Bluff Council holds special meeting to address flood impacts

Members of the Bluff Town Council held a special meeting on November 10.

The special meeting allowed council members to enact disaster relief measures for the town, to go alongside other meetings held over the past few weeks dealing with the impacts of the flooding of the San Juan River.

At the meeting the town council created a Residential Assistance Program. Funded through the Utah Department of Emergency Management the program places Bluff as a pass-through to reimburse homeowners for critical clean-up and repair costs.

Town officials explained eligible expenses included debris and mud removal as well as repairs to essential utilities including heating, air conditioning, plumbing and electric systems. It was clarified that these funds exclude general structural repairs including replacement or repair of walls, windows, doors and flooring as well as landscaping or yard cleanups.

Members of the Bluff town council also voted to waive all town building permit and inspection fees for flood-impacted properties. While building permits are legally required for life-safety work like electrical repairs, the council noted that eliminating those fees ensures that safety checks are not delayed by financial concerns. 

Bluff town council also made plans for a Local Government Emergency Business Relief Fund to support businesses ineligible for residential state aid.

Under Utah state regulations, Bluff can dedicate up to 10-percent of its unrestricted tax revenues toward direct non-repayable business emergency grants.

Town officials are drafting an application form to gauge physical flood damage as well as secondary economic losses related to the flooding. Officials estimate that 10-percent may be around $45,000.

Council also received updates on other infrastructure repair including the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) plans to repair the Comb Wash bridge on as well as work by Rocky Mountain Power repairing utility poles.

Council also made plans to assist Town Manager Erin Nielson with increased administrative tasks by having council redistribute routine administrative duties, such as building scheduling, amongst council members.