Eureka Council adopts FY25 budget, approves water-bill relief, limits fireworks to park and adopts city code

EUREKA, Utah — The Eureka City Council on Monday approved a series of administrative and customer-relief actions, including adoption of the final fiscal year 2025 budget, preliminary acceptance of the proposed FY2026 budget ahead of a truth-in-taxation hearing, relief for customers with unusually large water bills, a requirement that July 4 fireworks be limited to the city park, and adoption of a codified city code prepared by CivicLink.

Council members said the vote on the budget finalized FY25 accounts while keeping opportunity for public input on FY26. The council set a tentative truth-in-taxation hearing for Aug. 25, 2025, with Aug. 11 as a backup date in case of scheduling conflicts with other taxing entities.

Why it matters: The budget vote settles the city’s books for the current fiscal year and begins the formal process for any tax-rate decisions for 2026. The water-bill relief motions and the fireworks restriction affect day-to-day costs and public-safety planning for local residents; adopting the codified municipal code centralizes ordinances for easier public access.

The council’s actions and discussion

Budget: The council voted to adopt the final FY2025 budget and to accept the proposed FY2026 budget as presented, while scheduling the statutorily required truth-in-taxation hearing later this summer. City staff told the council the FY26 document can be refined in July and formally adopted after the truth-in-taxation public hearing required by state law.

Water billing and customer relief: During public comment, Sherlyn Grill, a member of the Mammoth Water Association, described long-standing problems with an out-of-town water rate and asked to be allowed to use Mammoth-supplied water at times when hauling city water is impractical for her. She said she was “told that the water would be $56 or 10,000 gallons a month” and described the cost burden of purchasing additional water; she told the council, “I will pay monthly for the meter if you will let me have let us use Mammoth water.”

Separately, Bonnie and Don Brantley described a recent leak under their house that produced a large overage on their bill. The council moved and approved crediting the Brantleys for half of the overage to be applied as a credit on their account.

A second, similar request from another household (noted in the record as Mike Singleton via email) prompted a separate motion. The council approved reducing that household’s overage assessment by half and agreed to waive future late-penalty charges while the customer makes agreed monthly payments. Council members emphasized the city’s past practice of splitting leak overages in comparable circumstances but said they expect customers to make an honest effort to pay any remaining balance.

Fireworks: The council heard a lengthy presentation from a public-safety speaker who urged condensing fireworks activities to a single, supervised location to reduce wildfire risk and cleanup costs. The council voted to limit organized public fireworks to the city park on July 4; the city’s emergency and fire personnel will provide oversight and site staging.

Bookmobile and school-district billing: The council discussed the annual bookmobile contract administered by the State Library. Staff clarified that the state bills the city for the full contract amount (the city’s full-year charge is $3,500 for a single-stop service) and that any cost-sharing with the local school district must be memorialized locally. The council voted to enter the FY26 contract and to invoice the school district for any agreed share; one council member abstained from that vote because of a school-district position.

City code codification: The council voted to adopt an ordinance that codifies Eureka’s municipal code as prepared by CivicLink and to maintain a printed, up-to-date binder at City Hall. Staff said the online code will be updated to show the codified version and that the city recorder will manage updates.

Other items and follow-ups: The council approved its consent agenda, heard updates on hydrant flow testing and ISO (insurance) ratings from local fire representatives, and discussed several planning and zoning follow-ups including short-term rental regulations and possible updates to references to the Utah Code in local ordinances. A motion was approved to move into an executive session for discussion of the character, professional competence or physical or mental health of an individual.

Votes at a glance

- Final FY2025 budget adopted; proposed FY2026 budget accepted for refinement and scheduled for a truth-in-taxation hearing on Aug. 25, 2025 (backup Aug. 11). Outcome: approved.

- Credit half of the water overage for Don and Bonnie Brantley as a one-time credit on their account. Outcome: approved.

- For another household with a large billing overage (noted via email), approve halving the overage amount and waive future late penalties while the household makes agreed monthly payments. Outcome: approved.

- Fireworks limited to the city park only for July 4 activities; fire department will stage and monitor. Outcome: approved.

- Authorize city to enter the bookmobile contract for FY26 (city billed $3,500 for a single-stop annual service); city to invoice school district for any agreed share. Outcome: approved (one abstention recorded).

- Adopt ordinance codifying Eureka City municipal code as prepared by CivicLink (Ordinance No. 2025-06-23). Outcome: approved.

- Approve consent agenda. Outcome: approved.

What council members and others said

Sherlyn Grill, Mammoth Water Association member and resident, during public comment: “I will pay monthly for the meter if you will let me have let us use Mammoth water.”

City staff and council members repeatedly noted the city’s existing out-of-town water rate structure described during the meeting as $56 per month plus an additional charge per 1,000 gallons for customers outside city limits; staff explained city residential in-town rates include $56 plus a lower per-thousand charge. Council members stressed that any future operational changes involving third-party suppliers (for example, allowing a customer to use Mammoth water while remaining physically connected to the Eureka distribution line) would require administrative review and coordination with the Mammoth water operator.

What’s next

- Staff will refine the FY26 budget in July and prepare materials for the truth-in-taxation hearing on Aug. 25, 2025 (or Aug. 11 if scheduling requires).

- City staff will prepare a written invoice and (if needed) a local memorandum of understanding between the city and the school district for the bookmobile cost sharing.

- Public works and code staff will follow up on individual water-connection questions raised at the meeting, and the planning commission will review proposed short-term rental uses and parking limits before council action.

Ending

Council members urged residents with questions about specific relief programs or billing disputes to contact city offices directly so staff can review account histories and work proposals into the published policy framework. The council recessed into executive session at the end of the meeting for a personnel matter.