Council preps for state review

SANDPOINT — With the Idaho Community Review scheduled to begin shortly, city officials are preparing to get the most out of the experience. 

Bolstered by a baseline of data collected through mailed and online surveys, the primary phase of the Idaho Community Review process is drawing near. Council members are devoting a section of their Wednesday meeting to welcoming review team members and answering any questions about the community.

A state-sponsored panel of community and economic development experts, the Idaho Community Review team is scheduled to visit Sandpoint from Tuesday through Thursday. During their stay, members will meet local residents and officials and visit the town’s key locations. After the three-day stay, the review panel will draft a guiding document for the town, offering suggestions for improving the economy, revitalizing the downtown and maintaining sustainable policies.

According to City Planner Jeremy Grimm, this review document will be a valuable tool to use alongside the Sandpoint Comprehensive Plan for determining priorities. Grimm hopes residents will get involved in the review process and attend events to build as thorough a data set as possible.

The city will also be holding a public hearing for fees scheduled to increase more than 5 percent. Sewer rate increases will likely impact the greatest number of residents, with monthly base charges increasing from $26.04 to $28.64 for single family residences. Multi-family residence base charges increase from $20.83 to $22.90. As for commercial fees, class one users will see rates increase from $24.80 to $27.28, while class two users jump from $26.04 to $28.64.

A range of new user facility fees are proposed for prospective water users, with prices increasing based on the size of the hook-up. At the bottom end of the scale, fees for a new user with a 3/4-inch meter will increase from $5,835 to $6,530, while 8-inch meter fees increase from $672,315 to $750,950 at the top end.

As for other city business, representatives of Eichardt’s will be in attendance to request a permit for a Panhandle Animal Shelter fundraising event. Afterward, council members plan to examine city employee health insurance information and review income levels for a program reducing senior citizens’ utility bills. Funding for Bonner Business Center maintenance and agreements over reciprocal fee waivers with the county will also be under the microscope.