Monticello City Council considers an increase in fees

A proposal to raise fees at the landfill and the cost to reconnect delinquent water accounts was presented to the public at the January 11 meeting of the Monticello City Council.  A public hearing was held where the new rates were discussed.
Assistant City Manager Greg Westfall addressed the council regarding the increase in reconnection fee from $25 to $50. Westfall told the council that before a customer is disconnected, they have 69 days notice, giving them plenty of time to make arrangements with the city for payment.
The change is being proposed in order to more adequately cover the costs associated with shutoff and reconnection. Westfall reports the reconnect call often comes in after hours, which requires an overtime call-out for city employees.
Public Works Supervisor Nathan Langston discussed the increase in fees proposed for the landfill. Langston told the council that the landfill currently has an annual loss of approximately $4,500.  The new fees were established after talking with management at the county landfill at White Mesa. 
Under the proposal, construction and demolition waste will be charged the same for city residents and non-residents and will be increased to $8 minimum charge for a pickup load, $30 for a single axle truck load and $40 for a dual axle truck load.
For waste requiring disposal in the transfer station dumpster, city residents will pay $10 for a pickup load, up from $7, and County residents will pay $12 for a pickup load, up from $10. Charges for single axle trucks will be $25 and $35 for residents and non-residents respectively, and double axel trucks will be $45 and $55.
If approved, the proposal increases the cost of refrigerator and freezer disposal to $30. The disposal of metal and yard waste will still be offered at no charge.
The council will vote on the new rates at their next meeting.
Ruth Skouson Mattox approached the council on behalf of the Economic Development Committee to report on a committee meeting on January 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the San Juan County Commission Chambers.
Mattox told the council that the San Juan County Office of Economic Development is hosting the meeting and has arranged for members of the Governors Office of Economic Development to attend and provide training to the group. 
A main focus of the meeting will be to help the city committee in establishing goals that will be meaningful and helpful to the community.
Councilman Scott Frost praised the Economic Development Committee for their hard work and encouraged the council and the community to support their efforts by participating and providing ideas and input in the things they are trying to accomplish for the city.
Assistant City Manager Greg Westfall reported on operations at the Monticello Welcome Center. Westfall told the council they have had an employee take a position with San Juan County but they feel comfortable covering the time between the other two employees, especially during the winter months where the center is on limited operating hours.
Westfall also reported they have had to lock the restrooms due to vandalism and destruction of property. The council asked Westfall to look into how the closure impacts a grant received from the Utah Department of Transportation, in which the restrooms were agreed to be available 24 hours a day.
The council was disturbed by the vandalism and the disregard of those responsible for things the city is trying to do to improve the community.
Mayor Doug Allen asked Westfall to offer a reward for information on the perpetrators and offered a $100 reward from his own pocket.
Local businessman Tom Wiggington spoke up from the audience and matched Allen’s donation in order to make the reward $200. 
The council has great interest in catching those responsible for these pointless and destructive acts and asks anyone with information to contact the City Police Department.  
The council appointmented Lee Bennett to the Planning Commission, Steve Young to the Victims of Mill Tailings Exposure Committee, and Carol Van Steeter to the Parks and Beautification Committee. The council approved alcohol licenses for Blue Mountain Foods and Canyonlands Texaco.

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