Lehigh City Council Meeting Summary for October 28, 2025
Lehigh City Council Meeting Summary for October 28, 2025
The Lehigh City Council convened for a pre-council session and regular meeting on October 28, 2025, to address routine administrative matters, approve several significant resolutions, and hear public testimony. Following a closed-door session regarding imminent litigation and real estate, the council held a public comment period featuring resident feedback and proceeded to approve a telecommunications franchise, budget amendments, power system impact fees, and a solar energy project agreement.
Consent Calendar
- The council unanimously approved the consent agenda as presented.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Vern Keysler (Resident): Expressed full gratitude and support for Mayor Johnson's 25+ years of service to the community. He voiced strong support for the city's professional staff, specifically praising recent sidewalk "gap projects" near Sky Ridge High School, 2600 North, the completion of the Sixth East corridor, and the construction of new parks.
- Lily Leighton (Resident): Expressed safety concerns regarding a narrowed "hourglass" section on 900 North between 1700 East and 1200 East, noting the risk for new and experienced drivers. She requested the council explore widening the road.
- Response: Staff noted that while part of the road is county jurisdiction, the issue is on their radar, though property acquisition and irrigation ditches present challenges.
- Rachel Anderson (Resident): Expressed worry about the increased risk of head-on collisions due to the implementation of flex lanes on Pioneer Crossing without movable barriers. She requested influence on implementing additional safety measures.
- Response: Staff acknowledged the concern, noted that national safety standards must be adhered to, and stated they will observe the implementation over time.
- Union Representative: Expressed support for including Union Carpenters on future projects to provide trade opportunities for young people, noting that subcontractors are currently making it difficult for locals to enter the trade.
- Maxwell Yingling (Resident/Student): Expressed strong support for extending sidewalk infrastructure on major streets like State Street to ensure safe pedestrian access to public transportation stops, noting current gaps force unsafe travel conditions.
Discussion Items
- Resolution 2025-75 (Telecommunications Franchise): Council considered granting Summit IG Utah a non-exclusive franchise. The item was presented as standard terms.
- Resolution 2025-76 (Budget Amendment): The amendment was presented to roll forward previously budgeted capital projects, pay for insurance claims from reserves, authorize a fire department grant expenditure, budget for the purchase of property next to the power department, and allocate Coomer Trust funds for library books. The presenter clarified the library funding adds $50k to the existing $225k book budget.
- Power Systems Impact Fee Amendments: Susie Becker from Science Public Finance presented the Impact Fee Facilities Plan (IFFP) and Analysis (IFA). She highlighted a 79 MW growth over the next 10 years necessitating new facilities and excess capacity buy-ins. The proposal indicates a 28% rate increase to align with inflation, raising the maximum fee from ~$1,200 to $1,575. Council members confirmed the calculation methods and questioned the 79 MW figure, which was defined as total growth, not an average.
- UAMPS Fremont Solar Project (Resolution 2025-77): The council reviewed a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for 18.38 megawatts at $35-$45/MWh. The presentation explained that the price is advantageous due to included transmission interconnection and eligibility for tax credits. A battery storage component (49.5 MW, 4-hour duration) allows for load shifting, stabilizing rates against future price escalation. Staff emphasized this adds diversity to the current portfolio, which lacks solar-plus-battery and geothermal resources.
Key Outcomes
- Closed Session: The council voted unanimously (all Aye) to enter a closed executive session for imminent litigation, real estate, and potential litigation.
- Epilepsy Awareness: The Mayor signed Proclamation 2025-75 designating November 2025 as Epilepsy Awareness Month, noting it is the 12th annual proclamation.
- Telecommunications Franchise: Resolution 2025-75 was approved unanimously. Roll call vote: Yes (Paul, Heather, Chris, Michelle, Mayor).
- Budget Amendment: Resolution 2025-76 was approved unanimously following a public hearing. Roll call vote: Yes (Heather, Chris, Michelle, Paul, Mayor).
- Impact Fees: Ordinance 64-2025 was approved unanimously, adopting the Impact Fee Facilities Plan and Analysis and amending power fees. Roll call vote: Yes (Mayor, Chris, Michelle, Paul, Heather).
- Solar Project: Resolution 2025-77 was approved unanimously to approve the UAMPS Fremont Solar Project Agreement. Roll call vote: Yes (Chris, Michelle, Paul, Heather, Mayor).
- Adjournment: The regular meeting was adjourned.
Meeting Transcript
Let's go ahead and get started. I'd like to welcome everybody to our uh pre-council uh meeting for Lehigh City. The date is October 28th, 2025. Um we don't have a lot on the agenda today, but we do have some things we do have to go through. Uh we uh oh, as a matter of roll call, all our council members are in attendance here today, and we always start this meeting out with a prayer. And I asked Heather if she would do that. Dear Henley Father, we're grateful we're able to be here today as a city council and uh representing the city and being able to uh discuss things together to be able to benefit our residents in our great city. We ask the helming father to bless our residents that they can be Cape Safe and bless our our first responders and um our officers as they go about and helping and supporting us and protecting us that they can be under thy care. Uh we're grateful, Heavenly Father, for this great city that we're able to live in and the opportunity we have to serve. And we're thankful for being able to have this time of year where we can focus on the blessings that we have in our lives. And again, Heavenly Father, we're so grateful for all we have. We say St. Jesus Christ amen. We do not have any presentations or reports uh today. Uh that moves us to item number three, which is the agenda questions. Are there any questions on the agenda tonight? We haven't had that one this short for quite some time. So there's no questions. Administrative report. Nothing here. Do you want to make excuses where our other administrators are tonight? There it is. ICMA. There you go. So that's why Bo is representing thank you for being here and not there because you're dedicated. Yep, number one. I'll make sure I pass that note on. Yeah. Please do. We can make a loop. Okay. Uh, in absence of an administrative report, uh, mayor and council, let's bring it up here. Do you have anything on your re-individual assignments to report on? anybody started this meeting at 545 or 645. Item six. So this is one we have to have. We do have to have a closed door session. Uh so um apologize for anybody who's wondering why we're going to have to leave the room in a moment, but we will. I won't take a motion. This is for uh imminent litigation. And I believe that. And real estate. That's it. Yeah, real estate. And potential litigation. Okay. I will take a motion. Mr. Mayor, I make a motion that we excuse into a closed meeting for the purchase exchange or lease of property pending or reasonably imminent litigation, the character, professional competence, or the physical or mental health of an individual or the deployment of security personnel devices or systems or real estate or real estate. I have a motion to go into the closed door session.
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