Zion council approves EAP renewal, seasonal on‑street parking for Dungeon Of Doom and series of personnel, zoning and project actions

The Zion City Council on an evening vote approved a package of administrative items that included renewing the city’s employee assistance program, authorizing one‑year seasonal on‑street parking for the seasonal attraction Dungeon Of Doom, creating nonunion supervisor positions in public works and removing an unfilled finance post, and accepting two bid alternates for the Fire Station No. 2 site utilities contract.

The package also included approval of zoning variances and a special‑use permit for two properties, a hotel/motel grant not to exceed $10,000 for GPT Enterprises LLC (doing business as Dungeon Of Doom) and the appointment of a new city adjudication hearing officer at $700 per month.

Why it matters: the actions affect employee benefits and city staffing, short‑term traffic and parking arrangements during a high‑attendance event, capital project scope for Fire Station No. 2, and tourism promotion funding that directs hotel/motel tax dollars toward local advertising and promotion.

Employee assistance program renewal Staff recommended renewing the city’s employee assistance program for three years under a stepped per‑employee monthly rate. The contract renewal covers a 3‑year term beginning Dec. 1, 2025, with monthly per‑employee charges of $2.75 for the first year, $2.83 beginning Dec. 1, 2026, and $2.91 beginning Dec. 1, 2027. Planning staff said the vendor (referred to in the packet as CurrentLink/Curling in the transcript) has consistently provided services to city employees. The council approved the renewal by roll call, 5–0.

On‑street parking for seasonal attraction The council approved a one‑year, seasonal allowance of on‑street parking in support of GPT Enterprises LLC, doing business as Dungeon Of Doom. Staff said the arrangement is limited to streets east of the rail line (blocks cited in staff remarks included the 2500–2800 blocks of Deborah Avenue and locations east of the tracks on Shiloh) and will include coordination with public safety, signage and shuttle services to reduce neighborhood impact. The motion carried 5–0.

Personnel authorizations The council approved amendments to the city’s personnel authorization in two actions: removing an unfilled “assistant to the finance director – operations” position and creating nonunion supervisor positions overseeing the street and water divisions in the Department of Public Works. The public‑works positions and the finance change were approved with retroactive authorization to Sept. 8, 2025, and both measures passed by 5–0.

Fire Station No. 2 bid alternates Staff recommended acceptance of two alternates in bid package 2.5 (site utilities) for Fire Station No. 2: Alternate No. 1 (sanitary main CIPP liner) for $83,500 and Alternate No. 3 (water‑main loop completion) for $164,000. Council approved acceptance of the alternates and the related contract award language by roll call, 5–0.

Zoning and permit actions Planning and Zoning recommended approval for several items the council adopted by roll call: a variance from Zion Municipal Code section 10‑12(a) for a 6‑foot fence at 4106 Stonebridge Drive (zoning docket 25Z‑13), continued use of front off‑street parking at 2413 Joppa Avenue, and a special‑use permit to operate an auto repair shop (zoning docket 25Z‑15). Each of these items passed 5–0.

Hotel/motel tax grant for Dungeon Of Doom Council approved a hotel/motel tax grant application from GPT Enterprises LLC (Dungeon Of Doom) for tourism promotion, with staff recommending a grant not to exceed $10,000. Staff noted the attraction draws significant attendance (staff cited roughly 14,000 visitors across about 19 days of operation in prior years). The grant was approved by 5–0.

Appointment of hearing officer The council appointed Theodore Konyak (transcript variants appear) as the city’s adjudication hearing officer at a monthly compensation of $700, subject to annual council review. The appointment passed by roll call, 5–0. Council members also thanked the departing long‑time hearing officer Tim Evans for 12 years of service; staff said Evans was taking a position with a state’s attorney office.

Votes at a glance - Employee assistance program renewal (3‑year term beginning 12/01/2025; $2.75 / $2.83 / $2.91 per employee per month): approved, motion recorded in transcript as “Motion by Bridal; Second by McTowell,” roll call 5–0. - Seasonal on‑street parking authorization for GPT Enterprises (Dungeon Of Doom) — one year, east of rail line, signage and shuttle coordination: approved, motion by Stackhouse; second by McDowell, roll call 5–0. - Personnel authorization — remove unfilled finance position: approved, motion recorded, roll call 5–0; effective retroactive to 09/08/2025. - Personnel authorization — create two nonunion public‑works supervisor positions (street, water): approved, motion by Stackhouse; second by McDowell, roll call 5–0; retroactive to 09/08/2025. - Ratification of public‑works supervisor appointments: approved, roll call 5–0. - Zoning variance 25Z‑13 (4106 Stonebridge Drive) — variance to Zion Municipal Code §10‑12(a) to allow 6‑foot street‑side fence: approved, roll call 5–0. - Continued use of front off‑street parking (2413 Joppa Avenue): approved, roll call 5–0. - Special‑use permit 25Z‑15 (auto repair shop): approved, roll call 5–0. - Bid package 2.5 alternates for Fire Station No. 2 — Alternate 1 (CIPP) $83,500; Alternate 3 (water loop) $164,000: approved, roll call 5–0. - Hotel/motel tax grant for GPT Enterprises (Dungeon Of Doom), not to exceed $10,000: approved, roll call 5–0. - Appointment of Theodore Konyak as adjudication hearing officer ($700/month): approved, roll call 5–0.

What council did not decide tonight Council moved to closed session at the end of the meeting for matters listed under the open‑meetings citation read into the record (transcript citation garbled). No public action followed the closed session announcement.

Ending Council members said they would monitor the on‑street parking arrangement during the coming Halloween/haunted‑attraction season and that staff would coordinate signage, shuttle services and public‑safety support. Several routine approvals — staffing authorizations, zoning variances and bid alternates — will allow staff to proceed with hiring, permitting and contracting work already underway.