Kuna City Council members Tuesday night unanimously approved a tentative budget that keeps general fund spending relatively flat at $2.749 million, a slight increase from last year’s budgeted $2.744 million.
The budget, which now goes to a public hearing on Sept. 6, keeps current property tax revenue flat, except for a small $28,296 increase in property tax revenue accounted for by new construction and annexations.
The public hearing, at which the public is invited to testify, will be held during the regular City Council meeting, which starts at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 6, at City Hall, 763 W. Avalon St.
City Council budgeted $1.476 million in property tax revenue for the 2011-12 fiscal year, compared with $1.448 million last year.
Also included on the revenue side of next year’s budget is $150,000 in fund carryover, which city treasurer John Marsh was a collection of unexpended funds that had built up in the general fund. City Council members decided to put that toward a $191,621 contingency fund.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Kuna Alcohol/Drug Free Youth Coalition will put on a benefit concert Aug. 28
Kuna City Council members voted unanimously Tuesday night to waive the fees at the city park for a benefit concert being put on by the Kuna Alcohol/Drug Free Youth coalition.
The concert will be from 3 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 28. The concert will be to raise awareness and to generate funds, according to coalition director Jessica Galloway.
The concert will be from 3 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 28. The concert will be to raise awareness and to generate funds, according to coalition director Jessica Galloway.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Public can now comment on 500,000-volt transmission line
A draft environmental impact statement analyzing a proposed electric transmission line between Wyoming and Idaho has been released by the Bureau of Land Management for public review and comment. The public has until Oct. 28 to review and comment on the draft EIS.
This project is jointly proposed by Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power and would result in construction of nearly 1,100 miles of high voltage transmission lines across southern Wyoming and southern Idaho. The project proponents have applied to the BLM and U.S. Forest Service for right of way grants to construct, operate and maintain transmission lines from the proposed Windstar substation near Glenrock, Wyo., to the proposed Hemingway substation near Melba.
Construction of Gateway West would add 3,000 megawatts of transmission capacity. The transmission line will serve present and future needs of customers, enhance electric system reliability and transmit electricity generated from new and existing resources, including wind.
The BLM is the lead federal agency for the National Environmental Policy Act process for this project, and is working with cooperating agencies including the USFS; National Park Service; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Bureau of Indian Affairs; states of Idaho and Wyoming, including the Idaho Army National Guard; Cassia, Power, and Twin Falls counties in Idaho; Carbon, Lincoln, and Sweetwater counties in Wyoming; the Saratoga-Encampment-Riverside and Medicine Bow conservation districts in Wyoming; and the City of Kuna.
This project is jointly proposed by Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power and would result in construction of nearly 1,100 miles of high voltage transmission lines across southern Wyoming and southern Idaho. The project proponents have applied to the BLM and U.S. Forest Service for right of way grants to construct, operate and maintain transmission lines from the proposed Windstar substation near Glenrock, Wyo., to the proposed Hemingway substation near Melba.
Construction of Gateway West would add 3,000 megawatts of transmission capacity. The transmission line will serve present and future needs of customers, enhance electric system reliability and transmit electricity generated from new and existing resources, including wind.
The BLM is the lead federal agency for the National Environmental Policy Act process for this project, and is working with cooperating agencies including the USFS; National Park Service; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Bureau of Indian Affairs; states of Idaho and Wyoming, including the Idaho Army National Guard; Cassia, Power, and Twin Falls counties in Idaho; Carbon, Lincoln, and Sweetwater counties in Wyoming; the Saratoga-Encampment-Riverside and Medicine Bow conservation districts in Wyoming; and the City of Kuna.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Head out to the Idaho Piecemakers Quilt Show today at Kuna High
Looking for something to do today in Kuna?
The 12th Annual Idaho PieceMakerS Quilt Show in Kuna is still going on today, Aug. 7, at Kuna High School. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today. There is a suggested entry fee of $5. This year the net proceeds of the show will be divided among the following organizations: Boise Chordsmen Youth Outreach Program, Kuna Community Food Bank, Meridian Humane Shelter and Northwest Children’s Home in Nampa.
The theme of the show is Stars & Stripes Over Idaho. Some of these quilts have been designated to be given to returning Idaho soldiers. There will be a special exhibit announcing the theme of the 2012 Quilt Show — Quilted Barns. Another exhibit will feature Farmer’s Wife Quilts, which use 111 different 6 ½” quilt blocks.
The 12th Annual Idaho PieceMakerS Quilt Show in Kuna is still going on today, Aug. 7, at Kuna High School. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today. There is a suggested entry fee of $5. This year the net proceeds of the show will be divided among the following organizations: Boise Chordsmen Youth Outreach Program, Kuna Community Food Bank, Meridian Humane Shelter and Northwest Children’s Home in Nampa.
The theme of the show is Stars & Stripes Over Idaho. Some of these quilts have been designated to be given to returning Idaho soldiers. There will be a special exhibit announcing the theme of the 2012 Quilt Show — Quilted Barns. Another exhibit will feature Farmer’s Wife Quilts, which use 111 different 6 ½” quilt blocks.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Kuna city election candidate filing period opens Aug. 29
Voters in the city of Kuna will have an opportunity to vote for two City Council members and the mayor in this year’s general election on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Mayor Scott Dowdy’s term expires this year, as do the terms of City Council members Lisa Bachman and Jeff Lang. The terms for council members Rich Cardoza and Doug Hoiland expire in 2013.
Kuna city residents interested in running for either mayor or City Council member can declare their candidacy beginning Monday, Aug. 29.
The declaration of candidacy period begins at 8 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 29, and runs through 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9. A candidate has to declare that he/she is a qualified elector and meets the following qualifications:
• Resident of Kuna
• Registered voter
• At least 18 years old
The candidate has to file a Declaration of Candidacy form accompanied by one of the following:
• A petition of candidacy signed by at least five registered qualified electors; or
• Pay a non-refundable filing fee of $40
The Declaration of Candidacy form must be turned in to the Kuna City Clerk’s Office located at Kuna City Hall, 763 W. Avalon St.
If the candidate wishes to submit the declaration of candidacy signed by at least five registered qualified electors, the form must first be taken to the Ada County Elections Office at 400 N. Benjamin Lane to have the signatures verified. The County Clerk will attach a certification indicating the number of signatures that are qualified city electors.
Or, if the candidate wishes to pay the non-refundable filing fee of $40, then the form is submitted directly to the Kuna City Clerk’s Office.
Mayor Scott Dowdy’s term expires this year, as do the terms of City Council members Lisa Bachman and Jeff Lang. The terms for council members Rich Cardoza and Doug Hoiland expire in 2013.
Kuna city residents interested in running for either mayor or City Council member can declare their candidacy beginning Monday, Aug. 29.
The declaration of candidacy period begins at 8 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 29, and runs through 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9. A candidate has to declare that he/she is a qualified elector and meets the following qualifications:
• Resident of Kuna
• Registered voter
• At least 18 years old
The candidate has to file a Declaration of Candidacy form accompanied by one of the following:
• A petition of candidacy signed by at least five registered qualified electors; or
• Pay a non-refundable filing fee of $40
The Declaration of Candidacy form must be turned in to the Kuna City Clerk’s Office located at Kuna City Hall, 763 W. Avalon St.
If the candidate wishes to submit the declaration of candidacy signed by at least five registered qualified electors, the form must first be taken to the Ada County Elections Office at 400 N. Benjamin Lane to have the signatures verified. The County Clerk will attach a certification indicating the number of signatures that are qualified city electors.
Or, if the candidate wishes to pay the non-refundable filing fee of $40, then the form is submitted directly to the Kuna City Clerk’s Office.
Friday, August 5, 2011
62 percent of Idaho schools meet state testing standards
Fewer than two-thirds of Idaho schools met the academic bar set by the state this year.
This is the second consecutive year that 62 percent of Idaho schools have met Adequate Yearly Progress, an academic benchmark that states are required to set and report every year under the federal No Child Left Behind law. AYP is calculated based on results of the Idaho Standards Achievement Tests. The ISAT measures reading, mathematics and language usage in grades 3-8, and science in grades 5, 7 and 10. Kuna High School met all standards except for one. A total of 75.5 percent of students classified as economically disadvantaged — a total of 153 10th-graders — were proficient on the math ISAT test. The goal is 83 percent proficiency.
Kuna High scored 90.1 percent proficient in reading among all students.
Reed Elementary missed the 83 percent target for math proficiency among all students, as 81 percent were proficient on the math ISAT test. Hispanics (67.6 percent), students with limited English proficiency (58.7 percent) and economically disadvantaged students (77.1 percent) missed the target.
Crimson Point met all targets, except for math proficiency among economically disadvantaged students (78.1 percent).
Indian Creek Elementary met all targets.
Ross Elementary missed targets for math proficiency for economically disadvantaged students and math and reading proficiency for students with disabilities.
Hubbard missed the target for language usage (73.4 percent).
Teed missed the target for math proficiency for economically disadvantaged students (82.1 percent).
As a district, Kuna missed targets for:
• math proficiency among economically disadvantaged.
• math proficiency among Hispanics.
• math proficiency among limited English proficiency students.
• math proficiency among students with disabilities.
• reading proficiency among students with disabilities.
Overall, however, 91.4 percent of all 2,625 students tested scored proficient in reading, and 85.3 percent of 2,614 students scored proficient at math. Both percentages are above the goals of 85.6 percent for reading and 83 percent for math.
This is the second consecutive year that 62 percent of Idaho schools have met Adequate Yearly Progress, an academic benchmark that states are required to set and report every year under the federal No Child Left Behind law. AYP is calculated based on results of the Idaho Standards Achievement Tests. The ISAT measures reading, mathematics and language usage in grades 3-8, and science in grades 5, 7 and 10. Kuna High School met all standards except for one. A total of 75.5 percent of students classified as economically disadvantaged — a total of 153 10th-graders — were proficient on the math ISAT test. The goal is 83 percent proficiency.
Kuna High scored 90.1 percent proficient in reading among all students.
Reed Elementary missed the 83 percent target for math proficiency among all students, as 81 percent were proficient on the math ISAT test. Hispanics (67.6 percent), students with limited English proficiency (58.7 percent) and economically disadvantaged students (77.1 percent) missed the target.
Crimson Point met all targets, except for math proficiency among economically disadvantaged students (78.1 percent).
Indian Creek Elementary met all targets.
Ross Elementary missed targets for math proficiency for economically disadvantaged students and math and reading proficiency for students with disabilities.
Hubbard missed the target for language usage (73.4 percent).
Teed missed the target for math proficiency for economically disadvantaged students (82.1 percent).
As a district, Kuna missed targets for:
• math proficiency among economically disadvantaged.
• math proficiency among Hispanics.
• math proficiency among limited English proficiency students.
• math proficiency among students with disabilities.
• reading proficiency among students with disabilities.
Overall, however, 91.4 percent of all 2,625 students tested scored proficient in reading, and 85.3 percent of 2,614 students scored proficient at math. Both percentages are above the goals of 85.6 percent for reading and 83 percent for math.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Kuna trying to deal with problems at the city park
Kuna city staff will begin work on a couple of ordinances meant to crack down on criminal behavior in the city parks.
One ordinance would close the city park at dusk, rather than at midnight. Lt. Kody Aldrich said much mischief takes place after dark, particularly at the skate park. Allowing the police to chase off park users would help cut down on such activity as drug use, graffiti and fighting.
Another ordinance would make it infraction, punishable by a fine, to break a city rule, such as being in the city park after dusk or allowing your dog off leash in the city park.
Finally, Aldrich requested that the city consider adding lights to areas of the city park and greenbelt, such as the skate park, and possibly surveillance cameras in an effort to deter crime.
City Parks Supervisor Bobby Withrow said that in addition to more serious crimes, littering is a major daily problem his staff has to deal with.
One ordinance would close the city park at dusk, rather than at midnight. Lt. Kody Aldrich said much mischief takes place after dark, particularly at the skate park. Allowing the police to chase off park users would help cut down on such activity as drug use, graffiti and fighting.
Another ordinance would make it infraction, punishable by a fine, to break a city rule, such as being in the city park after dusk or allowing your dog off leash in the city park.
Finally, Aldrich requested that the city consider adding lights to areas of the city park and greenbelt, such as the skate park, and possibly surveillance cameras in an effort to deter crime.
City Parks Supervisor Bobby Withrow said that in addition to more serious crimes, littering is a major daily problem his staff has to deal with.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Kuna City Council president is right to feel slighted
Kuna City Council President Lisa Bachman made no secret that she felt slighted by being left off a list of candidates for Kuna’s Urban Renewal Agency board.
Through a letter presented at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, the absent Mayor Scott Dowdy submitted a list of five names for consideration for the board:
• Gordon Law (for a term of four years). Law is the current Kuna city engineer.
• Kellie Goicoechea (four-year term). Goicoechea is currently on the city’s design review committee on a volunteer basis.
• Stephanie Wierschem (three-year term). Wierschem is currently on the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission on a volunteer basis.
• Jeff Lang (two-year term). Lang is a City Council member.
• Chase Craig (one-year term). Craig is a real estate agent and currently president of the Kuna Chamber of Commerce.
Dowdy had already told me that he was planning on nominating five board members, which I respectfully disagree with. I think the board should have at least seven members and more preferably nine members, as they have on the Eagle Urban Renewal Agency Board.
But, no matter how many members, to leave Bachman off the list is a slight, indeed.
Bachman has served this city well and is well-qualified for the position. She also publicly stated she wanted to be on the board.
She is a professional community and economic developer certified by the Community Development Council with eight years of experience in community development planning. She worked as a planner for the city of Kuna before taking a job with JUB Engineers. She then ran for City Council in 2007, garnering 984 votes, by far the most votes among a field of four candidates at the time. Bachman has distinguished herself on council, becoming council president in 2010.
Through a letter presented at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, the absent Mayor Scott Dowdy submitted a list of five names for consideration for the board:
• Gordon Law (for a term of four years). Law is the current Kuna city engineer.
• Kellie Goicoechea (four-year term). Goicoechea is currently on the city’s design review committee on a volunteer basis.
• Stephanie Wierschem (three-year term). Wierschem is currently on the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission on a volunteer basis.
• Jeff Lang (two-year term). Lang is a City Council member.
• Chase Craig (one-year term). Craig is a real estate agent and currently president of the Kuna Chamber of Commerce.
Dowdy had already told me that he was planning on nominating five board members, which I respectfully disagree with. I think the board should have at least seven members and more preferably nine members, as they have on the Eagle Urban Renewal Agency Board.
But, no matter how many members, to leave Bachman off the list is a slight, indeed.
Bachman has served this city well and is well-qualified for the position. She also publicly stated she wanted to be on the board.
She is a professional community and economic developer certified by the Community Development Council with eight years of experience in community development planning. She worked as a planner for the city of Kuna before taking a job with JUB Engineers. She then ran for City Council in 2007, garnering 984 votes, by far the most votes among a field of four candidates at the time. Bachman has distinguished herself on council, becoming council president in 2010.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Message to commissioners: Preserve Hubbard Reservoir
A petition is circulating to let Ada County Commissioners know what residents’ desires are for the area surrounding what’s known as Hubbard Reservoir.
About 600 people have signed the petition so far, according to local resident Sue Evangelho.
“This is just to let the commissioners and Ada County Parks & Recreation know what the public has been talking about for the last five years,” Evangelho said.
In many respects, the message is simple: Don’t mess it up.
That seems like a good message to me.
I know I have written before that Hubbard Reservoir could become an Olmstead-like park in Ada County, complete with picnic areas and landscaping.
But for the time being, it seems reasonable to leave the park in a more pristine state. When I was out there last month, I had a chance to walk along a mowed path to a thickly wooded area along the creek that run through the park.
I snapped a photo of this red-tailed hawk while I was there.
The quiet and natural setting made me think twice about making major improvements to the park.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Kuna High School athletics information meeting is tonight
Kuna High School athletics informational night will be at 7 p.m., Monday, Aug. 1, in the Kuna High School Commons, 637 E. Deer Flat Road. Learn about KHS athletics, meet the new A.D.’s, meet the coaches and fill out paperwork.
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