Barracks may be coming to youth academy

BOISE — The Idaho Youth Challenge Academy in Pierce is one of the potential beneficiaries of Gov. Brad Little’s “Building Idaho’s Future” economic development plan.

Little unveiled the proposal during Monday’s State of the State Address. It includes about $450 million in one-time and ongoing tax relief, as well as about $360 million in recommended infrastructure investments.

The infrastructure aspects of the plan would be funded with some of the record $600 million budget surplus the state anticipates during this current fiscal year.

Budget director Alex Adams, together with several agency directors, discussed portions of the plan with the Legislature’s joint budget committee Thursday. The details include:

Youth Challenge Program — The governor is recommending $7.4 million to replace the temporary dorms at the Pierce facility with permanent barracks.

Maj. General Michael Garshak, Idaho’s adjutant general, said the modular trailers currently being used as dorms will have exceeded their useful life once their lease is up in 2023.

“This permanent barracks will support an increase in student capacity from 150 students up to 180, as well as provide a better quality of life during their 22-week school term,” Garshak said. “Planned enhancements to the counseling, student activities, sleeping and hygiene areas will provide the staff and students with an optimal living and learning environment. Additionally, once construction is complete, the Idaho Military Division will assume ownership of the facility and fund 100 percent of operating and maintenance costs with federal funding.”

The $7.4 million would flow through the Permanent Building Fund, which pays for most of the state’s capital projects.

Gov. Little is recommending a one-time transfer to the fund of $73.5 million. Besides the Youth Challenge barracks, other proposed expenditures include $3 million for the University of Idaho’s agricultural research center in Parma, as well as $700,000 for two UI greenhouses to expand seedling production.

Another $30 million or so would be used to address the state’s deferred maintenance backlog, with about half of that going toward higher education projects.

Department of Water Resources – The governor is proposing $50 million for various water infrastructure projects.

Jeff Raybould with the Idaho Water Resources Board listed a number of priorities for the funding — including planning for the Palouse Basin water supply.

The Grand Ronde and overlying Wanapum aquifers serve as the primary source of drinking water for much of the area, which includes Moscow, Pullman, Colfax and Palouse.

“The aquifer has been declining in the Moscow area, and the city will eventually need to augment its water supply,” Raybould said.

The Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee is evaluating various water supply alternatives, including diverting water from the Snake River and/or North Fork of the Palouse River, building a storage reservoir at Moscow Mountain, “recharging” the underground aquifers by injecting surface water back into them, or some combination of all three.

Once a preferred alternative is identified, the committee will likely seek funding from the Water Resources Board, as well as other agencies.

However, Raybould also noted that several other high-priority projects need state funding. That includes the planned expansion of the Anderson Ranch Reservoir on the South Fork of the Boise River.

“To qualify for federal funding, construction on this project must start by mid-December of this year,” he said. “The preliminary cost estimate is $83.3 million, with $9.2 million from the federal government and a little over $74 million from the state.”

Idaho Transportation Department — Little is proposing a one-time shift of $126 million from the state general fund to the Highway Distribution Account.

ITD Chief Deputy Scott Stokes said $4 million of that would be used for pedestrian and railroad safety projects, while another $4 million would go toward community airport improvements.

The remaining $118 million would be split 60-40 between the state and local highway districts. At the state level, he said, it would accelerate work on various highway and bridge projects. The local dollars would be distributed to cities, counties and local highway districts through a competitive grant process administered by the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council.

Summer reading programs — Little is recommending $20 million for summer reading programs to help students who have lost ground over the past year, because of challenges related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra said the funding would be focused on early learners, “specifically those in kindergarten through the fourth grade.”

“The money would be allocated to districts and charter schools based on the number of students they have who score basic or below basic on the spring Idaho Reading Indicator,” Ybarra said, “and for the lowest performing students on the third grade Idaho Standards Achievement Test.”

She said the funding would help about 40,000 students.

Other notable investments recommended in the “Building Idaho’s Future” plan include $35 million to improve broadband connectivity across the state and a $6.18 million increase in the Department of Environmental Quality’s existing low-interest loan program for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure improvements.

Spence may be contacted at bspence@lmtribune.com or (208)-791-9168.