Gunnison council approves 700 South storm drain work 4-1 and a trash contract

The Gunnison City Council voted 4-1 on Oct. 7 to move ahead with storm drain improvements at 700 South and Main Street, according to draft meeting minutes. A car wash being built on the southeast corner will improve about 270 feet of 700 South, and the city proposed using the opportunity to fix drainage around the intersection. The engineer's total estimate is $62,435.68, and the city's share is "nearly half," about $31,200, depending on what the Utah Department of Transportation contributes and the final construction cost. A UDOT Region 4 representative committed to help because part of the problem stems from UDOT infrastructure. Councilman Kim Pickett voted no and asked whether the flooding is the city's responsibility or UDOT's; a resident described flooding on her property and two neighboring homes. ^[1]

The council voted unanimously to accept a five-year contract from Whites Sanitation, the city's current waste hauler. With current gas prices the contract would charge $14.50 for a first can and $3.50 for a second can, according to the minutes, compared with $15.65 and $2.50 in the city's fee schedule. The minutes say the contract's rates float with gas prices and that Whites would supply large dumpsters for spring and fall cleanup and cover up to four dumps. ^[1]

With 694 primary and 304 secondary cans, the city now spends $111,138 a year on hauling and collects $139,453, a net of $28,315. Unless the fee schedule changes, the minutes say, the new contract would cut annual revenue by $22,386. The minutes say that if the contract was approved, the recommendation was to raise the primary can rate by $1 and the secondary can rate from $2.50 to $6.40 to keep the arrangement revenue-neutral. The minutes record no vote on those fee changes. ^[1]

Council members also discussed a school resource officer agreement. The interlocal agreement among Gunnison Valley entities was adopted in 2008 and expired in 2018, and parties have continued under its old terms; a request has been made that the county's share be student-based, like the cities' shares since a 2023 revision that was never put in a written amendment. Mayor Michael Wanner asked city manager Dennis Marker to form a subcommittee. A proposal for columbarium niches for cremated remains at the cemetery was tabled. ^[1]

UDOT presented its Central Utah Fiber Project, which installed open conduit along Highway 89 for future communications and provided free Wi-Fi at Gunnison Park; the project is expected to finish by the end of summer. The council approved bills totaling $373,627.89 for the period ending Oct. 2. Staff reported a 6.4% increase in the annual health insurance renewal. ^[1]