Public Hearing / Regular Meeting

Unapproved Meeting Minutes Fairfield Town Council Work Session/Regular Meeting June 12, 2024 Public Hearing Date: Tuesday, June 12, 2024 Location: Fairfield Town Office, 103 East Main Street, Fairfield, Utah Time: 6:00 P.M. Minutes By: Stephanie Shelley Agenda Item #1 - Open The Town Council Public Hearing, Roll Call, Prayer / Pledge Of Allegiance Mayor McKnney called the Town Council Public Hearing to order at 7:00 p.m. Richard Prayer Town Council Members Present: Mayor Hollie Mckinney, Rl Panek, Tyler Thomas, Richard Cameron, Michael Weber Staff Present: Stephanie Shelley- Recorder Others Present: Tal Adair, Holly Panek, Julie King, Mark & Alnia Pringle, Jayson Densley, Wayne Taylor Others Present Via Zoom: Jane Lancaster, Hansen, Amy Taylor, Agenda Item #2 - Alpine School District proposed split comment period. Brad Gurney acknowledged the split as a good idea, hoping it would benefit residents of Cedar Valley, citing the large size of the current district. Alina Pringle found the concept of the split confusing but appreciated the explanations that had been provided. Julie King, a school board member who represents Cedar Fort, Fairfield, and the surrounding areas, expressed support for the split and extended her assistance to the town. Agenda Item # 3-Resolution #2024-10 A Resolution adopting the Fairfield Town budget for fiscal year 2024-2025. Brad Gurney raised several issues regarding the town's budget process and public hearings. He pointed out that the budget needed to be publicly available 10 days prior to approval, but it 1 of 10  Unapproved Meeting Minutes Fairfield Town Council Work Session/Regular Meeting June 12, 2024 was not made available until yesterday, which did not meet the required timeline. He stressed the importance of adhering to the stated deadlines in public notices. Gurney also questioned the timing and transparency of the public hearing on compensation increases, noting discrepancies between the posted notices and the actual meetings held. He asked whether the council plans to hold a public hearing on compensation, as required by state code, and if they will ensure transparency by clearly stating the compensation details for each council member. Gurney also suggested that notices about compensation should be mailed to all residents to ensure transparency. Gurney expressed his belief that council members should serve as volunteers and that introducing compensation could shift the focus from public service to monetary gain. He proposed that the Planning Commission should receive the same monthly compensation as the council members due to their workload. Finally, Gurney questioned the high administrative costs for the small town, emphasizing that with limited administrative tasks, the costs seemed excessive. Mayor McKinney addressed the need for a tentative budget, emphasizing that it must be passed first. She mentioned that the budget has been discussed multiple times, and the correct process has been followed. During the public hearing on compensation, she noted that there had been prior discussions and corrections. She stated that the state auditor confirmed the process was satisfactory. Mayor McKinney reiterated that the council is being open and transparent. She mentioned past experiences where budgets were presented just before meetings, contrasting that with the current process. McKinney assured that another public hearing on compensation would be held, emphasizing transparency and adherence to the law. She clarified that council members are paid $350, with additional compensation for specific roles, and highlighted her extensive weekly hours dedicated to town matters. In response to concerns about self-compensation, McKinney mentioned consulting with the Utah League of Cities and Towns and the state auditor, underscoring their compliance with proper procedures. Alina Pringle thanked Brad for his comments and acknowledged the past mistakes. She appreciated the time everyone, including Mayor McKinney, has dedicated to the town. Pringle 2 of 10  Unapproved Meeting Minutes Fairfield Town Council Work Session/Regular Meeting June 12, 2024 commended the Mayor and town council members for their progress, such as involving McNeil Engineering in reviewing land use applications. However, she pointed out that a public hearing to address compensation for elected and statutory officials has not yet been held, as the May public hearing was postponed. Pringle supports reasonable compensation for the extra work council members do but believes the Planning Commission should be compensated based on the actual meetings they attend, not equally. Pringle expressed opposition to creating a new position of office manager/town planner for the Mayor, arguing that the current office staff can handle the town's needs. She suggested that the town could hire a planning consultant as needed and utilize existing resources such as the Mountainland Association of Governments and the League of Cities and Towns. She argued that Mayor McKinney should not be paid for tasks like researching code ideas, as the Planning Commission and the general plan should guide these. Pringle felt the Mayor was overstepping her role and highlighted issues with the Planning Commission not being allowed to seek legal advice without the Mayor's approval. She emphasized that the town should not pay for redundant work and should allow the Planning Commission to handle certain items. Pringle concluded by appreciating the ongoing efforts to keep the town enjoyable and recognized the significant time and effort required for these roles while reiterating that a town planner and office manager are not currently needed. Wayne Taylor said that some of the items mentioned by Alina Pringle were on the Planning Commission agenda previously, and the meeting was canceled. Agenda Item # 4- An Ordinance Amending Title 6.7. Cemetery District, and Rescinding Title 2.1. Cemetery Board. Mayor McKinney decided to table the discussion until the cemetery board could review it. She explained that the changes involved combining titles 6.7 and 2.1 in the ordinances to update and clarify the process, including how payments are handled. The revisions were mainly to clean up the ordinance and reflect current practices within the cemetery board. Brad Gurney questioned the council on why the cemetery board was not informed about certain decisions. He emphasized that the board should have been consulted to address any issues or proposed changes before the public hearing. Gurney sought clarification on a perceived conflict between sections 2.1 and 6.7 of the ordinance and asked for specific details 3 of 10  Unapproved Meeting Minutes Fairfield Town Council Work Session/Regular Meeting June 12, 2024 to avoid independently scrutinizing every line. He also raised concerns about the discontinuation of the Sexton's $200 monthly fee and stressed the importance of compensating the Sexton for various responsibilities beyond burial duties. Gurney clarified that the Sexton's role includes maintaining the cemetery grounds, managing the flag, and addressing any issues or complaints. He mentioned that the cemetery board members are willing to assist, but the Sexton is primarily responsible for these tasks. He requested the reinstatement of Sexton's monthly fee and proposed that the cemetery board should review and finalize the job description and compensation before the next budget meeting. Additionally, Gurney asked for quarterly or monthly financial reports on the cemetery account to track income and expenses. He also suggested providing the Sexton with a credit card for necessary purchases, such as fuel and supplies, to streamline their responsibilities. He requested the financial report before the July 2 meeting to facilitate further discussion. Mayor McKinney acknowledged that the issue didn't get addressed quickly enough and agreed to table it. She explained that the ordinance needed cleaning up, as discussed with Holly and Chance, to clarify a few things and ensure proper payment procedures. Currently, all cemetery board members will be paid $50 for each meeting, and the sexton will be paid for the job when performed. Mayor McKinney asked for a detailed job description for the sexton, but no one could provide a justification for the regular $200 monthly fee. David, the current sexton, was being paid $200 a month to manage tasks such as mowing, taking care of the flag, and addressing complaints. However, Mayor McKinney noted that the cemetery board members often help with these tasks. She stated that they would reassess the compensation when David steps down or when it becomes necessary to address the role's responsibilities. Agenda Item # 7 Adjourn The Town Council Public Hearing Mayor McKinney closed the public hearing. The meeting adjourned at 7:32 p.m. 4 of 10  Unapproved Meeting Minutes Fairfield Town Council Work Session/Regular Meeting June 12, 2024 Regular Session Date: Thursday, June 12, 2024 Location: Fairfield Town Office 103 East Main Street Fairfield, Utah Time: 7:00 P.M. Minutes By: Stephanie Shelley Agenda Item #1- Open the Town Council Regular Session. Mayor McKinney opened the Town Council Regular Session at 7:32 p.m. Agenda Item #2- Public comments (2-minute limit per person) No Comments Agenda Item #3- Motion to approve the regular session minutes on April 11, 2024. Councilman Cameron made a motion to approve the minutes for the April 11, 2024, work/regular session. Councilman Thomas seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Mayor McKinney - Yes Councilman Thomas - Yes Councilman Panek - Yes Councilman Cameron - Yes Councilman Weber - Yes Agenda Item #4- Motion to approve the joint Session minutes on April 29, 2024. Councilman Cameron made a motion to approve the minutes for the April 29, 2024, joint session. Councilman Thomas seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Mayor McKinney - Yes Councilman Thomas - Yes Councilman Panek - Yes Councilman Cameron - Yes Councilman Weber - Yes Agenda Item #5 - Motion to approve the regular session on May 9, 2024. Councilman Cameron made a motion to approve the minutes for the May 9, 2024, regular session. Councilman Thomas seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. 5 of 10  Unapproved Meeting Minutes Fairfield Town Council Work Session/Regular Meeting June 12, 2024 Mayor McKinney - Yes Councilman Thomas - Yes Councilman Panek - Yes Councilman Cameron - Yes Councilman Weber - Yes Agenda Item #6- Motion to approve the joint session on May 21, 2024. Councilman Cameron made a motion to approve the minutes for the May 21, 2024 joint session. Councilman Thomas seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Mayor McKinney - Yes Councilman Thomas - Yes Councilman Panek - Yes Councilman Cameron - Yes Councilman Weber - Yes Agenda Item #7- Motion to approve the Fairfield Town financials for the month ending May 31, 2024. The financials for the month ending May 31, 2024, were not ready. The item was tabled until the next meeting. Agenda Item #8 - Update on PTIF accounts An update was provided on the PTIF accounts. It was noted that a wire transfer of $2,000,000 was made into a trust account managed by US Bank Trust Services. A meeting is scheduled for July 3rd to discuss the first month’s statement. The investment is being laddered between 3 to 24 months with an overall interest rate of 5%. Agenda Item #9- Discuss Jayson Densley’s site plan and possible business The council discussed Jayson Densley's site plan for a proposed site. Mr. Densley explained his plan, indicating a desire to start with a shell building and possibly incorporate agricultural elements. The council asked him to finalize the building's purpose to ensure it meets the required regulatory code. Planning and Zoning will conduct further review and move forward based on the decision. Agenda Item #10- Discuss and approve a motion to extend Richard and Michal Cameron's home-building reservation for one year. The council discussed extending Richard and Michal Cameron's home-building reservation for one year, which is set to expire at the end of the month. It was proposed to create a policy for such extensions in future meetings. The Council will take care of this at a future meeting. 6 of 10  Unapproved Meeting Minutes Fairfield Town Council Work Session/Regular Meeting June 12, 2024 Agenda Item #11- Motion to approve Resolution #2024-10, a resolution adopting the Fairfield Town budget for fiscal year 2024-2025. The council discussed and passed a tentative budget resolution. Councilman Thomas motion to pass Resolution #2024-10 Resolution Adopting the Tentative Budget for Fairfield Town for the fiscal year 2024-2025; setting a date, time, and place for a public hearing and adoption of the fiscal year 2024-2025 budget; and ordering that notice of the public hearing be published at least seven days in advance. A public hearing is hereby scheduled for Wednesday, June 26, 2024, at 7:00 pm at the Fairfield Town Hall at 103 East Main Street, in Fairfield, Utah. Councilman Panek seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Mayor McKinney - Yes Councilman Thomas - Yes Councilman Panek - Yes Councilman Cameron - Yes Councilman Weber - Yes Agenda Item #12 - Motion to approve Ordinance #2024-07, providing for the compensation of elected and statutory officials. The council discussed tabling this item until after the budget is passed. Agenda Item #13 - Motion to approve Ordinance #2024-08, an ordinance adopting a compensation schedule for elected and appointed town officials and town employees. The council discussed tabling this item until after the budget is passed. Agenda Item #14 - Discuss and approve Ordinance #2024-09, an ordinance amending title 6.7. cemetery district, and rescinding title 2.1. cemetery board. This agenda item was reviewed by the council and tabled subsequently until the cemetery board reviewed the ordinance. Agenda Item #15 - Review Cedar Valley Industrial Park Preliminary Plat The council received and reviewed the red lines from Cedar Valley Industrial Park’s preliminary plat. The decision was made to give members more time to review the plat for potential discrepancies before approving it in the future. 7 of 10  Unapproved Meeting Minutes Fairfield Town Council Work Session/Regular Meeting June 12, 2024 Agenda Item #16- Discuss and approve using WC3 West Coast consultants for help with CUP, plan reviews, and inspections. The council discussed the potential benefits of using WC3 West Coast Consultants handling CUP, plan reviews, and inspections, given WC3’s expertise with large-scale projects in Utah. The Council felt good about having them conduct the inspections. The Mayor will continue to look into the process to conduct business with them. Agenda Item #17- Discuss and approve the rest of the Town Council 2024 meeting schedule. Councilman Thomas motioned that we adopt the new Fairfield Town Council 2024 meeting schedule. Councilman Panek seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Mayor McKinney - Yes Councilman Thomas - Yes Councilman Panek - Yes Councilman Cameron - Yes Councilman Weber - Yes Agenda Item #18- Discuss the annexation policy. A proposed annexation policy for geographic expansion was reviewed. It aimed to include surrounding areas and plan for potential future growth. Agenda Item #19- Discuss the annexation map. The council reviewed a proposed map highlighting the annexation areas, including extending west to the Tooele border and east towards the BLM property. Council members agreed to proceed with drafting a formal annexation policy and map for public hearings. Agenda Item #20- Discuss a Tech zone overlay option. The council considered implementing a tech zone with an overlay allowing for specific uses such as commercial, residential, or industrial. Todd Sheeran provided a detailed document for baseline purposes, which was forwarded for review by the Planning and Zoning Committee. Agenda Item #21 - Discuss and approve the Allen Ranch Road waterline and send it out for bids. The council reviewed and approved the design for the Allen Ranch Road Waterline. It was discussed whether to send it out for bids immediately or wait until more developers expressed commitment to finance it. 8 of 10  Unapproved Meeting Minutes Fairfield Town Council Work Session/Regular Meeting June 12, 2024 Councilman Thomas motioned to approve the design that McNeil Engineering did on our Allen Ranch Road waterline. Councilman Cameron seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Mayor McKinney - Yes Councilman Thomas - Yes Councilman Panek - Yes Councilman Cameron - Yes Councilman Weber - Yes Agenda Item #22- Discuss community events The council brainstormed ideas for a community event to foster unity and engagement. A proposal was made for a cornhole tournament, potentially on August 8th, along with food trucks and other activities. Agenda Item #23- Discussion on entering Fairfield signs The council readdressed the topic of installing entrance signs to the town but decided to prioritize other projects due to budget constraints. Agenda Item #24- Approve line logo The item was tabled until the next meeting as the designs were still being worked on. Agenda Item #25- Park update, including trail signs, fences, timeline, and upcoming expenses An update was provided on community park development, covering the progress on grading plans, fencing, creek clean-up, and water meter installation. Future plans include trail signs funded by a grant, restrooms, and continued collaboration with contractors. Agenda Item #26 - Discussion On Old and New Business. Mayor McKinney informed the Council that Comcast had reached out to her and Stephanie regarding a franchise agreement with the Town. The Council discussed the potential impact on Brett Silverlake and his contract. They decided to wait for more information before making any decisions. Mayor McKinney defends her performance over her six months in office, highlighting significant progress and hard work. She feels unfairly criticized and emphasizes accomplishments, including numerous ordinances and resolutions, that don't happen without dedication. McKinney praises Stephanie for her extensive contributions beyond a typical work week and 9 of 10  Unapproved Meeting Minutes Fairfield Town Council Work Session/Regular Meeting June 12, 2024 deems the "babysitter" remark disrespectful. We have been open and transparent, collaborating with the state auditor, ULCT, and attending every MPO board meeting to ensure the town's interests are represented. Despite facing challenges, including reconciling contradictory ordinances and handling a problematic subdivision approval, her asserts substantial improvements have been made. She dedicates 40 to 50 hours a week to her role and suggests hiring a town administrator if her efforts are insufficient. McKinney stresses the importance of transparency, hard work, and commitment to the town, rejecting accusations of incompetence and defending the administration's accomplishments. She has attended every meeting that was previously neglected, and everyone I’ve met has expressed their appreciation for our participation. They’ve acknowledged the importance of our voice and vote. I urge you to consider this and support me, knowing that I’m acting in the town’s best interest. Stephanie has been outstanding in her role, and the idea that she needs to be babysat is absurd and laughable. Managing a $2 million budget requires oversight, and things wouldn’t get done without attention. I ask you to reflect on our council's achievements, which residents can attest to. If you have questions, I invite you to talk to us and see the volume of work we handle daily. My phone is constantly ringing, and I’m always available to address the town’s needs. This town can no longer rely solely on volunteers. I believe none of you are replaceable for the $900 a month I’m advocating for you. It’s unlikely anyone else would manage the daily demands we face for such compensation. My wage is the same as yours, and I limit my hours to 30 a week to minimize costs. I’m not asking for insurance, benefits, phone reimbursement, or a car—just the ability to do my job and help the town develop properly. The claim that nothing significant is happening or that we only send out 22 water bills is unfounded and unfair. Agenda Item #27 - Adjourn The Town Council Regular Meeting Councilman Thomas moved to adjourn the meeting, which Councilman Panek seconded. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 9:16 p.m. July 8, 2024 Stephanie Shelley Minutes Approval Date Stephanie Shelley Town Recorder 10 of 10 Unapproved Meeting Minutes Fairfield Town Council Work Session/Regular Meeting June 12, 2024 11 of 10