The Emery County Commission met in their February meeting where Danna Gray, requested a waiver of the rental fee at the Museum of the San Rafael for the annual Eagle Scout Recognition Banquet on March 12. The scouts each donate more than 100 hours for their Eagle Scout projects. There will be 20 eagle scout recipients honored for receiving their eagle scout in 2015.
An agreement between the Bureau of Land Management Price Field Office and Emery County was approved to complete a Recreation and Development Strategy for the segments of the National Historic Old Spanish Trail. The monies will be combined and go towards signage denoting the trail and promotion of the trail.
Meagan Wilberg from the Museum of the San Rafael talked about a traveling exhibit coming in 2017. The Utah Humanities Association will help to develop Emery County’s exhibit. Each county will prepare their own exhibit. Items from the Smithsonian will be brought to go along with the county contribution. The Museum on Main Streets projects theme for 2017 is called The Way We Work. The Museum of the San Rafael is partnering with the Utah Humanities Association, Smithsonian Institution, Emery County Archives, and people throughout the community. This project will consist of five groups mining, farming, ranching, power plant, and Misc. Support. They will gather stories from young to old about experiences people have had in any of these areas of work. Wilberg said, “We want to show that yes, they are different types of work, but show the similarity of how these many types of work came together to make our community flourish, and change through time. The project will consist of personal stories, photos, and 3D artifacts. The commission approved the request to advertise for an event planner for Emery County. Commissioner Migliori said this position is an experiment to bring more events to the county.
The board approved an operating loan for the Emery County Recreation district in the amount of up to $100,000 with an interest rate of 1.5 percent.
Randy Johnson, the public lands consultant and lobbyist at the legislature gave a report on which bills he is watching. A San Rafael Bill hasn’t been reintroduced, but a Little Sierra State Park HB169 is in the works. There is a bill that would eliminate straight party voting at the polls. Another bill on career service, another bill on how communities can use impact fees. The McIff water bill is being introduced under small corporations and Johnson will watch it. Johnson said, “To me it sounds like the bill would allow the transfer of water shares outside the basin area. I have concerns about it. Maybe in a Salt Lake district where there’s a lot of water, it may not affect them, but in Emery County with small water companies it could be problematic.”
Commissioner Migliori said he has been working with the BEAR group for bringing training to Castle Dale on the seven habits for successful business. BEAR is also putting on webinars taught by Mr. Abraham and he will also speak at the chamber banquet for Emery County on April 6. Commissioner Migliori has been working with the Division of Workforce services on how the statistics for wages are gathered in the county. These inflated wages make it harder for the local businesses to receive Fast Track grants.
Commissioner Paul Cowley said he and Bruce Wilson attended the EPA hearings in Salt Lake on regional haze at the National Parks. Of those he listened to speak, 90 percent were opposed to what the EPA is trying to do. New regulations wouldn’t help with the pollution. The companies have complied with the regulations in effect now. Commissioner Cowley asked for a link on the county website so people can comment on the EPA rules.
Commissioner Keith Brady said he too attended the meeting and submitted comments. He said some of the comments were based more on emotion than on scientific facts. “I invited the EPA to come down here and tour our power plants and see our skies,” said Commissioner Brady.
Commissioner Cowley said, “Some of the haze comes from the fires in California, it’s not logical that it comes from here. We don’t have haze here.”
Commissioner Brady said it would be interesting to him to see what time of year the haze increases at the parks. He bets it’s when the tourism season starts and more vehicles are in and around the parks. “I would like to see vehicle emissions studied,” said Commissioner Brady.
A business license for Kris’s Pro-Shop was approved. LaMar Guymon was approved as the Huntington City representative on the Emery County Recreation Special Service District.
The commission approved the Southeastern Utah Energy Producers Association membership dues in the amount of $500.
The commission will begin the advertising process for three expired terms of office on the Emery Water Conservancy District.
Marlene Miyasaki and Carol Ann Ekker were approved as members of the Emery County Library Board. DeWayne Fowler and Mary Kava are new members on the Council of Aging and Nutrition. The road department will lease a John Deere backhoe for the Green River Road Shop.
The board approved Amendment one to the Inter-Agency Coordination and Sub-Recipient Contract Agreement between Emery County and the Southeastern Utah Association of Governments.
The board approved the purchase of an ad in the special Energy edition of the Emery County Progress/Sun Advocate which will come out in March. The board approved the Memorandum of Understanding between Emery County and Emery County School District regarding use of the Aquatic Center.
The Board of the Local Building Authority of Emery County met and discussed the sign at the Huntington Ball Complex. The contract for the complex closed before the bill for the sign came in. The bill from Sign Edge was sent in October and hasn’t been paid. It is for $9,518. The LBA voted to loan the rec. district the money to pay the bill. Commissioner Ethan Migliori said as the mineral lease money comes in, the county could take a cut from that for repayment of the sign. The Metal Maintenance Buildings for the Road Department Project in Green River and Castle Dale are complete and once the final payment is made by the LBA that contract will be closed.
[dfads params='groups=4969&limit=1&orderby=random']
[dfads params='groups=1745&limit=1&orderby=random']