Gooding Community Newsletter
August 2020, #30
Changes at the Tree Yard and other City Updates
New operations at the Tree Yard
Beginning in 2021, the Tree yard will undergo a number of changes. In 2018 Gooding County notified the City that they could no longer provide funding support for the tree yard. Since then we have been developing a plan to keep this valuable service for our community open. We are moving funding and operation of the Tree Yard from the Streets Department budget, a tax based fund, to the Sanitation budget, a revenue-based fund. This shift will allow the city to cover the expenses of the facility and keep it open for residents of the city. City Council understands that many folks outside city limits also use the facility, so we have developed a plan to offset the cost of this use by charging for the material being brought in by commercial users and non-city residents. We are working on a table of costs as a budget is established for this service. Please note that all Commercial and Non-City Users will need to pay in advance at City Hall for use of the facility.
Limited Recycling to Restart
With the changes to the Tree Yard, a new opportunity has presented itself. We will soon be able to offer citizens the ability to recycle tin, aluminum, and cardboard at the Tree Yard. This service will also be available to non-city users for a fee. We will be considering many ideas to make the program sustainable, such as having a scrap metal bin.
Airport
The Airport will see over 600’ of new asphalt either late August or early September! In addition, there will new taxiways, new visual aid for pilots, and new fencing. It has been a great year for the Gooding Airport and we are not done yet…
Vandalism
West Park was the target of vandalism over the weekend of July 25/ 26. If we have not found the criminals by the time of this posting and you have information, please contact the Gooding Police Department at (208) 934-8435
Streets
The Street Department was awarded a $30,000 grant to replace weathered compliance signs! This is a tremendous program by the Idaho Transportation Department which allows local street departments to stretch their budgets further. We will be getting quotes and purchasing signs this winter and will begin replacing signs next year.
BMX Park
The city has completed the needed property agreement with the school district and is now ready to start moving forward as time permits with phase 1 of the park by getting some earthen features placed for enthusiasts! We will be seeking grants to improve the park over the next couple of years. Anyone interested in donating labor, equipment, or materials please contact the Public Works Department at 208 595-4902.
Gooding Library District Message
To limit the spread of Covid-19, the Gooding Public Library District has made some adjustments to protect our patrons and our staff.
Please note that the library hours have changed: we are open from 10am-5pm, Monday through Friday (closed on Saturdays, Sundays and major holidays).
Patrons are welcome to enter the library, but we do ask that they practice social distancing and we request that face masks be worn. Please do not come to the library if you are sick.
For the time being, we must limit the number of patrons in the building at any one time; if necessary we will ask patrons to leave if we reach maximum capacity.
We are required to limit the amount of time that a patron spends in the library.
Curbside service is available to those who call ahead (208.934.4089). The library catalog is on our website (listed below), so it’s possible to check there for the availability of items before you arrive at the library.
Our public computers are available for use, but gaming is not allowed at this time.
Some things haven’t changed: we have great books, movies, audiobooks, and magazines including several new titles.
We have take-it and make-it kits available, free of charge.
Like us on Facebook (Gooding Public Library) and watch our webpage (https://gooding.lili.org) for updates and fun activities.
We wish good health to all and we look forward to the day that we can all get back to a more normal routine.
Fire District Message from Chief Covey
Weeds and Property Maintenance
Property clean up
As we strive to keep our community beautiful, we all must make an effort to control personal items from accumulating in areas visible to the public and control weeds all around our property. Our responsibilities as homeowners and occupants go beyond our fence lines. Below is a copy of the ordinances that pertain to this issue. We understand the confusion about why the city does not control the weeds in the sidewalks and up to the road edge, but simply it boils down to the cost for service. While city street staff does spray alleys in the spring to prevent the initial weed growth, for many reasons the rest falls on us as citizens. Below are the ordinances that pertain to the process for those that fail to follow the ordinance.
The city routinely sends letters to those properties that fail to follow the ordinance. Starting this year the city began seeking the assistance of private contractors to provide property clean up after 10 days of notice to clean the property. Property owners will be billed the cost to provide that service. Homeowners that are financially or physically unable to keep their property clean can contact the Public Works Department to discuss options that are acceptable to the City Council.
Any owner, tenant or occupant of any real property shall remove all rubbish, brush, bushes, stones, weeds, noxious grasses, snow and other obstructions from the sidewalks and alleys adjoining the premises or property owned or occupied by him. (8-202; 1947 Code)
It shall be unlawful for any owner, agent, lessee, tenant, or other person occupying or having charge or control of any premises to permit weeds to remain upon said premises or any area between the property lines of said premises and the centerline of any adjacent street or alley, including, but not specifically limited to, sidewalks, streets, alleys, easements, rights of way and all other areas, public or private. All "weeds" as hereinafter defined are declared a nuisance and are subject to abatement as hereinafter provided.
It shall be unlawful for any owner, agent, lessee, tenant, or other person occupying or having charge or control of any premises to permit the accumulation of cut weeds, grass, brush, tree limbs or garden spoils. This accumulation is deemed to be detrimental to the health, safety, and welfare of inhabitants of the city of Gooding and is declared to be a nuisance. (Ord. 654, 11-20-2006)
A. The city council hereby designates the public works director as the public officer charged with the administration and enforcement of this chapter. The public officer or an authorized assistant shall notify, in writing, the owner and occupant or agent in charge of any premises in the city upon which weeds exist in violation of this chapter, by mail or by personal service. Such notice shall advise as follows:
1. How the owner, occupant or agent in charge of the property is in violation of the city weed control law.
2. The owner, occupant or agent in charge of the property to cut and remove the weeds within ten (10) days of the receipt of notice.
3. The owner, occupant or agent in charge of the property that he may request a hearing before the governing body within five (5) working days of the receipt of notice.
4. If the owner, occupant or agent in charge of the property does not cut and remove the weeds within ten (10) days, the city or its authorized agent will cut the weeds and assess the cost of the cutting to the property.
5. The owner, occupant or agent in charge of the property will be given an opportunity to pay the assessment, and, if it is not paid, it will be added to the property tax as a special assessment.
6. No further notice shall be given prior to removal of weeds.
7. The public officer should be contacted if there are any questions regarding the order.
B. If there is a change in the record owner of title to property subsequent to the giving of notice pursuant to this section, the city may not recover any costs or levy an assessment for the costs incurred by the cutting or destruction of weeds on such property unless a new record owner of title to such property is provided notice as required by this section. (Ord. 654, 11-20-2006)
9-6-4: ABATEMENT; ASSESSMENT OF COSTS:
Upon the expiration of ten (10) days after receipt of the notice required by section 9-6-3 of this chapter, and in the event that the owner, occupant or agent in charge of the premises shall neglect or fail to comply with the requirements of section 9-6-1 of this chapter, the public officer or an authorized assistant shall cause to be cut, destroyed and/or removed all such weeds and abate the nuisance created thereby at any time during the current calendar year.
The public officer or an authorized assistant shall give notice to the owner, occupant or agent in charge of the premises by registered mail of the costs of abatement of the nuisance. The notice shall state that payment of the costs is due and payable within thirty (30) days following receipt of the notice.
If the costs of removal or abatement remain unpaid after thirty (30) days following receipt of notice, a record of the costs of cutting and destruction and/or removal shall be certified to the city clerk who shall cause such costs to be assessed against the particular lot or piece of land on which such weeds were so removed. The city clerk shall certify the assessment to the county clerk at the time other special assessments are certified for spreading on the tax rolls of the county or at such other times as the city clerk shall specify. (Ord. 654, 11-20-2006)
School Registration Information
Local Residents Recognized!
Gooding Rodeo Postponed
This is a Publication of the City of Gooding
Email: councilmancolin@gmail.com
Website: http://www.goodingidaho.org/
Location: 308 5th Avenue West, Gooding, ID, USA
Phone: 208-934-5669