Monticello appoints fifth member of City Council

The first item on the January 14 agenda of the Monticello City Council was to swear in George Rice Jr, and Steve Duke as new members of the City Council. Then Tim Young took the oath as the Mayor of Monticello. When Young became mayor, it left an open position on the Council.
After meeting in executive session for about 20 minutes, the Council appointed Rick Clark to complete the two years of Young’s council term.
Clark is one of four city residents who volunteered to serve on the Council. Others volunteers include Tom Wigginton, Mike Pehrson and Matt Keyes.
The motion to appoint Clark was made by George Rice Jr and seconded by Scott Frost. Councilman Scott Shakespeare was not at the meeting.
In other matters at the meeting, the Council:
• Appointed Wanda Skinner as the new city treasurer.
• Tabled an agenda item to consider a memorandum of understanding with the Chamber of Commerce. It will be addressed in February.
• Formally adopted a new fee schedule that takes into account recent changes made to water, utility and sanitation fees
City manager Greg Westfall reports that drilling is complete on a city water well into the Navajo sandstone. The well was drilled 2,000 feet to the bottom of the Navajo sandstone, with 1,200 feet of the well cased.
Pump tests are expected to be completed soon. Water was found, but the city will not know the amount or quality of the water until testing is complete.
“We are fairly optimistic about the water,” said Westfall.