Monticello City Council discusses water, sewer projects, updates

by David Boyle
News Director
The Monticello City Council received an update on their water project and continued work to update their zoning, nuisance, parking and traffic ordinances at their August 9 meeting.
Members of the Monticello City Council heard a report from Jones & DeMille Engineering on the city Spring Creek drainage project.
Engineer Kedrick Curtis reported the company has completed its preliminary engineering report, including where the pipeline and diversion would go to feed water in the city system, including a service trail about a mile above the existing road.
While the preliminary engineering report is completed the company is still working to complete the environmental report as the US Forest Service has asked for alternatives to the proposed plan for consideration.
The affected area includes a steep hillside full of trees. Theh Jones & DeMille Monticello Office Manager Scoot Flannery reports the question has been raised why the project has to go a mile upstream when it flows by the road.
“The biggest reason for that is you’re not able to get enough head, or pressure to get over the hill without going further down stream.” said Flannery
One alternative would include a pump, but Flannery says providing power to the pump would need to come from miles away near city limits. Other concerns would be fixing and replacing the pump over time.
Another option would be gravity flow, but Flannery says that would require miles and miles of pipe and likely a greater disturbance.
Flannery says the Forest Service has been good to work with, “They want to know 100 percent sure that there is not another option.”
Jones & DeMille says the goal is to begin construction next summer. In addition to the new collection structures, the project could include improving existing collection structures as well.
At the meeting, Flannery also updated the council on the city Sewer master plan.
City Manager Evan Bolt explained the updated master plan is needed for grant funding for sewer infrastructure projects.
With the state Department of Water Quality issuing funds in June and December, the city is working to complete the updated plan in order to apply for allocations in December. 
The city council meeting included more than an hour of extensive conversations about updates to city ordinances.
Among the discussions were updates to the zoning ordinances, nuisance ordinance and parking and traffic ordinances.
A public hearing for each update is planned to come before the council in September.
The nuisance update will provide a process for violators of the city code – such as excessive junk on lawns – to have conversations with city officials about complaints.
If a violation persists past a certain time frame, the city will be able to take the issue to court.
The parking and traffic update will limit driving of large trucks on roads outside of the designated travel routes on Main and Center streets. 
Enforcement will require signs throughout town and painting of curbs. Exceptions will exist for trucks going to jobs in town, and businesses with loading zones.
The city council also appointed a Megan Gallegos as the Deputy Recorder, as well as reappointed Mary Cokenour to the Planning Commission.

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