Levan council verifies legal action against irrigation company, adopts higher cemetery fees and approves permits

The Levan Town Council on July 10 voted to verify that the town proceed with formal legal action involving the local irrigation company, adopted a resolution raising cemetery fees for nonresidents and approved routine permits and financial items.

Council moved quickly on the verification of legal action after the mayor and staff summarized a protracted dispute with the irrigation company. The motion to verify that the council had already decided to pursue legal action was made, seconded, and approved by roll call. During discussion an unidentified speaker stated the town had twice offered to start both municipal wells and run water into the irrigation system to help the irrigation company; according to that speaker, the irrigation company declined the offers. The council recorded its roll call on the motion, with Chris Chipping, Rachel (council member), Maria Ness and Ria Roley voting in favor and at least one member absent; the motion carried.

The council then considered a lengthy discussion and a formal motion to adopt a new cemetery fee schedule (resolution number read aloud by a council member as 07102025-01). Staff reviewed existing and proposed charges: a resident burial plot currently listed at $150 (open-and-close $200) and a set of substantially higher proposed fees for nonresidents (the proposal discussed would raise nonresident plot prices from roughly $600 to $4,000, with open-and-close and perpetual-care components increasing as well). Council members said the proposal was intended to protect local taxpayers from long-term perpetual-care costs and to deter out-of-area buyers from using Levan as a low-cost burial option. The motion to adopt the resolution was made, seconded, and approved by roll call; the mayor declared the motion carried.

Other formal actions during the meeting included approval of a building permit for an outbuilding for local residents (planning recommended approval; council approved the permit), acceptance of the town audit (staff reported no current-year findings), and approval of minutes and claims for the listed periods. Each of those motions was made, seconded and carried during the meeting.

What comes next: the cemetery fee resolution takes effect per the town's resolution process; staff indicated they will publish or otherwise make the new schedule available and incorporate it into the town's fee resolution. The town will proceed with the verified legal action as recorded in the council's vote. The audit file and related financial printouts will be distributed to council members as staff indicated.