By Catina Nichols
Times-News Correspondent
The Levan Town Council met July 15 for their regular
monthly meeting. Absent was council member Alden Shurtz.
It was voted upon to raise the town's natural gas rate
from 68 cents to 71 cents per therm. This will help the town
to recover from losses suffered from exceeding the
contracted gas price. To meet the demand the town had to pay
"spot-market" price, which is more than double the
contracted cost of natural gas. Levan's natural gas is
supplied through the Juab Rural Development Agency at a
contracted price included in the services bond. The contract
allows a 20-percent growth rate. Levan has exceeded that
rate for the last six months. Town employee, Jason Worwood
stated that "In the survey of this thing, we just barely,
two years ago, hit the consumption of gas that they
anticipated we would hit back in '93 and '94."
Mayor Robinson said, "So we are about 8 years behind and
our bond payment has been escalating by $5000 a year
anticipating growth to cover those costs. Growth didn't
occur sufficient enough to cover that." Council member Rod
Wankier asked when the bond would be paid for. He was told
it would be paid in 2007. The Mayor would check into it.
Council member Ryan Aagard added that per J.R.D.A.
policy, county residents would pay a 5-percent increase for
their gas above what a town resident would pay.
The motion to raise the natural gas rate from 68 cents
per therm to 71 cents, was made by Ryan Aagard and seconded
by Craig Worwood. Motion carried.
•Continuing down the agenda to the proposed garbage
rate increase, Mayor Robinson stated that currently there
will be no increase.
Heber Taylor asked if the town had considered approaching
Nephi about possibly working a deal to use their garbage
truck. Mayor Robinson informed Mr. Taylor that it was a
consideration as well as the possibility of jointly owning a
truck with Mona. The mayor further stated, "We will look
into that further and try to optimize our garbage collection
situation so that it is the most beneficial to the town."
Heber responded, "Well that's what we hired you for is to be
beneficial to the town."
Golden Mangelson said Nephi might not be to interested
because they don't want to interfere with private
industry.
Brad from BFI attended with a garbage contract proposal
including a significant increase. The Mayor informed them
that the town was currently looking at a few other proposals
and that he could submit his contract for review and that
they would not be making an agreement tonight.
•Eric Jeffs asked the council who was responsible
for the maintenance and paving of the road in his
subdivision. Mr. Jeffs was flanked by his neighbors, Kaye
and Jon Mitchell who also have similar concerns. The
residents of the subdivision have delayed the installation
of driveways and front yards until they know "where the
blacktop ends." They are worried, should the need arise,
emergency vehicles could not access them if conditions were
wet and muddy. Mr. Jeffs also stated that he himself had had
to pull cars out of the mud of people visiting his
neighborhood, "In the winter time you can't even tell where
the road is."
Mayor Robinson said, "What we agreed to that he (Golden
Mangelson) could bring the roads up to grade ready for
paving. Then we further announced that if they were ever
paved that they would be paved by him, that we did not have
the revenue to pave them. We stated that we would not pave
them."
"We never agreed to that," said Golden Mangelson, "When
we talked about that you were paving roads to everybody in
town. Those blocks have been in the city limits for 25
years."
The Mayor stated that the town agreed to pave it if there
was a significant amount of revenue to do so. He further
said that Mr. Mangelson was informed that the road would not
be paved and he should inform his buyers that those roads
would stay gravel. Mr. Mangelson said, "That is not true
Andrew."
This led to a rather heated debate of who-said-what-when.
Council member Craig Worwood backed up the Mayor saying, "We
had several discussions on that." Mr. Mangelson insisted
that there was only discussion but no decision. He further
stated that the agreement was only for a gravel road. Mayor
Robinson continued to press the council's point that the
road would only be paved if there was money available to do
so otherwise they would have to pay for it themselves.
Mr. Mangelson then made reference to an incident relative
to the subdivision of 400 south, "Just as soon as it got to
a point where there was a political vote or two involved in
that, that road got paved down there and all the way to our
the lane and around the corner. And that's the reason it got
paved."
Mayor Robinson continued saying the town had money to
overlay a couple of existing roads but did not have the
money to pave a new road.
To this, Golden Mangelson reminded the council that from
the time a road is paved, the town receives from the State
B&C road fund, $5 a lane foot, every year, for
maintenance. Gravel roads bring in only 75 cents per lane
foot. The B&C road fund is funded by our tax dollars
through gas taxes and license plate fees. He asked if they
pay to pave the road, will the town refund them the money
that they get from the B&C on that stretch of
pavement.
Council member Wankier asked, "Can we do that? I don't
think we can give road funds." The Mayor clarified that the
town could only use B&C monies for repairs and
maintenance. Mr. Mangelson felt he could be reimbursed. He
said he no longer owns the property anyway since the town
required him to deed the road property over to them.
Kaye Mitchell expressed her frustration, "I am a town
citizen just like everyone else and I think we deserve a
good road out there." "If we had a fire. If the truck came
in there it would get stuck down there. If the truck went
off the edge even a little bit they'd be in a mud hole." The
Mayor said, "At least they'd be stuck where the fire
is."
After continued discussion on the priority of overlaying
existing roads vs. the benefit of the B&C funds from the
new road, and the challenge of whether the abandoned ditches
in the area are, in fact, abandoned, Mr. Mangelson and the
town council compromised and decided that if the town will
pave the road to the subdivision, Mangelson will pave the
road in the subdivision.
The Mayor said that the town residents would have to
understand that overlaying the roads in their neighborhood
might have to wait a few years longer because of the
construction of the new road to the Mangelson
subdivision.
Council member Craig Worwood reported that the first of
three grant money payments had come in to begin sidewalk
construction. He is in the process of getting plans drawn up
and opening the project for bids. The town is required to
match some of the funds but can do so with volunteer
labor.
A concern was brought to the attention of the council by
Council member Ryan Aagard. The two companies that operate
out of the gypsum mine have been observed taking water from
a city hydrant and out of Irrigation Company facilities.
Geneva also operates in the canyon but this does not involve
them. If any citizen observes anyone taking water from a
hydrant, please call Jason Worwood.
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