrial Systems Inc. at a cost of $44,492 – Waterworks
8. Approve the purchase of a CAT Mini-Ex Bobcat Mini-Excavator at a cost of $52,058 – Waterworks
9. Approve the purchase of a Fuji portable flow meter at a cost of $5,749 – Waterworks
10. Award the bid for procurement of equipment for the bio-tower construction – Waterworks
11. Approve going out to bid for construction of ADA complaint and life safety improvements to the depot building – Building Department

Council Reports
City Administrative Report
Department Head Reports
Adjourn

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Helping with the Victims of the Haitian Earthquake

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Haiti who are suffering in the aftermath of yesterday's earthquake. In a city as old and historical as Port-au-Prince, an earthquake of this magnitude is especially destructive. If you are interested in helping out but don't know how, here are some ways listed by National Public Radio:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/01/haiti_earthquake_how_to_help_a.html?sc=fb&cc=fp

Thursday, January 7, 2010

City Selling Vehicles at Surplus

The City is auctioning off several items as surplus, including 5 trucks, one Chevy Impala (wrecked), one backhoe, one loader, office equipment, and office furniture. These items are available for bidding online at www.publicsurplus.com. Anyone can purchase these items, and the bidding is open to the general public. If you are interested in bidding on any of these items go to www.publicsurplus.com or follow the steps below:

1) Go to www.publicsurplus.com
2) Click the “Search” link located in the upper right portion of the homepage
3) Enter zip code 83338 in the field after the words “miles from zip code”
4) Select Idaho from the drop-down list in the “In Region” field.
5) All items offered by the City of Jerome and in the State of Idaho should come up.

If are unable to access the auction or have other questions concerning the items, please let me know.

Best,

Micah

Micah Austin
Assistant to the City Administrator
City of Jerome
Office: 208-324-8189 ext 101
Cell: 208-316-5989

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

New Mayor, New Councilmember, and Reappointment of Councilmembers

At last night's council meeting, Mayor Charles Correll stepped down and Mayor Elect John Shine became Jerome's new Mayor. Councilmembers Chris Barber and Bob Culver were were sworn in by Judge Borreson to renew their terms of office for an additional four years. As his first item of business, Mayor John Shine appointed Dawn Soto, Jerome resident, as councilmember to fill his vacanted seat. We welcome Councilmember Soto!

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

City Council Meets Tonight at 5:30 pm

The Mayor and City Councilmembers of the City of Jerome will be meeting tonight in a regular session at 5:30 pm in Council Chambers, located at 100 E Ave. A. A summary of the agenda is reprinted below:

Call to Order – 5:30 PM.
Pledge of Allegiance
Consent Agenda
The consent calendar consists of items that are considered to be routine in nature and will be enacted in the form of one motion. Any item can be removed from the consent calendar and heard in its regular order at the request of any council member or the mayor.

1. Approve the minutes of the regular meeting of December 15, 2009 and special meeting of December 21, 2009 MinutesBinder1.pdf

Installation of Elected Officials
1. Judge Borreson Administer the oath of office to Mayor-Elect John Shine and Council Members-Elect Robert Culver and Chris Barber
2. Mayor Shine to appoint a councilperson to fill a vacancy
3. Mayor Shine to appoint council members to the finance committee
Elect Council President
Confirm Appointed Officers
1. Judge Borreson to administer the Oath of Office to City Treasurer Ross Hyatt
Citizen Correspondence, Issues & Reports


Resolutions
2. Resolution No. 1-10 Naming 401(k) Plan Administrators Res01-10Binder1.pdf
3. Resolution No. 2-10 Authority to Assume Duties Res02-10Binder1.pdf
4. Resolution No. 3-10 Amending the Wellness Plan Res03-10Binder1.pdf
5. Resolution No. 4-10 Amending the Employee Manual Res04-10Binder1.pdf

City Council Discussion & Possible Action Items
6. Approve payment to Sunrise Engineers in the amount of $6,062.50 – Public Works SunriseBinder1.pdf
7. Approve the applications for submission to NXGen Payment Services – Finance NEXGenBinder1.pdf
8. Approval for Walt Appell to attend a NRWA meeting in Washington DC – Public Works 2010DC Statement.pdf
9. Approve Landscaping/Snow removal contract in the amount of $3,360 – Fire Lawn Care and Snow Removal.pdf
10. Approve the replacement of the belt press drive assembly from Seepex Pump at a total cost of $7243 – Sewer BeltPressBinder1.pdf
11. Approve purchase of a 2005 Chevrolet Colorado at a cost of $5295.00 – Water 2005ChevyBinder1.pdf
12. Approve the sale at auction of office equipment and surplus vehicles auction.pdf

Council Reports
City Administrative Report
Department Head Reports
Executive Session
Adjourn

Saturday, January 2, 2010

City Taking Christmas Trees to Recycle

The City of Jerome is recycling Christmas trees! You can drop off your live Christmas tree at the Public Works Facility located at the end of 4th Avenue West. Simply place your tree against the fence to the south of the entrance gate. All trees will be mulched and used for landscaping in City parks throughout the ye...ar. Please make sure all ornaments and lights are removed first. Happy New Year!