HURRICANE — Hurricane City Council has tabled a resolution that sought to replace former city councilman Kevin Tervort on the Washington County Water Conservancy District board of trustees.
The resolution — drafted as No. 2023-37 — proposed that county water district managers replace Tervort, who was last appointed in 2020, with current Mayor Nanette Billings.
“Whereas, all legal requirements pertaining to the designation of Mayor Billings have been met,” the resolution read. “And whereas, said Hurricane City Council, deems it necessary to and desirable for the preservation of the public health, safety and welfare for this appointment to occur.”
On Sept. 21, before voting on the resolution, Hurricane City Attorney Dayton Hall noted when the resolution was drafted, the council was under the assumption that Tervort’s term ended in 2023.
“I think it would be better to hold off and make the recommendation one year from now,” Hall told the council members.
According to the conservancy district website, Tervort’s term expires in December 2024.
Billings told those in attendance that the resolution stems from a lack of communication between Tervort and the current City Council.
“I’ve tried,” she said. “I’ve called him at least three times, maybe four was today, just to talk to him. He didn’t want to take the call.”
Both Councilman David Hirschi and Kevin Thomas made statements supporting the change, also noting their opinion that the board representative should be someone from the current council if not Billings.
At the end of the discussion, the council ultimately followed the advice of the city attorney and tabled the matter for one year.
Washington County Water Conservancy District Communications Manager Karry Rathje, responding to emailed questions from St. George News, stated that trustee board members are appointed by Washington County commissioners and not the municipalities they represent. This is due to regulations within Utah’s Water Conservancy District Act, Rathje noted.
“Our board acts on behalf of the county as a whole, so it’s essential their focus is on regional impacts rather than a single jurisdiction,” Rathje wrote. “Board members are not obligated to report to municipal jurisdictions — that is typically the role of the general manager. Our general manager has been very proactive in meeting with various members of the Hurricane community and we’re always available to participate in city council meetings when desired.”
Rathje also noted that Billings attends many of the Washington County Water Conservancy District board meetings.
“In addition, district board meetings are open to the public,” she said. “It’s very common for Mayor Billings to participate in our board meetings and we’re always happy to see her and other elected officials in attendance.”
In a telephone interview with St. George News, Tervort said he was not aware of the resolution. He said he’s been a victim of phone scams in the past and does not answer phone calls from numbers he does not recognize when asked about the council’s concerns.
“Nobody has ever left me a voicemail or I would have responded,” he said. “If their concerns were important, I would think they would leave a voicemail.”
As far as his duties with the conservancy district, Tervort said if county commissioners appointed him to another term in 2024, he would consider it. He noted that he was originally appointed in 2017 when former Hurricane Mayor Tom Hirschi vacated the position. Tervort was a Hurricane City Council member at the time.
When Hirschi’s term expired in 2020, county commissioners appointed Tervort to his first term as representative for the Hurricane Valley. Also in 2020, Tervort lost the mayoral race to Billings, essentially ending his elected civic roles in the city.
“We’re dealing with water issues that impact several communities throughout the county — not just in the Hurricane Valley,” Tervort said. “Do they (county commissioners) want someone with eight years of experience or do they want someone new? I can’t answer that.”
The county conservancy district website states that Tervort previously served on the boards for the Ash Creek Special Service District, Hurricane Valley Fire District and Southwest Mosquito Abatement Control.
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