Sheriff Funk says watch for flooding events

By PATSY STODDARD Editor

Sheriff Greg Funk gave an update on the roads and flood events. He said SR-31 is open for now although storms will continue to damage and close the road from time to time. According to past data from fires, there will be at least two-three years of landslides. The root systems will deteriorate now that the vegetation and trees are dead and as this happens land slides will continue whenever the burn area receives moisture. There is no camping and the trails are still closed. The flooding events can be very dangerous and everyone is instructed to prepare for these events. Sheriff Funk reminded everyone that Bear Creek Campground is closed due to dangers there from flash flooding. Looking ahead to winter avalanches will be a real concern this snow season.
The county commissioners met on Aug. 14 for commission meeting. They accepted the land patent from the United States of American for the gun range pursuant to the Recreation and Public Purposes Act of June 14, 1926. This gun range by the landfill has been in use by the county and now the patent will allow that use to continue. The county doesn’t own the land, but can use it.
Andy Urbanik and Paul Anderson from the Eastern Utah Broadcasting visited with the commissioners to request approval from the county to broadcast KRPX over one of the county translators. KOAL 750 AM came on the air in 1936. In 1976 an FM station was added. In 2006 KRPX came on, but the signal fades out in the Huntington area.
Anderson said their focus is the local communities and what they can do to help and put out emergency messages as well as other public service announcements. Theirs is the primary emergency station in the area. They helped put out information during the Seeley fire most recently. The radio is interested in economic development and promoting the local businesses that advertise on the radio.
KRPX has a more youthful sound and KOAL broadcasts local sports.
Bret Mills the communications director for the county said they have talked about it and it is tough getting a signal from Price, the signal gets blocked. There can be an internet solution where the signal is received through the internet and broadcast through the translator. There are no new licenses available for any new FM stations. The county has had to move frequency around in the past. It’s possible this could be done again, but it would require one station be dropped.
Mills suggested they try to receive the station through RF signal which keeps the signal in the RF path and then sends it out. Sometimes the Wasatch Front stations interfere with the local stations and background interference is experienced.
Commissioner James Nelson suggested they gather more information about the situation and the possibilities and be prepared to make a decision at the next commission meeting.
The commission approved the appointment of LaMar Guymon to the Emery County Care and Rehab board.
County Attorney Dave Blackwell explained a situation with some land owners in Emery where the county owns a strip of property they acquired in a tax sale. An adjacent land owner would like to acquire the property that borders their land. The property is of no use to the county and will help clean-up property boundaries.
The county approved the painting of the bridge right before the road goes down into Buckhorn Draw. The county chooses one bridge a year to sandblast and repaint.
The county will again hold a wellness clinic where they can receive flu, pneumonia and tetanus vaccines at the Emery Medical Center. If a spouse or dependent would like to participate it’s a $10 co-pay. The maximum cost for the wellness visit will be $200.
Bill Dellos reported the Republican Party will host a steak fry on Sept. 22 at the Museum of the San Rafael.
In the commissioner reports, Commissioner Laurie Pitchforth reported the work on the Ferron Bridge has not started yet, but it will need to be done this year. The Millsite State Park road will be completed next year. She thanked everyone for their help with the fair and the rodeo. Each department in the county helped in some way. Julie Jones did a great job with the lamb fry. “I went to the Carbon County fair and our fair is every bit as good. We are working hard to make sure there is something for everyone. Thanks to the commissioners for their help with senior day. We feel pretty good about the event.”
Commissioner Nelson said he attended the fire district meeting and he’s amazed at the amount of training our volunteer firemen go through. They are going to work to get out information to those with homes surrounded by trees and in mountain areas to educate as to what you can do to protect against fires. The stockshow was a success. “I attended BLM RAC meetings and the public lands issues like sage grouse are huge,” said Commissioner Nelson.
He also reported he attended the rural summit where the meetings were excellent.
Commissioner Jeff Horrocks said the Division of Oil, Gas and Mining held their quarterly meeting in Castle Dale which he attended. He attended the public lands meeting which discussed the land use bill. Ray Petersen and his committees are continuing to work to get the information ready that the state legislature requested from the county. Commissioner Horrocks said he too attended the rural summit in Cedar City where one of the classes he attended was developing economies in rural areas, people need to take charge to make things happen and advance their communities.
He thanked Commissioner Pitchforth for her work on the fair and the rodeo.
Commissioner Pitchforth said Kathleen Clark came here and met with the county on the sage grouse issue. The state is working hard to keep sage grouse from being listed on the endangered species list.
In the local building authority meeting, Commissioner Pitchforth reported the Huntington Senior Center remodel is complete and the seniors are again having lunch there every Monday. Work is planned for the airport where the fuel tanks will be relocated, an irrigation line will be run so the grass and trees can be watered, tarmac will be expanded so planes can go and refuel, the project is moving forward, but may run into next year as funds become available.
Commissioner Horrocks said the weed and mosquito building and parking lot is estimated at $267,000.
There will be a fly-in activity at the airport on Sept. 28-29.
Board of Equalization will take place at the county building in Castle Dale on Aug. 27, commission meeting will be on Aug. 28 at 9 a.m. in Green River and the BOE for Green River will be held right after commission meeting on Aug. 28.