The Emery County Commission met on March 9 in their regular meeting. They opened bids for the demolition of a building at the Green River road shop. The bids were from four construction companies and the low bid was Dennis Lierd Construction from Hanksville with a bid of $24,365. The company will have salvage rights to any steel or salvageable materials in the building. They will be required to haul all materials to the land fill. They will tear down all concrete walls and footers. The hole left by the demolition of the building must be filled and the company can haul fill material from the county’s pit to do this.
Another bid opening was for the new wood flooring at the Ferron and Castle Dale senior citizen centers. The area where the tables and dining take place has carpet on it now and this will be replaced with wood flooring. Two bids were received on this project. The bid for $18,605.20 was accepted as the low bid from Abbey Carpet.
The commission approved Farm Bureau Financial to offer low cost life insurance to county employees through a payroll deduction. The commission approved the resolution to share revenues with the Emery County Fire Protection Special Service District. The eight new fire trucks will cost $2,434,000. CIB grant money will fund half the cost of the fire trucks. Money the fire district has saved will also be used and $555,000 of mineral lease money the county budgeted for the fire trucks will allow the purchase of these trucks this year and the trucks will arrive late December or January of 2011. The fire district will not be required to pay the county back for their donation toward the cost of the trucks.
In commission reports, Commissioner Gary Kofford said Green River is holding an economic development and business summit on March 11. Useful information will be presented at the workshop to “Bring the Green to Green River.”
Kofford reported the Emery County Special Service District number one is proceeding with the financing for the Lila Canyon Road construction. Nielson Construction will be given a notice to proceed on that road after the March 26 bond signing.
Commissioner Laurie Pitchforth reported the Utah State Extension will hold their next Festive Friday on March 19. They will present spring cleaning ideas with lunch and information at noon at the county building. The Castle Dale Easter egg hunt will be on March 31 at Cheddar Field. A basketball tournament will be held for teams sixth-eighth grades on March 12-13. A golf workshop every Thursday is being held at the recreation building. A fly-tying class is held every Tuesday at Canyon View Junior High. The racquet ball tournament will be held on April 10 and the dodge ball tournament will be on May 22.
Pitchforth reported Lance Riches is one of four special Olympians invited to go to Lincoln, Neb. to participate in the Special Olympics. He will participate in aquatics and has an account set-up at Eastern Utah Credit Union for donations to help him take his mother along to the games and also help the other Olympians be able to go and participate. The CEU boys won their region and if they win one more game will go to the Junior NCAA tournament in Kansas.
A public hearing was held during commission meeting for Four Corners Community Behavioral Health. The hearing was to gather input from community members regarding the mental health and substance abuse treatment needs in Emery County. This input is taken into consideration and used in planning services and in decision making during this next year. Jan Bodily from Four Corners said Utah code requires the local authority to obtain this information for input into the annual plan. Four Corners provides a variety of services including in and outpatient care. Four Corners has a representative on call 24 hours a day. They do social rehabilitation services and transportation for Medicaid patients. They offer respite care, client care, consultations and housing for mental needs. They offer substance abuse counseling and classes, outpatient services, DUI counseling and they are involved in the drug court program.
A question from the audience asked if any special focus is placed on senior citizen services. Bodily said the senior services are provided in what they do and they have a clinical specialist who focuses on geriatric care and visiting the care centers. Bodily said they are excited to be able to provide more services to nursing homes.
Maughn Guymon as the director of aging for Emery County said he would like to see a special focus on senior citizens in the Four Corners plan. He wants their specific needs addressed in the plan. Bodily said they would be glad to see that happens.
Kofford said he sits on the board for Four Corners and commended them for the work they do. They have offices in four counties and they have a big job. They have had a hard time with budget constraints. “Jan is doing an excellent job,” said Kofford.
Other commission business included the ratification of the amended quit claim deed from Andalex Resources, Inc. and Intermountain Power Agency for land to be exchanged for the forest service land presently surrounding the Crandall Canyon Memorial and parking lot expansion. The commission approved the annual lawn care for county owned facilities. The Emergency Management Performance Grant application was ratified. A 3 percent wage increase was approved for Jessica Murray and David Ames for completion of a six month orientation period.
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