MT. PLEASANT—Unforeseen issues with a road contractor have delayed plans to make much needed repairs to roads in Mt. Pleasant’s troubled Aspen Village and other locations, the Mt. Pleasant City Council learned last week.
At a meeting Sept. 28, Councilman Rondy Black, council liaison for capital projects, said the contractor, Bedrock Roads of Lindon, successfully completed two road projects for the city last year, one on 400 East and the other at the site of the former city airport.
Black said the city was satisfied with the work and awarded the contract for additional work to be completed this fall.
But before fall work began, Bedrock notified Black that it was involved in a dispute with the company that supplies the main ingredient for the unique road surface material the company sells.
Dispute with supplier
As a result, Bedrock had lost its license to sell the product. Bedrock told Black it would be unable to fulfill its contract with Mt. Pleasant until the dispute was resolved.
Black said that no city funds had been spent under the contract, but expressed disappointment, saying that the product has proven itself in other projects.
“It costs about a third of the cost of regular asphalt and appears to be far more durable,” he said. “We haven’t had a single pothole where this stuff has been used.”
After discussion, the city council’s consensus was to re-issue bid requests in the spring of 2022, knowing that bids based on asphalt for the 1.4 miles of roads involved will likely be considerably higher.
Swimming fees
In other business, Mayor Olsen said fees for swimming pool use are being reviewed in light of problems the city is having retaining life guards. The city currently pays $9 per hour.
He said an agreement had been reached with the high school for a $50 fee per for swim team member. The school will also provide one life guard.
Citizens in the audience complained that their swim time is being limited due to too many private parties being booked. The city promised to look into the problem.
Discussion was held on raising life guard pay and raising overall user fees, but no action was taken.
Colter Allan, public works director, said the crews digging a new culinary well struck water at 80 feet and is now at nearly 150 feet. Plans are for the well to bottom out around 300 feet.
After a bleak water year, the new well, and other improvements to the water system, have brightened hopes for the coming year.
Dying trees
Dying trees in the city garnered considerable attention during the public comment segment of the meeting. City resident Dana Sorensen, complained that a considerable number of trees on Main and State Streets have died or are dying.
“Living trees give our city its unique character,” she said. Her sentiments were echoed by Pam Stoker, another citizen, who demanded to know what the city was doing about the problem. “Last year the city promised to provide a water truck to help with watering, but it has never been done,” she complained.
Allan said that the water truck has been broken down and couldn’t be used. Mayor Olsen said that getting home owners to maintain regular watering of the trees has been a problem during the drought. There was a discussion on asking the LDS church to water the trees in front of the yellow and red churches, both of which front State Street.
Allan said trees in some areas are unreachable from city risers. Councilman Justen Atkinson asked if there were fire hydrants on each corner. Allan replied that there were on most. “Why not use them?” Atkinson asked.
The tree problem was not on the council’s agenda, so no official action could be taken. Mayor Olsen assured citizens the city regarded the problem as serious and promised to find a solution prompty.
Rate audit
The Power Department reported it was conducting a rate audit. “We have not adjusted rates since 2014,” Shane Ward, Power Department director, said.
He also reported the department is working on a power separator at the Contoy Arena to more closely track operational costs at the arena. He also said that the lines between the city’s two hydro-generator stations, which are situated 2.5 miles apart, are being converted from aerial lines to underground.
