[{"_1":2,"_84":-5,"_85":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":-5,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6619021,"mediaKeyId","3382703-7791aa9468df4f464bb4a71a9627623e","parentId",3382703,"title","Scofield council approves clerk pay change, park rental fees and authorizes letter to regulators","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",4674000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3382703-7791aa9468df4f464bb4a71a9627623e&start=4674&end=4674","thumbnailUrl","https://d352y6ypj4mjo3.cloudfront.net/AudioPlaceholder.png","articleUrl","/articles/6619021/Utah/Scofield-council-approves-clerk-pay-change-park-rental-fees-and-authorizes-letter-to-regulators","mediaUrl","author","Scofield Town Council","date","2025-03-10T19:00:00Z","article","The Scofield Town Council on March 10 approved several routine and administrative actions during a meeting dominated by public comment on a proposed coal mine.

Actions the council approved by voice vote:

• Resolution 3-20-25 — funding and reporting clerk compensation: The council approved a change to the funding-and-reporting clerk's monthly compensation (motion recorded at the meeting as moving the clerk to \"$135 a month\" from the prior level). The clerk had previously been paid $400 per month (transcript indicates discussion about different pay frequencies and amounts). The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

• Resolution 3-10-2025 — park pavilion and kitchen rental rates: Council set the daily rental at $75 for the pavilion, $25 for the kitchen, and established a $200 deposit; the council also discussed adding a cleaning deposit and deposit forfeiture rules for damage or the facility being left unclean. A council member declared a conflict of interest and did not participate in the vote on this item.

• Motion to pay bills and to accept prior meeting minutes: The council approved payment of bills and accepted the February 10, 2025 meeting minutes by voice vote.

• Motion to draft a letter to DOGM and Carbon County: Following extended public comment on the proposed coal mine, the council approved a motion directing the mayor and council to draft and send a letter to the Division of Oil, Gas and Mining (DOGM) and other applicable parties, and to compile resident-submitted language. The motion was approved by voice vote. Organizers in the audience said they will collect signatures and submit comments to DOGM by March 24.

• Old-business informational item: Rocky Mountain Power submitted a bid to convert the maintenance-building service to three-phase power; the company quoted approximately $35,823.24. Council members discussed seeking cost-sharing or other options and took no immediate vote on that bid.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in the meeting transcript):
- Acceptance of town minutes (02/10/2025): Approved by voice vote; mover and seconder recorded in minutes but roll-call tallies not recorded.
- Pay bills: Approved by voice vote.
- Resolution 3-20-25 (clerk compensation change): Approved by voice vote.
- Resolution 3-10-2025 (park pavilion/kitchen rental and deposit): Approved by voice vote; one council member did not participate citing a conflict of interest.
- Motion to draft letter to DOGM and Carbon County regarding proposed coal mine: Approved by voice vote.

Why it matters: The clerk compensation and park-rental changes affect routine town operations and revenue collection; the motion to draft a letter to DOGM represents the town's next formal administrative step in responding to a proposed mining permit that residents say could affect property values, recreation and local environment.

What to watch next: The council expects compiled resident comments and the council-drafted letter to be sent to DOGM and Carbon County ahead of the deadline cited by organizers (March 24); the Rocky Mountain Power three-phase bid is under further review for possible cost-sharing or alternate approaches.","mediaType","Audio","parentTitle","Town Council Audio - Town Council 3-10-2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its March 10 meeting the Scofield Town Council approved a pay adjustment for the funding and reporting clerk, set pavilion and kitchen rental rates and a deposit, and approved a motion to draft a letter to the Division of Oil, Gas and Mining and Carbon County reflecting town concerns about a proposed coal mine.","taxTitle","Scofield, Carbon County, Utah","taxId",80071,"location","Utah","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":49,"_50":81,"_52":-5,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":82,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":83,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72},6619026,"Hundreds of residents urge Scofield council to push back on proposed coal mine, organize letters to regulators",3192,308000,3500000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3382703-7791aa9468df4f464bb4a71a9627623e&start=308&end=3500","/articles/6619026/Utah/Hundreds-of-residents-urge-Scofield-council-to-push-back-on-proposed-coal-mine-organize-letters-to-regulators","Dozens of Scofield residents told the town council on March 10 they oppose a proposed coal mine near the town and urged officials to press regulators and Carbon County for changes or for the project to be stopped.

At the start of a lengthy public-comment period, Scott Holman, 320 Church Street, said many people were at the meeting to speak about the mine and encouraged residents to make their views known. \"I think there's a lot of folks that are here to speak about the mine,\" Holman said.

Mayor (unnamed) told the meeting he had no new information beyond what had been publicly posted and described the application as the third attempt to permit the mine dating back to 2008. \"I don't really know any more than what has already been published ... this is the third time,\" he said, adding that the town's legal authority to stop a county-owned-royalty mining project is limited.

Organizers urged residents to submit written comments to the Division of Oil, Gas and Mining (DOGM) before the public-comment deadline. Jerry Pence, who has helped organize prior opposition, brought prewritten letters and a sign-up sheet and said he would distribute templates and email addresses to residents. \"We have letters to that. You as property owners can sign and mail in the DOGM,\" Pence told the meeting. He encouraged people to leave email addresses so organizers could distribute the template letters and submission instructions.

Speakers at the meeting raised concerns about noise, dust, traffic and long-term effects on property values and recreation-based tourism. A number of residents said they feared mining infrastructure could be sited close to town. Mary Helston, 200 North Union, said she had not seen a map showing the proposed portal location and asked, \"Looking at this map, I'm not too sure where this mine portal's gonna be.\" Michael and long-time residents recounted earlier permitting efforts and legal fights dating to the 2000s.

Several people described past experiences mobilizing against the same project and encouraged a renewed organizing effort. Jerry Pence and others said they had prepared three form letters tailored to property owners, county residents and other stakeholders; organizers said letters could be edited before submission. One speaker advised also sending copies to the EPA, the state Division of Wildlife and local county commissioners.

Concerns about noise and air quality were repeated. Ron Richmond, a former miner, disputed some of the noise forecasts the mining proponents had provided but acknowledged that exhaust fans and backup alarms would generate sound. Another resident cited a Salt Lake Tribune article and online studies noting coal-mine ventilation and equipment can produce continuous noise in the 70–85-decibel range and said the valley's topography could trap sound.

Several speakers proposed negotiating economic benefits if the mine proceeds — for example, payments per ton — but others said the town's leverage is weak because Carbon County owns the coal royalties in the area. \"Carbon County is gonna make money on the coal that's mined. Scofield Town is not,\" one resident said.

The council did not adopt a formal opposing resolution at the meeting but agreed to take a step toward a coordinated local response. After extended public comment, a council member made a motion for the mayor and council to draft a letter to DOGM and to \"all applicable people\" including Carbon County; council members seconded the motion and the council approved it by voice vote.

Organizers said they will collect signatures and emails, distribute template letters and encourage residents and property owners in nearby developments to submit comments by the DOGM deadline, which organizers said is March 24. Several speakers also said they had contacted outside experts and news organizations to amplify local concerns.

Why it matters: The discussion brought together longtime residents and part-time property owners who said the valley's recreational character and property values could be affected by new mining. The town said it has limited authority to stop permitting by county or state agencies, so residents and the council focused on submitting regulatory comments and on negotiating mitigation or compensation if the project advances.

Outlook: Residents and organizers left the meeting with a plan to collect email addresses and signatures, submit comment letters to DOGM and other agencies, and to press Carbon County for concessions if the permit moves forward. The council voted to draft a letter and asked residents to send suggested language to the town email address for compilation.","At the March 10 Scofield Town Council meeting, dozens of residents pressed council members to oppose a proposed coal mine and coordinated a campaign to send comments to the Division of Oil, Gas and Mining by the March 24 deadline; the council agreed to draft a letter to regulators and Carbon County.","actionData","errors"]

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Scofield council approves clerk pay change, park rental fees and authorizes letter to regulators

Hundreds of residents urge Scofield council to push back on proposed coal mine, organize letters to regulators