General meeting

Voting

4-0 approving the Consent Agenda, which includes the minutes for the October 5th City Council Meeting.

3-1 approving an amendment to the M-1 (manufacturing) zone to add “personal instruction services” as a permitted use.

Councilmember Shields elected to abstain from the vote (which is technically a “no” vote). He commented that he didn’t want to vote either yes or no. He expressed concerns about safety in the zone for having an establishment like a dance studio near hazardous areas. See this link for the discussion at this point in the meeting.

4-0 approving budget amendment factoring in federal CARES Act funds that have been disbursed to Herriman City and have so far been partially expended. The City is exploring further options to best benefit our community with the federal funds that have been given for COVID-19 remediation and economic relief.

One such benefit will be a third round of the City Shop Around program. Further details will be announced in coming days.

4-0 appointing Interim City Manager

Following the termination of the City Manager two weeks ago, the City Council appointed Assistant City Manager Wendy Thomas to serve as an interim. The Council discussed how to approach the process of selecting both a longer-term interim city manager and eventually a permanent city manager. After a closed-door session, the Council appointed Wendy Thomas to stay in the position of Interim City Manager.

Board and Committee Reports

• Councilmember Ohrn, reporting from the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District board, noted it’s been a dry year and water usage is continually increasing, especially in Herriman. She complimented City staff, especially Public Works Director Justun Edwards on cooperation with Water District regarding water conservation and reworking contracts. She noted our Public Works Department has helped create water conservation policy through information sharing.

• Additionally, Councilmember Ohrn noted that a previously discussed athletic field concept on JVWCD land in east Herriman will not be feasible nor financially viable, so it will not move forward.

• Councilmember Smith reported from the Utah League of Cities and Towns board that they are in charge of allocating CARES Act funds to cities and towns outside of Salt Lake and Utah Counties. It was decided that 85% the funds would be disbursed equally across those municipalities, and communities especially impacted by the pandemic—like tourism-heavy areas—could apply for further aid from the remaining 15% of the funds.

• Councilmember Shields noted a recent meeting of the Point of the Mountain State Land Authority, which is directed to make decisions about land at the Point of the Mountain. A website at thepointutah.org includes a survey that is open until October 16^th for citizens to express their comments about the area.

• Councilmember Shields also summarized a recent Arts Council meeting, and announced the Herriman Orchestra’s annual performance at the Night of Lights winter event has been canceled this year. The Night of Lights is currently being adapted for COVID-19 guidelines and regulations, but the orchestra’s performance is canceled. Additionally, the Miss Herriman Scholarship pageant is scheduled for Saturday, October 24^th, but in light of recent COVID-19 regulation adjustments by the Utah Department of Health, plans may be changed. Stay tuned to City platforms for more information.

Other general meeting notes:

• Councilmember Shields expressed his thanks for City staff for their hard work, especially in light of the recent vacancy in the City Manager position. The sentiment was echoed by the rest of the Council.

 Work Meeting

Small Cell Wireless Facilities fee discussion

• The City Council recently adopted a master license agreement which governs the application, installation, and management of small cell wireless facilities within City limits.
• The Council discussed adding associated fees to the City’s Master Fee Schedule. The fees will be up for a formal adoption at a later meeting.

Academy Village Signs

• An upcoming development known as Academy Village, located off Mountain View Corridor near the RSL soccer complex, will have signage for its commercial properties. The Council discussed signage proposed by the developer. The Council was generally supportive of the proposal but wants to include a minimum distance between large signage to avoid visual clutter along Mountain View Corridor.

Stormwater Public Outreach

• As part of State requirements, Salt Lake County and Herriman City are required to submit reports to the State annually about pollutant elimination in stormwater infrastructure. This discussion was about the intent of the City to enter a formal agreement to work with Salt Lake County on the compilation of those reports and provide required public education outreach. The City Council directed staff to re-examine the City’s participation in the County stormwater coalition and ensure the cost-benefit balance is in the City’s favor.

Water infrastructure bond options

• As discussed in the September 23rd meeting, the City is considering water bonds to pay for needed improvements and is in a very favorable position for a bond. The City Council directed staff to look into the details of a potential bond, which would be repaid only by standard water service fees, and not an additional tax.

Wasatch South Hills development agreement amendment discussion:

• The owner of the existing Wasatch South Hills development agreement has proposed an amendment to the agreement as more property has been acquired. The developer would like the new property to be included with the existing agreement.

Meeting video link