[{"_1":2,"_115":-5,"_116":-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",[32,75,85,95,105],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6648107,"mediaKeyId","3448213-dc17fab8801395cfbd556f7a3fbb3563","parentId",3448213,"title","Votes at a glance: Bluff Town Council actions, May 20, 2025","audioSeconds",268,"startMs",1762000,"endMs",2030000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3448213-dc17fab8801395cfbd556f7a3fbb3563&start=1762&end=2030","thumbnailUrl","https://d352y6ypj4mjo3.cloudfront.net/AudioPlaceholder.png","articleUrl","/articles/6648107/Utah/Votes-at-a-glance-Bluff-Town-Council-actions-May-20-2025","mediaUrl","author","Bluff Town Council","date","2025-05-20T16:00:00Z","article","At its May 20, 2025 meeting, the Bluff Town Council recorded the following formal actions and votes.

• Engineering proposal for Old Bluff Highway (Jones & DeMille). Motion: “Accept the proposal as submitted by Jones and DeMille.” Vote: approved, 4 yes, 1 no. Notes: Proposal as submitted reflects a 30-foot roadway concept; council discussed a verbally proposed additional 6-foot delineated area for bikes/pedestrians that was not part of the written submittal.

• State of Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation grant contract for Bluff Community Center Playground Phase 1. Motion: Authorize signature and execution of the state grant contract. Vote: unanimous (council recorded as unanimous). Notes: Staff will obtain the signature page and file the executed contract with state grant administrators; initial playground committee meeting scheduled.

• Code of Conduct (inserting anchor-location language for telecommunication meetings). Motion: Approve code of conduct with anchor-location language reinstated. Vote: 4 yes, 0 no, 1 abstention. Notes: The anchor-location language requires at least one physical anchor point for public meetings except under certain health or safety emergency conditions.

• Hamadu chipping services for Cooperative Cultural Center wood piles. Motion: Accept services at $1,800 and authorize chipping at the CCC. Vote: unanimous. Notes: Council decided not to use volunteer labor to move material over the fence; staff will determine distribution or mulch use for chipped material and report back.

• Bills to pay (as presented in packet). Motion: Pay bills. Vote: unanimous.

• Memorandum of Understanding recognizing valid business licenses among San Juan County, Bluff, Monticello and Blanding. Motion: Approve and sign MOU recognizing annual business licenses reciprocally. Vote: unanimous. Notes: Temporary, event-based permits remain excluded from reciprocal recognition; municipalities retain authority to require a local license for businesses with a physical location in the municipality.

• Motion to move into executive session to discuss pending or reasonably imminent litigation pursuant to Utah Code §52-4-205. Motion: Move to executive session. Vote: unanimous.

These votes were recorded in the meeting minutes and in the transcript of the May 20 meeting. For items approved unanimously the council did not provide individual roll-call vote listings in the recorded audio; where numeric tallies were announced on the record, the counts above follow the council’s statements.","mediaType","Audio","parentTitle","Bluff Town Council Regular Meeting - 240113_1445","oneSentenceSummary","Summary of formal votes taken by Bluff Town Council at its May 20, 2025 meeting, including engineering approval for Old Bluff Highway, state playground grant contract, chipper services and more.","taxTitle","Bluff, San Juan County, Utah","taxId",79934,"location","Utah","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":50,"_51":82,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6648112,"Planning commission works on enforcement schedule and renewable-energy ordinance; council urged to fast-track solar rules",1085,2500000,3585000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3448213-dc17fab8801395cfbd556f7a3fbb3563&start=2500&end=3585","/articles/6648112/Utah/Planning-commission-works-on-enforcement-schedule-and-renewable-energy-ordinance-council-urged-to-fast-track-solar-rules","Members of Bluff’s planning and zoning commission updated the Town Council on May 20 about work on enforcement procedures and a draft renewable-energy ordinance.

Commission members said they adopted an enforcement spreadsheet modeled on a 30–60–90 day approach used by peer communities: initial notice and assistance, a 60-day checkpoint requiring a permit or proof of remedial action, and escalating penalties up to withholding business licenses or certificates of occupancy for noncompliance. The council was asked to review the spreadsheet and the recommended sequence for each ordinance category.

Commission staff and members also continued work on a renewable-energy ordinance covering solar and wind installations. The draft considers zoning-specific rules (AG-1, AG-2, AG-3), density limits, glare and noise studies, wildlife/bird-impact studies, and compliance with federal requirements. Commissioners said they plan to require studies and mitigation measures commensurate with project scale and said they want to avoid converting large swaths of private land solely to energy production without preserving agricultural or open-space uses.

Malia (planning staff) and Amanda (commission member) reported that the draft is a complex ordinance that will take time and recommended the council consider expediting it because developers have approached the town about larger projects. Council members said they would like the RV ordinance amendments returned quickly and suggested dedicating meeting time to move the renewable-energy ordinance forward.","Bluff’s planning and zoning commission reviewed an enforcement spreadsheet and continued drafting a renewable-energy ordinance that would define where and how solar and wind installations are allowed. The commission recommended a carrot-and-stick enforcement schedule and asked council to prioritize work on renewable-energy rules.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":89,"_45":90,"_47":91,"_49":50,"_51":92,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":93,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":94,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6648113,"Bluff officials say San Juan County election costs unclear; council seeks meeting with county commissioners",387,2063000,2450000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3448213-dc17fab8801395cfbd556f7a3fbb3563&start=2063&end=2450","/articles/6648113/Utah/Bluff-officials-say-San-Juan-County-election-costs-unclear-council-seeks-meeting-with-county-commissioners","Bluff elected officials told the Town Council on May 20 that they remain in discussions with San Juan County over how the county is calculating election costs and whether Bluff will be required to pay for county-run election services.

Town Manager Erin Nelson said the town has received another round of figures from the county and that an interlocal agreement had not yet been signed. Nelson and another staff member said San Juan County planned to put the interlocal agreement before the county commission at its June 3 meeting.

Erin Nelson and staff said they had requested a meeting with county elections officials and the county commission to “draw a hard line” on responsibilities. Council members expressed concern about paying what they described as disproportionate costs; one council member reported that the county’s current invoice estimate for Bluff could be in the $12,000–$15,000 range, an amount some members said is not reasonable given the town’s limited resources.

Town staff explained there are substantial chain-of-custody and ballot-handling regulations that make in-house printing and administration of ballots difficult for a small municipality without established secure systems. Staff said local volunteers might be able to provide pollwatching, and that some costs could be reduced by using volunteers for certain roles, but that the printing and secure custody requirements may effectively prevent the town from conducting the work entirely in-house this year.

Council members instructed staff to continue discussions with county election officials and to bring the issue to county commissioners, and they said they will pursue options to reduce costs. The council did not adopt a formal resolution at the May 20 meeting; staff said they will schedule follow-up meetings and communicate with the commission.","Town staff and council members raised concerns that San Juan County’s proposed election cost allocation could require Bluff to pay $12,000–$15,000; the council said an interlocal agreement has not been signed and requested meetings with county officials to resolve the calculation and responsibilities.",{"_33":96,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":97,"_41":98,"_43":99,"_45":100,"_47":101,"_49":50,"_51":102,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":103,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":104,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6648119,"Bluff schedules public hearing Thursday on FY25 amended and FY26 tentative budgets; town manager confirms legal-fees increase",239,331000,570000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3448213-dc17fab8801395cfbd556f7a3fbb3563&start=331&end=570","/articles/6648119/Utah/Bluff-schedules-public-hearing-Thursday-on-FY25-amended-and-FY26-tentative-budgets-town-manager-confirms-legal-fees-increase","Town Manager Erin Nelson told the Bluff Town Council on May 20 that a public hearing on the fiscal year 2025 amended budget and the fiscal year 2026 tentative budget is scheduled for Thursday at 9 a.m., and that the council will meet in a separately noticed special meeting afterward to consider adoption.

Nelson said the draft budgets are posted on the town website under the “Budgets” tab and that the council agreed last week to increase the FY26 legal-fees line to $67,500. She asked council members to review the documents before Thursday and said staff will present any last-minute adjustments at the meeting.

Nelson said if substantial changes are proposed during the hearing the council may defer a final vote to a later meeting; absent major revisions the goal is to adopt the budgets on Thursday at the special meeting. She said the council will review any public input submitted during the hearing and incorporate changes as appropriate before a final vote.

The council did not vote on the budgets at the May 20 meeting; Nelson said staff will brief the council again at the public hearing and that members should notify staff if they identify additional corrections to be included in the final packet.","Town Manager Erin Nelson told the Bluff Town Council the FY25 amended budget and the FY26 tentative budget are posted online; a public hearing is set for Thursday at 9 a.m., followed by a special meeting where the council expects to adopt the budgets unless substantial changes arise.",{"_33":106,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":107,"_41":108,"_43":109,"_45":110,"_47":111,"_49":50,"_51":112,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":113,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":114,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6648124,"Bluff council approves Jones & DeMille engineering proposal for Old Bluff Highway after debate over scope and funding",1283,515000,1798000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3448213-dc17fab8801395cfbd556f7a3fbb3563&start=515&end=1798","/articles/6648124/Utah/Bluff-council-approves-Jones-DeMille-engineering-proposal-for-Old-Bluff-Highway-after-debate-over-scope-and-funding","Bluff Town Council voted to accept an engineering proposal from Jones & DeMille for improvements to Old Bluff Highway during its May 20, 2025 regular meeting.

The council’s approval followed extended discussion about whether the project should remain a road resurfacing effort or be expanded to incorporate elements of Bluff’s active transportation and strategic plans, including a separated walking and biking corridor. Council members and staff raised concerns that adding full active-transportation components could substantially increase design complexity and cost and make the project more likely to seek federal or Community Impact Board (CIB) funding.

Town Manager Erin Nelson recapped the project options and said the Jones & DeMille proposal as submitted can be submitted to funding sources in its current form. Several council members said they want the project to align with the town’s strategic plan and active transportation objectives; others cautioned that adding trail or ADA-specific elements could push the project from a straightforward resurfacing into a larger, roughly million-dollar effort that may require different funding strategies.

Michael Haddigan, who attended the meeting to discuss the proposal, told the council the project had been estimated at roughly a million dollars and that the current design could be used to apply for funding. Council members discussed potential funding routes including CIB and federal infrastructure programs and whether the town should pursue the road and trail in separate phases so each could meet relevant funding requirements.

After discussion, a motion to “accept the proposal as submitted by Jones and DeMille” passed with four votes in favor and one opposed. The accepted submission reflects the 30-foot roadway concept included in the written proposal; a verbal discussion during the meeting referenced an additional 6-foot delineated area for bikes and pedestrians, but council members noted that the 6-foot addition had not been included in the formal submittal and that design details would be finalized during the design phase.

Council members said next steps will include directing the consultant to proceed into design and clarifying which design elements are required to make the application competitive for CIB or federal funds, and whether the town should pursue a separate trail project to preserve federal funding eligibility for roadway work.

The vote was recorded as 4–1 in favor. The council did not specify a project start date at the meeting; staff advised that any federal or CIB application timelines would determine design and procurement scheduling.

The project drew sustained attention because it intersects the town’s strategic plan goals for active transportation, ADA accessibility concerns and limited local funding capacity. Council members noted that design choices now will affect future grant competitiveness and long-term maintenance responsibilities.","Bluff Town Council voted 4-1 to accept an engineering proposal from Jones & DeMille for improvements to Old Bluff Highway. Council members debated whether to limit the work to road resurfacing or expand the design to include active-transportation elements tied to ADA standards, which would increase cost and affect eligibility for federal funding.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Bluff Town Council actions, May 20, 2025

Planning commission works on enforcement schedule and renewable-energy ordinance; council urged to fast-track solar rules

Bluff officials say San Juan County election costs unclear; council seeks meeting with county commissioners

Bluff schedules public hearing Thursday on FY25 amended and FY26 tentative budgets; town manager confirms legal-fees increase

Bluff council approves Jones & DeMille engineering proposal for Old Bluff Highway after debate over scope and funding