New faces, budget, water sources for Blanding

by David Boyle
News Director
Members of the Blanding City Council announced a new department head, looked at the budget, and again reviewed traffic safety at the new Blanding Elementary School at their latest meeting.
At the May 26 meeting, a formal announcement was also made that Trevor Palmer has been hired as the new Public Works and Utilities Director, following a month-long recruitment process.
City staff shared the hire comes after an intensive process, including an interview panel that provided scores on six criteria, with Palmer as the highest-ranked candidate.
Palmer has worked for the city for eight years. Staff did address potential concerns, noting that the new director is the nephew of street superintendent Preston Grover.
Staff reported the two have worked together for eight years without any HR violations and to maintain transparency and fairness, City Manager Pratt Redd will handle all merit-based raises for Grover to avoid any conflict of interest.
Council members expressed high confidence in the appointment of Palmer.
The council spent considerable time discussing safety measures surrounding the new elementary school, specifically focusing on a visibility "sight triangle" at a prominent corner near a retaining wall.
The proposal to move the fence further back by 10 feet would meet city code and provide a sight triangle of 30 feet.
Council also discussed new traffic patterns with the opening of the school. Council suggested the need for new four-way stops at 200 North and 100 West and other intersections to better manage school traffic.
There was also consensus to avoid routes that would place elementary students on 100 East (Bronco Boulevard), citing the danger posed by younger drivers as part of the high school traffic.
The city made plans to launch a public education campaign in late July or August to inform residents of the new traffic patterns before school begins.
Council also received a report on water outlook, which is mixed. While precipitation for the water year is 96 percent of normal, the lack of snow pack has hindered the city’s ability to store runoff effectively in reservoirs.
To bolster supply, the city plans to begin pumping one of the city deep wells – Well “A” – in June. Staff also reported the new treatment plant well is near completion and expected to be up and running in a few weeks.
Members of the council also reviewed the new budget ahead of an upcoming adoption for the upcoming start of the fiscal year.
Revenues are reported steady, with about $1.4 million in property taxes making up half of the city’s general fund.
Of note in the budget is a three-percent cost of living adjustment for all city employees, with additional bumps in pay tied to merit and educational achievements.
Council did raise a question on a proposed $200,000 allocation for a proposed “pump track” which offers a circuit for off-road bicycles, with the project funded through an outdoor recreation grant.
Some council members expressed skepticism of the track’s ability to bring tourists to the region, viewing Moab as cornering the market.
The grant has some requirements to be used for non-traditional type outdoor activities, meaning it couldn't be used on pickle ball courts or upgrades to the wellness center, but it could be used on the proposed pump track, and mountain biking trails.
Council asked the city staff to look at additional options before fully committing to the pump track.