SANDPOINT — The City Council will meet for a diverse agenda Wednesday, covering everything from a geocaching policy to the Selkirk Fire Joint Powers Association.

Councilors are expected to consider updating the city’s Community Hall user policy, which will include replacing a refundable key deposit with a re-key fee for facility users. 

The council will also discuss scheduling work sessions to review the city’s Draft Comprehensive Plan and public comment. 

They will also consider approving an Intermountain Infrastructure Group fiber-optic cable system franchise agreement 

At the Jan. 3 council meeting, the council voted to table a proposal to establish a James E. Russell Sports Center Endowment Fund with the interest earnings from a donation received from James and Virginia Russell to create the facility. The item was tabled to give new council members more time to review material, as they were not aware they would be voting on the endowment fund. The fund would support future maintenance, operations, and capital improvements for the sports facility and the adjacent Gateway Plaza, city officials said on the meeting agenda. This item will be considered Wednesday.

The Parks and Recreation Department has received requests to add geocaches to city-owned properties, which requires a policy and permitting process. Geocaching involves placing caches, or small containers with unique objects inside, with GPS coordinates that allow those interested in geocaching to locate the caches. The activity takes place across the globe. The council will consider adopting a policy and permitting process to allow for geocaching on city property. 

“This policy includes an application and process to obtain a free city permit to place a geocache on property owned by the city of Sandpoint, providing contact information for the cache owner, type of cache, location of and directions to the cache, website referencing the cache, requirements for cache container, stipulations for monitoring the cache, the city’s right to remove the cache, and a waiver, which has been reviewed by the city attorney,” officials said on an agenda request form.  

Council members will also consider approving the preliminary design for the Little Sand Creek Water Treatment Plant rehabilitation project and authorizing staff to finalize the construction documents, advertise the project for bids, and award a construction contract that would return to council in March.

Mayor Jeremy Grimm also plans to address an agreement entered into by former mayor Shelby Rognstad on behalf of the city Jan. 3 for services related to Downtown Building Design Guidelines for $74,500, city officials said on an agenda request form. 

The council will consider whether the city of Sandpoint will continue participation in a Joint Powers Agreement for fire services between the city of Sandpoint, and the Sagle and Westside fire districts. While the city has participated in the JPA since 2016, it entered another three years of the JPA in January 2021.

At the request of councilors Joel Aispuro and Jason Welker, the council will discuss the potential nomination of an interim city administrator per Idaho Code 50-204, which states that the “mayor shall, with council’s consent, appoint officers as may be deemed necessary for the efficient operation of the city.” 

The agenda ends with an executive session. Idaho Code 74-206(1)(c) is listed under the description of this item, which regards the acquisition of real property not owned by a public agency.

Wednesday’s meeting will take place at Sandpoint City Hall, 1123 Lake St., starting at 5:30 p.m. The public can attend in person or online at sandpointidaho.gov.