Work Session
Joint Work Session with Pleasant Grove
David Bunker has a meeting with the City Manager of PG to discuss many outstanding issues. The Council has proposed a joint work session with PG on July 31st to discuss these outstanding issues, which include items such as Harvey Street, the Manila Water Dissolution agreement, sewer connections on 4000 West, and a current PG resident who is hooked on to the Cedar Hills sewer system yet is not paying the bill. The hope of the Council is to get all of the issues on the table and find acceptable ways to work through them with the PG Council.
Agenda
The Council reviewed the agenda items for Council meeting.
Council Meeting
Briant Platt with Blaisdell and Church (our city attorney) first addressed the Council with the following prepared statement:
“In light of recent events, the City Council urges all participants in Council meetings to treat one another with civility and respect. While individuals may feel passionately regarding certain issues and concerns under consideration before the Council, we encourage participants to avoid incendiary language and accusations that can quickly degrade the level of our discourse and the effectiveness of our interaction. Due to threats by a resident made in a recent Council meeting, the City Council also takes this opportunity to affirm that City Council meetings are legislative meetings. The Cedar Hills City Council has asked the City Attorney to provide direction on when statements in Council meetings may subject the speaker to liability for defamation. The City Attorney has advised the City Council that statements made by the City Council members in legislative proceedings are absolutely immune from liability for defamation if the matter is reasonably related to the proceeding. It is an open question under Utah law whether members of the public are afforded the same absolute immunity or are instead subject to a lesser, qualified protection from liability for defamation relating to comments made during a Council meeting. Accordingly, the City Council encourages all participants in Council meetings to treat each other courteously and respectfully, and invites all members of the public to address any issue on its agenda and express their opinions regarding what the City Council should do and why in a civil and thoughtful manner.”
Acting Mayor Martinez emphasized the desire for the public comment period to be used to address the Council with concerns, but that things should stay civil and respectful.
Public Comment
Ken Cromar - Mr. Cromar expressed his happiness about the clarification in the most recent newsletter regarding a statement made in Sept 2011 on the golf course finances. He feels the September 2011 newsletter impacted the election. He cares about the correct information getting out. He would like the City to republish the clarification on the front page of the next newsletter instead of where it currently is. Mr. Cromar filed a complaint with the Utah County Recorders office against resident Marisa Wright and provided a copy to the Council.
Pat Weber - Mrs. Weber purchased a home next to Timpanogos Cove park and is having several issues. People are loud late at night, even until 1:00am. She has seen drug deals occurring and people having sex in the park. Things have been stolen from her car and garage. She has not seen a police presence and is requesting a consistent patrol so people will get the message to leave when the park closes at 10:00pm.
Consent Agenda
The minutes from the May 15, 2012 town hall and Council meeting and from the June 5, 2012 Council meeting were approved.
City Reports
David Bunker - Harts Gas Station is being built and is planning on a completion end of September or first of October. The new fiscal year started on July 1st.
CM Jackman - Attending an emergency meeting with LPPSD on the Quail Fire. Utah County, Unified Fire, and the Forest Service also helped control this fire. Approximately 2200 acres were burned with about 200 acres being in the district. The district will be responsible for approximately $31,000 of the final bill. Cedar Hills' portion is about 1/4 of that amount, but may be less pending the results of the investigation. Acting Mayor Martinez will serve on the LPPSD board until a new mayor is appointed. The Public Safety Bldg is now fully dedicated to public safety as all City employees have moved to the Public Works Bldg. He is working with Chief Freeman on how that space will be utilized.
CM Gygi - NP Solid Waste continues to discuss the contract with Waste Mgmt. Utah Valley Dispatch is still looking for a new location.
CM Augustus - Planning Commission met. They have some suggestions on the Bridgestone project and will be presenting to the Council at a later meeting. Still researching sheds and other items located on setbacks on residential lots. Some members of the Planning Commission would like to opt out of receiving compensation.
CM Rees - July Yard of the Month winners are on the website. City Facebook page is now live and Twitter account will be next. Email contest was announced in the July newsletter. The goal is to have multiple avenues of communication with residents so that messages can get out quickly and frequently. CH resident wants to work with Highland and Alpine to put together a parade for the LPPSD firefighters. This effort will be led by residents.
CM Martinez - YCC met and the new group will be doing a team building activity. Tot soccer and flag football registration is starting soon. AFPD is kicking people out of Timp Cove park every night and giving tickets, but people just come back. Ordinance needs to be changed to say the park closes at 10pm (current ordinance says at dusk) so AFPD has more authority to enforce. Talked about options to lock the park at night. She will work with David on ways to fix this issue.
Discussion on Metropolitan Water District Easement Exchange
Ammon Allen with MWD presented. This district was created in 1936 by Salt Lake City to partner with the Federal Government on the Provo River Project. This 42 miles of aqueduct provides drinking water to SLC. In 2006 the U.S. Congress gave the title of these lands to the district. In 2000 the developer had a survey done, which shows the correct easement. However, the County recorded the wrong location of the easement (David Bunker concurs with this) leaving some residents in Canyon Heights with an easement in their backyard. While the former city manager told these residents it was fine to build pools or retaining walls in their backyards, the reality is that they cannot build on this easement. MWD would like to work with Cedar Hills to move the easement east where there is no development. This would move the easement between 25-50 feet east of where it is currently.
The Council asked Mr. Allen about landscaping or creating a trail on the easement. Mr. Allen stated it is OK to build a trail and OK to landscape on the easement. MWD would want a gate closing access to the easement on both sides so that only bikes and pedestrians could access - no motor vehicles or ATV's. Landscaping is OK, including grass and sprinklers, provided that it can be easily moved with excavation equipment and the City understands MWD is not responsible for any repairs if access is needed.
The Council advised David Bunker to work with Mr. Allen on language for an agreement as all agreed that moving the easement is a good idea.
Review of City's Emergency Action Plan
LPPSD currently has an emergency action plan that is being utilized for the City, but the City does not one. David Bunker will provide the Council with a copy of LPPSD's plan. Mr. Bunker will work with LPPSD, AFPD, the Public Works department, and the Council to create an emergency action plan for the City.
Review/Discussion on Consideration of Bond Refinancing
There was a lengthy discussion on this topic at the May 15th Work Session and my notes can be found at http://jenneyreeschcc.blogspot.com/2012/05/council-meeting-may-15-2012.html. Mr. Edminster came to present again. He still advises not to refinance the GO bond at this time due to negative arbitrage. Wells Fargo is still willing to refinance the PI2 bond if the Council chooses to do so. CM Gygi and CM Jackman will continue to work with the Finance Committee on options and present suggestions at a later time.
Discussion on Recreation Center Basement
Final draft of plans for basement will be presented to the Council at a later meeting. Programming is still being discussed by the recreation team but that won't hold up plans for build out.
The Council did go into executive session.
