Twin Falls City Council on August 17 considered a $140,000 Jacobs Engineering contract, park construction negotiations, and authorization of $5,085,917.42 from multiple reserve funds to finish 12 FY 2026 projects. Council also reviewed the FY 2027 budget recap.
What Happened
The consent calendar covered prior minutes, accounts payable, and special event permits for the Magic Valley Doula Collective Walk for Postpartum Mental Health, 2026 Youth Highland Games, Rim2Rim Race 4Homes, The Gathering, Latino Fest, Magic Valley 9/11 Memorial, Bands at the Bridge, and Dani Bates XC Race.
Action items included:
- A $140,000 contract with Jacobs Engineering for program management and support of the Rock Creek Watershed Restoration Collaborative.
- Authorization to negotiate a CM/GC contract with Suburban Construction Management for the new park at Elizabeth Blvd and Hankins Road.
- Authorization to negotiate a CM/GC contract with Guho Corp. for the Baxter’s Park renovation.
- Use of $899,672.79 Street Fund reserves, $884,456.88 Capital Fund reserves, $1,120,300 park impact fees, $1,085,563.07 Water Fund reserves, $980,924.68 Wastewater Fund reserves, and $115,000 Library Fund reserves. The funds cover multi-year work on Eastland Drive and Washington/Filer paving, Addison Avenue East widening design, Canyon Trail Junction Park (including a Chobani donation), Vista Bonita Park, Gun Club Trail, the airport well, Kimberly Road water line, Public Works site improvements, Pole Line Road sewer and street widening, Rock Creek Watershed master planning, and Library part-time salaries. Many authorizations were needed because projects crossed fiscal years and some encumbrances were not filed.
Council received an informational recap of the proposed FY 2027 budget (approximately $102.2 million in expenditures and transfers). It includes 3% performance and salary-table adjustments, a 5% water rate increase, a 5% wastewater rate increase, a slightly lower property tax rate of $5.05 per $1,000 of taxable value, and an estimated $42 annual increase on a median-value home.
Public hearings were scheduled on a zoning change at 451 Russet St. from Central City to Town Neighborhood-3 and annexation of 2.42 acres at 857 Hankins Road North (Boy Scouts of America office) with Community Market zoning.
An executive session was requested for pending or imminent litigation.
The August 10 minutes included in the packet show public comments from Kandace Miano, Ben Miano, and Blake Coleman asking the city to remove Flock cameras.
Context
The $5.1 million request is primarily a cleanup of spending authority for projects already under way or completed. Rock Creek work is supported by a $5 million NRCS grant. Flock / Automated License Plate Readers were not a formal agenda item.
The next formal decision point is the FY 2027 budget public hearing.
Why This Matters
These items determine how existing reserves are spent on streets, parks, water, sewer, and the library, and they set the spending cap and rate changes residents will live with next year. Surveillance-camera costs remain a budget-line decision rather than a standalone policy vote.
Call to Action
The FY 2027 budget public hearing is Monday, August 24, 2026. Show up, speak, or submit written comments before the council adopts the appropriations ordinance. That is the last clean opportunity to weigh in on taxes, utility rates, park spending, and any remaining camera-related costs.
