Monticello waves permit fees for jail expansion

by David Boyle
News Director
Members of the Monticello City Council approved a partial fee waiver for building permit fees related to the renovation of the county Public Safety Building.
County Administrator Mack McDonald explained with the project being over budget by about $2.5 million the county is looking at cost saving measures.
McDonald explained that’s included meeting with contractors and subcontractors to find savings but with an effort to avoid reducing the quality of essential features including HVAC and elevator systems the county is asking for a fee waiver from the city.
The fee waiver did not include administrative staff time on the project. With an estimated $71,000 building permit fee, members of the city council approved a motion waiving $65,000 of that fee with plans made to look at the fine print details to approve the additional $6,000 for a waiver at an upcoming city council meeting.
Members of the Monticello City Council also denied a request to award $5,000 to go towards the RainMaker project for cloud seeding in the Abajo and La Sal Mountains.
Members of the city council cited high skepticism regarding the effectiveness of cloud seeding and voiced a preference for “sure things” such as purchasing water rights.
Updates were given on interlocal agreements with San Juan County. The previous agreement for building inspector services was rejected and is being rewritten as a service agreement.
Negotiations are also proceeding to move the Monticello Justice Court into a combined operation with San Juan County. 
The council also approved approximately $26,795 in utility deposit refunds for qualifying residents. 
The refunds are part of an effort for the city to refund the required one-year deposit on new city utility accounts. While the city normally refunds the deposits after one year in good standing the city learned in summer 2024 that the refunds had not been processed over the last five years.
The city is working its way back to return the deposits. In order to avoid pulling from savings the city approved over $10,500 in refunds in the summer of 2024 with an additional $26,795 coming back to citizens. The default will be given to credit utility accounts with the deposit amount.
Members of the Monticello City Council received a presentation on an economic blueprint for the city from the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity.
The plan is intended to provide a roadmap for an ideal future economy for the city.
The blueprint looked at key data points and received personal input from a steering committee including leaders and city council members, city staff and state staff.
The vision is built on core tenets including achieving a balanced and diversified economy; creating a vibrant and functional Main Street; facilitating housing-led strategic growth; ensuring progress preserves town character; and securing water resources.
Among the identified weaknesses or challenges in Monticello included critical housing scarcity and affordability, limited amenities resulting in economic leakage, meaning residents shopping outside of town.
Other challenges include limited private land for expansion and resources including water for some industries.
Strategic goals proposed in the plan include increasing water access by purchasing Spring Creek water rights and developing a pipeline, and collaborating with UDOT to implement traffic calming and beautification on Main Street.
Other goals included continued improvement of infrastructure including paving dirt roads in the city, and continued upgrading sewer systems. Other project considerations include the future of the city landfill which is over 90-percent full. 
Other projects relate to increased recreation opportunities including the installation of ADA playground equipment at Veterans park as well as maintenance of amenities such as the Big 4 tractor, the Hideout Golf Course and mountain bike trail systems.
Following a final draft review the blueprint will likely be adopted at a December meeting of the city council.
Members of the Monticello city council received an informational presentation from a representative with Airbuild, a company that sells carbon offsets to large entities like Apple and Microsoft. The Green River based company was recently awarded the Utah Green Business award. 
The group uses micro algae-based utility solution for wastewater treatment, the process removes high concentrations of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus with the micro algae heated into a material called ‘biochar’ a nutrient-dense soil additive which the company says can be served as a fertilizer replacement.
The company is developing a demonstration site in Green River and is looking at options to build in Monticello.
The company funds the infrastructure through grants, meaning the city would not have to put up any money to participate if they so choose. 
A discussion regarding $5,000 for new “No Engine Brake” and digital speed limit signs was tabled to a future agenda.