Town Council

MINUTES ALTA TOWN COUNCIL VIRTUAL WORK SESSION AND REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, April 13, 2022, 3:00 PM Alta Community Center (virtual), 10351 E. Highway 210, Alta, Utah PRESENT: Mayor Roger Bourke Council Member Carolyn Anctil Council Member John Byrne Council Member Sheridan Davis Council Member Elise Morgan Budget Committee Member Craig Heimark STAFF PRESENT: John Guldner, Town Administrator Piper Lever, Town Clerk Jen Clancy, Deputy Town Clerk Mike Morey, Town Marshal Chris Cawley, Assistant Town Administrator 1. CALL THE BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER 00:00:01 Roger Bourke called the budget committee meeting to order at 3:01 pm. MOTION: Roger Bourke moved to approve the March 1st and March 18th budget committee meeting minutes. John Byrne seconded the motion. VOTE: In favor: Bourke, Morgan, Byrne and Heimark. Against: no votes. The motion carried. Roger Bourke adjourned the budget committee meeting at 3:02. 1. CALL THE JOINT WORK SESSION BETWEEN THE BUDGET COMMITTEE AND THE TOWN COUNCIL TO ORDER 00:02:00 Roger Bourke called the joint work session to order. 2. FY2022 AND FY2023 BUDGET UPDATES 00:02:00 Piper Lever reviewed highlights of the FY2022 budgets starting with the windfall sales tax revenue projection. Due to the higher than budgeted revenue, the Town can forego transferring money in from the Capital Projects Fund to reduce the surplus and pay for those approved projects out of the general fund Alta Town Council Meeting April 13, 2022 1 operating expenses. She told the Council that staff is attempting to fit purchases or projects in this FY if possible. Piper said the water and sewer funds were expected to finish up the fiscal year without much budget adjustment. She mentioned the trend towards shorter effective life of water treatment media and the cost associated with that. She also reported that the SLCo Service Area #3 has documented that it takes more hours than the contract calls for to operate the Town’s water system. The Service Area will most likely be increasing their hours and the cost of maintaining our system next year. There should be a small surplus this FY in the water fund to save up for future identified capital improvements. Piper projected the sewer funds were on track to finish the year within budget. There was a 35% increase of sewer disposal costs, administered by the Cottonwood Improvement District, effective Jan 1, 2022. This will be budgeted for next year. Piper pointed to issues for the Council to consider in the proposed FY2023 budgets. The budget committee has agreed on raising the certified property tax rate to increase the stable portion of tax revenue. They also agreed to be conservative on estimating a less predictable future sales tax revenue. Despite optimistic outlooks for next year, budgeting for a lower revenue protects the Town from uncertainty. The proposed general fund budget calls for use of unreserved funds of $45K. The Town can afford that amount if needed, but in all likelihood it will not. The proposed budget calls for $117K of capital project funds to be used on identified projects necessary to maintain, stabilize, and upgrade certain infrastructure projects. The Council will be asked to update the Town’s Capital Projects plan next month, which will support this budget line. The proposed budget also includes annual wage increases. Due to the mid-year wage adjustment, the Town’s employee salary structure required a careful review by the mayor and town administrator to regain a balance of compensation. FY2023 increases ranged by department from 3-12%. Roger Bourke complied with a request from Mike Maughan to comment on the budget discussion. Mike added that this ski season was shaping up to be the busiest season in ASL history, with revenues exceeding previous banner years. He added that due to various factors, next year might not continue that same trend. There was a question about the wage increases and the total impact on the budget, which Roger said would be prepared to answer in the next budget committee meeting. 3. ADJOURN MEETING Roger adjourned the work session and called for a five minute break before resuming. 1. CALL THE REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER 01:22:03 Roger Bourke called the regular town council meeting to order at 4:09 pm, with a March 15, 2022 determination that it is in the community’s best interest to hold this meeting virtually without an anchor location. Alta Town Council Meeting April 13, 2022 2 He then asked Dr Carolyn Anctil to update the group on the best practices to protect ourselves and our community. Carolyn said our community has made it through this pandemic and her recommendation is that the post office could relax its mask mandate, while asking that patrons respect others desire to remain masked or socially distant. 2. CITIZEN INPUT 01:27:00 Cliff Curry suggested that citizens be able to turn on their cameras while participating in virtual meetings. 3. SKI AREA UPDATE 01:29:50 Mike Maughan reported that Alta’s 84th season was winding up and it went well in spite of sporadic storm cycles and new parking reservation system. The Forest Service approved their plan to replace the Albion and Sunnyside chairlifts. Sunnyside has been sold to Red Lodge Mountain in MT and parts and pieces of Albion will be sold off and scrap the rest. Also have approval to do terrain work in the Supreme Erosion Gully area and add five Wyssen towers on Mt. Baldy. Will be operating the summer road fee booth and the campground, but will not be offering any food service at the Albion base area. Roger asked about the Albion chair sales; Mike answered that the 153 chairs were being offered to employees first, but interested public could call the front desk and get put on a waiting list. Mike also answered a question about temporary trail closures affected by the lift construction project. 4. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA 01:39:50 MOTION: Sheridan Davis moved to approve the Consent Agenda and Carolyn Anctil seconded the motion. No discussion. VOTE: In favor: Bourke, Davis, Byrne, Morgan and Anctil. None opposed. The consent agenda was approved. 5. QUESTIONS REGARDING DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS 01:42:12 There were no questions on the departmental reports. John Guldner wanted to announce a joint virtual meeting of the Town Council and the Planning Commission on April 26, 2022. It’s a meet and greet / open discussion to introduce both boards to each other, to review what the planning commission has been working on and what the Council would like them to work on. John gave a brief history of the Planning Commission and an explanation of the make-up. Notice and notifications would be forthcoming. Alta Town Council Meeting April 13, 2022 3  6. MAYORS REPORT 01:47:00 Roger reported on Alta Gala, job posting for deputy town clerk, budget committee meeting, water dept budget planning meeting, addressing the shortage of public restrooms, Tom Moore building stabilization project, UDOT’s EIS extension, the overnight parking reservation system, ACE’s Save the Dark symposium, Earth Day, ACVB’s season wrap up and social, final ski days, joint planning commission/town council meeting, and next month’s regular town council meeting on May 11th. 7. SPECIAL GUEST REPRESENTATIVE GAYLYNN BENNION 01:51:30 Representative Bennion informed the group that we are now part of House District 46, formerly District 41, due to redistricting. She serves on the Natural Resources Committee, so she was excited to work on some of the legislative bills concerning water during this drought. Bills concerning education were another area where she was happy to enact change. She has been part of conversations about how to resolve problems associated with a housing crisis happening here in Utah. Recreational legislation included a bill to allocate a portion of sales tax to state park funding and an extension of state grant funding to support outdoor recreation. Answering a question from Sheridan, Gay Lynn pointed out programs for electric vehicles and public transportation but did not see any legislation concerning solar power initiatives. 8. LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY BY SHELLEY TEUSCHER 02:05:47 Roger introduced the Town’s legislative lobbyist, Shelley Teuscher from Parsons, Behle and Latimer. She said it was a good year for Alta in the legislative session; she described a proposed bill concerning water supply amendments that would have required a municipality to provide water to registered subdivisions, even if those subdivisions had no rights to water. The bill would have made the municipality liable if they didn’t provide the water, even if it did not control the water. Fortunately, the bill did not get a single hearing. Shelley described another proposed bill that did not pass, which would have allowed the funding set aside for canyon transportation solutions to be raided for other projects around the state. A resolution that did not pass was proposed that would have encouraged UDOT to pursue the least impactful transportation solutions for LCC. Another bill that did not pass was related to short term rentals; Shelley believes there will be more short term rental legislation due to the fact that they are affecting so many communities and the availability of housing stock in the state. A bill that did pass concerned the licensing of food trucks in multiple political subdivisions does affect the Town’s licensing. 9. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING 2022-O-3 AMENDS ORDINANCE 1-6-4 APPOINTMENT OF TOWN OFFICIALS 02:21:14 Roger asked Cameron to speak to this proposed ordinance change. He explained it was an attempt to align the town ordinance with state code. John Byrne stated he was not in favor of reducing the Town Council’s Alta Town Council Meeting April 13, 2022 4 right to advise and consent concerning official reappointments and that he believed it was an important check and balance system to ensure the staff is not exclusively beholden to the mayor, and not the rest of the Council. Polly McLean suggested changing the time for the appointments from every two years to every time there was an official vacancy. A poll of Council agreed that the appointments should be made after a local election, which is every two years. MOTION: John Byrne motioned to adopt the ordinance and Sheridan seconded. There was no discussion. VOTE: In favor: no votes. Against: Bourke, Davis, Morgan, Byrne and Anctil. The motion failed. 10. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING APPOINTMENT OF TOWN CLERK EFFECTIVE MAY 13, 2022 AND TREASURER EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY 02:42:25 MOTION: John Byrne motioned to appoint Jen Clancy as Town Clerk, effective May 13, 2022. Sheridan seconded. Upon advice of Polly McLean, the Council will defer to appoint the Treasurer next month. VOTE: In favor: Bourke, Davis, Morgan, Byrne and Anctil. Against: no votes. The motion passed. 11. UPDATE BY CHRIS CAWLEY ON THE COMMUNITY RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAM 02:44:33 Roger summarized the program as an attempt to accelerate the reduction of fossil fuel consumption and increase the use of renewable forms of energy. Chris Cawley stated that a goal of the program is to create new pathways for renewable electrical energy to be used as a power resource on a much larger scope, scale and access than existing programs such as Blue Sky by Rocky Mountain Power. The plan is to first procure new energy resources and then connect them to the existing electrical grid. The Town Council will be asked to adopt an ordinance in mid 2023 that will reference the approved program. 12. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE 2022-2023 TOWN COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE 02:57:15 Roger pointed out that the schedule differs from the current schedule in that the winter meetings start a bit earlier to accommodate the shorter days. MOTION: Roger motioned to approve the proposed schedule and John Byrne seconded. No further discussion. VOTE: In favor: Bourke, Morgan, Davis, Byrne and Anctil. Against: no votes. The motion carried. Alta Town Council Meeting April 13, 2022 5  13. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON 2022-R-8 A RESOLUTION REGARDING FIREWORKS 03:00:02 Roger asked Mike Morey to introduce the subject to the Council. Mike commented that the Town’s existing ordinance is quite restrictive and in conflict with amended state code. In order to ban fireworks during certain summer holiday periods, the Town Council must pass an annual resolution before May 1st, determining Alta’s unique hazard due to our urban interface with a forest. Chief Jay Torgerson said the UFA supported the Town action. MOTION: John Byrne motioned to adopt Resolution 2022-R-8. Sheridan seconded. VOTE: In favor: Bourke, Davis, Morgan, Byrne and Anctil. Against: no votes. The motion passed. 14. DISCUSSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON 2022-O-4 AMEND ORDINANCE 5-3C-7 FIRE RESTRICTIONS 03:05:18 Cameron Platt explained the amendment is to clarify the definitions of explosives to be consistent with state code regarding fireworks restrictions. MOTION: Roger Bourke motioned to adopt Ordinance 2022-O-4. Sheridan seconded. VOTE: In favor: Bourke, Davis, Morgan, Byrne and Anctil. Against: no votes. The motion passed. 15. NEW BUSINESS 03:07:17 Roger asked Jay Torgerson to say a few words about the March 27th fire at the Peruvian Lodge. Jay reported that the call came in around 5:00 pm and firefighters were met by AMO officers and APL staff, who directed the crew to a chimney fire at the rear (southside) of the building. The fire was extinguished quickly, but there was concern about whether the fire had spread to the surrounding construction spaces. The crew utilized special tools to measure temperatures in those areas and it was determined that the fire did not extend further. A high risk, occupied building warranted a full response from the valley, but was called off once the damage was assessed. The response by all involved was swift and comprehensive, including evacuation of hotel staff and guests. 16. MOTION TO ADJOURN 03:14:31 MOTION: Roger moved to adjourn and Sheridan Davis seconded. VOTE: All in favor. The meeting was adjourned at 6:02 pm Alta Town Council Meeting April 13, 2022 6 Passed this 11th day of May, 2022 _____________________ Piper Lever, Town Clerk Alta Town Council Meeting April 13, 2022 7