The Municipal Building Authority of Emery County met in their regularly scheduled meeting on March 5 at 2 p.m. The first item on the agenda was the update on the public safety complex.
Todd Kitchen and Jay Bunker were on hand to bring the board up to date on the progress of the public safety complex. Kitchen said, “We are still looking good and are within the perimeters of our budget. We are on schedule and making progress. Portions of the roof have been completed and they are finishing the structural steel erection. One hundred tension frames have been installed. They are finishing the masonry and the structural weight bearing walls.
“We are excited about good weather. We should be able to roll even faster with good weather. We feel good about it. We’ve gotten over some hurdles in the budget and it looks good,” said Kitchen.
Commissioner Randy Johnson said he had consulted with Darrel Leamaster of the Castle Valley Special Service District about the sewer project to see what role they might play. CVSSD has no money to contribute to the project but could help with inspections which might save costs. Commissioner Ira Hatch pointed out that while the public safety complex is not within the CVSSD at this time, the property is in an area which will be annexed in the future. It was also pointed out that the public safety complex would not be the only user on the line and that growth is anticipated in the area.
Kitchen said, “The cost of laying the line in order to get natural gas to the site is $21,390.60. We’ve had the figures double checked and that’s what they’ve come up with.”
Johnson pointed out that the line would be laid in a county owned trench and he felt ‘we are not where we should be with the gas company.’
Hatch wondered if the gas company had to do the work. Kitchen pointed out that yes they have to lay the line, but possibly the county could do the excavation which would save on costs.
Commissioner Drew Sitterud asked Kitchen about the costs of using propane at the site compared to natural gas. Kitchen said they had done studies and checked out the Dagget County facility which uses propane and the cost is nearly the same.
Johnson stated that the gas company should share in the costs of going through the canal. Kitchen said the gas company’s idea of sharing costs was just in the cost of the piping and not in breaking through the canal. He also mentioned that they had negotiated the price down from the gas company’s original price of $42,000 to run the line.
The phone company would also go through the canal with their lines and share the canal breach. Sheriff Lamar Guymon questioned if the state court building is constructed on the site, could they share the cost of the sewer and gas lines? County Clerk Bruce Funk said if the state builds the courts building they would be on a tight lease repayment schedule.
Regardless of who pays for it, Kitchen reminded everyone that they are on a tight schedule and that time is of the essence in getting across the canal and it has to be done as soon as possible.
Johnson stressed the need to work with the gas company and get through the canal before the water is turned into the canal. Hatch pointed out that there is about a month left to get it done. He reiterated the need to break the canal, and get the work done because they won’t be able to get back in there this year. Johnson pointed out there are a lot of hard materials at the site to be breached.
Sitterud made the motion to approve the add on costs and the motion was seconded and carried.
The next item for consideration was the addition of a metal storage building to the public safety complex. Kitchen explained that the building had been designed with the metal storage building alongside the facility and that it is an integral piece of the facility. He suggested that they start now to save costs because it’s early in the year and the prices are cheaper now than during the summer.
He pointed out that the subcontractors are on-site now and he would like to be able to talk and negotiate with them. Hatch wondered what the building would be used for. Sheriff Guymon said right now their equipment is all over with some of it being out in the weather and some inside at the old road department building. They have boats, 4-wheelers, snowmobiles and a surveillance van. Sheriff Guymon described this equipment as the core of the operation. He also mentioned that in his experience after the project is built the money for additional needs such as storage or landscaping are never finished. Everything they have needs to be stored inside.
The crux of the issue is that Sahara designed the complex to come in at 4.8 million with the storage building as part of that original plan. With the 4.5 million figure the county has to abide with, the metal building came off the drawing board.
Sheriff Guymon pointed out the storage building is crucial to their operation.
Kitchen said they could possibly realize a $15-20,000 savings in going ahead with the building at this time early in the season. Bunker pointed out that while the contractors are on the site it is easier to get them to do more.
The metal building would have plumbing for a bathroom and would be heated at a low temperature. The building would be insulated and the only sheetrock involved would be in the bathroom.
Sheriff Guymon said he got the feeling they didn’t want to build the building, but encouraged them to build now and save money. “Do it now or it might not get built,” he said.
Kitchen said at this point in the project and with their proven track record they are anticipating giving money back. His estimate is between $40-50 thousand which could disappear or could get better.
Another negotiating tool with the contractors would be the building of the state courts building. Johnson pointed out that they will hear from the state courts in the next week as to the status of the state courts building.
Sitterud requested they table the decision on the metal building until they have more information concerning the design of the building.
Johnson stressed the need for the decision on the metal building next month so the anticipated savings of building early could be realized.
Rosann Fillmore was next on the agenda with an update on the incubator. She introduced Wells Cannon to the meeting. Cannon will be doing a survey on the incubator with county people. He said, “We came to town and have been touring the local communities. We have seen that Emery County people are intent on improving things and making it a great place to live. It is our job to make clients happy. We intend to work in four phases. We have toured the incubator site and we met with the Emery County Economic Development Council. We decided that a survey was a good point to begin to see what job skills are available in the area. We aren’t sure yet how we will get the survey out. Through the newspaper or the mail and we want to talk to some people in person.
“We will also analyze data from workforce services and make recommendations as to appropriate industries. By April 2 we would like to identify opportunities which would be viable in Emery County. We would also like to develop a review process for impact on job creation in the county for one, five and 10 years. Also a review process for impact on incomes for one, five and 10 years. By May 7 we will have a review draft report and by May 21 we will have a final report. By the June 4 municipal building authority meeting we will have the study results with 20 bound copies of the final report.
“We think the idea and concept of an incubator is very appropriate. There are approximately 500 operating in the country, each with a different twist. Some are run by cities, counties, and some are run by universities or neighborhoods. They are great projects which benefit communities. Eighty percent of businesses which start in an incubator are still in business after three years, the norm is about 35 percent,” said Cannon.
Hatch wondered if they would give them recommendations about how long a business should stay in the incubator? What fees should be charged and other items. Cannon said they would make recommendations in their report.
The board members expressed their wish to be involved in planning the questions for the survey. Hatch pointed out that Dennis Nelson, Randy Jensen and Sharon Jensen will be making key decisions to what comes out of the survey and will be signing off on them. Johnson said they are looking forward to working with Cannon and look forward to the end product.
Fillmore mentioned they do not know where the water is coming in at the incubator building and they are waiting for a big storm to better evaluate the roof. The contractor is recommending the roof be replaced said Fillmore.
The next meeting of the municipal building authority will be on April 2 at 2 p.m.
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