01.25.22 Council Minutes

THE STATE OF UTAH

COUNTY OF SEVIER

CITY OF RICHFIELD

At the City Council

In and For Said City

January 25, 2022

Minutes of the Richfield City Council meeting held on Tuesday, January 25, 2022,

at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Richfield City office building located at 75 East Center, Richfield, Utah.   Mayor Bryan L. Burrows presiding.

1. OPENING REMARKS
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
4. MINUTES
5. AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR JUNE 30, 2021, APPROVED
6. UPDATES TO CITY’S DRAINAGE REQUIREMENTS DISCUSSED
7. WHITE’S SANITATION ANNUAL REPORT
8. PUBLIC HEARING – TATTOOS
9. PUBLIC HEARING – REZONE 2100 TO 2300 SOUTH
10. PUBLIC HEARING – METAL BUILDING FINISHES
11. PUBLIC HEARING – SHORT-TERM RENTALS
12. PUBLIC HEARING – 1500 SOUTH ANNEXATION
13. PUBLIC HEARING – FOUR STAR ANNEXATION
14. CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR MIXED-USE AT MOUNTAIR MOTEL APPROVED
15. APPLICATION TO CIB FOR A PLANNING GRANT APPROVED
16. WATERLINE IN THE BUSINESS PARK APPROVED
17. BID FOR MAIN STREET PLANTERS APPROVED
18. ORDINANCE 2022-6 ANNEXING THE PROPERTY APPROVED
19. ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PRESENTED
20. OTHER BUSINESS
21. MEETING ADJOURNED

1. OPENING REMARKS were offered by Councilmember Thompson.

• PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was led by Councilmember Gleave.

• ROLL CALL. Present: Mayor Bryan L. Burrows, Todd Gleave, Kip Hansen, Elaine Street, Tanner Thompson, Michele Jolley, Tyson Hansen.  Absent: Kathy Christensen.

• MINUTES APPROVED.  The Council reviewed the minutes of the meeting held on January 11, 2022, and made the following changes. Motion: Approve the minutes of the meeting held on January 11, 2022, Action: Approved, Moved by Kip Hansen, Seconded by Elaine Street. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 4). Yes: Elaine Street, Kip Hansen, Tanner Thompson, Todd Gleave.

• AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR JUNE 30, 2021, APPROVED. Rick Roberts discussed the opinion issued in the audited financial report.  They look for any material findings in misclassification in revenues and expenditures. The financial statements are fairly presented.  The City was able to pay off $1,079,126 in debt last year.

Gabe Miller reviewed the notes in the financial statement.  He discussed cash and investments, bond reserves, and long-term debt.  He also discussed the compliance section. There was a finding which they consider a deficiency in internal control based on how assets are recorded and some appreciation that was not calculated correctly. We did have a single audit this year because we received and spent more than $750,000 in federal funds.  A compliance issue was given because we did not have a current fee schedule for all fees charged.  This needs to be reviewed annually.  Another finding was that library deposits were not being made within the 3-business days as required by law.

Another finding was that minutes were not getting posted to the State website within 3-days of approval.  Mr. Miller stated that there have been some issues with the website.  Minutes were posted on a certain date, but they did not show being posted on that date.  They are working to correct that.

Motion: Approve the Audited Financial Statement Ending June 30, 2021, Action: Approved, Moved by Kip Hansen, Seconded by Elaine Street. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 4).  Yes: Elaine Street, Kip Hansen, Tanner Thompson, Todd Gleave. 

• UPDATES TO CITY’S DRAINAGE REQUIREMENTS DISCUSSED. Carson DeMille reviewed the proposed changes to the City’s drainage requirements.  He noted that the biggest change is that we stated that we do not want retention ponds in the City.  Mr. DeMille explained that detention ponds contain the water temporarily and then let it out.  A retention pond always holds the water.  The one in the Links Subdivision is a retention pond, so there is no outlet except for the spillway at the top.  If they are allowed, then the developer has to do a soil study to show that the water will infiltrate within 3 days, which is probably impossible anywhere in this valley, or they have to have it drained in 3 days through the installation of a pump.  It does allow the City to approve a retention pond if the conditions are acceptable. 

Subsurface retention facilities are acceptable, like underground storage basins, storm bricks, or manholes.  We have several of these throughout town.

The other change includes a floodplain development permit that will be required of a developer if the development is in a floodplain.  Mr. DeMille stated that this gives the City a mechanism to require that developers do their due diligence and not leave it up to the City.  Then we would not inherit a street that floods out, or someone suing the City because their home gets flooded.

 Councilmember Thompson asked if this would hinder development.  Would a developer be upset by the City passing this?  Mr. DeMille stated that people who develop a lot, like Eagle View Townhomes, pretty much do this without the City even asking because they are so used to doing this.

Mr. DeMille stated that commercial properties usually retain ownership of their ponds.  As this policy is written, they would not be allowed to do this either.  If we want to allow commercial properties to have retention ponds then that could be included in the policy. 

Councilmember Hansen asked Mr. DeMille what his opinion is on this.  He indicated that it would be more developer-friendly, but it would still be a mosquito problem.  Commercial developments are usually required to fence these for safety purposes.

Councilmember Thompson gets concerned anytime we make it more difficult for someone to invest their money in our valley.  If it makes it more difficult for a developer to develop, then this would be a red flag for him.

Mr. DeMille noted that there is a requirement that if the pond gets over 2 feet deep it has to be fenced.  Councilmember Gleave stated that the retention pond in the Links Subdivision is scary.  There will be a bunch of houses out there with young families and a great big pond sitting there that is inviting them to come to play in it.  Councilmember Hansen noted that it is also a mosquito breeding ground, etc.

Mayor Burrows recalled that the City was going to purchase a pump to pump this out.  

Mr. DeMille stated that this document is still not complete because it talks about making sure that the downstream facilities are not over capacitated.  The City has applied to FEMA to do a stormwater study, but the City needs a stormwater master plan in place to look at all of the City’s facilities and know the existing and excess capacities of all the stormwater facilities.  That needs to be done for this document to be 100% efficient.  The master plan would inventory all of the culverts in town, with the size and capacity of each so that the City would have a better understanding of what the capacity is.

May Anderson stated that while this document may not be perfect, having recommendations and expectations for developers help them know what we expect and it lets the public know that when developers come in, they are taking care of our community.

Councilmember Thompson felt that it was hard to take away the most cost-effective option, which is a standing pond, and he gets the unsightliness.  If you make someone put a fence around it, it would not limit certain businesses from coming here.

Councilmember Hansen is concerned that we do not have a full-time staff engineer and some of the things that properly monitor these things after events. He does not know if we have the resources to do that properly, also we still have to make sure that we monitor compliance.  This document would still give us the ability to enforce that if they are not maintaining it or if it becomes filled with sediment or something.  He believed that on commercial developments, it is to the City’s benefit to have those entities maintain those properties.

Mayor Burrows asked Mr. DeMille to rework the document so that the requirements for residential and commercial are separate.  This matter will be on the next agenda for further discussion and approval.    

• WHITE’S SANITATION ANNUAL REPORT. Chet White discussed the garbage collection services their company has provided for the past year.  Councilmember Gleave stated that they do a great job.  They go out of their way to do more than they really should have.  Mr. White stated that he appreciates the backing of the City when they do have those circumstances. 

Coming up, the 4^th of July will be on Monday.  That will affect the east side of Richfield, but they will start early and get it done.  They will ask the City to put a reminder on the bill for June so that people will know to have it out early.  Councilmember Hansen stated that he appreciates the fact that they still haul on most holidays.  Christmas is the only holiday that they take off and Mr. White noted that his guys would rather work Christmas. 

The City clean-up will be May 16 thru May 27. The landfill fee is going up, which is something that is being done by the County.  Mayor Burrows wanted the citizens and the Council to know that the City is not raising the rate.  Commissioner Johnson was present and Mayor Burrows asked that the Commissioners let the residents of the communities know they are the ones raising the rates.  Mayor Burrows noted his concerns because of the elderly population we have.  We have roughly 2,300 homes in Richfield and that is an increase of approximately $40,000.   His big concern is how commercial is being billed.  He does not think that it is fair.  Some are being over-billed and some are underbilled.  

White’s is going to take over the billing for the commercial users.

Mr. Hansen asked how they would know how much is being hauled out of each dumpster.  Mr. White explained how he will bill this to make it fair.  Mr. White said that what White’s Sanitation hauls he knows.  They hauled 8,149 tons in commercial waste.  That ended being just under $240,000 at the new rate.  Then he added up every dumpster, how often it was dumped, and the yardage hauled.  They came up with 225,000 yards of garbage and they found that based on the yardage and then spread that out over the commercial.  It ends up being a $1.20 to $1.30, depending on the industry, per yard, per dump. 

The County’s fee schedule states that commercial will be charged for both transport and waste.  Mr. White stated that he is currently charging businesses to transport the garbage to the landfill.  Before, he was not billing the businesses for the waste.   The County was billing for the waste.  Some businesses’ costs will go up, some will go down and some will go up substantially because they will not be billed.  He thinks that this will even it out commercially.  There will at least be a standard. 

One concern Mr. White has is if it gets too expensive for residential users to go to the landfill, he worries about abuse.   

Councilmember Gleave asked if Mr. Whites is confident that the amount he is going to bill will be adequate.  Mr. White stated that he is not sure that it will be enough.

• PUBLIC HEARING – TATTOOS. At 8:40 p.m., Mayor Burrows opened a public hearing to receive comments on a proposed amendment to the Land Use Code allowing Tattoo establishments in the downtown zone.  Mayor Burrows asked if the Health Department regulates tattoo shops.  The Health Department is in charge of regulating them.  Michelle Olsen stated that it should meet the upkeep standards that the other businesses in the area have to do.   Mayor Burrows closed the hearing closed at 8:43 p.m.

• PUBLIC HEARING – REZONE 2100 TO 2300 SOUTH.  Mayor Burrows opened a public hearing at 8:43 p.m. to receive comments on a request to rezone the property located at 2100 to 2300 South and 1600 West to Cove View Rd to RM-11 zone as recommended by the Planning Commission.  Councilmember Street would like to see what the townhomes being proposed would look like.  Hearing no comments, Mayor Burrows closed the hearing at 8:44 p.m.

1. Mayor Burrows opened a public hearing at 8:44 p.m. to receive comments on a proposed amendment to the Land Use Code specifying external finishes on commercial buildings along certain street corridors.  Mayor Burrows stated that this would define finishes of metal buildings on Main Street, including the State Hwy within the City limits, 300 North from 100 West to the east, including the State Hwy within the City limits, 1300 South from State Hwy 118 to the I-70 interchange, and 100 East from 500 South to 600 North.   Hearing no comments, Mayor Burrows closed the hearing at 8:46 p.m.

1. PUBLIC HEARING – SHORT-TERM RENTALS. Mayor Burrows opened a public hearing at   8:46 p.m. to receive comments on a proposed amendment to the Land Use Code concerning regulations for short-term rentals. The proposed change would only allow short-term rentals on properties having single-family homes on their parcel.  Short-term rentals would be allowed in apartments.  A short-term rental business would not be transferrable to a new owner.  The City will be divided into 3 areas based on the number of homes and no more than 5% of the number of homes in that area could be used as a short-term rental property.  The short-term rental must be used at least one time per year.

Mr. Hansen noted that we have approximately 2,350 residents in the City.  With the 5%, there could be roughly 115 short-term rentals in the City, which would be approximately 38 homes per area.

Councilmember Hansen stated that with limiting this to single-family dwellings, a townhome could be used as a short-term rental, but anything that is a multi-unit type apartment would be precluded.  He wanted to clarify if that is what the Council understood from the draft the Planning Commission provided.

There was some discussion about other communities and what their ordinances are.  Amy Myers mentioned Panguitch and that they wished they had limited short-term rentals. 

Councilmember Gleave wondered what happens when we reach the cap.  Are we going to have a waiting list?  Brayden Gardner stated that Hurricane City right now 1,190 people are waiting to get a VRBO.

Mr. White noted that his wife is on the Planning Commission and she has called on multiple locations to determine what they are doing.  He thinks there are things in place in other areas, but there is a question as to whether or not they are legal. 

Amy Myers stated that the Planning Commission felt it would be good to start with a low number and then increase it if need be, rather than just allowing lots upfront. 

Mayor Burrows closed the hearing at 8:59 p.m.

1. PUBLIC HEARING – 1500 SOUTH ANNEXATION.  Mayor Burrows opened a public hearing at 9:00 p.m. to receive comments on a proposed annexation of property located along 1500 South.  Mayor Burrows explained that the County asked the City to annex this property because part of the road is in the City and part of the road is in the County and it would also correct some County islands.  Mayor Burrows closed the hearing at 9:01 p.m.

1. PUBLIC HEARING – FOUR STAR ANNEXATION. Mayor Burrows opened a public hearing at 9:01 p.m. to receive comments on a proposed annexation of property located at approximately 1500 South and 100 West.  Mayor Burrows stated that this is phase II of the Smith Apartments.  Chief Lloyd had a concern about the amount of traffic this will create at the 1500 South and Hwy 118 intersection.  He explained that we already have a nightmare situation on 1300 South because of all the accidents we have at that intersection.  He sees the increase in traffic at 1500 South also causing lots of accidents and he belt that in the future we need to have a stoplight at this intersection.  The developer is being required to widen 1500 South along the front of their property and include a left-hand turn lane onto the highway.   Mayor Burrows wondered about getting the speed limit reduced sooner.  Mayor Burrows closed the hearing at 9:06 p.m.

1. CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR MIXED-USE AT MOUNTAIR MOTEL APPROVED.  The Council reviewed the recommendation of the Planning Commission to allow the Mountair Motel at 190 South Main to operate as a mixed-use, subject to approval by the building inspector of compliance and completion of all building code requirements. Mayor Burrows noted that the Planning Commission addressed something to do with an RM-24 zone.   Stacey Whitmore was present and indicated that he had asked to rezone the property to RM-24, but the Planning Commission felt that it would be better to consider this property as a mixed-use since it includes a laundromat, apartments, Airbnb, and offices.  Mayor Burrows stated that the recommendation of the Planning Commission was to allow a mixed-use, but he needed a year to come into compliance with the building code.  He asked Mr. Whitmore if he felt like he could become compliant within the 1-year time frame.  Mr. Whitmore stated that he felt he could.

Councilmember Gleave read through the Planning Commission minutes and he felt that they made a good recommendation.

Motion: Approve a conditional use permit for Mountair Motel as a mixed-use as recommended by the Planning Commission, subject to the approval of the building inspector for compliance and building code requirements within one year, Action: Approved, Moved by Todd Gleave, Seconded by Elaine Street.  Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 4).  Yes: Elaine Street, Kip Hansen, Tanner Thompson, Todd Gleave.

1. APPLICATION TO CIB FOR A PLANNING GRANT APPROVED.  The City has the opportunity to apply to the CIB for a planning grant.  We can use the $11,000 grant we received from USDA for the revitalization plan we did for Main Street as part of our match.  Our application to the CIB would be for $17,000 and we would need to put in $6,000.  This would give us some $15,000 to help with our General Plan update, $7,500 for the Economic Action Plan, $7,500 for Scenario Planning, and $4,000 for Building adaptive reuse strategy.  This is a reimbursement grant, so we would pay for these items and then submit them for reimbursement. Motion: Approve the application to the CIB for a planning grant, Action: Approved, Moved by Tanner Thompson, Seconded by Todd Gleave. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 4).  Yes: Elaine Street, Kip Hansen, Tanner Thompson, Todd Gleave.

1. WATERLINE IN THE BUSINESS PARK APPROVED.  The Council reviewed the bids received from A&D Jensen Contractors and Baldauf Excavating to run a water line from the back of lot 9 north to 2850 South and then east to 325 West.  Councilmember Gleave asked if we were still planning to pay Dustin Nielson for half of the line coming through his property.  We already paid Mr. Nielson.  Mayor Burrows stated that A&D’s bid was $69,746 and Baldauf’s bid was $75,178.21.  Councilmember Gleave asked Mr. Mogan if this is what we anticipated it would cost.  Mr. Mogan indicated that it was even a little less than we anticipated.

Motion: Award bid to A&D Jensen Contractors for installation of a water line at the business park for $69,746, Action: Approved, Moved by Kip Hansen, Seconded by Todd Gleave. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 4).  Yes: Elaine Street, Kip Hansen, Tanner Thompson, Todd Gleave.

1. BID FOR MAIN STREET PLANTERS APPROVED.  The Council reviewed 2 bids received from Anderson Gardens and Larsen’s Ace Hardware.  Larsen’s gave us a couple of options.  One proposal was to do something different in each planter.  Councilmember Thompson was contacted by Penny Knight and she wanted to know if the Council could table this because she would like to present something else.  She wondered what it costs to water them.  The maintenance and watering of the pots are included in the part-time salary of the employee who takes care of all the bulb-outs, and planter strips in the parking lots behind the movie theater, Gary’s shoes, the City office, and the parking lot behind Christiansen Furniture.

Councilmember Thompson said Ms. Knight felt that the City was wasting a lot of money in maintenance and purchasing them every year when we could do something that is more evergreen, like boxwoods, which is less 90’s than what we have typically have done.  She felt that it makes the town look a little dated, so she would like to present some ideas.  She wanted to do something that does not get taken out every single year.  There was some question about the pots not being very deep and Councilmember Hansen did not think that perennials would do well there.  He does not think that cost is an issue.  Those annual plants bring color that you cannot get from perennials.  It is a seasonal thing like putting a flag up for the holiday.  He thinks that they ought to be annuals.  They were set up that way and then we also would not have to maintain the pots all year round. 

Larsen’s did propose an evergreen in some of the planters.  Councilmember Thompson does like the annuals, but he likes the idea of the boxwood or something like that that gives more long-lasting structure and they look classier, but you could also still have annuals that come up every year.

There was some discussion about using boxwoods in the bulb-outs because there are a lot of plants that are needing to be replaced in them.  Anderson’s bid was $2,700 with all of the pots being the same.  Larsen’s bid was $2,600 with the pots being all the same or $2,750 if we had a variety in the pots.

Councilmember Street would like to see the pots red, white, and blue.

Councilmember Gleave wondered about splitting this and having each of them do half of the pots.  Councilmember Hansen liked the proposal of giving a variety and trying something different.

Motion: Approve Larsen’s Ace Hardware with a bid of $2,750 to plant the Main Street planters with a variety as proposed for 1 year.

Mayor Burrows asked if this was for 3 years, so we do not have to do this every year. Councilmember Thompson wanted to do this for one year because he is intrigued by what Ms. Knight is saying.  He thought it would be cool to get her perspective on it.   Larsen’s said that they would reserve the right to raise the price from year to year.  

Action: Approved, Moved by Kip Hansen, Seconded by Tanner Thompson. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 4).  Yes: Elaine Street, Kip Hansen, Tanner Thompson, Todd Gleave.

1. ORDINANCE 2022-6 ANNEXING THE PROPERTY APPROVED.   The Council reviewed an ordinance to annex the property of Four Star, LLC., located at approximately 1500 South and 100 West.

Motion: Approve Ordinance 2022-6 annexing the property owned by Four Star, LLC, located at approximately 1500 South and 100 West, Action: Approved, Moved by Tanner Thompson, Seconded by Todd Gleave. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 4).  Yes: Elaine Street, Kip Hansen, Tanner Thompson, Todd Gleave.

1. ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PRESENTED. Chief Lloyd reviewed the stats for his department, pointing out that the number of resisting arrests was through the roof.  Councilmember Thompson stated that this is crazy and alarming.  Chief Lloyd stated that when you compare it to the previous years.

Councilmember Thompson said that the craziest part is that we dealt with COVID in 2020 so in theory, it should have been equally as bad in 2021.  That is not the case.  2021 is way worse than 2020 and he asked why it is so much worse in 2021.  Mayor Burrows commented that everyone is made because they had to stay home.  Chief Lloyd stated that he does not have the answer.

Councilmember Thompson asked if there is more transient stuff coming to town now that the COVID relief money is here.  Chief Lloyd stated that this is some of it, but some of it is a juvenile problem. 

Chief Lloyd stated that the stat that concerns him is resisting arrests.  We are going to get an officer hurt.  He believes that this is a society thing.  Through the time that he has worked here, they usually saw one or two cases a year, but now we are having one a week.  When he became Chief, they changed the juvenile laws and he told the Council that there would be a consequence to that change.  We are seeing that now.  They have changed all of the juvenile laws and taken away all of the consequences and now society is going to start seeing those consequences.

Mayor Burrows noted that the overdoses were way up.  Chief Lloyd stated that we had a rash of overdoses in town.  We had like 8 of them.

Mayor Burrows asked if this was because of the fentanyl that was being passed around.  Is that when most of the happened?  Chief Lloyd stated that it was mostly during that time.  The problem is that peoples switch from prescription pain killers to just heroin.  The heroin coming in is cheaper to be made with fentanyl and they do not measure it out so sometimes it has too much fentanyl in it.

Councilmember Thompson asked what welfare checks are.   Chief Lloyd stated that sometimes they will get a call from a neighbor stating they have not seen their neighbor in a while, so we will go and check to see if they are still alive.  Sometimes it is a divorce situation where they cannot get a hold of their kids and their ex has them.  Mostly, they get calls to check on elderly people that have not been seen or been able to contact.

Councilmember Thompson asked if any of this can be explained by changes to the definitions like the fact that assault is up 217%.  Chief Lloyd stated that people are angrier.  It is a sad reflection on society.  We still live in a great place and he would still raise his family here.  Councilmember Thompson stated that his mind immediately went to some of the problem areas we have discussed over the past 6 months.  If this problem is 0 to 100, what percentage of that problem is because of the trouble spots that we have talked about.  Chief Lloyd said that he would not dare say without looking at the data.

Mr. Hansen wondered if the County had the same trajectory on a lot of this.  Chief Lloyd has not done a breakdown on their stats down.  He knows what their case numbers did compare to ours.  We passed them last year and pushed that even further this year.  He has never seen our cases more than the County’s in the 26 years he has worked here.  They have always been ahead of us.  We were close in 2005, but we are just starting to see more of that population come here.

It scares him that he has been Chief for 5 years now and he has hired 11 of the 16 guys.  Some of that was attrition and retirement.  It is a concern to lose that much experience in that short amount of time. 

Councilmember Hansen wondered if half of those or more are staying in the profession and going to a different agency.  From our department, most of them are leaving for wages.  Right now, he knows that 3 of his officers have applied to other agencies because the job market has changed in the last 5 years so drastically that on the Wasatch front, wages have raised so much that even the Highway Patrol is fighting to get employees.  They raise their wages and they have proposed a 30% increase this next year.  We have no way to compete with that.  It used to be that it was cheaper to live here, but it is not the case anymore.  It costs just as much to buy one up north.  He has tried to hire guys who want to stay here.

Councilmember Hansen asked what our cost is to put someone through the academy.  It costs about * at least.  We have an agreement with them that they have to work a certain number of years based on how much schooling we have to pay for.  One of the guys, who he knows is looking, has a current agreement, but the sign-on bonus will cover that.

He discussed the vehicles he needs for his department.  This year, we purchased 2 jeeps that we had on order from last year to get out of the leases, which he believed was the right move.  We paid $34,000 each, which is about a $7,000 discount off of what it would have cost.  If we sell them within a year, we will be able to sell them for more than what we bought them for.

Councilmember Gleave wondered with today’s environment if we would be able to continue this.  Chief Lloyd wonders that also.  He was able to get one truck for $29,000, which is about $12,000 off, but the other one he ordered got bumped from a 21 model to a 22 model and it went from $29,000 to $38,000.  That is because the MSRP went up and the discounts went down to about $4,000.

Councilmember Gleave believed that buying new is still less expensive than buying used.  Chief Lloyd went ahead and ordered the truck and it will put him a little over budget, but he believes that it is the best move for the City in the long run.  Councilmember Gleave asked if there is a price guarantee the truck is ordered.  Mr. Hansen stated that there is with this one.  Chief Lloyd noted that he had ordered the truck over a year ago.  Since he has been here, getting police vehicles has been a problem.  I know that people think that it costs us more to maintain and run trucks, but it is less expensive.  Fuel is almost identical they hold up better, and the resale value is twice as much.

The other issue is that it costs approximately $9,000 to put equipment in the vehicles and that does not include the $6,000 cameras.  He has been able to get grants to purchase the cameras so he has not had to pay for a camera since he has been the Chief.

Councilmember Gleave asked if the equipment is easily removable so that we can get the resale value out of it.  Chief Lloyd stated that he has been able to do this.  Chief Lloyd tries to squeeze as much out of the budget as he can because he would rather have the money to put into wages.

Councilmember Gleave pointed out that the department is doing more with the same number of guys.  Chief Lloyd noted that they did it with less because of the number of officers he had in the academy during the year.

Councilmember Street wanted to see what the salaries are for his department and other information that then can look at next time.  With salaries, Chief Lloyd stated that one of the very first things Mayor Burrows helped us do is to get a pay scale in place.  We have stepped that up year over year and we are trying to keep up with it and he feels that we have done a good job keeping up, but how does he compete with a 30% increase in Highway Patrol and 25% increase in the Department of Corrections.  Councilmember Street would like to look at some of theirs and what ours is so that we can get an idea of maybe raising these salaries.

• OTHER BUSINESS. Mayor Burrows acknowledges that 4 of the applicants for Councilmember Christensen’s seat attended the meeting.  Brayden Gardner, Kevin Arrington, Michael Snow, and May Anderson.  Tomorrow is the deadline for applications.  The Council will hold a special meeting on January 27, at 5:30 p.m. where the candidates will be interviewed and a decision made.

Mr. Hansen stated that the UORG grant is available.  The Trails Committee is not going to be applying this year.  The staff has discussed using it on an extension of the bike/walking path.  There are a couple of areas that could be considered.  There is one from Rotary Park to Airport Road, or extending it along the canal bank to the east side of town or taking it north to the parking/staging area for the bike trails.  Chief Lloyd would like to see it extended along airport road because that is where they are using it.  Carson DeMille stated that the grant is $150,000 with a 50/50 match.  Chief Lloyd suggested bringing the bike path down 800 South and then taking it out to the airport road.  Mr. DeMille stated that half the City’s match could be in kind.  Mr. DeMille was asked to put a cost together on the bike path from Rotary Park to the south. 

• ADJOURNMENT.  At 10:12 p.m., Motion: Adjourn, Action: Adjourned, Moved by Todd Gleave, Seconded by Elaine Street. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 4).  Yes: Elaine Street, Kip Hansen, Tanner Thompson, Todd Gleave.

            PASSED and APPROVED this 8^th day of February 2022.