The Hanksville Town Council meeting convened its regular session in conjunction with a public hearing on the 7th day of December 2023 in the Hanksville Community Center; meeting commenced at 6:00 p.m.
Present: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei, C. Eric Wells, and C. Morgan Roberts
Absent: Treasurer Jessica Alvey, C. Tanesha Conder and C. Mona Wells
Employees: Clerk Lisa Wells
Public in Attendance: Margaret Re and Cathy Rosenbaum
Meeting to Order: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei
Pledge: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei
Prayer: Margaret Re
Roll Call: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei
Motion to approve minutes of November 2023 council meeting: C. Morgan Roberts; Second C. Eric Wells. Aye: All in attendance.
Public Hearing: regarding the intention to issue Wastewater revenue Bonds for the Wastewater project, with respect to any potential economic impact on the private sector from the construction of wastewater system improvements to be funded by the bonds. Also, to receive public comment on the proposal to increase wastewater user charges.
The town received 4 letters back from the mailing regarding the rate increase. 3 were in favor and 1 not in favor. The attending public were in favor of the rate increase. No other comments were given by the public.
Council member Mona Wells:
ABSENT – UDOT employees have service hours and would like to donate 4 hours of time and equipment at the gun range. C. Eric Wells recommended UDOT to haul in road base and dump it at the gun range where everyone walks around.
Council member Tanesha Conder:
ABSENT
Council member Morgan Roberts:
Maintenance is fixing an electrical box, some minor repairs in Unit #6 and the laundry room repairs so that tenants can put their own washer/dryer in the laundry facility. The mayor would like the old motel sign out front of the housing to be removed. The supplies for the railing at the town building are here and ready to be installed.
Council member Eric Wells:
C. Wells has had no response from DLII regarding the drainage by the EMS building as the follow up project to use the roads money. C. Eric Wells’ plan is to get gravel and road base hauled in to stockpile for road repairs, but he is not sure where to get it. The council discussed contacting Brown Brothers and making a deal by the end of the year, which is the deadline for the money.
The park well went down, and Eric called All Wells Drilling at 10pm to help troubleshoot the well. It was determined that the pump & motor needs to be replaced; the other well is keeping up with the demand of water so there isn’t any type of water crisis. Its been over 5 years since the last pump and motor were installed in that well. All Wells Drilling will send an estimate for the cost of repairs to get the well back online.
Mayor Jeffren Pei:
The Wayne County Fire District came down to our EMS building and said the thermostats are set too high. They talked about putting the water tender in the EMS shed. The mayor would like the council to think about charging a rental fee of $500 to the Wayne County Fire District to house the fire equipment, as rental of the building and the town take over the utilities for the EMS building. Also, consider charging EMS $500 for rental of the building as well.
Mayor wanted input from the town if there would be an interest in having a dental hygienist come down once a month and rent space in the town building.
The food bank is not currently operating at this time due to the Utah Food Bank reporting that they are not receiving documentation for the food being received. The mayor will continue to pursue options to get this going again.
The mayor is working with Six County regarding an application for a grant from UDOT – Safe Routes To School for FY 2026.
The mayor is considering sending some of his active shooter team to the police academy to become certified to assist the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office as a Special Functions Officer. There is a program in Price, UT that lasts 7 weeks, Monday -Friday from 6pm until 10pm. He found a class that costs approximately $700/person, he is thinking of sending 2 people per year. He is also researching an online class that might be a better fit for our area.
Clerk Lisa Wells:
Bills presented to council for approval (spreadsheet attached)
Motion to approve bills for payment – C. Eric Wells; Second C. Morgan Roberts. Aye: All in attendance.
Planning Commission:
ABSENT – Reported the Hanksville RV Park would like to subdivide some of their property and they will be on the January 9th Planning Commission agenda.
Tabled Business:
NONE
New Business
Motion to adopt an increase from $15.50 to $32.00 for all wastewater user fees: C. Eric Wells; Second C. Morgan Roberts. Aye: All in attendance
Public Comment:
Margaret Re – What are the plans for Locust Lane? She attended a past council meeting when repairs to this road were discussed and she is wondering what the council has planned for this town road. The mayor informed her that Locust Lane is not a town road, as he just recently learned. When Hanksville incorporated, they did not apply to take over that road from the BLM. It can be applied for but has never gone through that process so actually it is a BLM road, and they contract with Wayne County for the upkeep of BLM roads in the area. The mayor identified a BLM road marker on Locust Lane.
Margaret also reported to the council on the progress of the Hanksville Diversion project. NRCS at the Federal level have signed off on the project and have now turned the project over to the local State of Utah NRCS office for approval so there is some progress being made. The mayor said the Bull Creek project is tied up with the diversion project even though they have different project numbers assigned to each one the NRCS is handling them together and NRCS is also working on this project.
MOTION TO ADJOURN: C. Eric Wells; Second Morgan Roberts. Aye: All in attendance - meeting adjourned at 7:20pm
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