Benjamin Gravel Pit

Two weeks ago the Utah County Commissioners were considering a zoning change because of the Benjamin gravel pit run by the Kilgore Company. Last week I went to a meeting of the South Utah County Community Voice.  

I found the original Board of Commission meeting minutes from 20 January 2015 when all three Commissioners approved the transfer of open pit mining from Altaview Concrete Mining Operation to Kilgore Contracting, LLC. 

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, UTAH COUNTY, UTAH

MINUTES OF PUBLIC MEETING COMMISSION CHAMBERS, ROOM 1400

OF THE UTAH COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

January 20, 2015 - 9:00 A.M.

PRESENT: COMMISSIONER LARRY A. ELLERTSON, CHAIR

COMMISSIONER WILLIAM C. LEE, VICE-CHAIR

COMMISSIONER GREG GRAVES

Page 6

The commissioners chose to address Consent Agenda Item Nos. 2 and 3 simultaneously as they are directly related. (PULLED FROM CONSENT)

2. APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE COMMISSION CHAIR TO SIGN THE “COMPLIANCE AGREEMENT AND BOND FOR OPEN PIT MINING OPERATIONS” AGREEMENT FOR AN EXISTING MINING OPERATION WITH KILGORE CONTRACTING, LLC WITH A SITE LOCATION OF APPROXIMATELY 1395 N 9435 W (LONG RIDGE RD), WEST OF THE PELICAN POINT AREA OF LAKE MOUNTAIN OF UNINCORPORATED UTAH COUNTY; SURETY BOND NO. 327016240 IN AMOUNT OF $45,033.82 WITH LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY, 175 BERKELEY ST., BOSTON, MA 02116 AGREEMENT NO. 2015-55 (PULLED FROM CONSENT)

3. APPROVE THE RELEASE OF THE COMPLIANCE AGREEMENT AND BOND FOR OPEN PIT MINING OPERATIONS, AGREEMENT NO. 2008-3, BOND IN THE AMOUNT OF $19,686, AND AUTHORIZE THE COMMISSION CHAIR TO SIGN THE RELEASE LETTER FOR ALTAVIEW CONCRETE MINING OPERATION WITH A SITE LOCATION OF APPROXIMATELY 1395 N 9435 W (LONG RIDGE RD), WEST OF THE PELICAN POINT AREA OF LAKE MOUNTAIN OF UNINCORPORATED UTAH COUNTY; A NEW AGREEMENT AND BOND ARE IN PLACE AGREEMENT NO. 2015-56

Peggy Kelsey of the Utah County Community Development Office confirmed for Commissioner Ellertson that both Consent Agenda Item Nos. 2 and 3 are for the same pit that has been in operation for approximately seven years; the outgoing owner is being replaced.

Commissioner Lee made the motion to approve the Compliance Agreement and Bond for Open Pit Mining Operations for an existing mining operation with Kilgore Contracting, LLC, and to approve the release of the Compliance Agreement and Bond for Open Pit Mining Operations (Agreement No. 2008-3) Bond in the amount of $19, 686 for Altaview Concrete Mining Operation as detailed in Consent Agenda Item Nos. 2 and 3, respectively. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Graves and carried with the following vote:

AYE: Larry A. Ellertson

William C. Lee

Greg Graves

NAY: None

I also searched the minutes of the Utah County Planning Commission in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 to see if there is any mention of Kilgore Contracting, LLC, but no luck. There was only a mention of Kilgore in 2013 and 2014 at the County Commissioners meeting minutes because the county contracted with Kilgore to pave some roads in various unincorporated areas. 

The open pit agreement occurred in January 2015 and by June 2015 there was already press about the way Kilgore conducted business or some will say it didn’t take long for Kilgore to become a bad neighbor with the residents. The Daily Herald wrote about it here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. 

When I was listening to the residents speak about the Kilgore trucks driving on the roads during school bus pick up and drop off at the Commissioner meeting, I was surprised the trucks were even on the roads during this time. Hopefully peace will come soon between all parties.