All present included Mayor Hart,
Council Member Elwell,
Council Member McDonald,
Council Member Roberts,
and
Council Member Densley.
STAFF:
City Manager Judy Gubler,
City Attorney Dale Coulam,
Building and Zoning Administrator Kevin Rudd,
Public Works Director Dave Glenn,
City Engineer Chuck Gillette,
and
City Recorder Kari D. Jimenez.
EXCUSED:
Council Member Mendenhall
Audience: Teddi Jones, Bethany Amberson, Irvin and Betty Ence, Kelli Jones, Emilee Jones, Jenny Johnson, Representative Lowry Snow, Claudette Larsen, Ron, Lisa and Jared Stewart, Kerry Ence, Dave Hunt, Lee Ence, Lance Anderson and others who did not sign in.
Mayor Hart acknowledged that a quorum was present and indicated Council Member Mendenhall was excused.
Council Member Roberts led the Flag Salute
Council Member Roberts gave the Invocation
Mayor Hart acknowledged that Representative Lowry Snow was present and thanked him for attending.
There were no disclosures or conflicts of interest with items on this meeting's agenda.
Jenny Johnson reported that Heritage Days is planned for Saturday, September 22, 2012. The purpose this year is to promote community spirit and involve the community. A service project in each neighborhood is tentatively scheduled to begin at 7:00 a.m. followed by a free breakfast for anyone who participates in the day of service. Vendor booths are available at no charge and there will be games throughout the day such as tug-of-war, gunny sack races, wheelbarrow races and the like. There will be a talent show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a home tour to let the citizens see some of the original home spots and homes still standing. There will be a soap box derby, a cake and ice cream birthday party in the evening and a movie that was filmed in Ivins years ago. She requested that the City Council and any other public servants who are available, cook and serve breakfast that day. They also need volunteers.
Kevin Rudd reported the City issued a total of ten (10) building permits in May and June and nine (9) have been issued as of July 19th. Code Enforcement Officer Tracy Marrott has retired. Officer Ken Campbell will be handling Code Enforcement going forward.
Dave Glenn reported the road projects previously approved by the City Council will start next week, beginning with the Kayenta Parkway and then the widening of Center Street. Work on the road in Sunset Estates behind Lightfoot’s will begin in approximately one (1) month. 200 East north of the roundabout was paved today and the wayfinding signs for the new roundabout should be complete within the next week. Council Member Elwell referred to the signage that has already been placed at the new roundabout and he is concerned with the placement of the large sign that directs Center Street continuing through the roundabout. The sign obstructs the ability for a pedestrian crossing through the roundabout to sufficiently see vehicles approaching and he feels it is not safe. Dave Glenn indicated he and the City Engineer have discussed that problem and the possibility of reducing the size of the sign. Council Member Elwell suggested placing the sign in the median on the far side of the cross walk where it wouldn’t impede vision at all.
Chuck Gillette provided a written Engineering report to the City Council. A copy of the report is available by request through Ivins City Hall. He reported that the roundabout on Center Street and Snow Canyon Drive is complete. The design for the Tuacahn Wash Detention Basin is expected to be complete by the end of July and then submitted to the State Engineer. That project would then be put out for bids and construction started in December of this year if funding for the project goes through. The block wall has been completed along the Nielsen property on Center Street as part of the agreement and all of the improvements in SunCrest West Phase 4 have been conditionally approved. The City is anticipating building in the subdivisions of Mojave Estates and Desert Rose to begin shortly. Council Member Densley referred to the recent severe storm and indicated in the past, prior to the recent curb, gutter and sidewalk improvements, it would have been difficult to get around the City and property would have been damaged. He commended the Public Works and Engineering departments for their work.
| C. |
Planning Commission Report |
Kevin Rudd reported that the Planning Commission is continuing to discuss the zoning ordinance and will likely be setting a Public Hearing on that ordinance within the next couple of months.
Mayor Hart read a short biography on Irvin Ence, a copy of which is available by request through Ivins City Hall. The Mayor and City Council acknowledged Irvin and Betty Ence. Irvin and Betty Ence thanked the Mayor and City Council and indicated they recently celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary.
MOTION: Council Member Roberts moved to approve Resolution No. 2012-13R, a Resolution of Ivins City, Utah, Appointing Irvin Ence as the 2012 Pioneer Day Parade Grand Marshal
SECOND: Council Member Densley
VOTE: The motion carried unanimously.
| Council Member Elwell |
AYE |
| Council Member McDonald |
AYE |
| Council Member Roberts |
AYE |
| Council Member Densley |
AYE |
| Council Member Mendenhall |
ABSENT |
Roll call vote. All Council Members that were present voted in favor.
Mayor Hart chose to present this award to Tonya Horlacher and Heather Kunde and read the Resolution. Mayor Hart said it is remarkable that small Ivins City is able to put on such a beautiful event. He has received a number of positive comments about the pageant. Mayor Hart presented Tonya Horlacher and Heather Kunde with a plaque and gift. The Miss Ivins pageant has gone on for several years and one other notable individual, Kaylin Potter, also did a wonderful job with the pageant. The Mayor and City Council thanked them for their service.
MOTION: Council Member McDonald moved to approve Resolution No. 2012-12R, a Resolution of Ivins City, Utah, Honoring the Recipient of the 2012 Mayor's Award for Community Service
SECOND: Council Member Elwell
VOTE: The motion carried unanimously.
| Council Member Elwell |
AYE |
| Council Member McDonald |
AYE |
| Council Member Roberts |
AYE |
| Council Member Densley |
AYE |
| Council Member Mendenhall |
ABSENT |
Roll call vote. All Council Members that were present voted in favor.
Judy Gubler stated Arthur K. Ivins has offered to donate property that is in Kane County near Kanab, Utah. There are several steps involved with this process and accepting the donation is the first step. The next step would be obtaining an appraisal. Mayor Hart indicated Arthur K. Ivins is a resident of Alabama and came to Ivins as a part of a reunion for the Air Force Thunderbirds and found Ivins City on-line. He was interested in the City and the beauty and contacted City Hall. The Mayor gave him a tour of Ivins and Mr. Ivins was thrilled that Ivins City bore his name. Mr. Ivins has three (3) pieces of platted property and he wanted to do something to benefit Ivins City.
MOTION: Council Member Densley moved to approve Resolution No. 2012-14R, A Resolution of Ivins City, Utah, Accepting the donation of Real Property from Arthur K. Ivins
SECOND: Council Member Roberts
VOTE: The motion carried unanimously.
| Council Member Elwell |
AYE |
| Council Member McDonald |
AYE |
| Council Member Roberts |
AYE |
| Council Member Densley |
AYE |
| Council Member Mendenhall |
ABSENT |
Roll call vote. All Council Members that were present voted in favor.
Judy Gubler stated the change to the Ordinance would allow the City to waive the water deposit fee if a customer has at least a one year history of on-time payments and a deposit has previously been credited to their account. The credit is established by the person and not the property.
MOTION: Council Member McDonald moved to approve Ordinance No. 2012-09
SECOND: Council Member Elwell
VOTE: The motion carried unanimously.
| Council Member Elwell |
AYE |
| Council Member McDonald |
AYE |
| Council Member Roberts |
AYE |
| Council Member Densley |
AYE |
| Council Member Mendenhall |
ABSENT |
Roll call vote. All Council Members that were present voted in favor.
Judy Gubler indicated there has been a request to address this issue again and she would like the City Council’s feedback. The cost is approximately $60 per ad for artwork and $500 for printing and stuffing. There has also been a suggestion of providing coupons on-line for residents to print. Council Member Densley is excited about the advertising and feels the City should only allow businesses in Ivins to advertise. The same criteria for a business being in the business directory should apply to advertising in Ivins newsletter. He is concerned with some residents’ ability to print the coupons on-line and suggested some coupons be printed and available at City Hall. Council Member Roberts agreed with Council Member Densley if the City is going to allow advertising in the newsletter although he is concerned with the City competing with a potential private enterprise and indicated the government should not be competing with private advertising. Council Member Elwell does not think there would be an issue with competition if the advertising was limited to Ivins businesses. Council Member McDonald sees the advertising as a benefit to the community and does not see it taking business or jobs away from others. He would be in favor of advertising in the newsletter on a trial basis and suggested a minimum of six (6) months with an ideal trial period of one (1) year. Mayor Hart referred to a potential private advertiser coming forward in the future and suggested the City could step out of advertising in the newsletter if an entity comes forward to provide that service. Dale Coulam stated the subject of the government competing with private enterprise comes up every year in the Utah State Legislature. He suggested the City be aware of potential private enterprises and keep the focus narrow to helping local businesses. Currently there are no businesses in Ivins offering advertising. The Mayor and City Council Members that were present agreed to try a one (1) year trial period advertising in the newsletter, limit the advertising to businesses licensed in Ivins and use the same criteria for a business being allowed to be listed in the business directory. The Council will address this again prior to the one (1) year trial period if there is a significant complaint or other issues.
Council Member Densley reported that one slab was poured for the Veterans facility with three (3) more to be poured. 200 East has been paved and the facility continues to move forward.
Council Member Roberts commented on construction of the Veterans facility and indicated it is great that the City allows that construction at night due to the temperatures and the like. He attended a Dixie Care and Share meeting. The Dixie Care and Share facility has had an issue with bed bugs. They have dealt with that and acquired metal beds with sealed mattresses and pillows. The Dixie Care and Share pantry may be moving to the former Nisson’s grocery store in Washington. Utah Food Bank is the wholesaler for the pantry and is there to support Dixie Care and Share. Dixie Care and Share is struggling with transitional issues wherein there currently is no transitional housing available in Washington County and there are still over 700 homeless kids in the school district. Ivins previously budgeted $1000 to go towards Dixie Care and Share and he would prefer to see that go toward some capital improvements and Dixie Care and Share agreed. Anything the citizens can do to support Dixie Care and Share is great and appreciated.
Council Member McDonald - no report
Council Member Elwell referred to the St. George Magazine and indicated readers voted the Ivins Animal Shelter as the Best Animal Shelter in Southern Utah for 2012.
Mayor Hart provided a letter to the City Council members that was presented to Rocky Mountain Power executives at a meeting today regarding Ivins effort to move towards municipalizing Ivins power. A copy of the letter is available by request through Ivins City Hall. The survey that went out in the Ivins newsletter has yielded approximately a 70% response with a majority favoring 2 to 1 to proceed with municipalizing power. Judy Gubler indicated she will forward the survey results to the City Council with the comments. Mayor Hart stated Rocky Mountain Power was very accommodating and expressed an interest in helping Ivins make the best determination for Ivins residents. In a transaction of this nature, Rocky Mountain Power is required by their own policies to conduct the very survey that Ivins City has budgeted to have done. If Ivins City pursues becoming a municipal power, Ivins City would be required to hire Rocky Mountain Power or their consultant to put together the system analysis and appraisal. Ivins City could then have PSC, the engineering firm, assess and review the results. The next step of this process is to have the assessment done. Rocky Mountain Power would then provide the cost information of the assessment to the City and then that information would be brought before the City Council for approval. Mayor Hart indicated there will be a lot of legal issues associated with this because it’s a very complicated transaction. Rocky Mountain Power has transmission lines that go through the City that need to be retained to deliver power outside of Ivins City limits and the requirement Rocky Mountain Power is faced with is the disposal of Ivins system cannot negatively impact their other customers.
Mayor Hart reminded the City Council members to be at the Firehouse at 8:45 a.m. for the 24th of July Parade.
| C. |
City Manager, Judy Gubler |
No report
| D. |
City Attorney, Dale Coulam |
No report
Council Member Roberts requested the City Council review a resolution that would allow City Council members to attend a City Council meeting by way of phone, Skype or similar avenues in emergency situations.