Blanding Council closes year

Service awards were presented to Mayor Toni Turk and Councilman Charlie Taylor at the December 10 meeting of the Blanding City Council. They are leaving office on January 1.
Turk has served as Mayor for the past ten years, while Taylor has served on the city council for approximately five years.
They will be replaced by Calvin Balch as Mayor, and Taylor Harrison on the city council. Councilman Robert Ogle was also elected to a four-year term on the council beginning January 1, 2014.
Turk told the Council that after leaving office, he and his wife will be working on a project to create a “virtual cemetery” for three cemeteries that have been destroyed in Poland.
A formal statement for Turk, made as he leaves office, will be published in the January 1 issue of the San Juan Record.
The Council had extensive discussion about a proposed change in the zoning ordinance. At the current time, there is a perception that owners of small homes do not have the same flexibility for the construction of outbuildings on their properties.
The proposed zoning change would give some flexibility to these owners of small homes.
After significant discussion, it was determined that the proposed change may need some more work before it is ready for public hearing.
Recommendations do not go straight from the zoning commission to a public hearing, but first must go through the city council.