City Council - Regular Meeting

Time and place is advertised. If you'd please stand and join us in reciting our Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Councillor Klein has requested and received an excused absence. Unless she's going to zoom in. No, not tonight. Our next order of business is citizen comments. This is an opportunity for individuals wishing to comment on agenda items or other matters they wish to bring to the attention of the council, excluding those scheduled for public hearing, which we have some tonight. As there may not be another opportunity to comment once an agenda item is addressed, individuals are encouraged to speak at this time. Individuals are encouraged to discuss operational issues in advance. with the mayor in consideration of others wishing to speak please limit your remarks to three minutes also the lewis and city council pledges to practice and promote civility within the governing body advocating for civil engagement respecting the viewpoints of others and finding solutions for the betterment of the city do we have citizen comments tonight uh the mic standing microphone john michael This makes me want to sing.

Please don't. Please refrain. I understand. How many people go through the day and don't really hear anything good about themselves? Just about everybody, right? So I think we're pretty lonely people, right? How do we get some community going? I want to talk about two issues close to me, and one is homelessness and homeless people. who are indeed people and the environment and along the city here. With the homeless people, I don't know. And I'm cynical parts of me, but is there an unwritten sort of policy that wants to keep them off the downtown corridor? I say that because it's hot, right? And the one drinking fountain in Brackenberry Square is off. I don't know why it's turned on. The same thing down at Kiwanis Park. I ran into a couple kids down there today when I was walking my dog. They asked me for water, right? So you've got this great drinking fountain set up at Pioneer Park, right? It's got a thing where you can fill your water bottles too. Like if you've got a gallon, you can fill it there. I would suggest one there in front of the community center. I would suggest one in Brackenberry Square. I would suggest one in Kiwanis Park, and I would put one also at Skate Park. It would be a simple solution. Like I said, homeless people, they have a hard time accessing clean, cold water, and that shouldn't be the case in a community that cares about everybody. The other thing I've noticed, And the environment, it's a difficult issue, but as you know, we've got a lot of problems there. Insects, population collapsing, bird population collapsing, gray whales are now going down. But as I walked along that corridor there, when I was living in the Florida Keys, rainwater runoff coming off the roads was a major, major problem in the Keys. It was killing the coral and stuff. Do we have... Any kind of program set up to take, I think it's just going essentially in the sloughs and down eventually back into the clear water. And it's full of gunk and all sorts of poisons. Can we do something about that? Also, I've noticed around town, a lot of yards are getting the clovers back because that means they're spraying less herbicides and insecticides on the lawn. So clover is coming back. Can we find ways, are we looking, are we thinking about that? ways to spray less. I remember walking down, I could smell the day you guys sprayed and Clarkson sprayed at the same time. And it may have been coincidence because there's a lot of migrating birds, but the next day, I mean, the bird life in those ponds was much less. So what we do, small, micro, macro levels all have effects. One more quick thing. There is creeks, you know, I mean, if we, out of the way, Lindsay Creek would be full of salmon. Remember when that happened? I don't, but there was a time here when that was, that did happen. There's creeks coming down 1921st Street and a couple of, areas are open if we can look to areas to bring nature closer in more contact more insects more birds that kind of thing uh create a much more humane living environment thank you thank you gentlemen that's my little singing bit all right thank you guys thank you thanks for showing up tonight thank you

Okay, next we'll move on to presentations. Item A, monthly financial report for May, financial report for May 2026. And of course, with Idaho code 50-208, we will not have an oral report from our finance director, Amy Gordon, unless you have questions on the report. Hearing none, we'll move on to room number five. Public hearings and related action items. Item A, public hearing on CA-03-26, accepting testimony and proposed amendments to Lewiston City Code Chapter 37 Zoning Code Section 3 to amend the definitions of dwelling, multifamily, dwelling two-family, and Class A manufactured home to comply with 2026 Idaho Legislative Session Bill 800. This is an action item on our city planner. Mr. Joe Plaskin is with us here tonight. Council, we don't have public here right now, but I will open the public hearing on that. We'll ask for any staff presentation and testimony from the public if there is any. Just a reminder that no additional evidence or testimony may be received once the public hearing is closed. So that is, excuse me, time to ask any questions that you might have, and then I will close the public hearing. So I'll ask

our city planner joe plaskon if he would please open the proper caring for us give us a presentation thank you good evening council the idaho legislature passed and the governor signed house bill 800 in the 2026 legislative session house bill 800 allows local jurisdictions to recognize single section 400 square foot and multi-sectional 800 square foot manufactured homes as dwellings THE BILL ALSO AMENDED THE DEFINITION OF MANUFACTURED HOME TO INCLUDE MULTI-DWELLING UNIT MANUFACTURED HOMES, ANYWHERE THAT MULTI-DWELLINGS ARE ALLOWED WITHIN A CITY. SO STAFF DRAFTED RELATED CITY CODE AMENDMENTS, TOOK IT TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, THEY HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON IT ON JUNE 10TH, UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED THAT THESE AMENDMENTS BE APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, JOE. COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILOR FORCEMAN?

If I'm remembering correctly, if it's state, then we can't do anything to lessen it or really change it. We can make it more strict. That's really our only objection, right, that we can do with this.

Objection?

Like if we can't say we don't like the code or we don't like these amendments, we don't want to adopt them. We kind of have to because they're state.

Correct.

Thank you.

Okay, so I don't see anyone from the public here, so I'm going to close the public hearing. And we'll move to item B, first reading of Ordinance 4968, considering amending Lewiston City Code 23-9 related to the definition of Class A manufactured homes, amending Lewiston City Code 37-3 relating to the definitions of dwelling multifamily, dwelling two-family, and Class A manufactured home. This is an action item. Again, our city planner, Joel Plaskon, is here. Council, if you have questions. Otherwise, I would entertain a motion.

Mayor?

Councilor Forsman?

Motion to approve the first reading of ordinance number 4968 by title only. Second.

Moved by Councilor Forsman, seconded by Council President Kleberg to approve the first reading of ordinance number 4968 by title only. Is there discussion or amendments? Hearing none, those in favor please signify by saying aye. Aye. Aye.

Aye.

Opposed? Motion carries. Thank you, Council. Clerk Brocky?

Approving the first reading of Ordinance No. 4968, an ordinance of the City of Lewiston amending Lewiston City Code Section 23-9 related to the definition of Class A manufactured homes, amending Lewiston City Code Section 37-3 relating to the definitions of dwelling multifamily, dwelling two-family, and Class A manufactured home, and providing an effective date.

thank you clerk rocky council next we move to item c public hearing on j-04-26 accepting testimony and proposed amendments to the lewis city code chapter 37 zoning code section 37-41.11 to eliminate accessory apartment provisions to this specific to the normal hill north and normal house house zones intersection 37 dash 141.2 to amend accessory apartment provisions regarding allowable zoning districts. and allowable size parking setbacks and parking, this is an action item and again, we will welcome our city planner to blast gone back to present this to you and I will open the public hearing to welcome.

Thank you. This is another zoning code amendment proposal triggered by the 2026 Idaho legislative session via Senate Bill 1354. It's amending the state code provisions, or the Senate bill amended the state code provisions for accessory dwelling units, which our code calls accessory apartments. And so therefore, we're required to make Basically, it does two things. One is that it increases the allowable size of accessory apartments. Our current code reads 30% of the habitable space of the primary residence with a cap of 900 square feet the state statute requires us to increase that to a maximum of 1 000 square feet or 70 percent of the primary residence whichever is greater the second thing it did was it provided exceptions for requiring off-street parking happy to answer any questions

Thank you, Joel. Council?

Councilor Spickelmeyer? Thank you, Mayor. So, Joel, both of these must be the state's efforts to address affordable housing. Is that in your opinion? That's correct. And in these ADUs, I've never heard of them, do we get many requests for them here in Lewiston?

It's not overly abundant, but yes, they're common.

Councilor Wright.

Thank you. And from what you just said, so the off-street parking, that we're locked into that portion because the state made that requirement.

We provide exceptions to the requirement, yep.

Okay, thanks. Okay, thank you. Is there testimony from the public? So with that, I will Council will move on to Item D, first reading of Ordinance 4972, considering repealing Gloucester City Code 37-41.11 and 37-41A.11 and amending Gloucester City Code 37-131.2 relating to accessory apartments. This is an action item, and again, our city planner, Mr. Joel Plaskon, is here. Otherwise, I would entertain a motion.

Mayor?

Councilor Forsman?

Motion to approve 4972 by title, ordinance number 47, 4972, excuse me, by title only.

It's been moved by Councilor Forsman, seconded by Council President Kleber, to approve the first reading of ordinance number 4972 by title only. Is there discussion or amendments? none those in favor please signify by saying aye aye opposed motion carries clerk rocky approving the first reading of ordinance number 4972

An ordinance of the City of Lewiston repealing Lewiston City Code sections 37-41.11 and 37-41A.11 amending Lewiston City Code section 37-30-131.2 relating to accessory apartments and providing an effective date.

Thank you clerk rocky council next we move the consent agenda all items on the consent agenda are considered routine by the council And will be enacted by one motion there will be no separate discussion on these issues unless the councillor so requests In which case the item will be removed from the consent agenda considered on the active agenda under items moved from the consent agenda Council yeah councillor Forsman.

I would like to remove bachelors payable from the consent agenda.

Okay Not sure table's been removed

Here, so enforcement like to approve the consent agenda with the amendment.

By Council enforcement, second by Council President Kleeberg to approve the consent agenda is amended clerk rocky Council President paper.

Councilor, right? All right. All right. All right. All right.

Councilor, we now move to the active agenda, Roman numeral seven. Councilor Spickmeyer.

Can I ask, do you have an extra agenda sheet

Is that amended the amended one. Okay. No, I have one. Thank you. Yeah.

Okay, thank you.

So we next move to the active agenda, Roman numeral 7, item A, 2025-88 Transition Plan Annual Report. Considering adopting the City of Lewiston's 2025-88 Transition Plan Annual Report, this is an action item. And we have our Human Resources Director with us here tonight, Ms. Nikki Provence. Nikki, welcome. If you'd introduce yourself for the record. The floor is yours. Thank you.

yeah nikki province hr director for the city every year we come before you to add last year's amendment to our 2020 transition plan and so what's before you is the summary of ada program services upgrades and things like that that the city's done So by the ADA transition plan, the annual report needs to be adopted by our Disability Advisory Commission, which has done that, and next to come in front of City Council for adoption.

Thank you, Director Provence. Council, questions? Councillor Spickelmeyer.

Thank you, Mayor. So, Nikki, I was looking through down here on Figure 3, the summary table of design standards. And a lot of them looks like they were adopted in 2009 and they're still in review. Do you know what the, why?

Dustin? More of the Public Works type thing.

I believe those are the design, Dustin Johnson, Public Works Director. I believe those are the design standards that you guys adopted. So that may be an old copy of what you're reviewing. Because the original, the ones you're looking at are 2009, and all those standards should have been adopted. They may not have changed, but they should have been readopted with those design standards that were adopted, what, two months ago?

Do you see the table I'm looking at?

Yeah, this one. Figure 3?

Yeah.

Were they recently adopted?

Yeah, these were all adopted.

So these were the old standards in 2025.

So the table needs to be updated. Yeah, it shouldn't say in review. Those should be. Adopted yeah, because you can see at the beginning of table 2, 3, it says not those are, you know, the 1st ones are not included in part of the 26 update. And then the rest of them that are saying saying in review, those are, those are done. Those are adopted. So that table should be updated to say, okay, adopted with the date that was adopted in 2026.

Council for the questions or director province. Council, you have the 2025-88 Transition Annual Report before you. Councillor Spicklemyer?

Motion to adopt the 2025-88 Transition Plan Annual Report. Second.

It's been moved by Councillor Spicklemyer, seconded by Councillor Morey, to adopt the 2025-88 Transition Plan Annual Report. Clerk Rockey?

Council President Kleberg? Aye. Councillor Wright?

Aye.

Councillor Forsman? Aye. Councillor Morey?

Aye.

Councillor Spicklemyer?

Aye. Mayor Mrakas, Thank you counsel next up, we have seven be resolution 2026 dash 24 considering approving the release of waterline easement for water lines at third street and east of second street between city of Lewis and the northern Pacific railroad company. Mayor Mrakas, and authorizing the mayor to sign the easement, this is an action item or public works director dustin Johnson is here tonight to present this to us, or I would entertain motion. Mayor Mrakas, All project Council enforcement. motion to approve resolution 20 26 24 I move by councillor Forrestman second by councillor president Kleeberg to approve resolution 2026-24 clerk Brockley council president Kleeberg aye councillor Wright aye councillor Forrestman aye councillor Morey aye councillor Spickelmeyer aye Thank you, Council. Thank you, Clerk Rocky. Next, we move to 7C, Resolution 2026-02, considering authorizing the destruction of certain finance department records. Again, this is an action item. Our Finance Director, City Treasurer, Ms. Amy Gordon, is here. Else, I would entertain a motion.

Mayor.

Councilor Forsman.

Question to approve Resolution 2026-02. Second.

It's been moved by Councilor Forsman, seconded by Councilor Wright to approve Resolution 2026-02. Clerk Rockey?

Council President Kleber?

Aye.

Councilor Wright? Aye. Councilor Forsman? Aye. Councilor Morey?

Aye.

Councilor Spickelmeyer?

Aye. Mayor Mrakas, Also next we have 70 resolution 2026 dash 33 considering declaring various items of city lives and property to be surplus and providing for the public auction of said surplus property, this is an action item and again our finance director city treasurer miss amy coordinates here else I would entertain a motion.

Mayor. I have one question. The surplusing department will be deposited into the fund of the surplusing department. Is that each department's savings?

Maybe Gordon city treasure I apologize. Could you repeat your question?

Uh, so I'm kind of just curious what is the sales will be deposited into the fund of surplus thing department. With with revenue from enterprise fund items, deposit accordingly.

Yeah, so that just means that the money will go back to the fund that purchased the equipment. Originally, so we wouldn't put like, if we bought something with property tax dollars. And we surplus that it would not go into an enterprise fund.

And likewise, okay, so we'll go back into their reserves basically. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you director Gordon. Mr. Forsman motion to approve resolution 2026 33 And a move by councillor Forsman second my council president Kleberg to approve resolution 2026 Desk 33 clerk rocky council president Kleberg right councillor, right?

All right, councillor Forsman. I councillor Maury.

Oh, that's our Spickle Meyer Thank You counsel Thank you, Clerk Brockie. Next, we have Item E, Resolution 2026-21, considering approving a mutual assistance compact between the City of Lewiston, Idaho and the City of Asota, Washington for law enforcement services and authorizing the mayor to sign the compact. We have our Chief of Police, Jason Cusick, here tonight. Also, I would entertain a motion, Council. Question? Councilor Spickmeyer?

I have a question, Chief.

Chief Cusick, welcome. If you'd please introduce yourself for the record. The floor is yours.

Jason Cusick, Chief of Police.

Thanks, Chief. So, like in the last year, how often do we cross the river, or do they cross over?

On a request, we haven't. Over at Soton, I don't believe we have in the last year. I think they made one request, I think, for the SWAT team, but that got resolved before we even had to deploy. But that's the only one I recall, probably in the last 12 months. It's a very rare occurrence, even for any of the compacts we have.

This also include, like, the investigations. I know our detectives go over, you know, and drug issues across the river. Is this the same issue?

No, that's kind of a little different. That's where, like, with the Quad Cities Task Force, we'll kind of collaborate among multiple agencies. Sometimes the investigation will just take us over there.

that's kind of under a different agreement thank you the questions for two kids thank you chief thank you council you have resolution 2026-21 before you yeah I suspect Meyer motion to approve resolution 2026-21 then moved by councillor Spickelmeyer second my council mori to approve resolution 2026-21 clerk rocky

Council President Kleeberg? Aye. Councillor Wright? Aye. Councillor Forsman? Aye. Councillor Morey?

Aye.

Councillor Spickelmeyer?

Aye. Thank you, Councillor O'Clerk-Brocky. Thank you, Chief Cusick. Item F, Resolution 2026-29, considering authorizing the retirement of canine Ziva as a drug dog, this is an action item. Again, our Chief of Police, Jason Cusick, is here tonight. If you have questions for him, otherwise, Councillor, I would entertain a motion. Councillor Forsman? Motion to approve resolution 2629 The move by councillor Forsman a second my counselor Maury to approve resolution 2026 dash 29 clerk rocky Council president Kleberg.

All right, that's all right. All right, councillor Forsman. I councillor Maury. All right, councillor Spickelmeyer.

All right, I motion carries thank you council next we move to item g resolution 2026-38 considering improving the memorandum of understanding between the city of lewiston and nez perce county to host a drive-in movie event in the east parking lot of the nez perce county courthouse this is an action item our parks and recreation director justin glenn is here and i don't think i want to let him off the hook i'm going to ask if he could Director, if you could just introduce yourself for the record and just very briefly, let the Council know what we're up to.

Justin Glenn, Parks and Recreation. We a couple, I guess, probably about a month ago, We're discussing opportunities for collaboration and our team as walking through the parking lot, um, looked at the courthouse and said, you know, I think we could put a. A movie we could up against the building there and it might be a cool little opportunity to highlight. That new infrastructure, the location being close to downtown and having a capacity of a parking lot of that size to be able to fit a lot of customers in it. So, uh, I met with, uh, commissioner lucky and. And we walked and talked, and this is where we're at, hoping to host this drive-in movie at the courthouse. We're going to test the system this week during the darkness, which is a little bit of a challenge this time of year. But make sure everything's moving and grooving so we can project it on the wall over there, which would be kind of a cool feature this Friday. So the MOU really is just outlining who's doing what, who's paying for what. um and making sure we're to use the mayor's word skookum is that is that right dan skookum we're all clear on who's doing what in the mou so council questions or kudos yeah i think it's really good that we're working with the city on on top of bringing people to the new building and stuff but the show of collaboration with the county and the city we've been

have a stigma that we don't get along and so and it's not true so it's really great to see that we're collaborating with our county and that uh just bringing people together so i hope we can do more in the future as well thank you mayor counselor maury so is this mou a one-time only okay thank you counselor spickelmeyer yeah director i just want to thank you for the extra effort

Well, I got the mic, I know that gentleman left, but we, we just ordered 6 new water fountains. They're on their way ordered 60 what 6 new water drinking.

Another question. What's the movie?

The movie is the new how to train your dragon live action. And we hope to start screening about 830, 845 at night. the benefit of the way that the courthouse is located is that the sun will set and hopefully it'll get darker sooner so we can get that movie started soon as well.

You know, I was going to mention this the other day and I forgot, but maybe not for this event, but if we continue doing this, it's also a great opportunity maybe for like a food drive and stuff like that when people come, you know.

Yeah. I think the benefit of having that much space, this kind of centrally located, is a great opportunity to explore a lot of collaboration efforts to include food drives, other special community events as well. See how it goes.

Councilor Wright. I'm just curious from the technology standpoint, how are you getting the sound in the vehicles?

We use partnership with Nellie Broadcasting through radio frequencies. Through the radio. Clever.

Yeah, I remember I went to drive through and you put a little speaker in your car. I was probably it was a very nostalgic time in that town.

That technology hasn't advanced too much. Awesome.

Thank you, director. Yeah, I'm sorry, Maury.

like to make a motion to approve this night at the movies i'll be working but yes i will uh like to make a motion to approve resolution 2026-38 approving the memorandum of understanding between the city of lewis and the nest first county to host the drive-in movie event in the east parking lot of the nest first county courthouse second and moved by councillor maury second by council respect march approved resolution 2026-38 clerk rocky council president kleeberg hi council right hi

Councilor Forsman? Aye. Councilor Morey?

Aye.

Councilor Spickelmeyer?

Aye. Thank you, Council. Thank you for the discussion and Director Glenn. Council, we next move to Roman numeral 8, items moved from the consent agenda. We have vouchers payable. Councilor Forsman?

After I looked closer at this, I feel silly now because on page 7 of the voucher payable packet, there is line number... 123 325 under recreation and it said Forsman and I'm like I didn't do anything in that realm and then I realized there's an elephant in front of it so I figured it's another Forsman so I think I answered that question right apologies assuming I might be my mother-in-law well just for that counselor I'll ask you for a motion Oh, yes, I will give you that for sure motion to approve the consent agenda as is.

Excuse me, um, counselor, you're not approving the content agenda at this point. It's the vouchers payable.

Oh, I'm sorry. Excuse me. I approve the not just payable.

I didn't move by counselor force my 2nd, my council president to prove after is payable clerk broadly.

Council President Kleeberg.

Aye.

Councilor Wright.

Aye.

Councilor Forsman. Aye. Councilor Morey.

Aye.

Councilor Spickelmeyer.

Aye. Thank you. Council next we move to Roman or line on finished a new business item a city councilor comments comments should not be related to item currently for the city council and I didn't come for the city council in the foreseeable future and shall be limited to comments. Not discussion.

I just want to thank the service from our canine. due to her three years or in regards to her three years of service and also to her handler officer joey lines for being with her and taking her on and as for retirement and it's a canine is a very awesome opportunity and a great program for our city and helping stop drugs and got to personally see them Her them and her and work and it's a, it's amazing site to see. So I think her for her service and hopefully she has a nice. Relaxing time, catching balls and maybe chasing squirrels. Um, 1, last thing I am out of office, I will be traveling. From tomorrow till the 27th, so it will be minimal time on my phone.

Thank you counselor.

As I was leaving for work at 1 a.m. this morning, I ran into two of the public works employees who were restriping the pedestrian crossing and the turn lane indicators up on Ryden and 8th Avenue. Just want to extend a thank you to those employees that work off of the regular shift. Of course, those that are working nights right now are avoiding some of the heat, but two individuals out there working very efficiently. doing a great job and just want to say thank you to the employees of the city for everything that they do whenever some of the rest of us are home asleep and not seeing those things that are being done the little things that are done overnight that nobody ever knows who does them they don't go unnoticed just want to say thank you for that thank you counselor

okay next city boards and commissions liaison updates not today okay mayor comments council i'm going to share one thing with you tonight and that is if you haven't seen it already the lewiston chamber of commerce has sent out some correspondence and they're asking their members to give them some feedback on the development process, the building process here in the city of Lewiston. And they're going to bring the results of this survey back to the city and talk about it. So I don't really have much more to say about what their intent is behind this. But if you get questions from the public or from some of the businesses, I guess I would encourage them to go ahead and take the survey and submit their feedback. And then at some point, we'll sit up maybe on work session or something like that, an opportunity to sit down with our friends at the chamber and see what we might have in common.

And the topics council item D. Yeah, I was just, um, reading it summary here for the canine retirement and some of the stuff in there about our canine program. So, I was just wanting to know if we make a motion to ask the police department to provide us an update on our canine program at the August 3rd workshop.

Okay.

been moved by councillor Spickelmeyer second by councillor Forsman do you have a date that you'd like to put that on August 3rd workshop August 3rd okay pardon me foot canine an update on our canine program from Lewiston Police Department at the August 3rd workshop those in favor please signify by saying aye aye opposed motion carries we will put it to the Work session. Thank you, John. Council, with that, I would entertain a motion for adjournment. Moved. Second. And moved by Council President Kleberg, seconded by Councilor Mori to adjourn. Those in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? We are adjourned. Thank you, Council.

Bye, everybody.