Rockville Town Council Meeting
January 15, 2014
Page 1
Rockville Town Council
January 15, 2014
Rockville Community Center
- CALL TO ORDER – ROLL CALL – Mayor Tracy Dutson called the meeting to order at 6:00p.m. The following members of the Rockville Town Council were present: Max Gregoric, Bernie Harris, Pam Leach and Megan Honer-Orton.
- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – Mayor Dutson led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mayor Dutson asked for a moment of silence to be observed, in memory of Jeff Elsey and Maurine Morris, who were lost in the rockslide on December 12, 2013.
- DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH AN AGENDA ITEM – No conflicts were declared.
- PUBLIC COMMENT – Dan McGuire acknowledged the new Town Council, stating that because of their efforts, the town business continues. He expressed appreciation for their service. Following Mayor McGuire’s comments, Jeff Ballard provided updates on the preparation efforts for rock work on the irrigation ditch located along SR-9.
- REPORT AND ACTION, IF NECESSARY, ON RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION –Planning Commission Chairman Rob Snyder echoed Mr.McGuire’s words of appreciation, and reported three action items.
The first item pertained to the abandonment of a residence, known as the “Rock House.” The timing is right for the owners to start work on their new home, which they are planning to build on the back of the existing parcel which also has access on DeMille Road. The frontage will be on DeMilleRoad, and the parcel that faces Main Street will now be the rear. The plumbing will be removed from the old house, but the electricity will remain. The foundation will also be reviewed, and there will be some touch-ups made. Chair Snyder explained The Planning Commission’s pleasure that the owners will maintain a historic structure in town.
The second action item was the approval of a building permit for thehome on DeMille Road referenced in the above. The application included approval of the property owners living on the property in a self-contained travel trailer for six months during construction.
The third item was also for a residence, to be located at approximately 995 West 250 South. An excavation permit was previously granted due to issues related to the flood plain. Chair Snyder reported that those issues have been resolved, and after thorough review the Planning Commission was able to grant approval for the building permit application. There was further discussion regarding flood plain development permits.
- DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON A RESOLUTION PROVIDING APPOINTMENT OF THE MAYOR PRO TEMPORE FOR THE TOWN OF ROCKVILLE–Mayor Dutson expressed the desire for Pam Leach to serve as Mayor Pro Tempore. Megan Honer-Orton MOVED that Pam Leach be appointed as the Mayor Pro Tempore. Bernie Harris SECONDEDthe motion.
VOTE on the motion:
Max Gregoric – Aye
Pam Leach – Aye
Megan Honer-Orton – Aye
Tracy Dutson – Aye
Bernie Harris – Aye
The motion passed unanimously.
The Resolution number was given as 14-0115-1.
- DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON A RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF THE TOWN RECORDER/CLERK FOR THE TOWN OF ROCKVILLE–Pam Leach MOVED to appoint Elaine Harris as the Town Recorder/Clerk for the Town of Rockville. Max Gregoric SECONDED the motion.
VOTE on the motion:
Max Gregoric – Aye
Pam Leach – Aye
Megan Honer-Orton – Aye
Tracy Dutson – Aye
Bernie Harris – Aye
The motion passed unanimously.
The Resolution number was given as 14-0115-2.
- DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON A RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR APPOINTMENT OF THE TREASURER FOR THE TOWN OF ROCKVILLE –Pam Leach MOVED to appoint Megan Honer-Orton as the Treasurer for the Town of Rockville. Bernie Harris SECONDED the motion.
VOTE on the motion:
Max Gregoric – Aye
Pam Leach – Aye
Megan Honer-Orton – Aye
Tracy Dutson – Aye
Bernie Harris – Aye
The motion passed unanimously.
The Resolution number was given as 14-0115-3.
- DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON A RESOLUTION TO DESIGNATE AUTHORITY TO SIGN PAYMENT VOUCHERS OF THE TOWN OF ROCKVILLE –An explanationwas provided that at least four designated persons need to be granted this authority. Bernie declared a conflict of interest with theresponsibility since his wife is the Town Clerk.
Pam Leach MOVED to assign Max Gregoric, Pam Leach, Megan Honer-Orton, and Tracy Dutson as the new designated signers of payment vouchers for the Town of Rockville. Bernie Harris SECONDED the motion.
VOTE on the motion:
Max Gregoric – Aye
Pam Leach – Aye
Megan Honer-Orton – Aye
Tracy Dutson – Aye
Bernie Harris – Aye
The motion passed unanimously.
The Resolution number was given as 14-0115-4.
- DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON A RESOLUTION TO DESIGNATE AUTHORITY TO ACCESS THE SAFE DEPOSIT BOX FOR THE TOWN OF ROCKVILLE–Clerk Harris stated that the current individuals designated with this authority include the Mayor, the Treasurer, and the Town Recorder/Clerk. Bernie declared a conflict of interest with the position.
Megan Honer-Orton MOVED to designate authority to Mayor Tracy Dutson, Megan Honer- Orton as Town Treasurer, and Elaine Harris as Town Recorder/Clerk to access the safe deposit box for the Town of Rockville. Pam Leach SECONDED the motion.
VOTE on the motion:
Max Gregoric – Aye
Pam Leach – Aye
Megan Honer-Orton – Aye
Tracy Dutson – Aye
Bernie Harris – Aye
The motion passed unanimously.
The Resolution number was given as 14-0115-5.
- DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON A RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE APPOINTMENT TO FILL AN EXPIRED TERM ON THE ROCKVILLE PLANNING COMMISSION –Mayor Dutson informed the Council that Vivian Cropper has resubmitted her resume for the appointment.
Megan Honer-Orton MOVED to appoint Vivian Cropper to the fill the expired term on the Rockville Planning Commission. Pam Leach SECONDED the motion.
VOTE on the motion:
Max Gregoric – Aye
Pam Leach – Aye
Megan Honer-Orton – Aye
Tracy Dutson – Aye
Bernie Harris – Aye
The motion passed unanimously.
The Resolution number was given as 14-0115-6.
- DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF ROCKVILLE, UTAH, APPROVING THE DESIGNATION OF A REPRESENTATIVE TO SERVE ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL BOARD OF WASHINGTON COUNTY SOLID WASTE SPECIAL SERVICE DISTRICT NO. 1 FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 2014 OR UNTIL A SUCCESSOR HAS BEEN APPOINTED– Mayor Dutson noted that Jeff Ballard previously served in this position and has done a great job. He also reported that Bernie has volunteered to serve as the new representative.
Pam Leach MOVED to appoint Bernie Harris as the new representative to serve on the Administrative Control Board of Washington County Solid Waste Special Service District No.1 for the calendar year 2014. Megan Honer-Orton SECONDED the motion.
VOTE on the motion:
Max Gregoric – Aye
Pam Leach – Aye
Megan Honer-Orton – Aye
Tracy Dutson – Aye
Bernie Harris – Aye
The motion passed unanimously.
The Resolution number was given as 14-0115-7.
- DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON A RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR APPOINTMENT OF A REPRESENTATIVE TO THE POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE – Mayor Dutson announced that he has volunteered to serve on the Police Advisory Committee.
Pam Leach MOVED to appoint Mayor Dutson as a representative to the Police Advisory Committee. Megan Honer-Orton SECONDED the motion.
VOTE on the motion:
Max Gregoric – Aye
Pam Leach – Aye
Megan Honer-Orton – Aye
Tracy Dutson – Aye
Bernie Harris – Aye
The motion passed unanimously.
The Resolution number was given as 14-0115-8.
- DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON A RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE ROCKVILLE FEE SCHEDULE,SPECIFICALLY : A. INCREASE SOLID WASTE CHARGES BY .25 TO REFLECT AN INCREASE BY THE DISTRICT AND .05 INCREASE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS FOR A TOTAL INCREASE FROM $11.30 PER MONTH TO $11.60 PER MONTH–It was noted that the effective date for the increase would be as of January 1, 2014.
Megan Honer-Orton MOVED to amend the Rockville Fee Schedule, specifically to increase the solid waste charges by .25 to reflect an increase by the District and a .05 increase for administrative costs, for a total increase from $11.30 per month to $11.60 per month, retroactive to January 1, 2014. Max Gregoric SECONDED the motion.
VOTE on the motion:
Max Gregoric – Aye
Pam Leach – Aye
Megan Honer-Orton – Aye
Tracy Dutson – Aye
Bernie Harris – Aye
The motion passed unanimously.
The Resolution number was given as 14-0115-9.
- STATUS OF RESEARCH INTO BRIDGE RESTORATION/REPLACEMENT –Jack Burns introduced himself as a Rockville property owner and representative of the Rockville Historical Preservation Commission. He reiterated concerns he expressed in a previous meeting regarding the construction of a new bridge adjacent to the historical bridge. He explained that if the Town were to proceed with the current proposal, it would render the historical bridge ineligible for federal funding in the future. Mr. Burns noted that this concern has been confirmed, for reasons related to the low use of the bridge. The bridge would become more of a walkway for pedestrians and bicyclists. He urged the Town to take this into consideration, because the future of the historic bridge would become dependent on private funding for future use. He clarified that the bridge is currently eligible for federal funding.
Mr. Burns presented results from a survey distributed through the December edition of The Rockville Globe. There were 26 people who took the survey; of those surveys, there were six people who favored placement of a bridge adjacent to the historic bridge with the existing bridge left in place for pedestrians and will have minimal preservation work; 20 people who favored strengthening the existing bridge to improve load limitations; and there were no responses to removing the existing bridge and putting a new one in its place. Mr. Burns noted that because this is such a small representation from the Rockville community, it would be beneficial to conduct additional surveys. Bernie asked if there was a better way to conduct the surveys. Mr. Burns was open to discussing other possible methods. It was suggested that the residents be given the option to submit surveys anonymously, rather than identifying themselves with their responses. There was further discussion on possible ways to collect additional data. It was determined that numbering the surveys would be beneficial in ensuring that multiple surveys are not submitted by one person.
Dan McGuire asked how much federal funding has been requested for the old bridge during its 90-year history. Mr. Burns replied that the purpose of this discussion is to assess the bridge's current condition. He stated that if they lose federal funding for the historic bridge, thatwill in essence be a death sentence, because it will only continue to deteriorate and cause safety concerns if not repaired. This would, therefore,give cause for more justification to have it removed altogether.
Mr. McGuire continued to explain that federal funding has never been used for the bridge in the past, and that the location for a new bridge was chosen when the original application was submitted. He also pointed out that the federal government might not even want to invest in rehabilitating a 90-year old structure. Mr. McGuire was under the impression from conversations that he had with UDOT engineers that rehabilitating the bridge would mean changing its entirestructure. Mr. Burns explained that structures listed on the National Historic Registry are required to be reconstructed based on the standards set forth by the Secretary of the Interior. Therefore, it could not be assumed that the reconstructed bridge would look different than the original, because it wouldn't meet those standards and it would be ineligible for that funding.
Mr. Burns introduced Dick Kohler, a licensed architect from St. George, with a degree in Civil Engineering. Mr. Kohler is the President of the Washington County Historic Society. He has worked extensively with UDOT, and has a broad understanding of different criteria andfunding sources.
Mr. Kohler explained that he has been approached about having Rockville added to a National Registry, however he recommended against it. He explained that Rockville is less noted for its architectural history, and more for the layout of the town. The lots and fence lines are nearly the same as they were at the turn of the century and some of the barns and corrals are older than the homes themselves. The gardens and orchards are maintained the same way as they were 100 years ago, and some of the street trees have survived. All of these features make Rockville a very rare town.
Mr. Kohler noted that he has practiced engineering in the field of transportation, and has participated with several planning commissions on several public projects. He was aware of how funding for these types of projects is managed. He continued to explain that the federal government has a program specifically designed for off-highway bridges. It will be difficult, however, to predict what kind of funding they will approve two years in advance, due to the political climate. Fortunately, the Town of Rockville has already applied for funding for this project. Mr. Kohler explained that this money can be used equally for either building an adjacent bridge, or rehabilitation of the existing bridge. However, in this program rehabilitation of an historic bridge is preferred, regardless of whether it is on a National Register. If the Town chooses to use the funds for a project other than rehabilitation of the bridge, they will be required to supply information to prove why they will not be able to rehabilitate the bridge. This process is called an Environmental Review.
Pam wanted to clarify that the application that they submitted was for a new bridge, and that if they wanted to change their application they would have that ability. Mr. Kohler responded in the affirmative. He referred to a study conducted by Baker Engineering, authored by A.J. Banks, in which it was recommended to preserve the bridge for as long as possible.
The bridge was built in 1924, and Mr. Kohler researched and discussed how strong the steel would have been in that time period. The yield strength has increased over the years, from about 30,000 pounds per square inch surface, and now 50,000 is common, and sometimes even up to 100,000. All of this depends on how the steel is manufactured. This is the only truss bridgein Utah, which makes it a very high priority for the State of Utah. There were further comments regarding potential cost differences involving rehabilitation of the bridge versus construction of a new one and it was determined that rehabilitation would probably cost less.
Bernie inquired about the traffic capacity that the bridge could withstand. Mr. Kohler explained that Rockville has two main sections, one of which has largely remained undeveloped. If there was ever a real interest in subdividing and building in the undeveloped area, they would likely need a wider bridge to support additional traffic. Currently, there are only about 100 cars a day that cross the 20-foot wide bridge. The bridge is narrow enough that two cars do not cross at the same time, but take turns crossing from each side. This is safe when there is low traffic volume.
Mr. Kohler stated that if the Town of Rockville decides to widen the bridge to have a bigger casting across the river, they will be inviting future development on the other side of the river. This is something they should take into consideration from a land use and zoning standpoint, as opposed to a bridge rehabilitation standpoint. If they choose to do this, they might want to consider an alternative location for the bridge. Mr. Kohler reiterated points previously made regarding funding sources and potential maintenance projects in the future. He also explained UDOT's position on these kinds of projects, stating that they are required to comply with the wishes of elected mayors of each respective area around the state. The Town of Rockville has a right to communicate to UDOT what it is they want done with the bridge, because UDOT was created to serve them, and not vice versa.
Joe Motter asked a question regarding county involvement in construction of a newer bridge in a different location, such as further downstream. This would make it a regional bridge with various sources of funding for maintenance, and allow for the grant money to rehabilitate the historic bridge. It was determined that this possibility had never been discussed. Mr. Kohler explained that the first step in exploring this option would be to have it added and classified on the County Roads Master Plan, after getting a general consensus from the community.
Pam explained that some of the issues in trying to identify a new location for a bridge include finding a place that's not on private property, and a location that has appropriate access for people. There was further discussion regarding the imposition of building a bridge on someone else's property. Bernie was particularly against this idea, because it changes the livelihood of those affected. Clerk Harris asked how Grafton Road would be impacted by the construction of a bridge. It was noted that since the funding has already been secured, that further research be conducted based on information that Mr. Kohler provided. Mr. McGuire added that the flood plain in Rockville also needs to be considered.