County commission minutes, September 3-4 |
| October 2, 2012 |
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*** Blue Sky Broadcasting Reporter Mike Brown was in attendance of various meetings throughout the day. The Solid Waste Department
report scheduled for Deputy Clerk Nancy Ryals
joined the meeting at Commissioner Dinning moved to deny indigent application #2012-31 as per the Clerk’s recommendation. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously. Deputy Clerk Ryals left the
meeting at Commissioner Kirby moved to approve the minutes of August 27 & 28, 2012. Commissioner Dinning second. Motion passed unanimously. Commissioner Dinning moved
to sign the letter to U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers Colonel Bruce Estok requesting
information on Commissioner Dinning moved to authorize the Chairman to sign the GIS Standard Maintenance Agreement with BullBerry Services and any future related documents. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously. Commissioners tended to administrative duties. Commissioners tended to administrative duties. Ms. Brown said her department still has 15 juveniles on the Youth Accountability Board and 50 juveniles on probation. Six of these juveniles have a warrant out, according to Ms. Brown. There are 280 adults on unsupervised probation, which is a good low number and there are 70 adults on misdemeanor probation, which is supervised. Ms. Brown informed Commissioners of reasons she will be out of the office this coming week. Chairman Smith and Ms. Brown discussed various probation related conference calls. Ms. Brown said everything in her office is going well because she has the greatest employees. The meeting ended at Commissioners tended to administrative duties. Chairman Smith explained the process of making a motion to adopt the budget following the public hearing and he mentioned noticing copies of the proposed budget had been handed out. Chairman Smith said he would explain what is involved in putting the budget together and he used the Solid Waste Department’s budget as an example. The Solid Waste Department shows a budget of $838,655 and to make that budget includes cash carryover as shown in the next column added to the amount of other revenue generated for that department. The amount of “other revenue” for the Solid Waste Department is $760,000, which in this case are solid waste fees. Chairman Smith said using the Restorium as an example, their budget is $976,194 and their cash carryover is $57,064. The amount of $606,984 consists of funds generated from room rent, portions of sales tax, electric tax, etc. Chairman Smith explained this is all projected information. The County will levy $312,146 and all of these figures combined will total the budget of $976,194. Chairman Smith said he had summary information that he would like to review. There is a 3% increase from the prior year’s budget, which equates to $128,932 to levy. New construction consists of $7,516,010 or $36,965 to levy. Clerk Poston said it is an increase of $166,343 over the previous year’s levy or an increase of 3.9%. The increase of 3.9% includes new construction. The proposed budget of $12,393,983 includes grants, but the thing with grants is if the County does not get the grants that amount of money in the proposed budget cannot be spent, according to Chairman Smith. The amount to be levied is $4,415,295 and this information has been published in the newspaper, the Bonners Ferry Herald, as required by Idaho Code. The County does not yet have the current property values from the State. Clerk Poston informed Commissioners that she received this information today so she does know the value, but there hadn’t been time to rework the calculations. Clerk Poston said the net taxable value is $814,519,343 dollars. This total is down from last year’s taxable value, which was $863,941,278. Chairman Smith said solid waste fees did not increase this year, and this budget does include a 3% cost of living increase for the employees. The last cost of living increase occurred in year 2009 so this increase in labor totals $71,400 over the previous year. Chairman Smith asked if anyone had any comments. Mr. Harris stated he knows there are a number of exclusions available for property taxes and he questioned if those exclusions such as the homeowner’s exemptions were factored into the budget. Assessor Ryals said the answer is yes those exemptions have been factored out so this information is the bottom line. Ms. Vidmar asked how the taxable amount is arrived at if the value has decreased. For example if you have taxes on a mortgage valued at $300,000, but now the value of the home is $100,000 less, how do the taxes increase? Assessor Ryals said the value of a home is based on market and the levy rate that comes after that is the process of dividing the budget by the value of the County. Assessor Ryals said when values come down it causes the rate to increase so it results in the same amount of money. Ms. Vidmar said so no matter what the value of the home is, the homeowner will still pay an increase in taxes. Assessor Ryals said ideally the tax bill would be approximately the same. If the value decreases the rate will increase in order to collect the same amount of money. This leaves the tax bill pretty much the same unless there are additions such as a bond, special levy or things like that which are voter approved. Value floats along whatever the market does. Increasing values doesn’t generate more money and decreasing values doesn’t generate less money, it just changes the rate, according to Assessor Ryals. Ms. Vidmar said it makes sense, but it doesn’t make it right. Ms. Vidmar said she is just trying to figure out why her taxes would be the same amount or increase if her home’s value is less than what it was. Chairman Smith said he also feels the same as it doesn’t make sense to him. Chairman Smith said if the value on a property decreases, it looked to him like the taxes should also decrease, but there still has to be that total value. Ms. Vidmar said if you have a car that is valued less, you will get less money for it. Commissioner Dinning mentioned the need to convince the state legislature of this because there are rules counties have to follow. Assessor Ryals mentioned it costs the same amount of money to run everything. Ms. Vidmar questioned if this funding could be collected from something other than the property owner. Assessor Ryals said that has gone back and forth in the legislature. Ms. Vidmar said it just doesn’t seem fair that people who don’t pay property taxes are not being charged for this. It’s only the person who owns the land or the home who is footing the bill. Ms. Vidmar asked if there is another way for the County to be able to assess a fee so it is equal for everyone such as a sales tax that everyone pays. Commissioner Dinning said until the legislature allows something different, the County can’t arbitrarily do that unless Idaho Code changes. Chairman Smith said some states are allowed to do this, but they don’t have property taxes so they have to generate funds to pay for the services. Commissioner Kirby said his statement is more of a question for the Assessor, but the reason for property taxes in the first place is to pay for County services that are expected and that doesn’t change. Commissioner Kirby explained the system of values and levies established to in order to keep a steady income to the County. Commissioner Kirby said the reason for this confusing piece of business is to keep the cash flow at a nice level to pay for the services. These are services the County wishes to provide, but also are mandated to supply them. Ms. Vidmar said with everything increasing is there a cap? Ms. Vidmar said in using a volunteer fire department as an example, an association member would owe their dues for the year, but if a fire department became a taxing district, the payment now becomes a part of the tax bill. Ms. Vidmar questioned why is this payment in her property taxes instead of paying it directly to the Paradise Valley Fire District. Commissioner Kirby said someone said they needed a better fire department and the way to fund it was to form a district. Commissioner Kirby said the Paradise Valley Fire District is faced with same thing as the County, which is the 3% increase. Ms. Vidmar said her fire district tax increased from $100 to $300 per year. Chairman Smith explained that the County is separate from a fire district and has no part in setting their levy. Chairman Smith said the difference between a taxing district and an association is if a fire district raises their levy, the homeowner has to pay that amount, but if a fire association wants to raise their rates, the homeowner can choose not to pay it. Commissioner Dinning said for clarity on the increase of 3.9%, 3% is the County’s cap and in addition to that is what new construction is occurring. Commissioner Dinning explained information on new construction is learned from building permits and the appraiser’s assessment work. Commissioner Dinning said of a 12 million dollar budget 35% of it is financed by property taxes. The County was able to levy $128,932 in addition to $36,965 from new construction. Clerk Poston said anyone who has questions about the budget is always welcome to stop by her office. Assessor Ryals said there are by law, statutory levy limits so if values continue to fall so far that the rate had to keep increasing, there is a certain point the rate can’t go any higher, but then services suffer, etc. Chairman Smith called for more questions, but no one had any. Commissioner Dinning moved
to adopt Resolution 2012-37. A resolution
approving and adopting
RESOLUTION 2012-37
A
RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE FISCAL YEAR 2012-2013
WHEREAS, on the 4th day of September, 2012, at
the Boundary County Courthouse in Bonners Ferry,
Idaho; the Board of County Commissioners held
the fiscal year 2012-2013 budget hearing for
Boundary County, and
WHEREAS, the budget hearing was held in
accordance with Idaho Code 31-1604 and Idaho
Code 31-1605, and
WHEREAS, the proposed budget was duly printed in
the Bonners Ferry Herald on
WHEREAS, there was citizen input on the budget
as proposed, and
WHEREAS, having considered the budget needs and
available revenue,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of
Boundary County Commissioners hereby unanimously
adopt the fiscal year 2012-2013 budget as
attached for
DATED AND DONE this 4th day of September, 2012
BOARD OF
s/
RONALD R. SMITH, Chairman
s/
DAN R. DINNING, Commissioner
s/
WALT KIRBY, Commissioner
ATTEST:
s/
GLENDA POSTON, Clerk of the Board of
Recorded as instrument #254977 The budget hearing to
approve the fiscal year 2012-2013 County budget
ended at Commissioners recessed for
lunch at 1:30 p.m., Commissioners met in regular session with Chairman Ron Smith, Commissioner Dan Dinning, Commissioner Walt Kirby, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser. 1:30 p.m., Commissioners held a public hearing for Planning and Zoning Application #12-038, a short plat subdivision requested by Gideon Schreiber and Lisa Capoccia. Present were: Chairman Ron Smith, Commissioner Dan Dinning, Commissioner Walt Kirby, Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser, Planning and Zoning Administrator Dan Studer, and John Marquette with JRS Surveying. No other member of the public was present. The hearing was recorded. Chairman Smith briefly reviewed the public hearing procedures. Chairman Smith said the applicant has 19.91 acres and they wish to divide that land into two parcels with one parcel consisting of 13.49 acres and the other parcel consisting of 6.42 acres. Mr. Studer said the property in question is in the rural residential zone and the minimum lot size is five acres. Mr. Studer said the applicant wishes to split off 6.42 acres from their 19 acre parcel and establish road easements. The Assessor, Treasurer and GIS Mapper have been notified. The property taxes have been paid, but no other departments made comment. A public notice was sent out to all affected neighbors. Mr. Studer reviewed the conditions that may affect rural residential as listed in the current Comprehensive Plan. Commissioner Dinning spoke
of the process for this type of application
coming before the Mr. Studer said when he first received the application he mistakenly put it out as a simple subdivision, but was corrected in a conversation that in a simple subdivision all driveway accesses have to meet a county or state road. This application qualifies under a short plat subdivision ordinance, which requires platting and on that plat, access has to be shown. Mr. Studer said that is the reason for the Commissioners to hear the application. Each of the properties has to have its own access. Chairman Smith said he sees Mr. Marquette said the access is part treed and the other half is a fairly flat and open area, he believes. Commissioner Dinning said someone will have to develop it. Chairman Smith opened the hearing to public testimony. John Marquette with JRS Surveying said he was in attendance in case anyone had any questions and to relay the results of the hearing to the applicant. Commissioner Dinning said Mr. Marquette is acting as a representative of the applicant; not as a member of the public. Chairman Smith mentioned
comments in favor of the application and asked
Mr. Marquette if he would like to speak. Mr.
Marquette said he works for JRS Surveying and he
represents applicant Gideon Schreiber. Mr.
Marquette reiterated that if it hadn’t been for
the lack of the access to a county road, this
application wouldn’t have been brought up before
anyone. It is really just creating another lot
from the existing one. The larger Chairman Smith said there
is one house on Chairman Smith called for public testimony from those uncommitted to the application and then comment from those opposed to the application. There was no one from the public to speak uncommitted or in opposition. Chairman Smith closed the hearing to further public testimony and called for discussion amongst Commissioners. Chairman Smith said the application is pretty straight forward.
Commissioner Dinning moved to approve Planning and Zoning application #12-038, an application for a short plat subdivision requested by Gideon Schreiber and Lisa Capoccia. Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously. Commissioner Dinning said for the record that due to issues with the recording, he would repeat some of the information. The application is for a short plat subdivision. The original parcel size is 19.9 acres and the applicant wishes to split off 6.42 acres from that piece. The property has been surveyed and accesses to both parcels have been established. Chairman Smith said this original parcel of 19.9 acres will be split into two parcels leaving one 13.49 acre parcel and a 6.42 acre parcel. Chairman Smith read aloud the description and utilities available. The name of the subdivision will be Schreiber Subdivision. The public hearing ended at Mr. Studer and Commissioners discussed the process for short plat subdivisions and their public hearing requirements. A platting and establishment of easements would be required. Mr. Studer and Mr.
Marquette left the meeting at Clerk Glenda Poston joined
the meeting at Commissioner Dinning moved
to adopt Resolution 2012-38. A resolution of the
Board of County Commissioners of
RESOLUTION NO.
2012-38
TITLE:
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF
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