My Thoughts on the CoRec Basement

Finishing the CoRec basement is a hot topic for the Council and for residents. It’s no secret that I am opposed to finishing the basement at this time, but it’s not because I don’t care about the needs of our children (I have four kids ranging in ages from 18 to 1) and it’s not because I don’t recreate. I do see the benefit of having additional recreational opportunities for our residents and I wasn’t opposed to using recreation impact fees and/or CARE tax funds for the basement. However, the recreation impact fees are now gone and we only have approximately $100,000 in CARE tax money, which doesn’t come close to the money needed to complete the basement. My concerns with using unrestricted funds for this are based on the following reasons.

1. Financial forecasting

I am waiting to receive a forecast of our financial needs for the next 5-7 years. I don’t believe in making big financial decisions without financial forecasting and I’m concerned that, as a Council, we don't have a clear idea of what needs we should be budgeting for over the next five years. Earlier this year we hired Bowen, Collins, & Associates to perform a utility rate analysis for us. In this analysis they state “based on the current plan [of increasing utility rates], the City will need to draw approximately $1.1 million from reserve funds to cover expenditures in the first four years of the plan before it is paid back in later years. It is recommended that the City verify it has adequate reserve funds to cover this need.” Recently, we’ve been told that our golf carts need to be replaced, which is not something we planned for. These are two things we know of, but what of those things of which we are not aware? What other needs does our City have over the next five years that we should be budgeting for and that we can pay for with unrestricted funds? I don’t have an answer to this question as of yet. Our financial director is working on this analysis for us. I am hesitant to spend unrestricted funds until we have a better understanding of our financial needs.

2. Profit/Loss on current programs

I am waiting to receive a copy of a profit & loss analysis for the current recreation programs and the Grill and this is something our finance team is working on. I’ve been told that our current recreation programs and the Grill are losing money, but I don’t know how much. In the 2013 budget we assumed both would break even and we will have to budget amend if either will need a subsidy due to losses. It is still early in the fiscal year and things may change; however, I’m hesitant to add more recreation programs if our existing programs are losing money. If we increase our costs (which finishing the basement will do) and continue to lose money then it stands to reason that the needed subsidy will also increase. I would prefer to first implement the suggestions from residents and the Golf Course Finance Advisory Committee on ways to increase revenue and see if we can get closer to breaking even before spending more money on something that is losing money.

3. Already over budget

From what I’ve been able to tell after reviewing agenda minutes and talking with residents, the original approval for the CoRec was to spend $2.1 million, then it increased to $2.5 million. In the end with changes and updates the total cost was closer to $2.9 million. The intent of the building was to function as a clubhouse, a recreation center, and an events center. It feels now like the message is in order to really make it work for all three, we need to spend another $300,000 - $500,000 to complete the basement and then it will be profitable and serve all three functions. We’ve already spent a considerable amount of money to accomplish this and residents were told that the current center would  function as an events and recreation center. I feel we should allow more time to work out the scheduling conflicts before assuming we have to spend more money, especially as it is already almost half a million dollars over budget.

4. What is the potential?

We are told that there is a conflict between recreation and events as only one thing can be happening at the facility at a time, but if we finish the basement then we can have recreation and events occurring together. Maybe this is true and there is an opportunity cost to be considered by only having room for one or the other. However, I haven’t seen an analysis that realistically shows what the potential is. We couldn’t ask an investor to invest in our business by simply stating that we were going to have 1,000 new clients by the end of the year. We would need to show an understanding of the industry, our competitors, the market share, what was working and what wasn’t, and explain how we were going to meet that number. I’m not aware of an analysis showing what potential our CoRec has for events. How many events do other Utah County golf courses hold? How many receptions does the new center in Pleasant Grove hold each year? Are other golf courses realizing a profit when hosting events and tournaments? If we are going to be in the business of running an events center, then it’s time we start thinking like a business. I know that many businesses lose money before they begin to realize profits. However, we need to have a plan in place and an understanding of the business we are in before we are spending more money to accommodate more events.

5. Is this what residents really want?

Unfortunately, due to legal expenses we had to cut the Decisions Survey that was to be completed this year. I would’ve liked to ask about the basement as a portion of it is for a cardio room and a includes a plan for spin classes. Reading through the Decisions Survey done during FY 2011 there were two questions that stand out to me. The first was “Should the City provide adult recreation programs?” In that survey, 35% were in favor and 60% were against. The other question was “If adult programs were provided, would you participate?” 29% said yes and 65% said no. Additionally, we’ve had residents reach out to the Council expressing a desire for more park space. Our unrestricted funds can be used for anything, and after reviewing the last Decisions Survey and hearing from residents I’m not sure that the CoRec basement is something on which we should spend unrestricted funds. We did hold a townhall meeting to discuss this but there less than 20 residents who provided input during the public comment portion. It would be nice to hear from more residents on this issue.

Again, I am not opposed to recreation or the facility we currently have. As a mom, I appreciate all of the things the City does to make this a family-friendly community. I also realize that we are lucky to live near several other cities that also have recreation programs where my children can participate. I have thought over this topic for months and I’m just not at the point where I feel comfortable spending unrestricted funds without first resolving the five points listed above. I do realize I stand alone on this issue and I will support whatever is ultimately decided by the Council, but I felt it important to share my concerns so residents understand why I feel we should not finish the basement at this time.

Council Meeting - November 20, 2012

Work Session

Presentation by YCC on Santa’s Workshop Toy Drive

This program allows local families in need to pick up toys and other presents for their children for Christmas. The YCC meets with local bishops to get recommendations of families who may benefit from this program. All of the money that is raised from fundraisers throughout the year go towards this program, as well as toy donations from families. Last year the YCC helped 30 families. This year the YCC has raised approximately $500. The YCC encourages families to donate new or gently used toys to this program. Donation boxes will be located at the Public Works Building, the Community Recreation Center, Deerfield Elementary, and Cedar Ridge Elementary. Cash donations can be made at the City Office. Pizza Pie Café is having a special fundraising activity for Cedar Hills. Bring in your Pizza Pie card on Nov 27^th, 28^th, 29^th, Dec 4^th, 5^th, or 6^th and 25% of your order will go to help this program.

Discussion of Winter Activities on Golf Course

There have been several suggestions to have other winter activities on the golf course. The golf manager came to discuss his concerns and recommends not doing this. After talking with other courses and doing research he has determined that this causes a lot of damage to the course. He contacted the superintendent of Wasatch State Park as they do allow winter activities on their golf course and was told they sustain a lot of damage each year. Skiers don’t stay on the trails and the snow compact turns to ice, which damages the greens. He also spoke with a course in Idaho that allows other activities and was told they spend $5,000-$8,000 each year on repairs.

The previous golf director used to have snow removed from the course in the winter in order to have more rounds of golf played. Our current management recommends we do not continue this practice as the course benefits from having several weeks to recuperate. The recommendation was made that we identify other areas where residents can participate in winter activities and that the Council approve an official policy prohibiting sledding and other activities on the course. This will be continued to the next meeting.

Council Meeting

Public Comment

Marisa Wright – Wants to see the CoRec basement completed. Says only one resident at the townhall regarding the basement was against it after expressing fiscal conservatism. She is upset that the City settled with UVHBA. Some members of the Council have told her that now that the recreation impact fees are gone the basement can be completed with CARE tax funds and unrestricted general funds. Feels the basement needs to be completed to make the golf course break even operationally. Says the CoRec is the difference between a town and hometown. Doesn’t know why anyone would be against it unless they don’t recreate.

City Reports

David Bunker – Received bond ratings from Standard & Poor and Fitch. Both agencies rated the City at AA-, which is a very good rating. With both agencies giving us the same rating we will get a better refinancing rate on the GO bond. Interest rates are low right now so it is a good time to refinance.

CM Martinez – YCC working on Santa’s workshop. On December 10^th the City will be hosting a winter event at the CoRec. Santa will be there to see the kids and we will be serving hot cocoa. Hours will be 5pm-8pm. The Grill is recommending new winter hours of 8-5 with the grill portion only operating from 11-2. Food that will be served during the other hours will be soups, salads, and premade items. This recommendation is due to financial losses. December 7^th will be the last day of regular hours.

CM Augustus – The Planning Commission met to discuss the Dimond Subdivision, kennels and catteries. Attended a North Pointe Solid Waste board meeting and tipping fees will be increasing about $3 per household per year. Looking at changing access as it is very busy on Saturdays. He continues to work with draftsperson on plans for the CoRec basement.

Mayor Gygi – Met with three council members regarding goals and visions. Will meet with the other two soon. Will present overall goals for January.

CM Rees – Issued two press releases and getting more likes on Facebook. Working with CM Martinez on December 10^th event.

CM Zappala – Working on emergency plan for the City. Attended a board meeting for Utah Valley Special Service District. They are having issues hiring qualified people and are also looking for a new location. Mentioned Highland, Saratoga Springs, and Santaquin as possible locations. Working on a request for bids.

Recognition of Golf Course Finance Advisory Committee Members

As not all of the members were able to be present this item has been postponed.

Review/Acton to Approve Final Plat for Dimond Subdivision A

This is a proposed two lot subdivision located at 4000 West and 9486 North. The subdivision will consist of the existing home and a new lot. This subdivision originally received approval about two years ago and has gone through the Planning Commission again. Still need to submit water rights and a storm water protection plan. Plans include utilities to the new lot. This was approved.

Review/Acton on Water Conservation Plan Update

The State and the Division of Water Resources require that we update this plan every five years. Our current outdoor use is moderate to high and we need to develop some education materials for residents to reduce water consumption. We do not currently meter our PI usage, but it would cost approximately $1.5 million to install a metering system, plus higher O&M costs for replacement and maintenance. We haven’t looked at providing incentives to cut down on water use, but staff is open to this. Staff would like to create a water conservation committee to address this and other conservation issues. The new Water Conservation Plan was approved.

Discussion on Golf Cart Lease Agreement

Wade (golf director) went through each of the carts to review was is needed and determined that about half of our golf carts will not have enough battery life to get through the next season. He recommends we replace the carts. If we were to fix the issues with existing carts it would cost $36,000-$40,000 the first year and the same amount for the second year. This is in addition to the approximately $50,000 in cart maintenance costs over the next 24 months on the current fleet. He doesn’t feel it makes sense to spend that kind of money on used carts. Feels it makes more financial sense to sell the bad carts and get a lease for new carts. He has received several bids and the price is about $6,200/month for a four-year lease for the new carts. The four year lease includes a full warranty for the four years. We had previously been told that we could expect each cart to last eight years but Wade feels a more realistic expectation is four years. We’ve had issues with carts dying on the course and golfers having to be towed back to the clubhouse. We also had an instance where a golfer was injured after the brakes didn’t work on a cart. Mr. Gonzalez (cart maintenance technician) stated there is also a cost of labor and parts to continually be fixing broken down carts. This was a discussion item only so no decision was made.

Discussion on Cedar Hills Champions Program

I had been approached by a resident who wanted to recommend another resident as a Cedar Hills Champion. This section is on our website but was never an official program. I would like to implement this program and recognize a resident each quarter. I will work with David on drafting the parameters for this program and it will be on a future agenda.

No executive session was needed.

Council Meeting - November 15, 2012

Council Meeting

Public Comment

Nobody signed up for public comment.

Review/Action on Settlement Agreement with UVHBA

In April, the UVHBA filed an action against the City regarding the collection and use of impact fees for recreation facilities. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, the parties agree that no liability has been established and that by settling, the City does not admit to any wrongdoing. The Council unanimously agreed to pay $175,000, which is approximately the amount of recreation impact fees that had not yet been spent, and reimburse attorney’s fees in the amount of $15,000. More information can be found by reviewing the City’s press release at http://www.cedarhills.org/node/1790.

Review/Action on Ordinance Repealing Recreation Building Impact Fee

In association with the settlement agreement with UVHBA the City agreed to suspend and repeal the assessment and collection of the recreation facilities component of the park impact fee. The new ordinance repealing the collection of this impact fee was unanimously approved.

Review/Action on Interlocal Cooperation Agreement

Before the reconstruction of North County Blvd began the County agreed that certain municipal improvements needed to be installed in 4800 West. These improvements include a 12-inch culinary water line, a relocated sewer meter vault, the construction of a new sewer outfall line and metering vault to allow sanitary sewer flows to enter the TSSD mainline in 1100 East in American Fork, and water and sewer lines stub-outs in the undeveloped commercial properties east of 4800 West. Our portion of these improvements comes to $310,054.40, which is 60% of the overall cost and our portion of the overall usage. The other 40% will be paid by American Fork, which represents their portion of the usage. Adding the stub-outs now means we will not have to tear up the road to install these utility lines when commercial businesses start development in our commercial area. The funds will be allocated from capital improvement and impact fees according to the construction schedule. This was unanimously approved.

As the Council had an executive session prior to the meeting to discuss legal items there was no need for an additional executive session.

Townhall Meeting - October 18, 2012

Townhall Meeting - Public Safety

Lt. Sam Liddiard - American Fork Police Department

• 33 officers in patrol and investigations
• Investigations:
• 9 detectives, 1 in major crimes task force for the County
• In 2011 they investigated 2,100 cases
• As of September 2012 they have investigated 2,142 cases
• Three biggest issues for our area are domestic violence, child abuse, and drugs
• Patrol:
• In 2011 dispatch received 10,333 calls
• As of September 2012 dispatch has received 7,925 calls
• Patrol officers handle initial investigations, reports, and first response (CPR and first aid)
• Bicylce patrol for crowds, neighborhoods, and public presentations
• Motorcycle patrol for traffic, accident investigations, and special events
• K9 for patrol and narcotics
• NOVA program with elementary schools
• SWAT team for high risk warrants, hostage situations, and VIP protection
• Animal control
• We pay approximately $400,000 per year for all of these services. It is estimated to cost around $1.5 million to start up our own force, plus the cost of equipment and vehicles

Chief Brad Freeman - Lone Peak Public Safety District

• City is partial owner along with Alpine and Highland
• It would cost around $1.5 million per year to have our own, right now we pay around $600,000 per year
• Offer fire and paramedic services
• Utilize an intern program to keep costs down while helping interns keep their skills up
• Handle fire, medical emergencies, floods, swift water rescues, accidents, and canyon rescues
• In 2011 they handled 348 calls for fire and 842 calls for EMS
• Also do inspections, school programs, station tours, scout assignments, and other various community programs
• Law requires that they have a minimum of four firefighters onsite before entering any burning building
• Receive funding from ambulance bills, grants, county, and the three participating cities
• Alpine pays $624,310; Cedar Hills pays $611,258; and Highland pays $939,727
• Base fee is 10%
• 45% based on population
• 45% based on number of households and ERU's for commercial areas
• Cedar Hills pays around 22% of the total cost
• Cedar Hills is getting a new transport truck that allows for fire and paramedic services. Currently, if the EMT's were on the fire truck and got an EMS call they have to go back to the station to the get ambulance, and vice versa. This new vehicle will allow for both situations so there is no need to return to the station for the correct vehicle.
• Currently have 36 part time and 14 full time staff to cover three shifts for 24x7 coverage

City Council Meeting - October 16, 2012

Work Session

The work session was a closed executive session to discuss litigation matters.

Council Meeting

Public Comment
Nobody signed up for public comment.

Consent Agenda
The minutes from the August 28, 2012 City Council meeting and the September 18, 2012 City Council meeting and Public Hearing were approved.

Review/Action on Approving Submittal  of a Recreational Grant Application
Each year the City files an application for a municipal recreational grant from the Utah County Commission. The income from this grant will be $11,306.93 and will go into the CARE tax fund to offset some of the expenses associated with the Heritage Park basketball court, which was $36,245.01. The request to submit the application for this grant was unanimously approved.

Review/Action on Resolution Appointing Daniel Zappala to the UV Dispatch SSD
The Utah Valley Dispatch Special Service District requires that appointing a member representative be made through a resolution. Mayor Gygi has asked Daniel Zappala to serve on this board. The resolution was unanimously approved.

Review/Action on Water Charges and Reimbursement
Residents who live on Mahogany Drive and 9220 North had some water issues over the summer and it was later discovered there was a cross-connect in the culinary water line for these two streets (for more info see my notes from the August 28th Council Meeting). The City approved the reimbursement of all culinary and PI water charges for these residents for July - September, which equaled approximately $4,330.00. After this, city representatives met with these residents again who have asked for an additional six months of testing on their water line and an additional six months of free culinary water so as to reassure them that their water is fine. David Bunker estimated the additional cost for this would be $1,130.00. There were a few residents from this area in attendance and Mayor Gygi asked if any would like to speak. William Moore stated that he would like to see this resolved and felt better communication was needed. Crystal Michaelis stated that some residents still have discolored water on occasion and that her child was going to have to be on medication for the rest of her life because of the giardia diagnosis. David asked that any resident who has discolored water collect it in a mason jar and contact the City immediately. The request for an additional six months of culinary water at no charge was unanimously approved.

Review/Action on Approval of Costs for CoRec Basement
This was changed to a discussion item only. Previously the recreation team had submitted three different options for completing the basement. A townhall meeting was held where the majority of residents indicated they preferred Option B. The Council asked the recreation staff to come up with some preliminary figures for each option. Option A which includes finishing the entire basement, supplying all equipment, and installing a rock wall is estimated to cost $396,777.00. Option B which includes finishing the entire basement but not purchasing any equipment is $301,902.00. Option C which includes finishing the North side only (classes but no cardio room) is $212,332.00. CM Zappala has asked staff to find out the difference in cost for an elevator instead of an ADA ramp. I suggested we do a poll with residents now that we have an idea of the cost. This was agreed to so I will be working on creating a poll using Survey Monkey or some other similar software. This topic will be continued at the next Council meeting.

**As I was going through my notes for this blog I realized something seemed off with the math for Option A and B. The cost for Option A is $396,777.00. The cost for option B without equipment is $301,902.00; however, the equipment is $98,445.00. This means if I add the cost for equipment back in, as most residents said they wanted with Option B, it would cost more than Option A. I then went back through and added the equipment total ($98,445.00) with the additional costs of construction listed below the equipment on Option A (mirror, handrail, ADA ramp, etc.) and I show the cost for Option A would be $424,777. Also, I don't see anything listed on Option A that includes a rock wall. I have sent an email asking for some clarification on these numbers and will create the poll for residents once that info is verified.

Review/Action on Approval of Updated Policies and Procedures
Over several months city staff has been working on updating the employee policies and procedures based on input from administration, the Mayor and Council, and the City Attorney. Updates include changes to benefits, recruitment, nepotism, city assigned phones, appeals board, employee privileges, and funeral leave. A few additional changes were requested by the Council - the employee benefit to rent the Vista Room one time at a reduced rate will only be offered Sunday - Thursday and is subject to availability. Also, an update to the nepotism policy must state that any potential hires cannot be related to anyone in the appeals chain. The changes to the policy were approved 4 to 1.

Discussion on Use of Soccer Fields by NUCS
The North Utah County Soccer Club currently uses our fields at Mesquite Park for soccer practice and games. We also utilize these fields for flag football. There have been some instances where NUCS is using the fields when they are not scheduled to do so and it has conflicted with flag football, yet the coaches are unwilling to leave the field. CM Martinez wanted to discuss this issue and get feedback on how to best resolve. Mayor Gygi has asked that he and David meet with NUCS to discuss better terms in our contract and possibly assess penalties for not complying with the contract. NUCS has threatened to send an email to the families of their Cedar Hills players letting them know the City is "unwilling to work with them"; however, we recognize that our flag football teams are just as important and need to be able to use the fields when they are scheduled to do so.

Review/Action of City Manager Contract
Mayor Gygi, Eric Johnson, and David Bunker have completed the final contract for the City Manager position. A few changes were requested:

• Change the distance that the city manager may live outside of Cedar Hills from 8 to 10;
• Change the wording on raises to state that the Mayor and Council can approve raises, not just the Mayor;
• Change wording on the vehicle supplied to state that the City will provide a vehicle based on the City's existing vehicle purchase policy.

The contract with changes was unanimously approved.

City Reports
CM Augustus - Planning Commission had a meeting and one of the new members was sworn in. He will try to change the November Planning Commission meeting so it won't conflict with the townhall for the Golf Course Finance Advisory Committee.

CM Rees - We will be having a townhall meeting on Thursday to discuss public safety.

CM Martinez - The new Parks, Trails, Recreation, and Beautification Committee will be meeting the first of November. YCC is having the Spooktacular on Oct 29th. Kids can wear their costumes and this will be at Heritage Park. Nov 3rd is the Princess Festival at the CoRec.

CM Jackman - Met with the Finance Committee to discuss the refinance of the golf course bond. The savings over the term of the loan is $400,000. We can only do an advanced call once so if we move forward we will be locked in at the new interest rate for ten years. This refi does not extend the term but lowers the interest rate from what we current pay (approximately 4% - 4.5%) to an interest rate around 2.3%-2.8%. We have this opportunity because of our recent bond rating increase. The Council is fine with the finance committee pursuing this option.

There was no need for an additional executive session so the meeting was adjourned.

Council Meeting - October 4, 2012

Work Session

The work session was an executive session to discuss legal matters.

Council Meeting

Public Comment
Kyle Castle - Concerned about the cost of the Community Recreation Center basement. Wants to know if income generated from the golf course and recreation programs will cover the expenses associated with building the basement and running the programs.

Youth City Council Update
Several members of the YCC came to introduce themselves to the Council. The YCC holds various activities for residents and all proceeds go to the Santa's workshop program, which helps approximately 25 families each year. They plan things such as the upcoming pumpkin walk and the Family Festival.

Review/Action on Creation of Townhall Committee
A new committee has been created by Mayor Gygi. This committee will consist of residents throughout Cedar Hills who will assist, advise, and direct townhall meetings. They will be responsible for coming up with topics and advertising the meetings to residents. The resolution creating this committee was approved with the following changes:

• Part II, letter A - update wording to state that the purpose of the committee is to increase communication throughout the city through the use of townhall meetings;
• Part III, letter B - add that members will be added with the advice and consent of the City Council;
• Part III, letter D - remove this statement;
• Part IV, letter A - the committee will appoint a chair and vice-chair.

Discussion on Amending City Code to Allow for Animal Boarding Business in Residential Areas
A resident has approached the City asking permission to be able to use their basement as a boarding home for people who need temporary boarding for their small animals. The City code enforcement officer, Scott McMahon, provided some suggested wording for how the code could be changed to allow for this. Areas that still need clarification is how many animals could be housed based on either lot or home size. The Council asked for some further suggestions after researching how other cities handle this. The discussion item will be continued at a later time.

Discussion on Eliminating Library Fee Reimbursement
This came up as a discussion item after Mayor Gygi had been approached by a former Mayor and Council member with a recommendation to end this reimbursement. The current budget allows for $14,000 to be used for this program, which means 350 households can receive a $40 refund on library memberships with another city. CM Martinez and Jackman both felt this should be postponed until the next budget year as it has already been approved for the FY 2013 budget. This item will be continued next year.

Discussion on Vision, Goals, and Branding for the City
Mayor Gygi has asked the Council and staff to come up with goals related to their specific assignments. The City doesn't have a specific brand and this is something Mayor Gygi would like to address. Mr. Keith Irwin provided Mayor Gygi with some good information on branding cities. Mayor Gygi wanted input from the Council. I personally feel if we are going to do this then we need to do it right so should hire an outside company that specializes in branding. We need to get a few proposals to know what this would cost. Other councilmembers were concerned with the cost and weren't sure why this is needed. This will be an ongoing discussion item.

Discussion on Completion of CoRec Basement
This is an ongoing discussion item. We had a townhall meeting last month and received feedback on the various options. One concern I had was that we did not have any estimates on what each option would cost, and that may have influenced which option residents wanted to go with. CM Martinez will work with staff to get estimates for each option, including a revised Option B that includes equipment. One of the biggest costs will be the ADA ramp, but it has been determined that the ramp will be cheaper than an elevator in the long run. This item will continue to be a discussion item.

Added Item - Resident Concerns on Deer
Resident Lois Howard came to discuss issues she is having with deer. She has lived in Cedar Hills for 23 years and the creek runs behind her home. Deer have become a huge issue for her as she constantly has herds of deer in her yard. They destroy her yard. She would like the City to partner with the Division of Wildlife Resources to address this, just as Highland has done. David Bunker will reach out to Highland and to DWR to find out how they are addressing a similar issue.

Added Item - Additional Free Water for Residents on Mahogany and 9220 North
Last month the City was notified that residents on two streets had discolored water. After doing some investigating it was determined there was a cross connect between the culinary line and the PI line (for more info see my notes from last Council meeting). The Council had approved the refunding of all culinary and PI water bills for these residents for the months of July, August, and September, which are the months they were receiving contaminated water. The residents on these two streets have asked that their water line be tested for another six months and that the City not charge them for culinary water for those additional six months. The Council has asked David Bunker to provide an estimate for what the financial impact would be and add it as an agenda item for the next meeting.

City Reports
David Bunker - PG wants to start talks again regarding shared sewer lines on one of their streets. Harts is opening October 4th and will have a grand opening on October 19th and 20th. Met with Snowbird to discuss their desire to have access via AF Canyon to their ski resort.

CM Martinez - Pumpkin Walk will be on October 29th. This will include a costume contest. All proceeds benefit Santa's Workshop program. Flag football has started and Kaity is working on issues with field availability. Lego League event will be in Cedar Hills in January. They are in need of 50 volunteers for this event.

Mayor Gygi - CM Zappala has been added to the Finance Committee and Utah Valley Dispatch. CM Augustus will serve on the board for North Point Solid Waste.

CM Zappala - Had meeting with animal shelter. We need to find ways to encourage residents to license their pets so they can easily be returned if lost. Suggested we do this at the Family Festival in conjunction with some sort of a pet contest.

CM Jackman - LPPSD met recently. There was an issue with the Social Security funds paid for the fire fighters. At the time the district was formed it was agreed that the cities would pay 6.2% portion of SS and this was being collected. Because of an issue with how the money was being held it will be returned to the cities. Board needs to decide if they are going to keep the money or put it into a different fund for the fire fighters. We have decided this money should be put into a fund for the fire fighters as they were told the cities would give this contribution; however, one other city in the district wants to use this money to handle a budget shortfall. The board will continue to discuss this and whether or not the district will pay the 6.2% moving forward. The Finance Committee is working with staff to figure out a way to show the total amount that residents pay in various fees and taxes.

CM Rees - One press release issued since last meeting. Good feedback on State of the City newsletter.

No additional executive session was needed.

Council Meeting - September 18, 2012

Work Session/Town Hall

A town hall meeting was scheduled to give residents an opportunity to review options for the completion of the CoRec basement. The work session was dedicated to receiving comment.

Heidi Willis - Wants a dance room with mirrors and a dance floor, cardio room, instructor led spin classes. Most interested in adult recreation classes and early morning.

Angela Johnson - Wants to know the cost for each option presented. Councilmember Martinez explained that the recreation team was first seeking to find out what residents were interested in and then would put them out to bid to get quotes. Mrs. Johnson feels it is difficult to have this conversation as to what we want before we know how much it will cost.

Molly Remund - Wants everything but first wants to know how much it will cost before deciding. Would really like a library.

Jean Mather - Would like a library for children. She feels that having a library onsite will generate more interest for other programs being held. She also likes having a dance area.

Marisa Wright - Wants Option A, which is finishing the entire basement with all equipment and a rock wall. Our youth is growing, we need these now before the kids get too old to utilize it. Says we should do it now and do it right. Likes the bouldering wall and says it will be good for tweens. Also recommends having a teen movie night because youth need a place to hang out. If we don't have the money for finishing and equipment then she recommends we build it out now then use future CARE tax revenue to purchase equipment.

Jason Rose - Likes Option A because it has something all of his kids could use. Has gym membership and would rather spend his money here. Likes both instructor led courses and cardio room.

Jill Deargee - Goes to fitness classes now and likes Option A. Says we need to be patient and give the rec program time to grow. We need a big enough area for future growth. Wants dance glasses. Does not want library, only wants revenue generating activities.

Kayla Rose - She is 15 and wants a gym at the rec center. Also likes instructor led classes.

Kurt Whitlock - Likes Option B, which is finishing the basement but no rock wall. Wants us to use the use-it-or-lose-it funds. Hesitant to compete with private business. Wants the City to focus on growing commercially and not having the City compete with private business.

Steven Hurt - If we want kids to come to rec center then we need digital options. More games and technology, that is what kids like. Look for used items instead of buying new equipment. Get private bids that would be less than government bids.

Amy Edwards - She teaches classes at CoRec. Need mirrors and fans. Tweens are interested in dance classes.

Emily Flygar - Likes fitness classes. Likes Option B with equipment. Bouldering wall takes up too much space and teens will only use a few times before they get bored with it. Men need weights and bigger equipment as well as more space. Wants to see us make this available to LPPSD firefighters. Feels Option A is geared towards women only.

Eric Schloer - Kids love music. Make CoRec an after school hang out with music. Schedule dances.

Jill Griffiths - Teaches classes at CoRec. Need classes for tweens. Classes can deal with childhood obesity. Likes Option B with equipment. She would flip the plans so the cardio room is on the other side.

Council Meeting

Public Comment
Ken Bacon - Wants to add third car garage but current code doesn't allow for this on his lot. Wants code changed for odd shaped properties. Gary has asked David Bunker to work with Mr. Bacon to get more details.

Jerry Dearinger - Wants to know how the City determined that only 13 homes were affected by the water issue experienced on Mahogany when there were many more homes on the Manila Water system. He has had issues with his meter. David Bunker explained that other areas were using the same lines they've been on, this subdivision was the only one that went on a line that wasn't being used. Also, we do monthly testing and have done additional testing because of this issue and all other lines have tested fine.

Consent Agenda
Minutes were approved for the following meetings: June 19, 2012 Council meeting and public hearing; July 10, 2012 Council meeting; July 19, 2012 Council meeting; July 31, 2012 Council meeting; August 7, 2012 Council meeting and public hearing.

Public Hearing on Planning Commission Membership
Angela Johnson - Doesn't feel that Planning Commission members should be paid, this should be a committee of volunteers.
   **Currently, all Planning Commission members have opted out of receiving payment.

Review/Action on Ordinance Amending Compensation for Council
During the last Council meeting there was a discussion on moving away from paper agenda packets and instead giving each Councilmember an $11.50/month technology allowance to purchase a device that allows for electronic packets to be received. It was determined that doing so would save the City $1180 per Councilmember over a four-year term. A more detailed review can be found on my last blog post at http://jenneyreeschcc.blogspot.com/2012/08/council-meeting-august-28-2012.html. Councilmembers have been receiving a monthly stipend of $75 for a cell phone. This new ordinance would include the $11.50 technology allowance for a new monthly stipend of $86.50. This was approved unanimously.

Review/Action on Ordinance Amending City Code Regarding Planning Commission Membership
There are currently two vacancies on the Planning Commission. Mayor Gygi has asked that the number of alternates on this group be expanded from two to three. CM Jackman was concerned as to why, wanted to know if we weren't having enough members show to have a quorum. He feels it may already be too big. CM Zappala recently served on the Planning Commission and said it is not uncommon to miss meetings because of individual schedules. CM Augustus says there have been many times when there are not enough members in attendance to form a quorum. I expressed that because this is a volunteer group I can understand that work and family needs have to be the priority. Mayor Gygi said that in addition to this, there were three very qualified people who applied that he would like to appoint to the committee. Mr. Dodge, who was in attendance, also stated that family time can interfere with meetings. The recommendation to expand the number of alternates from two to three passed 3-2 with CM Augustus, Zappala, and Rees voting aye and CM Jackman and Martinez voting nay.

Amended Agenda Item - Appointing New Members to Planning Commission
The recommendation was made to appoint Bradley Webber, Michael Geddes, and Emily Cox to the Planning Commission. This was approved unanimously.

Review/Action on Resolution to Combine the Recreation, Parks and Trails and the Beautification Citizen Advisory Committees
CM Martinez and I had discussed this at length. There are many instances where these two committees seem to overlap. The Parks and Trails committee had been dissolved awhile back and the main areas that our Beautification committee can beauty are parks and trails. This combined group will work together and will advise the Council on projects and lobby for funds. Will also look to utilize scout groups more often. This was unanimously approved.

Review/Action to Award Micro Surface Project to Geneva Rock
Bids were sent by the City for road maintenance projects needed on 4600 West, Redwood Road, north end of Cottonwood Drive, and Briggs/Nielsen Blvd. This is a type 2 microsurface, which is a thin set asphalt overlay. This is good for high use roads and is better than slurry seal. Will start at approximately 9880 N on 4600 W, go to Redwood Road, then to Cottonwood to Mesquite. Residents affected will receive a door notice. Notice will also go on the website and in the newsletter. Should start in mid-October and is estimated to take about four weeks. Geneva Rock was the lowest bidder at $125,200. This motion to award this project to Geneva Rock was unanimously approved.

Review/Action on Water Charges Reimbursement
On September 4, 2012 the City was alerted that residents on Mahogany Drive and 9220 North had water that was discolored and tasted bad. The Public Works team flushed the lines but the water was still discolored so these residents were put on a different water line until the issue could be resolved. It was soon discovered that the old line, which had been installed over a decade ago but only started being utilized in July after the transfer of some residents from Manila Water, had a cross connect with the PI system. The issue has been resolved and further information can be found at http://www.cedarhills.org/node/1659. The recommendation made was to waive and/or credit the culinary water and PI charges for the 13 affected households from July through September, which were the months they received contaminated water. The total financial impact is approximately $3,200. This was unanimously approved.

Discussion on Options for CoRec Basement
The town hall was a great way to get resident feedback. However, we do need some approximate figures on what each option will cost. Greg Gordon is working on this. Discussion will be continued.

Discussion on Allowing a Resident to Operate a Cat Boarding Business
A resident has approached the Mayor requesting they be allowed to build a cat boarding business in their basement. CM Jackman feels we should not limit this to cats and wants to know what other cities are doing and why. Discussion will be continued.

City Reports
David Bunker - TSSD has a meeting on Thursday. David will be out the week of September 24th.

CM Rees - State of the City newsletter is complete and being mailed to residents. Town hall meeting will be on September 25th. Two new press releases have been issued. Up to 82 Facebook likes.

CM Zappala - Town hall committee met to discuss topics for future town hall meetings. Is working with local Stake Presidents to coordinate plan for emergency situations.

CM Martinez - YCC met and will be doing an activity on October 29th from 6-8pm. This will be a pumpkin walk, carving, costume contest. Raising funds for Santa's Workshop. We have a new golf manager. Did not have enough volunteers to put flyers on doors for every resident.

CM Augustus - Planning Commission will meet with new members.

Mayor Gygi - Reminder to Council to be working on Council vision and goals.

There was no executive session.