By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News
It was a service-oriented meeting when the Price City Council gathered on Wednesday, July 9, featuring the approval of an Eagle Scout project, a donation to Utah Support Advocates for Recovery Awareness, and recognition for a local rodeo star.
Kicking off the meeting was Council member Layne Miller, who encouraged residents to be mindful of the ongoing construction across the area. “We’re surrounded by road construction, and my best advice, and I try to do this myself, is to slow down and go with the flow and not get worried.”
Moving forward, the council deviated from the agenda and invited Drayke Tonc to the podium. Tonc – who recently earned a fourth-place finish at the National Junior High Finals Rodeo – for recognition of his accomplishments by the council. “To come from a little town like ours and be recognized nationally, it’s quite the accomplishment,” said Mayor Mike Kourianos.
Back to the agenda, the council heard a presentation from Samuel Wilson, an Eagle Scout hopeful looking to complete his service project in Price.
“My project is a trail kiosk for the Butch Cassidy mountain biking trail and the trail system around it,” explained Wilson. “It will be placed over by the baseball fields, and it will be made using mostly wood, but it will have a plexiglass front, making it much more resilient than glass.”
The structure will also feature a side that can open to update and replace maps as needed.
Council Member Amy Knott-Jespersen spoke in favor of the project,” My husband, Mark, has been working with him on it and helped formulate the plan … It would be very beneficial because the worst thing is to start a trail and have no idea where you are going and getting lost.”
In a unanimous decision, the council approved the project to move forward.
Next to the podium was Damon Davis, representing USARA, to request funding from the city for the recovery center’s annual recovery day celebration. “I’m going to start by thanking you for approving our request to use the park. Again, that worked out great, and it always does. Thank you for the amount of support that Price City and the city council show USARA, it’s felt and appreciated.”
He continued,” Our recovery day is big, and we start with a zero budget, which means that we have to go out and ask for favors and money from everybody. Everything that we give away, all the prizes, all the food that’s consumed is donated, we really do have to go hat in hand and ask for help.”
Hearing this, the council moved and approved the donation of $500 to Recovery Day.
The last public item on the agenda was a modification to an engineering agreement with Horrocks Engineering to complete the Upper Price River Plan EIS. Public Works Director Miles Nelson explained that, due to federal funding freezes, the city was unable to obtain additional funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service for the project. Determining the project needed to move forward, the city elected to fund the project through the city’s irrigation water lease reserves.
Again, the council passed the modification in a unanimous decision.
The meeting was then brought into a closed session before being adjourned.
The next meeting of the Price City Council will be held on Wednesday, July 23, beginning at 5 p.m. in Price City Hall.