Teen RSA

Summer is traditionally the deadliest time for teen drivers as they spend more time on the road. As a community it is important we educate our teens on the dangers that exist when getting behind the wheel so they can make informed decisions while navigating our city’s streets. One way we are doing this is by creating strategies for driving success through the Teen Roadway Safety Advocates (TeenRSA) program.

The TeenRSA program was started as a way to engage youth in improving road safety near their schools and in their communities. The program is modeled after a process that has been used for years around the world to systematically look at roadway safety issues from a multi-disciplinary approach. Through this process, students not only learn about the roadway environment, but also about how drivers and other road users behave in those areas.

In performing road safety assessments, teams are formed to look at existing or potential roadway safety problems with a “fresh set of eyes,” often tapping into the personal knowledge of members of the community who may not have roadway or transportation expertise. In the TeenRSA Program, students equipped with cameras, measuring devices, clip boards and safety vests will look at roadways, bike paths, sidewalks, bus stops, and parking lots in and around their schools and neighborhoods. Working with the guidance of advisors from the Meridian Police Department, the youth teams collectively identify potential problems and document what they find, develop ideas for potential solutions, and advocate for improvements.

The majority of the high school students participating in Meridian’s initial TeenRSA are members of the Mayors Youth Advisory Council ( MYAC), a group that has successfully lobbied against texting while driving, advocated seat belt use, and explored other teen safety issues. By involving our MYAC members, it is our hope to build continuity into the teen safety programs and instill a positive culture built around being safe and smart.

So, as you are out and about this summer near Rocky Mountain, Meridian or Mountain View high schools, I encourage you to be on the lookout for a TeenRSA near you! The work they are doing just might have an impact on someone you know or love during the 100 deadliest days of summer.

Association of Idaho Cities Awards

Last week the Association of Idaho Cities (AIC) held their annual conference. This conference allows city officials from across the state of Idaho to get together to learn and share information. We know that by working together we can keep up-to-date on the issues affecting cities and how we are addressing these items. Through sharing information about programs or the services we offer to our citizens’, we can experience either cost savings or innovation or both.


The City of Meridian brought forward ten such programs and services we felt would be beneficial to share with other communities around the state. They included the Community Recycling Fund, Customer Water Confidence Report, Initial Point Gallery, Meridian Enterprise Addressing Database, Project S.A.F.E., Parks & Recreation Recycling Program, Warranty Surety Program, Youth Art Display, Youth Safety Programs, and the Youth Work Life Skills Internship Program. As you can see, we have a lot to be proud of in Meridian! While I would love to talk about all of these programs and services, let me briefly tell you about two.

A few months ago a family woke up to the sound of smoke alarms going off and discovered a fire in their garage. The three people inside the home in South Meridian were all able to get out of the house safely and call 911. Firefighters arrived in time to keep the fire from spreading to the rest of the home. Less than a year ago, there were no smoke alarms in this particular home. The family was given free alarms through Project S.A.F.E. -- "Smoke Alarms for Everyone" from our Fire Department. In addition to the smoke alarms, 450 deaf/hearing impaired residents will receive a bed shaking device that is designed to help awaken them by shaking their mattress in the event the smoke alarm activates. Lives are being saved through this program.

The Meridian Enterprise Addressing Database (MEAD) is the second program I will highlight. For years, addressing information within the City has been created and maintained by multiple people, in multiple departments, within multiple databases. As a result, the inconsistencies in addressing information has made data-sharing with other outside agencies increasingly difficult. With MEAD we are able to streamline the addressing process and remove many of the roadblocks that stood in the way previously. This allows for less cost to our citizens and quicker responses from our staff.

Both of these programs were awarded an AIC City Achievement Award and together represent the hard work of our City staff to meet the ever-growing needs of our community. With dedicated staff we are working hard towards our goal as a premiere city to live, work and raise a family.

Meridian Dairy Days

Each year, Meridian Dairy Days gives us an opportunity to reflect on our past and celebrate our heritage as a community. Since the opening of the Meridian Creamery in 1929, our City has taken time each year to time to honor and celebrate the important role the dairy industry played in our community’s history and development.


While the Creamery is gone, agriculture still has an important and valuable role in and around Meridian. Last week, I got to see this first-hand as I toured the agricultural region southwest of our city with other City leaders. We were able to learn about a few of the crops growing in the area, the unique needs of farmers, such as irrigation, and the economic impact farming has on our community and region. I’d like to thank Drew and Brenda Eggers for taking the time to engage the City on this important topic. The information we gathered will help us make informed decisions as Meridian continues to grow.

We also toured Black Cat Dairy where we witnessed Rocky Row's impressive dairy farm. We arrived during milking time - which I think is 24/7 - and witnessed why he has such high quality milk. This operation is one of the cleanest and cared for dairies I have seen! We were also just minutes short of seeing a calf born.

We may not have the same level of dairy activity as in days past we still have a strong connection to our community’s roots. And celebrating our heritage makes Dairy Days that much more enjoyable for all. I encourage you to come out this week and enjoy the much improved carnival, the Dairy Princess Pageant, the pancake feed, Old McDonald’s Farm and other pastime favorites. We also get to look forward to new events this year like the Fast Lane Kow Karts, stroller parade and the pool bash. For a full list of everything taking place during Dairy Days, please visit www.dairydays.org.

As a reminder, the Dairy Days Parade has been canceled this year due to the construction taking place on Meridian Road. It has been a community tradition that many look forward to. I can say we are all disappointed that we won't have a parade this summer. We know how much this parade means to Meridian families and we will assist the Meridian Dairy Board in any way we can to bring the parade back bigger and better than ever in 2014.

2013 Meridian City Scholarship Winners

Recently, seniors from high schools across Meridian donned caps and gowns to accept their hard-earned diplomas. This was a great accomplishment for all and we are excited to see each student set out on their next journey. Many of these students have contributed in a number of ways to the vibrancy and energy of our community through countless hours of community service, all the while balancing their studies and school activities. As a City we express our gratitude to our amazing students by presenting four outstanding graduating high school seniors with $1,000 scholarships to be used at accredited colleges or vocational education programs this fall. These scholarships are funded by the businesses that sponsor the annual State of the City address.

This year’s winners were selected by a panel of Meridian citizens and business leaders based on criteria including service to others, academic merit, and personal growth as a result of community involvement.

Here’s a brief description of each of our 2013 City of Meridian Scholarship winners:

Katherine Fleming is a 2013 graduate of Meridian High School. She was president of her school’s National Honor Society and was involved in TRIO, Idaho Drug-Free Youth, the Buddy Walk, Rake Up Meridian, Red Cross blood drives, Backpacks for Kids, and many other community service projects. Katherine is also active with her church’s youth ministry and lent her voice to her school’s varsity choir. She will begin college in the fall and intends to pursue a career in social work.

Melissa Goetz is a 2013 graduate of Meridian High School, although she spent the majority of her high school years studying at Renaissance High School. She has been involved in Girl Scouts, 4-H, the Meridian Lions Club, FFA, and the National Honor Society. She excels at horsemanship and will start college this fall to study pre-veterinary sciences.

Mikayla Payne is a 2013 graduate of Renaissance High School. She was active with the Leo Club and National Honor Society, and assisted Boise and Meridian firefighters with fundraising activities for their burn-out funds. Mikayla has coached youth gymnastics for four years, volunteered at an assisted living center, and is currently completing a CNA program. She is graduating from high school with a 2-year associates degree already under her belt and is looking forward to beginning pre-med studies in biology at Idaho State University this fall

Brett Wilder is a 2013 graduate of Meridian High School where he was a member of the National Honor Society and served on student council. He is an accomplished pianist and band percussionist. Brett is proud to be part of the 6th generation of his family involved in Idaho agriculture, and has been in 4-H for 11 years and a participant in FFA. He plans to study Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Education.

Please join me in wishing congratulations to our winners and best wishes to all of our graduates!

Public Works Week

The other day my granddaughter asked me where the water came from that is delivered when turning on the faucet; how would you answer that? What if she asked more questions like where water goes after it’s flushed down your drain or who turns on the streetlights every night? We expect that when we turn on our facets, clean water will come out. We expect that used water will go down the drain and leave our house. And we have come to assume that each night street lights will guide us safely back to our homes. All of these things are a vital part of our quality of life and here in Meridian we have the Meridian Public Works Department to thank for providing these essential services.


This week, we are celebrating Meridian’s Public Works Week. It is not only a chance for us to thank the men and women who help keep our crucial City services running but it’s also a chance for us to understand the complexities of the Public Works Department and all the services it provides for us.

For example, did you know the Meridian Public Works Department is responsible for maintaining 492 miles of sewer line? These pipes carry all the dirty water from your house and take it all the way to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. There the water is cleaned before it enters the water cycle again. Public Works employees also oversee the City’s 18 wells that ensure Meridian residents can have clean drinking water. Both of these services are critical to our community’s health and overall safety.

The majority of services that our Public Works Department provides are paid for through your water and sewer bills. It is important to understand where your money is going and what it is paying for. That is why I would encourage all of you to attend one, or all, of the events during Public Works Week. It is beneficial to know about and understand the quality services the Public Works Department provides, we can then help do our part to sustain the quality of services we have come accustomed to.

I personally want to thank every single employee who works in Meridian’s Public Works Department. Their dedicated service to our community is deeply appreciated and does not go unnoticed. If you would like to find more information about Public Works Weeks events, including a free expo on Wednesday night and a fun run on Saturday, please visit meridiancity.org.

Meridian Honors Its 2012 Neighborhood Stars

Here is one thing I believe we can all agree - everyone wants to have good neighbors. Good neighbors can make your home life more enjoyable and increase the safety, vitality, and appearance of your neighborhood. Whether you live in a townhouse, condo, apartment or single family home it is proven, the best way to have good neighbors is to be a good neighbor.

On Wednesday evening, we have the privilege of honoring a number of Meridian residents and businesses with our Neighborhood Star Awards in a brief public ceremony at Meridian City Hall. These are local residents/businesses who have been nominated because they truly epitomize what it means to be a “good neighbor.”

The annual awards are the City of Meridian’s way of recognizing citizens who are exceptionally committed to preserving, maintaining, and improving the quality of life and safety in their neighborhoods and our community. Meridian is recognized for being a “Best Place” because of people like these who add character to our community.

These unsung heroes have each, in their own way, shown unusually strong dedication to their neighbors, neighborhoods, and community, and are deserving of our appreciation and recognition. We have some great nominees for this year’s 2012 Neighborhood Star Award and in my book they are all winners. I wanted to give you a brief preview about these individuals and businesses and why they were nominated.

• Dan Olson is a cost-conscious HOA president who donates hundreds of hours of his personal time each year to keep their neighborhood park, Baldwin Park, looking nice and running smoothly.

• Guy Colwell plays a tremendous role in keeping the Castlebrook and Chesterfield subdivisions clean and attractive. He can often be found at the community pool, making repairs, cleaning, or doing security checks.

• Lisa Bain offers an anchor of support to neighbors and community members dealing with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological diseases.

• Rick & Roma Herriott, longtime Fieldstone Meadows residents, created and maintain an outdoor miniature lending library filled with books to be enjoyed for free by neighbors of all ages and interests.

• Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill at Eagle & Fairview annually hosts a National Night Out Kick-Off Event for local law enforcement officers, firefighters, and elected officials. They also help local non-profits raise money through Saturday morning pancake breakfasts.

• Jim Rosetti is said to be involved, in one way or another, in just about everything in Meridian Greens that impacts the neighborhood in a positive way.

• Bob & Jeanmarie Wheeler work tirelessly to keep their Tustin neighborhood safe, clean, and socially connected. They are described as “superstar neighbors” who would be qualified to mentor the Energizer Bunny.

• Frank Thomason, editor of the weekly Valley Times newspaper, documents our community’s heritage and history. Best of all, he chooses to focus on the positive, share uplifting stories, and gets to the heart of what Meridian neighbors need to know.

• Bob Kobza has been the hard-working president of the Bedford Place HOA for several years. He spearheads its National Night Out events and created a website which helps the neighbors come together and communicate more effectively.

• Brady Murray energizes his Bear Creek subdivision neighbors through his passion for raising funds to assist with the adoption of Eastern European orphans with Down syndrome.

I hope you will join me Wednesday evening, September 26, at 6:30 pm at Meridian City Hall as we salute this year’s Meridian Neighborhood Stars and share more about their good deeds. Come as you are and be prepared to meet some truly inspiring Meridian residents. After the awards are presented in City Council chambers, cake and apple cider will be served in the lobby.

It promises to be a wonderful evening to celebrate those who are doing so much to improve the quality of life and safety here in Meridian!

Celebrate – State of our City 2011

On February 3^rd I had the honor of presenting the 2011 State of the City to residents, businesses, city employees, and leaders from neighboring communities. It was a great opportunity to reflect on the previous year, look to the year ahead and plan for the next decade.

Meridian gained national attention in 2010 as one of the Best Places for Young People by America's Promise, one of the 100 Best Places to Live by CNN/Money magazine, and one of the 10 Best Towns for Families by Family Circle magazine. Meridian was the only city in America to receive recognition from these three organizations in 2010.

One of our most noteworthy accomplishments was the financial stability of the City. Our Finance Department assessed what was happening locally and nationally and used a conservative forecast for revenues. After the City Council approved to forego the allowed 3% increase, we then set our budget. We didn't overspend; instead we saved when times were good, which helped us to be resilient during tough economic times. We were not only ‘in the black’ financially, we maintained – and in some cases improved – our services to our community.

I also shared information about the expansion plans for two Meridian businesses that you may have recently heard about it the news – PKG (formerly ProMed Keyboard Group) and Scentsy, a Meridian success story. Overall, Meridian was also ‘in the black’ for number of jobs in our community; growing by 120 jobs per Department of Labor information bringing employment numbers closer to 31,000 jobs in Meridian.

It was my pleasure to announce a tentative date for the opening of the long anticipated Ten Mile Interchange of May 17, 2011. This project has been a tireless effort for many in our community. This isn't just any road project - this is a huge improvement not only for Meridian but the entire region. This will open an area of our city for employment and other opportunities. We hope to share more about this project with you in May.

An important part of the speech was looking to the next decade, and how as a team we have been focused on the City's planning efforts. Five specific planning efforts were focused on: 1. the City's Comprehensive Plan, currently in the final steps of being updated; 2. the Destination Downtown plan, completed over the last year by the city's urban renewal agency; 3. the Ten Mile Plan which will help guide the development in the area around the soon to be opened Ten Mile Interchange; 4. our Comprehensive Pathway Plan; and, 5. the City's fiscally constrained long-term capital improvement plan. These plans for the future are strategic and measurable; they offer flexibility to adjust to changing conditions but set a strong direction for a city that's “built for business and designed for living”.

I also talked about our plans as the leader in using Class A reclaimed water. Reclaimed water can be used for parks, golf courses, your yard, and by our businesses for manufacturing or other services to customers. We are setting a goal to deliver 6.5 million gallons a day or 2.3 billion annually by 2020.

As part of the State of the City I presented the Mayor’s Legacy Award to Dr. Linda Clark, Superintendent of Joint School District No. 2.

As an individual who has worked in education for over three decades Dr. Clark has created a cost-efficient delivery system that offers individual choice in education. Under her tenure Dr. Clark has seen the Joint School District #2 grow by leaps and bounds not just in the numbers of students but in the caliber of education. This dedication and student-first approach has made the Meridian School District one of the best districts in the state, if not the nation.

Her commitment to young people and their interests and needs is second to none and she has created a legacy that has many of our area Legislators talking about how they can replicate many of the programs this Dr. Clark has inspired and completed.

We all have the opportunity to set the course for our city and leave our legacy for others. You can access the complete text or a video of the State of the City address from the main page of the City’s website. If you want to share your view on the State of our City or know of an individual who is making a difference in Meridian, I want to hear about it. Email me at MayorTammy@meridiancity.org and together we can celebrate Meridian as the premier place to live, work and raise a family.