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Show the result is favorable, they would solicit a majority (or super majority) of residents participating with Waste Management to sign a petition for a recycling program. Councilman Scott VanLeeuwen asked if it was possible to poll residents up front to see how many were for or against recycling, before other action. Mr. Morris said it would be necessary to have a committee and provide public meetings. President Dennis Ilium does not feel that recycling should be mandated, and that residents who want to recycle already do so. Mayor Keith Butler suggested alternatives for residents such as possibly placing recycling bins at the parks for them to use. Mr. VanLeeuwen also expressed concern about mandating recycling. The Council agreed to have staff get a committee to look into recycling, by a vote of 3 to 1 in favor. However, little interest was found in the project or being on an investigative committee, so the matter was dropped for the present. Cemetery Steve Mecham suggested that a cemetery district be created to collect money to purchase property, when it is available, for a cemetery in the City. He said he was born in the city, lived here most of his life, and would like to be buried in the city when he dies. He has talked to people who feel the same way. He suggested that residents and past residents pay a lower price for a lot, with non-residents charged a higher rate. Kim Slater asked about the laws concerning being buried in a high water table. Mr. Mecham said with sealed vaults it is not a big problem. He felt a cemetery should be self-sustaining as long as we can purchase the property. Mr. Morris said an election would be needed to see if residents want a cemetery district. It would be an entirely separate entity from the city. It would show up as taxes as a special district, not a city property tax. The staff contacted other cemetery districts to get more information for the Council on how they are run and how successful they are. Paul Hodson, Chair of the Plain City Cemetery District, explained about their cemetery district. It is run separately from the city. Originally formed many years ago under the Weber County Commission, it consists of about four acres, and is expanding to another four acres, with one acre being now developed. He explained the history and how things have changed over time. Initially, they let each person buy eight plots; now the maximum is four plots, because so many empty plots exist. Maintenance is paid by a property tax, currently about $12.00 per year on a home valued at $250,000. Rules exist for headstones, flowers, graves, etc. Plots now are sold for $300.00 each for the first two; the extra two plots are $450.00 each. Those living out of the district pay $700.00 for the first 2, the extra plots are $1,000-$1,200. When asked about problems they have incurred, Mr. Hodson listed people riding horses in the cemetery, vacant plots, and rules on flowers. They have been fortunate not to have had vandalism to date. The legal procedure for creation of a cemetery district was presented by City Administrator Bill Morris, who outlined the formation procedure in Utah Code 17B-1-202, at the October 20, 2011, council meeting. The area in the district would be the city limits. Taxable value of the district would be $190,560,063, for 10 to 15 acres, with 1 acre developed at a time. It would be governed by an elected or appointed board of trustees consisting of local residents. A sexton to conduct maintenance and a secretary to handle operations and budget would be appointed. A GIS program could provide the layout, which may include a fenced and gated entryway, center road with curb, pressurized irrigation, taps for visitors, headstone foundation for first row of graves with plot number, trees and landscaping. Plots may be sold by uniform row in numerical order starting with Plot 19 |