The City of Iona Homepage

FEBRUARY 2010 NEWSLETTER

IONA LIONS CLUB 2^ND ANNUAL PATRIOTIC CONTEST:

Iona Lion’s Club 2^nd Annual Patriotic Contest winners will be celebrated at a special event on Presidents Day, Monday, Feb 15 at 7:00 p.m. at the city building located at 3548 North Main Street. Spend your family evening celebrating our Founding Fathers and remembering all they did for us. Prizes will be awarded and refreshments served. See you there.

Iona Elementary fund raiser.

The week of February 8^th – 13^th, Jamba Juice will make a 20% donation to Iona Elementary when a purchase is made. Please specify that you are a patron of Iona Elementary.

What’s new?

The City Council invites you to stop by and see the changed being made at the City building. The Council has a new rostrum complete with individual microphones for each Council member. The Council made these changes mainly to improve the quality of sound in the room for the audience. The other exciting change is the new police headquarters. Chief Basaraba has built a reception area, office, and private discussion room.

Necessary upgrades.

The City will bring well #3 online and build a new well house this year. The City will also continue to upgrade the water system and ensure it is adequate for the community now and in the future. The objective of bringing well #3 on-line is to give the City access to more water as needed, and to provide a back-up for well #2 in the event our main well ever goes down. This will insure City's water supply will go undisrupted.

Veteran’s Memorial Project.

One Veteran’s memorial has been installed and there are two more planned. The City is looking for a few people who can help with planning and fundraising for the next two memorials. Please contact Dixie Hunting, or Robyn Keyes at the City building for more information 523-5600.

2010 Census.

This is a census year, and the City of Iona is urging everyone to comply with the Census survey. The Census Bureau provides valuable information to government and private entities regarding the population of it city. This information will be used to determine qualification for several different types of funding that could benefit the City.

Any request for census information from the Census Bureau will be clearly identified as coming from the U.S. Census Bureau and as OFFICIAL BUSINESS of the United States. Before your household receives a mailed form, a phone call or a visit from the Census Bureau, you will be given a few days’ notice with a letter from the Census Bureau Director.

Invitation for bid.

THE CITY OF IONA, IDAHO has declared the following item to be surplus merchandise: 1996 Chevrolet Caprice Classic.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City will accept sealed bids for purchase of the above referenced equipment. Bidding opens February 4, 2010. Bidders should submit a sealed envelop with identification of the equipment noted on the outside of the envelope. The bid should contain the bidder’s name, address and telephone number along with the amount of the bid. The bid will be awarded to the bidder that submits the highest bid for cash, lawful money of the United States of America. The successful bidder’s payment for the equipment shall be due and payable in full within twenty-four (24) hours after the award of the bid. Bids should be submitted to the office of the City Clerk at 3548 North Main, Iona, Idaho, 83427, no later than 5:30 p.m. MST on February 18, 2010. Questions regarding the bid process may be delivered to Robyn Keyes, City Clerk at (208)523-5600.

The vehicle will be available for inspection from February 4, 2010 to February 18, 2010. Persons interested in inspecting the vehicle may make arrangements for such inspection by contacting the City Clerk at (208)523-5600.

The City reserves the right to reject and or all bids. THE VEHICLE IS SOLD “AS IS” AND ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND ALL OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE HEREBY DISCLAIMED.

State of the City Address

By Mayor Brad Andersen

January 19, 2010

We are here to discuss the State of the City. Before we reflect on last year’s accomplishments, I would like to personally thank Robyn Keyes, our City Clerk; Ron Nelson, Treasurer; Dale Storer, Attorney; Zech Prouse, Public Works Supervisor; Shannon Basaraba, Police Chief; Bob McBride, Building Inspector; our P/Z Commission (e.g. Dan Garren, Lance Ellis Adrain Beazer, and Roy Hobbs); and all of the other committees and volunteer’s that make Iona great. We also would like to recognize City Council members: Dennis McArthrur (President), Steve Elliott, Dan Gubler, and Jane Shaw for their service and commitment to making Iona a great city. Once again, I would like to especially like to thank Robyn, Zech, and Shannon who are in the trenches everyday and make us look good.

On behalf of the City I would like to recognize and thank Councilmember Steve Elliott for his past four years of service. October, 2009, Mr. Steve Elliott decided to retire from the City of Idaho Falls. Since he was retiring from his full time job, Steve decided not to seek re-election, so that he could spend more time with his family. Mr. Elliott has been instrumental in improvements to our parks/recreation (e.g. bathroom), Historical Committee liaison, and entertainment for Iona Days. Mr. Elliott will be missed and we hope that we can persuade him to still help out with the entertainment for Iona Days.

Mr. Case will be taking Mr. Elliott’s council seat. The City would like to welcome Mr. Bruce Case as the newest member of the city council, and we look forward in working with you the next four years.

Accomplishments for 2009:

1. 12^th Annual City Easter Egg Hunt was held on April 11^th. Robyn Keyes chaired and coordinated the event with assistance from Chief Basaraba, Zech Prouse, and Ron Nelson (food).

2. Established a Police Office under the direction of Chief Basaraba.

3. Tree Committee – Robyn Keyes and committee sponsored Arbor Day Celebration on May 15. Also, the tree committee completed a tree inventory of City Trees.

4. Approval of two grants from the Safe Routes to School Program. One was for $28,000 for installing lights and signs in front of the Iona School. The other is $99,000 for extending the bike and pedestrian path along 55^th Street and Iona Road.

5. The annual City Spring Clean Up was held on May 2.

6. A new drinking water fountain was installed in the Square.

7. Iona’s T-Ball, pitching machine, and girl’s softball program continued as it has in the past. Thanks go to our Program Coordinator Kaylyn Resendez.

8. A new slide and skate board equipment was installed in the Square.

9. Repair and resurfacing of the City’s tennis courts was completed.

10. Repairing the City’s Water Tank under the supervision of our Public Works Supervisor Zech Prouse - saving the City almost $60,000.

11. Iona’s Lion’s Club continued to have the 4^th of July breakfast, and the Iona Day’s breakfast, and provided service to the community through donations, time, and labor.

12. Veteran’s Monument was installed headed was up by Dixie Hunting.

13. Establishment of a movie in the park in the summer, two events this summer.

14. A new City Home Page was developed with City Code, minutes from the Council meetings available for viewing.

15. There were many Eagle Scout Projects and service projects that saved the City money and enhanced the community.

VISION: My vision for the City of Iona for this year and the future is as follows:

1. Manage the growth of the City and enforce strict development requirements.

2. Bring well #3 online and build a new well house this year. Continue to upgrade our water system and ensure it is adequate for our community now and in the future.

3. Keep Iona as a family community and manage commercial growth.

4. Eventually establish an outdoor swimming pool and/or water park.

5. Continually improve our parks each year.

If you are like me, people want to get down to the nuts and bolts and what is the State of the City. The City of Iona is not a little village anymore. The growth and more people coming into the area also brings unexpected events, like the bomb scare that we had this last year. Also, with the shortage of snowfall and the prediction of a dry spring, we need to learn to be water conscious. The average family uses over 45,000 gallons of water each month. This is approximately three times more then the national average. We need to change our old habits and start to conserve our most important resource, which is our water.

I am very optimistic that the future for Iona is very good. Even though worldwide and statewide economies look bleak, the City of Iona has a bright future. Our budget is in the black! The City of Iona has approximately $800,000 in savings that will let us operate as a city, maintain the quality of life that we enjoy, upgrade the City’s infrastructure, and provide a nest egg for unexpected events. Nationwide and Statewide the economy in 2010 will probably be as tough as it was in 2009, but by being conservative with our spending and working together as a community, I have faith in the people of Iona that we can wait out this storm and move forward. However, we will need to work together as a community.

Once again I would like to thank all of those wonderful people of Iona who did some kind of service in 2009 for the City. For the rest of the people of Iona who did not get involved in 2009, I would challenge each family, in 2010, to do something for the community. Whether it is being a good neighbor or doing some kind of service for the City, please volunteer and do some kind of service. For service is the rent we pay for living here.

Sincerely,

Brad Andersen, Mayor