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Municipality

Entity

Blanding

Public Body

City Council

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Notice Title

City Council Minutes 11.18.2025

Notice Type(s)

Meeting

Event Start Date & Time

November 18, 2025 07:00 PM

Description/Agenda

CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA Mayor Trevor Olsen Mayor Pro Tempore Cheryl Bowers Council Member Chris Ewald Council Member Charlie Taylor Council Member Erik Grover(virtual) Council Member Kellen Nielson November 18, 2025 - 6:00 pm - Work Session November 18, 2025 - 7pm City Council Meeting 50 West 100 South Street, | Blanding Utah Meetings live streamed when available at: https://meet.google.com/uwr-qran-yis Work Session Cloud Seeding Discussion with Rainmaker Jared Smith, Regional Director of Operations with Rain Maker Technology Corporation, the primary cloud seeding contractor for the state of Utah. Jared explained that cloud seeding is a tool for water management, noting that the atmosphere holds three times more water than the total annual demand. He explained that cloud seeding involves introducing a mineral, silver iodine, with a similar structure to an ice crystal to induce precipitation in clouds that are below freezing but contain liquid water. Jared reported that cloud seeding has been shown to be effective, capable of increasing annual precipitation by up to 20% over an area. He assured the council of the safety studies. They also addressed the challenge of proving its effectiveness historically, which required five to ten years of data comparison between two areas. Jared clarified that cloud seeding does not 'steal' rain from downstream areas, as clouds evaporate and reform. The historical challenges of cloud seeding include the dangers of flying manned aircraft into freezing clouds and the difficulty of ground generators in areas with small mountains, making it hard to target. Grand Water has agreed to cover $50,000, targeting the La Sal Mountains. Pratt Redd stated that Lori is hoping the city will fund $5,000 and Monticello will fund $5,000, with the county funding the remaining $15,000 for a 50/50 split of operations between La Sal and Blue Mountains. Jared stated that the best time for rainmaking is November 1st to April 30th, the winter season, depending on storm availability and conditions. Jared confirmed that the contract is currently a one-year deal with the state. Economic Development Plan Review with GOEO (Remotely) August Granath, who led the effort as a free service from the governor's office of economic opportunity, presented the blueprint to the council. The report synthesizes economic data, a SWOT analysis, an ideal vision for the future economy, and a new set of goals, strategies, and projects. The strengths of Blanding include its small-town quality of life, key economic anchors in education, healthcare, and mining, city-owned utilities, and aligned city leadership. Weaknesses identified are a remote location, a critical housing shortage, constraints on available private land, and workforce/business recruitment/retention gaps. Opportunities include Energy Fuels' expansion, strategic planning/zoning revisions, targeted recreation development, and leveraging the Utah Inland Port Authority Ancient Sky Project. Threats include water constraints, resistance to change, uncertainty regarding federal public land, high costs for private development, and 'planning fatigue'. The ideal future economy for Blanding focuses on slow and steady strategic growth to preserve the small-town atmosphere. It aims for a balanced economy with a strong industrial base and a vibrant Main Street with more amenities. The blueprint outlines five goals, starting with diversifying the local economy and supporting existing businesses. Goal number two is workforce development, which involves promoting educational and occupational opportunities.Goal number three focuses on maintaining and improving necessary infrastructure for economic development. Goal number four aims to improve quality of life by promoting community events, recreational opportunities, and visitor services. Finally, Goal number five is to implement the economic blueprint by creating an implementation committee, assigning specific staff responsibilities, and allocating sufficient funding. Council members raised concerns about funding the numerous initiatives and the capacity of the small city staff to implement the plan. August explained that the blueprint helps communities access resources like the $200,000 annual Rural County Grant and the competitive Rural Communities Opportunity Grant of up to $600,000. Deborah confirmed that they would assist with grant applications, including the competitive grant next year once the current project closes. POLICY MEETING Call to Order Roll Call A Prayer was offered by Chris Ewald The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all in attendance. Consent Agenda & October 28th City Council Minutes Approval Councilmember Ewald made a motion to approve the consent agenda and minutes from October 28, 2025. Councilmember Nielson seconded the motion. Mayor Olsen repeated the motion and asked for discussion or questions. Hearing none, he called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Grover Councilmember Ewald Councilmember Bowers Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Olsen declared the motion carried. Declaration of Conflicts of Interest - None Public Hearing - Annexation Councilmember Bowers made a motion to enter a public hearing for Steve Francom's annexation request. Councilmember Taylor seconded the motion. Mayor Olsen repeated the motion and asked for discussion or questions. Hearing none, he called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Grover Councilmember Ewald Councilmember Bowers Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Olsen declared the motion carried. Anyone wishing to address the Council regarding Steve Francom's annexation request is invited to do so. This public hearing is an opportunity for the public to bring information to the Council specific to this topic. Clarifying questions may be asked by the Council, but it is not an appropriate time for substantive discussion. The property is located at 1052 S 300 W Blanding Utah. There was no one from the public to comment in the public hearing. Councilmember Ewald made a motion to exit the public hearing. Councilmember Nielson seconded the motion. Mayor Olsen repeated the motion and asked for discussion or questions. Hearing none, he called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Grover Councilmember Ewald Councilmember Bowers Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Olsen declared the motion carried. Public Input None Reports Mayor Mayor Olsen wanted to thank all the appropriate people, former Mayor Monson and former city manager Trent Herring, for the beautiful Christmas lights and decorations on main street. He commended the city staff that got it all put up. He said that there have been many compliments so far. City Council Councilmember Ewald said that they had an airport advisory meeting yesterday, which discussed putting up signs at the airport and updating the flight directory to deter pilots from flying over town and to encourage them to do engine runups at the end of the runway to reduce noise complaints. Taylor Francom is the city employee representative for the airport and it was mentioned that the ongoing wildlife/deer fence is almost completed. City Manager Report - Pratt Redd Mr. Redd gave an update on the court report, with a total of 35 cases in October. They announced that new police officers Coleman Spillman and Weston Laws would begin training soon and are expected to be ready for duty by February. Mr. Redd thanked Chief Bradford and the existing staff for covering the workload, noting that the city was able to use salary savings from the vacant positions to cover overtime. Other project updates included the Recapture boat ramp paperwork being returned to the BLM, ongoing work with Jones and the mill to finalize a system design for the pipeline, and the foundation and footers for the water treatment plant moving along. Mr. Redd had data that was provided by Javen Ivins with Jones and DeMille on increasing water capacity by raising the spillway at the recapture reservoir, noting a potential increase according to the rise in height of the spillway. With a 2.5 foot rise, there is potential to hold an additional 811 acre feet. Javen stated that it would have to be approved with dam safety to see how much they can raise the spillway. Council Member Erik Grover supported going to the maximum height allowed. Discussion also covered checking with the Division of Wildlife and the BLM for necessary approvals and the potential for dredging the reservoir to increase capacity. The Veterans Memorial is still a few weeks from completion, and the city plans to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony. It is looking really nice and Tony Wojcik has done great work on it. Mr. Redd provided an update on the election audit process, confirming the audit passed. Council members expressed concern over the delayed election results, with Council Member Taylor suggesting the city investigate the cost of running their own city elections, similar to Roosevelt City, and asking the county to ensure faster counting or bringing on extra staff for future elections. Mr. Redd also noted that a public hearing for the Community Development Block Grant is planned for the December 9th work session, with the current intent for the grant being fire department equipment. The contamination issue at the truck stop pit is still being addressed by the State and Geotech, requiring additional soil removal. A mandatory training for both ongoing and new city council members is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, December 13th, which will also serve as a work session to discuss expectations and plans for 2026. Finance Report - James Francom Mr. Francom provided the operational budget and the expense report, noting no significant highlights and addressing a question regarding Emery Telcom bills being broken out separately for different services. They discussed the flowage fees from the FBO at the airport, confirming the city receives $2,000-$3,000 quarterly. Community Development Reports - Ben Muhlestein Business: All business licensing has been moved to City Inspect. There has been some pain in that transition, but we have resolved several issues and it should be a smooth process once this first round of renewals go through. Events: July 4th: We are working on a few new things for next year. Otherwise, nothing to report. Fall Festival: The Fall Festival was a great success with higher attendance than other years. We were blown away a bit early, but other than that all planned events were able to take place. Bears Ears Marathon: The marathon happened on November 8th. Attendance was similar to last year and similarly we have had great feedback. We already have several runners that are planning on coming back next year. We did lose some runners due to flights that were canceled, but we expect to see them run next year. Community Development: This is a busy time for the Planning Commission and staff. - The Planning Commission reviewed R-1 changes in their meeting last week and submitted them back to the City Council. - The Planning Commission has reviewed and approved a water wise ordinance for the City Council to review. - The Planning Commission also began their review of the Mobile Home Zone. Water, Engineering & Public Works Reports - Patrick Parsons Mr. Parsons reported that the snotell graph is showing good accumulation, with over eight inches of rain accumulation as of the report date. Pipeline flow data showed a significant increase in water received in October compared to September, demonstrating the impact of a recent storm. The water sold to Energy Fuels is currently at 244.7 acre-feet, nearing the 250 acre-feet per year agreement. Crack seal projects are still ongoing. The east side of town is mostly complete. They will move to the west side of town once things dry out a bit, with city crews assisting After the streets are done, they will look into doing some parking lots. Councilmember Taylor asked about the intersection near dirty pop. Mr. Parsons stated that he has talked with some people from UDOT and the short answer is that they are still looking into it. Mr. Parsons and Mr. Redd agreed to follow up with the business owners regarding the possible changes of that intersection and get their input and feedback. The project to run the gas line to the energy fuels mill is ongoing, with the path determined, and the focus is on due diligence to connect as many residents as possible along the route. Discussion Items Tammie Barton - Frontage Road Tammie and Tad Barton were present and spoke about their driveway that they have leading up to and in front of their house. Mr. Redd presented a legal description of the property in question. It was never determined if that land is a right-of-way or an easement, but it was determined that those terms are essentially synonymous with each other. Tammie stated that they bought the land from Kay Lyman in 1990. They bought two lots and built their house on the lot furthest from the road on purpose. They have maintained the road for 34 years, they have bought all the gravel, done snow removal and done the grading on it. The Bartons are requesting the land be deeded to them, suggesting it could enhance property access and safety for children who ride their off road vehicle in the area. They also stated they would collaborate with neighbors to do what is best for all involved. The council expressed concern of deeding the land to the Bartons noting the need for a future road to accommodate city growth and improve traffic flow, while also addressing existing city utilities that run through that area. They talked about the potential of extending a road all the way to Blue Mt. Road, which would go through other land owners property. R-1 Zoning Amendment The council discussed the R1 zoning amendments, which include adding and removing code provisions, notably concerning temporary conditional uses. Council Member Taylor had previously requested looking into a fee schedule for temporary trailer placement on property for up to 12 months with a maximum of 24 months, but the Planning and Zoning Commission did not want to include this option, citing that it had been used only once in the last 35 years. Mr. Redd suggested that if the council wants to include the option in the future, they have language built out. Which includes a proposed $3,500 permit fee for the first year and an additional $10,000 after 12 months, the second year fee being so high so as to encourage building to move in a timely fashion. They discussed how it would be policed. A question was raised regarding R1 amendments making it easier to split property by shrinking the required square footage. However, the difficulty in splitting larger lots remains, as dividing lots larger than an acre makes it a major subdivision, which is a more difficult process. Ben clarified that this ordinance primarily allows for smaller R1 lot sizes and does not address the subdivision process, which is on a list of future work. Downtown Revitalization Plan Review Mr. Redd introduced the Downtown Revitalization Plan review, which is part of a grant and needs to be finalized to secure grant funds. The 94-page document offers recommendations, some of which affect private property, though passing the plan does not immediately require change, but makes non-conforming properties subject to change if needed in the future. Mr. Redd used Vernal's experience with a similar plan to demonstrate that the intent is for a 10-year plan focusing on improving the downtown to create an inviting community for the 4,000 local residents. The plan is not expected to be adopted immediately, with the idea of a work session in December to capture ideas from the outgoing and incoming council members, followed by a potential adoption in January. Mr. Redd emphasized that the plan contains many suggestions, and the council can select the most feasible ideas to build upon, rather than adopting everything. Council Member Bowers agreed that the incoming council should have the opportunity to review and vote on the plan. Returning Business Items 11-18-2025-1 Resolution Approving the 2025 General Election Canvass WHEREAS, Blanding City held its Municipal General Election on November 4, 2025, in accordance with Utah State Code; and WHEREAS, San Juan County conducted the election, processed all ballots, held ballot audit and provided a complete canvass report to Blanding City on November 17, 2025; and WHEREAS, all ballots-including provisional ballots, verified mail ballots, cured ballots, and valid in-person ballots-were reviewed, counted, and included in the official canvass totals; and WHEREAS, the Blanding City Council, acting as the Board of Municipal Canvassers under Utah Code §20A-4-301, has examined the results and finds them to be accurate and in compliance with state law; SECTION 1: MAYORAL RESULTS The following reflects the official, final canvassed vote totals for Mayor (Vote for 1): - Trevor Spens Olsen - 643 votes SECTION 2: CITY COUNCIL RESULTS The following reflects the official, final canvassed vote totals for City Council (Vote for 2): - Chad Moses - 411 votes - Jesse Glen Grover - 354 votes - Bret Allen Hosler - 318 votes - Erik Merlin Grover - 312 votes Based on these totals, the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes, Chad Moses and Jesse Glen Grover, are hereby declared elected to the Blanding City Council for four-year terms. Councilmember Bowers made a motion to approve Resolution 11-18-2025-1 approving the 2025 general election canvass. Councilmember Nielson seconded the motion. Mayor Olsen repeated the motion and asked for discussion or questions. Hearing none, he called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Grover Councilmember Ewald Councilmember Bowers Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Olsen declared the motion carried. 11-18-2025-2 Resolution Approving the Contract Award for the 4th Reservoir Trail Project WHEREAS, Blanding City is undertaking the construction of a new public walking trail around the Blanding 4th Reservoir to enhance outdoor recreation opportunities, improve community amenities, and support long-term recreational development; and WHEREAS, Blanding City issued a public request for bids for the 4th Reservoir Trail Project, held a pre-bid meeting, and received qualified proposals from seven contractors; and WHEREAS, Jones & DeMille Engineering (JDE), serving as the City's project manager, has reviewed all bids and contractor qualifications for substantial compliance with the bidding documents; and WHEREAS, JDE has provided a written recommendation stating that Phillips & Co. Construction submitted a bid in substantial compliance with the project requirements and is the recommended contractor based on price, qualifications, scope understanding, and overall responsiveness; and WHEREAS, the bidding documents provide contractors until November 19, 2025, to submit final qualifications and required documentation, and JDE shall make a final determination of contractor eligibility based on any additional information received; and WHEREAS, in the event that additional information submitted after November 18, 2025, renders Phillips & Co. Construction non-compliant or unsatisfactory in the opinion of JDE, the contract shall instead be awarded to Beh Brothers Construction of Monticello as the next qualified and responsive bidder; and WHEREAS, this project is funded in part through the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation grant program, whose support makes this community project possible and is hereby acknowledged with appreciation; and WHEREAS, the Blanding City Council finds that approval of this contract award is in the best interest of Blanding City and its residents. Councilmember Bowers made a motion to approve Resolution 11-18-2025-2 supporting the America250 Utah Commission. Councilmember Ewald seconded the motion. Mayor Olsen repeated the motion and asked for discussion or questions. Hearing none, he called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Grover Councilmember Ewald Councilmember Bowers Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Olsen declared the motion carried. Ordinance 2025-27 - R1 Zoning Ordinance Amendment Approval WHEREAS, the Blanding City Planning Commission has conducted a thorough review of the R-1 Residential District ('R-1 Zone') provisions of the Blanding City Code; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has identified the need to clarify, modernize, and align the R-1 Zone standards with current housing trends, property development practices, and public safety considerations; and WHEREAS, after duly noticed meetings and public input, the Planning Commission has recommended approval of the proposed amendments to the R-1 Zone as presented document titled 'R-1 Code Adjustments'; and WHEREAS, the Blanding City Council finds it in the best interest of the City to adopt these recommended updates to promote consistency, encourage quality residential development, and ensure clarity in the application of zoning regulations. Councilmember Ewald made a motion to approve Ordinance 2025-27 approving the R1 zoning ordinance amendment. Councilmember Nielson seconded the motion. Mayor Olsen repeated the motion and asked for discussion or questions. Hearing none, he called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Grover Councilmember Ewald Councilmember Bowers Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Olsen declared the motion carried. Ordinance 2025-28 - B3 Rezoning Ordinance WHEREAS, Blanding City has adopted zoning regulations and an official zoning map in accordance with Title 10 of the Blanding City Code for the purpose of promoting sound and desirable development and maintaining a stable community; and WHEREAS, an application for a zoning map amendment was submitted by Kendall Laws & B3 Housing Development, for 600 S Main St. / B36220341230, B36220341804, seeking a change in zoning classification from Commercial to R2; and WHEREAS, the application included all required materials under Blanding City Code §10.3.4, including: A description and map of the area to be rezoned, A statement of the legal basis for such an amendment, and All required supporting documents; and Complete required public hearings WHEREAS, the Community Development Director has assembled the application and distributed it to the Planning Commission and other affected agencies in accordance with City Code; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission reviewed the application, received staff input, and forwarded its recommendation to the City Council; and WHEREAS, the Blanding City Council held a duly noticed public hearing, as required by law, at which all interested parties had an opportunity to be heard; and WHEREAS, the property owner has voluntarily requested that, should the proposed project not be started or completed, the zoning designation for the property revert back to its current Commercial zoning classification, as a good-faith measure to address public concerns and ensure long-term land-use consistency. Councilmember Ewald made a motion to approve Ordinance 2025-28 accepting the B3 rezoning request. Councilmember Bowers seconded the motion. Mayor Olsen repeated the motion and asked for discussion or questions. Hearing none, he called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Grover Councilmember Ewald Councilmember Bowers Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Olsen declared the motion carried. Closed Session Councilmember Nielson made a motion to go into closed session to discuss personnel. Councilmember Ewald seconded the motion. Mayor Olsen repeated the motion. He asked for discussion or questions. Hearing none, he called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Grover Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Ewald Councilmember Bowers Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Olsen declared the motion carried. Adjournment Councilmember Grover made a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Nielson seconded the motion. Mayor Olsen repeated the motion and asked for discussion or questions, hearing none, he called for a vote. Those voting aye: Councilmember Taylor Councilmember Grover Councilmember Nielson Councilmember Ewald Councilmember Bowers Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Olsen declared the motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 8:28pm.

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

December 16, 2025 11:10 AM

Notice Last Edited On

December 16, 2025 11:10 AM

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