Panguitch City Council
MINUTES
Panguitch City Office Conference Room
25 South 200 East
Panguitch, Utah 84759
April 14, 2026, 5:30
OPENING CEREMONY
Councilman Mike Sarles led the opening ceremony, conducting the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by an invocation.
ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
The council proceeded with the original agenda as distributed.
Motion: Council Member Cindy Stewart moved to adopt the agenda as presented. Councilman Mike Sarles seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The council reviewed the minutes from the previous meeting with no corrections noted.
Motion: Councilman James Kinsey moved to approve the minutes as presented. Council Member Tracy Wright seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously.
OPEN MEETING TRAINING
City Attorney Barry Huntington conducted the annual Open Meetings Act training, covering the legal requirements for conducting public business transparently. He emphasized that the legislature mandates conducting business in the open so citizens understand what's happening and why.
Key points covered included:
Agenda Requirements: Meetings must have agendas with at least 24 hours' notice and specific topic descriptions
Minutes and Records: Written minutes are required within 30 days, posted on the public notice website
Electronic Meetings: The city has an electronic meeting ordinance allowing remote participation
Emergency Meetings: Can be called with practical notice when circumstances require
Penalties: Non-compliance constitutes a class B misdemeanor, and judges can set aside actions from improperly conducted meetings
Closed Meetings: Mr. Huntington explained that closed meetings can only occur for specific reasons such as discussing personnel matters, pending litigation, security issues, or ethics complaints. A two-thirds vote is required to close a meeting.
Conflict of Interest: Mr. Huntington addressed conflicts of interest, emphasizing that council members must abstain from voting on matters where they have a personal financial interest.
Mr. Huntington cautioned against conducting city business through text messages or emails when multiple council members are involved, as these communications could constitute an improper meeting and are subject to public records requests.
FIREMEN GRANTS - NICK FRANDSEN
This agenda item was tabled as Nick Frandsen was unable to attend due to illness.
ORDINANCE 2026-1 CREATING THE PANGUITCH CITY COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT AGENCY
Stuart Clason appeared electronically to present this ordinance. He explained that creating the agency has no cost or obligation to the city - it simply provides the legal framework and option to potentially use Community Reinvestment Agency (CRA) tools in the future.
Councilman Mike Sarles asked about funding calculations and how the tax increment would be determined. Clason clarified that no financial commitments are being made at this stage. The ordinance only creates the agency under state statute 17C, giving the city the option to designate specific areas and discuss funding later.
The next step would be scheduling a working group meeting in May to discuss aspirations and ideas, not financial specifics. Clason emphasized that this works alongside zoning ordinances to guide development. If the city later chooses to create a project area, the council would transform into the agency board to make those decisions.
Kaden Figgins noted that Clason's services are provided through the county at no cost to the city. Tracy Wright thanked Clason for his patience and transparency throughout the process.
Motion: Tracy Wright moved to pass Ordinance 2026-1, creating the Panguitch City Community Reinvestment Agency. Councilman Cindy Stewart seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
ORDINANCE 2026-2 AMENDING THE PANGUITCH CITY MUNICIPAL CODE
Council members expressed appreciation for Kaden Figgins' extensive work on updating the municipal code throughout the past year. Tracy Wright specifically thanked him for his diligence in reading emails, answering questions, and maintaining transparency during what she described as a challenging but rewarding project.
Motion: Council Member James Kinsey moved, seconded by David Dodds to pass Ordinance 2026-2, amending the Panguitch City Municipal Code. The motion carried unanimously.
BUSINESS LICENSE - FUZION AUTOWORKS, LLC AT 530 N MAIN
The council reviewed the business license application for Fuzion Autoworks, LLC, which will be located at 530 North Main Street.
Motion: Councilmember Cindy Stewart moved to approve the business license for Fuzion Autoworks, LLC at 530 North Main. Councilmember Tracy Wright seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
BUSINESS LICENSE - SUMMER'S KITCHEN, LLC AT 95 N MAIN
The council considered the business license for Summer's Kitchen, LLC at 95 North Main Street, located at 95 N Main.
Motion: Councilmember Tracy Wright moved, seconded by James Kinsey. The motion carried unanimously.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Motion: Council Member David Dodds moved to enter executive session at 5:53 PM for discussion of potential litigation with Mayor Kim Soper, Mat Houston, Tyrissa Howell, Cindy Stewart, Tracy Wright, Mike Sarles, James Kinsey, David Dodds, and Barry Huntington present. Motion was seconded by Tracy Wright and carried unanimously.
Motion: Council Member Mike Sarles moved to exit the executive session at 6:07 PM, seconded by Tracy Wright. The motion passed.
DEPARTMENT REPORTS/CALENDAR
Utah Managers Conference - City Manager Mat Houston will be at the Utah Managers Conference April 20th-22nd.
ULCT - City Manager Mat Houston and Mayor Kim Soper will be attending the Utah League of Cities and Towns conference April 22nd- 24th.
Budget - City Manager Mat Houston and City Treasurer Carla Farnsworth have balanced a preliminary budget.
America250 - There are 30 quilts on display at the County Courthouse. On May 9th, there will be a speaker on the Constitution at the social hall.
Balloon Rally - Homeowners near the vendors have asked if the porta-potties could be moved to another location this year.
Building Maintenance - The City Workers conduct quarterly reviews of all the buildings.
Garfield Memorial Hospital - Select Health Medicare Advantage plans are no longer available to use at the hospital and clinic. It has caused a lot of confusion and difficulty for patients.
Adjournment
Motion: David Dodds moved to adjourn the meeting at 6:30 PM.
Notice of Special Accommodations (ADA)
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION: The City of Panguitch will make efforts to provide reasonable accommodations to disabled members of the public in accessing City programs. Please contact Lori Talbot Panguitch City office at least 24 hours in advance if you have special needs.
Anyone who wishes to offer a prayer or thought in the opening ceremony at City Council is welcome to do so by calling City Manager Lori Talbot at 435-676-8585 to schedule an appointment.
**Items may not be covered in order listed. Panguitch City is an equal opportunity employer.**