[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6479374,"mediaKeyId","5693960-a4711600019ea5a5c972b5d2159aaf86","parentId",5693960,"title","Idaho Falls council adopts $389.6 million FY25–26 budget; approves fees and ongoing foregone, rejects one-time foregone","audioSeconds",1414,"startMs",1580000,"endMs",2994000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5693960-a4711600019ea5a5c972b5d2159aaf86&start=1580&end=2994","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5693960-a4711600019ea5a5c972b5d2159aaf86/thumbnail_1580000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6479374/Idaho-Falls/Bonneville-County/Idaho/Idaho-Falls-council-adopts-3896-million-FY2526-budget-approves-fees-and-ongoing-foregone-rejects-one-time-foregone","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6479374-c5b22c1568e669a3d43eae690aff1a6a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770417277&Signature=G9UQ1CX3YGd1hfn-dxZwPaklDCSUp8Jz8pKKNmIxHR-Dl7jzMzICtw2L9E2rPjzmiyi3JvRAy6ZpRh-qhjCFsrzsGbf6nVTfi59LHum8PgJO~lYlO2xxGc0bNhjq0FqKIvYNI~8cifcbH99vQDisqaIvy8VNxH3XRnoxEeEKOHHTNBnuD2pzziq6ZSaPSyW7bh~J2lDuUmaKJMS3tkPCZx2E-TKdpUoob3c8SdXJDIACRNrQGKNcndzthlbAOP~ne9clgb4~1BWyU6NHQXLVXKfP2P-r2120fK8JK3bE5nASyOALLYAOdU42AYHvtHkfQD6ciiKnVYv2h7OQy0eOkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Idaho Falls City","date","2025-08-28T00:00:00Z","article","The Idaho Falls City Council voted to adopt a fiscal-year 2025–26 budget with a not-to-exceed total of $389,634,976 and approved several related resolutions and fee changes at the council meeting.

Municipal Services Director Pam Alexander presented the budget overview and summarized required public hearings held Aug. 14 on new fees and the foregone requests. Alexander told the council the total proposed budget not to exceed $389,634,976, an increase of about $16.9 million from the current year, and described revenue assumptions that include a 3% statutory property-tax growth allowance and proposed foregone levies. The budget presentation identified operating expenses of about $120.6 million and citywide capital outlays of approximately $111.4 million. The presentation also noted a valuation increase of roughly $8.7 million (about 7.55 percent) and a proposed property-tax levy that, because of the higher valuation, results in a lower levy rate than the prior year.

Votes at a glance:

- Fee resolution (2025–26 fees and changes): Adopted. Vote recorded as: Francis — Aye; Freeman — Yes; Deanman — Yes; Larson — Yes; Bradford — Yes; Burton Shaw — Yes.

- 1% ongoing foregone (to cover firefighter positions after expiration of a SAFER grant), amount $506,638: Adopted. Vote recorded as: Francis — Aye; Freeman — Yes; Deanman — Yes; Larson — Yes; Bradford — Yes; Burton Shaw — Yes.

- One-time 1% capital foregone (fire storage facility), amount $500,000: Council voted to reject the one-time foregone resolution (council discussion noted $400,000 was funded in the regular budget and counseled against a tax increase). Vote recorded as: Larson — Yes; Francis — Aye; Burton Shaw — Yes; Deanman — Yes; Freeman — Yes; Bradford — Yes (motion carried to reject the foregone request).

- Fiscal-year 2025–26 appropriations ordinance (budget adoption; not-to-exceed $389,634,976): Adopted. Vote recorded as: Deamon/Deanman — Yes; Bradford — No; Larson — Yes; Burton Shaw — Yes; Francis — Aye; Freeman — Yes. Motion carried.

Councilors and staff emphasized that the not-to-exceed budget includes contingency and conditional items that depend on future grants and financing for specific projects (for example, airport terminal work), and that the published number gives the city legal authority to spend if those revenues materialize. Director Alexander said the public hearings required by statute were completed and that there was no public testimony specifically opposing the fee increases at the Aug. 14 hearings.

The council also approved consent-agenda items that included a treasurer's report, renewal of GIS maintenance and support services for $93,824.15, a Public Works equipment purchase (Well Test/Well-equipped DBA American Pump) for $171,915, and licensing reports for July 2025 (53 new business requests, 14 renewals, 22 contractors). The ordinance will be read by title and filed with the county and state as required.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Idaho Falls City - City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Idaho Falls City Council approved the fiscal-year 2025–26 budget not to exceed $389,634,976, adopted fee changes, approved a 1% ongoing foregone levy of $506,638 to cover firefighter positions tied to the SAFFR grant sunset, and declined a $500,000 one-time foregone capital request for a fire storage facility.","taxTitle","Idaho Falls, Bonneville County, Idaho","taxId",4472,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6479378,"Resident urges stronger code enforcement, developer oversight and road safety in Fairway Estates area",501,710000,1211000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5693960-a4711600019ea5a5c972b5d2159aaf86&start=710&end=1211","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5693960-a4711600019ea5a5c972b5d2159aaf86/thumbnail_710000.jpg","/articles/6479378/Idaho-Falls/Bonneville-County/Idaho/Resident-urges-stronger-code-enforcement-developer-oversight-and-road-safety-in-Fairway-Estates-area","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6479378-f86fbedb067491bc083a977aa71cf607/orig.mp4?Expires=1770417277&Signature=L2FAKDmxB-M0pklx1xaSXi--bpXFUGyzvCDggM0hNhut51YB7QJeLwXjDauuyljBvK1QLbsrsyNf-ZLJmhRL19g10E~2mWp6W3J4e6S2CWDBPvBZ56vQRgzq-Sg4ZrOPFgNOtq9drTBAW6clCZlP8bDJ~1e7b8V1zVIzQfhJsXxRvl24lC4R2SHutXXWKVydGSUCvZSW9XXS8HsKrKIg-SRlLNof6omPcvrISztuVXy4zbXRty4RbX7~T0vPH0fIbEYBV1Rbq8OUdDxt-mUmJQzTO2yle59exfNZeQeIqv2SFGh0LJqCWyfedFIpxPmmrz1Eyw9gxf-PcJ-L1EldvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brett Hobbs, who identified himself as a resident of Fairway Estates, told the council he supports recent bridge work but raised multiple concerns about development and municipal enforcement as growth continues at the city's edge. \"The traffic or the speed of the...50 mile an hour as they develop more of homes in that area is too fast,\" Hobbs said, urging review of traffic controls and sight-lines at intersections on Iona Road and nearby entrances.

Hobbs also criticized the city's current code-enforcement intake process, saying the online form asks for personal details including date of birth and ethnicity and is discouraging reports. \"By the time you fill that out, you just think, well, this isn't gonna form anything,\" he told the council. He said property maintenance problems remain across the city, citing a vacant bank building and poor upkeep near the golf course and a Sonic Drive‑In; he said some properties were eventually cleaned but he was not sure whether owners or the city acted.

Hobbs questioned how developers are held to long-term standards, warning that large, out-of-area developers sometimes leave properties vacant and that unfinished or poorly supported growth can increase pressure on roads and local services. He said his HOA structure is developer-controlled and difficult for residents to change.

Mayoral response noted that Public Works staff were present and that those staffers or code-enforcement personnel could follow up after the meeting. No formal council action or vote occurred on the items raised during the public-comment period.","A long-time Idaho Falls resident raised concerns about new development, road access to a recently completed bridge, code-enforcement responsiveness, speed limits and homeowners-association arrangements during public comment.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6479383,"Local youth groups tell council ice arena access favors single organization",443,232000,675000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5693960-a4711600019ea5a5c972b5d2159aaf86&start=232&end=675","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5693960-a4711600019ea5a5c972b5d2159aaf86/thumbnail_232000.jpg","/articles/6479383/Idaho-Falls/Bonneville-County/Idaho/Local-youth-groups-tell-council-ice-arena-access-favors-single-organization","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6479383-d30b09158802ff4e8ff1e76d72ce8d3f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770417277&Signature=jqgYlR9kav59olqwO4wcXv~l7JsWpZ3mWrzNBXuFhrbSASu9J6r~fCEEUkEhAAND8yK3ai4yL4ueW8ijYHHDNDpUVNte4tjX7meuyiMHZd3vKFwrur~dpin3hqGqxuChFfk3gK24XWNiSKvUxS1cvCbSIerUSkToAfSRf4fdPPxV~QmDpOjHZG~MzhMqKCSVWTyMPu0QIAaQrelWnAIO1jTnIALc4LLFgQZddnSImII98MMss3Y7vQhZ8mgzF-oP84j4mB4Q-7NeP~11l37I4B~tvlTMTMjGbsT~NY~Y3ShKUqGOLlViEZMeUgVT7tUQrTUYgW-8Y5JdzaEdjqx6Rw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ben Roberts, president of the Sacred Youth Hockey Association, told the Idaho Falls City Council during public comment that his organization and other user groups believe the city is preferentially allocating ice arena resources to a single private organization, the Idaho Falls Youth Hockey Association. \"Ninety percent of the available ice time has been allocated to IFYJ,\" Roberts said, adding that \"of the 20 hours available of after-school ice time each week, IFYJ has 17 hours reserved.\" He described similar concerns about keys and 24/7 facility access, storage space provided at no cost to the favored group, and free use of city meeting rooms and audio-visual equipment for private meetings.

Stacy Martin, who said she lives in Shelley and serves on the boards of both hockey and figure-skating groups, urged the council to ensure \"fair, transparent, and equal access\" to the rink for all youth organizations. \"Each child, no matter their sport or organization, deserves the same opportunity to thrive in a safe, supportive, and fair environment,\" Martin said.

Neither Roberts nor Martin asked the council to take a specific immediate vote; both framed their remarks as requests for the council and city staff to investigate allocation practices and consider changes. Mayoral comments at the meeting noted that Parks and Recreation staff were not present and that Public Works representatives were in the room; the mayor suggested representatives stay after the meeting so staff could collect contact information and follow up.

The speakers provided specific examples for council consideration: a near-total reservation of prime after-school ice times by a single club (17 of 20 weekly after-school hours), exclusive key access for that club, majority use of limited storage lockers without a contract or charge, and regular free use of city meeting space and equipment for private group meetings. Roberts said his group must rent private storage at an extra cost, which affects the group's ability to keep participation affordable.

No formal council action was taken at the meeting. Council members did not discuss or vote on policy changes during the public-comment period; city staff were invited to follow up with the groups after the meeting.","Representatives of two local youth skating groups told the Idaho Falls City Council that one club appears to receive the majority of after-school ice time, storage and facility access at the city ice arena and asked the city to make allocations more equitable.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Idaho Falls council adopts $389.6 million FY25–26 budget; approves fees and ongoing foregone, rejects one-time foregone

Resident urges stronger code enforcement, developer oversight and road safety in Fairway Estates area

Local youth groups tell council ice arena access favors single organization