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Council open to exploring partnership for Barwell property but flags water-source and disposal hurdles
Summary
Councilors supported exploring options—such as a dark-sky park—for the Barwell property but cautioned against immediate sale because public disposal requires bidding and because the site includes a well tied to the town water system, which raises source-protection and closure questions.
The Bluff Town Council discussed a partnership request involving the Barwell property and a potential dark-sky designation but stopped short of approving any sale or lease on Aug. 12.
One councilor, who recently attended a conference in Cedar City, urged the council not to rush a sale and suggested pursuing a memorandum of understanding to explore a dark-sky park. Another councilor cautioned that selling town property is complex and requires a public bidding process; prior local bids on other properties produced unexpected outcomes.
A key concern emerged over water-system connections: a councilor said the Barwell site contains a well connected to the town’s water system and warned that source-protection rules or well-closure steps would need to be addressed before disposal. "That is a bigger issue than just yay or nay," a councilor said, urging careful evaluation.
Members expressed general support for exploring non-sale options that would increase public benefit and asked staff to initiate conversations with the interested parties; the letter author (Joe) had invited the town to reach out for discussion.
Next steps: Councilors asked staff to gather more information on water-source protections and on legal requirements for disposing of public property and to open further conversations with the prospective partners before making any formal decision.
