Twin Falls City Council Meeting Summary – November 24, 2025

The Twin Falls City Council met Monday, November 24, 2025, at 5:00 PM in Council Chambers at 203 Main Avenue East, Twin Falls, Idaho. Mayor Ruth Pierce, Vice Mayor Jason Brown, and Council Members Craig Hawkins, Spencer Cutler, and Grayson Stone were present; Council Members Cherie Vollmer and Chris Reid were excused. The Council approved the consent calendar and all voting action items by 5-0 votes, heard two public comments, received a local disaster emergency declaration from the Mayor, and adjourned at 6:37 PM.

Proclamation

• Mayor Pierce read and presented the Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, proclaiming Thursday, November 27, 2025, as Thanksgiving Day and encouraging support for local food pantries and service organizations. Pastor Paul Thompson accepted the proclamation and read an excerpt from the first national Thanksgiving proclamation.

Consent Calendar

• Approved 5-0: City Council minutes from November 17, 2025.
• Approved 5-0: Accounts Payable for November 6-19, 2025.
• Approved 5-0: November 19, 2025 Travel Requests.
• Approved 5-0: City Council Schedule of Regular Meetings & Public Hearings for 2026.
• Approved 5-0: Final Plat for the Western Horizons Subdivision, consisting of 56 residential lots on approximately 20 acres, c/o EHM Engineers, Inc. on behalf of Gary Nelson, Indigo Investments Limited, LLC (PZ25-0137).
• Approved 5-0: Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law for PZ25-0110, Vacation of Utility Easement.
• Approved 5-0: Special Event Permit for the Festival of Lights Parade.

Discussion Items

• Election Results: CFO Breanna Howard requested acceptance of Twin Falls County's canvassed results for the November 4, 2025 election. Reported results included Jason Brown receiving 73.5% of 2,592 votes for Council Seat 1 and Nathan Murray receiving 54.08% of 2,609 votes for Council Seat 5. The Council voted to accept the results.
• Breeze Airways Airline Use & Lease Agreement: Airport Manager Bill Carberry presented a lease allowing Breeze Airways to use the terminal, parking, aircraft areas, baggage areas, and a small office, with associated rents and fees. Breeze announced service to Twin Falls with planned Monday and Friday flights to Las Vegas and connecting Breeze-through service to Orange County, California, beginning March 6. Council approved the agreement and authorized the Mayor to sign it.
• Breeze Airways Air Carrier Incentive Program Agreement: Carberry reviewed the incentive program adopted by resolution on September 29. Breeze Airways was found eligible for two years of marketing support at $30,000 per year plus abatements of landing fees, aircraft rescue and firefighting fees, and terminal rents. Council approved the Memorandum of Understanding and authorized the Airport Manager to sign it.
• Wendell-Filer-Martin 38 Lateral Project: Staff Engineer AC Stowe requested award to Extreme Excavation, Inc. The project is an early step toward constructing a roundabout at Wendell, Filer, and Martin and includes piping a large canal on the south side of Filer. Seven bids were received; the low bid was $480,165 versus the engineer's estimate of $552,000. Council approved $480,165 plus 20% contingency, totaling $575,000.
• Grandview Odor Control Station Project: Environmental Manager Nathan Erickson requested award to PMF Inc. After an earlier bid above $1 million was rejected, PMF offered a lower amount. Agenda discrepancy: the agenda listed $429,227.70 as the base amount, but the staff presentation and approved motion used $479,227.70; Councilmember Stone noted the staff report error. The total approved was $479,227.70 plus $106,063 for construction engineering/inspection support, new power service, and contingency, for a $585,290.70 total from wastewater reserves.
• Irrigation Repair at 3555 N 2900 E: Assistant Public Works Director Erin Steel requested up to $30,000 from water reserves to repair irrigation delivery pipe and structures on city property leased to KC Williams. The work includes replacing 700 feet of 12-inch pipe and 1,000 feet of concrete-lined ditch with gated pipe, plus related valves. The lessee is responsible for 15% of repair costs and has paid over $37,000 in lease payments. Vice Mayor Brown disclosed that Casey Williams is a board member at his place of employment, with no personal benefit. Council approved the request.
• Pump Station A/C Reallocation: Water Supply Technician Drew Foster requested reallocation of $47,000 appropriated in FY 2026 for Harrison Pump Station A/C units to instead replace A/C units at the Hankins Pump Station after $6,500 to $8,000 was spent on repairs at Hankins over the past year. Council approved the reallocation.
• Ordinance O-2025-025 Zoning Development Agreement Amendment: Senior Planner Will Klaver presented the final ordinance for property at East Park Professional Subdivision No. 3, following the Planning & Zoning Commission recommendation on August 26, 2025, and Council approval on September 29, 2025. Council dispensed with the reading rules and adopted the ordinance on third and final reading by title only.
• Hansen Street-City Park Plaza Project: Klaver gave an update and asked for design direction. The project uses Community Development Block Grant funding and includes the rebuilt City Park restroom, sidewalks, playground, and a pedestrian plaza or outdoor learning center between the park and library. A traffic study showed Hanson Street averaged 267 trips per day, with a Friday high of 399 and a Sunday low of 98, compared with 12,000 trips per day on Shoshone Street. Three AI-generated options were shown: a closed pedestrian plaza, a festival street, and a boulevard or pedestrian refuge option. Council discussion covered emergency vehicle access, library access, parking loss, maintenance staffing concerns, hardscape versus landscaping, loitering concerns, and traffic calming on Fourth Avenue. Council directed staff to continue with options one and two and emphasize maintainable design.
• Underwater Pool Lights: Aquatics Supervisor John Pauley requested $13,460.59 in contingency funds to replace obsolete underwater lights at the Twin Falls City Pool after aging casings exposed wires. A prototype fixture from Mastercraft Pool and Spa worked well and improved illumination, enabling safer night swimming and later-season bubble use. Council approved the allocation.
• Comp Time Cash-Out: City Manager Travis Rothweiler requested authorization for a one-time cash-out of employee compensatory time banks to comply with the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act and overtime reporting changes. Because comp banks can include discretionary and non-FLSA time, the City cannot itemize FLSA overtime as required; 2025 includes a federal grace period, but 2026 penalties could exceed $500,000. The cash-out is expected to cost $162,678.54 across eight funds. Council approved the one-time cash-out; future comp banks will be limited to FLSA-required overtime.
• Intermountain Gas Franchise Agreement: Rothweiler presented Ordinance O-2025-019, a 20-year franchise extension with Intermountain Gas Company, with subsequent 10-year terms by mutual agreement. The franchise includes a 3% gross receipts payment, approximately $500,000 annually, and had been published as required by Idaho Code. Council dispensed with the reading rules and adopted the ordinance on third and final reading by title only.

Emergency Declaration

• Mayor Pierce declared a local disaster emergency under Idaho Code Section 46-1011 for damage at Durke's Lake outlet. Unprecedented high flows overwhelmed the culvert and breached a retaining wall, eroding shoulders, undermining asphalt, and damaging guardrail footings on the newly constructed road. The park road was closed, and continued flows plus freezing temperatures threaten additional damage. Shoshone Falls and Durkey's Cash reserve funds will be used for emergency repairs. The declaration lasts a maximum of seven days and cannot be renewed without City Council consent.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Ron Yates, a Twin Falls resident since 1992, presented his second letter opposing the permanent closure of Hanson Street. He disputed staff's observation that most children come from the library to the playground, saying his experience since 1988 shows people stop at the playground and let their children play. He criticized relying on about 25 comments from a July open house, urged Council to ask city residents before closing a street, and suggested using remaining grant funds for sidewalks for properties that have never had them. He also argued the traffic survey cited was from 2018, seven years prior, and counted traffic at an intersection one block away rather than in front of the library.
• Nathan Murray, a Twin Falls resident speaking on behalf of Idaho Power, requested Council consider a resolution supporting construction of two transmission lines: the Southwest Intertie Project North and the Gateway West extension. He said the lines have been in Idaho Power's integrated resource plan for nearly two decades and would help import power during summer and winter peak demand, including solar and wind from neighboring states. Idaho Power will seek a certificate from the Idaho Public Utilities Commission and considers Twin Falls' support important. Council members indicated willingness to place the item on a future agenda.

Advisory Board Report & Announcements

• City Manager Rothweiler announced City Hall will be closed for Thanksgiving and the following Friday; there will be no Council meeting on December 1; the annual light parade is December 5; City Hall will close December 10 for the annual employee business meeting; and two strategic planning sessions are scheduled December 11. He also noted a December 8 public hearing on Title 10 improvements.

Key Outcomes

• All Consent Calendar items were approved unanimously, 5-0.
• All voting items of consideration were approved unanimously, 5-0. The Hansen Street-City Park Plaza item was an update and design direction rather than a final award.
• Council directed staff to advance the Hansen Street design with options one and two, maintain emergency access, minimize ongoing maintenance through hardscape and limited plantings, and incorporate traffic calming considerations.
• Mayor Pierce issued a seven-day local disaster emergency declaration for Durke's Lake outlet repairs.
• The meeting was adjourned at 6:37 PM.