Panguitch City Council
MINUTES
Panguitch City Office Conference Room
25 South 200 East
Panguitch, Utah 84759
May 12, 2026, 5:30
Those present at the City Council meeting were Mayor Kim Soper, City Manager Mat Houston, City Recorder Tyrissa Howell, City Treasurer Carla Farnsworth, City Attorney Barry Huntington, and Council Members David Dodds, Cindy Stewart, Tracy Wright, James Kinsey, and Mike Sarles. City Manager Mat Houston was absent.
1. OPENING CEREMONY
The Mayor called the meeting to order at 5:30 PM. Council Member Cindy Stewart led the Pledge of Allegiance and the invocation.
2. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
The agenda was presented without changes from the version previously distributed by staff.
Motion to adopt the agenda was made by Cindy Stewart and seconded by Mike Sarles. The motion carried unanimously.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion to approve the minutes was made by Tracy Wright and seconded by James Kinsey. The motion carried unanimously.
4. 2026-2027 TENTATIVE BUDGET
City Treasurer Carla Farnsworth noted one required change to the budget: a grant for the Historical Highway 89 on Main Street had increased from $40,000 to $80,000, requiring an additional $20,000 in matching funds.
Council members expressed appreciation for the work put into the budget. City Manager Houston noted that he and Treasurer Farnsworth are available to meet individually with council members who have questions.
Motion to approve the 2026-2027 Tentative Budget with the amendment for matching funds was made by Cindy Stewart and seconded by David Dodds. The motion carried unanimously.
5. TAX INCENTIVE SURVEY AREA
This item was tabled pending a required public open meeting.
6. SINGLE EVENT PERMIT - BEER GARDEN AT HENRIE'S DRIVE IN, ON JUNE 27, 2026
Jessica Simkins appeared before the Council to request a single event permit for a beer garden in the parking lot of Henrie's Drive-In, in conjunction with the Balloon Fest event. She had been in contact with the state regarding requirements, which include a minimum four-foot secure fencing around the perimeter, a single controlled entrance, and bracelet identification to prevent patrons from removing beverages from the designated area.
Motion to approve the Single Event Permit for a Beer Garden at Henrie's Drive In on June 27, 2026, was made by James Kinsey and seconded by Cindy Stewart. The motion carried; Mike Sarles opposed.
7. SINGLE EVENT PERMIT - BEER GARDEN AT HENRIE'S DRIVE IN, ON JULY 4, 2026
Ms. Simkins also requested a beer garden permit for the Chicken Lights and Chrome light show event. Staff confirmed the date should be amended to July 3, 2026.
Motion to approve the Single Event Permit for a Beer Garden at Henrie's Drive In on July 3, 2026, was made by Cindy Stewart and seconded by James Kinsey. The motion carried, with Mike Sarles opposed.
8. BIKE PATH TO RED CANYON
City Council Member David Dodds provided background on Utah's active transportation initiative, through which the state allocates $50 million annually to fund multi-use trails connecting communities and trailheads. The proposed project would construct a 12-foot-wide paved, off-street multi-use path beginning at the east end of Panguitch and running to Red Canyon, where it would connect to an existing trail network extending toward Bryce Canyon City and partially toward Tropic.
Mr. Dodds noted that the path's alignment along Highway 89 was chosen for ease of maintenance, public visibility, and better alignment with right-of-way access compared to an alternative route through Casto Canyon. Panguitch City's maintenance obligation would be limited to the portion within city limits. Mr. Dodds confirmed that Class C road funds can be used for maintenance of such trails. The Council directed City Manager Houston to complete and submit the required letter of support to advance the project through the state's funding committee.
9. BUSINESS LICENSE/CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT - THE FARMSTAND AT 350 S 100 W
Motion to approve the Conditional Use Permit for The Farmstand at 350 South 100 West was made by James Kinsey and seconded by Tracy Wright. The motion carried unanimously.
Motion to approve the Business License for The Farmstand at 350 South 100 West was made by Cindy Stewart and seconded by David Dodds. The motion carried unanimously.
10. BUSINESS LICENSE - RAMSAY PROPERTY SERVICES
The Council considered a business license for Ramsay Property Services, a lawn care and landscaping service based in Panguitch.
Motion to approve the Business License for Ramsay Property Services was made by Mike Sarles and seconded by Cindy Stewart. The motion carried unanimously.
11. BUSINESS LICENSE - SERENITATEM
The Council considered a business license for Serenitatem, a mobile chair massage service. It was noted that the business has no fixed location.
Motion to approve the Business License for Serenitatem was made by James Kinsey and seconded by David Dodds. The motion carried unanimously.
12. EXECUTIVE SESSION
The Mayor indicated that an Executive Session was not needed, and this item was bypassed.
13. DEPARTMENT REPORTS/CALENDAR
Court: Municipal court was announced for the following morning at 10:00 AM and again on Thursday at 10:00 AM, with cases involving DUIs, drug offenses, and theft.
Public Safety/Emergency Management: Council Member James Kinsey noted he would be attending an emergency management meeting on the 28th at Bryce.
City right-of-way: Council Member James Kinsey also inquired about a public notice for the newspaper related to the city right-of-way clean-up. City Manager Houston confirmed he would coordinate with the Sheriff the following week before drafting the notice, to get
it published within the month.
Secondary Water Schedule: City Manager Houston distributed the secondary water schedule, summarizing the plan as follows: odd-numbered addresses water on Tuesdays, even-numbered addresses on Thursdays, East Fields on Saturdays, and West Fields on Sundays. No watering is permitted on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays. A three-strike enforcement policy is in place that would result in the shutoff and lockout of secondary water service.
Houston noted the city has approximately 62 days of secondary water allocation, translating to roughly 15 weeks at four days of use per week, compared to a typical year exceeding 100 days. He acknowledged the potential that secondary water could run out before the end of the season.
Council Member Tracy Wright raised concerns about drought conditions, noting the governor had placed 17 counties under extreme drought designation on April 24th. She expressed that the current fine structure for culinary watering violations-warning, $25, then $100-may be insufficient given the severity of the situation and called for stronger conservation messaging and enforcement. City Manager Houston acknowledged those concerns and noted that he and staff are actively monitoring usage. The Council agreed to monitor the situation closely and revisit enforcement levels if conditions worsen.
Bike Trail: City Manager Houston noted that the paved bike trail on Highway 143 needs crack sealing. Council Member David Dodds suggested that a surface seal treatment in the following spring would further extend the trail's life.
Triple C: Council Member Cindy Stewart reported that the Senior Pro Rodeo drew 52 participants and generated significant local business spending, with one business owner noting it was among their strongest events. She raised ongoing safety concerns at the rodeo grounds, specifically regarding improperly secured chute posts. City Manager Houston confirmed that the Triple C Coordinator, Lance Miller, has been directed to re-concrete the posts.
America 250 Committee: Council Member Sarles reported on a Constitution event held the previous Saturday, featuring Earl Taylor Jr, with a good turnout from across the county. He encouraged residents to vote for their favorite quilt on display at the courthouse, with a winner to be announced during Fourth of July celebrations. He also noted that all cities in the county are planning larger-than-usual Independence Day events, and confirmed that additional funding for fireworks has been budgeted.
Library: Council Member Wright reported that the library's summer food program is confirmed to begin the first week of June, and that she is still working to arrange for prisoners to build bookcases.
Garfield Memorial Hospital: Hospital representative Cheryl Berry provided an update that a signed contract with Humana for Medicare Advantage has been secured. The contract went into effect on April 1st, and providers are expected to be listed on Humana's roster by June. Humana is planning a public outreach event at the hospital. Approximately 165 county residents with Humana coverage will be directly affected, and others currently on supplemental plans or United Healthcare may be eligible to change plans.
Pavilion at Baseball Fields: Mayor Soper announced that a state grant application for the city pavilion project was approved, with $94,600 awarded from the state. Combined with city funding, the project is expected to proceed to completion.
14. ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn was made by David Dodds at 6:15. The motion carried unanimously.
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 Mat Houston 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 Mat Houston at 435-676-8585 to schedule an appointment.
**Items may not be covered in the order listed. Panguitch City is an equal opportunity employer.**