Emery council approves use of county COVID funds for park improvements, backs $15,000 for reservoir study, hires county attorney and forgives two water-leak​b​

The Emery Town Council voted on several measures at its meeting, directing county COVID-19 relief funds to general park-block improvements, approving a $15,000 contribution to a reservoir feasibility study, authorizing a contract with county attorney Aaron Lancaster and approving partial forgiveness of two residential water bills tied to recent leaks.

Council members moved to use the county COVID funds for broad park improvements rather than specifying line items, and the motion passed with council members recording “aye” during the vote. During discussion members said the funds could be used as local match for other grants or for maintenance projects such as restrooms, lighting, fencing and parking improvements.

The council also approved setting aside $15,000 to contribute to a feasibility study on a proposed reservoir. The feasibility work discussed at the meeting is the earlier phase in a project the council was told would cost far more in construction — meeting remarks cited a rough project cost of about $25,000,000 and a total feasibility-study price of $95,000 — and the $15,000 is a local contribution toward deeper study work the canal company and consultants plan to carry out.

Separately, the town approved a contract naming Aaron Lancaster as county attorney to represent the town in legal matters. Council discussion characterized the contract as a standard hourly arrangement; one speaker noted a $100‑per‑hour typical rate and higher rates for court work.

On water-bill relief, the council approved forgiving half of the billed amounts for two customers who experienced major leaks, consistent with the town’s stated practice. Staff said that past practice and the town ordinance provided for a 50 percent forgiveness in similar circumstances.

Items discussed but not formally voted into action included cemetery property-line corrections and a potential annexation tied to a property swap with Huntington Airport, improvements to playground surfacing and fencing, and options for a skate park or splash pad. Council members also discussed the town’s CIB (Community Impact Board) wish list and noted the need to include curb-and-gutter and sewer repairs in future requests.

Staff were directed to follow up on the park-improvement funding paperwork, to record corrected cemetery property lines (one cost estimate mentioned during discussion was about $2,500 for survey/recording work), and to provide paperwork for the county COVID funds and a required fraud-risk assessment. The council also noted upcoming deadlines tied to grant reviews and the town’s next meeting schedule.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to approve minutes (procedural) — approved (ayes recorded: Misty; Melissa; Kim). Provenance: discussion and motion appear in the transcript opening segments.

- Motion to accept invoice report (procedural) — approved (ayes recorded: Misty; Melissa; Kim). Provenance: invoice discussion recorded in early meeting segments.

- Motion to use county COVID-19 relief funds for general improvements to the park block — approved (ayes recorded: Misty; Melissa; Kim). The council agreed the funds can be used as a local match for other grants or for general community‑development improvements such as restrooms, lighting, fencing and parking. Provenance: discussion begins at the segment that raised “how to what to use or what to put the, COVID money that the county has set aside” and the motion/vote appears later in the meeting record.

- Motion to set aside $15,000 to contribute to the reservoir feasibility study — approved (mover identified in discussion as Pat; motion seconded; ayes recorded: Misty; Melissa; Kim). Meeting remarks placed the reservoir project cost at roughly $25,000,000 and the full feasibility study at about $95,000; canal-board staff had previously discussed a local request in the $10,000–$20,000 range. Provenance: feasibility-study discussion and the motion/vote appear in the mid-meeting transcript segments.

- Motion to approve contract with Aaron Lancaster as county attorney to represent the town — approved (ayes recorded: Misty; Melissa; Kim; Pat). Council discussion identified Lancaster’s hourly rates and described the contract as the town’s legal services arrangement. Provenance: contract discussion and motion appear in the meeting record where the county-attorney item was introduced.

- Motion to forgive one-half of the billed amounts for two customers after recent water leaks (customers named in the record: Katie Bachelor; Melissa Durfee) — approved (ayes recorded during the vote). Staff noted the town’s ordinance and past practice provide for a 50 percent forgiveness in similar cases. Provenance: water‑leak discussion and the motion/vote appear in the late-meeting segments.

Meeting context and next steps

Council members asked staff to prepare paperwork needed to document the COVID‑fund usage and required fraud‑risk assessment, to follow up with the canal company and consultants on reservoir next steps, and to record corrected cemetery property lines so an annexation can proceed. Town staff also said they would follow up on playground surfacing options, fencing repairs and CIB wish-list submissions.

No votes were taken on specific park line items at the meeting; council members intentionally approved a general allocation so the funds could be used as matching or maintenance dollars as opportunities arise.