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Council agrees to participate in aerial cloud seeding; discusses equipment procurement and insurance
Summary
Staff reported the Utah Department of Water Resources would not cloud-seed locally without town participation; the council agreed to participate in an aerial cloud-seeding effort with a program piece estimated up to $5,000. Members also discussed options for purchasing or renting heavy equipment and insurance registration requirements.
Staff shared follow-up from a conversation with Jonathan Jennings, meteorologist at the Utah Department of Water Resources, clarifying that aerial cloud seeding would not occur locally without the town’s participation. "We are in for the cloud seeding, aerial cloud seeding piece of up to $5,000," Speaker 3 said; staff added they expect the cost will likely be less and that a bill has not yet arrived.
Council also discussed equipment procurement options. Staff outlined that if the town buys a specific piece of equipment (for example, a snowplow or backhoe), it must be registered with the insurance company with plate, make, model, year and VIN so employees are covered while operating it. "We just need to register that specific piece of equipment, plate, make, model, year, VIN, with the insurance company. And then our employees are covered," Speaker 3 stated. Staff warned that rental scenarios typically do not insure damage to the rented vehicle itself.
Staff said they had located a licensed vendor to assist with excavation work, which could reduce pressure on town resources. Council also noted there would be no billing issued in late December for bills due in early January, a temporary administrative change for the holiday schedule.
Next steps: staff will process participation logistics for the cloud-seeding program, await the program invoice, and bring equipment procurement or rental proposals back to council if members choose to pursue purchase or rental.
