[{"_1":2,"_114":-5,"_115":-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",[32,74,84,94,104],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6006930,"mediaKeyId","5825018-116f8a596d1d658d1a73bdcc2e8922ae","parentId",5825018,"title","Road and Bridge updates: chip seal and paving completed; heavy-haul gravel traffic raises damage concerns","audioSeconds",3839,"startMs",1211000,"endMs",5050000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5825018-116f8a596d1d658d1a73bdcc2e8922ae&start=1211&end=5050","thumbnailUrl","https://d352y6ypj4mjo3.cloudfront.net/AudioPlaceholder.png","articleUrl","/articles/6006930/Jefferson-County/Idaho/Road-and-Bridge-updates-chip-seal-and-paving-completed-heavy-haul-gravel-traffic-raises-damage-concerns","mediaUrl","author","Jefferson County, ID","date","2025-08-25T00:00:00Z","article","Jefferson County Road and Bridge on Aug. 22 told commissioners the department expects to finish about 70 lane miles of chip seal this summer, has completed roughly 10 lane miles of paving so far in the current budget year and plans additional paving this fall. The department is also preparing to install about $100,000 in culverts under a grant and is finalizing designs for a new stoplight where the state and Rocky Mountain Power have raised electrical and pedestal location issues.

Why it matters: paving and chip‑seal work affect road safety, maintenance budgets and winter operations. Commissioners also expressed concern about accelerated damage to county roads from heavy‑haul truck traffic tied to a nearby gravel/recharge operation; several commissioners said the county may pursue discussions with the permit holder about road repairs or financial compensation.

Key updates from Road and Bridge: project manager Mike Carter reported the department finished chip sealing and completed paving on two miles between Highway 48 and 500 North, with roughly 10 lane miles paved so far and an expected additional 8 lane miles depending on final invoices. Carter said a design meeting for a planned traffic signal identified conflicts with power lines; Rocky Mountain Power will need to relocate a pole near one pedestal location.

Heavy‑haul impacts and permit concerns: commissioners said a nearby recharge/gravel project is running hundreds of truck trips daily and has caused visible damage to county roads. Commissioners requested staff document time and materials spent on temporary repairs and to follow up with the project’s permit holder or the agency that approved the site. County staff said the quarry/recharge operation holds a conditional‑use permit, and the county’s attorney will review whether that permit can be leveraged to require road repairs or reimbursement.

Discussion versus formal action: the meeting recorded operational updates and instructions to staff to “keep track of time and materials” and to have the county attorney review permit conditions; no formal vote was taken on enforcement or on recovering costs during the session.

Background details: Road and Bridge said it expects to install culverts funded by a culvert grant in September–October and is working to reconcile final invoices to maximize paving in the current budget. Commissioners noted snow‑removal and blade widths as practical constraints when discussing right‑of‑way trees and roadside obstructions in a separate agenda item.

Meeting evidence: the department reported the chip seal mileage and paving progress on the record; commissioners directed staff to document costs related to heavy‑haul impacts and to pursue discussions with permit holders.","mediaType","Audio","parentTitle","Aug 25, 2025 — Posted Aug 22, 2025 10:26 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Jefferson County Road and Bridge reported it completed roughly 70 lane miles of chip seal this summer, about 10 lane miles of paving so far in the current budget year and plans additional paving and culvert installations this fall; commissioners raised concerns about heavy truck traffic from a gravel/recharge site damaging county roads and asked staff to document repair costs.","taxTitle","Jefferson County, Idaho","taxId",52189,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":50,"_51":81,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":82,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":83,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6006935,"Commissioners appoint three to new Jefferson Central Ambulance District; ARPA funds to cover ambulance purchase",557,217000,774000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5825018-116f8a596d1d658d1a73bdcc2e8922ae&start=217&end=774","/articles/6006935/Jefferson-County/Idaho/Commissioners-appoint-three-to-new-Jefferson-Central-Ambulance-District-ARPA-funds-to-cover-ambulance-purchase","The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 22 appointed Roger Anderson, Todd Stowell and Andrew Mickelson as the inaugural commissioners of the newly formed Jefferson Central Ambulance District and confirmed use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to pay for a recently ordered ambulance. The commissioners were sworn in during the meeting.

The appointments follow a public vote establishing the ambulance district, and, as Chair Boyle said at the meeting, “per the state code, we as county commissioners select those 3 commissioners.” The board moved and approved the appointments by roll call.

Why it matters: the new district will administer emergency medical services in the area and must complete state paperwork and administrative set‑up quickly to operate and to levy property taxes. County staff told the commissioners the district must be fully organized and the paperwork “signed and dotted i’s” by Dec. 31 to levy in the next calendar year.

What the board decided and next steps: the board made a motion to create the commissioner positions for the ambulance district and named the three appointees. Each appointee was sworn in individually at the meeting with a public oath; for example, Roger Anderson recited, “I, Roger Anderson, do solemnly swear that I will support the constitution of The United States … and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of commissioner of the Jefferson Central Ambulance District.”

Commissioners and staff also addressed operational set‑up. County staff instructed the new commissioners they will need to set up a separate district bank account (the ambulance district cannot levy until next year, and initial operations will rely on revenue from calls or transfers from the fire district until levies begin). Colleen in the clerk’s office confirmed the state filing remains outstanding and needs to be completed “as soon as possible.”

ARPA funding for ambulance: earlier in the meeting a commissioner raised a procedural question about getting ARPA funds to pay for an ambulance that the county intends to pick up this week. County staff directed the commissioner to work with Rebecca and with Sherry in the treasurer’s office to process the ARPA claim and ensure funds are available. The board referenced an amount of about $202,650 for the ambulance purchase during that exchange.

Discussion versus formal action: the formal action was the appointment and swearing in of the three commissioners. Separate from that, county staff and commissioners discussed administrative steps (state filing deadlines, bank account set‑up, election timing for staggered terms) and procurement funding for the ambulance. The discussion items were directions to staff and information for the new commissioners rather than separate formal votes.

What was not decided at the meeting: the district’s meeting schedule, internal officer elections, and the district’s operational bylaws were not finalized during the session; the commissioners were told those are matters the new district board must decide.

Meeting evidence: comments about the state filing deadline, levy timing and ARPA payment were discussed on the record during the county commission meeting.","The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners appointed three initial commissioners to the newly formed Jefferson Central Ambulance District and agreed to use ARPA funds to pay for a recently ordered ambulance; the district must complete state filings by Dec. 31 to levy in the next tax year.",{"_33":85,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":86,"_41":87,"_43":88,"_45":89,"_47":90,"_49":50,"_51":91,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":92,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":93,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6006916,"Commissioners say budget balanced and report about $400,000 in county wage increases; claims approved",857,1737000,2594000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5825018-116f8a596d1d658d1a73bdcc2e8922ae&start=1737&end=2594","/articles/6006916/Jefferson-County/Idaho/Commissioners-say-budget-balanced-and-report-about-400000-in-county-wage-increases-claims-approved","Jefferson County commissioners on Aug. 22 told department heads they have a balanced budget for the coming year and reported approximately $400,000 in increased wages across county positions after a round of budget adjustments. The board also approved claims totaling $581,235.99 covering the period Aug. 9–22, 2025.

Why it matters: wage increases affect county staffing, recruitment and recurring personnel costs; a balanced budget statement signals administrators believe revenues and expenditures have been reconciled for the coming fiscal year.

Details from the meeting: commissioners thanked staff, including Audrey (payroll) and Rebecca (budget staff), for work on payroll and budgeting. The chair noted the county is governed by a 3% state cap on budgets, excluding new construction, and said the administration worked to increase wages “wherever we could.” Commissioners characterized roughly $400,000 as the neighborhood figure for total wage increases included in the budget.

Claims and audits: the board approved claims in the amount of $581,235.99 for Aug. 9–22, 2025 by motion and roll call. The county also approved an external audit performed by Cyril and Hart Associates and a $2,500 letter of intent to the Westside Soil Conservation District.

Discussion versus formal action: the wage figures were discussed as part of the budget process; the formal board actions on the claims, the audit approval and the soil conservation letter were recorded as motions and approved by roll call.

What was not decided: specific step increases or individual personnel actions were to be handled by departments through personal action forms where applicable, and some step increases were to be applied later in the year per department direction.","Commissioners said the county budget was balanced for the coming year, reported roughly $400,000 in proposed wage increases across county employees, and approved claims totaling $581,235.99 for Aug. 9–22, 2025 during the meeting.",{"_33":95,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":96,"_41":97,"_43":98,"_45":99,"_47":100,"_49":50,"_51":101,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":102,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":103,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6006920,"County IT rolls out multi‑factor authentication, server upgrades and e‑ticketing pilot for law enforcement",85,892000,977000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5825018-116f8a596d1d658d1a73bdcc2e8922ae&start=892&end=977","/articles/6006920/Jefferson-County/Idaho/County-IT-rolls-out-multifactor-authentication-server-upgrades-and-eticketing-pilot-for-law-enforcement","Jefferson County Information Technology staff told commissioners on Aug. 22 that an email system upgrade is complete, multi‑factor authentication (MFA) deployment will begin this week with law enforcement accounts first, and server host hardware upgrades are planned for November–December. The sheriff’s office is also piloting e‑ticketing, which allows officers to send tickets electronically from patrol cars directly to the court system.

Why it matters: MFA will change login procedures for many county employees and improve account security; server hardware upgrades aim to reduce downtime and improve performance; e‑ticketing should speed ticket processing and reduce paper handling for courts and law enforcement.

Rollout details: IT said MFA will be implemented for law enforcement first — officers will use mobile devices to validate logins — and will then expand to other county departments. Server host hardware upgrades will be scheduled in evenings to minimize downtime. The e‑ticketing pilot currently covers three patrol units, with broader deployment scheduled in the coming weeks if testing goes well.

Discussion versus decision: IT provided updates and timelines and answered commissioners’ questions; no formal policy vote was required. Commissioners acknowledged the need to start with law enforcement for MFA and to schedule hardware upgrades to limit disruption to county services.

Operational impact: IT advised that staff and departments should expect new login steps after MFA deployment and that the county will coordinate training and communication to mitigate confusion.","IT reported completion of an email system upgrade, imminent deployment of multi‑factor authentication (starting with law enforcement), server host hardware upgrades planned for late fall and a phased rollout of e‑ticketing for patrol units to send tickets directly to the court system.",{"_33":105,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":106,"_41":107,"_43":108,"_45":109,"_47":110,"_49":50,"_51":111,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":112,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":113,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6006925,"County planners, commissioners debate right‑of‑way rules after complaints about trees, fences and mailboxes",828,3738000,4566000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5825018-116f8a596d1d658d1a73bdcc2e8922ae&start=3738&end=4566","/articles/6006925/Jefferson-County/Idaho/County-planners-commissioners-debate-rightofway-rules-after-complaints-about-trees-fences-and-mailboxes","Planning and Zoning staff told the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 22 they have sent more than 100 compliance letters about vegetation, fences and other obstructions in county rights‑of‑way and are revising code language and fees to reduce repetitive reviews.

Why it matters: vegetation, trees and private infrastructure in the county right‑of‑way can damage roads, impede snow removal and create sight‑distance hazards at intersections. Commissioners said inconsistent enforcement has produced confusion among residents and can create liability or safety problems for county crews.

What was discussed: Planning Director Milton (first name on record) said staff are updating building codes and fee schedules to address recurring administrative workload — for example, GIS had to re‑review one subdivision five times in a short period, prompting proposed “continual review” fees to offset extra staff time. He also reported 12 subdivisions and about 20 administrative splits so far this year.

Trees, fences and mailboxes: staff displayed examples of trees and trimming practices and noted some property owners had trimmed rather than removed established trees; in those cases staff and the public viewed trimming as a partial mitigation. Commissioners and staff debated setting a minimum setback (one commissioner suggested changing guidance to a 10‑foot minimum) and whether the county should require permits for existing encroachments or manage them case by case. The county also discussed requiring liability insurance or a permit with an annual fee for structures left in the right‑of‑way, following models used by neighboring jurisdictions.

Next steps and process clarity: Planning staff were asked to draft code language that aligns with day‑to‑day enforcement practices: allow some flexibility for longstanding plantings while requiring new construction to meet clear standards. Commissioners requested that new code changes be forward looking (apply to new installations) and include clearer notification procedures for property owners when removal or relocation is required.

What was not decided: no new ordinance was adopted at the meeting. The board asked planning staff to prepare proposed code revisions, fee changes and enforcement language for future meetings.","Planning and Zoning staff and commissioners discussed a wave of right‑of‑way compliance letters, mixed responses from property owners, and possible policy changes including minimum setback distances, permit fees, and liability requirements for items left in the county right‑of‑way.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Road and Bridge updates: chip seal and paving completed; heavy-haul gravel traffic raises damage concerns

Commissioners appoint three to new Jefferson Central Ambulance District; ARPA funds to cover ambulance purchase

Commissioners say budget balanced and report about $400,000 in county wage increases; claims approved

County IT rolls out multi‑factor authentication, server upgrades and e‑ticketing pilot for law enforcement

County planners, commissioners debate right‑of‑way rules after complaints about trees, fences and mailboxes