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FY 2026 Budget and Alcohol Ordinance

FY 2026 Budget The city council passed the budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2026, which begins October 1st. (City budget fiscal years run from October to September.) It's a good budget, and I think the council and mayor are doing a good job keeping track of how our taxes and other public monies are being used. As normally happens, some fees were adjusted. (Of course, most of the time that means they went up when the government and businesses are talking.) The city has to hold public hearings for any fee increases above 5%. We only had one fee increase above 5% and it went up because of the increased cost of postage at the post office: the Paper Utility Statement fee went up to $1.09. The utility fee increases are listed below and compared with the fees from last year (or currently until October). Costs for maintenance, repairs, and capital projects demand that we increase fees each year to keep up with inflation and rising costs, overall.  None of us like utility fees to increas...
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Recent posts

USS Idaho; Sugar Days; City Budget 2025-26; Population Change in ID; Happy Independence Day!

  I recently heard a presentation on the upcoming commissioning of the newest nuclear submarine in the US Navy, the USS Idaho. As the Commissioning Committee's website says: The future USS IDAHO SSN 799 is a leading-edge Virginia Class nuclear-powered fast attack submarine being built by General Dynamics Electric Boat in Connecticut. She was christened in March 2024, and is likely to be commissioned into the Navy fleet during the spring of 2026. It was fascinating to hear about all of the attention to detail that goes into making this sub truly representative of our great state. The Committee is accepting artistic, original, iconic Idaho works to be included in the interior of the sub, such as photographs and paintings. If you or someone you know would like to have work considered, please go to their website for more information . It would be quite an honor to have your work accepted.  The expected life of the sub is 35 years. Sugar Days 2025 Thanks for another great Sugar Day...
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Sugar Days 2025; P&Z Vacancy; Little Park Update; Little Libraries; FT City Employee Opening; CERT

  Sugar Days 2025 Sugar Days is one week away! We hope everyone in our community can come out and enjoy the family-friendly day in Heritage park. I'd like to highlight a few things: The Historical Society will be hosting a silent auction as a fund raiser for their continuing goal to fund a new museum. Please stop by their booth. Grand Teton Farm and Mill (ancientgrains.com) is sponsoring a 5-minute Teton Dam Flood Memories Project. A group of BYU-Idaho students will be hosting brief interviews with people who have memories to share about the flood. The booth will be set up next to the Historical Society's space, so please come by and get your memories recorded for posterity. At 10am at the city's tent, we'll be presenting awards for the Citizen of the Year (Kevin Miyasaki) and Public Servant of the Year Award (Lynsey Bean). Please come and congratulate Kevin and Lynsey for this well-deserved recognition! Planning & Zoning Commission Vacancy We're looking for a n...
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Teton Dam: 5-Minute Histories; Sugar Days; City Parks Long-Term Planning

Teton Dam: 5-Minute Histories Project It's been 49 years since the devastating flood did its best to wipe Sugar City off the map. In the summer of 2026, there will be a big commemoration in Rexburg, Sugar City, and the surrounding areas. The multi-day commemoration will include lectures and museum events, bus and walking tours in Rexburg and Sugar City, and shuttles out to the newly improved facilities at the dam site, etc. (This photo, taken after the flood waters had receded, is looking east on 3rd North in Sugar. The old sugar factory and the WWII POW camp building can be seen in the left corner.) This year, as part of our Sugar Days 2025 celebration, we're going to have a booth set up for residents who remember the flood to drop in and record up to a five-minute video in which they share their memories of that fateful time. We invite all who would like to participate. Sugar Days 2025 Speaking of Sugar Days, we invite all residents, sponsors, and vendors to put Saturday June...
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Thoughts on Shoveling Snow

Recently I read a post on social media comparing the penalty for speeding in a school zone to the possible maximum penalty for a resident pushing snow from their property into the street. Then someone in person asked me a similar question the other day, so I guess this idea is on people's minds. I don't know if the specific situation is in question here, or if the concern really has to do with some larger concepts of city ordinances and enforcement in general. "Is the maximum penalty extreme?" is usually not the central question when examining or creating city code. Of course it is. That's what a maximum penalty is supposed to be. Instead, a central question to ask is "Could there ever be a situation in which the maximum penalty is appropriate and necessary?" And if we could imagine a scenario--unlikely, but readily possible--in which it would be good for the city to have a severe penalty for a code or ordinance infraction available in its tool kit for p...
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Sunpro & Ancient Grains Progress; Christmas Lighting Celebration

  Sunpro and Ancient Grain Facilities It's nice to see the progress being made on two of the latest businesses to move into Sugar City.  If you haven't heard, Sunpro is building a large complex just south of Hwy 33 and north of the junior high school. The facility will include a truss and door plant, lumber yard, and commercial store. On the site that used to be Moody Creek Produce on 7th east, Ancient Grains is erecting the first storage and processing shed of their facility. Eventually, they expect to have a number of buildings, including a commercial location. Christmas Light Celebration The annual Christmas Light Celebration is this coming Monday, December 2, at 6pm at Heritage Park.  Afterward, kids are invited to visit with Santa at the North Pole at City Hall. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and is looking forward to a wonderful Christmas Season!
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Tennis Courts; Treats in the Streets; Teton Dam Flood Anniversary; Call for Volunteeers

  New School/City Tennis Courts The new tennis courts are done, and they look great! A dedicated citizens group led an intense campaign to get a coalition of partners together so we could get some new tennis courts in our community. The school district was the largest contributor of both land and funding. The city, the county, and Madison Memorial Hospital/Madison Health also were major contributors to the project. The city is working out the logistics of a reservation system for the courts, so the public will have access during times the school district isn't using the courts.  For now, if you are interested in using the courts for tennis or pickleball, please drop in city hall for the details. I'm grateful for everyone involved in this project. It took some debate and even a bit of arguing, but we all had the same overall goal in mind and made it happen. Thanks! Treats in the Streets Our 3rd annual Treats in the Streets celebration is this coming Thursday 4-7pm (17 October)....
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