Hooper council approves sale of small parcel for road alignment, sets emergency reserve and senior support; hears 55100 West update

Hooper City Council on Dec. 5 moved to authorize staff to negotiate the sale of a narrow strip of city-owned land near 59100 West and 55100 South to enable a private development to align a new road, approved a 5% emergency reserve from newly collected utility tax revenue, and agreed to contribute $4,000 toward a regional senior center while receiving updates on the near-complete 55100 West road project and an ARPA-funded sewer repair.

The council voted, by voice, to permit staff to prepare a sale agreement and return with details, after city staff and the potential buyer described a roughly 15–20-foot-wide strip running about 100–120 feet along the edge of a proposed driveway and the city lift station. Council members said any final sale would include a legal agreement, appraisal and a requirement that the buyer pay any infrastructure relocation or design costs. "Any and all project infrastructure expenses" would be the buyer's responsibility, staff said.

Why it matters: the parcel functions as a narrow margin between a private property and city infrastructure; selling and then rededicating the strip to the roadway would allow the new road alignment required for a state roadway connection while preserving access to the city lift station if conditions are met.

Council discussion and conditions City staff presented a site review and a short memo summarizing items the city will require before finalizing a sale, including appraisal, a legal agreement prepared by the city's attorney, and that the purchaser pay for any relocation of utilities, fencing or other infrastructure. Council members raised potential access, utilities and fence relocation costs, and asked that final approval be contingent on completion of engineering review and final designs. A representative for the prospective purchaser described the parcel as approximately 15 to 20 feet wide by roughly 100–120 feet long and said the buyer needed flexibility in the exact width until final survey and design work are complete.

55100 West project update The council received a progress and finance report on the 55100 West reconstruction project. Staff and the city engineer said the construction phase is essentially complete with only landscaping and irrigation remaining and that about 99% of the primary work is finished. The presentation listed original funding sources, change orders and additional costs that produced an estimated local overage. Staff noted change orders and extended construction seasons increased the city's out-of-pocket obligation, and they identified two potential recoveries that reduce the net local contribution: deferred subdivision improvements escrows (estimated about $413,000) and a pending claim against Rocky Mountain Power related to project delays (staff noted roughly $346,000 tracked as part of a claim). After accounting for those items staff estimated the remaining local exposure would be in the low hundreds of thousands.

ARPA sewer rehabilitation Council members were also briefed that $83,280 of previously approved ARPA funds were allocated for a manhole rehabilitation and force main work at the North Station area; staff said the line item had been approved previously (April 6, 2022) and that the work is necessary because the manhole is degrading and could fail if not rehabilitated.

Senior meal program and interlocal agreement Council members approved a request to contribute $4,000 to a multi-city interlocal agreement to support the Royce senior center. Staff said the full package discussed with neighboring jurisdictions would include $4,000 from Hooper plus a $1,980 annual cost to support one monthly lunch at the city facility (the combined figure discussed earlier was $5,980, but the council motion approved the $4,000 contribution to the interlocal). Staff said Roy City had already approved its share and West Haven anticipated providing a similar interlocal; the funding would allow Royce to remain open by helping cover staffing costs.

Utility tax emergency reserve Council members debated how to handle proceeds from a newly adopted utility-based tax and whether to set a fixed annual amount or continue the previously agreed 5% set-aside approach. After discussion — including that the 5% approach had been the policy direction previously approved by council — the council approved a motion to retroactively place 5% of utility tax revenue into an emergency preparedness fund and to let that fund roll over year to year. Staff explained that the city's first full-year receipts remain being reconciled and the amount will be finalized during the normal budget amendment process.

Food truck licensing A local food truck operator, Chris Jordan, presented information about changing his operation from seasonal special-event work to year-round service and requested direction on permitting and sales-tax reporting. He said he holds environmental health permits and temporary event licenses and sought the council's guidance on how to transition to a permanent business license while reporting sales tax. Council members asked staff to follow up with the tax commission and to provide any local licensing requirements.

Votes at a glance - Motion to authorize staff to proceed with sale negotiations and prepare an agreement for a narrow parcel near 59100 West / 55100 South (motion by Council Member Flowers; second by Council Member Wilcox): approved by voice vote; final sale contingent on appraisal, engineering review and a legal agreement that places infrastructure relocation costs on the purchaser. - Motion to contribute $4,000 to interlocal funding for the Royce senior center (motion by Council Member Kale; second by Council Member Northrop): approved by voice vote. - Motion to set aside 5% of utility tax revenue into an emergency preparedness fund retroactively and allow it to carry over year to year (motion by Council Member Maravoni; second by Council Member Wilcox): approved by voice vote; one council member stated opposition during discussion but the motion carried.

What happens next Staff will prepare the appraisal and draft purchase/sale agreement for the parcel and return to council with final legal language and exact terms. City staff will proceed with ARPA manhole work planning and with follow-up on the Rocky Mountain Power claim and deferred improvement escrows related to the 55100 West project. The senior center interlocal agreement will be drafted and circulated; budget amendments will be brought forward to record the 5% emergency reserve and the $4,000 senior contribution.

Council adjourned the meeting after a short public comment period with no public speakers on the record.