Twin Falls City Council Meeting - August 24, 2026

The Twin Falls City Council met at 5:00 PM on 2026-08-24 at 203 Main Ave E. in Twin Falls, ID, with Mayor Jason Brown presiding and all seven council members present. The council approved the consent calendar, action items, a PUD amendment, the use of forgone revenue, and the FY 2027 budget, and held extended debate over FLOCK license plate reader cameras.

Consent Calendar

• Approved 7-0: August 17, 2026 City Council minutes; Accounts Payable for August 13-19, 2026; July 2026 Wells Fargo Credit Card Summary; August 19, 2026 travel requests; Special Event Permits for Dierkes Boulderfest and Haunted Swamp; and Final Plat extension for PZ24-0088 Ellis Subdivision.

Items of Consideration

• Approved 7-0: authorization for the City Engineer to approve the South Well #5 change order for Pheasant PRV in the amount of $847,410, with contingency, for a total request of $900,000.
• Approved 7-0: use of approximately $29,000 in savings from the Harmon Park court lighting project to finish landscaping and purchase benches. Parks and Recreation Director Wendy Davis said $130,000 had been reserved in February for the lighting work.
• Approved 7-0: amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding with the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, authorizing the Mayor to sign it. Director Davis said the amendment extends the agreement through the end of the year and relates to hot wash station space and reimbursable improvements.
• Approved 7-0: award of a contract to Knife River Corporation for $1,306,787 for the airport Terminal Access Improvement project, and authorization for the Mayor to sign the FAA grant application and contract. Airport Manager Mat Barnes said PBC was initially the apparent low bidder but was found non-responsive after FAA vetting; the additive alternate for heated sidewalks was not eligible for FAA grant funding at this time. Construction is targeted for spring/early summer of the next fiscal year, with the airport remaining accessible.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Maria Hernandez spoke about the August 1 In-N-Out incident victims and praised Culver's Restaurant for donating 100% of the day's proceeds to the 10 victims.
• Sandi King and Jeff Nelsen spoke against FLOCK cameras, raising privacy and surveillance concerns. King provided handouts; Nelsen urged council not to support the cameras.
• Noah Heck thanked the city for investing in the Harmon Park skate park and noted that lighting posts were recently installed.

Public Hearings

• River Hawk Plaza PUD Amendment (PZ26-0077): City Planner Kelli Ebersole presented the request to add 'Health/Fitness Facility - Minor' as a permitted use at 1341 Park View Dr. She clarified that 'minor' means an occupant load of 49 or fewer. The applicant, Gerald Martens, said this would be the last occupant completing the project and concurred with staff. P&Z recommended approval 4-0 on July 28. The public hearing was opened at 5:37 PM and closed at 5:38 PM with no public testimony. Approved 7-0.
• Forgone Revenue: A public hearing was held on using $342,868 of forgone revenue in FY 2027 for ongoing operation and maintenance costs from October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. The agenda listed $342,816, but staff, discussion, and the approved resolution used $342,868; Council Member Pierce clarified the actual amount requested. Approved 7-0 via Resolution 2026-005. The hearing opened at 5:43 PM and closed at 5:44 PM.
• FY 2027 Budget: City Manager Travis Rothweiler presented the budget, including a total of $96,547,281. He projected a tax rate of $5.03 per $1,000 of taxable value, down from $5.06; water and sewer increases of 5%; a sanitation rate decrease of 38.7% for the worst example shown; 44.5% of the budget for personnel; 355 employees growing to 357; and a second consecutive year of no health insurance premium increase. Council Member Reid asked about the large employment jump from 2024 to 2025; Rothweiler explained that library employees were incorporated into the city's employee count in FY 2025. The public hearing opened at 6:29 PM and closed at 6:33 PM. Hilber Nelson spoke against FLOCK camera funding, citing national controversies and reports of misuse. Staff responded that $88,400 for a real-time information center had been removed from the budget, while operation and maintenance for the existing 40 cameras remained.

Key Outcomes

• Motion to suspend the use and financial obligation of ALPR/FLOCK cameras until the Idaho Legislature adopts comprehensive rules failed 2-5.
• Motion by Council Member Stone, amended to state that the current contract is open to amendments per the police chief's recommendations and approved by Council, to implement any/all license plate reader laws within seven days of the governor signing them, was approved 7-0.
• Motion by Council Member Pierce to accept the current FLOCK contract with revisions - turn off the AI/machine-learning component; keep the national search function off unless needed for a local crime; and authorize Chief Hicks to sign the contract - was approved 6-1.
• The City Manager said the council will receive periodic FLOCK reporting at open council meetings.
• Approved 7-0 to suspend reading rules and place Ordinance #2026-008 on third/final reading by title only.
• Approved 7-0 to adopt Ordinance #2026-008, the FY 2027 budget for the City of Twin Falls, in the amount of $96,547,281.
• Approved 7-0 to adjourn to Executive Session under Idaho Code 74-206(1)(b) to consider evaluation, dismissal, or discipline matters. The executive session began at 6:52 PM; the regular meeting adjourned at 7:35 PM.