Snake River Canyons Park Board

Open Meeting Minutes

Thursday, July 13, 2023

19^th Hole Restaurant, Jerome Country Club

Attending Board members: Chairman Bill Bridges, John Weston, Greg Moore, Jeff Pierson, Sue Williams, Brenda Weekes, Steve Paulsen, Tanya Stitt (Treasurer) and Alan Clauson (via telephone). Guests were Mike Tilka, Jerome Commissioner Art Watkins, Kirsten Hartley, and Rebecca Wildman taking minutes.

Bill called the meeting was called to order at 11:00 a.m. followed by self-introductions.

Minutes: The June 8, 2023 meeting minutes were reviewed, Sue motioned to accept, Greg second, minutes approved.

Treasurer’s Report: Tanya Stitt is the new Treasurer. Account has $1,602. Tanya advised there are still some issues but she is working on getting a detailed listing to understand the RV Grant. Bill ordered Rock at $28,500 for 4 projects preapproved by Jerome Commissioners. Sue recommended contacting Nik’s Excavation to see what rock they used. Tanya informed Greg and others to track their volunteer hours as in-kind, recommending a written time card to properly document and use of machinery or equipment should be noted as well. Greg has all the posts needed to finish the project with a cost of $3/post with 55 posts.

RV Park: Sue reported all pads are now numbered, eight picnic tables are installed and the rest are coming. Vault toilet is installed and locked but sump for the vault toilet is not locked. Sue will see that it gets its own lock. Cattle guard will be installed at North end the first week in August. It is comprised of pre-cast concrete from three 4-foot sections. Gerald Martens trying to get the larger cattle guard from Broken Bridge area to install at the Park mid-end of August. Access road signage is in with directional and speed limit in next few weeks. Fire rings coming in any time and Bill will follow-up. Second vault toilet ordered and going in at Morley Arbor and will have a handicap spot and coming March to April of next year. The Equestrian group will unload and install the corral at the North end of the open area. Concrete walkway and apron to toilet is coming, with one estimate and waiting for a second. The estimate from one contractor said it would be two weeks out, so mid-August at the soonest. The last of the heavy equipment to be out there, plus grading with a 5-foot walkway. Small culvert will be installed and 2-foot apron around the vault. Kiosk installment on hold due to asking Jerome Commissioners for waiver of the ten-foot setback from property line. In this instance both the Park and IDL want the kiosk on their shared property line as the kiosk is double-sided. Commissioner Art Watkins will bring this to the Commissioners to see if the requirement can be waived. There are alternate places, but they are not as good as this one. Sue said the RV target open date is late August.

Website: Alternative vendor proposal presented to County Commissioners but no response yet. New vendor price goes up by $30/month plus $2k for site rebuild-refresh. Art asked for more details about past vendor issues and will follow-up with Commissioners. Bill wondered if Commissioners were going to ask the county IT department if they wanted to take this on.

Broken Bridge: Brenda shared that the last item is the flood plain development permit and now waiting for IDWR approval. Casey with P&Z said it is approved and we should have it tomorrow. Brenda informed Gerald Martens so he may get the contractor going. Last Monday Brenda and Bill asked TF City Council for $46k to pay for their side of the bridge connection and half of the railing on the bridge; awaiting feedback. Discussion about Hazard Mitigation dollars used on the grade and if it can be a wooden bridge instead of a culverts, washouts, size, etc. On July 20^th Bill, Brenda and Art will present to the North Side Canal Company about Yingst Grade.

Shooting Range: John said grant was completely approved and Charlie Howell has the letter. Now it is in the hands of Fish and Wildlife Services to send the award. Grant program coming up again with due date of November 1^st. Feasibility in putting an Archery Range within the park and could be done for less than $5k with 9 target stations, signing, bow/arrow holders, $3k improvements for road and parking, possibly at the hour-glass area behind Don Zuck’s arbor and out 60 yards. However the area identified may have conflicts with Rock Crawlers. John is discouraged with glass cleanup from illegal shooting not more than 15-feet off the road. No date given on when we get the money, but John said sometime in August. John suggested talking with Devil’s Corral owner about his desire to put in a 3D shooting range. Brenda asked John to add this to the planning proposal map.

Range itself coordinates have been done and an additional 25-30 comments on his survey have come in, all in support of the range. That makes 250 comments now on his public survey. The BLM put out survey too but John is not sure how many have responded. Bill said the shooting range check should go to Charlie Howell by December.

Overlook: The BLM guy is waiting for the anthropology report so that John T. can finish his approval. There is an eagle nesting in the area now.

5-Year Plan: User groups were given until July 1^st for proposals and so far only rock climbing group has submitted. Alan said rock crawlers will be sending soemthing. Also interest in a Snake River Kennel Club dog park, overnight camping on the 700 for equestrians, and mountain bike trails. Brenda wants to meet with the BLM with the uses which are acceptable and separate projects by those that have BLM approval and those that do not. She will make sure BLM is good with this approach and it will help layout the timeline. Alan added they want to discuss with Mark Reyes about a layer mapping. No 5-year plan committee meeting scheduled at this point. Sue suggested review all proposals and see if another committee meeting is needed. Brenda informed Rebecca the need for more specifics on areas for the rock climbing use.

Annual Award: Discussion about an annual award for service to the SRCP. Steve motioned to call it the “Snake River Canyons Park Outstanding Service Award” and present recipient with a plaque and picture. John seconded, motion carried.  Will take nominations this December.

Speakers’ bureau: Discussed next forum and shared disappointment with turnout at the last one and heat in the month of August. Suggested tabling until next year.

Security: Bill said cameras in place and no damage so far. 

Maintenance: Need to get the weeds out and need for a tractor to cut grass on the disc golf course. Art will follow-up with Charlie.  Bill will order replacement flag for hole 18. 

Newspaper: Short article this month. Brenda asked about holding a ground breaking for the Broken Bridge construction, will ask Gerald about timing, and will see if we can involve TF City.

Other: CSI President Dean Fisher said the college has 200 acres along 93 and that SRCP could manage it for them. Bill said we should consider a parking lot there to provide alternate access to the North part of the park. Added that Charlie is trying to get a grant to buy 200 acres that belong to Bettencourt.

Reminder for Board Attendance, members can skip only two meetings per year. Greg suggested asking Board Member Rod Morgan his intentions in staying on the board.

Sue would like the Board to consider a specific tent-camping area adjacent to the RV spaces, suggesting the borrow area that runs along the fence as it is now graded. Greg suggested re-seeding it now. Sue will add it to the 5-year plan, placing it north of the Morley Arbor, utilizing 2 acres which could be 5-6 tent sites. Discussed security, leveling other areas, and bringing in fill dirt. Mike suggested contacting Tom Barker.

Meeting adjourned at 12:17 p.m.

Executive Sessions may be held pursuant to Idaho Code 74-206(1) as needed during time such sessions are called.

Note: Any person needing special accommodations to participate in the meeting should contact the committee secretary, 208-293-2426; 48 hours prior to the meeting.                                                                             

Snake River Canyons Park Board

Open Meeting Minutes

Thursday, June 8, 2023

19^th Hole Restaurant, Jerome Country Club

Attending board members were Chairman Bill Bridges, John Weston, Jeff Pierson, Sue Williams, Brenda Weeks. Guests were

Bill called the meeting was called to order at 11:00 a.m. followed by self-introductions.

Minutes: The May 11, 2023 meeting minutes were reviewed, Sue motioned, Brenda second, minutes were approved.

Treasurer’s Report: Tanya Stitt will be our new Treasurer.  We have $1602 dollars in our bank account.  We need to understand where we stand on the RV grant.

RV Park: The RV park is close to being ready.  The pit toilet is in, just needs to have concrete apron put in.  Sue is looking for a second concractor to pour the concrete.  The First concractor is to slow. 

 In July they will start fencing with a 3-strand barbed wire plus cattle guards. Sue said they got an extension on funding of one year for the first grant. Second grant notification scheduled for June including more rock and second vault toilet.

Website: The Board is unhappy with current provider Canyon Creative. Desert Creative Group has been contacted and considering service. Sue asked for someone else to oversee this and Alan volunteered sharing he has some experience. Alan will set up a call with himself, Bill and Desert Creative Group to pursue.

Broken Bridge: Brenda reported the bridge project is progressing.  Bids are in the low bid was $157,500.  Gerald Martens will work with them to ge the work started.  We have one more permit to obtain.  A Flood Plain permit from the same group that gave us our first permit.

5-Year Action Plan: Goal to set priority projects from all user groups for next 5-years. Brenda ask that everybody get their request in by July 1.  Brenda ans Sue want to meet with the BLM to discuss projects in late July.

Shooting Range: John says the BLM has posted their comment. John started his own comment site and has 100’s of comments already.  BLM might decide to construct the range which would have loss of county involvement. John has been asked to help design some smaller ranges to the south. Fish & Game Grant Status is that Commissioners will meet to approve. If BLM takes it on, it may take out the waiting period, but they are talking about building 6 ranges total in the valley. Ours would be the big one and a multi-use facility. Fear the Oregon Trail markings will be lost at the 700 due to shooting there. Sue suggested the Horse Riders could help identify this and Mark said it is already marked. Discussion of timing of shooting ban (March 2020) and history leading up to it.

Overlook: The BLM is waiting for the anthropology report so that John T. can finish his approval.

Speakers’ bureau: We need better publicity.  Meeting at Bill’s house on June 14.  It was suggested we do one large meeting in August.  Bring in a band and maybe some zoo animals.  Reptiles from the area and maybe some Birds of Prey.  Get the OHV group to organize.

Security: Bill will purchase two trail cameras and put our in the park.

Maintenance: Specifically gravel for pothole at Yingst grade, Disc Golf Course feathering out by tees, overlook needs smoothing out, and Hansen Bridge hole there.

Newspaper Articles: Open for ideas.

Reminder: Arbors and Picnic Table placement.

Open Meeting Rules: Jeff suggested the organization undertake training on open meeting laws, noting potential unknown violations and perceptions. He will inquire with the Idaho Association of Counties about scheduling.

Campground Rules and Open Date: Bill asked for responses to rules he sent about the RV Park. Bill would like the RV Park open as soon as possible (this weekend) and others said this is not  realistic. Sue suggested the soonest it could open is the end of July. Suggested Max of 5 days and question of how is this enforced. Bill said BLM has a 14 day and we can do it less than this and came up with the 5 day limit.  Bill will be doing daily checks and clean up in the RV park when it opens.

New Business: Sue explained her write up to implement a policy to identify outstanding behavior to the group or county based on written criteria and consider for the next meeting.  Sue added that we need a name for the RV – she used “The Rickets RV Camp” for the application. Mike and Mark added that Virginia Rickets was a local historian and had even mapped the Oregon Trail. Maybe also consider Immigrant Trail Camp. To be voted on next meeting.  New business was to be voted on at the June meeting, but it did not happen.

Upcoming Calendar Dates:

Monthly Board Meeting, Thursday July 13, 2023, 11am – 1pm, 19^th Hole

Meeting was adjourned at 12:55 p.m.

Executive Sessions may be held pursuant to Idaho Code 74-206(1) as needed during time such sessions are called.

Note: Any person needing special accommodations to participate in the meeting should contact the committee secretary, 208-293-2426; 48 hours prior to the meeting.                                                                             

Snake River Canyons Park Boards

300 N. Lincoln Ave.

Jerome, ID.  83338-2317

Open Meeting Minutes

Thursday Feb. 9, 2023

Meeting at Caddy Shack, Jerome Country Club

The meeting was called to order at 11:00 am by chairman Bill Bridges, Also, in attendance were board members Sue Williams, John Weston, Jeff Pierson, Greg Moore and Brenda Weekes.

Guests included: Lisa Cresswell, David Freiberg, Mike Tylka, Randel Brunmeier, Rebecca Wildman, Mike Jurak, Terry Mode, Bill Maikranz (President OHV club), Jeff Trammell (Past President OHV club), Jerry Duffy, Ray Sheen, Jack Hartman, Ben Crouch.

All board members and guest introduced themselves.

The minutes from the January 12, 2023 meeting were approved.

Bill Bridges gave the treasurers report.

The county budget for 2023 is $25,000  -$1500 for signs and $2400 for the WEB page and Facebook.

$1602 in our account. 

A brief discussion was had on moving the meeting to a different time or place.  The question was raised regarding moving the meeting time from a time during the day to an evening meeting so new board members could participate who may not be able to take time off from work during the day.  Most board member indicated they would like the meetings to stay the same time and place.  No vote was taken.

We need more volunteers to help upkeep the park.

Sue Williams gave an update on the RV Park.  Sue has submitted another grant to Idaho Parks and Recreation Dept. For an additional $43,000 to cover the increased costs of the second vault toilet and additional gravel.  The grant was submitted Jan. 27.  All of the grading is completed and we are waiting for the rock to be installed.  The first vault toilet will be delivered in the April time frame.   Sue has acquired some wood for three horse corrals.  The Cache Peak chapter of Back Country Horseman have volunteered to help build the corrals.

Bill Bridges gave a short review of the Web page in Lexi’s absents.  We are slowly getting improvements.  Lexi and Bill have tried to make several meetings with Canyon Crest Creations, to no avail.  We need more feedback.  A member of the OHV club pointed out that the picture of the ORV is a $500,000 race car.  We need to get that changed.

Brenda Fittante Weekes talked about the Broken Bridge.  We are waiting on the Water Resources Board.  It has been sent to the Army Corp of Engineers and Idaho Fish & Game.  Brenda also has paper work in with the Idaho Dept of Lands.  The Dept. of Lands is waiting on the Water Resources Board.  We need a legal survey of the bridge area to get the Dept. of Lands and BLM approvals.

 John Weston spoke about the gun range.  John has provided drawings and information.  Sue Wiiliams wrote a grant to get a professional feasibility plan for the shooting range.  This is the first step in getting the land approved for a shooting range north of I84.  David Freiberg spoke a little about his effect to get all the BLM’s paper work ready.  He needs contact information for all gun users and groups in the Magic Valley.  Money for the grant will be available in early 2024, if approved.   

Several members of the OHV club spoke about their long-standing use of the park.  They questioned the policy of “stay on the trails” and wanted reinstatement of the “go anywhere” policy.  David Freiberg, BLM, stated the signage referencing “Stay on Trails” has all been removed.  The club would like to have input to updating the priorities for the park.  The club has cleaned the park for 24 years and kept it from being closed because of the trash.   Brenda invited two members to be on the subcommittee writing the new priorities.

Bill Bridges spoke on the Shoshone Falls Overlook briefly.  The cell tower in the area has been cancelled.  Any road we build into the area will be over a 20 foot cliff.

Next on the list was working on a Master Plan.  Brenda showed copies of the maps from the old Master Plan to the OHV representatives.  Bill pointed out that the old plan called for an update in 2024 and then get the 25 year extension.  The county got the 25 year extension first, because we needed it to get grants.

Bill Bridges ask board members for ideas on newspaper articles.

A security discussion about Yingst Grade was next.  Charlie Howell is working on getting a light for the parking lot.

Meeting Adjourned at 12:51 PM.

The next Park Board meeting will be held at the 9^th Hole restaurant on Thursday March 9, 2023 (second Thursday of the month) from 11am-1pm.

Minutes Approved:

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Signature of Snake River Canyons Park Board Member                                       Date

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Signature of Snake River Canyons Park Board Member                                       Date

Note: Highway district meeting was on Thursday night, 12.8.22.  Bill went to the meeting.  The parking lot is a legal turnaround on Yingst Grade Road.  So no gate to close it off.  Speed bumps are not allowed on public streets in Jerome County.  One reason is they damage snow plows.