County Commissioners Meeting - 4.1

Commissioners Crystal Rodgers, Bud Corbus, and Al Hofer were all present. After the executive session for indigent medical applications, the first action item of the day was the Sheriff’s Office's request for authorization for Jail equipment as the jail has been short of mattresses for some time. The mattresses include pillows, so that will be a cost-saving for the Sheriff’s Office.

Josh Dison, Elmore County Assessor, updated the Commissioners on new legislation and tax cancellation applications. These are for churches, fraternal organizations, and schools. He is still awaiting the required paperwork. Dison briefly discussed changes in the circuit breaker program, which is the tax relief/reduction for widows, the disabled, and people that have lower income. One of the policies he clarified was that if a home is worth $340,000.00 or more it would not be eligible for tax relief at the county level. Also as part of HB 389 crosscheck homeowners that own multiple homes because the circuit breaker program is for single homeowners only according to Dison. Motions carried ,The BOE agreement addendum and the Public Defender Conflict contract.

Commissioner Hofer stated that the Feds are putting in $17 Billion in funding through grants for state wastewater initiatives. Hofer met with Gov. Little last week and discussed the water issue in Elmore County and how will we be able to get the water we need from Anderson Dam and the mountain surface water that flows into the Snake originates from Elmore County.

Governor Little’s answer “Lobbyists.” Lobbyists are expensive and more than the county could afford. With the recent extension of the Conditional Use Permit for Black Mesa Energy, which is a solar project to provide an additional power source for Elmore County through solar, wind, and hydroelectric. They wanted to make a few changes to the development agreement In the development agreement there is a requirement for a chain link 10-foot fence vs 7-8 feet which is the norm. According to the applicant’s representative 7-8 feet is the norm to prevent wildlife from jumping it. The other major change is a scholarship and elderly contributions from a requirement of 40 years to 2-5 years. The next hearing is on the 25th.