The Hanksville Town Council meeting convened its regular session on the 8th day of August 2024 in the Hanksville Community Center; meeting commenced at 6:00pm.
Present: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei, C. Robert Gilner, C. Mona Wells, C. Morgan Stephens, and C. Eric Wells
Absent: None
Employees: Clerk Lisa Wells and Treasurer Jessica Alvey
Public in Attendance: Slate Banner, Dan Thatcher, Ashton Brian, Margaret Re, Carla Redmond, Duke Alvey, Mike Riddle, Dylan Wells, Sandy Wells, Chylene Whipple, Sara Bradbury, Andy Alexander, DG Lusko, Celeste Sellers, Kaitlyn Wilkins, Doug & Katie Roberts, Ann Reagan, Geralyn Clemmens, Makayla Sheppard, Stuart Dobson, Cathy Rosenbaum, Shirley Wilcox, Kelly Florez, Jan Hunt, Molly Keaton, Lance Wells, Saleta Lusko, Sharon Lusko, and Mary Devonshire. Attending electronically: Christopher Hagedorn.
Meeting to Order: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei
Pledge: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei
Prayer: C. Eric Wells
Roll Call: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei
Motion to approve minutes from July council meeting: C. Eric Wells; Second C. Robert Gilner Aye: All in attendance.
Report of Officers:
Council member Mona Wells:
Nothing to report.
Council member Morgan Stephens:
Nothing to report.
Council member Eric Wells:
Nitrate samples are due and he will be sending those in.
Council member Robert Gilner:
Nothing to report.
Mayor Jeffren T. Pei:
Nothing to report.
Clerk Lisa Wells:
Bills presented to council for approval (spreadsheet attached)
Motion to approve bills for payment: C. Eric Wells; Second C. Morgan Stephens. Aye: All in attendance.
Xpress Bill pay is up and live on Hanksvilleutah.gov
Treasurer Jessica Alvey:
Nothing to report.
Planning Commission:
Working on items to add in as per an email from Brock Jackson with R6. They will hold a work meeting in the next couple of weeks and are hoping to have the public hearing on September 10th. The mayor brought up re-organizing the planning commission and later in the meeting took Marina Pei off the commission and appointed Ashton Brian in her place. Through the course of the council meeting Sara Bradbury resigned from the planning commission.
Tables Business;
Treasurer Alvey made changes to the Interlocal agreement to reflect what the council discusses. She added $180/run within the boundary of Hanksville is the amount Hanksville will be billed from Wayne County. The council discussed adding if the Rural Healthcare Tax is implemented by Wayne County to increase their revenue for EMS services then this should bring down the fee charged to the town.
Motion to approve Resolution 24-02 A resolution adopting an agreement with Wayne County relating to emergency medical services: C. Morgan Stephens. Second C. Robert Gilner. Roll Call Vote: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei - Aye, C. Mona Wells - Aye, C. Morgan Stephens - Aye, C. Eric Wells - Aye and C. Robert Gilner - Aye.
Affordable Housing Rent - Tabled
Discussion of the purchase of Utah Department of Transportation property at the corner of SR-24 and SR-95. C. Robert Gilner and C. Morgan Stephens both recused themselves of the conversation regarding the purchase of this property due to a conflict of interest. The remainder of the council discussed multiple uses of the property including a trailhead meet-up point, a kiosk with point-of-interest of the surrounding area, possible new site of a veterans memorial, or other uses. The clerk outlined that the town has to follow the process outlined by UDOT regarding the intent of Hanksville Town to purchase the parcel of property. As per Utah Code Sec R907-80-10 (ii) “by resolution declaring the proposed use of the land qualifies as a valid public use, said resolution to be approved by the public entity’s governing body at an open meeting after notice to at least adjoining landowners who shall have the opportunity to comment on the proposed public use prior to the public vote.” The clerk was instructed to send a letter to all property owners that border this lot to give notice of the public hearing at September’s council meeting and after the hearing the council has the option to adopt a resolution regarding the purchase of the property.
Motion to move forward with the purchase of the property located at the corner of SR-24 and SR-95 currently owned by the Utah Department of Transportation: C. Eric Wells. Second C. Mona Wells. Aye: Mayor Jeffren Pei, C. Eric Wells and C. Mona Wells. Abstained from voting: C. Robert Gilner and C. Morgan Stephens
Public Comment:
Mike Riddle - He is attending as a representative from Wayne Community Health Center to discuss the renewal of the lease agreement between Hanksville Town and WCHC for the space they lease in the Hanksville Community Center. The lease has expired and he asked the public in attendance if the service they provide to the community is needed and would they like it to continue and an overwhelming majority would like the service to continue. The clerk will send a new lease agreement for 5 years at the current rate of $500/month.
Mr. Riddle is also representing the Utah Food Bank and is the chairman for our area. He is requesting access to the back room of the town community center. Food boxes are picked up on the first wednesday of the month to be delivered that day but since that doesn’t always happen he would like to have a place to store the boxes until they can be distributed. He realizes the mess of vermin that happened last time but then it was a Food Pantry, a place that stored food, now it will only be a food bank where the number of boxes of food delivered should match the number of participants that are signed up for the food bank. If a freezer is available then they could send food to Hanksville that is frozen. The mayor said the food bank could have access and he will have Sandy Bell,the locale coordinator for Hanksville, contact the town to get access to the building.
Celeste Sellers- She has created a petition that is going around town where she is gathering signatures and she will deliver the petition along with the signatures to the mayor. The town derives its power from the citizens. Engagement in social media is a 1st amendment right. Hanksville’s history is that of self-reliance. We squabble but step up to help our neighbors. We stand at a fork in the road: The town can refuse to comply with mandates handed down by the State of Utah or accept the mandates. She believes there are a lot of towns with rules and ordinances such as these proposed here and that people can choose to live in those towns; she would like to keep Hanksville a place that is free from this amount of government over-reach. Adopt only those ordinances that are absolutely necessary and do away with fines and the threat of jail time; these can not be enforced and should not be in the ordinances.
Dan Thatcher- He has lived here 10 years and would like to be considered to serve on the planning commission.
Ashton Brian- She would also like to be considered for the planning commission. She has a great interest in agriculture land and would back the lifestyle of the farmer/rancher in the ordinances drafted for our town.
Chylene Whipple- She has served on the planning commission at different times, she has served as a council member, she has been a volunteer EMT for the Hanksville ambulance for many years and it is heart wrenching what is happening in our town and disgusting what is being posted on social media. The planning commission can take out the nuisance ordinance if that will make everybody happy. The planning commission has faced hard decisions that need to be made and the council won’t make them.
Mayor Pei released Marina Pei and appointed Slate Banner to the planning commission and he refused the appointment. The mayor appointed Ashton Brian to the planning commission.
Katie Roberts- When she accepted the appointment to the planning commission she felt it her civic duty. She didn’t know anything about ordinances or general plans. She apologized for her shortcomings but she jumped in and has done the research to learn about resolutions and ordinances. In her view, there has been a mean-spirited underbelly from the citizens in the process of the ordinance discussion, which are still in the draft phase. She is getting information from R6 that some things are mandated by the State and need to be accomplished by the planning commission.. She is considering resigning if the council undermines the process and the public is not willing to educate themselves and due their due diligence in learning about the ordinances and give their input in a civil manner. The cleanup ordinance could be the sacrificial lamb and be taken out.
Mona Wells- She was one of the first to sign the petition when Hanksville was going through the process of incorporating. She got involved and has served on the town council a couple of times. She believes that the only time people come to meetings is when people are upset. A planning commission is required as an incorporated town. She fully supports the planning commission and is thankful to the current P&Z for being willing to step up. Saying things in anger hurts people. She is proud to serve on the council and the town has to band together.
Sara Bradbury- Resigned from planning commission
Chylene Whipple- Resigned from planning commission
Jan Hunt- Resigned from planning commission
Robert Gilner- Did not accept their resignation and would like to find the middle ground. What is best for the town and can we compromise? Can we find common ground on these ordinances and work from there?
Molly Keaton- She believes what made everybody so angry is the language in the ordinance that said the town could come onto our private property. This is not allowed.
Mayor Pei- The ordinances should support life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Kelly Florez- She has read the ordinance document and what she has read she appreciates. Some of it may need to be re-worked or some items taken out but she realized the time put in by the planning commission. She will continue to stay engaged in the conversation. She asked how to get her comments heard and was told to send specific comments and suggestions of how to solve the problem of the ordinance to the planning commission by email.
Slate Banner- He apologized to Katie for feeling alienated, this is hard work and concessions need to be made. There is an undercurrent of mistrust from the community in the town leadership and he would like to get involved as a community member. He realizes that what has been missing at all the public meetings when these ordinances were discussed is the citizens. He was unaware of the topics and ordinances being discussed and will now be involved. He read the general plan off the town website and he loved it. He totally believes in and has hope for this community.
Carla Redmond- Has lived in the big city and this ordinance feels like an homeowners association (HOA)- type of document where they are very specific in what you can and can not do on your property. She is fearful of what this nuisance ordinance will require of her. She doesn’t have the health to comply with what is being asked. She loves Hanksville and moved her to be safe and allowed to live in peace without all these rules of the big city.
DG Lusko- Held up some money and asked the public - What is this? It represents the blood, sweat and tears as we work for it. What is a tax? Something stolen from you - the root of all evil is the love of money. When you threaten the community with fines or jail time, it’s corrupt and he would like everyone to think very hard when writing ordinances.
Duke Alvey- The reason he supported incorporating is because he saw a better vision for our future - not enslaving - or for gain, but to have a better place to live for our children. It is the citizen’s responsibility to stay informed. Hanksville is special and thanks to all who have served this community.
Eric Wells- He is not worried about what has been going on, his view is this is part of the process and he is willing to work with people. Sometimes we need to apologize even if we didn’t intend to offend someone, we can make amends. He will continue studying these ordinances and continue to whittle this down. His reason for the ordinances is because a developer from outside Hanksville knew the system better than the council. He believes we need something in place to protect us, sometimes we don’t always know what is best. He put his trust in the planning commission and recognizes that he should have stayed more involved in the process.
Mona Wells- Her priorities are family, job, church and then civic duties. She has given 100% and asks others to shop up if you want to be a part of something.
Morgan Stephens- Most people don’t know that she grew up in a town smaller than Hanksville and it's 10 minutes from the big community of Eagle Mountain and her town has a huge ordinance book to keep them rural. That is why we have ordinances to guide the town how we want it to be. Her priority has been agriculture, that’s what matters to her, and to support the small town lifestyle. The planning commission sent a survey to all town members. It’s a hard position to be in and she is thankful for the planning commission and what they have accomplished.
Robert Gilner- Our freedom feels threatened with this document. People feel their liberty is being taken from them. He would like to listen to them and work together.
Jessica Alvey- Thank you to the planning commission. When she has had specific issues personally with an ordinance she has taken that issue to the planning commission and they have listened to her and they have worked hard to hear what she had to say and to serve the community. She has emailed the planning commission with specific concerns and they have addressed those concerns at their public meetings.
Lisa Wells- As the only person getting paid from the town, she works to communicate with both sides on this issue and explain facts. She is available to discuss concerns and has explained that this is a rough draft. The public does have the opportunity to attend all public meetings. The council has been asked for over a year to continue to give input into the drafting of this document. She will work on being transparent with all public meetings.
Motion to adjourn: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei; Second C. Eric Wells. Aye: All in attendance. Meeting adjourned at 8:10pm
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