General Information

Government Type

Municipality

Entity

Blanding

Public Body

City Council

Notice Information

Add Notice to Calendar

Notice Title

4.28.26 City Council Minutes

Notice Type(s)

Meeting

Event Start Date & Time

April 28, 2026 07:00 PM

Description/Agenda

CITY COUNCIL MINUTES Mayor Trevor Olsen Mayor Pro-Tempore Charlie Taylor Council Member Chris Ewald Council Member Kellen Nielson Council Member Chad Moses (virtual) Council Member Jesse Grover April 28, 2026 7:00 PM City Council Meeting 50 West 100 South Street, Blanding Utah 84511 Meetings live streamed when available at: https://meet.google.com/xxg-uefm-yut POLICY MEETING Call to Order Roll Call A prayer was offered by Councilmember Nielson The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all in attendance. Consent Agenda & City Council Minutes Approval - 04.14.2026 Meeting Councilmember Nielson made a motion to approve the consent agenda and minutes from April 14, 2026. Councilmember Grover 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 Moses Those voting nay: None Constituting all members thereof, Mayor Olsen declared the motion carried. Declaration of Conflicts of Interest - None Public Input - None Reports Mayor The mayor read a special proclamation to recognize the life and legacy of Maggie Johnson Lyman, who was the first known Utah woman to visit Rainbow Bridge and sign the visitor log on July 13th, 1924, at 13 years old. The proclamation also recognized her as part of the first group to visit all three bridges of Natural Bridges National Monument and Rainbow Bridge in a single trip, and the City of Blanding declared July 13th as Maggie Johnson Lyman Day. City Council None City Manager Report - Pratt Redd Mr. Redd gave the city manager report, noting that he, Kefir, and James finished day one of a natural gas audit with the state. They believe the audit went well, and while they are not out of compliance, they will implement better processes for tracking. They will receive the full report in the next month or so. Mr. Redd reported that the recreation tax (ZAP or RAP tax), which funds the wellness center, has expired. They plan to set up a resolution in the next month to continue the tax. Interviews for the Public Works and Utility director will begin on Thursday and continue into Friday. Pratt, James and Preston will be facilitating those interviews and Keifer will be pulled into the interviews as the application pool is refined. Mr. Redd is hoping to have a recommendation for that position in the next week or two. Monthly Water Report - Trevor Palmer The monthly water report indicated a snowpack that has not changed much, still at zero, but precipitation is at 105% of normal. The third reservoir is full due to water pumped from recapture. A substantial walk-through of the new well and treatment plant is scheduled for May 7th at 8:00 AM. The hope is to pump that well this summer, as well as Well A. B&C for the treatment plant will proceed once electrical engineers return the plans to the contractors. Monthly Airport & Building Report - Pratt Redd in lieu of Taylor Francom New permits issued 3 Permits 1 Repair 2 Single Family Dwellings Inspections Completed 23 Inspections completed 18 Residential 5 Commercial Notes: Active issued permits- 18 A discussion took place regarding the new school construction project, specifically addressing a retention pond and fencing that may not meet the 30-foot setback code and is causing visibility issues at the intersection. The council expressed concern about setting a precedent by allowing the school to deviate from code. Mr. Redd stated that he would have Taylor inform the builders that changes are needed to achieve compliance, potentially affecting the certificate of occupancy. The safety concern is due to cars pulling into the intersection to see due to the limited visibility. It is the city's responsibility to enforce and uphold the codes. Quarterly Fire Report - Corey Spillman Blanding Fire Department had 14 total Callouts 3- Fire alarm activation / False call 2- Wildland Brush Fire 1- Mutual Aid Given Aneth Structure Fire 1- Electrical / powerline down 1- Carbon monoxide/ gas leaks / Smell of smoke 1- Vehicle Fire- Tractor trailer fire 4- Medical Assist's ( lift assist / CPR Assist) 1- Structure Fire, Attic Fire 7- Training totaling 9 hours. The college is in the process of redoing its entire fire alarm system. We sent 3 people down to St George to Winter Fire School. We are in the process of ordering the Fireworks for this year's 4th of July Celebration. We are starting the process of getting all the required annual fireworks testing done with members of the Fire Department. The department was awarded a $10,000 Wildland grant from the Utah Fire Department Assistance Program for purchasing equipment to outfit a wildland truck Events & Upcoming Initiatives - Youth City Council The Youth City Council reported they are providing a scholarship for seniors at the high school with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The submission requires a 500-word essay detailing contributions to the community. Last year they awarded 7 $500 scholarships. They talked about the potential of rescheduling the previously cancelled pickleball tournament as a means for fundraising. Discussion Items FY27 Budget Discussion The council discussed general fund capital requests, including a solution for police dash cams. The council discussed the pump track, confirming that the entire track will be asphalt, not half dirt, which reduces annual maintenance burdens. A $4,000 protective coating needs reapplication every two to four years, making it more cost-effective than dirt, and the total project cost is estimated around $1.1 million, with the city's portion around $200,000. The replacement of the 22-year-old Engine One fire truck needs to be prioritized, which would then move the existing engine to a reserve status to meet ISO requirements. Mr. Redd reported on electric fund capital project requests, including necessary substation improvements and upgrading the north end of the substation to handle increased load. The council discussed a substation security project that would install cameras to cover the natural gas station, substation, park, and visitor center. Contingent funds were requested for a development expansion project to run power to the Marian's north of town. The total electric capital request is $421,000, with $270,000 of that being contingent on project approval. The storm water master plan, which was previously requested but not completed, is being revisited, with a potential solution available to dramatically reduce costs. The city intends to address multiple open ditch drainage projects, such as one behind the post office, potentially using a split-cost model where the city handles the cover cost and property owners handle the time and labor. The water fund requests include $150,000 for general grid improvements, $24,000 for six pressure reducing valve (PRV) rebuilds, and $26,000 for backflow prevention. Funds are also requested for hydrants, master meters for system-wide monitoring, and a new public works truck. The city is seeking to acquire additional paper water rights to ensure they have the ability to store water, even though they currently have enough water to fill the reservoirs. The sewer fund requests include general grid improvements and a small sewer machine replacement estimated at $8,000. A filter and screen is proposed for the sewer system to remove debris and salts, which will help with sediment buildup in the sewer ponds and address capacity concerns. A consultant indicated that such a screen may become mandatory soon for state compliance. The natural gas fund request will be revised lower, closer to $80,000-$100,000, as they do not meet the transmission line requirement for 'pigging' their line. The remaining funds will primarily go toward the SCADA system to track and read pressures. The city council budget includes an additional $3,300 for training, emphasizing the priority of attending league of towns and cities and other municipal training events. Mr. Redd wants to ensure the budget supports council attendance at training to encourage professional development. The Public Safety budget, encompassing police and fire, is budgeted to balance at the end of the year. The budget shows a $25,000 increase from fiscal year 26 to fiscal year 27, with the majority of the increase coming from the fire department. The Public Improvements portion covers airports and streets, and this area shows a substantial change in the budget. This change is primarily attributed to three items within the streets department. Mr. Redd detailed the changes, including the intention to bring a part-time worker to full-time. This salary accounts for approximately $30,000 of the increase, while another $15,000 is needed to correct a severe underbudgeting for streets maintenance, bringing it up to $35,000 from the previously budgeted $22,000 for fiscal year 26. Airport funds have increased slightly due to Taylor Francom's shift to an admin role in the airport. The Justice Court budget continues to rise primarily due to the cost of one full-time and one part-time employee, which totals about $90,000. Review of Shared Facilities Agreement - SJSD The San school district had not yet had time to review the proposed shared facilities agreement, but the intent is to schedule a review for the 12th of the following week. Key differences from the previous agreement include more clearly defining responsibilities in Section Seven regarding event setup, cleanup, and maintenance. It was suggested that the school district should participate more in cleanup after events, such as removing trash and cleaning dugouts. They also discussed a storage facility for the school district. Regarding concessions, there was discussion about requiring those running fundraisers, such as the school teams, to clean the concession stand as part of their agreement to use it, although city staff agreed they should maintain an overall presence to ensure presentation quality. A second major change in the agreement relates to cost sharing for capital improvements, such as lighting, which Mr. Redd suggested the school district should contribute a percentage toward, especially for the softball and baseball fields. The discussion included concerns from taxpayers about fields being locked after prep work, making them unavailable for use on Thursday nights or Friday mornings. While staff agreed fields should be locked after prepping, the scheduling and availability of the fields for public use remain a point of concern. Mr. Redd emphasized the need for a shared partnership where both taxpaying entities work together to maintain the facilities Business Items Resolution 04-28-2026-1 Approval of Visitor Center HVAC Bid WHEREAS, Blanding City has identified the need for HVAC improvements at the Blanding Visitor Center located at 12 N Grayson Parkway, Blanding, Utah; and WHEREAS, Redd Mechanical submitted a proposal dated April 6, 2026, for the Visitor Center HVAC project in the amount of $59,420.00; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that acceptance of the bid from Redd Mechanical is in the best interest of Blanding City and supports needed improvements to the Visitor Center; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to approve the bid and authorize the City Manager or designee to proceed with the project in accordance with the proposal. Councilmember Ewald made a motion to approve Resolution 04-28-2026-1approval of the visitor center HVAC bid from Redd Mechanical. 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 Moses 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 pending litigation. Councilmember Grover 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 Moses 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 Moses 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

May 13, 2026 10:21 AM

Notice Last Edited On

May 13, 2026 10:21 AM

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