The realization that the hard work the Huntington City mayor and city council has put in the past few months has a reward became a reality on March 11 when the Community Impact Board approved the city’s application for funding for a new fire station/ ambulance garage on Huntington’s main street.
The city received a $900,000 grant and a $500,000 interest-free loan to fund the structure. The city will now continue with the process of engineering, designing and bidding so that construction can begin this upcoming building season.
The city, after a lengthy search with several ground tests being completed, settled on property that is located on the east side of Main Street between 300 North and 400 North. The property is located just south of Earl’s Furniture and will require an old white house to be removed.
The city also received other good news. Several months ago, the city helped fund a lobbyist at the Utah State Legislature that would help fight the fight to get sales tax revenue returned to the city in which a business was located that provided coal mining machinery. Huntington City and Wellington City had been hit particularly hard.
The city was informed that they will see a check in July for around $39,000 and that ongoing payments will be made to the city to compensate the cities for their losses. When the law was passed several years ago, the effect on small Utah communities was not really understood that the cities would suffer as much as they did.
Last fall, the city put out for bid a new announcer’s stand at the rodeo grounds but the council felt the bids were higher than they wanted to pay. The council now decided that current city employees and councilmen would do the bulk of the work and they look forward to it being done before this year’s Heritage Days rodeo.
The council approved the purchase of property north of the soccer field at the Lions Park. This will add about 12,000 square feet to the park.
The city is also looking at buying the property located at 400 North and Main Street owned by UDOT. After months of talking, a price was finally discussed and a firm price will be in hand by next month’s regularly scheduled meeting.
The council discussed two new ordinances. One would change the fees charged to dog owners for dogs violating the city code. The other would change the fees assessed for water/secondary water shutoffs and reconnections. Both fee schedules are at least 30 years old.
In other business, the council approved a business license for All Star Landscaping. The council also approved David Sebring to be an alternate member of the planning and zoning commission.
Under public comments, a city resident thanked the city leadership for their diligence on new sidewalks, streets and the fire station and for their efforts to get the city the biggest bang for the buck. They thought the city is a much nicer city now and they are glad that the efforts are continuing.
Huntington is planning a cancer benefit fundraiser on April 16 to raise money for medical expenses for the numerous people in Huntington and Lawrence with cancer. It begins in the morning with a yard sale at Hometown Market then a dinner and auction beginning at 5 p.m. at Canyon View Junior High.
April 19 at 5:30 is the egg hunt.
Huntington decides upon fire station spot
"Land located just south of Earl's Furniture is the future site for the Huntington fire station."