Nampa City Council Special Meeting – November 7, 2025

The Nampa City Council convened a special meeting on November 7, 2025, at 14:26 UTC to address four action items: an alcohol license expansion/transfer, the Nampa Police Protective Association (NPPA) contract negotiations, a resolution to cure alleged open meetings violations, and a resolution to re-declare the Ford Idaho Center underutilized for potential conveyance to the College of Western Idaho (CWI). The council heard presentations from city staff, legal counsel, and police leadership, and engaged in extensive debate on budget constraints, officer retention, and procedural transparency.

Consent Calendar

• No consent calendar items were listed or discussed.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made during the meeting.

Discussion Items

1. Alcohol License Expansion and Transfer (Serena Lounge / Black Pines Saloon)

• Morgan presented the application for on-premise beer, wine, and liquor by the drink at 108 and 112 12th Avenue South. The existing business is expanding into an adjacent space (Black Pines concept) as sister businesses under one license and single owner. State, county, and police approval had been received. The council voted unanimously (6–0) to approve the license.

2. Nampa Police Protective Association (NPPA) Negotiations

• Clay (Chief of Staff) reported that eight negotiation meetings had been held since August 14, 2025. The NPPA rejected the city’s last offer (3.11% wage increase, 5% health insurance increase, and one-time equipment funds) and proposed: 2.75% base wage increase, 5% insurance premium, 1% increase in deferred compensation match, and a one-time uniform allowance increase.
• The total cost of the NPPA proposal (wage, health, deferred comp) was $823,673 – $14,598 above the city’s budgeted $809,075 placeholder. Adding the uniform allowance ($81,125) would bring the total to over $904,000. City CFO Doug Racine noted that the city’s operational contingency fund had shrunk to about $700,000, and new construction tax revenue had dropped dramatically (from $329 million in valuations to $68 million), making future budgets very tight.
• Police leadership (Eric, Capt. Scoglin, Capt. Daniels) supported the NPPA proposal, emphasizing that deferred comp helps bridge the gap to Medicare for officers retiring under the “rule of 90” and aids retention. They noted that Meridian’s recent levy (9% increase) would pressure Nampa to retain officers.
• Council debate centered on contract length (one vs. two years), the uniform allowance, and whether to add council representation to the negotiation team. Councilman Bills favored a two-year contract for stability; Councilman Griffin supported a one-year term to reassess after the FY27 budget.
• Vote on motion (Councilman Reynolds): One-year contract with 2.75% wage, 5% health, 1% deferred comp, and one-time uniform allowance funded by salary savings. Motion passed 4–2 (Rodriguez, Jangula, Reynolds, Haverfield yes; Bills, Griffin no).
• Separate motion: To appoint Councilman Bills and Councilman Griffin as new council representatives for NPPA negotiations. Passed unanimously.

3. Resolution to Preemptively Cure Alleged Open Meetings Violations

• Preston (legal counsel) explained that the Twin Falls County prosecuting attorney, Grant Loebs, investigated a complaint regarding executive sessions and motions related to the Ford Idaho Center. Loebs concluded that while a “technical procedural mistake” may have occurred (regarding the trade and commerce prong of open meetings law), no secret decisions were made, and extensive public hearings were held. He offered to close the matter if the city passed a self-cure resolution.
• An updated resolution (provided to council at 5 p.m. the prior evening) removed language about nullifying prior actions and instead acknowledged “may have been technical violations” without voiding earlier proceedings. Councilman Haverfield expressed concerns about insufficient time to review and the resolution’s implications, but others argued the 30-day statute of limitations had passed and the prosecutor’s letter effectively closed the case.
• Vote: Motion to adopt the resolution passed 4–2 (Rodriguez, Bills, Reynolds, Griffin yes; Haverfield, Jangula no – exact tally uncertain from transcript).

4. Resolution for Ford Idaho Center – Underutilization Declaration and Public Hearing

• Preston described that during title review for the proposed conveyance to CWI, two issues were found: an unrecorded deed (20 years old) and an omnibus transfer document lacking a legal description. Both were cured on October 29, 2025. To remove any doubt about the city’s ownership on the September 15 and October 6 decision dates, the city proposed redoing the underutilization declaration (step one) and scheduling a new public hearing (step two) for December 1, 2025—this time with only one option: convey to CWI.
• Council discussed public trust, the financial burden of maintaining the Ford Idaho Center, and whether the property is truly underutilized. Councilman Haverfield noted that the property generates revenue and questioned the precedent for giving it away. Councilman Griffin expressed uncertainty but ultimately voted no. Mayor voted yes to allow public hearing, breaking a 3–3 tie.
• Vote: Resolution passed 4–3 (Jangula, Reynolds, Mayor yes; Rodriguez, Haverfield, Griffin no – exact tally from transcript: Rodriguez no, Jangula yes, Haverfield no, Reynolds yes, Griffin no, Mayor yes).

Key Outcomes

• Alcohol License: Approved unanimously (6–0).
• NPPA Contract: Council voted 4–2 to authorize a one-year offer (2.75% wage, 5% health, 1% deferred comp, one-time uniform allowance) and appointed Councilman Bills and Councilman Griffin to the negotiation team.
• Open Meetings Resolution: Passed 4–2, curing alleged violations and closing the investigation.
• Ford Idaho Center: Resolution passed 4–3 to re-declare the property underutilized and set a public hearing for December 1, 2025, to vote on conveyance to CWI.
• Next Steps: Staff will continue negotiations with NPPA and prepare for the December 1 public hearing.