December 26, 2019

 SRCI
We have spent a lot of time working on the SRCI contract. It got a little tense at times. We are down to contract language. During our meeting on Thursday we worked out some other language.
 
Airport Committee
They did not have a quorum at the Airport Committee, so they did not have an official meeting. We chatted for a while about various things. 
 
Budget
All departments are working on putting together preliminary budget numbers. For those of you who were not here, we pushed back the strategic planning item on the agenda last week so that all City Council members can be there.
 
Wayfinding Survey
I called in a favor to our community partners on Monday to get more responses for the wayfinding survey. By Thursday, the number of surveys went from 63 to over 200. Our community partners are awesome!
 
Fiber Project
The engineers are in design. He has been talking with the other customers preparing to get them connected once we have service. The timeline is pushed back a little. He’s looking at March for completion. He said that Idaho Power requested a few design changes. No change in price for us though.
 
Homeless Project
We are hopeful that everything will be kicking off following approval of the three-party license agreement. I will sign the work for Idaho Power to get started as well as get the construction fence put up. 
 
Police
Chief Romero attended the steering committee meeting at TVCC for the “Athlete Mentorship Program.” The TVCC Foundation recently was awarded a 19K Grant to administer this new, youth outreach program that Chief Romero has been involved with since July 2019. The chief will serve as a volunteer instructor for the program in 2020.
 
Chief Romero conducted a Chief’s end of year OPD leadership team meeting to recap OPD’s activities during 2019 and to discuss the department’s direction, goals and objectives for 2020.
 
OPD hosted an area law enforcement appreciation Bar-B-Q at city hall for the surrounding law enforcement agencies, to express sincere appreciation for all the assistance OPD receives throughout the year. Great turnout and show of mutual support from both Oregon and Idaho agencies (local, county, state and federal).
 
This week, OPD nominated two OPD employees for the “Community Service Awards” hosted by the Ontario Elks Lodge. Lieutenant Jason Cooper and Office Manager Sheri Smith both received well-deserved nominations for the law enforcement and support personnel categories.
 
This week, Chief Romero successfully registered OPD with the Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO). The purpose is to provide OPD access to a national level equipment surplus program, for a gamut of items that can be procured through a “No or very low cost” equipment surplus program. OPD is hopeful we can find opportunities to improve equipment efficiently.
 
OPD staff remained busy all week with a variety of theft related calls that is often seen during the holiday seasons. Several arrests were made at various locations.
 
OPD arrested a felony suspect that was recently released from prison. The suspect had outstanding felony warrants from Oregon and fled on foot from officers from the Red Apple Store parking lot. After a brief foot chase and neighborhood search for the suspect, he was found in the backyard of a home a block away from city hall on 5th street. 
 
Fire & Rescue
The Chief inspected St. Alphonsus’s Pharmacy remodel and with the building officials visited two sites on S. Oregon looking at their construction projects. 
 
The staff attended joint training at TVP on patient refusals and the correct documentation. 
We had most of our fleet in the Winter Wonderland parade, and the staff handed out over 200 pounds of candy.  That night was the department awards ceremony with Jonathan Rico selected as the firefighter of the year and Nephi Tolman selected as the rookie of the year.   There was a station visit from a little boy who came for his birthday. 
 
The crews responded this week to 5 false alarms and one that was an occupant at Dorian Place pulling the alarm pull stations. The crew responded to rescue a cat stuck in the storm drain.  The Haz-Mat team responded to a call at SRCI for a hazardous situation in the kitchen, all the readings showed the area to be with-in safe conditions.  We had a general alarm for a motor vehicle crash roll over in a ditch with the car on fire.  We had two apparatus respond and 7 crew members respond.  The occupants made it out with slight burns. 
 
Public Works
Field Services
Snow event on Thursday; snow removal plan was put in place including sanding and de-icing throughout the community.
 
A storm water line at TVCC was cleaned and run with our jet rodding equipment. Mud and other debris builds in the line and needs to be cleaned throughout the year.
 
Staff are building 30 new barricades for general use.
 
Wastewater
An issue with our effluent disinfection system was discovered and addressed.
 
Engineering
Engineering is working on the SRCI contract negotiations, water master plan, transportation growth plan, skatepark bathroom, and SE 2nd project coordination.