The Castle Dale City Council met in their regularly scheduled meeting at the Castle Dale City Hall on Jan. 9. Mayor Neal Peacock called the meeting to order. Council members in attendance were Jack Rogers, Brad Giles, LaMont Gordon and Dan Whiteleather. Carolyn Jorgensen, city treasurer and Linda Turner, city recorder were also present.
Following the prayer and the pledge of allegiance, the first item of business was accepting the minutes from the previous meeting. After one clarification to the minutes, the council approved the minutes.
The Youth City Council for the new year was sworn in by Turner, city recorder. Those students sworn in were: Bethany Peacock, mayor, Megan Rogers, mayor, Cory Montgomery, mayor-elect and Nicole Sanders, mayor-elect. Councilmembers are Michelle Johansen, Melanie Johnson, Brandon Wilberg, Stephanie Greenburg and Becky Wright. Camylle Longmore is the reporter for youth council and Lindsey Huntsman is the treasurer.
Mayor Peacock and Councilman Gordon expressed their appreciation to the youth council for all the help and support they have given Castle Dale City in the past.
Emery County Commissioner Gary Kofford was then introduced to address the council. Kofford stated he had been approached by the chamber of commerce and the fair board to reserve the facilities on the needed dates for the fair this summer. Kofford reported the pageant would run from July 31-Aug. 9 with the exception of Sunday and Mondays. The fair itself would run from Aug. 5-9 and the chamber of commerce would host the lamb fry July 31 and Aug. 1-2. The rodeo is scheduled to run July 25-26. The parade is scheduled to run Aug. 9.
Commissioner Kofford then expressed the wish of the chamber, the museum board and the fair board to move the dinner and most of the activities back to Castle Dale City Park due to the accessibility. He stated other reasons for requesting this change. Kofford also asked permission to approach the sheriff’s office about closing some city roads to accommodate the fair.
Councilmen Giles and Whiteleather expressed some concerns over the move. Gordon also had reservations. Giles requested from Kofford a letter explaining the reasoning and outlining the exact requests. He stated the council would go over this letter and address each request. Mayor Peacock asked Kofford of the location for the exhibits. Kofford responded the museum board wants them back at the museum. Kofford then asked that both parks and the dates be blocked for the county’s use to ensure available space to accommodate whatever decision is made regarding the location of the fair and lamb fry. Mayor Peacock instructed Jorgensen to make the notations on the calendar. Mayor Peacock also responded to the request that a more detailed discussion would need to take place with the chamber and the fair board when the request letter is received.
Mayor Peacock then moved on to the mayor’s report. He reported that bids had come in for the truck the city had advertised. All bids were as yet unopened. One bid came in on time and the other two were late. Discussion followed to the procedure and wording of the advertisement. Giles moved to table the decision until the laws could be researched and the League of Cities and Towns could be contacted.
A Castle Dale resident was next to speak from the audience. Mayor Peacock asked the resident if he had a follow up report on a topic from the November meeting. The resident responded that he had spoken to his attorney and that the item of discussion was the responsibility of the city. Mayor Peacock responded by explaining to the resident that he had been to the site with Kerry Lake, Castle Dale city planning and zoning, and together they had made an agreement with the property owner to keep his vehicles at least 12 feet inside the pavement line. Until the sidewalks are finished, the resident would have to be patient and give the other party time to comply. Giles added the sidewalk project would begin some time in the upcoming week. When the sidewalks are complete, the vehicles must remain inside the sidewalk. Mayor Peacock added he had returned to the site and the owner of the vehicles was in compliance with the agreement.
The resident responded that he would comply with the council’s decisions. He then questioned the council about the enforceable laws in this matter. Mayor Peacock answered him saying that they are investigating and when they know, the resident will know.
Mayor Peacock moved on to a matter concerning the Castle Dale City Fire Department. Peacock presented a plaque to Tom Maier, former city fire chief, and expressed his thanks and appreciation for the hours of work Maier has put into the betterment of the fire department.
Peacock then read a thank you note from the Seventh District Juvenile Court for the cash donation to help them provide Christmas for a local family.
Mayor Peacock then began the council reports with a note from Councilman Doug Weaver, who was not in attendance. The note stated that Weaver had spoken to Glen Vernon, Fairview City manager, and Vernon had stated the business license ordinance that Castle Dale City has been reviewing is not appropriate. That ordinance was made in Cedar City, a town much larger that Castle Dale and because of the difference in population and needs, Castle Dale would need to look at one drafted for a smaller town. Weaver also wrote that the working copy of the city’s survey needs input and suggestions by the council. Peacock has contacted a statistics class at the College of Eastern Utah and they will help with the statistical side of the survey.
Councilman Giles was next and he stated he has been working on the street signs. He has contacted a company for bids to replace the existing signs but he needs more specific requests from the council about how the signs are to be designed. Giles stated estimated prices of signs with and without a logo. The council decided to put the Castle Dale City logo on the new street signs. Whiteleather suggested a contest for the school children to design the logo. Other logo ideas were discussed along with something to match the “Welcome to Castle Dale” signs on the highway coming into town. The council approved to secure a bid price with a logo for the new street signs.
Mayor Peacock then reminded the councilmen that the special service district wants a list of the projects to be considered for next year to be submitted by February. The council then discussed a number of projects in the planning stages for next year.
Giles informed the council he had received a letter from the Utah Department of Transportation with the notice that UDOT will be roto-milling all the main streets in Emery County towns this coming summer. Traffic will be slowed down and reduced to one lane in each direction, but the road will not be totally closed. UDOT also asked if the city has any need of the 2,500 tons of roto-mill material that this project will produce. The council discussed the environmental regulations attached to this request and where the material could be utilized in Castle Dale. UDOT has stated if the city has a designated use for this material, they will move it to that site during the project.
Giles then reported on the curve project. He stated that he has been in contact with the supervisor of the project in Richfield, Monte Aldrich, and Aldrich has promised to keep the council updated on the progress of the project. When questioned from the audience concerning a stop light on Main and Center streets, Giles answered that at the last traffic count, there was not enough traffic flow to warrant a stop light.
Councilman Whiteleather reported that a grant has been applied for from the CIB for the extension of the pavilion at the rodeo grounds.
Councilman Rogers reported on the easements for water lines. He also discussed some problems and their solutions. Rogers said the fire department met the previous day and had selected officers for the year. The department had also inquired about a junior fire fighter program, the squad wants to start one.
Several of the current firefighters for Castle Dale were in a similar program when they were younger and feel this is a viable program for the young people.
Peacock responded that in the past there have been liability issues with the insurance company. Rogers asked the council to review the insurance policy and see if there is some way to overcome the problems. Mayor Peacock instructed Jorgensen to call the insurance company and investigate.
Rogers also reported that Orangeville City’s summer celebration is scheduled for June 14, so the date selected by Castle Dale will be okay, as it is June 21. He stated that he is in the process of organizing the committee and they are beginning to plan the activities for this celebration.
Councilman Gordon reported that the Pioneer Museum window replacement project is nearly complete. Volunteers will be painting the windows in the upcoming week. He requested that the council investigate some way to have all the remaining windows in city hall replaced.
Gordon also reported that contractors have been contacted and he is receiving bids to repair the roof over the pool.
He said it is leaking quite badly right now with the snow melting. Gordon stated that the work on the billboard is still progressing.
As there was no other business, the council adjourned into executive session.
The next meeting for the Castle Dale City Council is Feb. 13 at 7 p.m.
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