Monticello talks water, fire restrictions

by David Boyle
News Director
Members of the Monticello City Council talked about water concerns at their April 28 meeting.
The council received comments and discussed concerns about the city water system.
City resident Von Black raised the concern challenging the council on why a leak in the city culinary system has not been addressed.
Mayor Kevin Dunn addressed the concerns saying they called state officials to come look at the city ponds, where a leak is continuously releasing water.
Mayor Dunn said in part, “I’ve spoken to several people that have extensive knowledge about it and they told me there is not an earthen dam or an earthen pond that does not leak some. They all leak some.
“The major concern they said was if there’s soil coming out, if the water is muddy, then that is a major concern.
“My understanding right now, the water coming out of this small leak is all clear water which means that it would be okay at this point because all earthen dams do leak some, including Loyds Lake. We are looking into that further to see if there are any other issues that need to be brought up.”
Dunn added individuals from the state have been contacted and may possibly be coming down to look at it.
Black argued the loss – which he estimates at 50 gallons a minute – is not acceptable under extreme drought conditions.
Later in the meeting, the council also consulted Kedrick Curtis of Jones & DeMille Engineering about the issue.
Curtis said the more data the city has, the better decision they can make, suggesting that if the city look at it they start by measuring the flow rate to quantify how much water is being lost to seepage.
Curtis agreed that earthen dams have seepage but the city could possibly reduce that amount of seepage.
Curtis said the fix for the issue would likely be pretty expensive, noting the need to drain the reservoir, rebuild the structure, clay walls and other different improvements to be considered.
“It just comes down to how much money you want to spend to maybe fix the seepage versus how much is that amount of water worth. If you quantify that amount of water, then you’ll have a better idea of the costs and the benefits there.”
The city did receive a slightly positive report on water levels, with Loyds Lake rising nearly a foot in the preceding week. Kulow noted the city is currently able to divert 1,300 gallons a minute back into the lake because other storage systems are full. While some recent storms have certainly been helpful, snowpack levels are a discouraging sign for the summer.
Members of the Monticello City Council approved a resolution to place restrictions on personal fireworks and open burnings noting dry conditions in the city. 
City Manager Kaeden Kulow explained that while the professional Pioneer Day displays are a separate class of fireworks, personal use must be restricted now to meet state deadlines. The restrictions could be relaxed later in the summer if conditions change.
City council also received updates on projects being completed at Loyds Lake. The city recently awarded contracts for two new weathered steel bridges and are expected to arrive in 8 to 12 weeks.
The project is part of a $1.12 million grant for recreation improvements through the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation.
The city is set to open bids for the remaining parts of the project including resurfacing the trail, cutting new ditches and installing a concrete launch pad for kayaks with work expected to begin in June.
Council also mentioned needs to modernize irrigation systems due to new state mandates. The mandate requires that any sprinkler head sold in Utah after July 1 must be pressure-reducing models to conserve water.
Members of the city council also held an early phase looking at the FY27 budget with a focus on enterprise funds.
The city is forecasting a net operating income of negative $8,000 in the water fund, though overall the fund remains positive. Major upcoming costs include replacing fire hydrants and a turbidity meter.
The sanitation fund is continuing to set aside $70,000 annually to replace the aging garbage truck. Kulow requested approval to seek a used bulldozer for the landfill to improve compassion and extend the site’s lifespan.
During other discussions, council also discussed priorities related to law enforcement, parks and the fire department. Council members advocated for increased incentives for volunteer firefighters noting the difficulty in recruiting younger residents.
Council also received updates on wellness projects including a presentation from Renee McDonald of the San Juan County Prevention Action and Collaboration Coalition (SJCPAC). McDonald shared a series of “Parents Empowered” murals and signage featuring local youth and artwork. The campaign aims to encourage conversations between families regarding substance abuse and suicide prevention.
The artwork is set to be installed at the two schools and park facilities by May 21 aligning with the community Pinewood Derby event scheduled for May 22 at Veterans Park.
City officials hope to make the event a major family gathering with the new playground equipment at the park slated for completion ahead of the event.