Municipal Building Authority

By COREY BLUEMEL Staff writer

The Municipal Building Authority of Emery County meets once a month on the first Tuesday of each month. Commissioner Gary Kofford is the Chairman of this committee, which is filled by Commissioner Jeff Horrocks, Commissioner Drew Sitterud, Sharon Jensen and Randy Jensen.
It was formed to oversee the construction of the senior centers in each town and the new jail and courthouse complex in Castle Dale. At the present time, this committee is supervising the heating project at the Museum of the San Rafael, an addition project at Emery County Care and Rehab, possible construction work at the Huntington Airport, a Veterans monument to be constructed at the Museum of the San Rafael, and the construction of a senior center in Green River.
Commissioner Kofford began the meeting with an explanation about the bid process for the Veterans monument being planned for the grounds of the Museum. Bids were let out for the five marble slabs that will each represent an era of conflict, World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam War, and the conflicts since that time. Only one bid was received and it was from Worley Jensen in Price. He said he spoke with the owner of a local monument company about entering a bid, but has not yet received one.
The bid from Worley Jensen was opened and it being the only one received, the project was awarded to them. The amount of the bid was for the five marble slabs, two bases, and two polished benches. The bid was for the amount of $29,972.
Commissioner Kofford then explained that he has worked on the Green River Senior Center for a year and a half, and the project is still a long way from being started. There is a problem with acquiring enough property to accommodate the requirements of parking at the center. The county does not have enough property and a private landowner is wanting more for an adjoining piece than the county can afford.
Commissioner Sitterud suggested the plans be dropped for the present location and return to the original proposed site. At that site, there is a problem with zoning and the city has denied their request to rezone the property. Commissioner Sitterud feels that it may be easier to work with Green River City than to acquire more property. He will take this project from this point and try to work through the stalemate.
Commissioners Kofford and Horrocks met with Johansen and Tuttle Engineering about the possibility of them doing a feasibility study at the airport. The airport is in need of a new runway measuring 7,000 feet by 84 feet. The runway will run from north to south and will be an entirely new runway. If this runway is constructed, the need to relocate buildings or hangars will be alleviated. The $5,000 needed to pay for the feasibility study will be less than the price of moving those structures. This feasibility study was approved.