MAY 2022
RIVERTON REVIEW Official Newsletter of the Riverton, Utah City Government MAYOR’S MESSAGE
Why Water Conservation Matters By Mayor Trent Staggs Drought conditions in Utah continue. As a result, snowpack for areas that feed Riverton City’s water systems is at 79% of normal. Utah Lake, the reservoir that holds the city’s secondary irrigation water, sits at 61.3% of capacity, compared to 78% last year. Together, these facts paint a somewhat bleak outlook for where we sit heading into the summer season. Given this outlook, I recommend all Riverton residents start the summer season out with water conservation in mind and look for ways throughout this year to reduce water use. These may include: • Wait to start watering lawns until the soil needs it. This will allow more water to be retained in Utah Lake for use later in the season. An easy way to determine if soil is moist or needs water is to stick a screwdriver in the ground. If it goes in easy, the soil is moist and doesn’t need water. If it is difficult to insert, it’s likely the
grass needs water. • Once temperatures warm and lawn watering becomes necessary, following the Weekly Lawn Watering Guide published by the Utah Division of Water Resources will ensue you are only using as much water as is necessary given outdoor temperatures. • Adjust automatic sprinkler timers, especially in the spring and fall, to reduce the time they are on, as lawn needs much less water during those cooler months. Setting your clock at the beginning of the season and not adjusting • Consider installing a smart irrigation controller on your sprinkler system. Doing so may qualify you for a rebate. • Consider removing the grass in your park strip and installing landscaping that uses less water and is easier to maintain. You may qualify for the Flip Your Strip rebate from the state if you do so. The Utah State Legislature passed H.B. 242 this year which mandates that every secondary water meter connection in Utah be metered by 2030. As part of the bill, water suppliers that install meters in 2022 and 2023 are eligible to receive
RIVERTON REVIEW | MAY 2022
state funding for 70% of the cost of the project. Riverton City plans to take advantage of this funding and will cover the remaining 30% by using funds provided to the city by the 2021 America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Riverton City has already installed meters on over 1/3 of secondary water connections, essentially all connections west of the Utah Lake Distributing Canal. Anticipating state action on metering, Riverton City suspended the installation of meters at the end of 2020, saving the city $8 million in bond money we returned to the lender. As a result of H.B. 242, and funding from ARPA, Riverton City will be able to install meters on remaining connections at no cost to the taxpayer and without incurring any debt. Residents who do not yet have a meter can expect to have one installed in the next year or two. The city does not intend to change our charging structure for use of secondary water after meters are installed, but we hope residents will become aware of how much water they are using. Data has shown when the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District installed meters, and showed users how much water they were using, water usage dropped by 20-30% over time.
RECYCLE RIGHT DAY
• Cardboard • Glass • Electronics * • Tires • Shredding * Visit rivertonutah.gov/beautiful for details on electronics recycling.
• Riverton residents only - must provide proof of residency. • No business recycling. • No hazardous materials. • Residents are responsible for emptying their own vehicles.
Thursday, May 19 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Riverton City Park 1452 W 12600 S
For more information, visit: rivertonutah.gov/beautiful
PAGE 1
COUNCIL MESSAGE
Importance of Citizen Engagement MAYOR Trent Staggs tstaggs@rivertonutah.gov 801-208-3129
CITY COUNCIL Sheldon Stewart - District 1 sstewart@rivertonutah.gov 801-953-5672 Troy McDougal - District 2 tmcdougal@rivertonutah.gov 801-931-9933 Tawnee McCay - District 3 tmccay@rivertonutah.gov 801-634-7692 Tish Buroker - District 4 tburoker@rivertonutah.gov 801-673-6103 Claude Wells - District 5 cwells@rivertonutah.gov 801-875-0116
CITY MANAGER David R. Brickey citymanager@rivertonutah.gov 801-208-3129
CITY OFFICES City Hall.................................801-254-0704 Administration.......................801-208-3129 Animal Control......................801-208-3108 Cemetery...............................801-208-3128 Code Enforcement.................801-208-3108 Development Services...........801-208-3138 Fire (UFA)...............................801-743-7200 Justice Court..........................801-208-3131 Recreation & Events..............801-208-3101 Police.....................................385-281-2455 Public Works..........................801-208-3162 Recorder................................801-208-3128 Utility Billing..........................801-208-3133 Water.....................................801-208-3164
By Councilmember Claude Wells Have you ever been to a Riverton City Council meeting? Chances are if you have, you likely only understand a little bit about the process of how the meeting is conducted. Riverton City operates using a “six-member council” form of government consisting of the Mayor as the chair and five council members for five distinct districts throughout our 12 square mile city boundary. Our job is to be a good steward of the residents/taxpayer’s money used to keep our city running and maintain our city infrastructure in a safe manner. The City Council approves ordinances, reviews zoning change requests, reviews and set budgets that are fiscally responsible, adopts resolutions, establishes city fees, sets strategic priorities for each budget year and establishes long-range plans for city services, utilities, and set regulatory
standards for the provision of city services. Each hearing, ordinance, budget item, and other important motions made by the City Council take a majority vote of the council to pass into law. The City Council has five votes. A voting majority is three votes since the Mayor only votes to break a tie. It is in the best interest of council members to establish productive relationships with city staff and other council members to get support on important city initiatives. No single council member can decide any one issue on their own. It is important for cities to have engaged citizens in the important matters that shape our city’s goals. On March 1, 2022, the City Council had two important issues to resolve in two different areas of our city. We had a full capacity council chamber present for both hearings. Having actively engaged citizens show up in full force made all the difference in the decisions made that night. We were able to make decisions that required some concessions to be negotiated. Most of the citizens
left satisfied with the decisions that were made. As a council, we rarely agree on everything, however, we strive to work together to make cohesive, positive changes that make Riverton a wonderful place to raise a family, work, shop, and enjoy activities sponsored by the city. In addition to council responsibilities, all the council members serve on important committees and boards within our city, the county, and at the state level. Some of those boards include United Fire Authority (UFA), Riverton Law Enforcement Service Area (RLESA), Utah League of Cities and Towns (ULCT), Riverton Redevelopment Agency (RDA), South Valley Sewer District (SVS), Trans-Jordan Landfill, South Valley Chamber, Jordan River Commission, Association of Municipal Councils (AMC), and more. The best way to find city services and city events is to download the Riverton Connect mobile app or visit the city website. Here you can find everything you need to navigate through city services and events. Go to www.rivertonutah.gov and check it out.
FIND US ONLINE! @rivertonutahgov www.rivertonutah.gov PAGE 2
Engaged citizens attend a Riverton City Council meeting to voice their concerns over a newly proposed rezone.
RIVERTON REVIEW | MAY 2022
4
PUBLIC SAFETY MESSAGE
Close Before You Doze By Chief Wade Watkins Han Solo’s famous quote of “never tell me the odds” was epic in Star Wars. In real life, stacking the deck to improve those odds is key to protect our families and our community. Reducing and mitigating the risk and the impact of fires in our homes is the focus of this article. Through prevention and early notification efforts we improve the odds. Another important safety measure is to Close Before You Doze. Through comprehensive experiments performed by the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), we now understand that it is extremely important for the survivability of occupants to close the bedroom door.
• More survivable temperatures: temperatures typically will stay below 100 degrees Fahrenheit • Livable oxygen levels: oxygen levels read around 18%. (For comparison, regular room air is about 20% oxygen.) • Less toxic carbon monoxide levels: close to 100 parts per million of carbon monoxide When a door remains open during a fire, a person in that room is exposed to: • Less survivable temperatures:
Using thermal imaging cameras, researchers found that closed-door rooms on both floors during the fire’s spread had average temperatures of less than 100 degrees Fahrenheit versus 1000+ degrees in the open-door rooms. “You could see a markable difference that a person could be alive in a room with a closed door much longer,” according to a FSRI researcher. Saving lives starts with simple steps. Based on these findings, Close Before You Doze encourages those both trapped in a room during a fire, as well as those who can safely leave a home, to close as many doors as possible. These steps should only be performed if it can be done safely. Why should you sleep with the door closed? When a door is closed during a fire, a person in that room experiences:
RIVERTON REVIEW | MAY 2022
temperatures can get hotter than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit • Low oxygen levels: oxygen levels can decrease to 8%, making it harder to breathe • Extremely toxic carbon monoxide levels: dangerous levels can increase to 10,000 PPM CO When it comes to fire safety, closing your bedroom door is a simple step that can make a big difference in the event of fire! Please check out fsri.org/ programs/close-before-you-doze for more information. Stay Safe Riverton!
WAYS TO CONNECT WITH RIVERTON
EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS
n rivertonutah.gov/subscribe Get the latest city updates, e-newsletters, event information and other news delivered right to your inbox.
TEXT MESSAGE ALERTS
n rivertonutah.gov/alerts
Get emergency alerts and notifications on important city updates on your cell phone 3-4 times per month.
RIVERTON CONNECT APP
n rivertonutah.gov/app
Report a problem, see the city calendar, get directions to parks and city facilities, and find city information right from your mobile device.
SOCIAL MEDIA
n @rivertonutahgov
Connect with Riverton City to get quick updates, essential information, event details and more on the platforms you use.
PAGE 3
UPCOMING EVENTS
RIVERTON REVIEW
Town Days Parade Entry Applications
Register: Youth Fall Baseball
Miss Riverton Scholarship Competition
QPR Suicide Prevention Training
It’s time to get your business or organization signed up for an entry in the Riverton Town Days Parade. Apply online at rivertonutah.gov/parade.
Get your kids age 3-8 years old registered for our Fall Baseball league! Season includes 7 games. Registration closes June 27. Sign up at rivertonutah.gov/baseball.
All are invited to attend the Miss Riverton Scholarship Competition to see participants compete for the Miss Riverton crown and scholarship.
Attend a free QPR suicide preven- Interested in singing the National tion class to learn how to respond Anthem at Riverton Town Days or the Riverton Rodeo? to someone in crises. Classes occur monthly, excluding July and Visit rivertonutah.gov/anthem to December. express your interest.
• Deadline: Monday, June 13, Event: Friday, July 1, 6:30 p.m.
• League begins Tuesday, August 2.
• Saturday, May 7, 7 p.m., South Hills Middle School
• Thursday, May 19, 7 p.m., Riverton City Hall
Town Days National Anthem Auditions
• Auditions: Wednesday, May 25, Old Dome Meeting Hall
For details or registration information on these events, visit rivertonutah.gov/recreation
Riverton Town Days Country Mile Races Come run the Riverton Town Days 10K, 5K or 1-Mile Race on Saturday, July 2! This is a fantastic way for the entire family to be a part of our annual Town Days Celebration. Cost is $15 to register until May 31. Register at rivertonutah.gov/country-mile.
Become a Riverton Town Days Sponsor Riverton City invites businesses and organizations to become a sponsor for Riverton Town Days. Your sponsorship helps fund the event and will bring increased exposure to your business! Submit sponsor applications online at: rivertonutah.gov/sponsors Application Deadline: Friday, May 20
Are You CERT Certified? Riverton residents who have been previously CERT certified are encouraged to submit their name and contact information to Riverton City. The city is building a database of residents who have been CERT certified who can be called upon, if needed, during an emergency. If you are CERT certified, please let us know at rivertonutah.gov/cert-submission.
Upcoming City Meetings CITY COUNCIL MEETING Tuesday, May 3 & 17, 7 p.m. PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Thursday, May 12 & 26, 6:30 p.m
PAGE 4
RIVERTON REVIEW | MAY 2022