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HomeMy Public PortalAboutMIN-CC-2020-11-10 Page 1 of 5 November 10, 2020 MOAB CITY COUNCIL MINUTES REGULAR MEETING November 10, 2020 The Moab City Council held its Regular Meeting on the above date. Consistent with provisions of the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act, Utah Code Ann. § 54-2-207(4), the Moab City Council Chair has issued written determinations supporting the decision to convene electronic meetings of the Council without a physical anchor location. Due to the health and safety risks related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and considering public health orders limiting in-person gatherings, the Moab City Council will continue to hold meetings by electronic means. An audio recording of the meeting is archived at http://www.utah.gov/pmn/index.html. A video recording is archived at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeH4ecXZthg&t=377s. PRE-COUNCIL WORKSHOP Mayor Emily Niehaus called the Workshop to order at 6:01 p.m. Participating remotely were Councilmembers Rani Derasary, Mike Duncan, Karen Guzman-Newton, Tawny Knuteson-Boyd and Kalen Jones. City staff participating remotely were Manager Joel Linares, Assistant Manager Carly Castle, Attorney Laurie Simonson, Engineer Chuck Williams and Recorder Sommar Johnson. Grand County Planning Director Mila Dunbar-Irwin and Grand County Road Department Supervisor Bill Jackson also joined the workshop. Moab & Spanish Valley Regional Transportation Plan: The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) consultant Project Manager Jon Nepstad of Fehr & Peers presented progress on the Moab & Spanish Valley Regional Transportation Plan which covers the vicinity of Highway 191 from San Juan County to Interstate 70. He reviewed the list of stakeholders, which include UDOT staff, Grand County, San Juan County, Moab City and Utah School and Institutional Trust Land Administration (SITLA). Nepstad noted the schedule was revised due to COVID-19. He reviewed project goals and stated the working group considered existing conditions, project criteria and the public engagement plan. Nepstad discussed peer communities such as Aspen and Jackson and the challenge for the workforce to commute to jobs from surrounding communities. Results of the community survey were briefly presented. Upcoming steps were reviewed. Councilmember Duncan asked about the community survey responses regarding hypothetical budget priorities. Nepstad indicated that dynamic signage, small projects and transit feasibility were priorities according to the survey results. Duncan brought up the bypass option. Nepstad mentioned an environmental assessment would need to be completed and more conceptual work on behalf of the community would need to be done to get to that stage. Councilmember Derasary asked about some of the prioritized items and the timeframe for the survey. Nepstad explained that it is the role of the stakeholders to interpret the will of their constituents. Mayor Niehaus reiterated the list of stakeholders and Neptstad also listed other participants, including the airport manager, State Patrol, State Park staff, Moab Chamber of Commerce Director, and some private citizens. Councilmember Jones brought up the City’s downtown plan, which currently advocates for a bypass. Councilmember Derasary brought up citizens who feel disenfranchised from the process. Bill Jackson requested an extension to the survey deadline. REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING Regular Meeting—Call to Order and Attendance: Mayor Niehaus called the Regular City Council Meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. Participating remotely were Councilmembers Karen Guzman-Newton, Tawny Knuteson-Boyd, Rani Derasary, Mike Duncan and Kalen Jones. City staff participating remotely were Manager Joel Linares, Assistant Manager Carly Castle, Attorney Laurie Simonson, Recorder Sommar Johnson, Senior Projects Manager Kaitlin Myer, Page 2 of 5 November 10, 2020 Engineer Chuck Williams, Planner Nora Shepard and Public Works Director Levi Jones. Citizens to be Heard: Jason Ramsdell stated he lives in the Mountain View subdivision and suggested the highway bypass be removed from the list of options. He stated the traffic congestion is not about trucks but rather is about incessant advertising to tourists. Administrative Reports: Mayor Niehaus gave an update on COVID-19. She said the Chamber is reimagining the holiday festivities this year. Assistance City Manager Castle gave an update describing closure of some City facilities due to the Governor’s executive order relating to COVID-19. City Manager Linares reported City Hall is still closed to the public. He described the change to the Health Department reporting requirements. He said there were 20 new cases in the last seven days. He spoke about mask enforcement. Public Works Director Levi Jones provided an update on water department activities. He mentioned a water leak that morning at 100 North Main. Also that morning one of the City’s well pumps failed. He covered various maintenance activities. Linares asked about the failure of the well pump and Jones clarified there was water in the well but he stated redundancy is needed to ensure a safe water supply. He said the pump can be repaired within two weeks. Councilmember Derasary asked about existing redundancy in the City’s well system. City Engineer Chuck Williams provided an overview of engineering projects. He stated a submittal for Well #12 has been prepared for presentation to the Regional Engineer for the Utah Division of Water Resources. Williams stated the bike skills park would open the next day and reported on the Highway 191 widening project. He stated the emphasis is on paving before the weather turns too cold for asphalt and said there would be one lane of travel in each direction through the winter with a center turn lane. Councilmember Guzman-Newton asked about the bonding required for the well. Williams said it was $6 million for the well and related expenditures. She also asked about the projected completion date for the highway project and Williams said the contracted goal is next Spring but the motivation is to complete earlier than the Spring. He said the asphalt plant opened in early April in 2020. Linares clarified more about the timeline for completion. Williams stated work has begun on Utah State University with a completion date of December 2021. He mentioned utilities work at Lionsback is ongoing. He touched on other projects such as work involving the closure of the bike path near the junior high school and the north trunk line for the sewer. He concluded with a mention of an upcoming water supply update. City Planner Nora Shepard brought up a workforce housing adjustment request from a hotel developer. Mayor Niehaus took questions from Councilmembers Knuteson-Boyd and Guzman- Newton regarding the nature of the variation request. Councilmember Jones mentioned this was brought up a year ago, and Shepard clarified the changes since then. Councilmember Duncan asked about the advantages and disadvantages. Shepard indicated the workforce housing could also be rented to non-employees from the workforce. Councilmember Guzman-Newton stated one-bedroom units were in high demand. Mayor Niehaus asked for a show of support from Council and all members were in favor of sending it to the Planning Commission. Mayor and Council Reports: Mayor Niehaus reported she had attended meetings on water quality, sidewalk planning, housing affordability and awarding the Students of the Month. She noted that at the Southeast Page 3 of 5 November 10, 2020 Utah Association of Governments economic development update, quality of life was considered and noise was added to quality of life indicators. She reported that tourist advertising was discussed. Mayor Niehaus also mentioned revised Veterans Day plans due to the COVID-19 concerns. Councilmember Derasary reported on an online “conservation conversation” regarding outdoor recreation. Crowds, resource damage and other considerations were covered. She thanked the Moab Arts and Recreation Center (MARC) staff and Communications Director Lisa Church for their work educating the public about the Proposition 8 ballot measure. Councilmember Duncan reported he attended the sidewalks workshop and was thanked for his volunteer work measuring street widths. He stated he attended a water presentation by Marc Stilson, the Regional Engineer for the Utah Department of Water Resources, who has concluded there is no additional water available to the community that is easy to obtain. Duncan stated future metering may be an option and that the water supply is currently tapped out. Mayor Niehaus referred to a conversation with City Manager Linares regarding safe yield. Linares stated that legislation could require new water rights for any future development. Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd reported the Museum board meeting was cancelled so had nothing to report and noted she had several upcoming meetings. Councilmember Guzman-Newton reported on the Chamber of Commerce revised plans for the Christmas holidays. She reported on her work with the Arches Hotspot committee, and noted personal income in the County has contracted, particularly in the hospitality and extraction industries. She touched briefly on vaccine updates and reported on the meeting of the airport board. Councilmember Jones reported on the meeting of the housing task force and noted the Namaste Rock developer is interested in a manufactured housing project near the intersection of Highways 191 and 313. Jones mentioned the Spanish Valley Trail and the Grandstaff Trail are now part of the national trail system. He reported on the Travel Council meeting and mentioned the Grand County Commission resolution regarding advertising expectations. He indicated the preferred message is to promote stewardship not all-terrain vehicles. Jones also brought up the ongoing revamp of the County’s special events application and suggested the City take this opportunity to revise the City application at the same time. Jones asked about the City’s new speed limit signage and Linares indicated sign delivery is a month out. Presentation on CARES Act Funding: City Manager Joel Linares provided a briefing on The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to the City. He said that altogether, the City will receive $1.1 million for public safety expenses related to COVID mitigation. He said the City must spend the funds by December 30 and is permitted to use the funds for law enforcement personnel expenses and would have approximately $100,000 remaining that could be used for community outreach grants. His recommendation is to provide funds to people who have not received COVID relief funding to date. He mentioned food vendors, restaurants, the hospital, food producers and rent relief as possible categories for aid. Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd asked for clarification regarding the public safety cost savings offset by CARES funding would be moved into the general fund. Linares confirmed. Approval of Minutes — Approved Motion: Councilmember Derasary moved to approve the minutes for the October 13, 2020, Page 4 of 5 November 10, 2020 Regular Meeting; October 20, 2020, Special Joint Moab City Council/Grand County Commission Meeting; October 27, 2020, Regular Meeting; October 30, 2020, Special Joint Moab City Council/Grand County Commission/Arches Hotspot Regional Coordinating Committee Meeting; and the November 4, 2020 Special Meeting. Councilmember Duncan seconded the motion. Discussion: Councilmember Derasary noted she had sent corrections to the Recorder. Vote: The motion passed with 5-0 Councilmembers Derasary, Jones, Guzman-Newton, Knuteson-Boyd, and Duncan voting aye in a roll call vote. Old Business: Walnut Lane Award for Invitation for Bids (IFB) for Manufactured Units at Walnut Lane—Approved Presentation: Senior Projects Manager Kaitlin Myers provided an overview of the bids and the selection process for the recommended bid for the Walnut Lane project. Motion: Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd moved to award the contract for the construction, delivery, and installation of modular units to indieDwell, as recommended by the IFB Selection Committee, and authorize the Mayor to sign the contract with indieDwell for an amount not to exceed $1,075,095. Councilmember Guzman-Newton seconded the motion. Discussion: Councilmember Jones expressed his skepticism about the City getting into the affordable housing business. It was noted that the Housing Authority of Southeast Utah (HASU) did not bid to be a developer of the Walnut Lane project as it did with the Moab Area Projects for Seniors (MAPS) apartments. Guzman-Newton stated she has also been skeptical but sees the need for affordable housing for local law enforcement employees, teachers and more, as well as the community’s neediest members. She stated she felt the four-to-five year loan terms are attractive and finds it viable and urged the City to move forward. Knuteson-Boyd agreed and stated there is always a risk and always a need. Duncan said the project would serve the poorest part of town which has the most need for affordable housing. He said he appreciated Councilmember Jones’ idea with regard to flexibility of types of units offered. Duncan noted that it could put a squeeze on the budget but a property tax needs to be defended. Mayor Niehaus asserted that if there was a cost overrun, the terms of the loan could be adjusted. She said that a property tax would not be used to cover this expense and the property tax option is not on the table. The Mayor asked Myers to recap the requirement for the Planned Area Development (PAD) for mixed income developments and Myers confirmed 80 units are in the plan. Mayor Niehaus noted that rental stock is lacking for all income levels. Vote: The motion passed 4-1 with Councilmembers Derasary, Knuteson-Boyd, Guzman- Newton and Duncan voting aye and Councilmember Jones voting nay in a roll call vote. Proposed Resolution 44-2020: A Resolution Regarding the City of Moab's Commitment to Funding Years Four and Five of a "Recreational Hotspot" Transit Shuttle Pilot Program—Approved Presentation: Assistant Manager Castle presented the background and intent of the project. She explained the Grand County Commission and Moab City Council approved a Transit Shuttle Pilot Project to be included in the Arches Region Hotspot Concept Package. She explained the annual cost for the pilot is estimated to be $500,000 and UDOT has indicated its willingness to fund the first three years of the transit pilot using Hotspot funding, and requires that the City of Moab and Grand County fund years four and five of the program. She explained the City and County commitments are needed in order to proceed with the project. Motion: Councilmember Guzman-Newton moved to approve Resolution No. 44-2020, A Resolution Regarding the City of Moab’s Commitment to Funding Years Four and Five of a “Recreational Hotspot” Transit Shuttle Pilot Program. Councilmember Duncan seconded the motion. Page 5 of 5 November 10, 2020 Discussion: Mayor Niehaus thanked Councilmember Guzman-Newton for her hard work on the project. Vote: The motion passed 5-0 with Councilmembers Derasary, Guzman-Newton, Knuteson- Boyd, Duncan and Jones voting aye in a roll call vote. Approval of Bills Against the City of Moab: Motion and vote: Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd moved to approve the bills against the City of Moab in the amount of $257,784.69. Councilmember Derasary seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0 with Councilmembers Jones, Duncan, Guzman-Newton, Derasary, and Knuteson-Boyd voting aye in a roll call vote. Executive (Closed) Session Motion and Vote: At 8:50 P.M., Councilmember Derasary moved to enter an executive closed Strategy Session to Discuss Reasonably Imminent and/or Pending Litigation and/or a Discussion of the Character, Professional Competence, or Physical or Mental Health of an Individual or Individuals. Councilmember Guzman-Newton seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0 with Councilmembers Jones, Duncan, Guzman-Newton, Derasary, and Knuteson- Boyd voting aye in a roll call vote. Councilmember Jones moved to end the executive closed session. Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously and Mayor Niehaus closed the session at 10:22 P.M. Adjournment: Councilmember Knuteson-Boyd moved to adjourn the meeting. Councilmember Jones seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously and Mayor Niehaus adjourned the meeting at 10:22 p.m. APPROVED: __________________ ATTEST: ___________________ Emily S. Niehaus, Mayor Sommar Johnson, City Recorder