Monticello Council talks water, fire, and taxes

by David Boyle
News Director
Members of the Monticello City Council discussed water levels, fire concerns and truth in taxation as part of their latest meeting.
In drought related news, members of the council again discussed but tabled a resolution that would direct operational limits for Loyds Lake.
The proposed resolution would put in certain triggers for lake levels to preserve necessary water for culinary consumption for a year.
The proposal would begin by limiting secondary usage at 7,118 feet, with secondary water limited to 50-acre feet and the golf course also limited to 50-acre feet as well as watering of city parks from city wells.
A level of 7,116 feet indicates a “hard line in the sand” to stop secondary water and golf course usage in the city to protect the city culinary supply.
As part of a follow-up discussion, City Manager Kaeden Kulow presented data on water usage at the city golf course, noting that watering greens and tee boxes can consume approximately 159,000 gallons per night.
Council members ultimately decided to table the matter, noting that lake levels are currently rising due to mountain runoff and arguing rigid restrictions might be premature with a suggestion that the issue be revisited if water levels begin to drop later in the season.
For reference, the Loyds Lake level is currently 7,127 feet, which is two feet higher than previous weeks.
Public Works Director Chris Baird provided an update on the city well revitalization projects. Baird said the city has successfully brought the Circle Park and ball field wells back online.
The remaining budget for well revitalization will be used to troubleshoot the Hideout culinary well and repair the Second East well, which could serve as a secondary water source or a fill station.
Council also addressed concerns regarding the city water usage logging system.
The city currently has a manual process where staff flag exceptionally high readings at the end of the month. Officials remind the public they can monitor their own usage by checking their meters.
A second public hearing was held for the 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application at the April 14 meeting of the Monticello City Council.
City staffer Jasmine Nielson said the city’s successful application to the program has resulted in $257,000 to purchase a heavy-duty wildland fire response vehicle.
The city will provide a $25,000 match for the purchase to replace an outdated 2005 truck. The vehicle will be rated for off-road performance with high ground clearance and accommodate a 400-500 gallon water tank.
City staff further noted that the vehicle is critical due to the city’s rural environment and high seasonal drought conditions.
Members of the council also reviewed a resolution to implement fire and firework restrictions ahead of the summer. The proposed resolution would require permits for debris burning and would restrict fireworks to areas at least 200 feet away from undeveloped or agricultural land.
Members of the city council decided to table the item however to ask the city attorney to clarify the distinction between personal fireworks and professional, city-sponsored displays such as the annual Pioneer Day firework show.
In other infrastructure news the city is testing LED bulb upgrades on Center street to address concerns of frequent outages of street lights on Center and Main Street.
The move would be an upgrade from older halogen systems. The city is also looking at leveling some leaning concrete light poles, although complete replacement may be necessary for some fixtures due to damage from vehicles.
In other park news, the ADA compliant playground at Veterans Park is expected to be completed by mid-May. The new park will also include updated concrete work with the city noting the work is funded in part by grants.
Members of the city council also reviewed the city fraud risk assessment, which found Monticello is a low risk for fraud, scoring 325 of 395 points. To improve the score, council discussed formally designating itself as an official audit committee.
Members of the council also held another discussion related to Truth in Taxation, with the conversation ending on a recommendation against raising property taxes this year.
Staff explained while revenue is expected to drop slightly in 2027 due to the expiration of the Zoo, Arts and Parks (ZAP) tax, the city currently has enough in reserves to cover essential operations.
The council further agreed that any future tax increase ought to be tied to specific, high priority capital projects such as sidewalk improvements, a new recreation facility or something of the like, instead of just increases to the general fund.
Members of the city council unanimously approved free dump days for May for city garbage account holders.
Members of the city council again reviewed a proposal for floating solar panels on the city water treatment ponds. The proposal came from a company that operates a similar system in Park City.
Council members weighed the return vs the potential concerns of snow and ice maintenance and the possible interference with the water treatment process. The proposal noted that snow and ice wouldn’t damage the panels, but could interfere with production in the winter, additionally the smaller pond sizes compared to Park City, which led the city to wonder about the revenue options for the project.
Council members asked Baird to contact Park City and see if the program has interfered with water treatment processes before making a more final decision on whether to pursue the program.