The first Kanab City Council meeting of 2026 marked the rotation of council seats following the recent election, beginning with a recognition of public service.
Council members and city staff expressed their gratitude to Scott Colson for his dedicated service during his term. Colson was presented with an honorary plaque and shared his appreciation, saying he was “truly humbled by the people I’ve served with” and proud of the decisions made to improve the city.
Following this, the council administered the oath of office to newly elected members. Mayor Colten Johnson and Council Member Chris Heaton were sworn in for new terms, while Steve Shrope took his oath for his first term on the council.
Appointments were then announced, including Andy Hill’s appointment to a seat on Planning and Zoning. Additionally, Chris Heaton will continue serving as Mayor Pro Tem of the City Council for 2026.
The council approved awarding a bid for pavement preservation at the Kanab Municipal Airport, which is part of a bundle of projects funded by state grants. The selected bid from Straight Stripe Painting totals $180,490, with approximately 90 percent of the project funded through grants.
Members continued their discussion from the previous meeting regarding updated regulations for special events and for-profit events within city limits. City Manager Kyler Ludwig explained that the proposed changes aim to protect the city through enhanced insurance requirements and would expand the first event size tier from 100 attendees to 250 attendees. While the council expressed general approval of this adjustment, they agreed that the resolution requires further discussion.
The council also authorized purchases related to the Jacob Hamblin Park project, including the acquisition of concrete curbing. Ludwig noted that while city staff continues to complete as much work as possible in-house, the project requires additional engineering support.
Another agenda item involved declaring surplus equipment for sealed-bid sale. City officials explained that equipment which has been replaced but remains in working order will be available for bidding, with detailed descriptions accessible through the city office.
Discussion also took place on land use ordinance definitions related to alcohol-serving establishments, such as breweries and taverns. This conversation was prompted by an application from a proposed downtown business seeking approval to sell beer without operating a full-service restaurant. The applicant expressed the intent to operate a casual taproom rather than a nightlife venue. Council members weighed potential impacts on downtown Kanab and agreed to continue the discussion at a future meeting.
Additional items covered during the meeting included future right-of-way needs along the U.S. Highway 89A corridor, drafts of personnel policies, and required state training related to fraud risk and open meeting law.
https://www.sunews.net/post/kanab-city-council-bids-farewell-to-colson-welcomes-shrope
