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Government Type

Municipality

Entity

Blanding

Public Body

City Council

Notice Information

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Notice Title

City Council Minutes 7.22.25

Notice Type(s)

Meeting

Event Start Date & Time

July 22, 2025 07:00 PM

Description/Agenda

CITY COUNCIL MINUTES Mayor Trevor Olsen (virtual) Mayor Pro Tempore Cheryl Bowers Council Member Chris Ewald (absent for a portion) Council Member Charlie Taylor Council Member Erik Grover (absent) Council Member Kellen Nielson July 22, 2025 - 7pm - City Council Meeting 50 West 100 South Street, Blanding Utah 84511 Meetings live streamed when available at: https://meet.google.com/ymf-jwqo-rjs POLICY MEETING Call to Order Roll Call A prayer was offered by Councilmember Nielson The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all in attendance. Approval: Consent Agenda and Minutes from July 8, 2025 Regular Session Councilmember Taylor made a motion to approve the consent agenda and minutes from July 8, 2025. Councilmember Nielson seconded the motion. Mayor Pro Temp Bowers repeated the motion and asked for discussion or questions. Hearing none, she called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Bowers Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Pro Temp Bowers declared the motion carried. Declaration of Conflicts of Interest - None Public Hearing Councilmember Nielson made a motion to enter a public hearing for R2 zoning ordinance amendments and one/two lot subdivision. Councilmember Taylor seconded the motion. Mayor Pro Temp Bowers repeated the motion and asked for discussion or questions. Hearing none, she called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Bowers Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Pro Temp Bowers declared the motion carried. R-2 Zoning Ordinance Amendments One/Two Lot Subdivision Mr. Herring explained that both of these topics have been discussed in previous meetings, both in the planning and zoning and city council meetings. And now was the time for the public to voice their comments and opinions. There was no public comment for these topics. Councilmember Nielson made a motion to exit the public hearing for R2 zoning ordinance amendments and one/two lot subdivision. Councilmember Taylor seconded the motion. Mayor Pro Temp Bowers repeated the motion and asked for discussion or questions. Hearing none, she called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Bowers Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Pro Temp Bowers declared the motion carried. Public Input Trina Hosler was present at the meeting and wanted to give the council a heads up on a proposed zoning change by JL Hunt properties. This topic will be on the agenda for the next council meeting. She handed out a map of the area in question. The proposal is to rezone it to a mobile home zone. They discussed the size of the lots in the proposal. Trina said that letters have been sent out to neighbors informing them of the proposal. There will be a public hearing and it will be on the agenda as a discussion item for possible action on August 12th. Reports Mayor Mayor Olsen wanted to excuse Councilmember Grover and sends his thoughts and condolences to his family with the passing of Merlin Grover. City Council Councilmember Bowers stated that some one brought up an issue with her and that is the amount of skunks at the fire station. Councilmember Taylor said that there are skunks everywhere. She asked if there is anything that we can do about it. Mr. Herring said that it is on his list of things to address. Councilmember Bowers wanted to clarify that in the discussions on a splash pad that the city council was in agreement to move forward with finding funding. Mr. Herring stated that the majority of the funding was going to come through the San Juan Clean Energy Foundation. Commissioner Stubbs put in a grant application for that funding but was not approved, based on them not knowing where the rest of the funding would come from. Commissioner Stubbs was under the impression that council wasn't on board with the splash pad, but that isn't the case. James Francom - Finance Report/Operational Budget Mr. Herring stated that this report is similar to the amended budget report that the council saw at the last council meeting. No one had any questions on the finance report. Patrick Parsons - City Engineer Report Mr. Parsons said that our reservoirs are at about 67% all together. He stated that we've been utilizing the water out of starvation to keep the 3rd reservoir full. The average accumulation for this time of year is about 21 inches and we are barely above 13. Well B (2) that was broken down was being worked on and the contractor installed a new pump, but it was the wrong size. They are fixing it and replacing it with the correct one. All costs are completely on the contractor. Councilmember Taylor asked about a construction water truck that was getting water from a hydrant. He asked if they could get untreated water elsewhere. Mr. Parsons said that can be looked into, but metering it could pose a challenge. Mr. Parsons stated that our wells are tied into our treatment plant. Mr. Parsons said that every 5 years we are required by the state to update our water conservation plan. It was last done in 2020. He has updated it and submitted it and it has already been approved. It will have to be approved by the city council at the next meeting. Mr. Parsons and Mr. Herring made a plan to catch up on the crack sealing that is desperately needed. The hope is to get it done this year as temperatures cool down. The plan is to do some of it internally and to contract some of it out. They have looked into the costs of equipment as well as seasonal employees to help with this job. Business Items Resolution - 07-22-2025-1 Water Policy Update Blanding City owns and operates a municipal water system to provide essential public services to residential and commercial customers within and outside city limits. Blanding City desires to improve transparency and flexibility in its water billing processes for landlords and property managers, the City Council recognizes that different property types-such as single-family homes versus multi-unit complexes-require distinct approaches for account setup and billing administration. It is in the City's best interest to formally establish two account types-Residential (Existing) and Commercial (Existing) & High-Density (Newly Added)-to improve service and clarity in billing practices. Landlords and property managers will be allowed to choose whether water charges are billed directly to tenants or to the owner/manager's account, as appropriate under each category. If a Landlord or Property Manager chooses the High Density billing option and has a connection to Blanding City Sewer, they must also use the High Density billing method for sewer. Councilmember Nielson made a motion to approve Resolution 07-22-2025-1, accepting the water policy update. Councilmember Taylor seconded the motion. Mayor Pro Temp Bowers repeated the motion and asked for discussion or questions. Hearing none, she called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Bowers Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Pro Temp Bowers declared the motion carried. Resolution - 07-22-2025-2 Sewer Policy Update Blanding City owns and operates a municipal sewer system to provide essential public services to residential and commercial customers within and outside city limits. Blanding City desires to improve transparency and flexibility in its sewer billing processes for landlords and property managers, the City Council recognizes that different property types-such as single-family homes versus multi-unit complexes-require distinct approaches for account setup and billing administration. It is in the City's best interest to formally establish two account types-Residential (Existing) and Commercial (Existing) & High-Density (Newly Added)-to improve service and clarity in billing practices. Landlords and property managers will be allowed to choose whether sewer charges are billed directly to tenants or to the owner/manager's account, as appropriate under each category. If a Landlord or Property Manager chooses the High Density billing option and has a connection to Blanding City Water, they must also use the High Density billing method for water. Councilmember Taylor made a motion to approve Resolution 07-22-2025-2, accepting the sewer policy update. Councilmember Nielson seconded the motion. Mayor Pro Temp Bowers repeated the motion and asked for discussion or questions. Hearing none, she called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Bowers Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Pro Temp Bowers declared the motion carried. Resolution - 07-22-2025-3 Contract for Effluent Sewer Lagoon Discharge Blanding City owns and operates a wastewater lagoon system which discharges treated effluent in accordance with state and federal environmental regulations. JM Grover Enterprise, along with Erik M. Grover, Janalee B. Grover, Boyd J. Grover, and Jeana Grover, residents of Blanding, San Juan County, Utah (collectively 'Grover Parties'), desire to use the treated effluent water discharged from the lagoon for irrigation purposes. The proposed reuse of lagoon effluent for irrigation has mutual benefits, including water conservation, responsible reuse of treated wastewater, and support for local agricultural activities. The terms and conditions governing this reuse are outlined in the contract, which has been reviewed and found acceptable by City administration and legal counsel. The City Council finds that entering into this agreement is in the best interest of Blanding City and its residents. Councilmember Taylor made a motion to approve Resolution 07-22-2025-3, accepting the contract for effluent sewer lagoon discharge with JM Grover Enterprises. Councilmember Nielson seconded the motion. Mayor Pro Temp Bowers repeated the motion and asked for discussion or questions. Hearing none, she called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Bowers Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Pro Temp Bowers declared the motion carried. Ordinance - 2025-17 R-2 Zoning Ordinance Amendment Approval Blanding City, through its duly elected City Council, has the authority to establish and amend land use and zoning regulations for the purpose of promoting orderly development and protecting the health, safety, and welfare of its residents. The Planning and Zoning Commission of Blanding City has reviewed proposed amendments to the R-2 Zoning District regulations and held multiple discussions and public meetings to evaluate the proposed changes. The Blanding City Council has likewise reviewed, discussed, and provided input on the proposed amendments in coordination with the Planning and Zoning Commission, resulting in multiple revisions and refinements to the final version. The intent of the amendments is to better clarify, update, and improve zoning practices within the R-2 zone in a manner that is consistent with the City's General Plan and community goals. A final draft of the proposed R-2 zoning amendments, as recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission and accepted by the City Council has been compiled. The Blanding City Council finds the proposed amendments to be in the public interest and beneficial for responsible development within Blanding City. City Council expressed their appreciation to the planning and zoning commission and Ben Muhlestein for their hard work on this. Councilmember Nielson made a motion to adopt Ordinance 2025-17 accepting the zoning ordinance amendment. Councilmember Taylor seconded the motion. Mayor Pro Temp Bowers repeated the motion and asked for discussion or questions. Hearing none, she called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Bowers Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Pro Temp Bowers declared the motion carried. Ordinance - 2025-18 One/Two Lot Subdivision Ordinance Approval Blanding City has the authority to regulate the subdivision of land within its jurisdiction to promote orderly growth, protect public health and safety, and ensure compliance with applicable land use regulations. The Blanding City Council recognizes that certain minor subdivisions involving only one or two lots have minimal impact on infrastructure, services, and land use patterns, and therefore warrant a simplified review and approval process. The Blanding City Planning and Zoning Commission serves as the designated Land Use Authority for purposes of subdivision review and approval under the City's Land Use Ordinance. The proposed ordinance, attached hereto as Exhibit A, establishes procedures allowing the Land Use Authority to approve one-lot and two-lot subdivisions, while ensuring consistency with city codes and development standards. This amendment is intended to reduce administrative burden, increase efficiency for residents, and encourage appropriate land development while maintaining necessary oversight. The revised ordinance includes language establishing this streamlined process. They discussed the size of lots that this will pertain to as well as what zones. They also discussed the changes that have been talked about for the R1 zone. Councilmember Taylor made a motion to approve Ordinance 2025-18 accepting the one/two lot subdivision ordinance. Councilmember Nielson seconded the motion. Mayor Pro Temp Bowers repeated the motion and asked for discussion or questions. Hearing none, she called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Bowers Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Pro Temp Bowers declared the motion carried. Discussion Items Citizen Academy Trooper Brian Robinson was present at the meeting. This is his second year putting together the law enforcement citizen's academy. He wants to make it available to Blanding. Over the course of 4 weeks/1 night a week, they put on police based training for local leadership. The goal is to forge a relationship between law enforcement and leadership. Each law enforcement agency in the area is sponsoring a night and creating several different scenarios for the leadership to take part in. The school administrators and county commissioners will also be invited to participate. He asks that participants come in with a positive attitude and be engaged. Councilmember Taylor wants to highly encourage this academy. Mr. Herring will send the dates and locations to the council via email. White Mesa Ute Water Line Discussion Update Mr. Herring stated that they had another meeting with the Ute tribe and he stated that they were very blunt in what our expectations were. They discussed both the culinary water going to White Mesa and the sewer water going up to our sewer ponds. He said that we made it clear that we are not interested in pumping sewer water uphill 10 plus miles. They were understanding of that. They talked about water rights and the barriers that could come up. They talked about another well and a treatment plan. Mr. Herring stated that this would be years in the making. It was asked if they are still willing to foot the entire bill for the project. Mr. Herring stated that we will still have to have discussions about that . Fuels System Project Approved Mr. Herring stated that this is for the airport. This project was started in 2022. Right now the fuel system is a slow pumping, out of date, single phase system. The original amount that was approved for the project was $90,000, but it never got completed so it was resubmitted and was approved for $141,639. We budgeted for $67,377 & will now only require $15,738. The system will be upgraded to a three phase system which will be much more efficient. Current Blanding City Education Policy The city's current education policy was provided in the packet for the city council to see. Mr. Herring stated that one thing it doesn't have now is a required pay back if we are putting forth money for people's education. He is requesting to add that. He stated that we have implemented it in some cases already with some city employees and getting it in the policy would give us a reference on how to do it. He included some thoughts and ideas on why we should and how we can implement something like that. Several council members expressed that this is a good idea and makes sense. If the city is going to fund the education then we need to know that the employee is going to be there for a certain amount of time. Thank you to our Firefighters Monticello Fire Department for their help with the Westwater Fire Jonathan Nielson, Mike Francom, Fritz Pipkin, Shane Christensen, Ben Sanchez Blanding Firefighters for all they do for our community Fielding Adams, Byron Clarke, Gabe Clarke, Nathan Edwards, Sydnee Edwards, Dustin Felstead, Chance Hancock, Chas Jacobsen, James Laws, Ryan McArthur, Chance Mitchell, Michael O'Donnell, Hannah B Parker, Thaddaeus Smith, Chief Corey Spillman, Kolemen Spillman, Jacob Walker, Corey Workman. We are fortunate to have several wild land certified firefighters. La sal - Deer Creek Fire Closed Session Councilmember Ewald made a motion to go into closed session to discuss personnel. Councilmember Nielson seconded the motion. Mayor Pro Temp Bowers repeated the motion. She asked for discussion or questions. Hearing none, she called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Ewald Councilmember Bowers Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Pro Temp Bowers declared the motion carried. Adjournment Councilmember Nielson made a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Taylor seconded the motion. Mayor Pro Temp Bowers repeated the motion. She asked for discussion or questions. Hearing none, she called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Bowers Councilmember Ewald Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Pro Temp Bowers declared the motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 8:43pm.

Notice of Special Accommodations (ADA)

In compliance with the ADA, individuals needing special accommodations during this meeting may call the City Offices at (435) 678-2791 at least twenty-four hours in advance. Every effort will be made to provide the appropriate services.

Notice of Electronic or Telephone Participation

One or more Council Members may partcipate electronically.

Meeting Information

Meeting Location

50 W 100 S
Blanding, UT 84511
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Contact Name

Pratt Redd

Contact Email

predd@blanding-ut.gov

Notice Posting Details

Notice Posted On

August 15, 2025 08:47 AM

Notice Last Edited On

August 15, 2025 08:47 AM

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