Weber County agrees to finish drainage and roadbase for Plain City but limits acquisition exposure with reimbursement cap

Weber County staff presented an amended interlocal agreement with Plain City on Feb. 2 that would have the county finish remaining drainage and road‑base work on 2200, reimburse Plain City for acquiring one remaining parcel and negotiate payment for asphalt materials at current prices.

Staff said the county will finish about 264 linear feet of 18‑inch concrete pipe, install two 4x4 boxes and restore road base to Plain City standards; asphalt paving was proposed to be reimbursed at current material value rather than doing a full in‑place paving now. County engineers estimated the remaining asphalt-material cost at roughly $50,000–$60,000 depending on tonnage and current prices.

Cortland, representing county legal interests, proposed language that conditions county payment for acquisition costs on the city’s ‘‘proceeding in good faith with reasonable promptness and diligence’’ to acquire the Molden parcel, and gives the county the right to an equitable adjustment if the city’s delays materially increase costs. Cortland and staff recommended including attorney costs and proposed a practical cap to limit open‑ended county exposure.

Commissioners pressed for a clear reimbursement limit. One commissioner proposed reimbursing up to 110–125% of current appraised value; Cortland offered to modify the draft so the county would reimburse no more than 125% of current land value plus reasonable attorney fees. Commissioners agreed to include that cap and to ask Plain City to adopt annexation and proceed with acquisition, with the county negotiating final asphalt pricing.

The discussion produced direction to staff to insert a reimbursement cap (125% of current land value plus reasonable attorney costs), to negotiate material pricing with Plain City, and to include language allowing the county to dispute unreasonable delays or costs. The commissioners took no final binding vote to sign the interlocal during the public session; staff was authorized to finish language and return with a final draft.