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96 South Main Street, Nephi, Utah 84648 - Voice: 435 623-0525 - FAX: 435 623-4735 News for April 2, 2025 |
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By Myrna Trauntvein R6 Regional Council is gathering information to be used by the CIB (Community Impact Board) applications for future plans in the communities served by the council. Shay Morrison, R6 Community Advisor, said that the survey was out and asked if Jay Christensen, Mona City Council member, had the application ready for submission or if he needed help in preparing it. “It is due soon,” he said. “Funding through CIB is still super short but, if you are not on the list, you can’t apply.” The source of the CIB’s funding are the mineral lease royalties returned to the state by the federal government. The list of items the city would like help with funding for is submitted to the county commission and is prioritized there, he said. J. Christensen said he would have the document ready by submission time. Morrison asked if there were any interested council members who would like to attend the Utah League of Cities and Towns (ULCT) conference. Those who would like to attend had a window to register for the mid-year conference, April 16 - April 18, at the Dixie Conference Center in St. George. The convention will feature a variety of sessions focusing on essential topics relevant to development and management. Registration is not required to attend the treasurers meetings at the league conference. “The registration is open now,” he said. “You did not apply for the CPR grant,” said Morrison. “The CPR grant provides funding to aid in the rehabilitation and construction of assets such as community parks, sports fields, pools, and playgrounds.” He said that there were 91 applications submitted for the $2 million available. “Our office submitted several,” he said. Mona, therefore, might still be considered. However, a pickleball court may not be the wisest choice to seek funding for because many of the applications were for exactly that. City estimates were also not the best way to go, he said. “I recommend that an engineering firm be contracted,” he said. “It is more expensive but they do the work, have solid estimates, submit the application and they are ready to send the project out to bid.” In 2022, the Utah State Legislature earlier voted to mandate that secondary water metering be implemented statewide by 2030. This last legislative session, H.B. 274: Water Amendments (Rep. Casey Snider) now requires municipalities to incorporate water conservation into pricing structures by mandating tiered rates for secondary water suppliers and conservation-focused pricing for culinary water. Revenue generated from these rate structures must be reinvested into additional water-saving initiatives. “The information was just published today,” said Morrison. Cities must put together a 20-year plan for all water projects. “You are the most put together of the smaller rural communities I work with,” said Morrison. “The mandate is that, on May 1, 2025, you will need to put a 20-year plan together.” For municipal water users, this change provides a much needed market cue, by increasing the cost of excessive water use on grass and other outdoor areas, and it marks the first step in pricing secondary water use based on consumption instead of a flat rate fee. H.B. 328: Water Usage Amendments (Rep. Doug Owens) restricts the use of overhead spray irrigation (the technology used to water grass) for all new development and redevelopment of commercial, industrial, institutional, mixed use, or multifamily projects. This restriction does not apply to agricultural development or areas of active use (ie. parks, golf courses, soccer fields, etc). This bill will lower the cost of switching to water efficient landscaping by making changes preemptively, makes future growth more attainable by saving municipal water, and sets the precedent to move towards new landscaping necessary in an arid state like Utah. “All new construction will follow landscaping restrictions that are designed to conserve water,” said Morrison. For example, there may be a restriction on front grass strips. “We are having a water study done now,” said J. Christensen. J. Christensen said that the city would like to have lighting along Main Street and had been told that Rocky Mountain Power would help with that project. He said that Dan Woodland, DL Design and Construction, had said that Rocky Mountain would buy the infrastructure and he would get with him. “We have not put into place one last possible tax for your city,” said Morrison. A utility tax is a tax on utilities such as water, electricity or telecommunications. Utility taxes ensure that those using public resources or infrastructure, like water or roads or cable lines, contribute to their maintenance and expansion. “You would have to tax yourself also,” he said. Alicia Hills, city recorder, said that the council had discussed this in the past and were not in favor.
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