Ferron City Council meeting on Aug. 23 centered around plans for the Peach Days celebration.
Mayor JoAnn Behling said she met with the canal company and the plan is to shut the water off on Sept. 1. She thanked all the Ferron water users for being very conservative with their water. The city still has 490 acre feet of water left that it won’t be able to use, because the level of the reservoir is down.
The reservoir can’t go any lower than 1,029 acre feet. Rocky Mountain Power and the Division of Wildlife Resources have water they may need so the reservoir needs to maintain their water. There will be farmers who have allocated water left, but they won’t be able to use it.
Under the board of equalization it was approved to allow Jim Rushton’s water bill to go to his renter.
The question of adjustments to garbage bills was discussed. Apparently one resident has been paying for two cans, but only has one can. The oversights became apparent when the costs of the services were broken down in the Ferron newsletter. The bills do not specify two cans, so this will be itemized on the bills so a resident can tell if they are being charged for one or two cans.
The council decided not to make a decision at this time on whether there will be any adjustments to that resident’s bill. Most of the charge for garbage collection goes to the garbage company.
Mayor Behling read a thank you note from a Ferron child who was grateful the city had made a donation for his stockshow pig.
Jerry Stotler made a presentation to the city of a drip irrigation system he has installed in his garden. It saves water by only dripping at the root of the plant and doesn’t water the weeds or the dirt. He built the system with PVC pipe and valves. He can adjust the flow depending on how much water each plant needs. He bought the tubing from RainBird and it’s really good and doesn’t plug up. His crops are really large and it has worked well. He volunteered to help anyone set-up a system. Colleen Murdoch from the Ferron Library said it would be good to have Stotler come to the library in the spring when they do their spring workshop on gardening. He agreed to come and explain the system.
The council approved a small subdivision for Wade and Angela Paskett.
The council discussed what to do with a nuisance property that needs to be cleaned up. It was determined to fine the owner of the property and to send a letter to the property owner with an itemized list of what it will cost to clean up the property. The city crews can do the work or a salvage company can be hired. The sheriff will need to go with the building inspector and have the house on the property condemned. The cost of the clean-up can be added to the taxes on the property. The owner will be notified the date of when the clean-up will take place.
The council voted to move forward with the clean-up of the property going through the necessary steps to proceed in a lawful manner including having the property condemned.
Things are moving along on schedule for Peach Days.
The council would like to look at more improvements to the rodeo grounds in the future so more events can be held there. The sound system needs to be upgraded or a new one purchased. There are several cars coming for the demolition derby. Plans for the golf tourney are in place. The free dinner on Sept. 7 will be turkey and baked potatoes as well as side dishes donated by town residents. The town is having the field of flags again with a program on Sept. 8 at 7 a.m. The council is still looking for a stage to have the talent show on at the park.
Council member Trent Jackson has been working with the I-Gov people about the new website. The cost to get it up and running would be $1,100 and a $60 a month fee. It would take approximately two months to launch the new site. The council agreed to get started on the new website as money has been budgeted for that purpose.
Council member Joe Trenery said there was a water leak at the fair grounds which they fixed.
Council member Abby Jensen said the fire department wondered if they could get some new grills for the breakfast. The council determined there are enough around they can borrow some and avoid the expense.
The mayor reported the restaurant at Millsite golf course is up and running and the city will manage it for now. The employees there will receive an hourly wage and their tips. The restaurant is called the 19th Hole Eatery. They have been working to clean the restaurant and opening day was Aug. 24 and the hours are 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and closed Mondays.
The phone number is 384-3355. They will feature burgers, hot dogs, hot wings, salads, sandwiches and more.
The council agreed to wait to get a new building at the cemetery and work on developing the new portion with water lines and sprinkling system.
JoAnn Behling
JoAnn Behling was born in Utah July 24,1934 to her parents Varian and Erma Box. She was a Pioneer day baby. This makes her birthday’s seem very special to her as she always gets to celebrate it with the Utah Pioneer day activities and good friends.
She has lived most of her life in Ferron, but was born in Salt Lake City and spent some of her younger years growing up there.
She moved to Ferron, with her family as a young woman and soon met many of the kids in town, several that have become life long friends.
In Ferron, she met Dean Behling and was soon married. They traveled and lived in Colorado Springs for a short time while Dean was in the service and then back to Ferron while Dean was overseas in Korea during the war. When Dean returned home from Korea, Ferron was home and they never left.
They have three children, Cynthia (Craig) Nielsen, Kern (Conna) Behling, Blake (Ann) Behling, 11 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren.
Ferron has been and will always be a special place for JoAnn, she has served in many capacities as Ferron City Clerk, Emery County Treasurer, owner and operator of the Ferron Mercantile store, and many church callings. She is presently serving as Ferron City’s Mayor.
JoAnn has helped in many ways to shape and guide Ferron City and helped make it a great place to live, love, prosper, and raise a family. She loves this little town we call home.
We give honor to this year’s Ferron City Peach Days Grand Marshal JoAnn Behling and a very warm and kind heart felt thank you.
Melissa Anderson
Melissa Anderson has been chosen as the honored citizen of Ferron for the 2012 Peach Days Celebration.
Melissa was born Jan. 13, 1966 to Maurice and Sweetie Anderson in Moab. Shortly after birth, her wonderful loving parents were informed that she had a birth defect called Arthrogryposis Multiplex Cogenita. A defect that occurs when the muscles of the baby do not fully develop while still inside the womb.
Because of the extent of her birth defect, the doctors told her parents that she would never be able to walk. They forgot to tell Melissa. With determination, perseverance, multiple corrective surgeries, a touch of the Anderson stubbornness, and the aid of long-leg braces, she proved them wrong.
Melissa keeps herself active with community involvement and numerous hobbies. For many years, she has been helping out in Vicki Nielsen’s fifth grade class at Ferron Elementary School. She helps with reading skills and anything else Nielsen needs done. She always looks forward to the end of the year field trip where she has fun helping look after the students, and they, in turn, have fun helping her get around. She truly loves every student, and they love her.
She loves listening to all kinds of music, working on her computer, playing various games on her phone, and visiting with others. Some of her other hobbies include ceramics, calligraphy, scrapbooking, rubber-stamping and embossing to make beautiful and unique greeting cards, and award winning cross stitching.
She also keeps busy with her church activities such as going to the temple, visiting teaching, and doing family search indexing. Melissa enjoys helping other people and has been known to do this on the spur of the moment, like the time she helped with making wedding invitations for a friend that needed to be mailed the same day.
Over the years, her enthusiasm for life has developed friendships that will last forever. She enjoys going to visit her “adopted” family in Rock Springs, Wyo. No one is sure of who adopted whom, but she sure is glad she has this extended family and loves them very much. She especially loves spending time with her Rock Springs nieces and nephews; Ter Ter, J.J., Ryker, Hunter, Kalan, Shaddix, Braquel, Lil’ Shaun, Micah, Libby, Lexy, Gatlan, and their parents; Chris and Dawn Maria, Jon and Tiff, Paul and Sher, Shaun and Paola and Preston, and always makes a point to take them something fun.
Melissa wants to express her appreciation to all of her many friends and family who have helped her throughout the years. She says “I couldn’t do it without their support and help, they are all awesome.”
When you see Melissa out cruising around in her chair or on her daily 1 1/2 mile walk, give her a wave. You will always get a wave and a smile in return.