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Here is BOiSE, IDAHO "City of Trees" TO B 0 VIE A MEMBER. R hi'0Rl't7ATION PH. 2- 0337 ......----,-- HERE IS BOISE, IDAHO ... ( Compiled by LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF BOISE ~ 509 single copy 409 ten or more copies IUAHO STATE LIBRARY BOiSE, IDAHO FOREWORD This booklet is a summary of the facts gathered in the course of a "Know Your Town" survey conducted by the Boise League of Women Voters. This information on Boise has been compiled as a public service to the citizens of Boise that they may be better acquainted with the duties of the officials they elect and with the services provided by the city government. While the booklet deals primarily with facilities of Boise City government, it also includes services provided by public agencies not only to citizens within the city limits but to those residents of the vicinity comprising the area known as Greater Boise. The League of Women Voters of the United States is a non-partisan organization formed in 1920 and is devoted to the purpose of promoting informed and active participation of citizens in government. The League wishes to acknowledge with appreciation the courtesy and help extended to them by the many officials of the city and social agencies in the community who assisted in the preparation of this booklet. League members who have assisted in the study include Mrs. C. R. Schweitzer, chairman, Mrs. Leslie Dieter, Mrs. Edna Carpenter, Mrs. Terrill Carver, Mrs. W. L. Venning, Mrs. E. N. Torbert, Mrs. Charles Cortright, and Mrs. Hal Pickett. Cover illustration by Mr. Bill Hart. i!' ~ z al ~o z•~ s ;<; m~.. !- no.. ~- 1 -< CONTENTS Page Foreword---------------------------------------- i ~ap-------------------------------------------- ii A View of Boise---------------------------------- 1 A Bit of History---------------------------------- 4 Physical and Economic Aspects -------------------- 5 Community Life----------------------------------- 6 Form of Government------------------------------ 7 Administration----------------------------------- 8 Finances-----------------------------------------9 Health Facilities ---------------------------------13 Public Welfare Facilities -------------------------19 City Protection---------------------------------- 23 Streets, Transportation, Utilities----------------- 25 Public Properties------------------------------- 28 Education--------------------------------------- 29 Recreational Facilities--------------------------- 32 City Planning and Zoning------------------------- 34 Building Code----------------------------------- 35 Boise City Civil Service System------------------- 36 Political Organization and City Elections----------- 37 Supplement No. I - City Officials------------------ 39 Supplement No. II- Public Service Phone Numbers --40 A VIEW OF BOISE Boise, the capital of Idaho, is dramatically and strategically located. It lies in the easily accessible southwest area of the state at the eastern end of broad flatlands bordering the Boise River. Irrigated farms stretch away to the west along the river. In sharp contrast the dry but irrigable Mountain Home plain follows the north bank of the Snake River to the southeast. North and east of Boise mountains rise steeply to five and six thousand feet above sea level in about eight miles. The slopes are partly covered with sagebrush which gives way to chapparal, then to ridges of fir, pine, and spruce. On these slopes sheep and cattle graze. Upstream on the Boise River, to the east, are Lucky Peak, Arrowrock and Anderson Ranch Dams which store irrigation water for the broad flat part of the valley west of Boise. To the south two irregular benches or steps follow the Boise River through the city and beyond to the west. In the distance to the southwest may be seen the Owyhee Mountains frequently covered with snow. Situated at an elevation of about ~. /10 feet on the westward flanks of the Rocky Mountains and in the path of diluted warm wet winds from the Pacific, Boise has a climate that is dry and temperate with sufficient variation to be stimulating. Though days are frequently hot in summer, evenings are almost always cool. Winters are generally not very cold. The average daily maximum temperature for the summer is 84 degrees and for winter, 27 degrees. Average rainfall is 13 inches with the most precipitation usually in February and the least in July. Greater Boise, or the Boise metropolitan area, as defined for study by the Metropolitan Planning Committee of the Boise Chamber of Commerce and the Ada County Zoning Board, extends north from Cloverdale School along Cloverdale Road to Hill Road on the north. It follows Hill Road, takes in the new developments of the Highlands, and Aldape Heights and Warm Springs Park. It follows the river to Barber bridge; extends west three miles, north one mile and seven miles west back to Cloverdale School. The center of Boise City is now at about 11th and Front Streets and the general growth for the past tenyears has been west and south. The center of Greater Boise as tentatively described above is approximately at Americana Boulevard and the Boise River. Boise's main business districts and older tree-shaded residential sections stretch east and west along the Boise River to the foothills on the north and east and to the bench lands south of the river. On these higher areas newer residential districts are developing. On the bench shopping centers have grown up to serve the new residents. Along Highway 30 various businesses have sprung up together with residences just off the highway -- an area of about two or three square miles which has been incorporated and is called Garden City. The main retail commercial district extends from approximately 5th to 11th Streets and from Grove to Jefferson. The industrial section which includes lumber yards, planing mills , an iron foundry, etc. runs in an irregular strip along the railroad tracks and beyond from Broadway on the southeast to about Main and 27th Streets on the northwest and from West Bannock almost to the river in the southwest. Within the city limits lie three major civic or cultural centers. One is located almost in the center of Boise at the north end of Capitol Boulevard. The State Capitol Building is situated here with the Federal Building tothe west on 8th ap.d Bannock, Ada County Court House to the east on Jefferson, the Idaho Daily Statesman Building to the east on 6th, and the Boise City Hall to the south on Bannock. One can look from the Capitol steps across a landscaped park down Capitol Boulevard over the bridge across the Boise River to the Union Pacific Railroad Station standing high on the first bench. Within the shadow of the Spanish mission style railroad depot and its terraced garden lies the second major cultural center. On the east side of Capitol Boulevard just north of the Boise River stand the Idaho State Risto- -2- rical Museum and the Boise City Art Gallery. These are at the edge of Julia Davis Park. The City-County Health Department buildihg, Campus School and Boise Junior College are located between the river and College Boulevard. A third center of public activity is developing in the area occupied by the Veterans Administration Center in the northeast section of the city along Fort Street. Here are located the new U.S. Army Training Center, Lincoln Opportunity School, Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Center and the circular Boise Little Theater. On Reserve Street is the Idaho National Guard Armory. The park, which extends eastward into the mountains and is now part of Boise City, is the original Fort Boise Military Reservation. Outside the city limits to the east lies the Idaho State Penitentiary and to the south is the Boise Municipal Airport. BOISE CITY'S IMPROVEMENTS COMPLETED SINCE 1950 Since 1950 Boise has completed the following im-provements: Expanded sewer and activated sludge treatment plant (1950) Recreation program with a full-time director organized (1951) Garbage disposal improved utilizing a sanitary land-fill and employing an inspector (1957) City offices moved to new quarters at 5th and Bannock (1950) New jail adjacent to present City Hall (1952) Bridge over Americana Boulevard (16th St.) (1956) -3- Two new fire stations (1950) New city work shop (1950) Three municipal swimming pools acquired (1953) New traffic system of one-way streets (1957) Boise Barracks area acquired by city-currently being developed into Fort Boise Park (1951) **** A BIT OF HISTORY Folklore of the Northwest tells that in the early 1800's a band of French-Canadian trappers, after a long, hot and dusty trip through the desert country southeast of Boise, looked down into the tree-lush valley and cried "Les Bois!" This was later anglicised to Boise, which is the name of the present capitol city of Idaho. Boise River was at one time known as Reed's River for a trapper, John Reed, who was killed by Indians near its mouth in January of 1814. This river, wandering through pines and cottonwoods, with willows leaning on its banks, was considered the finest beaver trapping stream in the Northwest.· A change of fashion, which sent the tall beaver hat to the attic, brought financial disaster to many a trapper who had counted his fortune in beaver pelts. The discovery of gold in the Boise Basin by the Grimes party in 1862, is reputed to have aided the Union in maintaining financial solvency in the War Between the states. For this reason, and the subordinate one of protecting travelers using the Overland Road (the old Oregon Trail), Fort Boise was established on July 4, 1863 at the sitethat was to become Boise City. The city, 40 miles from the Basin, became the logical freighting center for the diggings. Soon farms were under cultivation in the fertile -4- river valley to furnish produce for the growing community and mines. Boise in 1863 was an unincorporated area and under a territorial form of government until Ada County was incorporated in 1864. A special Territorial Charter was approved for Boise on January 11, 1866. There has been one change in this basic form of government--in 1912 Boise voted to adopt the commission form of government but in 1927, the city voted to resume its special charter in an amended edition under which it has been governed ever since, except for amendments made from time to time by the State Legislature. **** PHYSICAL AND ECONOMIC ASPECTS The area of Boise has increased since 1950 from 6. 2 square miles within the city limits to 11.4 square miles as of 1958. Greater Boise, for census purposes, has been defined as the area within two miles of the citY limits. Boise City's steady growth can be seen in the following population figures: 1910 1930 1940 1950 17,358 21,544 26,130 34,151 As late as 1957, unofficial estimates by the Chamber of Commerce gave Boise proper a population figure of 39,668 which, with Greater Boise's two mile outskirts, brought the population estimate to 68,363. Boise's wealth comes primarily from the farm lands in the valley and from the sheep, cattle and lumber industries. The trade area extends from Glenn's Ferry, Idaho on the southeast to Weiser, Idaho on the northwest. Boise is the servicing and shopping center for 26 communities -5- in 11 counties including Malheur County ineasternOregon. This area includes 222, 346 people. Although agriculture has long been the predominant economic support for the area, industry is gaining a foothold. Since 1950 new industries in the Boise area include steel fabrication, foundries, sheet metal, concrete and pumice, wood products , electric products , plastics, special motor works, printing and book binding, a trailer plant, and miscellaneous small industries. AB the capitol city of Idaho, Boise has a large number of state capitol employees who add to the purchasing power of the city as do the employees of regional and federal organizations maintaining offices here. Besides permanent residents of Boise, there are many who visit the city throughout the year. Businessmen, legislators, students at Boise Junior College, members of the Air National Guard from several western states who train at Gowen Field are among those bringing additional purchasing power to the city. Visitors move in and out of Boise by plane and train or by automobile and bus on Highways 30, 40 and 44. Sportsmen leave from Boise for hunting, fishing, skiing at Sun Valley or other parts of Idaho's. mountainous areas. Within the last few years motels have been increasi~ both within and without the city limits. **** COMMUNITY LIFE Boise has one daily newspaper, The Idaho Daily Statesman, which is published in a morning and evening edition and Sundays. The Idaho Farm Journal, the Boise Journal, the Garden City Gazette and the West Boise Gazette are weekly newspapers. There are four radio stations, KBOI, KGEM,KIDO, and KYME, and two television stations, KBOI and KIOO. There are 76 churches -6- representing 35 faiths. Social and welfare agencies in Boise are numerous and there are over 130 fraternal groups, service clubs, and charitable organizations. The Boise Chamber of Commerce has prepared a list of all such organizations, along with their current presidents and type of organization. There are no large minority groups in Boise but there is the largest Basque population outside of the Pyrenees ... a colorful, music loving people maintaining many of their interesting old world customs and festivals. In the early gold rush days, thousands of Chinese assisted in extensive placer mining operations in Boise Basin. Today the remnants of a once bustling Chinatown, still stand on North Capitol Boulevard as a memorial to cosmopolitan pioneer days . * * * * FORM OF GOVERNMENT Boise is one of three charter cities in the state of Idaho. The Charter was originally enacted by the Territorial Legislature in 1866. The powers delegated tothe city, either by the Constitution or the Charter, must be put into effect by city ordinance. Such ordinances make up the City Code. Boise is governed by a mayor and four councilmen with the mayor as executive and head of the administration of the city. He is elected for a two year term. The council constitutes the legislative branch of the city government. Two councilmen are elected for four years each at a general municipal election every odd year. They are elected at large, at a general city election held the first Tuesday in April, from the 15 voting precincts in Boise. **** -7- ADMINISTRATION The mayor, with the approval of at least two members of the city council, appoints the following: fire chief, police chief, city attorney, commissioner of public works, city engineer, street commissioner, and building inspector. With the advice and consent of the council, he appoints the treasurer, clerk and city magistrate. Employees of the police and fire departments are governed by city civil service regulations. Amendment to the Charter in 1949 established the Department of Public Works which includes the Bureau of Engineering, the Bureau of Waste Disposal, the Bureau of Sewage Disposal, the Bureau of Streets, Rivers and Gulches, and the Bureau of Traffic Control. Special commissions and boards of citizens serving in an advisory capacity without compensation are appointed by the mayor with the approval of the council. Among them are the City Planning Commission, Recreation Committee, Board of Adjustment, Board of Appeals, Board of Examiners, Safety Commission, and the Welfare Association. Four of these special boards have been created by the City Charter and therefore have certain legal powers. These are the Civil Service Commission, Board of Park Commissioners, Library Board, and the Airport Commission. The mayor and council have power to make and enforce regulations pertaining to municipal offices and affairs. The regulations expressed in city ordinances cover such matters as police and fire protection, sanitation, sale of liquor, street improvements, parks, lighting, water supply, etc. The mayor and council may provide for the punishment of the violation of any of the city's ordinances by fines and imprisonment. A three-fourths vote of the council is required to pass most ordinances although routine business may be conducted by a twothirds vote (majority of a quorum). The city council holds regular meetings every Monday night at 7:30 P.M. in the city council room in the -8- City Hall. These meetings are open to the public. In case the meeting falls on a legal holiday, the meeting is then held on Tuesday following such holiday at 7:30 P.M. FINANCES Boise City operates under a budget system, with the mayor as the budget officer. On the third Monday in June of each year, after examination by the city council, publication in the newspapers, and a public hearing, the council approves the final budget for the fiscal year. The mayor and council hold the city purse strings to the extent that they must authorize the expenditure of all city funds. They also have the power to levy and collect special taxes, to license and fine, and with certain restrictions, borrow money for the city. The mayor and council have power to issue tax anticipation notes to provide funds in anticipation of the collection of the taxes of the current fiscal year. The amount borrowed by means of such tax notes shall not exceed seventy-five percent of the taxes levied for the current fiscal year and not yet collected by Boise City. The city may raise money to finance special projects with two different types of bonds. The direct munici-pal obligation bonds which are liquidated by tax assessment, and revenue bonds which are self-liquidating from revenue received from the project which they have financed. Revenue bonds may be issued only for the financing of water facilities, sewer facilities, and the construction of off-street parking facilities. Both types of bonds may not be issued without prior approval by a two thirds vote of the city taxpayers. The city budget for 1957 called for the expenditure of $2, 401, 907 during the fiscal year. This was $139, 000 more than last year's budget and represents a one mill increase in the tax levy. The amount to be raised by taxation is covered by a 43 1/2 mill levy which is one mill higher than in 1956. -9- City government financing in Boise is increasing - ly becoming "Big Business. " 1954 1955 1956 1957 $2,055,611.84 2,149,457.00 2,262,607.27 2,401,907.00 -10- THE FOLLOWING IS A CHART SHOWING THE DIVISION OF THE PROPERTY TAX RATE PER $100 VALUATION IN BOISE CITY 1956. THE TOTAL TAX RATE OF $11. 988 IS DIVIDED AS SHOWN: $4.25 BOISE CITY 35.5~ $1.784 ADA COUNTY 14.9% -11- $0.825 BOISE JR. COLLEGE $4.765 BOISE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT EDUCATION 46.6% THIS CHART SHOWS HOW BOISE CITY SPENDS ITS MONEY POLICE DEPT. $275,935.60 ALL OfHER DEPTS. $862,955,57 DEPT. OF PUBLIC WORKS $483' 043.50 FIRE IEPT, $326,975.50 Fiscal year 1956-57 (May 1 to April 30) Total Budget $2, 262, 607. 2 7 -12- HEALTH FACILITIES CITY-COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT Boise city's tax-supported health facilities are administered, with some exceptions, by the City-County Health Department with headquarters at 201 Sherwood Street not far from Boise Junior College. This department serves Boise City, Ada and Elmore Countieswhich together comprise a health district. Each of these units of government has a separate agreement with the State Health Department which provides for the financing of the local department. Besides funds supplied by Boise City, Ada and Elmore Counties, the state and federal government contribute money and some services. The Boise Junior College District pays for nursing services given to its students. The medical director of the City-County Health Department is a physician trained in public health. He is appointed for Boise City b.y the mayor with the approval of the city council. He is also appointed for Ada and Elmore Counties by the board of commissioners of each county. Ada County has a board of health consising of the medical director and two citizens who operate under a county sanitary code. The sanitary codes of Boise City and Ada County are alike in many respects, thus assuring residents inside and outside the city limits many of the same public health services meeting the same standards. The staff of the department includes, besides the medical director, a district supervising sanitarian and three sanitarians as well as one supervising public health nurse and nine public health nurses. A parttime biologist and part-time x-ray technician and three clerical workers are also on the staff. The clerical staff keeps records of births , deaths and diseases for the public health district and issues birth and death certificates. -13- PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING AND CLINICAL SERVICES The nine public health nurses under a supervising nurse visit the homes of expectant parents and hold wellbaby clinics. Under the direction of physicians the nurses conduct clinics in which children with physical handicaps are examined by specialists, arrange for treatment when necessary and make follow-up visits. At present, neurological, cleft-lip-palate and cerebral palsy clinics are held at the City-County Health Department. Immunization for all contagious diseases ex-cept yellow fever is given free to all residents of Ada and Elmore Counties. Chest X-ray examinations are given. Immunizations for poliomyletis are available to children from six months to nineteen years and to expectant mothers. Besides regular public health service, the staff gives visiting nurse or bedside care under the direction of a physician to patients ill in their homes. This service is financed by Ada County and by fees paid by patients who can afford to pay. In 1957 the Visiting Nurse Association was included in the United Fund Campaign to add additional nurses to the staff. SCHOOL HEALTH PROGRAM The objective of the school health program is to extend the community health program to the school population of the Boise Independent School District. The medical director of the City-County Health Department is employed on a part-time basis by the Board of Education of the district. Education in the maintenance and promotion of health is the over-all purpose of the school health program. Actual medical care is considered the responsibility of the parents and a medical examination is rec- -14- ommended for every child before he enters the first grade. Besides the part-time director. the school board employs a speech therapist, and audiometrist, a dental hygienist and six nurses. The headquarters for the program are in the School Administration Building at 1207 Fort Street. Here the medical director is on call for emergency service each school day morning. Here also is located the dental clinic with the dental hygienist who examines needy children referred through the school dental care program. She also assists at the clinics held by local dentists working on a voluntary basis to provide dental care for children through the fourth grade whose parents cannot afford to pay for such care. The six school nurses provide liason between the home and school and assist teachers in preparing health education study units. They also give some emergency care and make certain screening tests including eye examinations. MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM The preventive mental health program began January 1st, 1958 and consists of the operation of a county mental health clinic, located at St. Luke's Hospital. Some individual therapy is given but the general emphasis is upon group education. The staff includes a psychiatrist, a full-time psychologist, a full-time psychiatric social worker and a part-time psychiatric social worker. Ada County, the State of Idaho, the Federal Government and voluntary contributions support the clinic financially. CITY AND COUNTY PHYSICIANS A physician is employed by Boise City to examine -15- employees of the police and fire departments to determine their eligibility for civil service. He also tre~ts prisoners and emergency cases for which the city is responsible. A physician is employed by the board of county commissioners to care for indigent residents of the county who are ill at home or for patients at the Ada County Hospital. HOSPITALS AND NURSING HOMES There are six hospitals in Greater Boise, four of them located within the city limits. St. Alphonsus Hospital at 506 North 5th Street is sponsored by the Roman Catholic Church. It has 164 beds including 24 bassinets. It has a geriatric and a psychiatric ward. The hospital offers a three-year training course for nurses. St. Luke's Hospital at 310 North 1st Street is sponsored by the Protestant Episcopal Church. It has 161 beds including 40 bassinets. It has a pediatric ward and a ward for contagious diseases. St. Luke's Hospital sends its student nurses to Boise Junior College for a two year training course in cooperation with the hospital. Both St. Alphonsus and St. Luke's Hospitals completed new additions to their buildings within recent years. Half of the cost of these additions was provided by federal funds under the Hill-Burton Act. Booth Memorial Hospital at 1617 North 24th street is a maternity hospital, one of the departments of the Salvation Army. It serves as hospital and home for unwed expectant mothers who are given care regardless of their ability to pay. It also accepts regular private patients. It has a bed capacity of 18 but has accomodated more when necessary. The hospital is one of the agencies supported by the United Fund. -16- Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Center at 204 Fort Street is supported by the Idaho Elks Association. This new, well-equipped building has 37 beds for crippled children and adults and accomodates from 60 to 100 out-patients in its modern treatment rooms. The Center also offers education through the 8th grade to the physically handicapped on a day school basis. The State Crippled Children's Service and private sources pay fees of patients from all parts of Idaho as do the National Polio Fund, various insurance companies and the Easter Seal Fund. The Center was built with federal and private money. Veteran's Hospital. The Veteran's Administration Center located on federally owned land outside of the city limits on Fort Street includes a hospital with a 207 bed capacity. This hospital is maintained by the Federal Government and provides care for the veteran with service-connected disabilities and for veterans with non-service connected disabilities as facilities permit. Nursing Homes are licensed by the State Department of Public Health, under a state code of regulations. There are 15 homes within the city limits with a total of 149 beds. One of the largest of these is the Good Samaritan Home at 3503 State Street. This convalescent home with 45 beds for ambulatory patients is sponsored by the Good Samaritan Society. outside the city at 3115 Sycamore Street just off State Street is the Boise Lutheran Sunset Home with 29 beds for elderly ambulatory and bed patients. It is presently sponsored by Lutheran churches in Boise Valley. SANITATION FACILITIES Testing and examining. The city and county sanitary codes include provisions for helping owners and managers of sewage, garbage and water systems, food handling establishments, dairy farms, pasteurization plants, food factories and slaughter houses to meet re- -17- quired standards. The sanitarians in the City-County Health Department are charged with carrying out these provisions. Testing of specimens to determine safety of water and milk supplies as well as testing of blood and body discharges for organisms that cause disease is carried out largely by the laboratory of the State Department of Public Health in the Capitol Building. Sewage Disposal. Boise City operates and maintains a sewage disposal plant. It is an activated sludge treatment plant operated at the end of Lander Street just within the city limits downstream on the Boise River. It went into operation in 1950 with 27, 200 users and in 1956 had 28,256 users. The plant may be expanded to accomodate about 10, 000 more users without additional construction. An independent sewer distrist has been formed to allow city and county congested areas on the bench use of the sewage treatment plant facilities if the taxpayers of the district approve. The Sewage Disposal Department with a superintendent and a staff of 12 is part of the Department of Public Works of Boise City. The superintendent reports directly to the mayor and city council. A board of appraisers consisting of five members appointed by the mayor serves tor two years with the commissioner of public works acting as secretary. The board determines the fees to be charged all property owners served by the sewage disposal plant. Garden City has its own disposal plant which may be expanded fo serve more people. Residents of Ada County who are not served by the Boise City or Garden City sewage plant have private disposal systems. The sanitary aspects of all sewage disposal systems are under the direction of the City-County Health Department. Garbage Disposal. Boise City has established a system of garbage and trash collection, transportation and disposal which every Boise City resident is required to use. Licenses are issued to the operators and -18- collections must be made twice a week from cans of a specified size. Garbage and trash from Boise and certain county areas are disposed of in a sanitary land-fill located at the west end of Gowen Field. It is estimated that this gravel pit will serve the area for about ten years. City and county share equally the cost of equipment and operation. A garbage inspector has an office in the City-County Health Department Building and he is assisted by a sanitarian and biologist. He reports to the medical director of the City-County Health Deaprtment and also attends city council meetings. Water Supply. The water supply for Boise and some suburban areas is privately owned and operated by the Boise Water Corporation. The source of supply is from a system of 18 wells located in and adjacent to Boise. Specimens are sent regularly to the City-County Health Department for testing. Five of the 18 wells have been brought into production within the last ten years and the corporation estimates that it has enough water sources in reserve to supply an estimate of growth in population up to the year 1975. Residents who do not use Boise Water Corporation's facilities pump water from private wells, some of them jointly owned. Any company supplying water to subdivisions is required to send in water samples but people using private wells are not, although the City-County Health Department offers testing services to those desiring it. **** PUBLIC WELFARE FACILITIES STATE AND FEDERALLY FINANCED PROGRAMS Administering public assistance and social services to people in need is required by law of the Idaho Department of Public Assistance. The activities of the department are conducted through 28 local offices, each head- -19- ed by a director who is responsible to the state headquarters for all activities carried on in the area assigned to his administration. The Ada County office is located at 129 Broadway and servec Ada, Boise, Elmore Counties and the Duck Valley Indian Reservation. The local social service staff consists of a county director, a senior child welfare worker, seven case workers and a case reviewer. An instructor for the blind also has offices at 129 Broadway but serves the entire district. These employees are all hired through a merit system under the State Department of Public Assistance. The state department receives money for its operation from the federal government under Social Security and Vocational Rehabilitation laws and from the General Fund of the state treasury. Services given by the local office include: old age assistance, aid to dependent children, aid to the blind and aid to the permanently disabled. Specialized services include foster care licensing and adoptive investigations for the courts. Assistance to the blind provides medical eye care, home instruction and vocational rehabilitation. Besides the above the local unit also administers general social services to people in need. These include activities designed to bring about economic, social and vocational adjustment of individuals and families. In the local administrative unit, as in all others, there is a County Council of Public Assistance which acts in an advisory capacity to the professional staff. This is a non-partisan board composed of one county commissioner and four other citizens appointed by the governor. -20- CITY AND COUNTY SUPPORTED PROGRAMS A welfare worker with headquarters in Boise City Hall provides emergency aid to people of the city and the rest of the county who are not eligible for assistance under the special services of the Department of Public Assistance. She also determines who is eligible for care by the county physician, for care in the county hospital, and for county funds for medicine. She serves as police matron in charge of welfare for the families of prisoners in the city or county jail and works with the sheriff, Boise police and Ada County prosecuting attorney. She is the official representative of the Traveler's Aid Society. Boise City and Ada County share expenses for this service. An advisory welfare board headed by the mayor and including a county commissioner, the county physician and volunteers from civic organizations meets monthly to discuss cases and problems with the worker. WELFARE INSTITUTIONS Live, Inc. Two training and evaluation centers for the severly disabled, including the blind, are maintained at 129 Broadway and 111 South lOth Street. These centers seek to train severly handicapped people for gainful employment and work closely with the state rehabilitation agencies and other service agencies in the community. In about three months the staff can determine whether an individual can be placed in industry immediately, sent away for additional training, or kept in a sheltered shop. The Idaho Department of Public Assistance provides some salaries and most of the equipment. All other expenses are paid for by Live, Inc., a statewide organization. The Lions Club of Idaho cooperated in establishing Live and still contribute to its support. -21- IDAHO STATE LIBRARY BOISE, IDAHO Idaho Children's Home at 740 Warm Springs Avenue is operated by The Children's Home Finding and Aid Society of Idaho. The home, serving the southern 34 counties of Idaho, is a multiple service agency offering institutional care, foster boarding home care, counseling services to the unmarried mother, and adoption. About 300 children are placed in custody of the home annually, many of them going into foster homes temporarily or permanently. There is an infirmary at the home with a medical director. The executive director and assistant are trained social workers in the child welfare field. Only one-:third of the money for support of the home is provided by the state; the rest comes from voluntary contributions. Soldier's Home is located within the city limits at 3701 State Street. It is owned and operated by the state but its maintenance expenses are shared equally by the state and federal governments. The home has a large garden and dairy farm. There are accomodations for 125 elderly ambulatory veterans, some of whom help with the work of the home. To be eligible, a veteran must have served in war time, must have lived in Idaho for two years prior to application for admission, must have registered for and voted in the general election preceeding admission. There is no charge for qualified veterans. Residents who become ill are taken to the Veteran's Hospital but generally there is a physician on call. PRIVATE WELFARE ACTIVITIES Several private agencies, such as the Salvation Army, the churches, service clubs and women's organizations carry on full or part-time welfare activities which either complement or supplement the work of the agencies just described. **** -22- CITY PROTECTION POLICE DEPARTMENT The head of the police department is the chief of police who is appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the city coupcil. The department employs a force of 54 officers and 8 clerks. Each policeman candidate must pass a city merit system agility test for physical stamina, and must pass the city civil service merit system examination. Permanent appointments are made only after a six-month probationary period and upon final approval of each candidate by the chief of police. - The FBI makes its training school facilities available to the local police department upon the latter's request. One or two of these training schools are conducted each year. The department is divided into four divisions: foot patrol, detective, traffic, and juvenile divisions. Records are kept centrally. There is one policewoman on the force who works mainly in the juvenile division. Boise policemen are covered under the Boise City Retirement Fund (see City Civil Service Section). The city jail is located at Sixth and Bannock Streets. The third floor has been converted into juvenile detention facilities. Law violators are also sent to the Ada County Jail, Idaho State Penitentiary, St. Anthony's Industrial School for boys and girls. Commitments are made by the probate and district courts according to the nature and extent of law violation. Both probate and district courts use the facilities of South and North Mental Hospitals if psychiatric evaluation is required by the courts. The State Penitentiary, St. Anthony's and the courts all maintain probation and parole officers. Under the Youth Rehabilitation Act of 1955, juvenile offenders are turned over to the State Department of Mental Health for -23- evaluation or commitment to St. Anthony's. The police department carries on a program of public education in the prevention of juvenile delinquency, traffic regulation, school patrols and accident prevention. FIRE DEPARTMENT The fire department is under the direct supervision of the fire chief, who is appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council. There are no volunteers, all employees being paid workers, selected from the Civil Service lists, with the exception of the chief. There are 74 employees, including fire alarm attendants, maintenance, office personnel, fire prevention and fire inspectors. Applicants for jobs as firemen must pass a physical examination and a written city civil service test. Each new employee is given a training course and placed on six month probation. Each fireman is covered under the Firemen's Retirement Fund (see City Civil Service Section). There are five fire stations in Boise City cooperating with five fire districts located outside the city limits. The city requirements are not mandatory for the Independent Districts. The five Boise City stations are located at: #1. Sixth and Idaho Streets (Central Station) #2. Seventeenth and Ridenbaugh #3. Williams and Boise Avenue #4. Kootenai and Protest Streets #5. Sixteenth and Front Streets The fire alarm headquarters are located at the rear of the central station. The five other fire districts outside the city limits are the Air Terminal, Collister, Cole, Whitney-Franklin, and Eagle. Triangle Dairy maintains a fire department of its own. -24- I I I I I I I I I There is a fire prevention program with a Bureau of Fire Prevention in the department consisting of the chief, fire prevention engineer and an assistant chief and the fire prevention inspectors. The bureau inspects business establishments and homes periodically for fire hazards and assists the building inspector in enforcing fire prevention regulations. It sponsors public information campaigns, carried out during Fire Prevention Week. **** STREETS, TRANSPORTATION, UTI~ITIES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS Commissioner of Public Works, appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the city council, is responsible for the supervision of paving and maintenance of streets and public thoroughfares of the city and the erection and maintenance of telephone and electric light poles, water or steam pipes or conduits, sewers, and other underground construction. The public works office makes payrolls, processes purchase orders and does other administrative work for the engineering, street, traffic and waste disposal divisions. It performs similar administrative functions for street lighting and improvement district construction. Street building is financed through the creation of local improvement districts. These districts provide a method whereby public improvements may be made in an orderly fashion under city supervision. The city operates under the state law which provides for the creation and use of local improvement districts. Property owners may initiate the formation of a district by submitting to the city council a petition stating the type and extent of the improvement, and the number of semiannual payments desired (up to nine). The petition must be signed by at least 60% of the resident owners. -25- The Council also has the authority to create a district without a petition. The city usually acts as the agent for the district. Plans, specifications, contract forms, engineering, supervision and assessment rolls are prepared by the engineering division. Advertisement and collection of assessments are assumed by the city clerk's office. Usually the actual construction is let by contract on the basis of competitive bids. The contractor is paid in warrants drawing 5% interest until redeemed. Local improvement districts are usually formed when several properties are involved for such improvements as street paving, street widening, concrete curb, gutter and sidewalk, sewers, street flushing and street lighting. Maintenance of the streets is financed from general tax revenue. The Bureau of Engineering, headed by the city engineer appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the city council, has charge of. all public construction requiring the skill of an engineer. It has supervision of the maps and plats of the city's water courses, sewers, drains, geographical aspects, and streets. The bureau is also responsible for the numbering and naming of streets and highways, the opening or platting of new subdivisions and supervision of the contruction of all sewers and drains on the public streets or thoroughfares. Bureau of Streets, Rivers and Gulches is headed by a superintendent of streets who is appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the city council. The bureau has control over the maintenance, repair and upkeep of all streets, alleys and public ways withing the jurisdiction of the department of public works. It supervises the construction, repair, upkeep and maintenance of all flood control projects of the city. Headquarters are maintained at the Boise City Shops, 825 South 17th Street. Street maintenance involves such varied activities as: 1. Street cleaning and flushing 2. Leaf Removal 3. Cleaning drain lines -26- 4. Grading of gravel, sand or dirt streets 5. Sanding icy streets 6. Sanding dirt alleys 7. Patching pavements 8. Seal-coating streets 9. Constructing small bridges 10. Rebuilding streets to grade. The street division is also responsible for putting up flags and decorations for special occasions. The Bureau of Sewage Disposal, with the responsibility of operating and maintaining Boise's sewage treatment plant is described under the section "Public Sanitation" as is the bureau of waste disposal. - The Traffic Division is headed by a superintendent of traffic appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the city council. This division works in close cooperation with the police department in providing and maintaining signals for control of vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The division has cooperated with the police department and the engineering division in setting up the one-way street grid which went into operation in 1957. UTILITIES The Idaho Power Company, a private utility, furnishes electric power to Boise City. The Intermountain Gas Company obtained a city franchise from Boise City in 1956; the Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company serves the Boise area; the Boise Water corporation sul>plies domestic water; the Consumers Water Company distributes irrigation water from the Boise River; and the Boise Bus Company schedules eight buses which cover a total of 1200 miles per day. These utility and transportation companies are all private corporations. The only publicly owned transportation facility is the Boise Municipal Airport (see page 29). -27- PUBLIC PROPERTIES The Board of Park Commissioners, composed of five members appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the city council, supervises Rose Hill Cemetery, the parks, and playgrounds owned by Boise City. The board serves without compensation and is authorized to employ superintendents, custodians and other help required, to fix the salaries and duties of all employees and to purchase all materials and supplies needed. Special funds known as the park fund and the cemetery fund have been created in the city treasury. The city council includes in its annual budget an appropriation from general revenue for each of the funds. Boise has three municipal swimming pools. Two of them are 60 by 90 foot surface pools. One is located near Lowell School on North 28th Street and the other is located on the bench near South Junior High School on Shoshone Street. The third pool, the Natatorium was built in 1892. It was purchased by the city and rebuilt in 1951. It is a 60 by 120 foot natural hot water pool. It is located in the east end near Adams School on Warm Springs Avenue. The city owns and operates 22 developed and undeveloped parks, including Julia Davis park where there are paved tennis courts, a rose garden, zoo, band shell, playground and picnic facilities. A boating concession provides rowboats and canoes. There is also a refreshment stand. The city maintains recreation grounds and equipment at many of the other city parks. The city owns and operates Boise Municipal Airport under the airport commission. This commission consists of the mayor, councilman in charge of the airport, city attorney and five members appointed by the mayor, including a licensed pilot and a qualified engineer or architect. The members serve without compensation except for actual expenses. A salaried· airport manager, appointed by the mayor, is in charge of the airport and collects fees due Boise City for the use -28- of the airport. Two airlines provide service to the Boise area - United Airlines and West Coast Airlines. There are three private airports providing service to the Boise area -- Bradley Field on Highway 20, Campbell Air Park on Strawberry Glen Road, and the Floating Feather Airport on Highway 15. Idaho ranks fifth in the nation in the number of private aircraft, mostly because of the inaccessibility of primitive areas and because mountainous roads make distances even longer. * * * * EDUCATION Boise schools are administered by Independent School District #1 which is one of three school districts, operating under territorial charter in the state. The board of trustees is the governing body and is responsible for school policies and curriculum. The superintendent, who is selected by the board of trustees, is the executive head, carrying out policies formed by the board. The seven members of the board serve for six years without compensation and must be property owners and residents of the school district. Regular meetings are held the second Monday of each month, usually at 7;30 p.m. in the School Administration Building at 1207 Fort Street. These meetings are open to the public. There are 19 elementary schools, four junior high schools, and one senior high school, with a second senior high to be completed in 1958. All children, from age 7 to 16, except the physically handicapped, are required by law to attend school. One hundred seventy eight school days of attendance are mandatory. Money to support the schools is received fromstate and county apportionment and by local taxes. Approximately three-fourths of this comes from the school district and one-fourth from other sources. The per pupil expenditure in 1956-57 was $223.41. The school build- -29- ing program is financed through revenue bond issues which two-thirds of the qualified resident, real property taxpayers of Boise must approve at a bond election. Teachers' retirement is provided for under the Federal Social Security Act although they have the right to elect membership in the Idaho State Teachers' Retirement system as well. The average number of pupils per teacher in 1957 was 33-35 in the elementary schools; 30-33 in the junior highs; and 27-30 in the senior high. There is a school lunch program in the elementary schools which is provided through federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Eight lunchrooms are operated by the schools and ten by the P. T. A. Private schools in the city include Boise Bible College, Boise Secretarial Center, Grimm's School of Business, Link's School of Business, St. Mary's School, St. Teresa's Academy, St. Joseph's School and Western Christian College. There are approximately 20 private kindergartens with 12 of them included in the Boise Valley Kindergarten Teachers' Association. Boise Junior College is a public institution which operates under its own board of trustees and in its own separate district. Fifty percent of its support comes from county taxes, amounting to approximately $450, 000 per annum. It offers night courses on any subject for which the college has a qualified instructor upon request of any group of ten to fifteen interested adults. These cover academic, vocational and some apprentice courses. The college buildings are available on a rental bas is to educational conferences. Its library facilities are available to townspeople on payment of a $5 deposit. LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS There is one city library in Boise located at 815 Washington which was built in 1905 with money obtained -30- from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation. Since its completion the city has paid all its expenses and it is completely tax-supported. A library board of five members is appointed by the city council. Their term is for three years; two members being appointed one year, two the next, and one person appointed the third year. All members serve without salary. The Board meets once a month and approves the administration of the library facilities. It fixes the salary of the chief librarian and her assistants whom the board appoints. Besides the chief librarian, there are 13 full-time staff members, two book menders, one full-time custodian, one part-time custodian, and six clerical pages. The library is stocked with magazines, non-fiction reference material, fiction. It is a member of the Pacific Northwest Bibliographic Center which provides an inter-library loan service thus making many more books available to Boise City residents. The library offers reference service where interested individuals or groups may ask for sources on a selected topic. Another service offered is the young peoples section, featuring books from the adult collection which also appeal to students of high school age and above. There are regular programs designed to encourage use of library facilities by this group. Records are circulated from the children's section. The two children's librarians spend a half day each week in the elementary schools presenting a program planned to develop reading interest. The library also cooperates with groups to display library materials related to community activities. Boise has no city museums but the State Historical Museum is located in Julia Davis Park. A trained curator is in charge and the museum affords a genuine glimpse into the pioneer days of Boise and of Idaho. The Art Gallery is also located in the park on North Capitol Boulevard with programs and exhibits under the direction of the Boise Art Association. The Gallery was built under WP A with federal and city funds. The -31- city now pays for building maintenance and part-time janitorial help. The State Traveling Library is also housed in the State Historical Museum, at 615 Fulton Street. It is an organization designed to provide modern library service to all Idaho residents. It gives librarians and library trustees information and advice in maintaining and developing their libraries. **** RECREATIONAL FACILITIES The Recreation Committee of Boise City is composed of ten members appo.inted by the mayor with the approval of the council, with five of the members being the superintendent of parks, chairman of the city planning committee, chairman of the board of park commissioners, superintendent of public schools and chairman of the board of trustees of public schools of Boise City for the length of their respective terms of office. The other five members serve as follows: three for one year terms and two for two year terms. The committee makes rules and regulations involving playgrounds., parks, recreational facilities and personnel under the control of the board of park commissioners. The committee uses a trust fund known as the recreatiqn fund to provide recreation activities. This fund was created in 1956 and consists of any donation of money or property which is held in a separate fund, apart from any city funds, with the mayor and council as trustees. SUMMER RECREATION PROGRAM There is a summer playground program, held in the city parks and on some of the public school grounds. The program offers handicraft work, organized games, -32- swimming, dancing, life-saving courses and music instruction. The city maintains three swimming pools. Recreational equipment and playgrounds are maintained in some of the city's 22 parks. The city band presents a series of summer concerts usually once a week in Julia Davis Park. Hunting, fishing, boating, swimming and picnic facilities are available at Lucky Peak Dam just a short drive out of Boise on State Highway 21. WINTER RECREATION PROGRAM Bogus Basin is the ski area located in the mountains northeast of Boise at the end of a road maintained by the county. The Recreation Committee supervises a ski school here although Bogus Basin itself is run by a private corporation. There is a warming house and a concession stand operated during the skiing season. There are two ski-lift systems; a T-bar lift and a Pomalist lift. City buses are scheduled to carry skiers on Saturdays up to the Basin. A volunteer ski patrol guards the ski runs every Saturday and Sunday, while the auxiliary state police organization patrols the road leading to the skiiing area. There is a parking fee used for the maintenance of the road and the parking lot. A high school youth activities group center sponsors dances and special events. The Y. W. C. A. and Y. M. C. A. provide facilities for organized sports, swimming, and dances. Boise has two golf courses. two roller skating rinks, two bowling alleys and seven theaters, including two drive-ins. The Boise Little Theater Group has just completed an unusual circular building at 100 Fort Street. It seats 384 persons and the group presents five or six plays a year. The Boise Civic Symphony is an orchestra composed of musicians from the Boise Valley area. The Boise Concert Series sponsors four or five visit- -33- ing musical groups or artists a year. A Music Week Festival is held in May. It includes band, choral, school, college and fiesta programs on five nights. The Western Idaho State Fair is held at the state fairgrounds on Fairview Avenue the last week of August. Horse and livestock shows, Fourth of July celebrations, evangelistic meetings and rodeos are among events scheduled yearly at the fairgrounds. A cannery for the use of citizens of the area is located on the fairgrounds. It is owned and managed by Ada County. **** CITY PLANNING AND ZONING The Boise City Planning Commission consists of the mayor and city attorney as ex-officio members, with the city clerk acting as secretary. Not less than seven and not more than twelve members are appointed by the mayor, at least one of whom shall be a· qualified civil engineer. Members serve without compensation. The commission meets once every month and more often if necessary. The duty of the planning commission is to study the economic, social and physical conditions of Boise City, in regard to development and regulation of all public utilities , and property. It recommends plans consistent with the future growth and development of Boise. Some of the major proposals considered and re-commended during the past ten years are as follows: 1. Street widening program-- 1947 2. New fire station bond issue -- 1950 3. Sewage Treatment Plant-- 1950 4. Americana Boulevard-- 1950 -34- ZONING The city of Boise is divided into six districts as follows: "A" residence; "B" residence, "C" commercial; "D" commercial; "E" industrial and "F" unrestricted zones. The zoning regulations specify what type of building can be constructed in these zones and also to what use the buildings can be put. Applications for special permits which vary from the zoning regulations are filed with the building inspector. He refers them to the board of adjustment. This board consists of five members, whose compensation is fixed by the city council. It considers, after a public h~aring is held, whether or not the public welfare will be served by such a permit. **** BUILDING CODE The city building inspector is responsible for housing standards in Boise City. He is appointed by the mayor with the approval of the council. The city has a comprehensive building code in which different scales for new buildings and remodeling are listed. All building must first be permitted by the inspector and must meet standard requirements. The city fire department handles the aspect of housing which concerns the installation of oil and gas tanks. Within the building department is a division of smoke regulation and control. The mayor appoints a deputy building inspector to manage the division. The mayor may appoint an advisory committee of three members subject to the approval of the council, to serve without pay. These are representative citizens interested in the subject of smoke abatement. The building inspector works closely with five boards; the Board of Adjustment, Board of Examiners, Board of Appeals, Plumbers Examining Board, and Electrician Examiners. He also works with the fir.e -35- department and Boise City Planning Commission. **** CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM A city civil service system has been established for only the fire and police departments. All appointments and promotions in these two departments are made on the basis of merit and fitness determined by competitive and physical examinations. The civil service commission consists of three members appointed by the mayor for terms of two, four and six years. They are resident registered electors and may not hold any public office or be an employee of Boise City. They serve without compensation except for actual necessary expenses. The commission submits a budget coyering all its estimated expenses for the year to the city council. The commission classifies all jobs in each department. It conducts examinations often enough to provide an eligible list of at least three persons for each position. All examinations are open and competitive and each applicant must file a certificate from the city physician that he has met the requirements of a complete physical examination. The commission investigates and keeps a record of the efficiency of all employees under a merit system with periodical examinations. RETIREMENT FUND Boise City Retirement Fund which consists of all moneys received from contributions by employees, contributions from Boise City, investments and donations is administered by a Boise City Retirement Board. It consists of nine members; the mayor as chairman, president of the city council, city attorney, chairman of the civil service commission, chairman of the library -36- board, the city clerk as secretary, and three representatives of the employees of Boise City elected by the employees on the second Tuesday of July. Any employee who has reached the age of 65 and has had at least 20 years' service as an employee of Boise City is eligibh. for retirement and retirement benefits. A direct annual tax is levied upon all taxable property within Boise City to provide funds for the retirement system. It is a special tax for special fund purposes. It cannot exceed one mill on the dollar on all taxable property within Boise City. FIREMEN'S RETIREMENT FUND There is a fund known as the firemen's retirement fund in the treasury of Boise. It was created in 1945 and provides that a special tax shall be levied to raise a sum of money equivalent to two per cent of the salaries and wages paid Boise City firemen. The levy is not to exceed one-half of one mill. This money is paid to the Firemen's Retirement Fund of the State of Idaho. **** POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS, ELECTIONS City elections are held on the first Tuesday in April every odd year. In order to qualify to vote in any city election, an elector must be registered in his voting precinct. In order to register the elector must: 1. Be a citizen of the United States over 21 years of age 2. Be a resident of Idaho for six months 3. Be a resident of Boise one month (30 days) -37- 4. Be a resident of the precinct 10 days 5. Residence must be fixed in city 6. Voter must have intention to have permanent residence in city Registration is permanent if the citizen does not move from his precinct and casts votes in every municipal election. However, if the citizen does not vote in a municipal election, he is stricken from the registration books and even though he is registered and votes in a general election, he must re-register in order to vote in a municipal election. The mayor is elected for a two year term and two city councilmen are elected for four years each at every general municipal election. They are elected at large from 15 voting precincts. Candidates for local offices are nominated by the filing of a petition which must be signed by 25 qualified registered electors. The nominating petition must be filed not less than 30 days nor more than 45 days before elections. The city clerk must have published the names of candidates in at least one issue of an official newspaper of Boise City at least 10 days before the election. The citizens of Boise City also have power to direct legislation by the initiative and referendum and also the power of re~oval by recall of the holder of any office, whether elected or appointed. Elections are on the basis of non-partisan ballots. If there is but one person to be elected to any office, a simple majority of the votes cast is required but if there are two or more persons to be elected to an office, then individual candidates who receive the highest number votes greater than one-half the number of ballots cast for such office shall be elected. Precincts, registrations and election dates do NOT conform to those of the general elections for federal, state and county officers - or for school trustees or Junior College trustees. -38- SUPPLEMENT NO. I City Officials - as of May 1, 1958 Mayor------------------- Mr. R. E. Edlefsen City Councilmen---------- Mr. Harold T. Jones (president) Mrs. Anna Hettinger Mr. Vern Morris Mr. Henry F. Koch City Magistrate----------- Mr. Dale 0. Morgan Assistant City Magistrate-- Mr. Sumner De~ano, Jr. City Attorney-------------Mr. C. Stanley Skiles City Clerk and Auditor-----Mr. Fred Bagley City Treasurer----.,------- Mr. Patrick J. Vaughan Police Chief--------------Mr. F. T. Demarest Fire Chief--------------- Mr. Steve Taylor City Engineer and Acting Commissioner of Public Works -----------------Mr. J. L. Morris Superintendent of City . Shops ------------------Mr. Donald G. White Building Inspector---------Mr. P. M. Roberts Airport Manager----------Mr. Don A. Duvall Librarian---------------- Miss Marion Bingham Superintendent of Sewage Disposal Plant---------- Mr. A. J. Wahl Recreation Director------- Mr. W. E. Everts, Jr. Police Matron------------ Miss Luella Turner Park Superintendent and Sexton----------------- Mr. Gordon A. Bowen -39- SUPPLEMENT NO. TI Public Service Phone Numbers City Clerk--------------------------------- 2-4621 • County Clerk (registration information) 3-7 ":)'~ 1 Fire Department (to report a fire)------------- 2-4561 Police Department---------------------------2-4511 Sewer Service Calls (all hours) --------------- 3-9781 Sheriff ------------------------------------- 2-4518 Humane Society Dog Pound--------------------3-3451 City-County Health Department----------------4-3553 Ada County Welfare Department-------------- 3-3635 School Administratio:p. ----------------------- 2-4543 Boise Junior College------------------------- 3-2541 Public Library------------------------------ 3-7505 -40-
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Identifier | Special Collections, F 754. B65 L4 |
Title | Here is Boise, Idaho |
Date | May 1958 |
Searchable Date | 1958-05 |
Description | A booklet of gathered facts about the city of Boise, complied by the Boise League of Women Voters. |
Subject |
Telephone directories Demography |
Creator | Boise League of Women Voters |
Publisher | Boise League of Women Voters |
Contributors | Boise State University Library, Special Collections and Archives. |
Language | eng |
Source | Special Collections and Archives Book Collection |
Coverage | Boise (Idaho) |
Original Physical Format | pamphlet; |
Digital Format | |
Type | Text |
Relation | http://boisestate.worldcat.org/oclc/41690431 |
Rights | The contents of this item, including all images and text, are for personal, educational, and non-commercial use only. The contents of this item may not be reproduced in any form without the express permission of Boise State University Special Collections and Archives. For permissions or to place an order, please contact the Head of Special Collections and Archives at (208) 426-3958 or archives@boisestate.edu. |
Full-text | Here is BOiSE, IDAHO "City of Trees" TO B 0 VIE A MEMBER. R hi'0Rl't7ATION PH. 2- 0337 ......----,-- HERE IS BOISE, IDAHO ... ( Compiled by LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF BOISE ~ 509 single copy 409 ten or more copies IUAHO STATE LIBRARY BOiSE, IDAHO FOREWORD This booklet is a summary of the facts gathered in the course of a "Know Your Town" survey conducted by the Boise League of Women Voters. This information on Boise has been compiled as a public service to the citizens of Boise that they may be better acquainted with the duties of the officials they elect and with the services provided by the city government. While the booklet deals primarily with facilities of Boise City government, it also includes services provided by public agencies not only to citizens within the city limits but to those residents of the vicinity comprising the area known as Greater Boise. The League of Women Voters of the United States is a non-partisan organization formed in 1920 and is devoted to the purpose of promoting informed and active participation of citizens in government. The League wishes to acknowledge with appreciation the courtesy and help extended to them by the many officials of the city and social agencies in the community who assisted in the preparation of this booklet. League members who have assisted in the study include Mrs. C. R. Schweitzer, chairman, Mrs. Leslie Dieter, Mrs. Edna Carpenter, Mrs. Terrill Carver, Mrs. W. L. Venning, Mrs. E. N. Torbert, Mrs. Charles Cortright, and Mrs. Hal Pickett. Cover illustration by Mr. Bill Hart. i!' ~ z al ~o z•~ s ;<; m~.. !- no.. ~- 1 -< CONTENTS Page Foreword---------------------------------------- i ~ap-------------------------------------------- ii A View of Boise---------------------------------- 1 A Bit of History---------------------------------- 4 Physical and Economic Aspects -------------------- 5 Community Life----------------------------------- 6 Form of Government------------------------------ 7 Administration----------------------------------- 8 Finances-----------------------------------------9 Health Facilities ---------------------------------13 Public Welfare Facilities -------------------------19 City Protection---------------------------------- 23 Streets, Transportation, Utilities----------------- 25 Public Properties------------------------------- 28 Education--------------------------------------- 29 Recreational Facilities--------------------------- 32 City Planning and Zoning------------------------- 34 Building Code----------------------------------- 35 Boise City Civil Service System------------------- 36 Political Organization and City Elections----------- 37 Supplement No. I - City Officials------------------ 39 Supplement No. II- Public Service Phone Numbers --40 A VIEW OF BOISE Boise, the capital of Idaho, is dramatically and strategically located. It lies in the easily accessible southwest area of the state at the eastern end of broad flatlands bordering the Boise River. Irrigated farms stretch away to the west along the river. In sharp contrast the dry but irrigable Mountain Home plain follows the north bank of the Snake River to the southeast. North and east of Boise mountains rise steeply to five and six thousand feet above sea level in about eight miles. The slopes are partly covered with sagebrush which gives way to chapparal, then to ridges of fir, pine, and spruce. On these slopes sheep and cattle graze. Upstream on the Boise River, to the east, are Lucky Peak, Arrowrock and Anderson Ranch Dams which store irrigation water for the broad flat part of the valley west of Boise. To the south two irregular benches or steps follow the Boise River through the city and beyond to the west. In the distance to the southwest may be seen the Owyhee Mountains frequently covered with snow. Situated at an elevation of about ~. /10 feet on the westward flanks of the Rocky Mountains and in the path of diluted warm wet winds from the Pacific, Boise has a climate that is dry and temperate with sufficient variation to be stimulating. Though days are frequently hot in summer, evenings are almost always cool. Winters are generally not very cold. The average daily maximum temperature for the summer is 84 degrees and for winter, 27 degrees. Average rainfall is 13 inches with the most precipitation usually in February and the least in July. Greater Boise, or the Boise metropolitan area, as defined for study by the Metropolitan Planning Committee of the Boise Chamber of Commerce and the Ada County Zoning Board, extends north from Cloverdale School along Cloverdale Road to Hill Road on the north. It follows Hill Road, takes in the new developments of the Highlands, and Aldape Heights and Warm Springs Park. It follows the river to Barber bridge; extends west three miles, north one mile and seven miles west back to Cloverdale School. The center of Boise City is now at about 11th and Front Streets and the general growth for the past tenyears has been west and south. The center of Greater Boise as tentatively described above is approximately at Americana Boulevard and the Boise River. Boise's main business districts and older tree-shaded residential sections stretch east and west along the Boise River to the foothills on the north and east and to the bench lands south of the river. On these higher areas newer residential districts are developing. On the bench shopping centers have grown up to serve the new residents. Along Highway 30 various businesses have sprung up together with residences just off the highway -- an area of about two or three square miles which has been incorporated and is called Garden City. The main retail commercial district extends from approximately 5th to 11th Streets and from Grove to Jefferson. The industrial section which includes lumber yards, planing mills , an iron foundry, etc. runs in an irregular strip along the railroad tracks and beyond from Broadway on the southeast to about Main and 27th Streets on the northwest and from West Bannock almost to the river in the southwest. Within the city limits lie three major civic or cultural centers. One is located almost in the center of Boise at the north end of Capitol Boulevard. The State Capitol Building is situated here with the Federal Building tothe west on 8th ap.d Bannock, Ada County Court House to the east on Jefferson, the Idaho Daily Statesman Building to the east on 6th, and the Boise City Hall to the south on Bannock. One can look from the Capitol steps across a landscaped park down Capitol Boulevard over the bridge across the Boise River to the Union Pacific Railroad Station standing high on the first bench. Within the shadow of the Spanish mission style railroad depot and its terraced garden lies the second major cultural center. On the east side of Capitol Boulevard just north of the Boise River stand the Idaho State Risto- -2- rical Museum and the Boise City Art Gallery. These are at the edge of Julia Davis Park. The City-County Health Department buildihg, Campus School and Boise Junior College are located between the river and College Boulevard. A third center of public activity is developing in the area occupied by the Veterans Administration Center in the northeast section of the city along Fort Street. Here are located the new U.S. Army Training Center, Lincoln Opportunity School, Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Center and the circular Boise Little Theater. On Reserve Street is the Idaho National Guard Armory. The park, which extends eastward into the mountains and is now part of Boise City, is the original Fort Boise Military Reservation. Outside the city limits to the east lies the Idaho State Penitentiary and to the south is the Boise Municipal Airport. BOISE CITY'S IMPROVEMENTS COMPLETED SINCE 1950 Since 1950 Boise has completed the following im-provements: Expanded sewer and activated sludge treatment plant (1950) Recreation program with a full-time director organized (1951) Garbage disposal improved utilizing a sanitary land-fill and employing an inspector (1957) City offices moved to new quarters at 5th and Bannock (1950) New jail adjacent to present City Hall (1952) Bridge over Americana Boulevard (16th St.) (1956) -3- Two new fire stations (1950) New city work shop (1950) Three municipal swimming pools acquired (1953) New traffic system of one-way streets (1957) Boise Barracks area acquired by city-currently being developed into Fort Boise Park (1951) **** A BIT OF HISTORY Folklore of the Northwest tells that in the early 1800's a band of French-Canadian trappers, after a long, hot and dusty trip through the desert country southeast of Boise, looked down into the tree-lush valley and cried "Les Bois!" This was later anglicised to Boise, which is the name of the present capitol city of Idaho. Boise River was at one time known as Reed's River for a trapper, John Reed, who was killed by Indians near its mouth in January of 1814. This river, wandering through pines and cottonwoods, with willows leaning on its banks, was considered the finest beaver trapping stream in the Northwest.· A change of fashion, which sent the tall beaver hat to the attic, brought financial disaster to many a trapper who had counted his fortune in beaver pelts. The discovery of gold in the Boise Basin by the Grimes party in 1862, is reputed to have aided the Union in maintaining financial solvency in the War Between the states. For this reason, and the subordinate one of protecting travelers using the Overland Road (the old Oregon Trail), Fort Boise was established on July 4, 1863 at the sitethat was to become Boise City. The city, 40 miles from the Basin, became the logical freighting center for the diggings. Soon farms were under cultivation in the fertile -4- river valley to furnish produce for the growing community and mines. Boise in 1863 was an unincorporated area and under a territorial form of government until Ada County was incorporated in 1864. A special Territorial Charter was approved for Boise on January 11, 1866. There has been one change in this basic form of government--in 1912 Boise voted to adopt the commission form of government but in 1927, the city voted to resume its special charter in an amended edition under which it has been governed ever since, except for amendments made from time to time by the State Legislature. **** PHYSICAL AND ECONOMIC ASPECTS The area of Boise has increased since 1950 from 6. 2 square miles within the city limits to 11.4 square miles as of 1958. Greater Boise, for census purposes, has been defined as the area within two miles of the citY limits. Boise City's steady growth can be seen in the following population figures: 1910 1930 1940 1950 17,358 21,544 26,130 34,151 As late as 1957, unofficial estimates by the Chamber of Commerce gave Boise proper a population figure of 39,668 which, with Greater Boise's two mile outskirts, brought the population estimate to 68,363. Boise's wealth comes primarily from the farm lands in the valley and from the sheep, cattle and lumber industries. The trade area extends from Glenn's Ferry, Idaho on the southeast to Weiser, Idaho on the northwest. Boise is the servicing and shopping center for 26 communities -5- in 11 counties including Malheur County ineasternOregon. This area includes 222, 346 people. Although agriculture has long been the predominant economic support for the area, industry is gaining a foothold. Since 1950 new industries in the Boise area include steel fabrication, foundries, sheet metal, concrete and pumice, wood products , electric products , plastics, special motor works, printing and book binding, a trailer plant, and miscellaneous small industries. AB the capitol city of Idaho, Boise has a large number of state capitol employees who add to the purchasing power of the city as do the employees of regional and federal organizations maintaining offices here. Besides permanent residents of Boise, there are many who visit the city throughout the year. Businessmen, legislators, students at Boise Junior College, members of the Air National Guard from several western states who train at Gowen Field are among those bringing additional purchasing power to the city. Visitors move in and out of Boise by plane and train or by automobile and bus on Highways 30, 40 and 44. Sportsmen leave from Boise for hunting, fishing, skiing at Sun Valley or other parts of Idaho's. mountainous areas. Within the last few years motels have been increasi~ both within and without the city limits. **** COMMUNITY LIFE Boise has one daily newspaper, The Idaho Daily Statesman, which is published in a morning and evening edition and Sundays. The Idaho Farm Journal, the Boise Journal, the Garden City Gazette and the West Boise Gazette are weekly newspapers. There are four radio stations, KBOI, KGEM,KIDO, and KYME, and two television stations, KBOI and KIOO. There are 76 churches -6- representing 35 faiths. Social and welfare agencies in Boise are numerous and there are over 130 fraternal groups, service clubs, and charitable organizations. The Boise Chamber of Commerce has prepared a list of all such organizations, along with their current presidents and type of organization. There are no large minority groups in Boise but there is the largest Basque population outside of the Pyrenees ... a colorful, music loving people maintaining many of their interesting old world customs and festivals. In the early gold rush days, thousands of Chinese assisted in extensive placer mining operations in Boise Basin. Today the remnants of a once bustling Chinatown, still stand on North Capitol Boulevard as a memorial to cosmopolitan pioneer days . * * * * FORM OF GOVERNMENT Boise is one of three charter cities in the state of Idaho. The Charter was originally enacted by the Territorial Legislature in 1866. The powers delegated tothe city, either by the Constitution or the Charter, must be put into effect by city ordinance. Such ordinances make up the City Code. Boise is governed by a mayor and four councilmen with the mayor as executive and head of the administration of the city. He is elected for a two year term. The council constitutes the legislative branch of the city government. Two councilmen are elected for four years each at a general municipal election every odd year. They are elected at large, at a general city election held the first Tuesday in April, from the 15 voting precincts in Boise. **** -7- ADMINISTRATION The mayor, with the approval of at least two members of the city council, appoints the following: fire chief, police chief, city attorney, commissioner of public works, city engineer, street commissioner, and building inspector. With the advice and consent of the council, he appoints the treasurer, clerk and city magistrate. Employees of the police and fire departments are governed by city civil service regulations. Amendment to the Charter in 1949 established the Department of Public Works which includes the Bureau of Engineering, the Bureau of Waste Disposal, the Bureau of Sewage Disposal, the Bureau of Streets, Rivers and Gulches, and the Bureau of Traffic Control. Special commissions and boards of citizens serving in an advisory capacity without compensation are appointed by the mayor with the approval of the council. Among them are the City Planning Commission, Recreation Committee, Board of Adjustment, Board of Appeals, Board of Examiners, Safety Commission, and the Welfare Association. Four of these special boards have been created by the City Charter and therefore have certain legal powers. These are the Civil Service Commission, Board of Park Commissioners, Library Board, and the Airport Commission. The mayor and council have power to make and enforce regulations pertaining to municipal offices and affairs. The regulations expressed in city ordinances cover such matters as police and fire protection, sanitation, sale of liquor, street improvements, parks, lighting, water supply, etc. The mayor and council may provide for the punishment of the violation of any of the city's ordinances by fines and imprisonment. A three-fourths vote of the council is required to pass most ordinances although routine business may be conducted by a twothirds vote (majority of a quorum). The city council holds regular meetings every Monday night at 7:30 P.M. in the city council room in the -8- City Hall. These meetings are open to the public. In case the meeting falls on a legal holiday, the meeting is then held on Tuesday following such holiday at 7:30 P.M. FINANCES Boise City operates under a budget system, with the mayor as the budget officer. On the third Monday in June of each year, after examination by the city council, publication in the newspapers, and a public hearing, the council approves the final budget for the fiscal year. The mayor and council hold the city purse strings to the extent that they must authorize the expenditure of all city funds. They also have the power to levy and collect special taxes, to license and fine, and with certain restrictions, borrow money for the city. The mayor and council have power to issue tax anticipation notes to provide funds in anticipation of the collection of the taxes of the current fiscal year. The amount borrowed by means of such tax notes shall not exceed seventy-five percent of the taxes levied for the current fiscal year and not yet collected by Boise City. The city may raise money to finance special projects with two different types of bonds. The direct munici-pal obligation bonds which are liquidated by tax assessment, and revenue bonds which are self-liquidating from revenue received from the project which they have financed. Revenue bonds may be issued only for the financing of water facilities, sewer facilities, and the construction of off-street parking facilities. Both types of bonds may not be issued without prior approval by a two thirds vote of the city taxpayers. The city budget for 1957 called for the expenditure of $2, 401, 907 during the fiscal year. This was $139, 000 more than last year's budget and represents a one mill increase in the tax levy. The amount to be raised by taxation is covered by a 43 1/2 mill levy which is one mill higher than in 1956. -9- City government financing in Boise is increasing - ly becoming "Big Business. " 1954 1955 1956 1957 $2,055,611.84 2,149,457.00 2,262,607.27 2,401,907.00 -10- THE FOLLOWING IS A CHART SHOWING THE DIVISION OF THE PROPERTY TAX RATE PER $100 VALUATION IN BOISE CITY 1956. THE TOTAL TAX RATE OF $11. 988 IS DIVIDED AS SHOWN: $4.25 BOISE CITY 35.5~ $1.784 ADA COUNTY 14.9% -11- $0.825 BOISE JR. COLLEGE $4.765 BOISE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT EDUCATION 46.6% THIS CHART SHOWS HOW BOISE CITY SPENDS ITS MONEY POLICE DEPT. $275,935.60 ALL OfHER DEPTS. $862,955,57 DEPT. OF PUBLIC WORKS $483' 043.50 FIRE IEPT, $326,975.50 Fiscal year 1956-57 (May 1 to April 30) Total Budget $2, 262, 607. 2 7 -12- HEALTH FACILITIES CITY-COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT Boise city's tax-supported health facilities are administered, with some exceptions, by the City-County Health Department with headquarters at 201 Sherwood Street not far from Boise Junior College. This department serves Boise City, Ada and Elmore Countieswhich together comprise a health district. Each of these units of government has a separate agreement with the State Health Department which provides for the financing of the local department. Besides funds supplied by Boise City, Ada and Elmore Counties, the state and federal government contribute money and some services. The Boise Junior College District pays for nursing services given to its students. The medical director of the City-County Health Department is a physician trained in public health. He is appointed for Boise City b.y the mayor with the approval of the city council. He is also appointed for Ada and Elmore Counties by the board of commissioners of each county. Ada County has a board of health consising of the medical director and two citizens who operate under a county sanitary code. The sanitary codes of Boise City and Ada County are alike in many respects, thus assuring residents inside and outside the city limits many of the same public health services meeting the same standards. The staff of the department includes, besides the medical director, a district supervising sanitarian and three sanitarians as well as one supervising public health nurse and nine public health nurses. A parttime biologist and part-time x-ray technician and three clerical workers are also on the staff. The clerical staff keeps records of births , deaths and diseases for the public health district and issues birth and death certificates. -13- PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING AND CLINICAL SERVICES The nine public health nurses under a supervising nurse visit the homes of expectant parents and hold wellbaby clinics. Under the direction of physicians the nurses conduct clinics in which children with physical handicaps are examined by specialists, arrange for treatment when necessary and make follow-up visits. At present, neurological, cleft-lip-palate and cerebral palsy clinics are held at the City-County Health Department. Immunization for all contagious diseases ex-cept yellow fever is given free to all residents of Ada and Elmore Counties. Chest X-ray examinations are given. Immunizations for poliomyletis are available to children from six months to nineteen years and to expectant mothers. Besides regular public health service, the staff gives visiting nurse or bedside care under the direction of a physician to patients ill in their homes. This service is financed by Ada County and by fees paid by patients who can afford to pay. In 1957 the Visiting Nurse Association was included in the United Fund Campaign to add additional nurses to the staff. SCHOOL HEALTH PROGRAM The objective of the school health program is to extend the community health program to the school population of the Boise Independent School District. The medical director of the City-County Health Department is employed on a part-time basis by the Board of Education of the district. Education in the maintenance and promotion of health is the over-all purpose of the school health program. Actual medical care is considered the responsibility of the parents and a medical examination is rec- -14- ommended for every child before he enters the first grade. Besides the part-time director. the school board employs a speech therapist, and audiometrist, a dental hygienist and six nurses. The headquarters for the program are in the School Administration Building at 1207 Fort Street. Here the medical director is on call for emergency service each school day morning. Here also is located the dental clinic with the dental hygienist who examines needy children referred through the school dental care program. She also assists at the clinics held by local dentists working on a voluntary basis to provide dental care for children through the fourth grade whose parents cannot afford to pay for such care. The six school nurses provide liason between the home and school and assist teachers in preparing health education study units. They also give some emergency care and make certain screening tests including eye examinations. MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM The preventive mental health program began January 1st, 1958 and consists of the operation of a county mental health clinic, located at St. Luke's Hospital. Some individual therapy is given but the general emphasis is upon group education. The staff includes a psychiatrist, a full-time psychologist, a full-time psychiatric social worker and a part-time psychiatric social worker. Ada County, the State of Idaho, the Federal Government and voluntary contributions support the clinic financially. CITY AND COUNTY PHYSICIANS A physician is employed by Boise City to examine -15- employees of the police and fire departments to determine their eligibility for civil service. He also tre~ts prisoners and emergency cases for which the city is responsible. A physician is employed by the board of county commissioners to care for indigent residents of the county who are ill at home or for patients at the Ada County Hospital. HOSPITALS AND NURSING HOMES There are six hospitals in Greater Boise, four of them located within the city limits. St. Alphonsus Hospital at 506 North 5th Street is sponsored by the Roman Catholic Church. It has 164 beds including 24 bassinets. It has a geriatric and a psychiatric ward. The hospital offers a three-year training course for nurses. St. Luke's Hospital at 310 North 1st Street is sponsored by the Protestant Episcopal Church. It has 161 beds including 40 bassinets. It has a pediatric ward and a ward for contagious diseases. St. Luke's Hospital sends its student nurses to Boise Junior College for a two year training course in cooperation with the hospital. Both St. Alphonsus and St. Luke's Hospitals completed new additions to their buildings within recent years. Half of the cost of these additions was provided by federal funds under the Hill-Burton Act. Booth Memorial Hospital at 1617 North 24th street is a maternity hospital, one of the departments of the Salvation Army. It serves as hospital and home for unwed expectant mothers who are given care regardless of their ability to pay. It also accepts regular private patients. It has a bed capacity of 18 but has accomodated more when necessary. The hospital is one of the agencies supported by the United Fund. -16- Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Center at 204 Fort Street is supported by the Idaho Elks Association. This new, well-equipped building has 37 beds for crippled children and adults and accomodates from 60 to 100 out-patients in its modern treatment rooms. The Center also offers education through the 8th grade to the physically handicapped on a day school basis. The State Crippled Children's Service and private sources pay fees of patients from all parts of Idaho as do the National Polio Fund, various insurance companies and the Easter Seal Fund. The Center was built with federal and private money. Veteran's Hospital. The Veteran's Administration Center located on federally owned land outside of the city limits on Fort Street includes a hospital with a 207 bed capacity. This hospital is maintained by the Federal Government and provides care for the veteran with service-connected disabilities and for veterans with non-service connected disabilities as facilities permit. Nursing Homes are licensed by the State Department of Public Health, under a state code of regulations. There are 15 homes within the city limits with a total of 149 beds. One of the largest of these is the Good Samaritan Home at 3503 State Street. This convalescent home with 45 beds for ambulatory patients is sponsored by the Good Samaritan Society. outside the city at 3115 Sycamore Street just off State Street is the Boise Lutheran Sunset Home with 29 beds for elderly ambulatory and bed patients. It is presently sponsored by Lutheran churches in Boise Valley. SANITATION FACILITIES Testing and examining. The city and county sanitary codes include provisions for helping owners and managers of sewage, garbage and water systems, food handling establishments, dairy farms, pasteurization plants, food factories and slaughter houses to meet re- -17- quired standards. The sanitarians in the City-County Health Department are charged with carrying out these provisions. Testing of specimens to determine safety of water and milk supplies as well as testing of blood and body discharges for organisms that cause disease is carried out largely by the laboratory of the State Department of Public Health in the Capitol Building. Sewage Disposal. Boise City operates and maintains a sewage disposal plant. It is an activated sludge treatment plant operated at the end of Lander Street just within the city limits downstream on the Boise River. It went into operation in 1950 with 27, 200 users and in 1956 had 28,256 users. The plant may be expanded to accomodate about 10, 000 more users without additional construction. An independent sewer distrist has been formed to allow city and county congested areas on the bench use of the sewage treatment plant facilities if the taxpayers of the district approve. The Sewage Disposal Department with a superintendent and a staff of 12 is part of the Department of Public Works of Boise City. The superintendent reports directly to the mayor and city council. A board of appraisers consisting of five members appointed by the mayor serves tor two years with the commissioner of public works acting as secretary. The board determines the fees to be charged all property owners served by the sewage disposal plant. Garden City has its own disposal plant which may be expanded fo serve more people. Residents of Ada County who are not served by the Boise City or Garden City sewage plant have private disposal systems. The sanitary aspects of all sewage disposal systems are under the direction of the City-County Health Department. Garbage Disposal. Boise City has established a system of garbage and trash collection, transportation and disposal which every Boise City resident is required to use. Licenses are issued to the operators and -18- collections must be made twice a week from cans of a specified size. Garbage and trash from Boise and certain county areas are disposed of in a sanitary land-fill located at the west end of Gowen Field. It is estimated that this gravel pit will serve the area for about ten years. City and county share equally the cost of equipment and operation. A garbage inspector has an office in the City-County Health Department Building and he is assisted by a sanitarian and biologist. He reports to the medical director of the City-County Health Deaprtment and also attends city council meetings. Water Supply. The water supply for Boise and some suburban areas is privately owned and operated by the Boise Water Corporation. The source of supply is from a system of 18 wells located in and adjacent to Boise. Specimens are sent regularly to the City-County Health Department for testing. Five of the 18 wells have been brought into production within the last ten years and the corporation estimates that it has enough water sources in reserve to supply an estimate of growth in population up to the year 1975. Residents who do not use Boise Water Corporation's facilities pump water from private wells, some of them jointly owned. Any company supplying water to subdivisions is required to send in water samples but people using private wells are not, although the City-County Health Department offers testing services to those desiring it. **** PUBLIC WELFARE FACILITIES STATE AND FEDERALLY FINANCED PROGRAMS Administering public assistance and social services to people in need is required by law of the Idaho Department of Public Assistance. The activities of the department are conducted through 28 local offices, each head- -19- ed by a director who is responsible to the state headquarters for all activities carried on in the area assigned to his administration. The Ada County office is located at 129 Broadway and servec Ada, Boise, Elmore Counties and the Duck Valley Indian Reservation. The local social service staff consists of a county director, a senior child welfare worker, seven case workers and a case reviewer. An instructor for the blind also has offices at 129 Broadway but serves the entire district. These employees are all hired through a merit system under the State Department of Public Assistance. The state department receives money for its operation from the federal government under Social Security and Vocational Rehabilitation laws and from the General Fund of the state treasury. Services given by the local office include: old age assistance, aid to dependent children, aid to the blind and aid to the permanently disabled. Specialized services include foster care licensing and adoptive investigations for the courts. Assistance to the blind provides medical eye care, home instruction and vocational rehabilitation. Besides the above the local unit also administers general social services to people in need. These include activities designed to bring about economic, social and vocational adjustment of individuals and families. In the local administrative unit, as in all others, there is a County Council of Public Assistance which acts in an advisory capacity to the professional staff. This is a non-partisan board composed of one county commissioner and four other citizens appointed by the governor. -20- CITY AND COUNTY SUPPORTED PROGRAMS A welfare worker with headquarters in Boise City Hall provides emergency aid to people of the city and the rest of the county who are not eligible for assistance under the special services of the Department of Public Assistance. She also determines who is eligible for care by the county physician, for care in the county hospital, and for county funds for medicine. She serves as police matron in charge of welfare for the families of prisoners in the city or county jail and works with the sheriff, Boise police and Ada County prosecuting attorney. She is the official representative of the Traveler's Aid Society. Boise City and Ada County share expenses for this service. An advisory welfare board headed by the mayor and including a county commissioner, the county physician and volunteers from civic organizations meets monthly to discuss cases and problems with the worker. WELFARE INSTITUTIONS Live, Inc. Two training and evaluation centers for the severly disabled, including the blind, are maintained at 129 Broadway and 111 South lOth Street. These centers seek to train severly handicapped people for gainful employment and work closely with the state rehabilitation agencies and other service agencies in the community. In about three months the staff can determine whether an individual can be placed in industry immediately, sent away for additional training, or kept in a sheltered shop. The Idaho Department of Public Assistance provides some salaries and most of the equipment. All other expenses are paid for by Live, Inc., a statewide organization. The Lions Club of Idaho cooperated in establishing Live and still contribute to its support. -21- IDAHO STATE LIBRARY BOISE, IDAHO Idaho Children's Home at 740 Warm Springs Avenue is operated by The Children's Home Finding and Aid Society of Idaho. The home, serving the southern 34 counties of Idaho, is a multiple service agency offering institutional care, foster boarding home care, counseling services to the unmarried mother, and adoption. About 300 children are placed in custody of the home annually, many of them going into foster homes temporarily or permanently. There is an infirmary at the home with a medical director. The executive director and assistant are trained social workers in the child welfare field. Only one-:third of the money for support of the home is provided by the state; the rest comes from voluntary contributions. Soldier's Home is located within the city limits at 3701 State Street. It is owned and operated by the state but its maintenance expenses are shared equally by the state and federal governments. The home has a large garden and dairy farm. There are accomodations for 125 elderly ambulatory veterans, some of whom help with the work of the home. To be eligible, a veteran must have served in war time, must have lived in Idaho for two years prior to application for admission, must have registered for and voted in the general election preceeding admission. There is no charge for qualified veterans. Residents who become ill are taken to the Veteran's Hospital but generally there is a physician on call. PRIVATE WELFARE ACTIVITIES Several private agencies, such as the Salvation Army, the churches, service clubs and women's organizations carry on full or part-time welfare activities which either complement or supplement the work of the agencies just described. **** -22- CITY PROTECTION POLICE DEPARTMENT The head of the police department is the chief of police who is appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the city coupcil. The department employs a force of 54 officers and 8 clerks. Each policeman candidate must pass a city merit system agility test for physical stamina, and must pass the city civil service merit system examination. Permanent appointments are made only after a six-month probationary period and upon final approval of each candidate by the chief of police. - The FBI makes its training school facilities available to the local police department upon the latter's request. One or two of these training schools are conducted each year. The department is divided into four divisions: foot patrol, detective, traffic, and juvenile divisions. Records are kept centrally. There is one policewoman on the force who works mainly in the juvenile division. Boise policemen are covered under the Boise City Retirement Fund (see City Civil Service Section). The city jail is located at Sixth and Bannock Streets. The third floor has been converted into juvenile detention facilities. Law violators are also sent to the Ada County Jail, Idaho State Penitentiary, St. Anthony's Industrial School for boys and girls. Commitments are made by the probate and district courts according to the nature and extent of law violation. Both probate and district courts use the facilities of South and North Mental Hospitals if psychiatric evaluation is required by the courts. The State Penitentiary, St. Anthony's and the courts all maintain probation and parole officers. Under the Youth Rehabilitation Act of 1955, juvenile offenders are turned over to the State Department of Mental Health for -23- evaluation or commitment to St. Anthony's. The police department carries on a program of public education in the prevention of juvenile delinquency, traffic regulation, school patrols and accident prevention. FIRE DEPARTMENT The fire department is under the direct supervision of the fire chief, who is appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council. There are no volunteers, all employees being paid workers, selected from the Civil Service lists, with the exception of the chief. There are 74 employees, including fire alarm attendants, maintenance, office personnel, fire prevention and fire inspectors. Applicants for jobs as firemen must pass a physical examination and a written city civil service test. Each new employee is given a training course and placed on six month probation. Each fireman is covered under the Firemen's Retirement Fund (see City Civil Service Section). There are five fire stations in Boise City cooperating with five fire districts located outside the city limits. The city requirements are not mandatory for the Independent Districts. The five Boise City stations are located at: #1. Sixth and Idaho Streets (Central Station) #2. Seventeenth and Ridenbaugh #3. Williams and Boise Avenue #4. Kootenai and Protest Streets #5. Sixteenth and Front Streets The fire alarm headquarters are located at the rear of the central station. The five other fire districts outside the city limits are the Air Terminal, Collister, Cole, Whitney-Franklin, and Eagle. Triangle Dairy maintains a fire department of its own. -24- I I I I I I I I I There is a fire prevention program with a Bureau of Fire Prevention in the department consisting of the chief, fire prevention engineer and an assistant chief and the fire prevention inspectors. The bureau inspects business establishments and homes periodically for fire hazards and assists the building inspector in enforcing fire prevention regulations. It sponsors public information campaigns, carried out during Fire Prevention Week. **** STREETS, TRANSPORTATION, UTI~ITIES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS Commissioner of Public Works, appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the city council, is responsible for the supervision of paving and maintenance of streets and public thoroughfares of the city and the erection and maintenance of telephone and electric light poles, water or steam pipes or conduits, sewers, and other underground construction. The public works office makes payrolls, processes purchase orders and does other administrative work for the engineering, street, traffic and waste disposal divisions. It performs similar administrative functions for street lighting and improvement district construction. Street building is financed through the creation of local improvement districts. These districts provide a method whereby public improvements may be made in an orderly fashion under city supervision. The city operates under the state law which provides for the creation and use of local improvement districts. Property owners may initiate the formation of a district by submitting to the city council a petition stating the type and extent of the improvement, and the number of semiannual payments desired (up to nine). The petition must be signed by at least 60% of the resident owners. -25- The Council also has the authority to create a district without a petition. The city usually acts as the agent for the district. Plans, specifications, contract forms, engineering, supervision and assessment rolls are prepared by the engineering division. Advertisement and collection of assessments are assumed by the city clerk's office. Usually the actual construction is let by contract on the basis of competitive bids. The contractor is paid in warrants drawing 5% interest until redeemed. Local improvement districts are usually formed when several properties are involved for such improvements as street paving, street widening, concrete curb, gutter and sidewalk, sewers, street flushing and street lighting. Maintenance of the streets is financed from general tax revenue. The Bureau of Engineering, headed by the city engineer appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the city council, has charge of. all public construction requiring the skill of an engineer. It has supervision of the maps and plats of the city's water courses, sewers, drains, geographical aspects, and streets. The bureau is also responsible for the numbering and naming of streets and highways, the opening or platting of new subdivisions and supervision of the contruction of all sewers and drains on the public streets or thoroughfares. Bureau of Streets, Rivers and Gulches is headed by a superintendent of streets who is appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the city council. The bureau has control over the maintenance, repair and upkeep of all streets, alleys and public ways withing the jurisdiction of the department of public works. It supervises the construction, repair, upkeep and maintenance of all flood control projects of the city. Headquarters are maintained at the Boise City Shops, 825 South 17th Street. Street maintenance involves such varied activities as: 1. Street cleaning and flushing 2. Leaf Removal 3. Cleaning drain lines -26- 4. Grading of gravel, sand or dirt streets 5. Sanding icy streets 6. Sanding dirt alleys 7. Patching pavements 8. Seal-coating streets 9. Constructing small bridges 10. Rebuilding streets to grade. The street division is also responsible for putting up flags and decorations for special occasions. The Bureau of Sewage Disposal, with the responsibility of operating and maintaining Boise's sewage treatment plant is described under the section "Public Sanitation" as is the bureau of waste disposal. - The Traffic Division is headed by a superintendent of traffic appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the city council. This division works in close cooperation with the police department in providing and maintaining signals for control of vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The division has cooperated with the police department and the engineering division in setting up the one-way street grid which went into operation in 1957. UTILITIES The Idaho Power Company, a private utility, furnishes electric power to Boise City. The Intermountain Gas Company obtained a city franchise from Boise City in 1956; the Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company serves the Boise area; the Boise Water corporation sul>plies domestic water; the Consumers Water Company distributes irrigation water from the Boise River; and the Boise Bus Company schedules eight buses which cover a total of 1200 miles per day. These utility and transportation companies are all private corporations. The only publicly owned transportation facility is the Boise Municipal Airport (see page 29). -27- PUBLIC PROPERTIES The Board of Park Commissioners, composed of five members appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the city council, supervises Rose Hill Cemetery, the parks, and playgrounds owned by Boise City. The board serves without compensation and is authorized to employ superintendents, custodians and other help required, to fix the salaries and duties of all employees and to purchase all materials and supplies needed. Special funds known as the park fund and the cemetery fund have been created in the city treasury. The city council includes in its annual budget an appropriation from general revenue for each of the funds. Boise has three municipal swimming pools. Two of them are 60 by 90 foot surface pools. One is located near Lowell School on North 28th Street and the other is located on the bench near South Junior High School on Shoshone Street. The third pool, the Natatorium was built in 1892. It was purchased by the city and rebuilt in 1951. It is a 60 by 120 foot natural hot water pool. It is located in the east end near Adams School on Warm Springs Avenue. The city owns and operates 22 developed and undeveloped parks, including Julia Davis park where there are paved tennis courts, a rose garden, zoo, band shell, playground and picnic facilities. A boating concession provides rowboats and canoes. There is also a refreshment stand. The city maintains recreation grounds and equipment at many of the other city parks. The city owns and operates Boise Municipal Airport under the airport commission. This commission consists of the mayor, councilman in charge of the airport, city attorney and five members appointed by the mayor, including a licensed pilot and a qualified engineer or architect. The members serve without compensation except for actual expenses. A salaried· airport manager, appointed by the mayor, is in charge of the airport and collects fees due Boise City for the use -28- of the airport. Two airlines provide service to the Boise area - United Airlines and West Coast Airlines. There are three private airports providing service to the Boise area -- Bradley Field on Highway 20, Campbell Air Park on Strawberry Glen Road, and the Floating Feather Airport on Highway 15. Idaho ranks fifth in the nation in the number of private aircraft, mostly because of the inaccessibility of primitive areas and because mountainous roads make distances even longer. * * * * EDUCATION Boise schools are administered by Independent School District #1 which is one of three school districts, operating under territorial charter in the state. The board of trustees is the governing body and is responsible for school policies and curriculum. The superintendent, who is selected by the board of trustees, is the executive head, carrying out policies formed by the board. The seven members of the board serve for six years without compensation and must be property owners and residents of the school district. Regular meetings are held the second Monday of each month, usually at 7;30 p.m. in the School Administration Building at 1207 Fort Street. These meetings are open to the public. There are 19 elementary schools, four junior high schools, and one senior high school, with a second senior high to be completed in 1958. All children, from age 7 to 16, except the physically handicapped, are required by law to attend school. One hundred seventy eight school days of attendance are mandatory. Money to support the schools is received fromstate and county apportionment and by local taxes. Approximately three-fourths of this comes from the school district and one-fourth from other sources. The per pupil expenditure in 1956-57 was $223.41. The school build- -29- ing program is financed through revenue bond issues which two-thirds of the qualified resident, real property taxpayers of Boise must approve at a bond election. Teachers' retirement is provided for under the Federal Social Security Act although they have the right to elect membership in the Idaho State Teachers' Retirement system as well. The average number of pupils per teacher in 1957 was 33-35 in the elementary schools; 30-33 in the junior highs; and 27-30 in the senior high. There is a school lunch program in the elementary schools which is provided through federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Eight lunchrooms are operated by the schools and ten by the P. T. A. Private schools in the city include Boise Bible College, Boise Secretarial Center, Grimm's School of Business, Link's School of Business, St. Mary's School, St. Teresa's Academy, St. Joseph's School and Western Christian College. There are approximately 20 private kindergartens with 12 of them included in the Boise Valley Kindergarten Teachers' Association. Boise Junior College is a public institution which operates under its own board of trustees and in its own separate district. Fifty percent of its support comes from county taxes, amounting to approximately $450, 000 per annum. It offers night courses on any subject for which the college has a qualified instructor upon request of any group of ten to fifteen interested adults. These cover academic, vocational and some apprentice courses. The college buildings are available on a rental bas is to educational conferences. Its library facilities are available to townspeople on payment of a $5 deposit. LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS There is one city library in Boise located at 815 Washington which was built in 1905 with money obtained -30- from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation. Since its completion the city has paid all its expenses and it is completely tax-supported. A library board of five members is appointed by the city council. Their term is for three years; two members being appointed one year, two the next, and one person appointed the third year. All members serve without salary. The Board meets once a month and approves the administration of the library facilities. It fixes the salary of the chief librarian and her assistants whom the board appoints. Besides the chief librarian, there are 13 full-time staff members, two book menders, one full-time custodian, one part-time custodian, and six clerical pages. The library is stocked with magazines, non-fiction reference material, fiction. It is a member of the Pacific Northwest Bibliographic Center which provides an inter-library loan service thus making many more books available to Boise City residents. The library offers reference service where interested individuals or groups may ask for sources on a selected topic. Another service offered is the young peoples section, featuring books from the adult collection which also appeal to students of high school age and above. There are regular programs designed to encourage use of library facilities by this group. Records are circulated from the children's section. The two children's librarians spend a half day each week in the elementary schools presenting a program planned to develop reading interest. The library also cooperates with groups to display library materials related to community activities. Boise has no city museums but the State Historical Museum is located in Julia Davis Park. A trained curator is in charge and the museum affords a genuine glimpse into the pioneer days of Boise and of Idaho. The Art Gallery is also located in the park on North Capitol Boulevard with programs and exhibits under the direction of the Boise Art Association. The Gallery was built under WP A with federal and city funds. The -31- city now pays for building maintenance and part-time janitorial help. The State Traveling Library is also housed in the State Historical Museum, at 615 Fulton Street. It is an organization designed to provide modern library service to all Idaho residents. It gives librarians and library trustees information and advice in maintaining and developing their libraries. **** RECREATIONAL FACILITIES The Recreation Committee of Boise City is composed of ten members appo.inted by the mayor with the approval of the council, with five of the members being the superintendent of parks, chairman of the city planning committee, chairman of the board of park commissioners, superintendent of public schools and chairman of the board of trustees of public schools of Boise City for the length of their respective terms of office. The other five members serve as follows: three for one year terms and two for two year terms. The committee makes rules and regulations involving playgrounds., parks, recreational facilities and personnel under the control of the board of park commissioners. The committee uses a trust fund known as the recreatiqn fund to provide recreation activities. This fund was created in 1956 and consists of any donation of money or property which is held in a separate fund, apart from any city funds, with the mayor and council as trustees. SUMMER RECREATION PROGRAM There is a summer playground program, held in the city parks and on some of the public school grounds. The program offers handicraft work, organized games, -32- swimming, dancing, life-saving courses and music instruction. The city maintains three swimming pools. Recreational equipment and playgrounds are maintained in some of the city's 22 parks. The city band presents a series of summer concerts usually once a week in Julia Davis Park. Hunting, fishing, boating, swimming and picnic facilities are available at Lucky Peak Dam just a short drive out of Boise on State Highway 21. WINTER RECREATION PROGRAM Bogus Basin is the ski area located in the mountains northeast of Boise at the end of a road maintained by the county. The Recreation Committee supervises a ski school here although Bogus Basin itself is run by a private corporation. There is a warming house and a concession stand operated during the skiing season. There are two ski-lift systems; a T-bar lift and a Pomalist lift. City buses are scheduled to carry skiers on Saturdays up to the Basin. A volunteer ski patrol guards the ski runs every Saturday and Sunday, while the auxiliary state police organization patrols the road leading to the skiiing area. There is a parking fee used for the maintenance of the road and the parking lot. A high school youth activities group center sponsors dances and special events. The Y. W. C. A. and Y. M. C. A. provide facilities for organized sports, swimming, and dances. Boise has two golf courses. two roller skating rinks, two bowling alleys and seven theaters, including two drive-ins. The Boise Little Theater Group has just completed an unusual circular building at 100 Fort Street. It seats 384 persons and the group presents five or six plays a year. The Boise Civic Symphony is an orchestra composed of musicians from the Boise Valley area. The Boise Concert Series sponsors four or five visit- -33- ing musical groups or artists a year. A Music Week Festival is held in May. It includes band, choral, school, college and fiesta programs on five nights. The Western Idaho State Fair is held at the state fairgrounds on Fairview Avenue the last week of August. Horse and livestock shows, Fourth of July celebrations, evangelistic meetings and rodeos are among events scheduled yearly at the fairgrounds. A cannery for the use of citizens of the area is located on the fairgrounds. It is owned and managed by Ada County. **** CITY PLANNING AND ZONING The Boise City Planning Commission consists of the mayor and city attorney as ex-officio members, with the city clerk acting as secretary. Not less than seven and not more than twelve members are appointed by the mayor, at least one of whom shall be a· qualified civil engineer. Members serve without compensation. The commission meets once every month and more often if necessary. The duty of the planning commission is to study the economic, social and physical conditions of Boise City, in regard to development and regulation of all public utilities , and property. It recommends plans consistent with the future growth and development of Boise. Some of the major proposals considered and re-commended during the past ten years are as follows: 1. Street widening program-- 1947 2. New fire station bond issue -- 1950 3. Sewage Treatment Plant-- 1950 4. Americana Boulevard-- 1950 -34- ZONING The city of Boise is divided into six districts as follows: "A" residence; "B" residence, "C" commercial; "D" commercial; "E" industrial and "F" unrestricted zones. The zoning regulations specify what type of building can be constructed in these zones and also to what use the buildings can be put. Applications for special permits which vary from the zoning regulations are filed with the building inspector. He refers them to the board of adjustment. This board consists of five members, whose compensation is fixed by the city council. It considers, after a public h~aring is held, whether or not the public welfare will be served by such a permit. **** BUILDING CODE The city building inspector is responsible for housing standards in Boise City. He is appointed by the mayor with the approval of the council. The city has a comprehensive building code in which different scales for new buildings and remodeling are listed. All building must first be permitted by the inspector and must meet standard requirements. The city fire department handles the aspect of housing which concerns the installation of oil and gas tanks. Within the building department is a division of smoke regulation and control. The mayor appoints a deputy building inspector to manage the division. The mayor may appoint an advisory committee of three members subject to the approval of the council, to serve without pay. These are representative citizens interested in the subject of smoke abatement. The building inspector works closely with five boards; the Board of Adjustment, Board of Examiners, Board of Appeals, Plumbers Examining Board, and Electrician Examiners. He also works with the fir.e -35- department and Boise City Planning Commission. **** CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM A city civil service system has been established for only the fire and police departments. All appointments and promotions in these two departments are made on the basis of merit and fitness determined by competitive and physical examinations. The civil service commission consists of three members appointed by the mayor for terms of two, four and six years. They are resident registered electors and may not hold any public office or be an employee of Boise City. They serve without compensation except for actual necessary expenses. The commission submits a budget coyering all its estimated expenses for the year to the city council. The commission classifies all jobs in each department. It conducts examinations often enough to provide an eligible list of at least three persons for each position. All examinations are open and competitive and each applicant must file a certificate from the city physician that he has met the requirements of a complete physical examination. The commission investigates and keeps a record of the efficiency of all employees under a merit system with periodical examinations. RETIREMENT FUND Boise City Retirement Fund which consists of all moneys received from contributions by employees, contributions from Boise City, investments and donations is administered by a Boise City Retirement Board. It consists of nine members; the mayor as chairman, president of the city council, city attorney, chairman of the civil service commission, chairman of the library -36- board, the city clerk as secretary, and three representatives of the employees of Boise City elected by the employees on the second Tuesday of July. Any employee who has reached the age of 65 and has had at least 20 years' service as an employee of Boise City is eligibh. for retirement and retirement benefits. A direct annual tax is levied upon all taxable property within Boise City to provide funds for the retirement system. It is a special tax for special fund purposes. It cannot exceed one mill on the dollar on all taxable property within Boise City. FIREMEN'S RETIREMENT FUND There is a fund known as the firemen's retirement fund in the treasury of Boise. It was created in 1945 and provides that a special tax shall be levied to raise a sum of money equivalent to two per cent of the salaries and wages paid Boise City firemen. The levy is not to exceed one-half of one mill. This money is paid to the Firemen's Retirement Fund of the State of Idaho. **** POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS, ELECTIONS City elections are held on the first Tuesday in April every odd year. In order to qualify to vote in any city election, an elector must be registered in his voting precinct. In order to register the elector must: 1. Be a citizen of the United States over 21 years of age 2. Be a resident of Idaho for six months 3. Be a resident of Boise one month (30 days) -37- 4. Be a resident of the precinct 10 days 5. Residence must be fixed in city 6. Voter must have intention to have permanent residence in city Registration is permanent if the citizen does not move from his precinct and casts votes in every municipal election. However, if the citizen does not vote in a municipal election, he is stricken from the registration books and even though he is registered and votes in a general election, he must re-register in order to vote in a municipal election. The mayor is elected for a two year term and two city councilmen are elected for four years each at every general municipal election. They are elected at large from 15 voting precincts. Candidates for local offices are nominated by the filing of a petition which must be signed by 25 qualified registered electors. The nominating petition must be filed not less than 30 days nor more than 45 days before elections. The city clerk must have published the names of candidates in at least one issue of an official newspaper of Boise City at least 10 days before the election. The citizens of Boise City also have power to direct legislation by the initiative and referendum and also the power of re~oval by recall of the holder of any office, whether elected or appointed. Elections are on the basis of non-partisan ballots. If there is but one person to be elected to any office, a simple majority of the votes cast is required but if there are two or more persons to be elected to an office, then individual candidates who receive the highest number votes greater than one-half the number of ballots cast for such office shall be elected. Precincts, registrations and election dates do NOT conform to those of the general elections for federal, state and county officers - or for school trustees or Junior College trustees. -38- SUPPLEMENT NO. I City Officials - as of May 1, 1958 Mayor------------------- Mr. R. E. Edlefsen City Councilmen---------- Mr. Harold T. Jones (president) Mrs. Anna Hettinger Mr. Vern Morris Mr. Henry F. Koch City Magistrate----------- Mr. Dale 0. Morgan Assistant City Magistrate-- Mr. Sumner De~ano, Jr. City Attorney-------------Mr. C. Stanley Skiles City Clerk and Auditor-----Mr. Fred Bagley City Treasurer----.,------- Mr. Patrick J. Vaughan Police Chief--------------Mr. F. T. Demarest Fire Chief--------------- Mr. Steve Taylor City Engineer and Acting Commissioner of Public Works -----------------Mr. J. L. Morris Superintendent of City . Shops ------------------Mr. Donald G. White Building Inspector---------Mr. P. M. Roberts Airport Manager----------Mr. Don A. Duvall Librarian---------------- Miss Marion Bingham Superintendent of Sewage Disposal Plant---------- Mr. A. J. Wahl Recreation Director------- Mr. W. E. Everts, Jr. Police Matron------------ Miss Luella Turner Park Superintendent and Sexton----------------- Mr. Gordon A. Bowen -39- SUPPLEMENT NO. TI Public Service Phone Numbers City Clerk--------------------------------- 2-4621 • County Clerk (registration information) 3-7 ":)'~ 1 Fire Department (to report a fire)------------- 2-4561 Police Department---------------------------2-4511 Sewer Service Calls (all hours) --------------- 3-9781 Sheriff ------------------------------------- 2-4518 Humane Society Dog Pound--------------------3-3451 City-County Health Department----------------4-3553 Ada County Welfare Department-------------- 3-3635 School Administratio:p. ----------------------- 2-4543 Boise Junior College------------------------- 3-2541 Public Library------------------------------ 3-7505 -40- |
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