At the annual State of the City address in Twin Falls Tuesday, city leaders outlined important projects they will tackle in the coming year. Mayor Shawn Barigar, who is also president and CEO of the Twin Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, kicked off the luncheon address to Chamber members and guests.
During the event, council members presented updates and plans for major city initiatives. Councilman Chris Reid emphasized the need for updated fire stations after a bond for new buildings failed in the May elections.
“Our fire stations are aging," he said. "They're old; they don’t meet the needs we have in our community on several different levels.”
Councilwoman Ruth Pierce also told the audience the city is preparing for its designation as a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), which is an urban area with more than 50,000 people. The results of the 2020 census will most likely confirm Twin Falls' status as an MPO.
“And what that means is we’ll need to be focusing on transportation, storm water and public transportation, which is an issue that we’ve been on the precipice of," Pierce said.
Vice-Mayor Nicki Boyd also highlighted plans for a community recreation center in Twin Falls.
Find reporter Rachel Cohen on Twitter @racheld_cohen
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