Finalizing a process begun 10 years ago, the Manti City Council voted unanimously at their February 1 meeting to divest the city of a street by selling it to the adjoining property owner. In 2007, the Utah Department of Transportation recommended the city close 100 East from US 89 to 400 North because of ingress and egress concerns. Since that time, the city has been responsible for the street’s maintenance even though the only properties abutting the street were owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church offered to buy the property for twice the appraised value, and the City desired to sell the property and use the money to help pay for the new sports complex. However, controversy arose because during the eight days of the Mormon Miracle Pageant each summer, Christian evangelicals use the street for proselyting and street preaching and felt their First Amendment free speech rights would be violated if the Church banned such activities on that portion of the street. In a packed hearing on January 26, citizens from both sides of the issue made comments that the city council said they would take into consideration before making a final decision. Seeing it as a good business deal for the city, the council voted to proceed with the sale of the property and earmark the money for the sports park.