Gooding Community Newsletter

As the 4th of July quickly approaches and fireworks stands are opening, I would like to remind everyone of the importance of fire safety. Never set off fireworks around dry vegetation, on little spark from fireworks can make a big fire in no time. Have a garden hose or a water source close by, also be sure to spray down or put all fireworks in water after they have been used. But most of all, have a very happy and safe holiday!

July 4th is here, right along with the summer heat and dry conditions. We hope that everyone enjoys independence day! While doing so, keep in mind that many fireworks that may be purchased may not be used within the State of Idaho; Idaho Code 39-2606 states:

Nonaerial common fireworks may be sold at retail and used beginning at midnight June 23, and ending at midnight July 5.

By Idaho Code definition, "Nonaerial common fireworks" means any fireworks such as ground spinners, fountains, sparklers, smoke devices or snakes designed to remain on or near the ground and not to travel outside a fifteen (15) foot diameter circle or emit sparks or other burning material which land outside a twenty (20) foot diameter circle or above a height of twenty (20) feet. Nonaerial common fireworks do not include firecrackers, jumping jacks, or similar products.

Basically, if anything from a firework travels beyond 20 feet, it is illegal to use in the state of Idaho! Sales are permitted in some areas but, those sales are accompanied by a waiver that the purchaser must sign indicating they will not use them in the State of Idaho. Such firework sales are not permitted within the City of Gooding but, we cannot control purchases made outside of the city.

Dave C. Fisher

Carnival wristbands are available July 1st!

Chief Fisher presented Detective Martin with an Intermediate Peace Officer Certificate at the City Council meeting on June 17, 2024. This is a mid-level patrol certification which he earned with the minimum years of experience, coupled with over 1,000 hours of training as well as college education.

Senior Center Lunch Menu

Senior Center Activities

Hello Gooding,

Summer has arrived. It’s nice and hot out there for people who like the heat. Our veggies are starting to grow. As you drive Main St on Thursday and Friday you see all the campers headed to the mountains with their RV’s and UTV’s. Time to play for the next few months. Be safe and careful out there.

I don’t have too much to talk about this month. Our new wastewater treatment plant is up and running. The city will be having a grand opening in August for the public to come out to see the new building and equipment. Our engineers, Keller Associates, will also be on hand to answer any questions you might have.

We are starting a new 14-million-dollar collection system rehabilitation project that is being funded by AARP the American Rescue Plan Act. We will be working on cleaning and filming approximately 5 miles of pipe to see where new pipes are needed and working on lift stations and controls.

On the water side, we will be replacing water line pipes to Nebraska St and Michigan St between 5th Ave and Locke Ave. This work will upgrade the water pipe from a 1 ½ inch pipe to an 8-inch pipe. There are about 19 homes in this 2-block area. The pipeline that is to be replaced is approximately 570 linear feet. The work on this should start this fall.

On Monday night, at the City Council meeting, we signed a Tap State/Local Agreement with the State of Idaho for the Design and Construction of new sidewalks from Hwy 26/46 to 10th Avenue. The city received a grant for the new sidewalks. These will be constructed and put in while the state is replacing Main St in 2026. At this time, the city will also be replacing some water and sewer lines down Main St.

We are working on our BMX park. We have $30,000 to start the first phase, which consists of a few jumps. We applied for a grant from Idaho State Parks and Recreation but we were not awarded. We hope to get support from the city and continue to see the park grow.

Our movie in the park was a great success. Hopefully next year they will put on a movie again for the city. It was nice to see all the families there enjoying the film.

Our city road department should be out soon re-sealing our roads. They will be working on the east side of town this year. So be prepared to move your vehicles so they don't get oil and rock chips on them.

Have a wonderful 4th of July. Have fun, stay safe, be careful, and enjoy the fireworks!

God Bless!!

We have experienced vandalism at our Westpark again, this time portions of the vinyl covering of the recently installed Fitness Court Equipment was peeled from the frame. We are contacting the manufacturer to get prices for the repair. This continued attack on our city park system has got to stop, we together as a community need to figure out how to get it to stop. Let’s ask ourselves some questions:

Who? That’s a good question, let’s work together to find out who and then work to help them change their behaviors. Parents, do you know where your children are?

What? Mostly bathroom equipment, breaking towel and soap dispensers, plugging drains to create flooding, spreading garbage around and graffiti, and now the removal of the vinyl coating on the Fitness Equipment.

Where? Recently it has been mostly West Park, although all our parks have experienced some for example: East Park playground and the swimming pool bathrooms, Lions Park drinking fountain, and graffiti at the Skate Park.

When? These vandalism events occur during the day as well as evening hours, with very little predictable pattern. We are being proactive in the application of tools, such as surveillance cameras, to combat these issues. Unfortunately, these tools cannot catch every detail or area and we must rely on witnesses to report incidents as they see it happening. Without this, we as a community are being reactive rather than proactive, we find vandalism, and then clean up after the vandals. We need your help, if you see something suspicious, please contact our police department at that time by calling Dispatch at (208) 324-1911. Messages left on a voicemail may not be heard immediately.

Why? These parks are designed for us to share outdoor time with our families in a safe, comfortable environment doing the things we enjoy. Many civic groups and businesses along with the city have spent thousands of dollars and countless hours making our parks what they are, only to have bathrooms that we cannot use because whenever they are left open, certain people destroy them.

Please reach out with suggestions or information. We are offering a $50 reward for information that leads to an offender being charged and convicted for these incidents. Any information you have about any of these cases is worth giving to the police, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem.

Diane Houser

Mayor

We have selected the contractor and will begin cleaning and evaluating the sewer lines in July. We will do our best to let you know which areas are affected so that you may prepare. It is critical that the sewer vents/ pipes on your home or business are clear of debris. These vents allow sewer gases to be released to the atmosphere and not build up in your home, if they are clogged while crews are cleaning the Main Sewer lines, pressure can build and be released up through your bathroom fixtures, i.e. toilets and sinks. This is messy! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at City Hall.

Chip Sealing is scheduled for August this year, next month we will provide a list of the area and the dates.

Work is still going on at the new wastewater treatment plant. The plant has been operating for around a month now and is working great. We are putting together an open house for some time in August to share the new facility with the community. We will have staff available that day for tours and to answer any questions.

We are wrapping up our Water system facility planning study in the next couple of months, this document helps the city forecast needed water system improvements and set future budgets.

The survey crew will be back the week of July 23rd to collect more data and,

A drilling crew will be in town working along the wall from August 9th through the end of the month, they will be focused on drilling down to a depth of around 20’ to build a geologic profile that assists with the design. There will be moving road closures along Locke and 9th W. for the crews safety, these will generally only impact one block at a time.