Rich Gibson

The agenda items for the meeting included matters concerning the Prosecuting Attorney, specifically the review and possible removal of courthouse security restrictions for Alysia Thompson. Landfill discussions covered manure disposal at the fairgrounds, tire disposal fees, and out-of-county facility use. The consent agenda addressed the Gem County/Canyon County Juvenile Detention Housing Agreement, the Fiscal Year 2022 Defending Attorney Annual Report for Jake Sweeten/Gravis Law, and Gem County Resolution 2023-05 authorizing the destruction of certain Assessor's records. Other items included public walk-in sessions, department head discussions regarding temporary power pole placement by Idaho Power for the Farmer's Coop Bridge, administrative time, a Development Services action item for Bell Estates Minor Subdivision, and a joint workshop with the Planning & Zoning Commission regarding Development Code Updates. A separate Comprehensive Plan Public Hearing was scheduled for February 16, 2023.

The Board of Commissioners reviewed and unanimously approved the agenda for the January 26th and 27th, 2026 meetings. The Consent Agenda was approved, covering items such as requests for tax and/or fee cancellation for multiple parcels, the Gem County Resolution authorizing the destruction of Assessor Records, findings for two minor subdivisions (Rohrbacher and Bell Estates #2), financial summaries, a Notice of Appointment for Commissioner Earl DeFur to the Hospital Board, a Certificate of Title for a vehicle, and a construction contract for Optimum Build Group Annex Phase 1. The Commissioners also approved expense claims as presented and attended the Idaho Association of Counties Midwinter Conference in Boise.

The meeting covered several operational and legislative items across two days. Key discussions included approving the agenda for the two-day session, addressing the Black Canyon Code Amendment Draft Ordinance Public Hearing process, and finalizing the Tax Deed Property Sale auction results, where a parcel sold for $130,000. The Consent Agenda covered various items including subdivision findings, residency certificates, tax cancellation requests, IT equipment surplus, and professional service agreements for traffic signal projects. Public walk-ins addressed safety concerns regarding a streetlight installation at Highway 52 and Tom's Cabin Road, and issues related to gravel extraction and private property rights. The Road Department provided updates on ongoing maintenance, safety meetings, and future projects like the Letha bridge replacement. Human Resources reported on new hires, open positions, and leadership training schedules. The Commissioners approved the purchase of a security alarm system for the Annex building. Two public hearings were held: one for the 3 Villas Subdivision Preliminary Plat, which was approved with conditions including road standards and cluster mailboxes; and the other for the Black Canyon Irrigation District Code Amendment for Hydropower, resulting in an amendment to the county code regarding setbacks and screening for hydropower facilities. The Granite Appeal Public Hearing was rescheduled to April 2025 due to a commissioner conflict. The second day involved an executive session for indigent matters resulting in approval of a request for $1,063, and planning coordination with LCA Architects for the Annex Building Phase 2 bidding.

The agenda for the meeting on January 26, 2026, included several action items. Key discussion topics involved a request for tax and/or fee cancellation related to four specified parcel numbers, the resolution authorizing the destruction of Assessor records, minor subdivision findings for Rohrbacher and Bell Estates #2, a summary of operations funds for the period ending December 31, 2025, the Treasurer's cash statement as of December 31, 2025, a notice of appointment for Commissioner Earl Defur to the Hospital Board, a certificate of title for a 2011 Ford F150, and the Optimum Build Group Annex Phase 1 Construction Contract. Other scheduled items included the review of minutes and the approval of expense claims. Commissioners were noted to be attending the Idaho Association of Counties Midwinter Conference on January 27, 2026.

The meeting proceedings involved several key actions across two days. On the first day, Commissioner Earl DeFur was sworn in as a County Commissioner. Legal discussions covered conflicts with the U.S. Army Corps 404 application and an upcoming Planning and Zoning Public Hearing for Premier Gravel. A vehicle transfer from Development Services to the Road Department was approved, as was the purchase of a Topcon GPS unit for GIS mapping for $14,968.08. The Consent Agenda, excluding the US Army Corps 404 Application item, was approved. The second day included a Human Resources Update covering new hires, open positions, leadership training, and finalizing the Child in the Workplace policy. Other actions included approving the Advertisement for bids for the Gem County Annex ADA remodel Phase 2 and approving the City of Emmett Commercial Building Permit Application for the same project. A public hearing was held for the Crescent Moon #2 Preliminary Subdivision Plat, resulting in the approval of the plat with a condition to move the pedestrian pathway to Mill Road, including a berm for safety. Finally, resolutions establishing Gem County Election Precinct Boundaries (Resolution 2026-03) and Commissioner Districts (Resolution 2026-04) were approved.