Town Council

MINUTES ALTA TOWN COUNCIL MEETING Wednesday, September 13, 2023, 3:00 PM Alta Community Center, 10351 E. Highway 210, Alta, Utah PRESENT: Mayor Roger Bourke Councilmember John Byrne Councilmember Carolyn Anctil Councilmember Sheridan Davis Councilmember Elise Morgan STAFF PRESENT: Chris Cawley, Interim Town Manager Mike Morey, Town Marshal Jen Clancy, Town Clerk Molly Austin, Deputy Clerk ALSO PRESENT: Cameron Platt, Legal Counsel Craig Heimark, Treasurer John Guldner, Consultant NOT PRESENT: N/A ALTA TOWN COUNCIL MEETING 1. CALL THE REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER 00:00:00 Mayor Bourke said it was 3:01pm and called the September 13, 2023 Alta Town Council meeting to order. 2. CITIZEN INPUT 00:01:05 Jake Minas, who identified as a skier and a resident of Village at Sugarplum, expressed support for the Mayor's resolution concerning the gondola project that’s on the agenda. Jake also indicated willingness to back any other actions or statements taken by the town council opposing the gondola. Jake Minas provided two reasons for his stance. First, he mentioned the sentiment within the community, noting that in his informal chairlift conversations, he had not met any resident who is in favor of the gondola project. He acknowledged the ski areas and some ski industry organizations have supported the gondola. Jake emphasized the importance of representing the town's residents' opinions, suggesting that the apparent lack of opposition may have given the impression that the entire community supported the gondola. Secondly, Jake expressed his personal reservations about the gondola project. He argued against it on the grounds that it would involve taxpayer subsidies for a business. Jake questioned why taxpayers who Alta Town Council Meeting September 13, 2023 1 may not ski should fund recreational projects. He praised Governor Cox's suggestion of private funding, advocating for minimal public funding and a reliance on private sources if feasible. He also emphasized the need for continued scrutiny and evaluation of the project's funding, including potential audits of UDOT results. 3. QUESTIONS REGARDING DEPARTMENT REPORTS 00:06:05 Jen Clancy noted that on August 18th she received notification of a phone line issue at the post office. The postal clerks were unable to receive or make calls due to the issue. In response, a technical support call was initiated, and call forwarding to Alta Central was enabled as a temporary measure while they investigated the problem. The Town has received several site visits from CenturyLink in an effort to address the issue. It was mentioned that the Town's phone service is actually managed through a third party named Granite. Additionally, CenturyLink had scheduled a cable technician to visit the post office the following morning in an attempt to resolve the ongoing problem. The council was informed that there are two phone lines connected to the post office, one for the meter and one for general phone use. Fortunately, the issue had not affected the meter line. The cause of the problem was suspected to be related to aging infrastructure, particularly with the cable. Jen Clancy also informed the council that she had initiated the audit process with Steve Rowley, the Town’s accountant. She informed the council that they had completed their pre-audit phase and were going to begin working with the auditor, Gilbert and Stewart soon. The main point of concern raised in the discussion was a long-term outstanding debt from the water fund to the general fund, which amounted to approximately $350,000. Jen indicated that this issue had been the subject of previous council discussions, but the council has not taken any action regarding it. Steve Rowley has pointed out that the council will need to make a decision and either treat it as a transfer or formalize a repayment schedule. The purpose of this update was to ensure that the council was not taken by surprise during the audit process and to prepare them for forthcoming discussions. (more discussions on this matter later in the meeting) Chris Cawley informed the council that the Grizzly Gulch water line project is almost complete. The project was initially budgeted at $32,000, and to date has incurred costs totaling $81,000 exceeding its budget. Chris provided insights into why the project went over budget. The project had been informally proposed and estimated a couple of years ago, lacking a formal estimate from the contractor, Newman Construction. The project's duration was also initially underestimated, taking three weeks instead of three days. Inflation had occurred during the project timeline, and unanticipated complexities were discovered when digging began, leading to a prolonged timeline. Additionally, water service issues for houses below the summer road required additional work by Newman. Chris Cawley highlighted the need for improved project scoping and budgeting processes, emphasizing the Town's involvement in managing water system projects. Chris indicated that there were minor outstanding tasks such as revegetation and then the gas line retrofitting project. The gas retrofit project is expected to be less costly than originally anticipated. John Byrne shared some thoughts regarding the project's budget overrun. He expressed the importance of maintaining a good working relationship with the contractors and avoiding disputes, especially in the current work environment where skilled labor is essential. He acknowledged that the project was not bid on a fixed-price basis but was more like a design-build approach without a price guarantee. John believed that demanding price guarantees would lead to higher costs as contractors would seek a Alta Town Council Meeting September 13, 2023 2 premium for such guarantees. He also noted that the initial budget of $32,000 might have been unrealistic, given the extensive work required. John mentioned the West Peruvian Estates project and the challenges of dealing with old infrastructure with limited records. He highlighted the ongoing progress in replacing pipes in the Peruvian area and anticipated its completion soon. John expressed support for monthly capital expenditure (capex) reporting, allowing for regular updates and adjustments to the figures. He asked about formally adopting the project report in the consent agenda as a routine part of the council's processes, updating it as needed. He sought clarification on whether approval was necessary each time the report changed or if a single adoption could suffice. Craig Heimark expressed some confusion regarding the budget and variance reporting process. He noted that traditionally, the budget was amended in December, which included a public hearing. Cameron Platt pointed out that the council would have to hold a public hearing every month if they wanted to adopt an updated budget for projects each month. It was generally agreed that Jen Clancy would continue to provide year-to-date monthly reports in the consent agenda and that the council would hold public hearings and adopt the budget and project budgets in tandem. Mayor Bourke offered that the project tracking document was a great addition to the packet. Sheridan Davis asked Mike Morey about the 57 Forest Service incidents in his report? Mike Morey explained that there is a law enforcement service agreement between the Town and the Forest Service. Under this agreement, the Forest Service provides approximately $3,000 annually to support patrols of federal lands. As part of this agreement, the Town is required to document the amount of time spent patrolling federal property. The activity involves conducting 57 separate patrols of the forest area, and any incidents connected with these patrols are reported separately. This information was shared to provide an update on the law enforcement service agreement and the patrol activities on federal lands. Carolyn Anctil inquired about a sexual assault incident mentioned in the Marshal’s report. Mike Morey offered to share that it’s an active investigation and the incident had allegedly occurred in one of the lodge’s 30 years ago. Next, Carolyn asked about the two watershed violations involving dogs mentioned in the report. Mike Morey explained that dog-related enforcement typically falls into two categories: town ordinance violations related to licensing or compliance and watershed issues where dogs are prohibited from entering the canyon in the first place. Their enforcement strategy is to intervene and educate prior to enforcing. In these specific cases, both ended with warnings, and the violations were related to dogs being in prohibited areas rather than town residents' dogs violating ordinances. Continued below… 4. ALTA SKI AREA UPDATE, MIKE MAUGHAN 00:32:00 Mike Maughan reported they are still wrapping up summer projects. He mentioned the progress on the Supreme area, where in the erosion gully area they have started revegetation work and expect the contractor to wrap up within the week. Another project is a snowmaking utility line from Alf’s up to the campground which is about one-third complete, they are waiting to see if a culvert gets replaced. The fuel island project is nearly operational, and work on snowmaking lines at the Wildcat Base has concluded successfully with revegetation efforts yielding positive results already. Alta Town Council Meeting September 13, 2023 3 Mike highlighted the planting of 12,000 plants during the summer, a record number, and an upcoming tree planting day on September 23rd. He reported the Wyssen tower project was almost finished, pending flying the canisters up there for the winter. Helicopter work had nearly concluded. The campground is set to close this weekend, but the summer road will remain open for people to go up, park, and hike. Mike reported the UTA bus service would remain unchanged from the previous year. Solitude and Brighton resorts had partnered to provide three daily bus trips up and down the canyon for their employees, and Snowbird is exploring options with Canyon Transport. Mike said Alta is a bit unique in that about 1/3 of their employees live at Alta. The ski area is also considering increasing carpooling incentives and expanding rideshare van availability to maintain transportation flexibility. Mike reminded everyone that skier visits hit a record high last year, including record visitation in Utah. He reported the expectations for the upcoming ski season in the industry are that things will be a bit lighter this year. Despite a potential industry-wide decline in visitation, Mike anticipated strong business due to the previous season's record snowfall and maintained season pass sales. Mike mentioned four projects that are under review with the Forest Service for the future. One of those projects is eliminating the roadside parking between the Bypass Road and basically the Alta Lodge and then the parallel line that we don't use anymore up to the Rustler Lodge. He said they are looking at a little expansion of the Wildcat lot to accommodate some of that, and little addition over by the Cat Shop. Another project is at the Albion Base, involving the installation of a conveyor for the ski school. This conveyor, which helps young children move to and from the day lodge, was explained to consume a significant amount of water annually. The plan is to replace it with a new conveyor running from a location similar to the current one down to near the base of the Snowpine Lift, providing an alternative to the cross tow lift and be available to the public. The existing kids' conveyor would be relocated to where the old carrot handle tow used to be, making the whole area more accessible for beginners and first-time skiers. Mike also touched upon the need to improve access to skiable terrain via traverses during high-pressure periods. They have submitted proposals to the Forest Service to do work on the High Traverse, the Thirds Traverse, and a route going out to Catherine's. He added the Albion Day Lodge expansion has been approved by the Forest Service, they are hoping to select an architect and start the design process this fall, with construction probably not till 2025. They are also working on a Sugarloaf patrol shack that they hope to construct next summer. He also pointed out they have approval from the Forest Service to put an equipment storage facility on the north side of the Albion parking lot but are looking at moving it to the opposite side of the lot due to the slope. Mike reported that the sprung structure could potentially be removed once they do a remodel (existing footprint) of the Albion Ticket Office. He offered it might be moved up toward Supreme area and used as a warming hut but that would be a number of years away. QUESTIONS REGARDING DEPARTMENT REPORTS – Continued… 00:49:09 (Continued from earlier) Jen Clancy said her intent was to notify the council of Steve Rowley’s finding that there will need to be a decision made by the town council related to the amount due from the water fund to the general fund. Alta Town Council Meeting September 13, 2023 4  John Byrne suggested a resolution be written to document the plan for the next meeting, so that the council has addressed the issue before the audit is concluded. This resolution would effectively address the issue at hand, aligning with the ongoing audit process. John pointed out that there was no need to accrue interest, and they acknowledged that there could be a debate about whether using general fund money to pay off the debt was appropriate. He mentioned that for about 20% of Alta residents, those in Service Area #3 it would be an injustice to use town funds for this purpose. Instead, he suggested that the water fund debt and related expenses should be the responsibility of the enterprise fund, which aligns with its intended purpose. John recommended building the repayment into the rate structure, and suggested it be $50/$60 or more per year per person. He believes that with this approach, the loan could be paid off within a decade without significantly impacting other water fund projects. John emphasized that the funding for this should come from an incremental charge in the rate structure. Craig Heimark questioned why this issue hadn’t been raised by the auditors in years’ past. 5. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA: AUGUST 9, 2023, MEETING MINUTES, STAFF AND FINANCE REPORTS 00:58:00 MOTION: Elise Morgan motioned to approve the consent agenda including the August 9, 2023 meeting minutes, the staff, and financial reports. Sheridan Davis seconded. VOTE: All in favor. The consent agenda including the August 9, 2023 meeting minutes, and the staff and financial reports were unanimously approved. 6. MAYOR’S REPORT 00:59:54 Mayor Bourke reported on the following: • The Utah League of Cities and Towns (ULCT) holds broad ranging meetings twice a year. Last week was the latest. I attended all of it and Chris and Jen attended some of it. This is an opportunity to learn about how others in comparable positions around the state are doing their jobs and about common issues. Some overall impressions: ▪ There is much consternation about rapid growth and associated effects, e.g., demand for services, increasing property values, congestion, and other consequences of growth. ▪ Many have moved to a community because they like its qualities and want to keep in that way, just like many of us in Alta. But they find those qualities are being threatened by the increase in population. ▪ The is widespread resentment over state-imposed mandates (across the board subject matter). ▪ There was surprisingly little talk about water. It’s as if one winter of over the top precipitation made the problem of away. Alta Town Council Meeting September 13, 2023 5  ▪ I got a few unsolicited compliments on our hosting the Conference of Mayors meeting in July and encouragement to do it again. • Our District Ranger, Bekee Hotze is going to Wyoming on temporary assignment until January 2025. Mayor Bourke reported we have an issue with continuity of our Forest Service partners which is an issue for us. • Mike Morey et al are planning a retrospective look at last year’s response to last winter’s extended closure scenarios and to strategize practices for the upcoming winter. This will serve as our emergency planning exercise for this fall. ▪ Mike Morey reported there are a lot of valuable lessons learned that we need to apply. Cameron Platt mentioned that the town had come close to the brink of declaring an emergency during the previous year but didn't ultimately take any action in that direction. He expressed the importance of ensuring that the council understood the emergency declaration process and felt comfortable with it. John Byrne expressed satisfaction with the actions taken during past emergencies. He commended the decision-making and critical thinking that went into those actions and indicated that they were personally comfortable with the reporting provided. John acknowledged the importance of staying informed but stated that their role as a legislative body wasn't primarily to participate in emergency situations. He appreciated the inquiry but conveyed contentment with the reporting they had received. Carolyn Anctil commented on the idea of more frequent updates or communication to residents during emergencies, acknowledging that the community often experiences anxiety when they're not kept informed about ongoing efforts. She expressed the importance of clarifying to the public what it means when the authorities are "working on things" and suggested that a more regular, structured communication plan might help alleviate community concerns. A conversation ensued about spring runoff and the notices and updates sent out by the County. • Our Town general plan is nearly 2 decades old although there were minor updates in 2015-16. It’s time we take a serious look at where our Town is going and more importantly where we want it to go. Toward that end, I hope to have a retreat-like facilitated meeting sometime this winter to address this issue. • Next TC meeting will be Wednesday, October 11th, 2023, 3 pm, expected to be hybrid again. 7. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE 2023-R-20 A RESOLUTION REPEALING AND REPLACING 2023-R-16 APPROVING AN ILA RELATING TO THE CONDUCT OF CDBG AND HUD PROGRAMS 01:18:30 Chris Cawley reported that we had initially signed an agreement to participate in the County's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. However, another city has qualified as an entitlement entity. This new status allowed them to compete for CDBG funds on the same level as the urban county program. As a result of these changes, the parties involved in the original agreement had changed, necessitating the signing of a new agreement. Alta Town Council Meeting September 13, 2023 6  MOTION: John Byrne motioned to approve Resolution 2023-R-20, and Carolyn Anctil seconded. ROLL CALL VOTE BY MOLLY AUSTIN: Councilmember Byrne – yes, Councilmember Davis – yes, Mayor Bourke - yes, Councilmember Anctil – yes, Councilmember Morgan - yes. The motion passed unanimously. 8. INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL-CIVIL CODE ENFORCEMENT 01:21:20 Mike Morey presented on the need to transition from criminal enforcement to civil enforcement in specific areas of the town code, particularly concerning parking violations. He explained that many cities and towns in the area were revising their parking enforcement codes to move toward civil enforcement. This shift was motivated by legal challenges associated with the previous criminal enforcement approach. The act of giving a parking citation was seen as equivalent to arresting a vehicle rather than an individual, raising issues related to due process and proof of service. Civil enforcement was presented as a solution to these problems, as it would allow the town to continue its practice of serving citations on the vehicle owner more effectively. It would also address issues where the registered owner was held responsible for violations, even if they were not the ones committing the violation. Mike emphasized that the goal was not to increase ticketing or generate revenue but to promote compliance with town ordinances. The transition to civil enforcement would require procedural changes, including new tracking methods for violations and an appeal authority or administrative law judge separate from the justice court judge. Mike also mentioned that civil enforcement could be applied to other parts of the town code, making penalties more proportional to the violations. However, they recognized that some ordinances might still warrant criminal enforcement, and the proposal aimed to provide flexibility for the town to choose the appropriate enforcement method based on the severity of the violation. In summary, Mike sought the council's support for transitioning from criminal to civil enforcement for certain violations, particularly those related to parking violations, to address legal challenges and enhance compliance. Cameron Platt said Mike Morey covered it very well, emphasizing that it’s another tool in the toolbox. He reflected that, especially from his experience as a former police officer, the more options he had the better. Cameron pointed out that criminal enforcement could carry a significant burden, including the potential for jail time, and believed that government actions should aim to assist the community rather than oppress it. He highlighted the importance of seeking alternative options when justified and explained that this enforcement tool had been available for a while but had recently been expanded by the legislature. Cameron acknowledged the cost-effectiveness and usefulness of civil enforcement and noted that the groundwork for this approach had already been laid with the parking program. He expressed support for expanding civil enforcement to other ordinances as long as the council was comfortable with the idea. John Byrne provided input on the proposal to transition from criminal to civil enforcement for certain town ordinances. He stressed the importance of setting clear limits and defining boundaries, particularly for more serious crimes, to maintain a higher burden of proof and a higher standard for enforcement. John Byrne pointed out that the shift to civil enforcement would likely reduce the burden of paperwork Alta Town Council Meeting September 13, 2023 7 for misdemeanor-type crimes and mentioned that this could potentially lead to more efficient resource allocation within the department. He saw this as a positive aspect of the proposal. However, he also expressed a desire to have more time to study the proposal and gather additional information. He suggested reading public essays or examining ordinances from other jurisdictions to better understand how they handle the distinction between civil and criminal enforcement. He believed that taking an extra month to engage in this research and discussion would be prudent and ensure that the boundaries were set appropriately. Cameron Platt explained that an easy way to differentiate between criminal and civil enforcement was to refer to the state code Title 76 which contains the Criminal Code and outlines offenses subject to criminal prosecution. Any violation falling under this code is considered a criminal offense and can result in arrests or citations by police officers. To ensure clarity, Cameron stated that a police officer couldn't issue a citation for non-payment of a water meter or other civil matters unless they were specified in the Criminal Code. Cameron also discussed the possibility of segregating the town code to clearly distinguish between criminal and civil offenses. This approach would help maintain the boundaries between the two enforcement methods. Mike Morey reminded the town council that police officers are compelled to prosecute violations of state law through the criminal system. Carolyn Anctil expressed some confusion and sought clarification on whether the town had previously missed having a civil enforcement mechanism in place. She acknowledged the potential benefits of civil enforcement in certain areas where it might be more helpful. Carolyn provided an example related to a violation of the Interlodge ordinance, where it might not make sense to classify it as a crime right away. She pondered how such infractions could be effectively enforced without the availability of civil enforcement procedures. She questioned whether there had been a gap in the town's enforcement mechanisms in this regard. Cameron Platt explained that conceptually, the town staff has discussed this program with discretion to prosecute a violation either criminally, civilly, or administratively. Cameron pointed out that the winter parking ordinance, for example, already stated that the town could choose to prosecute a violation using one of these three options. Currently, the town has administrative processes in place for certain matters like building permits, dog licenses, and zoning issues. However, there is a missing middle ground for civil enforcement. The proposal is aimed to fill this gap and establish a proper administrative process for civil code enforcement, providing an option between the "hammer" of criminal enforcement and the "feather" of administrative enforcement. Mike Morey raised additional points related to the proposed transition from criminal to civil enforcement for certain town ordinances. He emphasized that the state legislature was increasingly concerned about perceived abuses of ordinance authority by cities and towns. Mike shared examples of cases where individuals had gone to jail for minor violations, such as failing to mow their lawn or allowing weeds to grow too high, due to arrest warrants issued for failing to appear in court for a ticket. He pointed out that these situations did occur and stressed the importance of maintaining common-sense enforcement practices. Mike suggested that the town could consider applying the proposed civil enforcement approach to the town's dog ordinance. He proposed a tiered approach, with first offenses resulting in warnings and third offenses becoming misdemeanor charges. This approach would offer flexibility and common-sense enforcement. 9. COUNCIL DISCUSSION REGARDING THE LCC EIS RECORD OF DECISION Alta Town Council Meeting September 13, 2023 8 01:39:00 Mayor Bourke said this agenda item was really paired with the next one…. 10. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO SUPPORT MAYOR BOURKE IN SIGNING A RESOLUTION BY THE SALT LAKE VALLEY CONFERENCE OF MAYORS REGARDING THE UTAH DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT 01:39:00 Mayor Bourke asked for the council’s support in signing a resolution related to the Little Cottonwood Canyon Environmental Impact Statement (LCC EIS) issued by the Salt Lake Valley Conference of Mayors. He explained that the resolution was straightforward. The resolution's key point was to complete phases one and two entirely and evaluate them before proceeding with phase three, which involved the installation of a gondola in LCC. Mayor Burke sought the council's support or endorsement for him to sign the resolution, aligning himself with other mayors who had already done so. Elise Morgan stated she didn’t support the gondola but she does support the EIS. Elise appreciated that the EIS had adopted a phased approach rather than simply advocating for the gondola project. She believed that the inclusion of phases one and two could potentially address traffic issues in LCC effectively. She also highlighted the importance of evaluating the results of these phases before proceeding to the next phase. Elise expressed her support for the Council of Mayors' resolution, which recommended proceeding with phases one and two while maintaining a commitment to evaluating the outcomes before considering further phases. She believed that this approach was prudent and could lead to effective solutions without necessarily needing to proceed with the gondola. Mayor Bourke sought to gauge the council's sense and endorsement of his signing the joint resolution issued by the Council of Mayors. Then, he expressed his intention to work on a more focused and pointed resolution that would convey a stronger position specifically for the Town. This resolution would advocate against proceeding with phase three of the LCC project, which involved the gondola. While the second resolution had not been drafted yet, Mayor Bourke conveyed his desire to assert a more assertive stance separate from the group of mayors. John Byrne expressed his support for Mayor Bourke signing the joint resolution regarding the LCC EIS. He stated that he considers himself pro-decision but anti-gondola. He commended the decision for its structure and for focusing on phases one and two. He mentioned that he was disappointed to see the joint resolution lose reference to the "Common Sense Solutions Program" developed by Jenny Wilson. He praised Jenny Wilson's letter from last October, which provided a comprehensive analysis of the situation and introduced the term "common sense" to the discussion. He acknowledged that it might have been unrealistic to expect the complete removal of the word "gondola" from the discussion but appreciated the support for other actions that the resolution conveyed, many of which had been requested for years. John also emphasized the need for traction control and expressed his willingness to support mass transit efforts to alleviate traffic issues in the area. He believed that an improved mass transit system could potentially eliminate the need for a gondola. Carolyn Anctil mentioned the citizen input from Jacob Minas, emphasizing that there hasn't been strong opposition to the gondola project from the council. She found it interesting that a group of mayors coming together to make a statement could be impactful. She also expressed concerns about the Alta Town Council Meeting September 13, 2023 9 practicality of turning people around halfway up the canyon if they didn't pay the toll, which seems impractical and could exacerbate issues related to traction control. She is concerned about ensuring the success of phases one and two. Craig Heimark expressed agreement with John Byrne regarding the structure of the phased approach (phases one, two, and three) but voiced concerns about UDOT's lack of transparency in implementing phase one and its commitment to sharing data. He emphasized the importance of data sharing to determine whether a gondola is necessary and found the lack of commitment disturbing. He also mentioned his involvement in anti-gondola efforts to address this issue. Mike Maughan provided an update on efforts with UDOT to alleviate traffic congestion in the area, deal with the Bypass Road and keep the main line open. He mentioned some initiatives and changes, including a gate at entry two to close it at the end of the day, and milling and improving the road base on entry four this year. He added they want to install cameras to monitor traffic and gather data on congestion. Mike expressed support for measures that improve transportation in the area and suggested focusing on solutions like traction laws, snow sheds, and road closures during peak hours. He expressed less confidence in the effectiveness of the bus system since they have been trying unsuccessfully and on their biggest day last year (last day of the season) the UTA buses were not running. Mike reflected on the challenges faced by UTA in restoring ski bus service due to a shortage of drivers and federal mandates. He mentioned that UTA has had to prioritize restoring bus service to disadvantaged and lower-income areas first before addressing ski bus service. As a result, ski bus service has been impacted, and only a small percentage of skiers use it. Mike also mentioned that while bus service is an option, it poses its own challenges, especially during adverse weather conditions. Instead, he expressed more optimism about other solutions such as traction control, keeping the main line open, and the possibility of closing uphill traffic for a few hours on weekends and holidays to alleviate traffic congestion in the area. He said he may come back at some point requesting the council’s support on a letter. MOTION: John Byrne motioned to encourage Mayor Bourke to sign the letter from the Council of Mayors regarding the LCC EIS. Sheridan Davis seconded. VOTE: All in favor. The motion to encourage Mayor Bourke to sign the letter from the Council of Mayors regarding the LCC EIS passes unanimously. Mayor Bourke said he would work with staff on a second resolution after the meeting. 11. NEW BUSINESS 01:57:30 Sheridan asked about a retreat. Chris Cawley highlighted the importance of considering the upcoming election and the hiring of a new Assistant Town Manager when planning and conducting a retreat. He mentioned that having the full team in place during the retreat would likely lead to more productive discussions and outcomes. Chris also expressed a desire to address significant long-term issues, such as housing, in future meetings and retreats, emphasizing the need for thoughtful planning and collaboration in addressing such complex challenges. Mike Maughan mentioned that they are opposed to tolling in Little Cottonwood Canyon and have pushed back on the idea. He explained that they have suggested alternative solutions, such as managing Alta Town Council Meeting September 13, 2023 10 the vehicles coming up the canyon and implementing parking reservations for skiers. They hope to address the issue of tolling and parking reservations with the state and may seek the town's support in the form of a support letter in the future. Mike reflected that they implemented reservations for the last day of the season, even without public transportation, and still filled up the parking lot. He mentioned that they had reservations in place for the previous season, which turned out to be a record season for them. Reservations helped spread out the peak days and provide a better skiing experience. He said if they are trying to continue improving the visitor experience without significantly expanding parking or transportation capacity. 12. MOTION TO ADJOURN 02:11:10 MOTION: Sheridan Davis motioned to adjourn, and Carolyn Anctil seconded. VOTE: All in favor. The meeting was adjourned unanimously. Passed this 11th day of October, 2023 _____________________ Jen Clancy, Town Clerk Alta Town Council Meeting September 13, 2023 11