Emery Town recently held their city council meeting. After beginning items were addressed, Mayor Michael Williams talked with the council about raising the city’s liability insurance to $5 million. The council agreed with the funds being available. He also asked for the approval of raising the health benefits for Susan Praast. It totaled $100 more a month. Council approved.
Councilman Patrick Sundstrom gave his council report on the fire department. He said that the station is in great need of new pagers and arrangements are in the process with the sheriffs office in order to establish the cost for both parties. The mayor said just to keep him informed on the situation. Sundstrom also remarked there are 16 firemen and he will start taking over the training.
Councilman Eric Anderson questioned Sundstrom as to why there is no income for firemen while there is for EMT’s. Sundstrom answered him by saying that the process for receiving some compensation for their work is massive. It is a huge process with a lot of paper work which they have tried and decided it was more trouble than it was worth. He said that they were OK with strictly a volunteer basis. Mayor Williams said that if the firemen were to attend 75 percent of their meetings they would give them $100.
Black algae found in the water tanks was brought up by Councilman Anderson who said he discussed it with the special service district and said they were trying to bypass the tanks. Anderson asked the district if they could put hydrogen peroxide in the tank to get rid of it. The district said it costs too much and it would cause unapproved water.
Councilperson Corinne Dalton spoke of a resident who has been living in a RV trailer while trying to build a home. The town’s ordinances claim that they may permit a person to do so for 90 days and after that the person is required to file paperwork to allow them to stay for up to a year. The resident has been asked to move the trailer because of the failure to file for more time and the resident has been given plenty of time to do so. The resident has had the trailer on the property for about 15-16 months. Dalton also said that the resident cannot legally build on that land because the resident is not the owner of the land. The land is owned by the resident’s sister but there has been no paper work done to allow the resident to build there. The resident will be notified.
Susan Austin UDOT supervisor, said they are having a meeting at which they will drive from the Muddy creek to Ferron to go over the different parts of Emery and would like some input from the council and residents on what they thought were the most important needs of the town. One suggestion by Councilman Sundstrom was to have game fences put around the roads. Austin said that they had recently cleaned up five deer in one day and agreed it was a good idea. Sundstrom said, “That is where some of our deer are going.”
Austin brought a map of the town which the council and residents could look over and make their suggestions.
Dalton said that she had recently had a problem brought to her attention about a mobile business for vehicle repair that had been doing work at the owner’s grandmother’s residence.
The mayor said that the owner had been given a conditional permit stating that only one vehicle may be worked on at the residence at a time and there could be no selling of parts or no employees. All other work must be mobile.
Mayor Williams said that the owner had not violated anything so no action will be taken.
Water basin erosion was the next item of business. The council asked the residents to please stop riding on the dikes.
They said they don’t mind them riding up there as long keep away from the dikes. The council agreed that maybe some signs should be put up so the residents are more aware of the situation.
Glenys Sitterud spoke of the progress of the ATV training area. She said that everything is just coming into place. Sitterud spoke with Jim Fauver from the Castle Valley Outdoors who has accepted the request for a few right of ways on the ranches property. She said that she is excited about the project and they definitely need a place for people to ride.
The next Emery meeting will be May 9 at 6 p.m.
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