Start Position
Mayor Fullmer opened the meeting at 6:00 PM. Councilmember Welsh gave the invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance.      2.      Work Session No items were submitted.     3.      Public Comments
Daria Evans, living in the Villas subdivision, expressed her appreciation for Rojas Farms allowing the community to have the pumpkins. She liked the mural on the water tank and thanked Public Work for fixing the depression on the lake trail and the drains near the marina. She thanked for the city for the fall cleanup dumpsters. She expressed concern about the pedestrian refuge on 600 North and asked about the school speed limit zones. Mr. Ghandour replied that the speed zone amendment would allow the flashers to remain where they were currently placed, accommodating the Utah Department of Transportation’s (UDOT) policies. There would be no change otherwise.
David Lauret, living on Holdaway Road, expressed objections to the appointment of Eric Ellis as the City Manager. Mayor Fullmer asked for clarification. There was a discussion about Mr. Lauret’s concerns.
Resident Tyler Haroldsen, living in the Edgewater subdivision, expressed concern about the accident that happened on 400 South last week, pedestrian safety and lower speed limits. He recommended that the city do something immediately to help pedestrian safety before Halloween. Mr. Ghandour reiterated that the reduced speed school zones ordinance was to bridge a gap with UDOT’s code for elementary school zones that were already in place. He also mentioned that the pedestrian crossing on 600 North was to help with pedestrian safety. Mayor Fullmer expressed her concerns about the accident that happened last week. She said that the city’s goal was to be preventative.
Resident Kim Cornelias, living in the Villas subdivision, commented on a Tribune Article that came out today about Eric Ellis and about his appointment as the city manager. Mayor Fullmer replied that the council would be discussing this before they approve the appointment.
Mr. Cornelias mentioned that the developer for Utah City had promised to release the number of renters that there would be in the downtown area. He read a statement from Governor Cox at a press conference about rentals and density around transit hubs. He expressed concern with density, rentals, and potential crime in Utah City. There was a brief discussion about the housing in the downtown area.
Sara Cameron living in the Parkside subdivision, asked the mayor to clarify her position with Eric Ellis. There was a brief discussion about positions with the Utah Lake Authority.
Jacob Holdaway living on Holdaway Road, read a statement about claims that were made about Walkara Way and lake restoration.
Resident Cole Kelly, living in the Lakefront subdivision,expressed concerns about interactions with the mayor. He also expressed concern with the council appointing Eric Ellis as the new city manager.
Resident Timo Christensen expressed concerns with pedestrian safety and other areas that the city needed to address.
Resident Claudia Lauret, living on Holdaway Road, asked for clarification about where the city was in having a fire department and a fire station. Mr. Nair replied that the city was undergoing a study that would result with design options for a fire station. A discussion ensued.
Resident Tim Heaton, living in the Sleepy Ridge subdivision, expressed concern with the appointment of Eric Ellis as the city manager.
Brad Hakes, an Orem resident, expressed excitement about Utah City and his opinion on developments.
Resident Keith Vincent, living in The Villas subdivision, expressed his disappointment with the appointment of Eric Ellis as city manager. He also commented on Utah City.   4.      Mayor and COUNCILMEMBERS’ REPORTS/DISCLOSURES/RECUSALS
Councilmember Flake reported on the Utah State Legislature’s mid-term meetings and the Utah Committee for Development meetings.  He suggested that residents reach out to their state legislatures about their plans for cities and what goes on at the state level.
Councilmember Rasmussen reported that there would be a Growth and Prosperity Summit held on November 2, 2023 at Utah Valley University (UVU).
Councilmember Welsh reported on the Economic Development Steering Committee meetings.  She mentioned that the pumpkin patch on the 11-acre parcel would be open tomorrow for residents to pick a pumpkin. She also reported on fall cleanup in the city. She mentioned that there was an opportunity to visit the new Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Temple in Orem for a limited time.     5.      STAFF, COMMISSION, and committee REPORTS 5.1
City Manager Ezra Nair showed a time-lapse video of the mural on the water tank at 1600 North. He reported that there would be construction at 600 North and Main to install a pedestrian refuge, which will include LED flashers for night-time visibility. He reported that the Meet the Candidates Night would be held tomorrow night, and that the Election would be held on November 21, 2023, so watch for ballots to come in the mail. He reported that the city had received a $7,500 grant from Rocky Mountain Power for the design of the Gammon Park fields.     6.      CONSENT ITEMS 6.1  Approval of the October 11, 2023, City Council Meeting Minutes 6.2  Approval of the October 23, 2023, City Council Meeting Minutes 6.3  Approval of Reduced Speed School Zone Ordinance (2023-29) 6.4  Approval of The Maples Phase 3 Final Plat 6.5  Approval of The Sycamores Phase 4 Final Plat 6.6  Approval of Edgewater @ Geneva Phase 19 Final Plat Amendment 6.7  Approval of Holdaway Fields Phase 1B Final Plat
Motion: COUNCILMEMBER WELSH MOVED TO APPROVE AND ADOPT THE CONSENT ITEMS AS PRESENTED. COUNCILMEMBER RASMUSSEN SECONDED THE MOTION. ROLL CALL WENT AS FOLLOWS: MAYOR FULLMER, COUNCILMEMBERS FLAKE, RASMUSSEN, AND WELSH VOTED YES. COUNCILMEMBER SIFUENTES WAS ABSENT. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ONE ABSENT.     7.      Appointments 7.1  Planning Commission Mayor Fullmer, with the advice and consent of the council, may appoint new members to the Planning Commission. No appointments were made.     8.   Presentations/recognitions/awards/PROCLAMATIONS 8.1  Proclamation
Mayor Fullmer read the Kindness Week Proclamation.     9.      BUSINESS ITEMS 9.1  PUBLIC HEARING – Adoption of the Vineyard City Fiscal Year 2023 – 2024 Budget Amendment #1 (Resolution 2023-41) Finance Director David Mortensen will present proposed amendments to the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Budget. The mayor and city council will act to adopt (or deny) this request by resolution.
Motion: COUNCILMEMBER FLAKE MOVED TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:59 PM. COUNCILMEMBER WELSH SECONDED THE MOTION. MAYOR FULLMER, COUNCILMEMBERS FLAKE, RASMUSSEN, AND WELSH VOTED YES. COUNCILMEMBER SIFUENTES WAS ABSENT. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ONE ABSENT.
Finance Director David Mortensen gave an overview of the amendments.
Mr. Vincent asked which company did the financial audit for the city. Mr. Mortensen replied that it was Gilbert and Stewart. There was a brief discussion about the audit and the budget amendments.   Mayor Fullmer called for further public comments. Hearing none, she called for a motion to close the public hearing.
Motion: COUNCILMEMBER WELSH MOVED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:07 PM. COUNCILMEMBER RASMUSSEN SECONDED THE MOTION. MAYOR FULLMER, COUNCILMEMBERS FLAKE, RASMUSSEN, AND WELSH VOTED YES. COUNCILMEMBER SIFUENTES WAS ABSENT. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ONE ABSENT.
Motion: MAYOR FULLMER MOVED TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM TO NOVEMBER 8, 2023 CITY COUNCIL MEETING. COUNCILMEMBER FLAKE SECONDED THE MOTION. MAYOR FULLMER, COUNCILMEMBERS FLAKE, RASMUSSEN, AND WELSH VOTED YES. COUNCILMEMBER SIFUENTES WAS ABSENT. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ONE ABSENT.   9.2DISCUSSION AND ACTION – Qualtrics Service Agreement (Resolution 2023-42) City Manager Ezra Nair will present a service agreement with Qualtrics for customer service management. The mayor and City Council will act to adopt this request by resolution.
City Manager Ezra Nair introduced the Qualtrics team. He explained that they were working to simplify the city’s website and that part of that was to help get more insights for the website and understand how residents were using it.
Chandler Hoopes with Qualtrics reviewed the services that they would provide to the city and it residents. Mr. Nair felt that Vineyard had a responsibility to make the city staff available through the internet.
Mr. Heaton asked if the council could delay this vote until the procurement director had time to vet the state contract. A discussion ensued.
Mr. Holdaway felt that a state contract was not necessarily a competitive bid. He recommended Qualtrics but felt that the cost was too high. Mr. Nair explained that the city already had a contract with Qualtrics but was adding the XM package.
Nathan Newman with Qualtrics expressed concerns with false claims by Mr. Holdaway.
Motion: COUNCILMEMBER FLAKE MOVED TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2023-42 APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING A SERVICE CONTRACT WITH QUALTRICS FOR THEIR GOVXM SERVICE PLATFORM.  COUNCILMEMBER RASMUSSEN SECONDED THE MOTION. ROLL CALL WENT AS FOLLOWS: MAYOR FULLMER, COUNCILMEMBERS FLAKE, RASMUSSEN, AND WELSH VOTED YES. COUNCILMEMBER SIFUENTES WAS ABSENT. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ONE ABSENT.   10.  CLOSED SESSION Mayor Fullmer called for a motion to go into a closed session.
Motion: COUNCILMEMBER RASMUSSEN MOVED TO GO INTO A CLOSED SESSION at 7:22 PM IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM, TO DISCUSS THE CHARACTER, PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE, OR PHYSICAL OR MENTAL HEALTH OF AN INDIVIDUAL. COUNCILMEMBER FLAKE SECONDED THE MOTION. ROLL CALL WENT AS FOLLOWS:  MAYOR FULLMER, COUNCILMEMBERS FLAKE, RASMUSSEN, AND WELSH VOTED YES. COUNCILMEMBER SIFUENTES WAS ABSENT. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ONE ABSENT.   The City Council meeting was paused at 7:22 PM. The meeting resumed at 8:02 PM. 9.3  DISCUSSION AND ACTION – City Manager Appointment (Resolution 2023-43) In accordance with the Vineyard Municipal Code 2.08.010(C) the mayor and City Council will appoint a new city manager, “who shall be appointed on the basis of experience, and administrative and executive abilities and qualifications.” This appointment will be done by resolution.
Mayor Fullmer read a statement about the hiring process that the city and council had gone through and then called for a motion.
Motion: COUNCILMEMBER WELSH MOVED TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2023-43 APPROVING THE APPOINTMENT OF ERIC ELLIS AS THE CITY MANAGER AND ALLOW THE MAYOR TO SIGN THE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT. COUNCILMEMBER FLAKE SECONDED THE MOTION. ROLL CALL WENT AS FOLLOWS:  MAYOR FULLMER, COUNCILMEMBERS FLAKE, RASMUSSEN, AND WELSH VOTED YES. COUNCILMEMBER SIFUENTES WAS ABSENT. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ONE ABSENT. 11.  ADJOURNMENT Mayor Fullmer called for a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Motion: COUNCILMEMBER FLAKE MOVED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 8:05 PM. COUNCILMEMBER WELSH SECONDED THE MOTION. MAYOR FULLMER, COUNCILMEMBERS FLAKE, RASMUSSEN, AND WELSH VOTED YES. COUNCILMEMBER SIFUENTES WAS ABSENT. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ONE ABSENT.   MINUTES APPROVED ON:    November 8, 2023                                                                        CERTIFIED CORRECT BY:   /s/Pamela Spencer pamela spencer, city Recorder
All right, we're rolling. We're going to go ahead and get started. Today is October 25th, 2023. It is 6:00 PM and I'm going to 00:00:00
call the venue, City Council, into session. 00:00:05
I am going to start out with an invocation. Christy, would you mind doing our invocation Impress? 00:00:11
Our dear Heavenly Father, we're grateful to be gathered here this evening as council and staff and as residents of this city. 00:00:21
We pray that we will make wise and good decisions. 00:00:29
This city of ours, and we pray for also the leaders of our state that they too will. 00:00:32
Be wise as they. 00:00:40
Especially going. 00:00:42
More legislative? 00:00:44
Decisions coming soon we pray for. 00:00:46
Safety and 1st responders and those serving in the military. 00:00:50
And after that, we'll continue just to watch over this country and and bless for the the many that are suffering around the world. 00:00:54
And we say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. All right. 00:01:00
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. 00:01:08
Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. 00:01:13
That brings us to our public comment. This is a time, well, it's a great time to remind anybody who has their cell phones to 00:01:24
silence them. And then this is a time for you to come and share your thoughts with the council about things that are not on the 00:01:30
agenda. What you'll do is you'll come to this podium right here, You'll state your name where you're from, and then you'll share 00:01:35
your thoughts with us. The time is restricted and I'll let you know as you're running out of time. So come on up if you have 00:01:41
anything to address the council with. 00:01:47
Daria Evans, Vineyard resident. Thank you. So nice to be here. 00:01:58
I was walking in with the. 00:02:04
Morgan Brim and Janine Broxton and mentioned the Morgan how wonderful it is for Rojas Farm to let everybody have those pumpkins. 00:02:06
That was a great community service. 00:02:12
Our community good on the Rojas family. 00:02:18
Also, I like how though mural has turned out on the water tower, I think that looks really good. So good on allergy. 00:02:22
Also, thanks to Public Works, I'm hoping they're the ones responsible for fixing. 00:02:30
The depression in the lake trail where it? 00:02:37
And then also, did you also fix where they? 00:02:40
Put the drain through up near the Marina, the new development. There was some sections of pavement missing and they're filled in. 00:02:44
We did that. Thank you. I can ride my bike with with ease. Thank you very much. 00:02:50
Um. 00:02:56
I also thank you also for providing the dumpsters. 00:02:59
For our cleanup, I I'm grateful for that. 00:03:03
I do have a concern though. 00:03:07
They're working on the refuge on 600. NI really hope that it's going to be adequate. 00:03:11
I'm really concerned about that, so I hope it will be adequate and then I would like to know if I will be able to ask a question 00:03:17
on a consent item. 00:03:21
OK. Which consent item? 00:03:26
It's the one about the school zones. OK. Yep. I will pull it off for you. Thank you very much. Actually, dude, just want to ask it 00:03:29
now. Yeah, I just want to know. 00:03:33
What are the lengths of those speed zones going to be? 00:03:40
Are they going to be for the same for every school or different because of the the bands in the road and that kind of thing? 00:03:43
That they were by the worst director as an engineer. So that's a very good question about that. 00:03:53
The item about the reduced speed school zones. 00:03:57
Will allow the school zones, Foster's or marked areas for school zones to be reduced down to 20 mph to remain. 00:04:01
At the locations where we're currently in. 00:04:09
This is an item to help bridge an exception to the policy that is in EU dot or the Utah METCD specifically about school zones. 00:04:11
On that, though, the public will not see a change in terms of the distances or where their signs are placed. 00:04:25
OK. Thank you very much. OK, thanks. 00:04:34
David. 00:04:45
There's a rumor afoot that we're going to appoint. 00:04:50
Eric Ellis is our city manager. 00:04:55
If that's the case, I'd like. 00:04:57
If you're thinking about it, I just like to. 00:05:00
Offering an objection to that. 00:05:03
I mean, here's other a little bit of. 00:05:06
She's probably leaving the. 00:05:10
You know, like authority on a little bit of the cloud, he. 00:05:12
It's He produced a couple of letters, sent a couple of letters guaranteeing wrong. 00:05:16
The Island project in excess wasn't 43 and 60 minutes like that number may be awful, but about about those numbers $1,000,000 00:05:23
without consent or approval of his board. 00:05:28
And so I would be really worried about some. 00:05:34
With that level of ethics coming to serve here, in a situation where we have close to a full time mayor, a part-time City Council, 00:05:39
he'd be the full time person. 00:05:44
And throw the person in charge over the reins. I'd be a little concerned about that. 00:05:49
And I would ask if that's the case that you consider that carefully. 00:05:54
Before you make a comment, you may come up to the microphone. I think I am going to make a comment on this. 00:06:11
Actually, could you come back up? I just need you to clarify a word that you said. 00:06:19
Did you say that he is being accused of that or did you say that he had done that? 00:06:29
It looks like it looks like he has, actually. We have copies of letters where he's guaranteed that kind of money into that 00:06:36
project, so that. 00:06:40
Is certain. 00:06:46
And. 00:06:48
You know, I don't know. I want to write words artists. Is that a loan guarantee? I think it is. OK. Thank you. That's what I 00:06:51
wanted to know. And I would say this as. 00:06:55
The executive director of the Utah Light Commission or the Utah Lake Authority, which he's held positions of both of these areas. 00:07:00
Whenever you write something of engagement or a letter, it is. 00:07:07
In the authority of that person to write it when you're being accused, though, of appropriating a bunch of money without. 00:07:12
Authority. That would probably be something else, however. 00:07:21
As somebody that sits on the Utah like authority and as somebody who sits on The Who has sat on the Utah Lake Commission, I don't 00:07:25
know of any letters. 00:07:30
Where he has appropriated funds without board approval and I feel like. 00:07:36
Making a statement like that that says that it's true out into the public, that I need to say something on the other side of it. 00:07:42
So I guess what I'll say is this. 00:07:46
Anybody obviously is willing is allowed to say something in response, but. 00:07:52
I will verify it. 00:07:58
And then I will come back and I will make sure that that didn't happen. 00:08:00
And as somebody that serves on that board right now, if it didn't happen then I will make that statement as far as I'm aware. 00:08:05
And the letters that you're referring to, that is not. 00:08:13
How? 00:08:17
Understand those letters to be, but I will make sure to clarify that. 00:08:17
Thank. 00:08:22
Tyler Harrelson I'm a resident in Edgewater. 00:08:27
I'm sure you guys are aware on Monday the 16th a pedestrian was killed in an accident on 400. 00:08:31
I don't know if the school zone changed. The consent item is related to that because I'm not as familiar. 00:08:40
But in any case, lowering the speed limit there is not going to actually help anything. There are a number of studies. There's one 00:08:46
I read the other day from. 00:08:49
1997 I believe they studied. 00:08:54
For like 5-6 years they studied over 90 sites across the nation. 00:08:57
Raising and lowering their speed. 00:09:03
Just the posted limit on the sign and it did essentially nothing. 00:09:05
Umm. 00:09:09
Because people. 00:09:11
Pay attention to the design of the road. My recommendation to you to prevent this from happening. 00:09:13
Especially because we're in October, which is the deadliest month for pedestrians of the year, and Halloween is the deadliest day 00:09:19
for pedestrians of the year. And as you can imagine, most of the pedestrians killed our children. 00:09:25
I went to the Orem City Council meeting to ask them the same thing last night, and I went to the Planning Commission meeting to 00:09:34
ask them the same thing. Please do something now with temporary measures. 00:09:40
I don't care what you do as long as it's something. Orange construction cones. Haydale sounds like from people I've talked to, 00:09:46
that that's not an option. 00:09:50
It doesn't matter what it is, just do something that is physical and actually on the street. Please, like immediately by the end 00:09:54
of the week. 00:09:59
Please get it done as fast as possible and if there are any procedural problems in your way. 00:10:04
You are elected. 00:10:10
Get rid of them because they're not serving you well and being up to code is what got the girl killed. The code is not working for 00:10:12
you. 00:10:17
Change them if you need, and if you don't need to, that's even better. Please do something now that's my comment. Thank you. Would 00:10:24
you like to make a comment? 00:10:28
So again assuming our public works director in regards to the reduced schools, reduced speed school zone item on there, it's not 00:10:40
in response to any particular incident or. 00:10:46
Or such. It's it's in order to bridge a gap where the Utah MCD specifically states that reduce school speed zones are not 00:10:53
required, and areas where there's a stop sign or a stop light. 00:10:59
Which would in essence remove. 00:11:06
Our ability to be able to have reduced speed, schools, school. 00:11:10
Speed school zones and areas where elementary school kids are going are walking in masses to school. 00:11:14
As well, so this so that policies in order to clarify the exceptions to the to the cases as dictated by the city engineer being 00:11:21
myself for special circumstances and it goes across the board to you in order to help enhance that by actually placing specifying 00:11:29
the schools that are within 1000 a 1000 feet from a public park. 00:11:36
Where a lot of kids, including my own, crossover from their elementary school to their public park, are allowed to have a slower 00:11:44
speed, a car is driving slower speed. 00:11:50
On that, and also I do, we are setting up a meeting I can always talk about. 00:11:57
Rows and rope configurations in the near future to help obviously make things better across the board, not just in one particular 00:12:03
area, but also I know. 00:12:07
The Planning Department has the. 00:12:14
Principle in place to make things safe across the board throughout the city, such as the what was referenced earlier about this 00:12:18
600 N Main St. 00:12:22
Pedestrian refuge which is currently being installed. 00:12:27
Had a concrete port today and working with the contractor to install the RFP flashers in order to allow pedestrians to cross 00:12:31
safely over at at busy Rd. 00:12:36
As well. 00:12:42
And in regards to the actual incident that happened in October 16th, I don't have any specific information as to the 00:12:44
circumstances. 00:12:48
Of what led to it, so I can't speak. 00:12:53
Per SE, I do know that we are working with the dot, the dot in terms of that particular intersection to help clean up ownership 00:12:56
that intersection as well. So we can also can give the city greater ability to take control over areas within. 00:13:05
Adjacent to the Vatican City's boundaries as well, because if we can make things safer for those pedestrians across the board, 00:13:16
that is of course in the best interest of the public's quality. 00:13:22
That's all I've got. 00:13:30
All right. I do want to make a comment on that. 00:13:40
The loss of Santa's life is tragic. 00:13:44
And. 00:13:47
There are things that are true accidents and it was tragic for all of us. 00:13:49
It was tragic that a young girl lost her life. 00:13:55
It was tragic, that somebody. 00:13:58
Probably has to go through a lot of healing. 00:14:02
Taking the life of that young girl. 00:14:05
And probably. 00:14:09
You know, working with that family, the entire thing was tragic. 00:14:11
I think there are a lot of lessons to be learned here. 00:14:15
And I do know that the City Council isn't going to move forward not learning from the lessons that come from these types of 00:14:17
things. 00:14:21
Our goal is always to be preventative. 00:14:25
So that we're not being reactive to situations like this. And so the lessons that we're learning are these. 00:14:27
Not every intersection. 00:14:34
Is something that we prioritize. 00:14:36
To have people cross. 00:14:39
There are different intersections, different types of intersections. This is why one of the safe routes for school is that this 00:14:41
the students actually go and they walk down to a very specialized corner, and this is where the safe walk is supposed to be. 00:14:48
And the tragedy for an area like this that's difficult, that's right outside of our jurisdiction and have this convoluted area 00:14:56
like Nasim was explaining is that it's right on the corner of a park and it's right at a mid block crossing. And so people want to 00:15:02
cross it. And this is what causes some of those accidents because it also comes into this area where sunlight hits your car and 00:15:07
you can't see as very tragic. 00:15:13
The city is prioritizing, making sure that the places that we prioritize as a city where people are going to cross. 00:15:20
That those areas are clear. We're also prioritizing the education to show people where and how to cross and to make sure they're 00:15:28
crossing at those safe places, and also notifying our drivers of when and where to be aware of the pedestrians that are coming 00:15:34
through the area, because nobody wants to experience something like this. 00:15:39
So we will take action, but we are working with our partnering cities, cities to do this. They're working with the dot and we'll 00:15:46
continue to do those things to provide safety for pedestrians and to keep. 00:15:52
People who drive in cars aware and attentive, and when true accidents happen, we will breathe together as a community because that 00:16:00
also happens. 00:16:04
And. 00:16:09
Always grateful to hear the comments from the community. 00:16:10
Kim, Cornelius, Village resident. 00:16:18
I just wanted to kind of dovetail off the first gentleman's comments. 00:16:21
Grapevine is a dangerous thing and so I'd like to go with something a little bit more concrete, although there there may be some 00:16:27
suspects in the media section of our lives. 00:16:31
As. 00:16:36
Here are things as reported in the Salt Lake Tribune this afternoon under the headline Utah Lake Authority Director Steps Down 00:16:38
after Tribune Asked Questions About Money Promised for Dredging project. 00:16:44
Couple of short little paragraphs in two secret letters, Eric Ellis said he would provide 10s of millions of dollars in support of 00:16:50
a project that would have built artificial islands. 00:16:55
We know that project is. 00:17:00
That's my comment. The Executive director of the Utah Lake Authority, which formerly operated the Utah Lake Commission, abruptly 00:17:02
resigned Wednesday. Eric Ellis announced his departure in an e-mail to board members, which was less than 1/2 hour after this all 00:17:08
8 preview and asking questions about his support for the restoration solutions. 00:17:13
So I would echo. 00:17:19
Be careful. 00:17:22
I don't know any other way to say it, but I mean, we're talking about. 00:17:25
The guy that runs the city. 00:17:28
Council. 00:17:31
But, and that's as much as I'm going to say about that, although I would just pose. 00:17:33
Is the city manager's job? Has that been posted somewhere for applicants to apply? 00:17:39
Has it been posted? It has been posted. Have you had any replies? We did. We had a lot of applicants. 00:17:45
They were all excellent. 00:17:52
In our opinion, Eric was the most qualified and best fit for this community, however. 00:17:53
Because you are bringing these things forward and even though we know about this and understand the aspects of it, we are going to 00:18:00
go into a closed session before that appointment so that we can talk about it and navigate it and look. 00:18:07
Have these discussions to know how to move forward, because we want the community to know that when you bring things to us, we are 00:18:14
going to do as much as we can to properly approach and answer those questions and so we are going to go and discuss right before 00:18:19
that. 00:18:24
Item, yeah, I would just add that in this particular case, due diligence is paramount. 00:18:30
Uh. 00:18:37
If it's OK, I've got just one other item for the follow up council meeting. 00:18:38
At a Planning Commission meeting. 00:18:44
Two times. 00:18:46
The developer for Utah City came in and did a really nice job of presenting what the the plans were for the two parcels. I think 00:18:48
they are that we're up for approval. 00:18:53
Bryce asked the question. So what's the housing component? Are those ownership or what are they? 00:18:59
And he was very forthcoming to say, into all rentals. 00:19:05
And Bryce says, is there an option to do a mixed-use there of those? And he says, well, yeah, we can talk about that. 00:19:07
When Bryce came in at the last City Council meeting two weeks ago, he gave you a nice report on that meeting. 00:19:15
But didn't say anything about the discussion. 00:19:22
We've got 400 plus units that are going to be sole rentals owned by the developer and so I went back and sat next to them at the 00:19:25
end of the meeting and I said hey. 00:19:29
Great job. And she didn't mention? 00:19:34
The discussion about the total rent. 00:19:36
Situation. 00:19:39
Yeah, I probably should have said something about. Make sure they're made aware of that. 00:19:40
Well, he's obviously not on the agenda tonight, so I'm just making sure that somehow you understand that that's a concern. 00:19:44
And there's one other thing. 00:19:51
Maybe a little bit more of a concern when Governor Cox on September 21st in a press conference with the Daily Herald. 00:19:53
Talked about low income housing and he made this. 00:20:01
He said he. 00:20:04
Government isn't the only solution and noted a recent partnership between 2 foundations intending to create upwards of 850 rent 00:20:06
subsidized. 00:20:11
New Orleans. Now that's different than just rentals. 00:20:16
He finished with his. 00:20:20
We've taken away a little bit of authority from local communities and the idea. 00:20:21
If the state is going to invest billions of dollars for a transit of in your community. 00:20:27
Front runner. 00:20:32
And that infrastructure we should have more D. 00:20:34
Housing around that transit hub. 00:20:38
This is Daybreak. This is happening at Lehigh, seven other cities and looks like Vineyard because it looks like a mirror image of 00:20:41
what's going on in these other areas. 00:20:45
I was on the phone earlier this week with our sheriff's Lieutenant for Vineyard. 00:20:51
And we had a long discussion about crime in a couple of incidents that have risen within a week of each other. 00:20:56
With front. 00:21:02
Rentals, subsidized. 00:21:04
We're a little concerned. 00:21:07
And so these are some things that I think we need to be having a discussion with the developers. 00:21:09
Because at least in the village area we're here, we're planted and probably going to be planted 6 feet under because we're not 00:21:15
planning on going anywhere else. 00:21:18
What's that going to be? Is it going to be rentals or occupied? 00:21:53
What's the mix And he? 00:21:56
The developer is going to own a unit. We're going to rent them out. 00:21:59
Well, that's a sweet deal for the owner or for the developer we like. They like that. 00:22:02
I hadn't heard anything since and I didn't get a chance to go to the follow up Planning Commission meeting, but I heard from some 00:22:08
that did that, he offered. 00:22:12
Some condos or townhouses in another section. 00:22:17
That really wasn't what he was asked to do. He came back with that and I don't know what the resolution was or the the 00:22:23
conversation was between the Commission members, but. 00:22:27
It's a concern for us. OK. Thank you. That was for the site. 00:22:31
Sarah Cameron. 00:22:44
I just. 00:22:47
Mayor, if you could clarify your relationship with Eric Ellis for us, your previous experience with him, you've known him for a 00:22:49
while, that would be helpful. 00:22:53
As you guys are considering him for this position, Sir, I have served on the Utah Lake Commission and the Utah Like Authority and 00:22:58
he was the executive director. Did he appoint you to that position? 00:23:03
I'm sorry, thank you. Appointed to that position. No, I'm appointed as a mayor for the region to serve on those in most 00:23:09
capacities. 00:23:13
And then he's hired by the people and the boards. Actually, I don't actually know. How are you? 00:23:17
Were you appointed by? 00:23:24
Comes with a microphone. 00:23:27
Sorry to put you on the spot, Eric, I just actually need to. 00:23:30
Say whether or not you are appointed, you're hired, right? 00:23:33
Yeah, yeah. Hired by the mayor. 00:23:37
And the people sitting on the. 00:23:40
Thanks. 00:23:43
Is that your only question, Sir? 00:23:44
I. 00:23:48
It's over. 00:23:58
My name is Jacob Walter Holloway. 00:24:00
And I have carried the weight of this on my shoulder for over a year. 00:24:03
I do get emotional just thinking about the burden that it's been in my family. 00:24:09
You guys know that I came in good faith to the city to go to Ireland. 00:24:14
When I found out about the involvement of our city in the loan, I knew it was wrong. 00:24:20
I know, having read all the emails, that this did not start with Eric and Julie. 00:24:27
That it started well above. 00:24:32
With the lobbyists within the legislature. 00:24:34
I know that's a very strong claim. 00:24:36
But I know you were. 00:24:39
With the Trump administration. 00:24:41
The whistleblowers come forward on that. It'll be out in a few weeks. 00:24:44
I just want to say that I never wanted to divide our venue community, in fact, What Car away? 00:24:49
Was all about bringing the community together. 00:24:55
I knew that this was being was dishonest when we met with LRS about their plans and their ideas about giving us a couple 00:24:59
$1,000,000 to. 00:25:03
Improve the. 00:25:07
I've taught government ethics and procurement for many years. 00:25:10
It's very easy to teach these things. 00:25:14
It's very hard to implement them when they're in your own city. 00:25:16
This is not attacking you, Julie. 00:25:20
This is just attacking the pure government process to protect all of us. 00:25:24
I'm asking. 00:25:29
And I've met with. 00:25:31
All of the Lake Authority member Commission members at that time, they did not know about these loans. Chris Connie didn't. 00:25:33
And Frost. 00:25:40
Mayor Kath. 00:25:42
A forestry fire and state. 00:25:43
They never gave Eric authorization to do any of. 00:25:45
When asked you guys, both denied. 00:25:49
OK, I'm just asking you to do the right thing. 00:25:52
Mayor, I believe that you need to step down. 00:25:58
I know you have the power. 00:26:01
To do so, and it would be the right thing. I don't think it needs to take an election. 00:26:03
But I think that's what will take our city to come together. 00:26:09
Call Kelly Tenyard. 00:26:25
About six months ago, I sat down with you our. 00:26:29
And my desire and my effort was. 00:26:33
Get your side of the story. 00:26:38
To. 00:26:40
Try to understand your perspective. 00:26:41
To try to understand some of the issues that our daily, our city was dealing with. 00:26:44
Umm. 00:26:49
You at that time promised me that you would give me a packet of information. 00:26:51
OK, I have not yet seen that packet of information. 00:26:56
Recently you texted me, you sent me a text message and you confronted me on an issue. 00:27:01
And I replied to your text, and we had a conversation. 00:27:07
You felt like the reason why you didn't send me that packet of information. 00:27:11
Was because you felt like I attacked you in a social media post. 00:27:15
I never mentioned you by name. 00:27:23
Never said any any any details about our meeting or anything of that nature. 00:27:25
I didn't recall any. 00:27:30
And as we had that discussion via. 00:27:33
You confirmed that you might have jumped to conclusions that I was attacking you. 00:27:37
Again, I don't recall that I ever did attack. 00:27:43
After that meeting. 00:27:46
At that time you said you'd give me that packet of information. 00:27:48
I still haven't seen that packet of information. 00:27:52
So I'd love. 00:27:55
Your side of the story, and I'm interested to hear it, but but to but to but. 00:27:58
Find out the way to find out that the city now has hired Eric Ellis. 00:28:06
After, after this, it's scandalous. 00:28:11
It's scandalous. 00:28:16
And we're disappointed. 00:28:18
Many of U.S. citizens are disappointed and and Eric, for you to be able to start under these conditions, it's dirty, it's 00:28:19
unfortunate, and it's dirty. 00:28:24
And I hope that City Council members, if you do have a vote in this and and and I hope that it becomes public record because 00:28:29
Christy, you need to go on the record of how you vote on Eric Ellis being the city manager. 00:28:35
As you are currently conducting a campaign, our city needs to know how you vote on this. 00:28:42
OK, because I think it will reveal. 00:28:48
A lot of the corruption that we're trying to figure out in our city. 00:28:52
So. 00:28:57
That's all I have. 00:28:58
My name is Timo Christensen. 00:29:15
I was here to talk about also 400 S pedestrian safety incident that happened last week. 00:29:18
Umm. 00:29:26
I think Tyler and Nas. 00:29:28
Covered most of what I was going to get at. Umm. 00:29:32
But there's. 00:29:35
One thing I noticed. 00:29:40
Response that I. 00:29:42
Just wanted to address. 00:29:46
I I really appreciate the sentiment of. 00:29:50
Being proactive instead of reactive when it comes to caring about pedestrian safety and identifying the places where. 00:29:54
We. 00:30:02
Have better streets. 00:30:03
And that was exactly what. 00:30:06
Coming up here to say originally, umm. 00:30:10
Looks like it beat me to it. 00:30:13
I. 00:30:15
Heard that? 00:30:17
We had areas that are prioritized for pedestrian safety, which these areas that aren't. 00:30:20
And I think. 00:30:27
Everywhere really should be prioritized for pedestrian safety. 00:30:29
Even if it's not necessarily that we need a crosswalk right here, one thing I've noticed is at the intersection of Vineyard Rd. of 00:30:35
400 S in particular. 00:30:39
There are those diagonal curb cuts, which tends to imply that there is a crosswalk in both directions there. 00:30:45
And when we talk about educational campaigns? 00:30:53
That's great, but doesn't necessarily reach everyone and doesn't necessarily reach the people who are going to be. 00:30:57
In that situation. 00:31:03
And. 00:31:05
If we can address these places where people aren't supposed to walk, if that's what it's going to be, and make it clear that 00:31:07
people shouldn't walk there and move to an intersection. 00:31:12
I think that's something. 00:31:18
Would be great to see. 00:31:21
Thanks. Thank you. 00:31:23
Claudia Larae, vineyard resident. I just like some clarification. 00:31:34
About, we've had great response with. 00:31:41
Public safety and I'm wondering what is the status? 00:31:46
Of. 00:31:51
Are a fire department a building? Are the response times. 00:31:52
In fact, were they? 00:32:00
What they needed. 00:32:02
At this really tragic accident, it doesn't seem like it's anything that's really being talked about. Where are we with the fire 00:32:04
department? 00:32:09
Because I don't see any fire officials here. 00:32:15
Yeah, they're they're at a conference I know or PD was the first one on site that being in their jurisdiction. But as far as the 00:32:21
fire station goes, we're currently undergoing an 8 week study where in the last like 3 weeks of that that'll have some design 00:32:26
options for for our new site location. 00:32:31
We We really. 00:32:38
I'm not saying a study isn't. 00:32:40
Needs to happen. 00:32:42
We should do a lot of studies in this. 00:32:45
And it's probably time to. 00:32:48
Take care of our citizens. 00:32:53
I want to. 00:32:56
I'm hearing different things, which is of course the Grapevine and who knows, but what's your position on what we're doing with 00:32:59
the fire department are? 00:33:04
Waiting for the study. Is that satisfactory to you see you next time this study clarify. So. So the previous study that we had 00:33:10
that we presented in council identified 4 site options that were viable for the next phase of that was to narrow it down to two 00:33:16
specific site options, the ones that the council had approved to move forward with. So now we're proceeding with architectural 00:33:23
design on those sites. So pretty soon we'll have architectural design building and where is that site. 00:33:30
We have one that's located here and then one is located at the north part of. 00:33:38
Here in this building is that what? 00:33:42
Adjacent to the building. 00:33:46
Then where will. 00:33:48
Council chambers. 00:33:50
Well, that's adjacent to the slot, so it's next. 00:33:52
Thank you but. 00:33:56
Any idea that it does transform this whole area? Then the City Council would move to a bigger building. Right now our staff is in 00:33:58
different buildings and so at some point we hope to come back together. I frankly don't see how or why we want to add so many 00:34:04
people. 00:34:10
To our. 00:34:17
The numbers in our community, what is the latest in Utah city is 60,000 more people. I'm really disappointed that the city has 00:34:20
moved forward in this way. 00:34:26
We. 00:34:32
I used to come to City Council and I heard about the promenade. That's where I was all of a sudden. 00:34:33
Utah City. 00:34:40
First of all, why would we do that? Secondly, why would we call it Utah City? 00:34:42
I was driving home from Salt Lake, and at the point of the mountain where the prison was, I saw no fewer than it looked like Bob 00:34:47
the Builder, 15 Backhoes. 00:34:53
Go into town. 00:34:59
Why? 00:35:01
All have to play the same game and it seems. 00:35:02
It seems like we follow the. 00:35:08
To get to this place, Vineyard City. 00:35:11
It we can do better, we should do better and. 00:35:14
It's embarrassing when I have people who have moved out of vineyards saying do you think Vineyard was planned very well? 00:35:20
My son moved out because he couldn't find a parking place. I'm just so disappointed. 00:35:28
Respect you. 00:35:35
And applaud you for your willingness to. 00:35:37
I'm disappointed in your lack of willingness. 00:35:41
To hear the. 00:35:45
So. 00:35:48
The downtown was vested in 2019. 00:35:49
Most of the people sitting on this table were not part of that. 00:35:53
But before that. 00:35:57
The downtown, the last time it was voted on was in 2019. So these people. 00:36:00
This person, she's not here. 00:36:06
They didn't vote. 00:36:08
So the majority of the people sitting up here didn't vote on it, I got to vote on. 00:36:10
Got to vote on? 00:36:15
But these people didn't get to vote on it. 00:36:16
That time there was a promenade there. There was 2 promenades there. 00:36:20
Just like there is today, nothing has changed. 00:36:24
However, hold on one second, however. 00:36:27
At Geneva is what it was called for a very long time. 00:36:31
Just recently they changed their name because they named their own developments like they named Sleepy Ridge the Seminar Waters 00:36:35
Edge. They have now chosen to name their area that they're over, that they're the property owners of the Utah city. But nothing 00:36:41
has changed. 00:36:46
It is just a new name. 00:36:52
So I just want to clarify that I don't want to get into an argument, I just want to respond so that you understand the timeline of 00:36:54
when this happened, it went through public process. 00:36:59
It went through all of the same regular meetings. People understood it, people talked about it, but now you're seeing visuals and 00:37:04
what I've explained to people that come in is going to go according to the market. 00:37:09
And we're not promoting, we're doing projections for traffic and we're going to get those numbers closer to what they actually 00:37:14
will be. And there are constraints that are in that ordinance that show what is available there and you can go and read about 00:37:21
them. But looking at a picture and wondering if you're going to see a really tall building, it's it's impossible to say if there 00:37:28
if, if that's something that's going to be seen. So you need to keep coming and attending the meetings and. 00:37:34
And see things as they come in like Huntsman Cancer Institute or the grocery store or the new buildings that were just talked 00:37:41
about today. But to say these things as if we are not listening, there were there's been lots of time in the public for people to 00:37:48
come forward and talk about this and it has been approved and it is done at this point. So we do hear you. We do hear people now. 00:37:55
We do hear people's frustrations. We hear people now. 00:38:02
Now we heard from then, I'm saying we're hearing your new comments. We're hearing that you don't like the new Utah city. 00:38:10
My street better protected. 00:38:17
It was on the map as a country Rd. and you said. 00:38:20
Well, I don't care what it was. It's a thoroughfare now because you guys didn't have the infrastructure. 00:38:25
Twice we came in with 85%. 00:38:33
Vote of the people on our street and your response was let's go to lunch. 00:38:37
I don't want to go to. 00:38:42
To have. 00:38:45
What we research for and we had when we moved here. 00:38:47
I I know. 00:38:53
This makes sense to you. 00:38:56
But we jump through ho. 00:39:00
We jump through lots of. 00:39:02
I don't come. 00:39:05
Because. 00:39:07
It's. 00:39:08
Falling on deaf ears because you're going to do what you're going to do. These public comment sanctions. We've been to some of 00:39:10
them. We went to Envision Utah where they throw what is this we have? 00:39:17
Information and they expect us to make lines and. 00:39:26
Tape on it. It's just ridiculous. 00:39:30
I just, I'm letting you know that I'm very disappointed with how the City Council has behaved to move forward with this. 00:39:33
That didn't need to be like it is. We don't have to do what the state says. They have a recommendation we can keep. 00:39:45
Vine. 00:39:53
Nice community. I'm not saying an extra 40,000 people won't be nice. 00:40:00
But we don't need to add 40,000 people. 00:40:06
To. 00:40:10
It's landlocked, put on one side. Everybody has to use the same streets to come in. 00:40:11
I'm just expressing my dissatisfaction. Thank you. Thank you. 00:40:19
My name is Tim Heaton. 00:40:37
Unfortunately, I'm also here to discuss the hiring of Mr. Ellis. 00:40:40
In one of the letters obtained by the Tribune. 00:40:49
Mr. Ellis was is on record requesting 893,000,000. 00:40:54
Dollars from the federal. 00:41:00
And to help justify that request. 00:41:03
He made certain. 00:41:07
One of the claims that he made was that he was. 00:41:10
Able to commit the state of. 00:41:14
To paying $63 million over the course of several years. 00:41:17
And contribution to the project. 00:41:22
Mr. 00:41:27
Knew that he did not have authority to commit that money you earlier tonight. 00:41:28
Attempted to defend him by saying he had the authority to write such a letter. 00:41:35
Not appropriate, appropriate. I just mean engage and support things that are already being approved. So I hope that's clear. 00:41:40
So. 00:41:49
When the federal government received this letter. 00:41:50
In their consideration, luckily, they did not approve the loan. 00:41:52
But he allowed them to believe. 00:41:55
That he had the authority to commit the state of Utah to that expenditure, whether he had the authority or not, whether it was 00:41:59
actually appropriated or not. 00:42:03
He led the federal government to. 00:42:08
Something that was not. 00:42:11
Putting all of the other facts aside and that all by itself. 00:42:17
Is grounds for not hiring somebody. 00:42:21
It is deceptive. It shows a willingness. 00:42:25
Game the. 00:42:28
It shows a willingness. 00:42:29
Hide facts or to obscure real. 00:42:31
When very large sums of money are at. 00:42:35
And he did this unilaterally. 00:42:38
Without anyone on his governing board being aware of it. 00:42:40
The allegation is is also. 00:42:45
Well, the division of. What's the name of the division? I was? Forget the name of it. 00:42:48
What's that? 00:42:53
Yes. 00:42:55
That's the division that has the true authority to to commit and appropriate such funds. 00:42:57
They had no knowledge of this. There was no conversation had between them. The director of that division was very surprised indeed 00:43:04
to learn of this letter. They had actually tried to obtain a copy of it. 00:43:10
But for Mr. Ellis's request to the federal. 00:43:16
He asked them to keep it secret. 00:43:20
For at least a year. 00:43:23
Until after the decision was made, no matter what the decision was. 00:43:24
And. 00:43:28
The division chair of the head of the division was denied. 00:43:30
Her request to obtain a copy of that letter until it was provided by them. 00:43:35
By the Tribune to her a week ago. 00:43:40
So this is someone who is who appe. 00:43:44
By reasonable. 00:43:48
By reasonable witnesses and by indisputed documents. 00:43:50
To be willing to dece. 00:43:54
And to go to some links to. 00:43:56
That. 00:43:58
This is not a fit. 00:44:00
For the city of Vineyard. 00:44:02
Thank you. 00:44:06
All right. So any other comments? 00:44:08
As I have. 00:44:17
My name is Bray Hakes and I am an Orem resident. 00:44:21
And. 00:44:24
As I've seen in several City Council means, the public's comment section seems. 00:44:25
By and large, the critiques, to put it mildly. 00:44:32
So I would just like to say good job. 00:44:36
I was excited when I read about the Utah city. 00:44:42
The Daily Herald. I was particularly excited about the collaboration with Jack Spec, who literally wrote the book on quality 00:44:46
pedestrian infrastructure. 00:44:52
And if you want to talk about prevent. 00:44:58
Road design to prevent tragedies like that that happened on 400 S. 00:45:02
Please listen to what he has to say. 00:45:08
And. 00:45:12
If I can see Jeff. 00:45:15
Vision. 00:45:17
Come to fruition in Utah City then? 00:45:18
I will be very excited to move in and would recommend it to all my friends. 00:45:22
So once again, good job. Please listen to the man. He knows his stuff. Thank you. 00:45:27
My name is Keith Vincent. I'm a vineyard resident. 00:45:43
In. 00:45:48
Has been talked about tonight and what was reported in the Tribune. 00:45:49
I'm extremely disappointed in. 00:45:53
That Mister Ellis. 00:45:57
Qualified. 00:45:59
Individual. 00:46:00
Serve as a city manager. 00:46:02
If that's the case, then you need to reopen the position and get some qualified people. 00:46:04
Mr. Ellis is obviously not qualified. 00:46:09
Based upon the comments made in a tribune. 00:46:12
I would also like. 00:46:16
That. 00:46:18
You said that the planning was done. 00:46:19
That it. 00:46:22
A Fait accom. 00:46:24
For Utah City, that's not true. All of you have the power. 00:46:25
To stop it, or at least slow it down until. 00:46:30
Comments can be heard. Obviously the community is not happy with the changes that have been. 00:46:32
And what was originally planned? You have that power, you could use it for the better community. Good. Thank you. 00:46:38
OK, I'm going to go ahead and close the public comment and section and move on to mayor and council member reports. 00:46:51
Yes, Mayor. 00:47:01
Have. 00:47:03
Discussions held by the legislature in the midterm meetings this past. 00:47:05
September end of August 1st of September in Saint George. 00:47:10
And that was followed by the. 00:47:15
Utah. 00:47:18
What's it called? Utah Committee for Development. 00:47:21
Which was formed by the. 00:47:25
In those meetings of a wide variety of topics were discussed where the legislature prepares for the bills that it will. 00:47:30
And January's next session? 00:47:38
The two major topics was water continuing the developments of last year. 00:47:42
Reviewing what they had done and what the results were in discussing of new items that they wish to propose for the current 00:47:47
session. 00:47:51
To increase, for example, the amount of water that flows into the Great Salt Lake. 00:47:56
And to restrict water. 00:48:00
Where they can, IE the watering of lawns. 00:48:05
In. 00:48:08
They also discussed a great length. 00:48:11
Both housing for you and I and housing for. 00:48:15
Those who are not able to get housing. 00:48:18
The president of. 00:48:22
Senator Adams. 00:48:25
Spoke at length about the need to develop more homeless housing. 00:48:27
And about the need to increase the number of houses. 00:48:32
Yeah, lamented the fact that we are. 00:48:37
Probably about 20%, the amount of housing that we needed in. 00:48:42
And. 00:48:47
He wished to have the cities. 00:48:48
And various officers in charge increase the amount of housing that was produced. 00:48:52
Of all. 00:48:57
You mentioned single. 00:48:59
Apartments, condos, small homes, etc. 00:49:02
Those remarks were followed by the. 00:49:08
Said basically in synopsis. 00:49:17
He wished that the cities. 00:49:20
The mayor's, The council's, The Planning department. 00:49:22
Do all that they can to increase the number of houses that. 00:49:26
Or apartments, etc. 00:49:30
And that that was his main chief aim for the coming year in the legislature. 00:49:33
And that he would work with them to see that was done. 00:49:39
And the meetings that things were proposed, such as eliminating garages. 00:49:43
And account for parking spaces in the state code. 00:49:48
And to for the state to take charge of the number of. 00:49:53
Spaces that were allowed in. 00:49:57
The main attempts there is to reduce the cost to developers. 00:50:02
And providing space for parking. 00:50:06
They also wanted to They introduced the idea of the state taking charge of zoning. 00:50:11
In cities and counties. 00:50:17
For various reasons. 00:50:21
They also wanted the state to take greater control of land use. 00:50:24
President Adams. 00:50:28
Legislature has the authority to regulate land use, but that had been given to counties and the cities. 00:50:30
That they were capable of taking it back. 00:50:37
So that they could determine what zoning was done. 00:50:40
All of this points to the fact that this year's legislature, once again will. 00:50:45
Attempting to limit the powers of local government. 00:50:51
I. 00:50:59
Add my thoughts to you. 00:51:00
You seem to think that we have great power over many things. 00:51:05
I would wish that you would acquaint yourselves with the power of your state legislature. 00:51:11
And that you would talk with your senators and your your House members. 00:51:18
About what they. 00:51:23
As far as governing. 00:51:26
There's an old tail running around. If you want to have a party, don't ask the government to plan it. 00:51:33
So. 00:51:41
I would just hope. 00:51:43
Track what goes on at the state level, as much as some of you appear to track what goes on into your local level. 00:51:47
Because my power, what little? 00:51:54
Comes at their behest. 00:51:57
What I get and what I don't get comes from your senator and. 00:52:00
House member. 00:52:05
Thank you, Amber. Yes, the Growth and Prosperity Summit is coming up on November 2nd at UVU. You can attend to join with leaders 00:52:08
and stakeholders just to discuss development in the county and workforce infrastructure, all those different things. 00:52:16
Yeah, sort of exciting. This week we kicked off our economic development steering committee. We had a bunch of meetings and it's 00:52:29
been fun meeting. 00:52:32
All the vested interested parties and we've even had residents and all sorts of people come meet and help start this plan. We've 00:52:36
been talking about plans tonight and. 00:52:41
We do do a lot of plans in Vineyard and since we're growing from scratch, so to go somewhere good, you got to have a good plan. So 00:52:46
this is helping us set our vision moving forward with some of our economic development. So that's really exciting. I wanted to 00:52:51
tell everybody that. 00:52:57
The pumpkin patch that we love only refer to sometimes next to Gamma Park is open. 00:53:03
Was open today, but also tomorrow every residents allowed to come pick a pumpkin. So we're so grateful to the farmer that's 00:53:08
leasing that property from us this year for that. It's always fun at the end of the season, I will warn you. 00:53:13
A lot of the pumpkins that are left are very large and very heavy, so bring the gloves and a knife to cut them. 00:53:19
And some muscles. 00:53:25
Also, it's called clean up time, which is my favorite time of the year because the city provides A dumpster. And if you're like me 00:53:29
this weekend, you'll be cutting all of your fruit trees and plants and things. And we have a a place that you can bring those and 00:53:34
dispose of them, which is really nice. So please take advantage of that. 00:53:39
Because next week when all my neighbors calling to ask about it, the dumpster will be gone to do it this week. 00:53:45
And also I wanted to let everybody know. 00:53:51
There's a wonderful opportunity with our neighbors in Orem to visit the new temple that's down the street from us. 00:53:54
It's open for public tours October 27th through December 16th, and it's a really awesome opportunity for the whole public to go in 00:54:00
and see that facility and that building. After that, it will be closed to the public. So this is a really great time for you to 00:54:05
check out that. 00:54:10
Structure that's down the street from us and is also a big part of our community and I would highly recommend everyone go see it. 00:54:15
I was able to go this weekend, it's spectacular, so check that out. 00:54:20
OK, just a few updates. 00:54:31
Those who have driven up past 1600 N. 00:54:33
Know that our mural is done, so I have a short time lapse video of that being painted on the side of the building here. 00:54:37
So this is our new water tank project. It's 6,000,000 gallon water tank that will help meet the needs of our water use in the 00:54:51
city. 00:54:55
And that'll be commissioned in January, but we had this mural commissioned by one of our local resident artists. 00:54:59
Al. 00:55:07
He did a great job on it is the largest mural in. 00:55:09
And yeah, the video doesn't do it justice, but it is very big and really, really. 00:55:13
Really cool. Who went through? 00:55:18
Awesome public process, getting feedback and input from residents on what we should put in it, and I think it turned out. 00:55:20
Really quite amazing, so thank you all for your input on that. 00:55:27
Secondly, we have some construction on 600 N and Main Street. There will be a pedestrian refuge that's installed, so it'll be a 00:55:31
mid block crossing. So that way you can cross one side of the street, look for cars coming the other direction across to the next 00:55:37
side. We'll also have a very exciting piece of technology. It'll be an LED flasher so that when you push the button, lights will 00:55:43
come up. 00:55:48
As you cross the street to a lot more visibility at nighttime, which will be really exciting. So we're very excited to see that 00:55:55
project through that timeline will be within the next few weeks on the concrete and then the pedestrian the light will be. 00:56:02
The flasters will be installed soon after. 00:56:10
Tomorrow we have our Meet the Candidates night and a debate hosted by the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce over at the HBA 00:56:13
Building. So all candidates will be at that, I believe and come in here and learn from, learn from them. It's an election season, 00:56:19
so that election again is on November 21st, so. 00:56:26
Watch out for those. 00:56:32
And then we also received a $7500 grant from Rocky Mountain Power for the design of the Gammon Park fields. As many of you know, 00:56:34
we had a large public process for designing that park space and Rocky Mountain Power has graciously contributed that. So we wanted 00:56:41
to thank them for that. 00:56:47
That's all for me. 00:56:54
OK, great. We'll go ahead and move on to our consent items. I just need a motion. 00:56:56
So moved. 00:57:02
And a second second so. 00:57:04
Motion by Christie to approve. 00:57:08
And a motion by Amber. 00:57:10
A second by Amber pulling off that item, we're not, so sorry. I moved to approve and adopt the consent items as presented. 00:57:13
And second, by Amber, all in favor. 00:57:19
OK, tight Amber. Yay. Marty's excuse, Krusty. 00:57:22
Perfect. All right, we'll move right down to our proclamation. As you know, we always participate in Kindness Week. It's something 00:57:26
we've done every year. And so I'm going to read the proclamation that goes with the celebration of Kindness Week and lifting the 00:57:32
community. 00:57:38
Whereas now more than ever the world needs more kindness. Whereas kindness can be as simple as a smile, a thoughtful message to a 00:57:45
friend, just a small act, unexpected, an unexpected gesture and the effects can be powerful. Whereas one act of kindness can write 00:57:51
in a moment, lift someones spirit and turn a bad day into a good story. Whereas. 00:57:57
Now, therefore, be it resolved that I do a former mayor of Vineyard, UT here due by do hereby complaint proclaim, excuse me, the 00:58:36
week of November 6th, 2023 as Kindness Week, and encourage the people of Vineyard to practice one kind act a day in the spirit of 00:58:43
compassion and goodwill towards all persons. 00:58:49
And witness thereof I hear unto set my hand and. 00:58:57
And caused the official seal of the City of Vineyard to be affixed this 25th day draft of October 23rd. Pam, this is a draft, so 00:59:02
I'll find something else, OK? 00:59:07
Right. 00:59:12
All right, we'll move into our public hearing. I'll need a motion. This is where we're going to be adopting the Vineyard Fiscal 00:59:14
year 2023-2024, Budget Amendment #1. 00:59:19
Thank you, Tice. Second by Christy, all in favor. Aye. And that was to go into a public hearing if that wasn't clear. So we are 00:59:25
now in a public hearing and David will be presenting on that item. Thank you, Mayor. 00:59:31
I've never had a crowd quite like this for a budget item, so I appreciate everybody here. 00:59:38
To listen to this. 00:59:43
I know the spreadsheet looks a little bit daunting, but I've color-coded it so that it's a little bit easier for us to go through. 00:59:45
And I'm gonna go straight down to the legend and just talk about kind of general general things of this budget amendment first of 00:59:52
all, for those that are in the audience or listening online later. The city adopts its fiscal year budget every June. That budget 00:59:58
goes from the next of July right after. 01:00:04
Through the following June. And then the budget is kind of a living, breathing thing. There's things that we maybe didn't 01:00:10
anticipate or opportunities that come up. And so we have the ability throughout the year to amend that budget. 01:00:18
So you can see everything that on the spreadsheet that is shaded in pink is related to a carryover of budget that was previously 01:00:59
approved in the prior budget year and we're just requesting that it be reapproved in the current fiscal year so that we can finish 01:01:06
those projects. That totals up to 616,100. It is primarily capital project related things such as our water tank and our water 01:01:13
pipeline, other various projects throughout the city that were started and not yet completed. 01:01:20
Everything that can you clarify what our fiscal year is for? Yeah, so the fiscal year goes from July 1st through June 30th. 01:01:28
And everything shaded in yellow. There was a request by the city manager and our HR manager to reallocate some of the places that 01:01:36
employees are paid. So essentially because we have multiple departments, multiple funds and certain employees that serve all of 01:01:43
those funds, we do a direct allocation in our budget where we so the water fund is paying a certain percentage of the city 01:01:51
managers wages and so forth. 01:01:58
So we just did a little bit of housekeeping in reevaluating what those percentages should be and really it's just shifting around 01:02:05
where things are paid for accounting purposes. But also along with that we're requesting the addition of one full time employee. 01:02:14
For the public works area, it would be a public works technician, and so that's why this total here is an overall increase in 01:02:23
personnel costs for the city of just over $57,000. 01:02:29
And then really the, the item I wanted to focus most of the time on is new budget requests. So these are items that have come up 01:02:37
since the budget adoption in June that we wanted to bring forward to the Council and request an amendment to add these budget 01:02:42
items. 01:02:46
So I'll go through them. There's not very many of them, so you can go through them one by one. The 1st is a membership to the 01:02:52
National League of Cities. 01:02:56
You know, for 1800? 01:03:00
Next, a Qualtrics Analytics subscription. There's going to be more discussion about this and another agenda item, but this is a 01:03:02
service for our website that allows us to analyze how the website's being used and where people are going and just wanting to 01:03:09
better be able to serve our residents and improve our customer service with our website. 01:03:16
This $2000 postage item, this was just a formula error in the budget when we adopted it in June where it got missed. So we just 01:03:24
need to throw it in there so that we can buy some stamps and send out the letters and notices that we need to send out. 01:03:30
Moving into the Impact Speed fund, we had a stormwater master plan budgeted in the stormwater fund, but it is an eligible expense 01:03:37
to be paid for with impact fees. And since we collect our impact fees and our impact fees fund, we're just requesting the transfer 01:03:43
of that budget from stormwater fund into our impact fund. 01:03:49
And the next one, this is an opportunity that came up recently with the ability to purchase some additional water shares. 01:03:58
And so we can use impact fees for that from our water fund. So we're requesting $175,000 to purchase. I believe it's 1.5 01:04:06
watersheds. 01:04:10
5.5 that's the type of, I apologize, 5.5 water. 01:04:16
And then this again, this $40,000 is the moving that master plan for stormwater from stormwater fund to impact the fund. 01:04:23
And then finally in our internal services fund, specifically in our information systems area. 01:04:31
We're requesting $12,730 to improve the service that's provided to us by Executech, who are our third party IT provider. 01:04:39
This service would give us additional cyber security. 01:04:50
Protection, which is more and more of a concern lately, as many of you I'm sure, have heard of stores in the news. 01:04:55
Very valuable, something that we think is much needed. In addition to that, this would help us upgrade our firewalls to provide 01:05:03
some additional security there. 01:05:08
And then $41,000 to help implement a couple of new software solutions that we feel will be beneficial for our our city, one being 01:05:13
smart. 01:05:18
For permitting and licensing and then the other asset essentials for asset management. 01:05:24
And so that's all of the new requests. And then coming back down to our legend here, everything else on the sheet that I didn't 01:05:31
specifically mention highlighted in blue and green, those are really just allowing us to move all these things around. So it's 01:05:36
either a change in transferring funds from one fund to another or changing the amount of beginning fund balance that we're using 01:05:41
to accomplish our goals. 01:05:46
And that is all I oh sorry, I almost forgot. There's two items that were brought up that weren't able. I wasn't able to get them 01:05:52
onto this list that was sent out to you. But additional requests that staff has made that we'd like to propose to you to consider. 01:05:58
One of which is A to add a part time library director in the amount of $15,394.00 and then the other is a carryover. Once again, 01:06:04
we didn't include it before, but. 01:06:10
Realized afterward that we probably should request this carryover for council directed capital projects of 100,000. 01:06:17
OK. Any questions from the public? 01:06:28
Come on up. 01:06:34
State your name, where you from and your question. 01:06:36
Keith, Vincent, A Vineyard Res. 01:06:43
Who does the audit of the city? 01:06:46
Who does the audit of the city? Yeah, so we're contracted currently with Gilbert and Stewart Cpas, OK. And have you received the 01:06:54
clean audit, the last audit? Yes. OK. And are these budget items prepared under? 01:07:00
Generally accepted governmental accounting standards. 01:07:07
Yes, budgets don't have to be prepared with gap standards, but. 01:07:09
Yeah. OK. Thank you. 01:07:14
Any other questions? 01:07:19
OK, I need a lesson to go out of a public hearing. So moved. Thank you, Christy. Second, second by Amber. All in favor. 01:07:26
Right, Council, I'm sure that you have questions and you can put those forward. I'd like to continue this item to November 8th if 01:07:33
possible, I'd like to. 01:07:38
I think there's some things I just want to understand a little better, better, but if you guys have questions, we can discuss it 01:07:44
now as well. 01:07:47
No, I feel good moving it actually, just to get a bit more clarity. 01:07:53
Anyone else? 01:07:58
That's fine. If you want to move it, you can make the motion OK, yeah, I'll make a motion that we move this. 01:08:00
OK, I mean, I tell you. 01:08:08
I just don't actually have it performing. So somebody with it before then go ahead. 01:08:12
OK. Thanks. 01:08:16
I move to. 01:08:19
Just kidding. I want to continue this item. I make a motion to continue the assignments to November 8th. 01:08:20
Mayor, I move that we continue this item to the meeting of November 8th. Great. First by myself, second by price, any discussion. 01:08:27
All in favor, all right. 01:08:37
Great. We'll go ahead and move on to the discussion and action by the Qualtrics service. 01:08:40
Since we are continuing this item and it's not for November 8th and this is kind of coinciding with that. 01:08:46
But what we have to do for that anything or will that just? 01:08:53
The agreement can be approved and we have existing funds that we could pull up forward with. This would just be for the full, the 01:08:57
full. 01:09:00
Fiscal year for that agreement. OK. So it's. 01:09:03
But I'm happy to introduce a Qualtrics team. We've been working on a completely revamped website. 01:09:08
Our website is a little bit older and we decided to update that. So we've been working very hard to simplify our website to 01:09:15
provide valuable feedback to residents in a more understandable way, help help it be a little bit easier for residents to reach 01:09:21
where they are looking for on our website. And so part of that we wanted to. 01:09:28
Work with Qualtrics to help get more insights from our website and help help them help under help them help us understand how our 01:09:35
residents are using the website and how we can best serve serve those needs. So with that, I. 01:09:42
Turn time over to them if you want to go ahead and get set up, I can talk a little bit more about it. But essentially we currently 01:09:49
use Qualtrics for surveys. So you've probably received a city survey at some point asking for feedback on an event or. 01:09:56
Feedback on plans that we're doing at the city, and now we are. 01:10:05
Looking to implement their entire communications package and so this would be much more than surveys. This would provide us 01:10:10
helpful insights for our communications. 01:10:14
Efforts throughout the city to help keep our residents better informed in a more transparent process. As well, we're always 01:10:19
looking to improve our communication and our transparency to residents. 01:10:25
Go ahead. Thank you. My name is Chandler Hoops. I work for Qualtrics. 01:10:32
Let's see if this works. 01:10:38
There we go. 01:10:39
First off, thank you for letting us come and present to you all. We have been discussing with with Ezra and his team for quite 01:10:41
some time about all tricks. You guys have been a customer of ours and we're excited to be able to expand with you. 01:10:48
Been on Qualtrics, Qualtrics over the last 25 years has worked with the largest companies in the world to help them with their 01:10:56
experience management with that data and understanding of what we've done for them and their customer service. 01:11:02
Over the last 10 years, we have helped city governments, county governments, state and federal, and the federal government to be 01:11:09
able to help improve their customer service for their residents and those who who they serve. 01:11:16
Over that time. 01:11:23
We've learned that cities and towns much as much as you're going as much as yourselves operate currently under under these two 01:11:25
data points and organizational and operational performance that can be based on lack of ability to dig deeper that can be because 01:11:31
of. 01:11:38
The the amount of heads headcount you have in your in your city what have you cities have traditionally operated under these two 01:11:46
two these two models and as you're trying to affect impact in your cities we we find that it's it's it's difficult to do so until 01:11:51
it really gets the root cause of everything. 01:11:57
What Quatrix is has been able to learn and to do with other cities all across the United States is to be able to provide. 01:12:03
The insights and the data and the understanding of employee profiles, services that are provided to residents and how satisfied 01:12:10
they are, Experiences all across your city that provide a great insight to understand how people feel about their city, about 01:12:17
certain items, about legislature and different things like that. But as well as those day-to-day experiences, whether you're going 01:12:24
to a park or if you're using one of the facilities, we can, we we've helped. 01:12:31
City governments to discover that. 01:12:38
The way we do that is do 3 pillars we call listen, understand and act. We listen to your residents. We like, Ezra said. We will be 01:12:42
implementing a listening portal much like an open door solution on your guys's website to be able to help. 01:12:50
Immediate action. 01:13:30
Closing the loop on those experiences and be able to move forward in helping those residents here in in. 01:13:30
What we've learned is Vineyard is a very passionate community and those that work at in Vineyard are trying to be as responsive as 01:13:38
possible to be able to give the best customer service. 01:13:43
That being said, as things start to grow and as as issues arise, they aren't that right now in the way that it's operating is in a 01:13:49
very viable or great structure to be able to do that at scale. And what Qualtrics will do is, is provide that that infrastructure 01:13:57
to be able to respond and to be able to give the best customer service possible to your residents so that their issues go checked, 01:14:04
that they're they can be monitored and that they can make sure that everybody's questions are being answered. 01:14:11
As well as there's a lot of different really loud voices in the community. We want to be able to find that silent minority 01:14:18
majority who is in the community that may not be able to come to City Council meetings or may not be able to interact with you on 01:14:24
a on a normal level, but give a voice to them so that everybody in the city of Vineyard can have a voice. And then finally making 01:14:30
sure that all the different communication channels that you have in the city can be. 01:14:36
Analyzed and all that data can be understood and can be acted upon, and contracts will be there to help with that and the way 01:14:43
we'll be doing that. 01:14:47
Is through these two things three? 01:14:52
Is through these three things. 01:14:54
A resident experience platform much like that open door solution like I mentioned to be able to help you guys interact with your 01:14:57
residents, whether it be on the website, in your parks, in your facilities, to be able to understand how and how they prefer to be 01:15:03
interacted with and be able to gather data about their experiences. Second employee experiences. 01:15:10
The employees that work here, they're people and they live in the community as well. And so we need to know how they're feeling as 01:15:16
issues are are are rising and as they go about their day-to-day to be able to get the data from that and then finally community 01:15:23
research. We want to be able to empower the city of Vineyard with the ability to conduct panels and be able to. 01:15:30
Pull those those residents on certain issues as they go forward and make sure that all the information is statistically valid. 01:15:38
I won't go too deep into this, but this is our proposed plan with the City of Vineyard. 01:15:47
But this doesn't go. 01:16:21
And that this is successful in short terms. 01:16:24
Thank you so much. 01:16:30
I'd be happy to fill any questions, any questions from the Council. 01:16:31
We do have a question from the residents and I'm going to let him make a comment. 01:16:39
While he's coming up, I just want to add very excited about this technology. As our city grows population wise, it's so important 01:16:45
to to be able to meet the needs of our residents. I think we're really uniquely positioned in Vineyard where nearly 100% of our 01:16:50
households have access to the Internet. And so we have I think an important responsibility to be able to make ourselves available 01:16:55
via the Internet to to hear whatever residents are saying. 01:17:00
Tim Heaton once again. 01:17:07
Would be possible to delay the vote on this for a couple of weeks to give time for the cities procurement director? 01:17:09
Conduct a national study to see what other cities are paying for a similar package of services. 01:17:16
To make sure we're on par with that, the price themes. 01:17:23
Yeah, we have this group here through the state contract. So the state reviewed it at length and we have those numbers from. So 01:17:28
when you say reviewed it at length you specifically. 01:17:33
That they have compared the. 01:17:38
Paid by other cities nationwide for a similar package of services, that's correct. 01:17:40
OK. Is that is that available to be reviewed somewhere? 01:17:46
It's available on the state website, but I could provide a link to them. 01:17:50
Thanks for your. 01:17:54
My non compete with Qualtrics is over. 01:18:00
My name is Jacob Walter Holloway. I used to work for Qualtrics and they're a fantastic company. 01:18:04
A state contract. 01:18:09
Is only for through NASCAR value point does not mean that it's been competitively bid, it just means that they're piggybacking on 01:18:11
that. Qualtrics is a fantastic product I recommend us going through, but for $74,000 that is an extremely high price point for a 01:18:17
city of population 20,000 or so. 01:18:24
And so I will make public and kind of work through that price point. That's a regular city. Our size is five, $10,000. 01:18:31
Also the pictures last year of being at the concerts of our, all of our employees being there during X4 and going through that, 01:18:41
it's completely inappropriate with procurement guidelines. 01:18:46
And so Qualtrics inviting us and going through and doing. 01:18:51
And so, yeah, I would recommend that the council take a couple of weeks, look at that, look at Survey, Gizmo, SurveyMonkey, 01:18:55
there's other platforms that are out there. 01:19:01
I would recommend Qualtrics. I think they're above superior. I think they're a great Utah company. It wouldn't have anything, but 01:19:07
the price point is extremely high. 01:19:10
Yeah, I can maybe add to that. Currently we have the Qualtrics survey function. So this would be for the entire XM package, which 01:19:16
is a lot more than just the survey software. 01:19:21
So that's all. OK. And that's only a couple 100 bucks for the other stuff at other platforms. OK, thank you. Council, do you have 01:19:26
any other comments did you want? 01:19:31
Make a motion. 01:19:38
Does it have anything you wanted to add? I'm sorry that you made a comment or you're good? 01:19:49
Yeah, you can always come up in response. 01:19:54
Oh, hold on one second until you're at the microphone. 01:19:57
Nathan Newman with Qualtrics. 01:20:01
Work with Jake in the past I have respected him and but unfortunately. 01:20:04
The comment that was made of another couple $100 is he's extremely false. He knows that he sold the product and. 01:20:11
He was. He's also not been an employee for quite some time with new things that have come down the pipe with government solutions, 01:20:20
so. 01:20:25
That clear you cannot. You're not able to do. 01:20:32
These things that we're talking about through these other products like survey Gizmo or SurveyMonkey that he mentioned. 01:20:36
Thank you. All right, Council. 01:20:42
Mayor. 01:20:47
We'll default. 01:20:49
Our staff work and. 01:20:51
States vetting of this bid, so I moved to adopt Resolution 2023-42, approving the authorization on service contracts. 01:20:54
Government exiting service platform. 01:21:05
Second all right at first by ties, second by Amber any. 01:21:07
All in favor. 01:21:13
OK, nice. Amber. Aye, yay. Marty is absent Christy, All right. 01:21:15
We'll go ahead and go into a closed session. 01:21:21
We're going to discuss some of the comments that were made before we go into our final appointment. What we'll do is that 01:21:25
everybody can stay in this room. We'll exit this room to have the closed discussion and then we'll come back for the last. 01:21:30
Item on the agenda. So I need a motion to go into a closed section for item A. 01:21:36
There's no motion. 01:21:46
Hi Moo, I'm just going through a closed session. 01:21:49
For the purpose of discussion of the character, professional competence, or physical or mental health of an individual. 01:21:52
2nd. 01:21:59
Do I need to do this by record? OK Size Amber. Aye. Yay. Marty's absent Christy. 01:22:00
OK. All right. We will be back. 01:22:07
All right. Thank you for waiting. We're going to move on to 9.3 discussing an action city manager appointment. 01:22:27
And I'm just going to read this in accordance with the Vineyard Municipal Code. 01:22:33
2.08.010. 01:22:38
See, the mayor and City Council will appoint a new city manager. So I'm gonna read something after a discussion. The hiring 01:22:42
process that the city went through was expensive. We did a national service. We had over 150 applicants apply. The full council 01:22:49
was involved in the vetting process, which was eventually narrowed. 01:22:55
To applicants eventually narrow to applicants to three finalists. 01:23:02
The staff participated. The full council followed established recruitment and vetting practices. We came to a unanimous decision 01:23:08
out of the candidates we vetted. 01:23:14
Who were excellent. We found Eric to be the best qualified for this position. We did our due diligence, we understood about the 01:23:20
letters, and the information that was shared tonight is incomplete. 01:23:25
We feel comfortable moving forward. We've heard some comments today from the public. 01:23:31
We recognize that some of these comments question this decision. We believe the questions come from a good place but have 01:23:36
insufficient information. 01:23:39
We hope you will reserve judgment until you're able to see the quality of this work. We're happy to have Eric here and we hope you 01:23:44
can join us in welcoming him. 01:23:48
I need a motion. Yes, thank you, Mayor. I moved to adopt resolution Resolution 2023-43, approving the appointment of Eric Ellis as 01:23:53
the city manager, and allow the mayor to sign the employment agreement. Second OK, first by Christie, A second by. 01:24:00
All in favor A roll call ties. 01:24:07
Amber. 01:24:12
Yes, Marty's excused Christie. 01:24:13
Welcome, Eric. Wherever you are, there you are Welcome. And we're so excited to have you join our city. 01:24:19
All right. With that, I need a motion to adjourn. 01:24:35
So moved all in favor. Aye. Give us a few minutes and we'll start the RDA meeting. 01:24:38
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All right, we're rolling. We're going to go ahead and get started. Today is October 25th, 2023. It is 6:00 PM and I'm going to 00:00:00
call the venue, City Council, into session. 00:00:05
I am going to start out with an invocation. Christy, would you mind doing our invocation Impress? 00:00:11
Our dear Heavenly Father, we're grateful to be gathered here this evening as council and staff and as residents of this city. 00:00:21
We pray that we will make wise and good decisions. 00:00:29
This city of ours, and we pray for also the leaders of our state that they too will. 00:00:32
Be wise as they. 00:00:40
Especially going. 00:00:42
More legislative? 00:00:44
Decisions coming soon we pray for. 00:00:46
Safety and 1st responders and those serving in the military. 00:00:50
And after that, we'll continue just to watch over this country and and bless for the the many that are suffering around the world. 00:00:54
And we say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. All right. 00:01:00
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. 00:01:08
Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. 00:01:13
That brings us to our public comment. This is a time, well, it's a great time to remind anybody who has their cell phones to 00:01:24
silence them. And then this is a time for you to come and share your thoughts with the council about things that are not on the 00:01:30
agenda. What you'll do is you'll come to this podium right here, You'll state your name where you're from, and then you'll share 00:01:35
your thoughts with us. The time is restricted and I'll let you know as you're running out of time. So come on up if you have 00:01:41
anything to address the council with. 00:01:47
Daria Evans, Vineyard resident. Thank you. So nice to be here. 00:01:58
I was walking in with the. 00:02:04
Morgan Brim and Janine Broxton and mentioned the Morgan how wonderful it is for Rojas Farm to let everybody have those pumpkins. 00:02:06
That was a great community service. 00:02:12
Our community good on the Rojas family. 00:02:18
Also, I like how though mural has turned out on the water tower, I think that looks really good. So good on allergy. 00:02:22
Also, thanks to Public Works, I'm hoping they're the ones responsible for fixing. 00:02:30
The depression in the lake trail where it? 00:02:37
And then also, did you also fix where they? 00:02:40
Put the drain through up near the Marina, the new development. There was some sections of pavement missing and they're filled in. 00:02:44
We did that. Thank you. I can ride my bike with with ease. Thank you very much. 00:02:50
Um. 00:02:56
I also thank you also for providing the dumpsters. 00:02:59
For our cleanup, I I'm grateful for that. 00:03:03
I do have a concern though. 00:03:07
They're working on the refuge on 600. NI really hope that it's going to be adequate. 00:03:11
I'm really concerned about that, so I hope it will be adequate and then I would like to know if I will be able to ask a question 00:03:17
on a consent item. 00:03:21
OK. Which consent item? 00:03:26
It's the one about the school zones. OK. Yep. I will pull it off for you. Thank you very much. Actually, dude, just want to ask it 00:03:29
now. Yeah, I just want to know. 00:03:33
What are the lengths of those speed zones going to be? 00:03:40
Are they going to be for the same for every school or different because of the the bands in the road and that kind of thing? 00:03:43
That they were by the worst director as an engineer. So that's a very good question about that. 00:03:53
The item about the reduced speed school zones. 00:03:57
Will allow the school zones, Foster's or marked areas for school zones to be reduced down to 20 mph to remain. 00:04:01
At the locations where we're currently in. 00:04:09
This is an item to help bridge an exception to the policy that is in EU dot or the Utah METCD specifically about school zones. 00:04:11
On that, though, the public will not see a change in terms of the distances or where their signs are placed. 00:04:25
OK. Thank you very much. OK, thanks. 00:04:34
David. 00:04:45
There's a rumor afoot that we're going to appoint. 00:04:50
Eric Ellis is our city manager. 00:04:55
If that's the case, I'd like. 00:04:57
If you're thinking about it, I just like to. 00:05:00
Offering an objection to that. 00:05:03
I mean, here's other a little bit of. 00:05:06
She's probably leaving the. 00:05:10
You know, like authority on a little bit of the cloud, he. 00:05:12
It's He produced a couple of letters, sent a couple of letters guaranteeing wrong. 00:05:16
The Island project in excess wasn't 43 and 60 minutes like that number may be awful, but about about those numbers $1,000,000 00:05:23
without consent or approval of his board. 00:05:28
And so I would be really worried about some. 00:05:34
With that level of ethics coming to serve here, in a situation where we have close to a full time mayor, a part-time City Council, 00:05:39
he'd be the full time person. 00:05:44
And throw the person in charge over the reins. I'd be a little concerned about that. 00:05:49
And I would ask if that's the case that you consider that carefully. 00:05:54
Before you make a comment, you may come up to the microphone. I think I am going to make a comment on this. 00:06:11
Actually, could you come back up? I just need you to clarify a word that you said. 00:06:19
Did you say that he is being accused of that or did you say that he had done that? 00:06:29
It looks like it looks like he has, actually. We have copies of letters where he's guaranteed that kind of money into that 00:06:36
project, so that. 00:06:40
Is certain. 00:06:46
And. 00:06:48
You know, I don't know. I want to write words artists. Is that a loan guarantee? I think it is. OK. Thank you. That's what I 00:06:51
wanted to know. And I would say this as. 00:06:55
The executive director of the Utah Light Commission or the Utah Lake Authority, which he's held positions of both of these areas. 00:07:00
Whenever you write something of engagement or a letter, it is. 00:07:07
In the authority of that person to write it when you're being accused, though, of appropriating a bunch of money without. 00:07:12
Authority. That would probably be something else, however. 00:07:21
As somebody that sits on the Utah like authority and as somebody who sits on The Who has sat on the Utah Lake Commission, I don't 00:07:25
know of any letters. 00:07:30
Where he has appropriated funds without board approval and I feel like. 00:07:36
Making a statement like that that says that it's true out into the public, that I need to say something on the other side of it. 00:07:42
So I guess what I'll say is this. 00:07:46
Anybody obviously is willing is allowed to say something in response, but. 00:07:52
I will verify it. 00:07:58
And then I will come back and I will make sure that that didn't happen. 00:08:00
And as somebody that serves on that board right now, if it didn't happen then I will make that statement as far as I'm aware. 00:08:05
And the letters that you're referring to, that is not. 00:08:13
How? 00:08:17
Understand those letters to be, but I will make sure to clarify that. 00:08:17
Thank. 00:08:22
Tyler Harrelson I'm a resident in Edgewater. 00:08:27
I'm sure you guys are aware on Monday the 16th a pedestrian was killed in an accident on 400. 00:08:31
I don't know if the school zone changed. The consent item is related to that because I'm not as familiar. 00:08:40
But in any case, lowering the speed limit there is not going to actually help anything. There are a number of studies. There's one 00:08:46
I read the other day from. 00:08:49
1997 I believe they studied. 00:08:54
For like 5-6 years they studied over 90 sites across the nation. 00:08:57
Raising and lowering their speed. 00:09:03
Just the posted limit on the sign and it did essentially nothing. 00:09:05
Umm. 00:09:09
Because people. 00:09:11
Pay attention to the design of the road. My recommendation to you to prevent this from happening. 00:09:13
Especially because we're in October, which is the deadliest month for pedestrians of the year, and Halloween is the deadliest day 00:09:19
for pedestrians of the year. And as you can imagine, most of the pedestrians killed our children. 00:09:25
I went to the Orem City Council meeting to ask them the same thing last night, and I went to the Planning Commission meeting to 00:09:34
ask them the same thing. Please do something now with temporary measures. 00:09:40
I don't care what you do as long as it's something. Orange construction cones. Haydale sounds like from people I've talked to, 00:09:46
that that's not an option. 00:09:50
It doesn't matter what it is, just do something that is physical and actually on the street. Please, like immediately by the end 00:09:54
of the week. 00:09:59
Please get it done as fast as possible and if there are any procedural problems in your way. 00:10:04
You are elected. 00:10:10
Get rid of them because they're not serving you well and being up to code is what got the girl killed. The code is not working for 00:10:12
you. 00:10:17
Change them if you need, and if you don't need to, that's even better. Please do something now that's my comment. Thank you. Would 00:10:24
you like to make a comment? 00:10:28
So again assuming our public works director in regards to the reduced schools, reduced speed school zone item on there, it's not 00:10:40
in response to any particular incident or. 00:10:46
Or such. It's it's in order to bridge a gap where the Utah MCD specifically states that reduce school speed zones are not 00:10:53
required, and areas where there's a stop sign or a stop light. 00:10:59
Which would in essence remove. 00:11:06
Our ability to be able to have reduced speed, schools, school. 00:11:10
Speed school zones and areas where elementary school kids are going are walking in masses to school. 00:11:14
As well, so this so that policies in order to clarify the exceptions to the to the cases as dictated by the city engineer being 00:11:21
myself for special circumstances and it goes across the board to you in order to help enhance that by actually placing specifying 00:11:29
the schools that are within 1000 a 1000 feet from a public park. 00:11:36
Where a lot of kids, including my own, crossover from their elementary school to their public park, are allowed to have a slower 00:11:44
speed, a car is driving slower speed. 00:11:50
On that, and also I do, we are setting up a meeting I can always talk about. 00:11:57
Rows and rope configurations in the near future to help obviously make things better across the board, not just in one particular 00:12:03
area, but also I know. 00:12:07
The Planning Department has the. 00:12:14
Principle in place to make things safe across the board throughout the city, such as the what was referenced earlier about this 00:12:18
600 N Main St. 00:12:22
Pedestrian refuge which is currently being installed. 00:12:27
Had a concrete port today and working with the contractor to install the RFP flashers in order to allow pedestrians to cross 00:12:31
safely over at at busy Rd. 00:12:36
As well. 00:12:42
And in regards to the actual incident that happened in October 16th, I don't have any specific information as to the 00:12:44
circumstances. 00:12:48
Of what led to it, so I can't speak. 00:12:53
Per SE, I do know that we are working with the dot, the dot in terms of that particular intersection to help clean up ownership 00:12:56
that intersection as well. So we can also can give the city greater ability to take control over areas within. 00:13:05
Adjacent to the Vatican City's boundaries as well, because if we can make things safer for those pedestrians across the board, 00:13:16
that is of course in the best interest of the public's quality. 00:13:22
That's all I've got. 00:13:30
All right. I do want to make a comment on that. 00:13:40
The loss of Santa's life is tragic. 00:13:44
And. 00:13:47
There are things that are true accidents and it was tragic for all of us. 00:13:49
It was tragic that a young girl lost her life. 00:13:55
It was tragic, that somebody. 00:13:58
Probably has to go through a lot of healing. 00:14:02
Taking the life of that young girl. 00:14:05
And probably. 00:14:09
You know, working with that family, the entire thing was tragic. 00:14:11
I think there are a lot of lessons to be learned here. 00:14:15
And I do know that the City Council isn't going to move forward not learning from the lessons that come from these types of 00:14:17
things. 00:14:21
Our goal is always to be preventative. 00:14:25
So that we're not being reactive to situations like this. And so the lessons that we're learning are these. 00:14:27
Not every intersection. 00:14:34
Is something that we prioritize. 00:14:36
To have people cross. 00:14:39
There are different intersections, different types of intersections. This is why one of the safe routes for school is that this 00:14:41
the students actually go and they walk down to a very specialized corner, and this is where the safe walk is supposed to be. 00:14:48
And the tragedy for an area like this that's difficult, that's right outside of our jurisdiction and have this convoluted area 00:14:56
like Nasim was explaining is that it's right on the corner of a park and it's right at a mid block crossing. And so people want to 00:15:02
cross it. And this is what causes some of those accidents because it also comes into this area where sunlight hits your car and 00:15:07
you can't see as very tragic. 00:15:13
The city is prioritizing, making sure that the places that we prioritize as a city where people are going to cross. 00:15:20
That those areas are clear. We're also prioritizing the education to show people where and how to cross and to make sure they're 00:15:28
crossing at those safe places, and also notifying our drivers of when and where to be aware of the pedestrians that are coming 00:15:34
through the area, because nobody wants to experience something like this. 00:15:39
So we will take action, but we are working with our partnering cities, cities to do this. They're working with the dot and we'll 00:15:46
continue to do those things to provide safety for pedestrians and to keep. 00:15:52
People who drive in cars aware and attentive, and when true accidents happen, we will breathe together as a community because that 00:16:00
also happens. 00:16:04
And. 00:16:09
Always grateful to hear the comments from the community. 00:16:10
Kim, Cornelius, Village resident. 00:16:18
I just wanted to kind of dovetail off the first gentleman's comments. 00:16:21
Grapevine is a dangerous thing and so I'd like to go with something a little bit more concrete, although there there may be some 00:16:27
suspects in the media section of our lives. 00:16:31
As. 00:16:36
Here are things as reported in the Salt Lake Tribune this afternoon under the headline Utah Lake Authority Director Steps Down 00:16:38
after Tribune Asked Questions About Money Promised for Dredging project. 00:16:44
Couple of short little paragraphs in two secret letters, Eric Ellis said he would provide 10s of millions of dollars in support of 00:16:50
a project that would have built artificial islands. 00:16:55
We know that project is. 00:17:00
That's my comment. The Executive director of the Utah Lake Authority, which formerly operated the Utah Lake Commission, abruptly 00:17:02
resigned Wednesday. Eric Ellis announced his departure in an e-mail to board members, which was less than 1/2 hour after this all 00:17:08
8 preview and asking questions about his support for the restoration solutions. 00:17:13
So I would echo. 00:17:19
Be careful. 00:17:22
I don't know any other way to say it, but I mean, we're talking about. 00:17:25
The guy that runs the city. 00:17:28
Council. 00:17:31
But, and that's as much as I'm going to say about that, although I would just pose. 00:17:33
Is the city manager's job? Has that been posted somewhere for applicants to apply? 00:17:39
Has it been posted? It has been posted. Have you had any replies? We did. We had a lot of applicants. 00:17:45
They were all excellent. 00:17:52
In our opinion, Eric was the most qualified and best fit for this community, however. 00:17:53
Because you are bringing these things forward and even though we know about this and understand the aspects of it, we are going to 00:18:00
go into a closed session before that appointment so that we can talk about it and navigate it and look. 00:18:07
Have these discussions to know how to move forward, because we want the community to know that when you bring things to us, we are 00:18:14
going to do as much as we can to properly approach and answer those questions and so we are going to go and discuss right before 00:18:19
that. 00:18:24
Item, yeah, I would just add that in this particular case, due diligence is paramount. 00:18:30
Uh. 00:18:37
If it's OK, I've got just one other item for the follow up council meeting. 00:18:38
At a Planning Commission meeting. 00:18:44
Two times. 00:18:46
The developer for Utah City came in and did a really nice job of presenting what the the plans were for the two parcels. I think 00:18:48
they are that we're up for approval. 00:18:53
Bryce asked the question. So what's the housing component? Are those ownership or what are they? 00:18:59
And he was very forthcoming to say, into all rentals. 00:19:05
And Bryce says, is there an option to do a mixed-use there of those? And he says, well, yeah, we can talk about that. 00:19:07
When Bryce came in at the last City Council meeting two weeks ago, he gave you a nice report on that meeting. 00:19:15
But didn't say anything about the discussion. 00:19:22
We've got 400 plus units that are going to be sole rentals owned by the developer and so I went back and sat next to them at the 00:19:25
end of the meeting and I said hey. 00:19:29
Great job. And she didn't mention? 00:19:34
The discussion about the total rent. 00:19:36
Situation. 00:19:39
Yeah, I probably should have said something about. Make sure they're made aware of that. 00:19:40
Well, he's obviously not on the agenda tonight, so I'm just making sure that somehow you understand that that's a concern. 00:19:44
And there's one other thing. 00:19:51
Maybe a little bit more of a concern when Governor Cox on September 21st in a press conference with the Daily Herald. 00:19:53
Talked about low income housing and he made this. 00:20:01
He said he. 00:20:04
Government isn't the only solution and noted a recent partnership between 2 foundations intending to create upwards of 850 rent 00:20:06
subsidized. 00:20:11
New Orleans. Now that's different than just rentals. 00:20:16
He finished with his. 00:20:20
We've taken away a little bit of authority from local communities and the idea. 00:20:21
If the state is going to invest billions of dollars for a transit of in your community. 00:20:27
Front runner. 00:20:32
And that infrastructure we should have more D. 00:20:34
Housing around that transit hub. 00:20:38
This is Daybreak. This is happening at Lehigh, seven other cities and looks like Vineyard because it looks like a mirror image of 00:20:41
what's going on in these other areas. 00:20:45
I was on the phone earlier this week with our sheriff's Lieutenant for Vineyard. 00:20:51
And we had a long discussion about crime in a couple of incidents that have risen within a week of each other. 00:20:56
With front. 00:21:02
Rentals, subsidized. 00:21:04
We're a little concerned. 00:21:07
And so these are some things that I think we need to be having a discussion with the developers. 00:21:09
Because at least in the village area we're here, we're planted and probably going to be planted 6 feet under because we're not 00:21:15
planning on going anywhere else. 00:21:18
What's that going to be? Is it going to be rentals or occupied? 00:21:53
What's the mix And he? 00:21:56
The developer is going to own a unit. We're going to rent them out. 00:21:59
Well, that's a sweet deal for the owner or for the developer we like. They like that. 00:22:02
I hadn't heard anything since and I didn't get a chance to go to the follow up Planning Commission meeting, but I heard from some 00:22:08
that did that, he offered. 00:22:12
Some condos or townhouses in another section. 00:22:17
That really wasn't what he was asked to do. He came back with that and I don't know what the resolution was or the the 00:22:23
conversation was between the Commission members, but. 00:22:27
It's a concern for us. OK. Thank you. That was for the site. 00:22:31
Sarah Cameron. 00:22:44
I just. 00:22:47
Mayor, if you could clarify your relationship with Eric Ellis for us, your previous experience with him, you've known him for a 00:22:49
while, that would be helpful. 00:22:53
As you guys are considering him for this position, Sir, I have served on the Utah Lake Commission and the Utah Like Authority and 00:22:58
he was the executive director. Did he appoint you to that position? 00:23:03
I'm sorry, thank you. Appointed to that position. No, I'm appointed as a mayor for the region to serve on those in most 00:23:09
capacities. 00:23:13
And then he's hired by the people and the boards. Actually, I don't actually know. How are you? 00:23:17
Were you appointed by? 00:23:24
Comes with a microphone. 00:23:27
Sorry to put you on the spot, Eric, I just actually need to. 00:23:30
Say whether or not you are appointed, you're hired, right? 00:23:33
Yeah, yeah. Hired by the mayor. 00:23:37
And the people sitting on the. 00:23:40
Thanks. 00:23:43
Is that your only question, Sir? 00:23:44
I. 00:23:48
It's over. 00:23:58
My name is Jacob Walter Holloway. 00:24:00
And I have carried the weight of this on my shoulder for over a year. 00:24:03
I do get emotional just thinking about the burden that it's been in my family. 00:24:09
You guys know that I came in good faith to the city to go to Ireland. 00:24:14
When I found out about the involvement of our city in the loan, I knew it was wrong. 00:24:20
I know, having read all the emails, that this did not start with Eric and Julie. 00:24:27
That it started well above. 00:24:32
With the lobbyists within the legislature. 00:24:34
I know that's a very strong claim. 00:24:36
But I know you were. 00:24:39
With the Trump administration. 00:24:41
The whistleblowers come forward on that. It'll be out in a few weeks. 00:24:44
I just want to say that I never wanted to divide our venue community, in fact, What Car away? 00:24:49
Was all about bringing the community together. 00:24:55
I knew that this was being was dishonest when we met with LRS about their plans and their ideas about giving us a couple 00:24:59
$1,000,000 to. 00:25:03
Improve the. 00:25:07
I've taught government ethics and procurement for many years. 00:25:10
It's very easy to teach these things. 00:25:14
It's very hard to implement them when they're in your own city. 00:25:16
This is not attacking you, Julie. 00:25:20
This is just attacking the pure government process to protect all of us. 00:25:24
I'm asking. 00:25:29
And I've met with. 00:25:31
All of the Lake Authority member Commission members at that time, they did not know about these loans. Chris Connie didn't. 00:25:33
And Frost. 00:25:40
Mayor Kath. 00:25:42
A forestry fire and state. 00:25:43
They never gave Eric authorization to do any of. 00:25:45
When asked you guys, both denied. 00:25:49
OK, I'm just asking you to do the right thing. 00:25:52
Mayor, I believe that you need to step down. 00:25:58
I know you have the power. 00:26:01
To do so, and it would be the right thing. I don't think it needs to take an election. 00:26:03
But I think that's what will take our city to come together. 00:26:09
Call Kelly Tenyard. 00:26:25
About six months ago, I sat down with you our. 00:26:29
And my desire and my effort was. 00:26:33
Get your side of the story. 00:26:38
To. 00:26:40
Try to understand your perspective. 00:26:41
To try to understand some of the issues that our daily, our city was dealing with. 00:26:44
Umm. 00:26:49
You at that time promised me that you would give me a packet of information. 00:26:51
OK, I have not yet seen that packet of information. 00:26:56
Recently you texted me, you sent me a text message and you confronted me on an issue. 00:27:01
And I replied to your text, and we had a conversation. 00:27:07
You felt like the reason why you didn't send me that packet of information. 00:27:11
Was because you felt like I attacked you in a social media post. 00:27:15
I never mentioned you by name. 00:27:23
Never said any any any details about our meeting or anything of that nature. 00:27:25
I didn't recall any. 00:27:30
And as we had that discussion via. 00:27:33
You confirmed that you might have jumped to conclusions that I was attacking you. 00:27:37
Again, I don't recall that I ever did attack. 00:27:43
After that meeting. 00:27:46
At that time you said you'd give me that packet of information. 00:27:48
I still haven't seen that packet of information. 00:27:52
So I'd love. 00:27:55
Your side of the story, and I'm interested to hear it, but but to but to but. 00:27:58
Find out the way to find out that the city now has hired Eric Ellis. 00:28:06
After, after this, it's scandalous. 00:28:11
It's scandalous. 00:28:16
And we're disappointed. 00:28:18
Many of U.S. citizens are disappointed and and Eric, for you to be able to start under these conditions, it's dirty, it's 00:28:19
unfortunate, and it's dirty. 00:28:24
And I hope that City Council members, if you do have a vote in this and and and I hope that it becomes public record because 00:28:29
Christy, you need to go on the record of how you vote on Eric Ellis being the city manager. 00:28:35
As you are currently conducting a campaign, our city needs to know how you vote on this. 00:28:42
OK, because I think it will reveal. 00:28:48
A lot of the corruption that we're trying to figure out in our city. 00:28:52
So. 00:28:57
That's all I have. 00:28:58
My name is Timo Christensen. 00:29:15
I was here to talk about also 400 S pedestrian safety incident that happened last week. 00:29:18
Umm. 00:29:26
I think Tyler and Nas. 00:29:28
Covered most of what I was going to get at. Umm. 00:29:32
But there's. 00:29:35
One thing I noticed. 00:29:40
Response that I. 00:29:42
Just wanted to address. 00:29:46
I I really appreciate the sentiment of. 00:29:50
Being proactive instead of reactive when it comes to caring about pedestrian safety and identifying the places where. 00:29:54
We. 00:30:02
Have better streets. 00:30:03
And that was exactly what. 00:30:06
Coming up here to say originally, umm. 00:30:10
Looks like it beat me to it. 00:30:13
I. 00:30:15
Heard that? 00:30:17
We had areas that are prioritized for pedestrian safety, which these areas that aren't. 00:30:20
And I think. 00:30:27
Everywhere really should be prioritized for pedestrian safety. 00:30:29
Even if it's not necessarily that we need a crosswalk right here, one thing I've noticed is at the intersection of Vineyard Rd. of 00:30:35
400 S in particular. 00:30:39
There are those diagonal curb cuts, which tends to imply that there is a crosswalk in both directions there. 00:30:45
And when we talk about educational campaigns? 00:30:53
That's great, but doesn't necessarily reach everyone and doesn't necessarily reach the people who are going to be. 00:30:57
In that situation. 00:31:03
And. 00:31:05
If we can address these places where people aren't supposed to walk, if that's what it's going to be, and make it clear that 00:31:07
people shouldn't walk there and move to an intersection. 00:31:12
I think that's something. 00:31:18
Would be great to see. 00:31:21
Thanks. Thank you. 00:31:23
Claudia Larae, vineyard resident. I just like some clarification. 00:31:34
About, we've had great response with. 00:31:41
Public safety and I'm wondering what is the status? 00:31:46
Of. 00:31:51
Are a fire department a building? Are the response times. 00:31:52
In fact, were they? 00:32:00
What they needed. 00:32:02
At this really tragic accident, it doesn't seem like it's anything that's really being talked about. Where are we with the fire 00:32:04
department? 00:32:09
Because I don't see any fire officials here. 00:32:15
Yeah, they're they're at a conference I know or PD was the first one on site that being in their jurisdiction. But as far as the 00:32:21
fire station goes, we're currently undergoing an 8 week study where in the last like 3 weeks of that that'll have some design 00:32:26
options for for our new site location. 00:32:31
We We really. 00:32:38
I'm not saying a study isn't. 00:32:40
Needs to happen. 00:32:42
We should do a lot of studies in this. 00:32:45
And it's probably time to. 00:32:48
Take care of our citizens. 00:32:53
I want to. 00:32:56
I'm hearing different things, which is of course the Grapevine and who knows, but what's your position on what we're doing with 00:32:59
the fire department are? 00:33:04
Waiting for the study. Is that satisfactory to you see you next time this study clarify. So. So the previous study that we had 00:33:10
that we presented in council identified 4 site options that were viable for the next phase of that was to narrow it down to two 00:33:16
specific site options, the ones that the council had approved to move forward with. So now we're proceeding with architectural 00:33:23
design on those sites. So pretty soon we'll have architectural design building and where is that site. 00:33:30
We have one that's located here and then one is located at the north part of. 00:33:38
Here in this building is that what? 00:33:42
Adjacent to the building. 00:33:46
Then where will. 00:33:48
Council chambers. 00:33:50
Well, that's adjacent to the slot, so it's next. 00:33:52
Thank you but. 00:33:56
Any idea that it does transform this whole area? Then the City Council would move to a bigger building. Right now our staff is in 00:33:58
different buildings and so at some point we hope to come back together. I frankly don't see how or why we want to add so many 00:34:04
people. 00:34:10
To our. 00:34:17
The numbers in our community, what is the latest in Utah city is 60,000 more people. I'm really disappointed that the city has 00:34:20
moved forward in this way. 00:34:26
We. 00:34:32
I used to come to City Council and I heard about the promenade. That's where I was all of a sudden. 00:34:33
Utah City. 00:34:40
First of all, why would we do that? Secondly, why would we call it Utah City? 00:34:42
I was driving home from Salt Lake, and at the point of the mountain where the prison was, I saw no fewer than it looked like Bob 00:34:47
the Builder, 15 Backhoes. 00:34:53
Go into town. 00:34:59
Why? 00:35:01
All have to play the same game and it seems. 00:35:02
It seems like we follow the. 00:35:08
To get to this place, Vineyard City. 00:35:11
It we can do better, we should do better and. 00:35:14
It's embarrassing when I have people who have moved out of vineyards saying do you think Vineyard was planned very well? 00:35:20
My son moved out because he couldn't find a parking place. I'm just so disappointed. 00:35:28
Respect you. 00:35:35
And applaud you for your willingness to. 00:35:37
I'm disappointed in your lack of willingness. 00:35:41
To hear the. 00:35:45
So. 00:35:48
The downtown was vested in 2019. 00:35:49
Most of the people sitting on this table were not part of that. 00:35:53
But before that. 00:35:57
The downtown, the last time it was voted on was in 2019. So these people. 00:36:00
This person, she's not here. 00:36:06
They didn't vote. 00:36:08
So the majority of the people sitting up here didn't vote on it, I got to vote on. 00:36:10
Got to vote on? 00:36:15
But these people didn't get to vote on it. 00:36:16
That time there was a promenade there. There was 2 promenades there. 00:36:20
Just like there is today, nothing has changed. 00:36:24
However, hold on one second, however. 00:36:27
At Geneva is what it was called for a very long time. 00:36:31
Just recently they changed their name because they named their own developments like they named Sleepy Ridge the Seminar Waters 00:36:35
Edge. They have now chosen to name their area that they're over, that they're the property owners of the Utah city. But nothing 00:36:41
has changed. 00:36:46
It is just a new name. 00:36:52
So I just want to clarify that I don't want to get into an argument, I just want to respond so that you understand the timeline of 00:36:54
when this happened, it went through public process. 00:36:59
It went through all of the same regular meetings. People understood it, people talked about it, but now you're seeing visuals and 00:37:04
what I've explained to people that come in is going to go according to the market. 00:37:09
And we're not promoting, we're doing projections for traffic and we're going to get those numbers closer to what they actually 00:37:14
will be. And there are constraints that are in that ordinance that show what is available there and you can go and read about 00:37:21
them. But looking at a picture and wondering if you're going to see a really tall building, it's it's impossible to say if there 00:37:28
if, if that's something that's going to be seen. So you need to keep coming and attending the meetings and. 00:37:34
And see things as they come in like Huntsman Cancer Institute or the grocery store or the new buildings that were just talked 00:37:41
about today. But to say these things as if we are not listening, there were there's been lots of time in the public for people to 00:37:48
come forward and talk about this and it has been approved and it is done at this point. So we do hear you. We do hear people now. 00:37:55
We do hear people's frustrations. We hear people now. 00:38:02
Now we heard from then, I'm saying we're hearing your new comments. We're hearing that you don't like the new Utah city. 00:38:10
My street better protected. 00:38:17
It was on the map as a country Rd. and you said. 00:38:20
Well, I don't care what it was. It's a thoroughfare now because you guys didn't have the infrastructure. 00:38:25
Twice we came in with 85%. 00:38:33
Vote of the people on our street and your response was let's go to lunch. 00:38:37
I don't want to go to. 00:38:42
To have. 00:38:45
What we research for and we had when we moved here. 00:38:47
I I know. 00:38:53
This makes sense to you. 00:38:56
But we jump through ho. 00:39:00
We jump through lots of. 00:39:02
I don't come. 00:39:05
Because. 00:39:07
It's. 00:39:08
Falling on deaf ears because you're going to do what you're going to do. These public comment sanctions. We've been to some of 00:39:10
them. We went to Envision Utah where they throw what is this we have? 00:39:17
Information and they expect us to make lines and. 00:39:26
Tape on it. It's just ridiculous. 00:39:30
I just, I'm letting you know that I'm very disappointed with how the City Council has behaved to move forward with this. 00:39:33
That didn't need to be like it is. We don't have to do what the state says. They have a recommendation we can keep. 00:39:45
Vine. 00:39:53
Nice community. I'm not saying an extra 40,000 people won't be nice. 00:40:00
But we don't need to add 40,000 people. 00:40:06
To. 00:40:10
It's landlocked, put on one side. Everybody has to use the same streets to come in. 00:40:11
I'm just expressing my dissatisfaction. Thank you. Thank you. 00:40:19
My name is Tim Heaton. 00:40:37
Unfortunately, I'm also here to discuss the hiring of Mr. Ellis. 00:40:40
In one of the letters obtained by the Tribune. 00:40:49
Mr. Ellis was is on record requesting 893,000,000. 00:40:54
Dollars from the federal. 00:41:00
And to help justify that request. 00:41:03
He made certain. 00:41:07
One of the claims that he made was that he was. 00:41:10
Able to commit the state of. 00:41:14
To paying $63 million over the course of several years. 00:41:17
And contribution to the project. 00:41:22
Mr. 00:41:27
Knew that he did not have authority to commit that money you earlier tonight. 00:41:28
Attempted to defend him by saying he had the authority to write such a letter. 00:41:35
Not appropriate, appropriate. I just mean engage and support things that are already being approved. So I hope that's clear. 00:41:40
So. 00:41:49
When the federal government received this letter. 00:41:50
In their consideration, luckily, they did not approve the loan. 00:41:52
But he allowed them to believe. 00:41:55
That he had the authority to commit the state of Utah to that expenditure, whether he had the authority or not, whether it was 00:41:59
actually appropriated or not. 00:42:03
He led the federal government to. 00:42:08
Something that was not. 00:42:11
Putting all of the other facts aside and that all by itself. 00:42:17
Is grounds for not hiring somebody. 00:42:21
It is deceptive. It shows a willingness. 00:42:25
Game the. 00:42:28
It shows a willingness. 00:42:29
Hide facts or to obscure real. 00:42:31
When very large sums of money are at. 00:42:35
And he did this unilaterally. 00:42:38
Without anyone on his governing board being aware of it. 00:42:40
The allegation is is also. 00:42:45
Well, the division of. What's the name of the division? I was? Forget the name of it. 00:42:48
What's that? 00:42:53
Yes. 00:42:55
That's the division that has the true authority to to commit and appropriate such funds.