The Mayor’s Corner 12/13/23

Mayor Randy Hibberd

I have to tell you that I have found myself in an interesting situation. About a month ago I mentioned that we went to lunch with some friends, Kim and Anne. Kim is the director of a renaissance orchestra that performs an annual Christmas concert of renaissance era carols played on renaissance instruments. Kim and I used to play trumpets in band together in high school and he had talked me into playing a cornettino in the concert.
The cornettino is a precursor to the cornet and trumpet used today, but a cornettino looks more like the recorder/flute you played in grade school only with a mouthpiece. Instead of opening and depressing valves to make notes like a trumpet, there are holes which are covered and uncovered by your fingers to make the various notes.
However, I quickly found out that how tight my lips are has much more to do with what notes came out than the finger holes. This may not be a problem for someone who has spent a great deal of time on the cornettino and has an ear for what note is being played. I, on the other hand, had always relied on the trumpet valves to achieve the right note. So, on the cornettino one day my lip will feel most comfortable starting playing at a certain note and then making variations. The next day, I will pick up the instrument, start playing where it feels comfortable and be two notes above or below where I had been the day before. Not good.
So, on Saturday, four of us got together to decide which song or songs(s) we would play for our part of the concert. All of us had instruments that were new to us. There was a soprano and a tenor sackbut (precursors to the trombone), a snake (precursor to the tuba), and the cornettino. We ended the practice session deciding to play one song of the three choices (the simplest) and that the snake and cornettino would each play the same note in rhythm to the tune as a drone base note. (Think of the bagpipe that plays the melody on part of the instrument while the bag plays a droning note in the background.)
I was happy with the decision that I would only have to play the one note. I will be able to tell if I am playing correctly because I can hear and play the same note as the snake. However, it is a little humbling to think that I once considered myself to be a relatively good trumpet player. Now I am reduced to hoping I can play one note well. I guess I am getting in touch with my inner beginner band student.
Oh well, moving on.
In City business this week, on Monday, members of the Planning and Zoning Commission, the City Council, and the Economic Development Task Force met to discuss the new Comprehensive Plan developed for the City.
The meeting was not about what should be in the plan or what changes should be made. Instead, the meeting centered on the purpose of the plan, how it can and should be used, prioritizing goals, implementation, and the responsibility for implementing.
One of the things I want to be sure of, is that the Comprehensive Plan is used as a guide in moving the City forward as change comes about. The plan is in place to offer a road map to development for the City when zoning changes are proposed, when traffic plans are developed, etc. It should be used by prospective developers to know what is expected as they consider projects within the City and the impact area.
I want to thank everyone who took the time to express their desires as the plan was developed. Putting the plan together has taken much more time than was originally anticipated. However, I believe it is now a plan that will be useful, and we can all literally live with.
Well, that’s it for this week. I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas Season! Now I have to go and practice my one note.

The Mayor’s Corner 12/6/2023

Mayor Randy Hibberd

Wasn’t the Christmas Parade last Friday evening GREAT! There were so many floats, kids riding horseback, kids representing classes, 4-H groups, and ArrowHeart entertaining the crowd. It was also a lot of fun watching the children (of all ages) scramble for candy and then to see their reaction when Santa came into view.
I want to say a great big THANK YOU! to the Weiser Chamber of Commerce for again sponsoring this great tradition!
I also want to give a shout out to Pete Nye, of the Wastewater Department, Bill Tayor, the Water Department Manager, and Bill’s wife, Ginger Taylor for the WONDERFUL fireworks display at the Christmas Parade finale on Friday night. Preparing the display and setting it off takes quite a bit of effort. So, THANK YOU Pete, Ginger, and Bill for your hard work and dedication in providing this great entertainment.
Also, Bill would like you to know if you enjoyed the fireworks display, to please help support the fireworks fundraisers throughout the year. It costs approximately $12,000 for each of the Christmas and 4th of July fireworks. The vast majority of this comes from donations. So, please help support the fireworks fundraising events.
In City News this week, Lieutenant Troy Krahn of the Weiser Police would like you to know that the Police Department will be stepping up patrols for DUIs this Holiday Season. The Weiser Police regularly receive grants from the Idaho Transportation Department to target specific driving situations. Often the target is such things as seat belts, distracted driving, etc. Now the emphasis will be DUIs. The grants help pay for overtime needed to pay Officers for the additional time needed to provide this targeted enforcement.
So, the City would like to remind you that if you are using alcoholic drinks while away from home this festive season, please plan ahead of time to make it home safely. The Weiser City Police Officers would rather that you be aware in advance about the stepped-up attention to DUIs than to deal with the aftermath of intoxicated driving. Prevention is definitely better than the alternative when it comes to DUIs.
In addition, Ron McDaniel, the Street Department Manager, would like you to know that the City is temporarily suspending the Adopt-A-Truck program as is done each winter. As you may know, the Adopt-A-Truck program is designed to help residents clean up their yards, haul away construction scraps, do some serious housecleaning, etc. Since these activities slow down in the winter months, the program is suspended each year until the weather is better. You see, the City is trying to give you a reason to put the honey-do’s aside, relax, and read a book or watch TV by the fire. We know what’s important. We’ve got your back.
Also, the leaf pickup is going well. Although the snow and rain have slowed the process down a bit due to heavier leaves, by the time you read this, the west side of town should have had the first pass completed. Once all sections of town have had the once over, the leaf pickup will continue until all leaf piles have been collected. So, please be patient if your leaves have not yet been removed. The crew is being methodical in the leaf collecting to be efficient.
Again, please do not park on top of leaf piles. Also please park several feet from the piles. This allows the vacuum crew to reach the leaves. The hose on the City’s vacuum is about two feet wide, is difficult to manhandle, and does not extend far from the ground. Due to these limitations, having some room for the vacuum trailer to maneuver is essential. So, please help the hard-working leaf crew by giving them some space to work for you.
Well, that’s it for this week. I hope you have a very merry Christmas Season.

The Mayor’s Corner 11/22/2023

Mayor Randy Hibberd

Cathy and I again spent Saturday morning and early afternoon watching grade school basketball. Since our grandsons do not live in Weiser, we usually need to drive to the games. However, one of the boys had back-to-back games against Weiser teams at the High School Axillary Gym Saturday morning.
About a quarter of the way through the first game, I realized that the referee running up and down on the far side of the court was none other than the Weiser Recreation Department’s Ken Anderson. The other ref was Mattie Shirts, who was also the City Pool Manager for the past two summers.
It is interesting watching the referees doing their jobs at this playing level. Just like the coaches, the refs are there as much to teach as to officiate. It is fortunate that not every infraction is called, because not much playing would take place otherwise. But it was also interesting to see how well the boys already knew the basic rules and adhered to them.
At half time and after the game was over, I had the privilege to watch Ken then begin teaching high school teens the finer points to being a referee for the next game.
Watching the boys play and watching the referees work helped me appreciate the need for the Recreation Department. It is not just about giving kids an activity to wear off energy. The act of learning to work as a team, to play within the rules, and how to treat opponents with respect are life skills that learned at an early age will become ingrained and work for these kids the rest of their lives.
This is where I appreciate Ken Anderson in his role. Not only does he work with our kids on a macro level, but I also know that he has been instrumental in helping individual children alter behavior that was destructive to themselves and to teamwork. So, my hat is off to you Ken, not only for your ability to keep all the recreation activities flowing like clockwork, but also for making a difference in kids’ lives and thus their futures. THANK YOU!
Also last week, Mike Campbell, Natash McDaniel, and I sat down with the representatives from Bonneville Power Administration to look over Weiser’s power consumption needs for the next three years. Right now, Weiser is in what is called the Tier 1 power consumption level, which is just another way of saying that we consume no more power than our portion of what BPA can generate for us. The cost for Tier 1 power is about $0.07 per kilowatt. If Weiser were to go above this level, BPA would need to start buying power on the open market which is about $0.12 to $0.14 per kilowatt.
Right now, we are sneaking up to the level where our average annual usage is in Tier 2 territory. We are allowed to go into the higher use seasonally as long as our average remains within Tier 1. However, the addition of significant power demands would bump us into Tier 2 prices permanently.
The Teir 1 pricing would remain in effect for most Weiser’s power consumption. But if projections showed that Weiser was consistently in need of Tier 2 power, the Tier 2 pricing would kick in for the portion above BPA’s ability to generate. The Tier 2 pricing would then be combined with the Tier 1 to arrive at a blended price to you.
The reason I am letting you know this is that as we approach the Tier 2 level, we want to make sure that we are smart about changes that would bump us up. Do we need electric vehicle charges or is it wiser to have better lighting on our streets? How much do we encourage industry to use our services? At what point will additional houses put us into Tier 2 pricing?
Keep in mind that even if we begin to pay Tier 2 pricing, the expense to Weiser residents would still be less than Idaho Power’s charges. There is just a lot to think about when weighing options.
Power prices are not the only consideration when changes are made, but low power rates have been an advantage for Weiser residents and businesses. We just want to be smart when considering change.
On another note, Ron McDaniel would like to advise you to please not park next to leaf piles. It makes it difficult to get close enough with the vacuum to pick up the leaves.
Well, that’s it for this week. I hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

The Mayor’s Corner 11/15/2023

Mayor Randy Hibberd

Well, our grandsons are now experiencing their first basketball season as players. The youngest is playing on a first-grade team even though he is in kindergarten. The older one is playing on the third-grade team. They were each playing two games on Saturday at the same time in side-by-side gyms, so Cathy and I were able to watch one play and then the other.
We watched the youngest one first. Traveling and Double Dribbles were not called because the calls would have been the only action.
Our youngest grandson was very interested in the game at first, running up and down the court, even running backwards at times. When he had to dribble the ball down court, the ball kept getting lower and lower to the ground. When he passed the ball, it seemed that he could only see the teammate who was surrounded by the other team and the ball would be stolen.
But, the interesting thing was that both of these skills improved over the course of one game. By the end, his dribbling was more consistent and he was finding an open man. However, as he became more comfortable out on the court, his personality started coming out and at moments he was just goofy.
The older grandson’s game was much different. Even though the kids were just a couple of years older, the level of play was remarkably better. Traveling and Double Dribbles were called. The fundamentals such as guarding, passing, and dribbling were much better defined. I was amazed at the coordination and skill level difference a couple of years make.
Even though both boy’s teams lost, it was fun watching the development of their skill sets and their understanding of the game that occupied so much time in my school years. I look forward to working with them on some of the finer points.
Now on to City news.
Natasha McDaniel, the City Clerk, would like you to know that the City’s website has been revised. You may now see copies of all documents that the City Council looks at for the City Council Meetings. Just go to www.cityofweiser.com and look for the tab “City Council Packet.” There you will find such things as the Agenda, the Minutes to the Prior City Council Meeting, the Financial Reports, Resolutions, Ordinances, Project and Equipment bids, policy changes, and anything else that comes before the Council. The only items that will not be included will be confidential communications with the City’s Attorney or items discussed in Executive Session.
Posting the City Council documents online is simply an additional way that the City is trying to keep you informed to the extent you want to be informed. For many of you, this may be more information than you wish to see and that is fine. There may be others who want to dig down each month into all of details, or others may be interested in one or two items that pique their interest. Either way, the City wants to be fully transparent in handling your City’s business. And, of course, if you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact City Hall or a Council Member.
Also, Bill Taylor, the Water Department Manager, would like me to remind you that with colder weather coming on it would be wise to take care of a few housekeeping items to prevent frozen pipes this winter. If you have a sprinkler system, the first thing to do is to have your system blown out to remove water from the lines. Next, close any vents to the crawl space beneath your home. When it gets COLD, keep a trickle of water running in a faucet to keep the water in your pipes moving. Water movement creates just enough energy to keep the water from freezing. If you travel during the winter, keep the heat on in your home to keep pipes from bursting. If you follow these simple measures, you may just save yourself from a big headache.
Well, that’s it for this week. I hope your plans for Thanksgiving are coming together. Have a great week!

The Mayor’s Corner 11/8/2023

Mayor Randy Hibberd

Congratulations to the Weiser Football team on winning another State playoff game! Good Job! And Good Luck at Sugar-Salem this week!
Sunday Cathy and I had a very interesting lunch date with another couple. The four of us have all known each other since high school and began reconnecting off and on a few years back. Sunday was the first time we had really had a chance to talk at any length. Lunch lasted for four and a half hours. But this was not the main reason we had gotten together.
Last year Cathy and I had attended a Christmas Concert at their church in Boise where medieval Christmas music and instruments were played. This year, since I had played trumpet in school, I was asked to play the medieval corneta, which looks like a small clarinet with a horn mouthpiece and holes instead of valves for making the notes.
We got together for lunch in order for him to bring the horn and explain how to play it.
If you know anything about playing a trumpet, the sound quality is directly related to the muscle tone surrounding the lips. It has been years since I have picked up a trumpet and tried to play. As you can imagine, the sound I made left much to be desired. I’ll keep working on it, but for this year’s concert I will be doing well to play a few whole notes. Please keep me (and the audience) in your thoughts and prayers.
Awhile back I had mentioned that the City had submitted a request to the Idaho Department of Commerce for Federal CARES Act funds to replace the playground equipment in Memorial Park. The playground equipment may not look like it, but it is around 20 years old and is reaching the end of its useful life. The City has had to replace sections of the slides that have broken. It seems outlandish but each of those sections cost around $7,500 and are getting hard to find. In looking at the equipment, it was apparent that the framework was also showing its age and may soon be unsound.
Last week, we received word from the Department of Commerce that the City was awarded $250,000 to replace what is currently there. This seems like a lot, and it is, however, about 30% of the funds will be used to assemble the equipment paying federal wage scales. The City cannot assemble the playground without assuming the liability for any accidents caused by any mistakes in the assembly process.
Another 10% will be used to administer the grant by a Certified Grant Administrator since Federal Funds are being used.
There is no match requirement on the City’s part for the $250,000. The total cost to the City will be a net amount of $2,000 for paying the grant writer.
Also, this equipment should last longer than 20 years. The plastics now in use have improved from 20 years ago. Also, we are told the color of the plastic makes a difference in the effect of UV light on the material. So, the color of the equipment will probably be green or blue which should help it last even longer.
The City is unsure when we might expect the new playground will be in place. It will all depend on the contractor bids and the chosen contractor’s schedule.
The original intent in seeking a grant for Memorial Park was to construct a sidewalk around the park for a walking path, upgrading restrooms, and to provide table tennis, corn hole, and other activities for teens. However, in looking at what we had, it was apparent that replacing the playground equipment was the greatest need.
The City will continue to seek funding to pay for sidewalks, restrooms, and activity equipment. The City may be eligible for a similar grant next year.
As it is, we are grateful to receive the funds to replace and improve the existing facilities.
Well, that’s it for this week. Go Wolverines!

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