Tech council accepts updated hydrant-access contract with Boulder Farmstead Water Company

The town tech council voted unanimously to accept revised contract language from Boulder Farmstead Water Company and authorized the mayor to execute the updated agreement.

Council members moved to accept the redline that the town attorney said the water company’s lawyer had presented and that the water company signaled it would accept. The accepted language includes an annual fee of $3,000, a requirement that the town clear vegetation and debris around hydrants while the water company performs snow removal, and an indemnification provision limiting the water company’s liability to its own negligent acts. "In the letter, they indicate that they are terminating the 1984 agreement with the town and imposing a fee of $2,500 per incident" the town attorney summarized when describing the company’s termination notice and the negotiating exchanges. (Jamie Blakesley, town attorney)

Council members discussed the contract’s history and the trade-off between paying an annual fee and facing a per-incident charge for emergency hydrant use. The mayor and staff emphasized the practical need for partnership on emergency planning and hydrant maintenance as the town works on hazard mitigation and wildfire plans. The motion to accept the redline passed on a roll call vote, 3–0; the council authorized the mayor to sign the updated agreement and directed staff to proceed with execution and follow-up as needed.

The contract adopted by the council fills in the annual dollar amount and clarifies maintenance responsibilities. The town attorney said the indemnification language reflected standard requirements under Utah law and that the water company had reduced its initial higher demand for snow removal-related fees during the negotiations.