The Centennial Neighborhood Association applauds the continued progress made by “Citizens for a Library” to establish a library facility in west Boise. “Citizens for a Library” founder, Mark Salisbury along with Jennifer Gravel, a life-long library patron and a long-time advocate, presented testimony, and the organization’s formal petition for locating a public library in west Boise. Our Centennial Neighborhood sits in the middle of this underserved area and formally supports “Citizens for a Library” and its efforts.
A discussion and questions by library board members followed the presentation. While board members expressed skepticism as to any ability to impact funding for the FY 2024 fiscal year, which begins October 1st, it was clear that Mark and Jennifer made a positive impression.
Boise Public Library Board Presentation Sept. 13, 2023
West Boise / East Meridian Needs a Library Too!
Your Centennial Neighborhood Association supports the need for Boise to have a library closer to the citizens of West Boise. Ideally libraries are within walking or at least biking distance. “The Library!” at Cole & Ustick is more than five miles away from parts of our Neighborhood Association. Many citizens of Boise live within 1 mile of a library, and most are within two miles. “?” West Boise stands alone in a “library desert”!
West Valley Neighborhood Association has invited our CTNA community to an entertaining and informative presentation about the past and future of the historic Ustick Townsite.
Most folks in West Boise aren’t aware of the fascinating history of the Ustick Townsite. Dan Everhart, Outreach Historian from the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office has an entertaining and informative presentation to share with West Boise residents. The presentation is free, and refreshments will be available.
Violia Water Maintenance flushing its line on our street corner
Earlier this week I was running water in our master bathroom sink when I noticed the water was coming out “tea” brown. I checked our toilet on the other end of the house, and it was also flushing brown. Everyone has this happen on occasion and it can be a water system issue or the “dreaded” I have a leak in one of my exterior pipes – yike! I should have purchased that insurance the water company is always pushing on me! It was almost 10 PM. I took a deep breath and decided I’d call Veolia (24/7 service line 208-362-7304), our water provider and ask if there was a system issue. Of course, I got voice mail at that time and left a message.
The next morning at around 9 AM I got a return call from Veolia from a “real person”. The young lady asked me if the situation had improved, and I said that things had cleared up. She told me that they were sending out a maintenance crew just in case to flush the line at the street. Fifteen minutes later the maintenance truck was at our corner flushing from the hydrant.
Ok, so I asked my Violia maintenance man “Why do we get these occasional spates of discolored water. He told me that there are several reasons for discolored water, which is generally rust that is dislodged from the sides of the water pipes. He added that rust actually protects the pipes and creates a barrier between the water and the pipe and reduces pipe erosion. Occasionally, this rust will be dislodged or loosened due to:
A surge of water pressure due to opening a line or closing a line.
Heavy construction equipment overhead will cause ground vibrations loosening rust.
Even small shifts in the earth that occur naturally can cause a loosening of rust.
A TIP and Very Good to Know –
If you have discolored or water with an odor – Call you water provider right away so they can be aware of the issue.
Avoid (DO NOT) run “hot” water to flush the water in your house. Running hot water draws the problem water into your hot water heater and from there sediment will settle into the bottom of your water heater tank and this could require you to completely drain your hot water heater to clean it out.
To flush dirty water already in your home piping fully open the COLD Water tap in a bathtub and let it run until the water clears – this is assuming you’ve called your provider and the issue has been flushed out of the system on their end. Then you are good to go!
After I called Veolia, they even told me that I would be getting a credit against my next billing because I had to use water to flush my home system. I thought they provided great service!
Now maybe the above information wasn’t helpful to many folks because “intuitively” they knew not to run the hot water to clear the system. For those who aren’t always at their “intuitive” best, like me, I hope this information helps.
Poultry processing plant in west Boise . . .. will certainly never happen. Why? Because people would come out of the woodwork and stop it. That seems to be the way things go these days. People quickly react to perceived threats but often fail to support positive change. I expect a “poultry processing plant” to be a negative for most of us!
Sorry for the trickery if you otherwise wouldn’t have come to Centennial’s website. It is critically important, however, that, as your Neighborhood Association president I get this message to as many of our Centennial residents and businesses as possible.
This past Thursday evening Centennial held its 3rd Qtr. Open Board meeting. The meeting was announced a week in advance on our website, Facebook page, Nextdoor and emails were sent to our complete “membership” mailing list.
We had a total of nine in attendance at Thursday’s meeting
Board members (3), Our fourth Board member was not able to attend because of a family medical emergency. Board member spouses (2), Library presenters (2), Energize Our Neighborhoods and Public Works presenters (2), Centennial residents or business owners (0). Energize Boise and Boise Public works gave highly informative and interesting presentations.
Centennial Neighborhood Association’s next regular meeting is the third Thursday of October. At this meeting there are some organizational tasks that must be completed, not the least of which is the election of Board members. As it stands now two of our current four boards have served their maximum consecutive terms and must go off the board. That leaves me, currently president and our Treasurer. We need a minimum of three board members to fulfill Neighborhood Association requirements. Our bylaws call for a board of five to seven at a maximum.
There are many ways you can contribute to supporting your Centennial Neighborhood’s efforts to make our neighborhood “a great place to live, to work and to raise a family”. You don’t need to be on the Board. If a Board seat is something you might be interested in email us, and we can discuss. Review our “make a difference” page on our website. Is there something there you could help with?
As a reminder, here are just a few of the things your neighborhood association is tracking and advocating for you:
Our Annual Meeting, October 19th, is not very far off!
Yes, I was sneaky in the post (Poultry Processing) I made to hopefully bring more of a response to come to our Centennilana.org website. I hope you’ll forgive me for that, but October 19th is very near, and your Board needs to know it has or doesn’t have the support to continue doing all that it can to “make your Centennial Neighborhood a great place to live, to work and to raise a family”
Presentation and Discussion – Nicole Carr, City of Boise, “Energize Our Neighborhoods”, Program Manager – Presents Energize Update
Energize Our Neighborhoods Program Manager, Nicole Carr. Nicole has an extensive background in community building and outreach. She collaborates with neighborhoods to create unique and desirable communities for everyone by supporting Boise’s neighborhood associations.
Questions and discussion?
Old Business
Library Initiative – Update
McDevitt Park – Update “Let’s Finish McDevitt Park”
Zoning Rewrite – Update
New Business
City Public Works presentation by Abby Haydin, on Pilot Water Treatment Program
Board ratification of expenditures for Ustick In Bloom Supplies
Walmart – Candy for Ustick in Bloom booth $25.91, Office Depot -Bus card stock for Ustick in Bloom $35.92 Used CTNA Debit Card – pre-approved by email Unanimous Consent
Election Year – Possible District One candidate meet and greet, Mayoral Election Candidates?
Annual Meeting Planning
Board Member Openings – To be filled at our Annual Meeting
At Tuesday’s (7-11-2023) City Council Meeting the adequacy of BPD staffing was discussed as it relates to Boise’s growth as well as the increased demand for services brought on by more and more out of town visitors.
Of the nine people testifying, seven were either related to our Centennial Neighborhood Association or the “Citizens for a Library” group. It was all about our issues last night when it came to testimony.
Young 9-year-old Molly Froerer spoke about the importance of libraries to her personally. Well done, Molly! After the meeting, BPD Chief of Police, who also attended the meeting, commented that he “wanted to clap” for Molly after her testimony.Very positive and encouraging! “Citizens for a Library” and your Centennial Neighborhood representatives were there to testify. I just spent the last few hours watching and unpacking details, taking notes of the taped meeting at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv8Mre8G_UQ . Note that testimony was limited to three minutes per person for this meeting.
Time0:00 – Start of Boise City Council Meeting to vote on the 2023-2024 Budget Presentation
41:29 Beginning of citizen testimony, Council members questions and comments
1:24:45 Watch all but if you want to skip and hear Molly first, here’s your spot
Watching this meeting in its entirety, at least from the start of testimony, is highly informative. I was extremely impressed by the Mayor and Council interactions with those giving testimony. I’m not a fan of what are often dull and monotonous public meetings. This meeting was neither.
With Mark Salisbury’s permission I am posting his reflections on Tuesday’s meeting from the “Citizens for a Library” Facebook page. Great job, Mark
Mark Salisbury
Jul 12, 2023, 11:33 PM (20 hours ago)
to bcc: me
Hello Citizens for a Library in West Boise,
We made an impact last night but there’s more to do.
We’ve helped set the stage for the Boise library to act as they work on a new master plan over the next year.
Last night was a success. I delivered printed copies of our petition, with names of signers, and a few pieces of supporting information, to City Council Members, Mayor McLean, and Library Director Dorr. Besides myself, Gary Dufault, Amanda Salisbury, Jennifer Froerer, Molly Froerer, and Joe Lague offered testimony in support of this effort. Others expressed a desire to be there but for various reasons were unable to be (Nancy Cowles, Jennifer Gravel, and Tammy Rampton, and Codi Galloway have worked hard on this and weren’t able to attend). Molly Froerer was the youngest person to testify, and she stole the crowd — Police Chief Ron Winegar told her he wanted to clap when she finished!
They heard our message loud and clear. I know they recognize the gap that exists in West Boise, and I believe they would like to do something about it. They understand that many citizens care about this. I was encouraged by the questions that were asked by City Council members and the support they offered for improving library access. The conversation shifted to the mechanics of how we get this done.
Names of 835 Boise Citizens were included on the petition we delivered, including comments from many who have signed the petition online.
By signing this petition, by testifying, we’ve shown them that Boiseans do value library service, and believe equitable access is important.
We’re not without obstacles, however.
I’m learning how city government works through this process. When I started this, I believed that showing the City Council that there is a need to address, that there are enough people who believe this matters, would be sufficient to prioritize this problem and allocate funds to address it.
I knew that Library Director Jessica Dorr, the staff at the Boise Public Library, and the Boise Library Board of Trustees would need to back any development plans and ultimately request the funds from the city. (Did you know that Boise has a private foundation that supports the library? https://www.boisepubliclibrary.org/about/support-your-library/library-foundation/. Donors gave millions to build a new downtown Boise Library in 2019. These funds were returned after that effort failed). I understand the desire to not misstep right now. Last year the Boise Library collected citizen input. Included in this year’s city budget are funds to pay a consulting agency to help develop a new master plan, which will include examining how facilities are expanded and improved.
By showing them (library staff and city leadership) that citizens care about facilities (and the library knows this also through the outreach they did last year), we’re helping to provide evidence that citizens will support funds going towards library improvements.
There are really 2 options for how we could see library access improved in West Boise:
1) A facility is leased to add a library branch. Collister and Hillcrest are renovated shopping mall space. The city likes them because they are relatively inexpensive.
2) A dedicated facility is constructed. This could happen on land already owned by the city or land could be purchased.
At the conclusion of the study (which will look at the entire city), I believe multiple scenarios will be presented, ranging in cost and scope. To decide which scenario to pursue, I believe the library staff and board of trustees won’t want to hear just from the Mayor and City Council, they’ll want to hear from citizens also.
Our hope is that when this study is completed, we’re ready to turn to visible action.
We suggested that the library / city should examine West Boise in particular for how to expand while the study is taking place as the gap is so obvious.
What do we need to do in the meantime?
– Remain engaged. Find out what’s happening. Offer input to the city and library when the opportunity is available to do so.
– Build more support. Talk about this initiative. I’m leaving this petition open until money is allocated and a place is designated for a library in West Boise.
– Support and use the library.
– Finally, have some patience. Realizing this will take some time.
Big thanks to Council Member Luci Browning Willits for supporting this initiative and getting these great pictures!
Also, I want to acknowledge the efforts, prior to this meeting, of the Centennial Neighborhood Association. Gary Dufault, CTNAs’ President, in addition to speaking last night, has been very supportive and engaged in this effort. The Centennial Neighborhood Association, which has 13,000 Boise residents, is fully within the West Boise Library Desert. Larry Ice and Joe Lague, also members of the CTNA board, testified at the City Council Meeting last night as well. It’s awesome to see our Neighborhood Associations energizing Boise and representing their communities!
West Boise Library Petition Presentation and testimony to be given this Tuesday, July 11th, at the City Council Budget Meeting
This Tuesday, July 11th, Boise City Council is meeting at the Boise City Hall at 6 PM to review the FY’24 budget. Several of our neighborhood association members will present a petition to improve library coverage in West Boise. We invite you to come and support this too.
If you plan to attend Tuesday’s meeting in-person you can sign up to testify at City Hall before the meeting. The earlier you sign up the earlier you will be able to testify. Note the start time for the meeting is 6 PM. Testimony is limited to three minutes per person testifying.
Many, if not most of us, have firsthand experiences or stories that reflect how important public libraries are to ourselves and our families. Consider if you have a story to tell that reflects on better access to a public library in west Boise.
Taxes
We all pay equal taxes to support libraries, but we don’t have equitable access.
Cost Efficiency, Expediency West YMCA
A new, dedicated building would be preferred but we recognize this is expensive, the quickest most efficient path to improve access would be to lease space in an existing building. This could be done near the West YMCA in the Boise Research Center or other retail locations that have become vacant due to a trend away from brick-and-mortar retail.
Walkable City
We want Boise to be more walkable and bikeable. Part of making it more walkable and bikeable is having places to walk and bike to, within a reasonable distance.
Not Just Parks
We have good access to parks, for which we are grateful, but parks are not the only city service we care about.
Library Study
When the library study is completed in a year, the same coverage gap will exist. Can we not recognize this and begin to act now?
Library Study
The study doesn’t need to be completed to see where we have poor coverage. It’s obvious to anyone when they look at a coverage map of Boise.
Action Now
Action we could take now: Step 1) research different options – we can tell you about them, we know West Boise, we live there. Step 2) purchase land. Can we include money from this year’s budget to purchase land for a library in West Boise?
Action Now
We’ve identified locations near West Boise MacDevitt Park. We Don’t want to name it publicly. We’ve seen other potential locations disappear due to development. Great locations have been disappearing, West Boise is developed.
Action Now
It’s important to act sooner than later, as available space is only going away.
Our great supporters out gathering petition signers!
This morning (July 8) neighborhood association members collected signatures in support of this petition at Albertson’s at Eagle and McMillan. You can sign this petition online at https://citizensforalibrary.org/west-boise. Tammy and Jeremy Rampton along with their daughter, Eve, and Clair Salisbury gather petition signatures outside Albertsons at McMillan and Eagle Road. We want to thank our local Albertsons for being a great supporter of Centennial Neighborhood.
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West Boise Needs a Library Too – Door-To-Door Campaign Kicks Off Saturday, May 13, 2023
At our most recent board meeting, we agreed that having a library within or closer to our neighborhood would be a tremendous boost to our community. Supporters of this initiative will be going door to door on Saturday at 1:30 PM to collect signatures and distribute flyers. If you would like to help, please sign up here:
Mark Salisbury updated CTNA tonight on the library meeting that was hosted by Mark and his wife, Amanda, last night.
“We had a great meeting last night! I’ve started working on a presentation for the library board / city council, which I shared with everyone who was present. I got some valuable feedback – thanks everyone who was here for your ideas. We got a little more organization, with several people volunteering to help this effort in a variety of ways. I’m excited to see where we go.
And the pie — lots of pie, it was delicious.
If you believe having a library nearby is worth some effort, I’d love to hear from you.
Thanks especially to Amanda Salisbury for all your help “
It’s “Spring” or is it “Summer” already? No matter what it is, there must be some great pictures of our Centennial Neighborhood you could send in!!!
Wanted! -Send your photographs of our great Centennial Neighborhood to centennialnaboise@gmail.com. Each month we will select and feature a new photograph with credits to the photographer. Let’s “show” the rest of Boise how proud we are of Boise’s westernmost Neighborhood. Your photo will be displayed on Centennial’s website – https://www.centennialna.org as well as our Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/centennialna. Selections will be made at the end of each month. If your photograph doesn’t make it to our Home Pages this month, watch for it on a new special display page we are developing – no pun intended – well maybe a little intended 🙂
Email your photos to – centennialnaboise@gmail.com. as an attachment. Please include: your name and Description of where the picture was taken in our Centennial neighborhood. If you would like to be added to our neighborhood email list, please also add your email and street address. We will not show your email or street address in the post.
I am reaching out on behalf of Nicole who will be back on Tuesday to share community outreach events on the proposed Tenant Protections Package city staff presented to Mayor and Boise City Council.
Community members are invited to learn more about each of the proposed protections and provide feedback. There are two ways to provide input. Community event information is below, we also have an online form for those who are unable to attend in person.
Community Outreach Events
June 20 at 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at Ann Morrison Park Older Timers Shelter (1000 S. Americana Blvd)
June 27at 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at Library! at Hillcrest (5246 W Overland Rd)
July 1 at 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at Esther Simplot Park Central Pavilion (3206 W Pleasanton Ave)
July 6: First Thursday pop-up at City Hall Plaza (150 N. Capitol Blvd.)
Please share with your neighborhoods and let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you!
Lana Graybeal (she/her)Sr. Manager, Community OutreachOffice of Community Engagement208-972-8509lgraybeal@cityofboise.orgcityofboise.orgCreating a city for everyone.
After a unanimous recommendation for approval from the Planning & Zoning Commission, Boise City Council will consider the modern zoning code the week of June 12, 2023. Residents are encouraged to provide verbal testimony at the public hearing, either in-person or virtually. Written comments will be accepted until June 8, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. and should be submitted to zoningrewrite@cityofboise.org.
The full reserved hearing schedule is outlined below and will take place at city hall in the Maryanne Jordan Council Chambers; days and times will be adjusted as needed, please check the public meetings webpage for updates to the schedule.
· Monday, June 12, 2023 – 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
o Presentation from staff and neighborhood associations
Nicole Carr (she/her)Energize Our Neighborhoods Program ManagerOffice of Community EngagementCell: 208-805-2170Office: 208.972.8502ncarr@cityofboise.orgcityofboise.orgCreating a city for everyone.
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