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School board urges Huntington to allow playground fence adjustments to meet HB 84 safety rules
Summary
Emery County School District officials told the Huntington City Council on Nov. 20 that some Huntington Elementary playground equipment sits on city land and asked the city to allow fence placement or a land adjustment so the district can comply with state HB 84 fencing requirements; no city funds were requested and the council agreed to walk the site before deciding.
Emery County School District superintendent Jim Shank told the Huntington City Council on Nov. 20 that the district needs to fence Huntington Elementary playgrounds to comply with state House Bill 84. Shank said parts of the playground and a swing set sit on city-owned land and asked the council’s permission to place or adjust fencing so the district can meet the new requirement.
"My name is Jim Shank, and I'm the school district superintendent," Shank said, presenting maps and asking the council to consider several fence-line options. Jackie Ulrich, the district’s business administrator, and Wayne Maxfield, the maintenance supervisor, joined the presentation and walked council members through a map showing a small portion of equipment and a play area on city property.
Shank said the district is not asking Huntington to fund the fence. "We of course are not asking any contribution or any financial liability from the city," he said, adding that the district had applied for grants and that some state funds attached to related legislation must be spent by June 2026. He described the HB 84 requirement as effectively an unfunded mandate and said the district needs flexibility to place fencing without creating access or maintenance problems.
District staff offered several options: move the fence line around the school's play area so children are enclosed where they play; negotiate a sale of the small parcel where the swing set sits; or identify city property that could be improved to expand playground space in the future. The presenters emphasized they want a solution that preserves emergency-vehicle access and does not block busing operations.
Mayor Leonard Norton and council members said they would "walk the site" with district staff and review the maps before making any decision. Norton closed the discussion by saying the city wants to cooperate but needs to examine logistics. No formal vote or transfer of property occurred; council staff will follow up with the district and schedule a site visit.
Why it matters: HB 84 creates a state-level requirement affecting how elementary school play areas must be secured. For Huntington, the requirement raises questions about property boundaries, who pays for fences, and how to preserve emergency access and shared recreational use of city-owned land.
