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Brigham City Council votes to ask Bear River Water Conservancy District to consider city's withdrawal
Summary
Council approved a resolution requesting that the Bear River Water Conservancy District board vote on removing Brigham City from the district; the action follows city leaders' concerns that residents have paid millions into the district with little direct benefit.
The Brigham City Council on May 1 approved a resolution asking the Bear River Water Conservancy District board to vote on removing Brigham City from the district.
The mayor led a multi-year review of the district’s relationship with Brigham City and told the council that, from 1996 through the present budget year, city residents have contributed roughly $5.3 million to the conservancy district and that the only direct benefit previously documented to Brigham City was a small, earlier contribution for recovery storage. City staff later told the council the city’s residents currently contribute about $450,000 a year in property taxes toward the district.
City Administrator Derek (surname not specified in the record) read the Bear River Water Conservancy District mission statement to the council and summarized efforts by city staff over recent years to negotiate more direct benefits. He told the council staff had tried multiple approaches to resolve the concern but had not reached a long-term arrangement that the city considers beneficial.
As presented to the council, the next procedural step under state processes is for the district’s board of directors to vote on whether Brigham City may withdraw; if the district approves withdrawal the city would submit documentation to the lieutenant governor’s office to finalize the change to district boundaries and tax assessments. The mayor urged residents to contact councilmembers and to attend the district board meeting when the council seeks the board vote.
Councilmember Hitt moved to approve the resolution; Councilmember Troxell seconded. The council then voted in favor of forwarding the request to the district board.
The city and the district have a separate wholesale water contract that was renewed several years ago; that contract runs through the current budget year, and the district has a new well installed to serve parts of the Harper Ward area. City staff said the district will continue to serve customers under the existing contract until its expiration and that the district has begun budgeting projects and staffing changes the city’s leaders say improved internal management.
Ending: The resolution asks the Bear River Water Conservancy District board to consider Brigham City’s withdrawal; any change would require a board vote and subsequent administrative filings with the lieutenant governor before tax assessments change for Brigham City residents.
