City Council - Regular Meeting

We we'd like to call to order tonight's uh city council meeting on Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026. And like to welcome all city council members uh present tonight. Thank you. And those that are joining us in the audience and and online. Thank you for participating. Uh we'll get started. Call order and pledge allegiance by director Winterton.

Aliance to the flag of To the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all. And we've asked Council Member Anderson to give our opening remarks tonight.

Our dear father in heaven, we're very grateful for the opportunity that we have to come together as citizens of Pleasant Grove. We're grateful for this beautiful town. At this time, we ask a special blessing that we will receive some moisture. We pray that the skies will be filled and that we will snow and we will rain and that we'll be able to fill up our reservoirs and that we'll have enough water for the rest of the year. We also ask a blessing on our public safety and those that are keeping us safe there. We're grateful for each department and the staff and we pray for their safety. We also pray for us tonight on city council that we will make those decisions that will bless Pleasant Grove in the long run. And we say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Thank you, Director Wton and Council Member Anderson. Um, we have some great things happening tonight on our agenda, but Scott, is there anything that we need to amend or adjust? Uh, no changes, mayor. So, no change changes. So, I'll uh ask for a motion to approve tonight's meeting agenda. I make the motion that we approve tonight's agenda. A motion by Council Member Leone. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Council Member Rogers. Sorry, Council Member Anderson. And all those in favor? I. Thank you.

All right. We have the great opportunity to have the administration oath of office uh for our newest council member, Dustin Phillips. And we're going to turn the time over to Wendy. Can we can we do a photo maybe with you and Janine and mayor and council behind you?

You guys just stand in front of the dis there. So maybe can you center a little bit Dustin that way? There you go. Mayor. Yes. Can we have maybe Dustin share a little bit about himself like personally? I know he gave it during the interviews, but unless someone like weeds through three hours of he won't have to answer any questions this time. He can just have free rain. Yeah. Way to people can cut to the chase. Oh, okay.

So, before our uh open session, we're going to turn the time over to our nearest newest city council member, Dustin Phillips, and just hey, reintroduce yourself. And this time, we won't ask any questions.

So, Dustin Phillips, my wife, Janine, uh we moved to Pleasant Grove back in 2007. Uh have raised our three kids here. They've all gone through the school system. Um I've probably been kicked out of church ball a few times. um enjoy being active in the uh community. We love to hike uh walk the trails. Um we just enjoy being outside and Pleasant Grove is a community that allows us to do that. So we we uh just enjoy the atmosphere having been involved with the city. Uh and it's great to see Sherry here. Um served on the the um board for the library for a number of years before the board of adjustments and then the planning commission. Uh so for about 15 or so years I've been actively involved with the city, but uh that's kind of it.

And then your involvement like with the chamber and the bank.

Uh yeah, so um very active in the community from a professional standpoint. Been a banker my whole career. Um also on on nonprofit boards. I've been on the board for an organization out of Salt Lake called um Rocky Mountain CRC. They focus on um financing affordable housing projects uh not only in the state of Utah but uh inner mountain west and they're actually expanding here uh to the east. But affordable housing is is something that I've been uh heavily involved in uh in my career, but also uh currently serve on the board of directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Utah County. Um, and so get involved again in just ways to help serve the community and and especially a sensitive uh heart to those that that maybe are in need u that that maybe just need a little bit of extra help. So uh those kind of things through the bank and my my career as a as a banker and a bank executive. So uh just ways to to reach out and give back.

Awesome. Thank you. It's it's good to have you here. So, with that, um, we're going to I don't we don't have any public hearings really tonight, but we'll turn the time over now to the, uh, for open session for those who'd like to get up. We have a a threeminut time limit, but for those who'd like to get up and express anything, any concerns or happiness or whatever you want to express up here, um, feel free. Come on up. And please state your name when you come up. Hi, my name's April. Uh, so I grew up here in Pleasant Grove. Uh, and I'm also representing my parents tonight. They've lived in the city for about 30 years. Uh, we live across the street from Mount Mahogany. Um, so, uh, I'm here representing a concern that, so my sister is buried in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery and we've noticed that since the new Cook Park has been put in, uh, things have been taken off of her grave or broken. Uh, and we do believe that that might be because kids are wandering over because there is no separation between Cook Family Park and the cemetery. uh and that kids are wandering over into the cemetery. Um and you know that's very hurtful to my mother. I don't like watching her cry over this sort of thing. And you know this just happened uh just in the past week. We had left a fossil from one of our trips on her grave and it someone had picked it up and thrown it down on uh you know like the cement that's kind of in front of the gravestone and they chipped that and they you know broke the rock apart and took some pieces. Um, and you know, that's just concerning. And I would assume that we're probably not the only ones that have uh dealt with uh, you

know, things being disrupted on gravestones and uh, so I mean I my ask from the city council would be to consider maybe putting in a fence, some sort of separation between the park and the cemetery. Of course, this is a new section of the cemetery. that's, you know, that's where most people are getting buried these days. I I also have a friend from high school who's buried there. Um, and it's, you know, it's just a real shame to, you know, most adults understand to not mess around with things on people's graves, but it's unfortunate to see kids going in there and and messing with things. So, I mean, I would ask too that perhaps police presences or at least police uh patrol in that area perhaps more often when there are kids unsupervised at the park like right after school. Uh I'm sure that, you know, maybe kids walk down from the nearby junior high and they come down to the skate park and then I don't know, maybe they get into trouble, but uh that is a concern that I would like to see uh the council something about

Thank you. Thank you, April. Sorry. We'll wait. We'll have to wait till after and then we can we'll address it. Is that okay? Well, I had a quick question for her. I think we'll wait. We'll wait and then we'll address it. So, thanks. Uh, anyone else?

My name is Danielle Gurr and I cry when I'm nervous, so forgive me. Um, this is something that's also very tender to my heart. So, in April, a 9-year-old was hit and killed in the crosswalk. In October, a six-year-old was hit and seriously injured. In o or in November, a sixth grader was hit and sustained road burns. Also in November, a student from Pleasant Grove High was hit while in the crosswalk directly outside of the high school. She was seriously injured. And in December, a family of six was walking to the Pleasant Grove treelighting and three of the six were hit by a car. They received scrapes and bruises. This is not a them problem. This is not a you problem. It is an us problem. And it's safe to say that it's not even a Pleasant Grove City problem. If you pay attention to the news, I just saw another one today where somebody was hit and seriously injured in another city. It's all over the place right now. The police cannot be on the corner um on every single corner all the time. It's up to us to make changes and to make sure we are driving as safe as possible to keep these kids and every citizen of our community safe. I have been a crossing guard for Pleasant Grove for eight years now and I'm very grateful to say that I have never been hit, but I could give you example after example of times that I have almost been hit. Um, one of the biggest problems I see is a lack of education on what the different crosswalks mean. I would like to teach what these mean and suggest some ideas for how to educate our community. Um, there are zebra crosswalks. These are mostly used for school zones. And then there are standard crosswalks. The zebra crosswalk has the thick white lines that go all the way across, excuse me, um, vertically across the whole street. This means that cars remain stationary until the entire crosswalk is

clear of all pedestrians, children and adults. The standard crosswalk has two solid white lines across the road. Drivers must stop for pedestrians but may proceed. Oh my goodness, I'm way out of time. But may proceed once the pedestrian has passed their lane of travel. What people don't realize is that when crossing a crossing guard is in the standard crosswalk with a stop sign up, it is also a school crosswalk. I've had many people drive right through the crosswalks while children and myself are still in them. People think that when they're in the that when the children are out that the rules don't apply to them, but I can be standing right in the middle of the road and have people go right past me. Um, some tips I would like to share is I cross at Manila at the light on 1800 North and 100 East. There is one zebra crosswalk going across there and there four intersections. I would like to suggest that you guys please go look at all of these crosswalks and put two. There should be two zebra stripes in each of these crosswalks. I cross them one way and then majority of my kids cross the other way where it's just standard and people think that they can just keep going. So I would really strongly urge to do that. I guess I'll just give you

Yes. If you would like to give it to our city administrator right there, Scott, then he'll make a copy for each of us. Okay. And then we'll have that copy. And if you want to also email that to to Scott and then he can send it to each of us or you can email each of us individually if you want. All right for your time. Yeah. All right. Good suggestions. Yeah, Scott, will you take care of that? If I could. Yeah, I can address both issues.

Um, as far as the cemetery's concerned, vandalism is something that's always been a part of the game there. Um whether there's uh increased issues there uh with Cook Family Park, I don't know. I mean, it could uh I I don't want to discount what the citizen has been representing. U that would not surprise me if we had kids from time to time coming from that park over to the cemetery. Um Dion and I and and uh Chief Brown, we we'll sit down and um and try to figure out ways of prevention. Um the the problem with putting up a fence is we are expanding the cemetery to the west and so to put up a fence would um bifrocate our cemetery. So uh we'll we'll see what we can do as far as enforcement um as far as um even our parks workers keeping an eye because we usually have at least one um sometimes two parks workers at that park uh during work hours. Um, so if the kids are coming after school then then hopefully our our guys could keep an eye on that. If they see kids wandering over that way then they could call the police or or head over there themselves. So um appreciate

Will you also review um maybe video surveillance like maybe cost effective ways? Yeah. Well that's sit down and talk through to see what the possibilities are um in regards to that. In a general sense vandalism is a tough thing. I mean, we we do have it in our parks and other places and um you know, there's in order to combat that, you know, cities are battling that all the time trying to figure out the best way to do that. Council member Leone Lemon had a question so wonder throw it to her really quick. Because this isn't the first time I've heard of it. Yeah. And I just had a question in regards to where the headstone was that you were referring to, April. Can I just Is it in the new Come on. Yeah.

You said it was in the new section. Yeah, it's in the new section. where in the new section. So, probably right where we're expanding it, right? Um, she's close to where where we're expanding it. Um, so Okay. Yeah. It's weird, you know, because the cemetery I got used to it being a certain way. It's been expanded. Is it in Is it in the new section that was just put in? We haven't opened that, right? So, it's so it's so it's the road separates it right now. There's that road that separates it up there. Yeah, she is on kind of that that western side. So So there's the new section and then there's like a parking lot and then the park starts. Correct.

Well, there's a So we we just expanded our cemetery a few years ago to add just one smaller section. I'm assuming that's where we're where we're talking about. Then we have a road and then we have three new sections of expansion that we've just barely put in between that and the park. Well, the new sections, yes, are between what's currently being used and the park. And is some of those new sections being used for events or sporting or anything right now? Well, maybe some we do have one section we could use.

I mean, it's um our our we we're going to be opening soon the brand new section, but our our uh expansion is there's three different phases of the new expansion. So, we're just going to move into phase one that will take seven, eight years fill up, then we'll move into phase two, seven or eight years, and then into phase three.

Because the the family that I spoke to, the headstone for their daughters is right on the border of the new section on the west end facing the park. So, it's it's lining up with what April's saying. if you have kids coming in and out and they see they've had items stolen and broken as well. And I do like the idea even if it's a fence somewhat temporary because I do think it needs some separation there because I think kids

are being kids and they're seeing stuffed animals. They're seeing something they could a fossil. They're seeing things that are of significant meaning to residents, but they're going and taking them. Yeah. Um, so whether it's video surveillance, more police presence, or a temporary fence, and even if it's in each section, because I I haven't gotten I know it happens in the older section, but not as many in the new and I do think it's only going to uh happen more because of additional headstones and also more kids.

So, a barrier of some sort. I mean, that looks nice, but even if it's temporary, I think we really need to look at investing in something. And it doesn't have to be around the entire section. I think just that visible barrier between the park and the edge of the cemetery, that new section, um would definitely help deter deter that because I it is heartbreaking. I know I've spoken with a family because it didn't happen just once to them. It's happened at least twice where their daughters have stones. They've had items stolen or broken and it's devastating for families. So, I do want to look at a way we can help prevent that. Yeah. Okay. Thanks.

Um well, I think so what what I'm suggesting is that we'll sit down and come up with some solutions. We'll come back, present them to you, have you take a look and see if that's enough. Um, you know, on what we can do, okay? Because I don't think these what we're probably going to do is probably not going to cost a ton of money, but I mean, part of it aesthetics, part of its access, I mean, just things like that. But I think what you're suggesting, Sid, I think is is doable. So, okay, we'll we'll talk through that. Uh, item number two. Well, I didn't close open session.

Oh, sorry. So I if there is anyone else would like to come forward uh please come forward. If not okay all right Scott we'll close public session open session.

Okay. Uh I appreciate Daniel. Thank you for coming. She's PG city employee so uh we like that. Uh no, the as we've been looking at um issues with u with pedestrian safety, the crossing guards are part of that equation. Um what she was explaining with the crosswalks, that's something that's new to me. I was not aware. I mean, we've talked about this recently, but as of a few months ago, I was not aware there was a differentiation. Um part and this was going to be part of what we were going to talk to you about tomorrow. Um, I I would like for us as a city to meet with each school and go over their safe routes for school plan and make sure that we as a city are uh aligned with what the school is telling their kids. Um, education is a big part of it. If I don't know how many parents know that there's a difference in the crosswalks and so those are things that we um could encourage the school to um educate people on. And we we're also working some public relations on our end to educate people or to be a little bit more aware we've done in the last month or two that we could add that we could add a tutorial on that into our PR stuff um so that we can just be better better prepared. But that's I think that's our next step is engaging with each school and talking about the safe routes.

Thank you. Okay. Beautiful. Thank you. All right. Okay, we'll move on to item seven, consent items. Um, mayor, I had Oh, sorry. Go ahead. A special request, maybe a motion regarding the consent items. I think one of them is a payment on the Cook Family Park. We haven't had an update on that budget or what's been happening with that in quite some time. I was wondering if you would entertain um maybe Neil or Scott giving us an update on the budget on that. Sure. Sure. We can always do that on consent items. If we have a concern, we can we can have if they're prepared. Well, we're not prepared today to get into If not, we can maybe maybe ask tomorrow or our next meeting to to have a report.

Yeah, that would be fine. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. That'd be fine. I I understand the request and I don't have an objection to it. I'm just wanting an update on the budget and where the where we're at moneywise with the project. So, Denise, I don't know how I mean, I know you have a spreadsheet that's keeping track of everything for tomorrow. Would we be able to give them a general idea where we're at? Because we got to reconcile, right? Well, would the 17th work? Would that if we haven't just reported on the 17th, our next meeting? I mean, should you probably get a rough draft tomorrow 17th? 17th next meeting. Great.

Well, we're we're on budget, I guess, if if that's a concern. I mean, we're not over spent in that, but I can tell you exactly where we're at in regards to relationship between the bond amount and how much we've spent so far. and what we have left and what we have left to to do with that money maybe. And yeah, just an update on there's not a ton left. I mean, uh the the sign that was just barely went up. Um there's still some electrical that sign supposed to light up.

That part hasn't been done. That's one of the punch list items. I think we're still working through a few punch list and then we with whole payment final payment till the punch list is taken care of. So, in fact, we were just talking about this two days ago, me, Neil, and Denise about getting that all reconciled so we knew exactly where we're at. So, we'll get it to you as soon as possible. I don't know if you want I if we withhold payment on this, Neil, is that going to be an issue or is that something you're entertaining is withholding payment or you I'm just interested in Yeah. having it updated. I think it's been about probably six months since we've really got an update on

I think that that arch went up and I was like, "Wow, there it is." I mean, Steve, Steve, are you are you okay if we approve? I don't have any objection to the request. I want to make that clear.

And then get up. We could even get an update. The pay requests come in fairly late because they have to perform the work. They have to do the work. We have to accept the work. We have to prepare the the the pay request and then it's and and so there's only one more payment coming in. That will be final payment for Cook Family Park. Uh we're on the home stretch as far as a quick update. We'll get the final numbers with Denise all together. uh there's money in the bun uh budget and the bond and in fact I believe from our initial estimates we will be getting some money back from you know the the contractor contingency that holds some

uh so so we'll have that but there's one more payment after this one that will be the final payment we hold what we call warranty money so they don't get all their money till all the warranty is up in a uh or more depending on what the item is. Um and so that's the process with this project or any project. Uh you have first of all the payment request and then you have retainage. You actually retain some just because then you release the retainage then you have warranty after the year or so is up. You release the warranty and then the project is fully ours without any further incumbrances from the contractor.

Yeah. And I know Britain looks at these and he's I trust him because I know I know the work he does on these. So, I'm fine. I I don't have an objection to it. I just wanted an an update and a more detailed update on the budget and where we're at. Yeah. And maybe just maybe warranty timelines of certain things of when those kicked in, when we're going to need to do some inspection to make sure that everything looks good. I just, you know, it's it's a great park and it's a great project and it's a huge project. So, I would like an update financially on it. So, thank you. I think we can get that and just coordinate on that. Excellent. Thanks. All right. With that said, I'll I'll entertain a motion for item number seven, consent items.

Mayor, I'll make a motion to approve tonight's consent items as documented. We have a motion by Council Member Williams. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Council Member Anderson. All those in favor? I

I unanimous. Thank you. Um, at this time we don't have any uh board or commissioner committee appointments uh presentations and public hearings. We're going to move on to uh number item number 11A action items ready for a vote to consider resolution 2026-06 authorizing the mayor to declare four handguns, 18 rifles, and 11 shotguns as surplus and direct that they be disposed of according to the city's policy for disposing of surplus property and providing for effective aid. Uh, Chief Brown.

Good evening, Mayor Council. First of all, for those that conveyed messages about the cemetery and uh our speed problem and causing our problem, a very u appreciate the messages. Uh I'm with you want to convey that message to a younger generation, but the cemetery is uh reverence for those who rest, right? And theft items over cemeteries has been a 20 year narrative of those something and take it and it's it's brutal and so I'm with you on that. We will provide some extra patrols on the crossing guard's uh tough spot, right? You're out there uh dodging cars and we try to settle those as much we can. So, I appreciate those messages. We will attend to those accordingly.

Thank you. In reference to the items uh at hand, uh year or so ago that the city gave us funding to purchase a bunch of AR rifles, brand new ones. We had had a collection of stuff. We had acquired a few at a time over the years and now we have a collection of rifles that are all the same brand model and some pretty pretty nice weaponry which is brand cheese. I don't know. I wasn't trying to test you. I just I don't know. I don't know. I was curious more than anything. Sorry. They were nice brands. You wanted to know if you had some in stock. I know. I know. I know. Back in the day the most affordable ones were Rock River. Uh, and so we Todd, see see me. I have the list here if you want to see.

Okay. So, uh, so the surplus ones we will we will sell to a gun dealer and and some of those handguns have been around for a while and so we'll we'll sell those off to a gun dealer and then we'll use some of those proceeds to to replace we'll probably buy some spare handguns to keep in our armory. We will uh probably buy some tear gas rounds and some pepper ball uh you know refresh our pepper ball. Those have an expiration date. taser cartridges. So, we'll just turn those back into stuff that we use uh or have the potential to use in the performance of our duties and stuff like that. But, uh we're appreciative for the uh weaponry that was provided.

Do they do that as a sealed sealed bid or I mean like I know the county and state has, you know, procure procurement when we sell those. Yeah. When when you when you go out and sell them, I mean, if you sell them to a dealer. Yeah. So we we used to take them to a place in Salt Lake and we and we've checked with what that rate would be and then check with a a certain license dealer in Oram and we just went with the one that would give us the higher price of the two places. Um we buy them from one dealer because they have the state bid so we buy them from so they

so uh yeah that's those and so we'll we'll turn that money back into stuff for our for our uh firearms um division. So, any other questions for Chief Brown? All right. Um, if that I'll entertain a motion because it's a resolution, I'll entertain a motion and we'll have a roll call vote. Mayor, I'll make a motion to approve resolution 2026-06 authorizing the mayor to declare four handguns, 18 rifles, and 11 shotguns as surplus and direct that they be disposed of according to city's policy for disposing of surplus property and providing for an effective date. We have a motion by Council Member Williams. Do I have a second? Second.

Second by Council Member Rogers. This will be a roll call vote. Uh, Council Member Anderson, yes. Council member Rogers, yes. Council member Leone, yes. Council member Williams, yes. And Council Member Phillips, yes. Okay, thank you. It's unanimous. Sorry, I had to make that a little grand there. So, um, okay, moving on to what's that? You got a little spice.

We'll move on to action item number 11B, to consider resolution 2026-7, authorizing the mayor to sign a utility uh license agreement with the Utah Department of Transportation, UD do, to facilitate approval process for city projects within state highway rights of way and providing for anector effective date. Director Winterton,

welcome. This is a 10-year license. It's effective for five. Automatically renews after five. So, effectively 10 years. We have city utilities within the state rideway. State Street, uh, Geneva Road, North County Boulevard, the off-ramp, and we enter into an agreement every 10 years to be able to keep our utilities there. It spells out that we need to give them notice if we go dig or if there's an emergency, what the requirements are. And so that is what is before you today. Uh, attorney Peterson has reviewed it and found it uh meets all muster.

Awesome. Any questions for director? All right. With that, then I'll entertain a motion for resolution 2026-7. Mayor, I'll make a motion that we approve resolution 2026-07 authorizing the mayor to sign a utility license agreement with the Utah Department of Transportation. We have a motion by Council Member Anderson. Do I have a second? I'll second it. Second by Council Member Phillips. Let's see. This will be a roll call uh vote call. Uh Council Member Williams, yes. Council member Lemon, yes. Council member Phillips, yes. Council member Rogers. Yes. And Council Member Anderson. Yes. Thank you.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Uh, our next item is to consider awarding uh the Battle Creek Trail Head parking lot improvements project to Geneva Rocks Rock Products with a base bid price of $1,644.50. 50 cents and authorized the mayor to sign the notice of award and notice to proceed and agreement upon receipt and approval of final contract documents. Director, thank you. The uh engineers estimate was 1.5 million which represents a shift in the bidding climate that we have seen on not only this project but a couple others. Uh the project includes enhancing and improving the um the parking lot at Battle Creek. We had about 14 biders. Uh and we are extremely happy with the the competency of Geneva Rock having worked with them and a steady company for many years. And so that's what's recommended before you. They'd like to get started right away so that they can complete it as quickly as possible, possibly before the busiest summer season. Uh their timelines are showing uh Memorial Day if they can jump on it,

which is extremely aggressive. degree weather. That helps as well. Yeah. Do we have any questions? No. Do will we see will we talk about this tomorrow? Some of the design I've got a layout in tomorrow's presentation. Yeah. Great. Yeah. I just was wondering about that. No, the bids. I think it's phenomenal that we get a well-known contractor for well under our engineers estimates very competitively as well with 14 biders. This this is work that we would have anticipated maybe two or three biders if we bid it out three or four years ago last three or four years. So

wonderful. All right, with that we'll entertain a motion. I'll make a motion uh to award the Battle Creek Trail Head parking lot improvement project to Geneva Rock Products with a base bid price of 1 million $6,044.50 and authorized to and authorizing the mayor to sign the notice of award notice to proceed and the agreement upon receipt and approval of final contract documents. We have a motion by Council Member Rogers. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Council Member Williams. All those in favor? I

I All right, that's unanimous. And we'll say any nazs, but it sounded pretty unanimous to me. Okay. All right. That, believe it or not, finishes our our city council meeting for tonight. Scott, items for discussion uh are for tomorrow or for our next meeting. Do you have anything you'd like to come up and discuss?

Uh, not necessarily. I emailed the agenda out a couple days ago. Um I've also sent a link to a Google Drive that has the agenda and all the presentations for tomorrow um for you to just have. You'll see it all tomorrow. Um anyway, um I do have uh for our next meeting on the 17th, our budget works or our work session, we're planning on spending the whole hour uh specifically on the utility rate study. So the study's been taking place for months. we um are in um a place where we're ready to sit down and go over the results and have the consultant present that to you and then we'll talk about next steps. So, we think that's going to take um the full hour for our work session in two weeks and then we do have some um public hearings, community development items um code text amendments u mostly of changes that are going to happen. So, that's what we have right now. I do want to introduce um our new intern. We have our old intern, Britain. Britain, raise your hand. Okay, Britain's been with us for a few months. Britain just got hired as he's going to go to Provo and do an internship with them

uh starting uh in the spring. But we have Soad Singh. So, will you come up? Yeah. In fact, we'll have you come up to the podium. Is the mic still on? The mic's still on. Uh she is going to uh be our intern as soon as school gets out. starting beginning of May or so. Will you introduce yourself to the council?

Hello, my name is Soad Singh. I am excited and grateful for this opportunity. Um, I met Scott and David at the International City Council Management Association conference in Tampa and I was just struck by the expertise and I'm excited to learn from them. And uh, on a more personal note, Pleasant Grove has a special place in my heart. my mission president and his wife William and Heidi Woen live here and um I've been to the Cook Center um to the Ruth quite a few times and I I just love Pleasant Grove. Thank you. Glad you're here. I love the smile. Thanks. Well done. Yeah. Yeah. Don't forget.

We like your We like We like your smile, too. Yeah. You You did a good job. There was He is so good. There was a level of excitement that we saw that was really kind of nice, but uh glad you're here. Awesome. Both of you are here. Perfect. Does anyone have any questions about tomorrow for Scott or any updates or anything you need to give him? Uh send that over to him probably tonight so he can get it on. Right. Well, I mean, the agenda has already been published, but if there's some uh additional items, we do have

um set aside time for the council to bring up anything issues, concerns, or things that you would like us to look at and work on. That will be on the agenda tomorrow. We are uh we're starting at 8:30. We will be at the Ruth up in their boardroom. Um we we'll have a continental breakfast um and then we'll have a a hot lunch as part of the So as far as um the meals are concerned, those have all been taken care of. But uh for those that have been doing this for a while, it's uh going to be pretty similar to what we've experienced in the past. A lot of great information for you. A lot of um a lot of things going on in the city. And then like I said, we'll open it up for your input on things you want us to consider for 26. So great. That's the plan for tomorrow.

Uh stuff business. We're going to move to tomorrow since we're going to be seeing you a lot. You're going to hear plenty from us tonight from hear from us tonight. But I will come up here if there's any council business. I'll start with council member Leone if you have anything.

Yeah. Something I want to have wanted to bring up for a while is regarding open session. Since I've been on the council, this has kind of changed over time where there was an open session and people could go for as long as they wanted and then we limited three minutes and then it's kind of been flowing depending on issues going on in the city. And the reason I think we limited to three minutes was during the public safety time we would have a lot of people coming during meetings and it ended up taking we'd be here till midnight literally. Um, and so I understand the three minute limit and but one thing that I would like to present or I guess suggest is that um I feel like when people come and they present their issue, they're kind of talking to a brick wall. And there's not any feedback or interaction or questions. And so that's bothered me because I don't feel one that's being transparent. And for a lot of people, they're taking time off work away from their family to come down. And for people as well, it's difficult for them to get up and speak in public like this in front of the council. And I think they have issues that we can interact with them. And again, I understand why this has happened in the past because there was a really hostile time during that public safety building years when when we interacted it just got really ugly. I don't think that's the case anymore. I think there's more decorum and I think we're all adults and we can handle interaction with the public and I want to respect the time that they've taken to come down um and be able to ask questions and interact because again I feel like it's a brick wall and then they turn and leave and it's like why did I just come down? Why are we here? Why are you here? If there's not going to be interaction, it doesn't mean that their issue is going to be resolved, but I feel like there's a wall up and there's not anything happening between us and the public, which is the whole reason they came down. So, I want to suggest that um I'm I'm fine with the three-minute time limit. I understand

that because again with long meetings, we have to move along. But mayor, if you want to start, you know, it's not all that warrants a discussion. Um, but when there's sensitive issues or any issue that we just want to be able to to speak with them, I feel like we're losing that opportunity. And mayor, I I understand like you could lead the discussion or open up the council or just if we have questions, but it's bothered me for a while and I just want to be open and transparent and welcome them to come down with their questions and concerns and give us the opportunity to interact with you leading that discussion.

Great. Thank you. Yeah, we've and I've even talked with this with some other council members and I think most recently council member Rogers. Um, we've talked about after uh open session and then bringing up if there was any concerns with said residents or or anyone that we can then bring up a director that has that institutional knowledge or knowledge that we're discussing and then have that one-on-one discussion whether like we saw tonight um with Scott and with April April um and kind of have that discussion. We can kind of kind of grow from there. I I mean, yeah. I mean, I'll listen to other council members, but do you have anything else?

No, that was it. I mean, just as long as we tell them that's what's happening because I don't want them to come up and speak and then turn around and leave and then they're gone and they don't really know what's going on. So, if we I like that idea, but I also if they want to stay up and a director comes up, I I don't think we've had anyone who's been hostile recently, but I understand that depending on the issue. So, I like that idea of that format, but just so they know so they don't leave and then we lose the opportunity to talk about. With that said, I think we've always tried to be be very transparent with our residents and and I think all of us have been very open with our our communication and open to residents if you want to talk to us. I mean, I I met with eight or nine people yesterday. It was a wonderful experience to bring them in and have that opportunity. And so, um, yeah, Scott, what,

um, in the general sense, um, I'll admit it's been a little clunky in the past. I think there's a way we can improve this. Um, with what council member Leone is suggesting, I think within this realm of when we have the because we don't necessarily know what's going to be said. A large majority of when people are going to come up and address you, it's going to be turned over to staff um, for us to sit down with the rest of to resolve the problem. pretty similar to today. So, we had two comments and both of those are going to be handled on the staff level. Um, I think what I'm hearing being said is maybe right up front that's part of as we open open session, you can tell them we are here to hear, we as the council are here to hear from you. We're not going to engage in a debate, but as you share with us where you're at, then we'll and I don't know if you listen to everybody kind of like what you were doing today, and then you will call up staff right away before they leave and let them know, stick around as soon as open session's over. Then you can direct us, you can ask me or if it's a police issue or whatever that we can come up and address the council to the issue. But um most of the time is will you meet with staff and then we'll go out in the in the lobby and either have a quick discussion with them or we set an appointment to meet with them, you know, sometime

and we've been fairly good with that. But I I agree with Sid there's some some engagement sometimes that needs to happen. There's been times it's gotten clunky. I think there's been times where the the person has come in, they've been heard, but there hasn't been a response from staff or from council. And I think those are the times that we've kind of missed the boat a little bit on there's been a couple times I mean a staff member will just follow him out anyway without the direction of the mayor council but I there have been times that people have left and just really did not get addressed and so I think there's a way to do that.

Um so the the question is just kind of the logistics of that. Um because I've also sat in meetings and I know you have too where there a debate starts. So somebody kind of comes at the city a little bit and then the city council whether it's an individual council member, the mayor responds and before we know it we have a debate going back and forth. And I don't think that's the purpose of open session. And so if there's a way to be sure that the they are heard and then addressed and some of the issues are probably pretty tame and something that could be a pretty quick response from the mayor or maybe an individual council member I would say at the mayor's discretion with the mayor running the meeting. But at any moment that you say, "Hey staff, will you meet with them? Will you step outside with them or will you stand up and address that issue?" Then then we'll be prepared.

I Sorry. Go ahead. No, no, go ahead. I like that, but I would prefer to what happened today. I like that because one, if anyone's watching online or goes back and watch this meeting, they might have a similar question or concern to what a resident asked and then we can all hear that because so I I like that, you know, in the past we've taken them outside, but I want to hear what the staff has to say or because there might be some information that I miss out on. So, their question has been asked, but then we lose out on hearing it and so do does anyone watching the meeting. So, I like how that happened today. I thought that was appropriate. I just don't want them to leave. So, like I said, maybe it's just figuring out logistics of and we just we really haven't had that debate situation in so long. And I think again, we're all adults and we can know how to manage. That will be the mayor's job to manage. There's always tomorrow. Always tomorrow.

Um still a question mark. Okay. Yeah. So, we talked about this the other day about doing what we did tonight. And I think that is we can proceed with that. Um and see how it goes. I I do like uh what council member Lemon's saying in regards to I think most of the issues are probably something that just like tonight that can be addressed by staff right here at the podium with everybody in the room.

We have had a couple times and this usually is when we have a group of people. So maybe 10 or 12 people have come for a particular issue and um and maybe sometimes that is a little bit more of a convolated convoluted issue than me standing up and um spending time with or responding for a minute or two. And those are the ones that are probably a little better served where either we're setting an appointment with them to meet with them later or even stepping out in the hall. um which those don't happen very often but those do happen uh from time to time but for the most part we can handle it just like we did today and I think that's fine

and mayor I I would be open to having a discussion about the length of time so for example well okay sorry go some people uh naturally take less time and other people have prepared so like Danielle I would have loved to have heard the second page of that I I agree so I I would love Yeah. So maybe some flexibility. Okay. Tina's not here. I'm going to play attorney for just a second. Okay. I don't think we have to do three minutes forever. We don't get how we can who we're going to listen to and who we're not. Okay. And it gets back again to after we close open session. If we

we talk about it, we need to answer some of these questions right away. We have the we have that ability to do that. We can close or we may get five minutes for I mean well let me if I can address that the standard's three. I mean when I when you talk to most cities on what they do for their open session the standards three that doesn't mean that we can't change it to five. We we said three when we were here till midnight and we haven't been doing that. And so if open session is that place where we can um be more flexible with people in their statements and move all of them to five. Yeah. Yeah. Yes.

Okay. Anyway, that's that that is a council. You give us direction on how you want that handled. I think I have a general sense how we're going to do it. Well, then put that maybe on the next work session. We can easily have that discussion or we can talk about it tomorrow, right? Okay. Yeah. No, let's uh we can talk about it tomorrow. Yeah. That that will be an item that will be part of the council issues concerns. Awesome. Okay. Council member Looney, anything else? Council member Rogers.

Yes. Thank you, Mayor. Yeah, I I I didn't chime in at the time, but I do think my concern that was brought up to you is that I don't want them to just be heard, but to feel heard. And I think that that's the balance we're trying to strike is that they know that we as a council, we're not just up here concerned faces, but we feel the problem of the crosswalks. We feel the problem of the cemetery. We know because we have people that we love who are using crosswalks who I my kids go to Manila. And so I, you know, I want people to understand that that the format is u so that we can all be justly and equally treated, but that we are very concerned. And so I prefer I I I appreciate Mayor Jensen being willing to to revisit the format. So thank you on that. I did want to just address the crosswalks because I have a personal story about that. When I when I was younger, I got pulled over by a police officer for going through a crosswalk when somebody was waiting. And that's whether it's a standard crosswalk or a zebra crosswalk. If you see somebody waiting to cross, you're supposed to stop. And uh as a young driver, I probably wasn't as aware of that. But I'm talking over 20 years ago now. And because I got pulled over, you know, and you know, Chief Brown strikes the fear of God in you when you get pulled over. Those blue and reds come on and you, you know, you got to go to the bathroom pretty quick there. And so you feel that deeply. And then it was a teaching moment that particular police officer did a great job taught me and I haven't forgot it. I haven't forgot it. And so I think that goes to Danielle's point that we need education points and sometimes those education points have to come from more than a PR campaign and maybe an enforcement campaign. And so I know that you guys are going to talk about that because it's we've been talking about it and in the budget meeting everyone's welcome to watch it,

right? It'll be recorded. It's not streamed. It's not will it be recorded? No, it'll be recorded.

Yeah. So, it'll be available later and and there will be a discussion, I'm sure, about the public safety that we've done because I know that Neil, Director Winterton has been out there, public works has made has actually done work in improving crosswalks around the the city. And so, um, I look forward to that discussion. But I just I just wanted to say that and it goes it goes back to some things that I've said repeatedly which is I I love our stance of kind of kind of teaching warning helping people understand things but at some point you we have to enforce and I think that uh I think there's some ways we can do that without diverting uh police chief Brown's valuable resources and we've talked about having more enforcement offers and other things out there. And so I think that uh I look forward to that discussion because it's a serious issue and I think once once a young child who's who's 16 and knows he'll be grounded from his car uh because he gets pulled over by a police officer once he has that pit in his stomach, he'll never forget it and he'll stop at every crosswalk uh when he sees somebody waiting. So uh I look forward to that discussion.

Okay, that's great. Nothing else. Thank you, Mayor. Uh, Council Member Phillips, anything? Just grateful to be here, learning the process, learning the decorum, and and appreciate the opportunity to be here. Awesome. Welcome, Council Member Williams. I don't have anything. Thanks, Mayor. Okay, Council Member Anderson. I didn't know we had decorum. Oh, all of us do.

I know. Um, and this is u I'm going to hop on my soap box again for the crosswalks and just generally um we are all driving distracted and I don't know how to shout this more. Um, I think all of those that have been hit could we could just go back to just saying that somebody was driving distracted. Danielle is putting her life in in her hands every day as she's standing in the middle of a street because people are driving distracted. We all are. And when we start saying that I drive distracted, I'm intentionally trying to be more focused and more aware of my driving. And the more I am focused and more aware of my driving, the more I am learning that I am driving distracted. So, um I'm grateful for this educational campaign that is happening. Um I am seeing in the news every day somebody's being hit. So, we are driving. There's more of us and there's more of us driving distracted and it's terrifying.

It is. Council members, thank you. Great input. I appreciate it. Truly, I do. Um you know, I I'm a biker, just a road biker, and I used to ride on the roads a lot. It scares me now, right? And even sometimes up on the on the canal, it scares me sometimes, even with the the ebikes and everything that's happening. And so we do uh we need to and our, you know, our little motto out there is slow down, look up, but there has to be more. I mean, we have to set the example as as the adults and teach our children, our grandchildren, um that there's consequences that happen when we don't slow down or we don't look up. And so, thank you again, council, and we'll see you tomorrow kind of bright and early a little bit. Um, but with that, I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn.

Mayor, I make a motion that we adjourn. Second. Wow. Okay. And let me write this down here really quick. Motion by Council Member Anderson, a second by Council Member Leone. All those in favor?