October 2, 2025 - Hanksville Town Council

The Hanksville Town Council convened its regular meeting on the 2nd day of October 2025 in the Hanksville Community Center; meeting commenced at 6:00pm.

Present: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei, C. Robert Gilner, C. Mona Wells and C. Eric Wells

Absent: Treasurer Jessica Alvey and C. Morgan Stephen

Employees: Clerk Lisa Wells 

Public in Attendance:  Slate Banner, Sue Fivecoat, Margaret Re, Dane (Hanksville RV), Tyson Hunt, Brad Childs (Gerber Construction).  Jeremy Butler, Bruce Johnson and April Lathram with Division of Natural Resources.Brennen Rees (Ensign Engineering)

Pledge: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei

Prayer: C. Eric Wells

Roll Call: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei

Motion to approve minutes from the September council meeting: C. Eric Wells; Second C. Mona Wells Aye: All in attendance.

 Motion to move new business items to first of the agenda: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei; Second C. Mona Wells Aye: All in attendance.

 New Business: 

  Jeremy Butler - Utah Department of Natural Resources - Annual report to Hanksville regarding efforts in quagga mussel containment.  He introduced April Lathram - she oversees the DNR staff at the boat ramp and Lt. Bruce Johnson -he oversees the whole state regarding quagga mussels.  Lt. Johnson gave the remainder of the report.  Bullfrog now has a dip tank which has been helpful and reduced the number of boaters sent elsewhere.  Hanksville RV is doing a great job with decontamination and cleaning of encrusted boats.  Off Shore no longer has a contract with DNR for decontamination.  The DNR did 14,000 inspections this season with 1400 decontaiminated.  40% of Colorado boaters do not have the annual required education course.  The DNR motto to help with the spread of quagga mussels is Clean, Drain and Dry.  It is illegal to transport a boat with the drain plug in.  Reminder to all to not bypass the inspection station, boaters will be fined $680.

Hanksville Diversion project - town water usage.  Brad Childs estimates that at peak usage for all construction operations 60,000gal/day.  The council discussed storage availability for this increase of demand and felt comfortable with selling Gerber and other sub-contractors like Brown Brothers water.  Maintenance will continue to monitor usage and town water demands.

  Resolution 25-01 - a resolution to cancel the council member race in the upcoming general election. 

 Motion to approve Resolution 25-01 to cancel unopposed council race in 2025 general election: C. Eric Wells; Second C. Mona Wells Aye: All in attendance. 

 Tabled Business:

  Request from Katherine Roberts regarding social media platform and online discussions for town business - Discussion from last council meeting to inform the mayor of the letter from Mrs. Roberts and request from council to follow the posted administrator rules of the Hanksville Pickler. The mayor will review her letter.  

Slate Banner - Follow-up with Hanksville 1st Subdivision property line change - Slate is asking the council if they have a problem with this change of property to allow for a smaller turn-around at the end of 80 south that will change the outside property line of the Hanksville 1st Subdivision.  When Mr. Banner has the mylar of the correct property description; he needs signatures from the mayor, clerk and planning commission before he can record it.  He has all the necessary quit-claim deeds to transfer the property correctly. All property owners within the subdivision have been notified of this change of the turn-round and boundary line and are in agreement with the changes. He has also made provision of a right-of-way for any future utility needs. This meets the current subdivision ordinance requirements.

 Motion to approve the change in the Hanksville 1st Subdivision property line at the end of 80 south as shown on the submitted map: C. Eric Wells; Sec: Robert Gilner Aye: All in attendance.

Report of Officers:

Council member Mona Wells:

  She has scheduled Founders Day for Saturday, October 11th and contacted the county for a free dump at the landfill.  The dump will be open from 10am  until 5pm. Reminder that no tires or used oil is accepted.  If someone needs help with a big item contact the clerk to coordinate with C. Mona Wells for pick-up.  

Council member Morgan Stephens:

ABSENT

         Slate Banner has a fix-it list for the affordable housing units that he will be submitting to the clerk.  The eviction notice was sent to apartment #2 as per instructions by the council at the last meeting.  Tyson Hunt - asked if he could speak to why he was unable to pay. He had back surgery then his child was bit by a dog and it's been a rough few months for him.  He does realize that he has been late several times in the past.  The mayor would like to discuss this in an executive meeting.

  C. Eric Wells requested money to spend on more Christmas lights to decorate the old church.  The council agreed that he could spend between $500 to $1000 for Christmas lights.

Council member Eric Wells:

A new sewer and water line has been installed for Red Desert, this is a 3” water line so bigger than most.  Maintenance will be working to connect Scott Livingston and Kenny McCoy property soon.  All have paid the required connection and impact fees.  They will be billed for the actual cost of materials including digging under the road by CC Construction, as required to get the utilities to the proper side of the road to connect.  

   The State approved a grinder pump from the extra money from the sewer project.  Also, the Wayne County Fire District is in need of information from the town regarding an ISO Audit that the county is undergoing..  Brennen Rees with Ensign said he could help with that but will need a little information from Eric.

Brennen Rees - reported on the water master plan that he has been working on.  There had been some revision to the storage requirements needed for reserve after looking at the businesses they have determined the 300,000 gal storage will be required for emergency use with 100gpm for peak demand.  Hanksville has 260gpm from source wells but is deficient in water storage.  The oldest tank on the Rookie hill has had some leakage and they estimate by 2030 that tank will need to come offline.  Their recommendation is a new tank of 500,000 gal that will serve for the 40 year master water plan.  Brennen will finalize the maps and full water master plan.  This grant for the master plan will pay 100% of the cost and is needed before the town can continue to pursue the grant money from Rep. Celeste Molloy’s office for a bigger tank.  

Council member Robert Gilner:

He is ready to begin the road project and will get with Eric Wells and volunteer to make it happen.  The mayor met with Jared from UDOT.

The council discussed the UDOT Qualified Proposals for the Safe Route To Schools grant.  The 4 qualified engineering firms - Jones and DeMille, Ensign Engineering, Mainline Engineering and Ridgeline Consultants. They discussed each firm.

Motion to engage Ensign Engineering for the firm to represent Hanksville with the Safe Route to School grant : C. Eric Wells; Second: Robert Gilner Aye:  All in attendance.

Mayor Jeffren T. Pei:

Mayor Pei said he is working on a FEMA grant for generators to provide electricity for the town in case of power outage.  He has designated the Hanksville Elementary School and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints building as emergency shelters.

Treasurer Jessica Alvey:

ABSENT

The clerk presented the financial report from 7/1/2025 to 9/30/2025 and they discussed money spent and checked to see if they were on track with the budgeted income/expenses.  C. Eric Wells brought up the ongoing negotiations for a new (used) mini-ex.  He has found a mini-ex for $90K plus the trade-in valve of the current mini-ex will be $50K left plus he needs a trailer for it.  He also would like to propose the purchase of a used tractor for about $40K.  The mini-ex will be purchased from money received in the water fund for bulk water and the continued sale of bulk water to the construction crews for the diversion project will fund the purchase of a tractor.  This tractor will serve the needs of road maintenance, arena maintenance, utility install and general maintenance.  The bigger mini-ex will serve the needs of all sewer and water connections as well as the cemetery needs.

Clerk Lisa Wells:

• Bills presented to council for approval (spreadsheet attached)

• Motion to approve bills: C. Eric Wells; Second C. Mona Wells. Aye: All in attendance

Planning Commission:

  Slate Banner - The planning commission will meet next on October 14, 2025.  They are continuing their read through of SB174 and will be ready to schedule a public hearing with the couple of changes that they have informed the council of - the civil engineer requirement and 30 day recording deadline of the final plat to Wayne County. The council directed the planning commission to focus on the annexation plan as their next step when the subdivision application ordinance is complete.  

Public Comment: NONE

Motion for an optional closed session to discuss affordable housing property: C. Eric Wells; Second C. Mona Wells;  Aye: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei, C. Eric Wells, C. Mona Wells, and C. Robert Gilner.  

After return from closed session:

Motion to evict tenants from apartment #2 at the Hanksville Affordable Housing: C. Eric Wells; Second C. Robert Gilner.  Aye:  All in attendance.

Motion to adjourn: C. Mona Wells; Second C. Eric Wells. Aye: All in attendance. The meeting adjourned at 8:05pm.