Twin Falls City Council Meeting: FY2027 Budget, In-N-Out Opening, CDBG Plan — July 13, 2026

The Twin Falls City Council met on Monday, July 13, 2026, at 5:00 PM at 203 Main Ave E., Twin Falls, ID 83301. All seven council members were present: Mayor Jason Brown, Vice Mayor Craig Hawkins, and Council Members Christopher Reid, Grayson Stone, Cherie Vollmer, Ruth Pierce, and Nathan Murray. The agenda included the consent calendar, commission reappointments, the FY 2026-2027 (FY 2027) City Manager's Recommended Budget presentation for Focus Areas 1, 7, and 8, general public input, and a public hearing on the PY 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Annual Action Plan. The meeting adjourned at 6:26 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Items A-C were approved 7-0 (motion by Council Member Stone, seconded by Council Member Pierce): the July 6, 2026 City Council minutes; accounts payable for July 1-8, 2026; and the Findings of Facts and Conclusions of Law for the Ashlee Townhomes Subdivision (PZ26-0083 FPLAT).
• Item D, amending the In-N-Out Burger special event grand opening from August 2, 2026 to July 20, 2026, was approved (motion by Council Member Reid, seconded by Council Member Pierce). The transcript roll call shows a 6-1 vote, with Council Member Grayson Stone voting no; the official minutes record the vote as 7-0. This discrepancy is noted.
• Discussion on Item D: Council Member Murray asked for a "date certain" given impacts on local families and traffic; Council Member Stone suggested a five-day window and said surrounding businesses also need time to prepare; Council Member Vollmer said an exact date could encourage people to camp out and worsen traffic; Council Member Pierce said In-N-Out has handled many similar openings; and Fire Chief Mitchell Brooks raised life-safety concerns about clearing the line wrapping behind the strip mall near Dick's Sporting Goods for fire suppression access, noting the traffic plan includes 12 flaggers. Chief Brooks said moving the date up neither adds to nor eliminates those concerns.

Reappointments: Impact Fee and Improvement Reimbursement Commission

• Senior Planner William Klaver requested reappointment of Kyndell Madsen, Randall "Cort" Johnson, and Gerardo "Tato" Munoz, noting Munoz completed his second term on July 7, 2026.
• Motion by Council Member Pierce, seconded by Council Member Reid, to waive the two-consecutive-term limit for Munoz under Twin Falls City Code 2-1-1: approved 7-0.
• Motion by Council Member Pierce, seconded by Council Member Reid, to reappoint Madsen, Johnson, and Munoz: approved 7-0.

Budget Presentation: City Manager's Recommended Budget FY 2026-2027

Deputy City Manager Gretchen Scott presented Focus Area 1 (Healthy Community), Focus Area 7 (Responsible Community), and Focus Area 8 (Internal Organization), continuing the budget series begun at the previous council meeting. Key figures:

• The total recommended budget is $102.2 million, a 1.1% increase over the prior year, driven largely by one-time capital. Tax-supported (governmental) funds total $65 million; enterprise (fee-based) funds total $37 million.
• The property tax rate will reduce slightly, but the average monthly change for citizens would be about $3.51 more; combined with a 5% water and sewer increase and a sanitation reduction, the total average monthly change is about $7.93.
• The budget includes the statutorily allowed 3% property tax increase, 90% of new construction value, and a portion of foregone balance equal to 1% of revenue. City Manager Travis Rothweiler noted this is the last year the city can capture that 1% foregone balance.
• Staff noted Twin Falls has one of the lowest property tax rates among comparable Idaho cities, and that personnel is the largest cost across all funds.

Focus Area 1: Healthy Community (Chance Munns, Parks)

• Replace the 1992-era Kubota loader with a more compact skid steer with auger, grapple, and bucket attachments plus a tilt deck trailer; Council Member Pierce asked the cost, and Munns responded approximately $45,000.
• Resurface the Cascade courts (last resurfaced in 2020; courts rotate on a seven-year replacement cycle).
• Install trash enclosures and replace benches and tables at parks, starting with prominent spaces such as City Park.
• Repair golf course stucco and leaks, paint the building, and restain the soffit and balcony; replace a 1991 reel mower that lacks modern safety features.
• Priority 2 (council-directed) requests: $356,000 to replace a 30-year-old City Park playground (most playgrounds last 20-25 years) and make accessibility and site improvements; and $40,000 to replace the inoperable walker mower used primarily at the pool.

Focus Area 7: Responsible Community (Josh Palmer, Public Information Officer)

• tfid.org logged over 460,000 visitors and nearly one million page views last year; top pages include Shoshone Falls and utility services.
• The city is working toward WCAG A/AA accessibility compliance ahead of the federal requirement effective April 2027.
• The city is expanding its Polco digital survey and engagement platform; up to $60,000 has been allocated for expansion and in-person outreach. About one-third of current poll respondents verify as Twin Falls residents.
• Palmer said the goal is a more transparent, responsive, and engaging community, not approving every suggestion. In response to Council Member Stone, Palmer listed eight social media accounts and planned in-person outreach at events such as National Night Out and Latino Fest.

Public Safety Communications and Council Chamber (Dee Davidson, Network Administrator)

• New antennas are being purchased for the two main public safety towers (police department tower, installed 2002; canyon rim tower, installed 2014). Industry standard is replacement every 10-15 years; tower and zoning approvals are complete, and final installation quotes are pending.
• A rolling repeater replacement is planned: four P25 digital repeaters at the primary tower for $112,000 in FY 2026-27, and another $112,000 for the canyon rim stack in FY 2027-28.
• A quote has been received to replace the council chamber recording system, which will integrate with Microsoft Teams for remote council participation. In response to Council Member Vollmer, Davidson said the system's original installer (under a different name) provided the quote, and existing speakers and wiring will be retained.

Focus Area 8: Internal Organization (HR and Technology)

• The $348,000 transition to the BSNA software, approved in 2024, is nearly complete; a staff survey shows 83% positive satisfaction six months into the transition.
• HR proposes a 3% performance adjustment and a 3% salary table adjustment to remain competitive, and will maintain health insurance, VEBA, and HSA contributions. The VEBA program allows employees to invest funds for future health care expenses, with annual account growth of 2-8% depending on investment elections.
• The renovated city gym has seen a 78% increase in usage, from 180 to 320 door swipes between June 2025 and June 2026.
• Health care: Mercer's national survey projects employer health benefit costs rising 6.7% this year, the highest increase in 15 years; the presenter noted some local governments anticipate increases of 50% or more. The city's self-funded health plan remains stable, and a voluntary infertility coverage benefit is being explored at no cost to the city.
• Departments requested 10 full-time positions (16 total requests) at an approximate cost of $1.07 million, but these were not funded in the proposed budget. Only two new positions are recommended: a council-requested project manager (starting with park projects) and a school resource officer, 90% funded by Elevate Academy.
• Recruitment activity (October 1, 2025-July 6, 2026): 75 recruitments, over 1,000 applications reviewed, 134 new hires (29 full-time, 105 part-time/seasonal), and 19 internal movements. Incentives include a $500 referral bonus for general positions and a $1,000 sign-on bonus for emergency communications officers, police officers, and professional engineers.
• A leadership and management development initiative will create structured pathways, communication training for supervisors, and stronger succession planning.
• Council Member Stone asked how staffing priorities are determined. Deputy City Manager Scott described the department request, evaluation, and executive leadership team review process; City Manager Rothweiler said the $1.07 million in deferred position requests exceeds the 3% property tax revenue, and the city must prioritize positions it can fund long-term rather than only in the current budget year.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Maria Hernandez, a Twin Falls native, expressed support for embracing change and growth, saying the city must "roll with the punches" like a UFC fighter and not "tap out." She joked that In-N-Out crowds could go to IHOP and referenced her recent downsizing move as part of her own budgeting journey.
• A local resident (addressed as "Don" in the transcript) spoke against Flock cameras, calling them "ridiculous" and "a fourth amendment violation," and said anyone who disagrees "doesn't belong on that side of the dais." He said his 14-year-old son understood the privacy problem immediately.

Advisory Board Report/Announcements

• City Manager Rothweiler thanked the budget presenters and said the organization functions as a team; he noted "the bar has been set high" for next week's presenters.

Public Hearings

• PY 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Annual Action Plan (PZ26-0086): Planning & Zoning Director Jonathan Spendlove presented the plan. The city will receive $311,413, a decrease from about $340,000 in prior years, with funding projected to fall below $300,000 by the end of the next five-year plan. All funds will be used for the City Park Plaza project, combined with the last COVID-era federal funds, which must be spent by June. The public hearing opened at 6:24 PM and closed at 6:25 PM with no public testimony.

Key Outcomes

• Approved 7-0: Consent Calendar items A-C (minutes, accounts payable, Ashlee Townhomes findings).
• Approved: In-N-Out Burger special event grand opening amendment to July 20, 2026 (6-1 per transcript; 7-0 per minutes; discrepancy noted).
• Approved 7-0: Term limit waiver for Gerardo "Tato" Munoz.
• Approved 7-0: Reappointment of Kyndell Madsen, Randall "Cort" Johnson, and Gerardo "Tato" Munoz to the Impact Fee and Improvement Reimbursement Commission.
• Approved 7-0: PY 2026 CDBG Annual Action Plan (PZ26-0086).
• Next step: Budget presentations continue at the July 20, 2026 Council meeting, with additional council-directed capital requests expected.