Town Council Meeting
March 10, 2026 Meeting minutes
The Elwood Town Council met at the Elwood Town Hall, 5235 West 8800 North, Elwood, Utah, at 7:00, Nov 12, 2025. The following members were present consisting of a quorum.
Scott Goodliffe Mayor Mark Lay Councilmember
Brian Davis Councilmember Phil Shimek Councilmember
Staff present at this meeting
Gina Marble Town Clerk
Steve Woerner Public Works
Others present at this meeting
John Weidman Lori Woerner Greg Iverson Lynae Winkler
Sherri Pali Eli Pali EJ & Marlie Pali Taylor Thompson
Rue Rasmussen Curtis Crouch Joan Whitaker Brandon Ralph
Britton Hayden Keenan Haromoto
Welcome
Mayor Goodliffe opened the meeting at 7:00 PM. Phil Shimek led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Mayor Goodliffe offered the opening prayer.
Administration
Approve the Minutes for Feb 10, 2026, Town Council Meeting
Motion by Councilmember Shimek, seconded by Councilmember Lay to approve the February 10, 2026 Town Council meeting minutes. Motion Passed unanimously.
Appointing New Councilmember
Five candidates applied for the vacant council seat: Kennan Haramoto, Curtis Crouch, Rue Rasmussen, Sherry Pali, and Zach Pali (participating remotely). Each candidate presented their qualifications and answered questions from council members regarding their experience, motivations for serving, and approaches to controversial issues and code enforcement.
Councilmember Shimek initially nominated Curtis Crouch, but the motion died for lack of a second. After additional discussion about the difficulty of choosing among qualified candidates, Councilmember Shimek re-nominated Curtis Crouch, and Councilmember Lay seconded the motion.
Motion by Councilmember Shimek, seconded by Councilmember Lay to appoint Curtis Crouch to fill the vacant council seat. Motion Passed with three votes in favor.
Swearing In New Councilmember
Recorder Gina Marble administered the oath of office to Curtis Crouch, who was officially sworn in as a councilmember.
Highland Ditch Agreement
John Weidman from the Highland Ditch Company presented a revised agreement for emergency flood drainage use. The Highland Ditch board accepted the town's $4,500 payment but added new conditions, including: the town must remove debris from the ditch before use, acknowledgment that this is not a permanent solution, prohibition on residents pumping water into the ditch during flooding, and notification that future compensation amounts may be higher.
Weidman also explained that the ditch company may convert to a pressurized pipe system, which would eliminate the town's ability to use it for flood drainage. Mayor Goodliffe expressed concerns about the restriction on pumping into the ditch and recommended tabling the item for further review.
Motion by Councilmember Shimek, seconded by Councilmember Crouch, to table the Highland Ditch Agreement. Motion Passed unanimously.
Resolution 2026-004 Fee Schedule
Mayor Goodliffe presented an addition to the fee schedule for unauthorized or illegal water system connections, proposing a penalty of $500 or $100 per day, whichever is greater.
Motion by Councilmember Lay, seconded by Councilmember Crouch to adopt Resolution 2026-004 with the fee schedule additions. Motion Passed unanimously.
Resolution 2026-005 Chapter 30.05 Meeting And Procedures Ordinance
Mayor Goodliffe explained that the Planning Commission recommended strengthening submission deadlines for agenda items. The resolution requires materials to be submitted 13 calendar days before Planning Commission meetings, with the chair having discretion to reduce this to 6 calendar days for non-complex items.
Motion by Councilmember Shimek, seconded by Councilmember Lay to adopt Resolution 2026-005. Motion Passed unanimously.
Planning Commission Report
Councilmember Crouch reported that the Planning Commission approved amendments to Chapter 30, discussed a citywide rezone based on current land use, and addressed issues with lot sizes in previous subdivisions that incorrectly included roadways.
Sheriff's Department Report
No report provided.
Water
Public Works Director Steve Woerner reported that the secondary water project was advertised for bid, with 12 contractors picking up bid packets. Bids are due Thursday afternoon, and a special meeting may be called to approve the winning bid before the next regular meeting.
Sewer
No items discussed.
Parks And Recreation Etc.
Councilmember Crouch was assigned oversight of parks, cemetery, and July 4th celebration.
Roads
Public Works Director Steve Woerner reported that bridge construction has begun, with two bridges currently removed. The contractor is installing piles and will coordinate timing to avoid having all three bridges closed simultaneously.
Emergency Preparedness
No items discussed.
Other
Public Works Director Steve Woerner suggested a field trip for new council members to view drainage systems and infrastructure around town to address misinformation about tile lines and developer requirements.
Adjournment
Councilmember Lay made a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Shimek seconded the motion, and the remaining council members agreed. The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
The undersigned, duly acting and appointed clerk for Elwood Town Corporation, hereby certifies that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the Town Council meeting minutes held on the 10th day of March 2026. Dated this the 7th day of April 2026.
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Gina R Marble, Elwood Town Clerk