The Price City Council hosted a virtual meeting on Tuesday evening where members of the Price City Youth Council were welcomed for a Sorenson Legacy Foundation presentation.
Four members of the youth council were present virtually for this agenda item and Mayor Mike Kourianos invited them to speak. The council stated that Price City was selected by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development for the Main Street America Pilot Project. With the project in mind, Price City officials felt it was important to involve the youth in the grant writing and decision making process.
In cooperation with the program, they have also been a part of the Utah Coal Country Strike Team. A $75,000 grant, combined with a grant of $50,000 from the Sorenson Legacy Foundation, provided the funds to move forward with some of the projects to improve Price’s Main Street for the community and tourists.
The members of the youth council informed the council members that they plan to obtain two solar inverters for an outdoor lighting system, each costing $2,500, bringing the total estimate to $5,000. The lighting system that the inverters will be utilized for comes to a total of $20,000. The next idea is to install QR signs on posters for businesses which, when scanned, will take the user to a site or app that gives information on the area’s history.
Seating and benches are also in the plan to be placed with Price City’s logo and a dedication to the Sorenson Foundation. It was also stated that the youth council wishes to obtain decorative flower pots to make Main Street more welcoming. There is also an idea for A-frame signs for business adverts to get more people on Main Street, which could be placed along the two-block radius.
Upon award funding, the work to purchase various items will begin. It is anticipated that all items will be purchased and installed within 12 months of the grant awarding to complete the project.
Councilman Layne Miller spoke on a project of his own where he is working with Carbon County to create an oral GPS tour of Nine Mile. As he was working on the project, he began to think that similar would work for Price’s downtown. He stated that the user will download the app and, as they peruse the walking tour, the app would use GPS to ping the phone with oral information on what the item or building in front of them is. He questioned if that would work in conjunction with the youth council’s plans for the QR code idea.
Mayor Kourianos stated that it was a good idea and it could be discussed more in depth at a later time. Members of the city council then thanked the youth members for their efforts toward the project. The plans were then approved by the council.