| Councilman Greg Oliver and Cleveland’s newest councilmember, Verla Jensen. |
Cleveland Town council discussed their application for CDBG grants. They have decided to apply for funds for an EMT bag which can be kept at the fire station in Cleveland. This bag will enable the local EMTs to pick up the bag on their way to calls in Cleveland and Elmo. This will allow them to begin treatment immediately while the ambulance is in route from Huntington.
Madison Jensen from the Cleveland and Elmo youth city council reported on youth activities. She said they had put on the lamb fry during the fair and they had raised $9,000 for youth activities. The youth summit was held in September and was a success.
Mayor Jeff Horrocks said, “The youth did an awesome job with the lamb fry.”
Jensen said, “We are now doing Christmas for a family.”
Jamie Jensen, town clerk, said the youth council still has lamb left over and it is available for purchase.
Mayor Horrocks said Cleveland needs a planning commission and will go through the necessary steps to set one up. This commission will deal with planning and zoning issues. Five people are needed for this commission with one member being a council member appointed to the commission. Mayor Horrocks said someone from the Association of Governments will help with setting up the commission.
Cleveland will advertise for the positions and townspeople can apply at the city office located in the front of the fire station. The next city council meeting will be Dec. 14 and everyone can be in attendance except Chris Parkins who has a prior commitment.
Cleveland will be sponsoring an Angel Tree for the holiday season. Anyone wishing to add names to be placed on the tree may do so anonymously. The gifts are delivered on Christmas Eve. The tree will be set-up at the city office at the fire station.
The youth council will be involved in this and they will also fill the candy bags for the Christmas party for the town. The Christmas party will be held on Dec. 22 which is a Friday at 6 p.m. No party will be held on Christmas Eve which falls on a Sunday this year.
Cleveland will contact a lawyer in a matter where a citizen is out of compliance in their living arrangements. A letter was sent to the family and now further action will be handled through a lawyer.
In the council reports Parkins said he would get the information and prices for the items to go in the EMT bag. Councilmember Greg Oliver said that Cleveland and Elmo EMTs will benefit from having the life support equipment available to them instantly. The response time for Cleveland and Elmo residents will be reduced. The EMTs go immediately to a call, but the extra equipment doesn’t arrive until the ambulance does, so the EMT bag will be a much needed item. Items will include an AED which is an automated defibrillator which will give more immediate help to heart attack victims. Each EMT has a small emergency bag they carry with them. The new bag will contain equipment not in their individual bags.
Mayor Horrocks said they have been contacted by a youth group from Salt Lake that wants to use the Cleveland park to camp during the pageant and fair. It was approved by the council to allow this use as it’s a great way to promote the county and add tourism money to the area.
The group from Salt Lake will also do a service project while they are here.
Cleveland Town was allotted $2,500 from the recreation district this year and the money was spent on bases for the ball field, concrete, July 24th fireworks, park signs, fire pits and soccer goals.
The town received a letter from the Huntington-Cleveland Irrigation about the irrigation project. They said the project is proceeding nicely. The sidewalk project for Cleveland may not get done this year depending on the weather.
Oliver reported they had received $84,000 in a CDBG grant and that money has been used for equipment for the snuffer truck. Additional lighting, jacks and extraction equipment has been added. Cleveland fire department goes on calls to the county line north on SR-10 and as far as Dick Allen hill to the south and out as far as Cedar Mountain. It is a large coverage area and the additional equipment is needed to handle emergency situations. The grant money was also used for an additional fire hose. That way after a firehose has been used it can be cleaned and stretched out to dry and the extra hose can be rotated onto the truck.
Mayor Horrocks commented that Oliver has been doing a good job as fire chief. Oliver said when the new equipment arrives they will do a lot of training with the equipment to familiarize the firemen with it. Oliver said he appreciates the help from town clerk Jamie Jensen in helping with the grant. Verla Jensen the new council member asked for a list of duties from the council. Jamie Jensen, clerk will provide that list for Verla.
Cleveland Town will hold a contest for input on ideas to put on the sign at the new city office. They also want to design a new T-shirt for next summer’s town celebration.
Mayor Horrocks explained a bill before the public service commission that if approved will take off the surcharge on natural gas in outlying areas such as Cleveland and others.
These communities have paid a higher charge to get the gas installed initially. Mayor Horrocks explained it would be a $10-$12 savings per month for residents.
“It would be good for the residents and also good for economic development,” said Horrocks. Businesses look at gas and power costs when they consider relocation in a new area.