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Thursday, March 6, 2025

Laketown Touch Council Minutes 2-5-25

February 5, 2025 Town Council Minutes Approved

Notice Date & Time: 2/5/25 7:00 PM -2/5/25 11:06 PM

Description/Agenda:

        Laketown Town Council 
Meeting Minutes
February 5, 2025
Laketown City Office
10 North 200 East Laketown, Utah 84038

1.	Call to Order
The Laketown Town Council held their regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.  This meeting was held at the Laketown City Office Building, located at 10 North 200 East, Laketown, Utah.  Mayor Burdette Weston welcomed those in attendance and called the meeting to order at 6:59 PM.

Town Council Present
 
Mayor Burdette Weston
Council Member Brandon Willis
Council Member Kris Hodges
Council Member Delora Wight
Council Member Denise Johnson
 

Others Present:
 
Betty Mills, Activity Committee
Duane Robinson, P&Z Chairman
Jeff Brimhall
Rick Larson
Cheree Larson
Eric Wamsley
Rebecca Burnhope
Branson Burnhope
 

2.	Opening Ceremony
Council Member Wight conducted the opening ceremony and Council Member Hodges led the pledge of allegiance

3.	Roll Call
Mayor Weston asked for a roll call from Council Members present: Mayor Burdette Weston, Council Member Brandon Willis, Council Member Denise Johnson, Council Member Kris Hodges, Council Member Delora Wight, and Lisa Johnson Town Clerk

4.	Approval of Agenda
Mayor Weston asked for a motion for the agenda to be approved. Council Member Willis made the motion, second by Council Member Wight. The motion carried unanimously


5.	Approval of Minutes January 8, 2025
The mayor asked for a motion to approve January 8, 2025, minutes with the following changes on page 2 last sentence change the following words: rights to shares and well to company.
A motion was made by Council Member Willis and second by Council Member Hodges.
The motion carried unanimously.

6.	Mayor opened the meeting for Questions and comments: (3 minutes)
No Comments

7.	Budget Review
Action Item: Agenda item for work meeting on February 12,2025

8.	Approval of Bills
The mayor asked for a motion to approve the December 2024 bills. Bills had been circulated at the January meeting for review and signatures. Council Member Wight made the motion to approve the December bills and Council Member Johnson seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

January bills were circulated for the council members to review and sign. The mayor asked for a motion to approve the January bills. Council Member Willis made the motion and Council Member Hodges seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously.

9.	Items of Business
a. MAYOR Weston - leaving water running in houses to avoid freezing pipes
The town council discussed the possibility of advising residents to leave a small trickle of water running to prevent pipes from freezing during the unusually cold winter. Mayor Weston proposes making an announcement recommending this practice for residents. The council agrees to this approach.
Action Item - Lisa: post a flyer making this recommendation in the Post Office, Dee's Station, and Town Bulletin Board.

b. Hal Wesson - City Right of Way on 100 South
Hal Weston reports difficulties in obtaining a survey for his property, mentioning issues with surveyors and inaccuracies in a preliminary survey. Hal discussed the issue of a 5-foot setback from his house to the city's right of way. Hal's grain bin is 90% in the city right of way and 10ft of his barn is also in the city right of way.  These structures have been in their current location for over 70 years. Hal also mentioned that his neighbor has a similar issue with their sheds. He expressed concern about future repairs and building permits if the setback is not adjusted. Hal also discussed the history of the property lines and the discrepancies in the surveys. He suggested that the city should consider reducing the right of way from 132 feet to 90 feet to accommodate his concerns and provide a proper setback for his house and barn.
Action Item - Duane: P&Z agenda for next month, look at property and the issue, investigate how the right of way and Hal's property are recorded with the County, make a recommendation to the town council 

c. Eric Wamsley - Water
Eric wanted to know what the cost is to connect to the town water system. It was explained to him that there is a $5000 connection fee, plus water share that is turned over to the city, and a water impact fee of $16,333.55.  He also expressed concern if you don't have a water share to turn over to the town, can you buy into the system.
Action Item: Lisa -Agenda Item for February 12, 2025, work meeting - buying into the water system

Eric expressed concerns about the affordability of living in Laketown for younger generations. He noted that only 23 out of 135 homes in Laketown have children in school, suggesting that the area might be pricing out young families. He also pointed out that only 8 out of 50 employees in the school district live in Laketown, indicating that the area might not be attractive to those who work in Laketown. Eric suggested several potential solutions, including decreasing lot sizes, allowing accessory dwelling units, and possibly having two different water hookup rates for full-time residents and secondary homes. He also mentioned the possibility of allowing homes along the south shore of the lake to hook onto Laketown's city water system to help pay for the system.

Eric feels Laketown is becoming the next retirement town. Laketown needs to make it more affordable so young families can move here.

e. Rick Larsen - 2016 prepaid water hook up and impact fees
Rick discussed the issue with the prepaid water hook up he purchased in 2016.
He had paid for the prepaid water hook up in good faith, believing it would be used for a future home and he would only be subject to the code at that time. However, the code was changed in 2021, stating each hook up at time of submitting for a building permit will need to turn over to the town a water right and pay the water impact fee. Rick argued that he should be exempted from this impact fee and surrendering a water share, as he had purchased the water hookup prior to 2021.
The town is still trying to figure out a fair solution for all those who had a prepaid for a water hook up prior to 2021.
Action Item: Lisa - Water Issues on the agenda for the February 12, 2025, Town Council Work Meeting

10.	Action Items from Previous Meeting
a. Brandon - update on removal of trailers from empty lot
Trailers have been removed.

b. Brandon - updated the wording of the road cut ordinance
Action Item: Lisa - February 12, 2025, Work Meeting Agenda item

c. Lisa - Impact Fee Report from Sunrise Engineering
This report was located in storage, a copy is in the city office now.

11.	Town Council Business
a. Activity Committee - Jordan Gomez
Betty Mills represented Jordan
Easter egg hunt will be on April 12 at the city park unless it snows
Planning for a Town cleanup this spring 

b. Planning & Zoning Commission - Duane Robinson
Building Permit Clearnce Form for Brain Menasco for reroofing of his house. Mayor Weston asked for a motion to approve the Menasco building permit. Council Member Wight made the motion, seconded Council Member Hodges.  The motion passed unanimously.

Building Permit Clearnce Form for Tamra Dattage for remodeling a house. Mayor Weston asked for a motion to approve the Dattage building permit clearance form. Council Member Hodges the motion, second by Council Member Willis.  The motion passed unanimously.
Action item: Lisa - submit both signed clearance forms to the County

Duane brought to the attention of the Town Council that the County Recorder is allowing lot splits within the city limits and is not following Laketown Subdivision Rules. These splits are being recorded without the town of Laketown or Laketown Planning and Zoning being contacted by either the landowner or County. Duane has spoken to the County Recorder on this issue.  Duane expressed his concern and frustration with trying to work with the current County Recorder.

c. Water Updates - Delora
Jeff will be attending the Rural Water Meetings at the end of February in St. George, Dan Stringham will not be attending this year.  The town will reimburse him for hotel, mileage and meals.

The mayor would like Jeff to start working on getting new meters in place as weather permits.

In the Consolidated Fee Schedule under the water fees, the word Impact was left out. Town Council are all in agreement that the word Impact should be added back into the schedule
Action Item: Lisa - check with Kendall on adding the word 'impact' back into the water fee schedule
Action Item: Lisa - check with Kendall about how to access the town code efficiently and ask for her recommendation of another county recorder to communicate with for Duane. 

d. Roads and streets updates - Brandon
Follow up on 370 West, it appears this road already belongs to the city. No further action needed.

Need for an Encroachment permit
Action Item: Duane - Investigate other cities and their encroachment permits.  Make a recommendation to the Town Council.

e. Parks and recreation updates - Denise
Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant.
She is working on finding grant money for new park playground equipment

f. Rodeo and Arena Updates - Kris
She has contacted Cody Gomez on the cost of the new rodeo grounds entrance sign, Kris discussed increasing the amount of sponsorship requested from businesses.  She showed the town council what Winterfest in Garden City charges for sponsorship. There are 16 spots on the rodeo poster, we need to prioritize chute sponsors first. It was decided to charge the following for sponsorship amounts: $750 chute sponsor with a spot on the poster, fence banner $500, and program $100. Kris will have Sponsorship letter ready to go in March
Action item: Lisa - contact Steve Leichty with Utah Power for sponsorship and size of banner

12. Mayors Report
Bear Lake Regional Commission Report - No meeting in January
Action Item: Lisa - March agenda item - meetings to begin at 6:00 PM and end the meeting at 10:00 PM and 
Action Item: Lisa - schedule a work meeting to finish up any town business February 12, 2025, 6:00 PM

13. Updates from clerk's office (Lisa)
a. Update on Utah code 63D-2-105 requiring all government entities within the state
must use an authorized dot gov (.gov) domain for website and emails
The domain laketown.utah.gov has been secured. Now Lisa will work with IT to start making the change over.

b. Business Licenses not renewed for 2025
Salix Foot Zone, Upland Rural Landscaping was called on February 2, said they would send checks for $30 each to renew
Laketown Management LLC, was called on February 2, said they would send a check for $30 plus a separate check for the water bill.
Own Stuff LLC, South Shore Barn LLC, Framework Fab LLC, were all sent a letter to renew business license by the end of February
Action Item: Lisa - March agenda item increasing business license fee

d. HB 80 conflict of interest disclosure statements for office holders/candidates
Disclosure statements to be completed by Town Council members were included in the meeting packets.  These signed statements were required to be posted on our town website by Jan 31 
Action Item: Brandon - look further into these disclosures and to come up with a form for the Town Council to complete

e. Holiday days the Town Office will be closed for 2025
Town Council agreed that the town office will be closed on the holidays that fall on the regular office hours days (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday).  

f. Town Policy on leave days and Holiday pay for employees enrolled in URS
Town Clerk expressed the need for a town policy on the handling of leave time for those employees enrolled in URS.  This policy would include vacation, sick, comped and holiday leave time.  The town council agreed to the policy that was presented to them.

14. Executive session
No session needed

15. Adjourn
A Motion was made by Town Council Member Wight to adjourn the meeting and seconded by Town Council Member Hodges. The motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 11:06 PM


					

Notice of Special Accommodations:

NOTICE OF SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION DURING PUBLIC MEETINGS In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals needing special accommodations (including auxiliary communicative aids and services) during this meeting should notify the town clerk three days before the meeting, so arrangements can be made.

Notice of Electronic or telephone participation:

NA

Other information:

Location:

10 North 200 East, Laketown, 84038

Contact information:

Lisa Johnson , clerk@laketownutah.com,

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