Manti gets ready for spring runoff
Judy Chantry
Staff writer
4-27-2017
MANTI—City workers have been getting things ready for spring runoff, said Manti Public Works Director Dale Nielsen. To what extent flood channels will be put to use remains to be seen in coming days.
Nielsen gave a report on public-works’ efforts when he spoke to the Manti City Council on Wednesday, April 12.
“We have been checking the flood channels throughout the city and cleaning those that need to be cleaned,” Nielson sad.
Mayor Korry Soper asked if there was any concern about flooding. Nielson responded that it all depends on how fast things warms up. “There is a lot of snow up there,” he said, “but we feel good about the flood channels, and the preparations we have made puts us in a lot better shape than we used to be.”
Apart from that, Nielsen said his workers had been working at the old fire station, installing a sprinkling system as well as other improvements. Additionally, crews have been working at the property that will soon become the Manti City Sports Complex on the north end of town.
On the topic of the sports complex, Garrick Willden from Jones and DeMille Engineering met with the council to announce the successful bidders for construction. The construction of the concession building was awarded to Todd Alder Construction of Ephraim. Alder will subcontract for amenities associated with the building.
Harward and Rees of Loa was awarded the contract for field construction. Groundbreaking for the complex will be around the first of May, with actual construction beginning shortly after that. City crews have been involved in some of the preliminary work, including home demolition and fence removal.
City Administrator Kent Barton announced that John and Susan Frischknecht had donated five acres of property adjoining the complex, which will allow for dedicated soccer fields. He also thanked the citizen’s committee for their efforts in design recommendations for the complex.
Regarding continuing business, the council approved an $850 contribution to the Sanpete County Food Pantry for repaving and improvement on their parking lot. A representative of the food pantry had solicited funds at a previous council meeting.
Mayor Korry Soper reported on his attendance at Utah League of Cities and Towns meetings in St. George.
“There were interesting sessions, one of which was in regard to more transparency in public meetings,” Soper said. He went on to say that city councils are urged to have video feeds of city council meetings. A few years ago, Manti Telephone’s public-access station Channel 3 did it for about a year. They recorded the meetings and rebroadcast them on Channel 3.
“With today’s technology, I don’t think the Legislature will let us get away with not doing it much longer,” Soper said.
