September 3rd, 2026 - Hanksville Town Council
The Hanksville Town Council convened its regular meeting on the 3rd day of Aug 2026 in conjunction with a PUBLIC HEARING in the Hanksville Community Center; meeting commenced at 6:00pm.
Present: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei, C. Mona Wells, C. Robert Gilner (virtually) and C. Shyann Alvey (virtually)
Absent: C. Peter Devonshire and Maintenance Eric Wells
Employees: Clerk Lisa Wells, Treasurer Jessica Alvey
Public in Attendance: Brennan Rees - Ensign Engineering, Susan Wells, Charity Jackson, Margaret Re, Duke Alvey, Dan Thatcher, Jaron Jackson, Colton Roberts, Shanna Sellers, Sue Fivecoat, Connie Brown, Doug Roberts, Jason Linder, Jaqei Pei, and Marina Alexander.
Pledge: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei
Prayer: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei
Roll Call: Mayor Jeffren T. Pei
Shanna Sellers - Representing a homeschool group called Sage Brush Academy. They have been meeting for about 3 years and last year they rented the firehouse for several activities. Shanna is requesting use of the building at a discounted rate or free if possible. They would like to use the building two days a month. The council has already discussed this issue in a work meeting and agreed to waive the fee for Sage Brush Academy use.
Motion to approve minutes from the August council meeting: C. Mona Wells; Second C Robert Gilner Aye: All in attendance.
Public Hearing:
See attached minutes to Notice of Public Hearings for 9/3/2026
New Business:
Notice of award for Sewer Line Inspection for sewer lagoon. The bid results came in with only 2 companies bidding - DLII at $169,350 and Twin D Construction at $42,740. The engineer’s estimate was $45,575. The council agreed to award the project to Twin D Construction the lowest bid.
Tabled Business:
Flock camera usage in Hanksville - The flock camera company is a private company that sells its product to Federal and State governments as well as private companies. There are good things and bad things about the Flock cameras. The mayor asked Dan Thatcher to look into the Flock cameras and how they are being used in Hanksville.
Susan Wells - Was the council contacted before the flock cameras were installed? Mayor Pei said no they were not notified before any flock cameras were installed. The newest camera that is not a flock camera, installed near the post office was installed possibly due to citizen complaints about drug trafficking in that area. Hanksville town does not own the flock cameras and did not install the cameras. The town doesn’t own the right-of-way where they were installed.
Dan Thatcher- The town legally owns the rights to what happens on all roads in town. Dan will not stop until they are taken down legally. Does the town review flock camera footage? Mayor Pei said no Hanksville Town does not own the flock cameras and no footage has been reviewed by the town. Dan said that the town legally has the right to control the cameras. The mayor said the citizens are welcome to find an avenue to get the flock cameras taken down.
Colton Roberts - He believes that Green River got their flock cameras pulled down.
Dan Thatcher - Actually the town of Green River rejected the funding for any flock cameras. According to Dan, if the cameras are within city limits the council has authority over them. He is worried that if the flock cameras mis-identify someone then the council could be sued or whoever owns the cameras could be sued. He cited the 4th amendment and did the cameras exceed a reasonable expectation of privacy. People have an expectation of privacy in all of their physical movements not because any one location is secret but that the compiled record is different. His concern is not that the cameras capture a picture of our license plate but it's more the replay of 1000 hits on the camera, developing a pattern. These automated license plate readers (ALPR) collect everyone’s data and turn it into a chronicle of information. The mayor said to remove the cameras we need to vote on it and have an ordinance. The mayor is hoping that Mr. Thatcher brought the legal grounds to the council and the process to remove the cameras. Dan says flock cameras do not deter crime, in fact most places where the cameras are put up the crime rate skyrockets because he believes the officers are committing the crime. Dan said that the cameras take a picture of the vehicle license plate, this is not the argument, the argument is that this is repeated many times for weeks and months and then stored for the government to replay a person's life on demand. The power to take ordinary public moments and turn them into a chronicle that no one should lawfully keep without a judge. The court sometimes says there is no privacy on a public street. That answers the long question, privacy is not only about hiding a single act, it's about whether the government, that through the course of a lifetime, can be reconstructed because technology made it cheap, without probable cause, without even being a suspect. That is what ALPR’s do and they are not compatible with the 4th Amendment. That is why Mr. Thatcher is standing in front of the council today. This is not a decision for one person. This is not a decision for the mayor, the city council or city manager. Not a handful of votes of the council behind a staff memo, the 4th amendment is the rights of the people, you, me, all of us. If this town is going to build a machine that records the movement of every driver or allows one to operate, the town’s people should be the one that says yes or no. Put it on the ballot and let us choose whether to watch our streets. I’ve stood here before and I will stand here and say it again. Turn the cameras off and stop the surveillance until the town can vote on whether it is appropriate to use them. That choice does belong to us.
Mayor Pei - The mayor agrees it’s not the surveillance it’s the storage part that is concerning. The camera's storage is usually 30 days but that can be adjusted to whatever length is wanted and is different for different places.
Dan Thatcher - There are too many cameras in and around Hanksville, tax-payer money has been spent. It cost about $2,500 a year for each camera according to Mr. Thatcher. If the town wants to install these cameras it should be a decision that is voted on by the public. Put this on the ballot to be voted on.
Duke Alvey - What images do they store? Dan Thatcher said that Wayne County takes a picture of everyone that passes by the camera and stores data for 30 days and they capture face pictures on the county server.
The mayor would like the planning and zoning to get information about what legally the town can do regarding the flock cameras. Consider drafting an ordinance regarding this issue. The mayor will be installing cameras at the town facilities such as the water tanks, well heads, power grids and the park. They will continue to discuss this.
Applications for full-time employment - No applications have been submitted, the council will keep the job open until it is filled. In the interim, Anthony Jones will continue in this position.
Public Comment:
Dan Thatcher - The mayor talked about secondary water from the old tank that will be taken out of use and the possibility of using that for a secondary water source. The mayor said that is just a discussion for later.
Colton Roberts - The flock cameras are a big violation of our rights. He can see maybe the need to put a couple on the outskirts of town but there are too many in town.
Dan Thatcher - The citizens are supposed to vote on putting them in town.
Sue Fivecoat - If the county didn’t follow the correct procedure in installing them then that is an issue.
Colton Roberts - They didn’t check with UDOT until they were already up. Hanksville is not a big city; it’s not just what they do now but what is up and coming that concerns him regarding the cameras.
Planning Commission:
Dan Thatcher reported that Ashton Brian is continuing to work on creating an instruction manual for new members of the planning commission for ease of transfer of duties. They have also discussed the annexation process.
Hanksville Tourism Advisory Board: ABSENT
Jason Linder - He saw in the minutes an idea for a canyoneering event and is willing to help the town put that together. He discussed the Freeze Fest that is held in Moad and might be an option for winter in Hanksville.
Mayor Jeffren T. Pei:
The speed limit signs need to be posted on town streets. On the town housing apt #2 there is tile work left and it should be able to be rented by Oct 1st 2026. Eric Wells will call for a repair company to fix the AC on apt #2.
Council member Mona Wells:
She has been researching other veteran memorials and would like to make a permanent plaque on the back wall of the pavilion that is being installed. The interior wall needs to be finished on the pavilion. Brennan Rees will make contact again regarding the cemetery.
Council member Robert Gilner:
Kiddos to Brown Brothers Construction for diverting flood water in the middle of the night. It was money well spent to clean out Bull Creek. UDOT helped clean the bottom half of Bull Creek a year ago. He needs to contact NRCS regarding a storm drain project.
Colton Roberts will contact Jared Beard regarding Hanksville’s desire for curb and gutter all along SR24 and connect C. Gilner with Mr. Beard. UDOT does the dirtwork build up for leveling and compaction to UDOT specs for the curb & gutter and then the town would be responsible for the sidewalk. Colton made the town aware that UDOT will be doing paving of SR24 through town in the summer of 2028, maybe that is a better time to do the curb and gutter project.
Council member Peter Devonshire:
ABSENT - He needs to meet with Triple R Construction regarding the easement through their property for the new water tank project.
Council member Shyann Alvey:
She submitted the Hanksville portion for the Outdoor Recreation Mitigation Grant to Adus Dorsey with Wayne County, requesting funding for sidewalk and street lights along SR24 and Hwy 95. She will be attending the How to Apply Workshop on September 28th so she can apply for CDBG funding for the park project. There is also a meeting on September 15th for gateway communities to Lake Powell. She will continue to prepare for several options to get funding for the park. The Wayne County Special Service District could be an option for funding.
Maintenance Utility Director Eric Wells:
ABSENT
Treasurer Jessica Alvey:
Nothing to report
Clerk Lisa Wells:
Bills presented to council for approval (spreadsheet attached)
Motion to approve bills: C. Mona Wells; Second C. Shyann Alvey Aye: All in attendance.
Dump - Erne Krabbe quit Wayne County as Hanksville Landfill supervisor
Susie Hatch has been storing 5 gal buckets of polyurethane to be used on the rock church floor since the remodel of the rock church. They need to be moved to town storage somewhere.
Motion to adjourn: C. Mona Wells; Second C. Robert Gilner Aye: All in attendance. The meeting adjourned at 7:53pm.
