Commission first meeting of the year

By PATSY STODDARD Editor

The Emery County Commission met in their first meeting of the year. The newly elected commissioners Keith Brady and Paul Cowley were sworn in on Jan. 5. They started their official work for the county at commission meeting. Commissioner Ethan Migliori was elected the commission chairman for 2015. Commissioner Migliori read the list of commission responsibilities for the new year.
Stipends were approved for cell phones for $45 per month for Commissioners Brady and Cowley. A county credit card was approved for Commissioners Brady and Cowley.
The commission approved a sponsorship agreement between Emery County and Chadwick Booth and Company for commercial spots. The Emery County Travel Bureau helps decide the locations for the commercials.
The commission approved the amendment number nine to the Emery County Seeley Fire project to incorporate the damage survey report into the agreement. Capt. Ekker said they must send this report to Washington as part of their agreement to fund these projects.
The commission approved to advertise for Request for Proposal for Economic Development Services. Commissioner Migliori said they will put out a request for a proposal to contract for economic development services and also a job position. They will look over everything that comes in and make a decision concerning economic development in the near future.
The archives applied for a grant and received $750. The commission ratified the grant to digitize documents and pictures.
The commission approved a grant application to Utah Department of Transportation for chip seal projects for the Millsite Park access road and the Goblin Valley Access road. The state will pay for 50 percent of these projects. They hope the project for Millsite can run from Millsite State Park to SR-10. It will depend on the amount of money received. The Goblin Valley project is projected for $874,000. The Millsite project is $253,000. The project will be put on the five year list and the monies wouldn’t be available until 2020. Howard Tuttle from Johansen and Tuttle Engineering is preparing the bids. Tuttle said inflation has been factored into the bids with projected costs for materials in the year 2020.
The Emery County Special Service District number one partners with these projects and provides the match money.
The commissioners gave their reports and Commissioner Paul Cowley went to the library board meeting. He said there are a number of things that are new to him.
He said he is grateful for the opportunity to serve and work for the fine people of Emery County. “I take my hat off to Commissioners Horrocks and Nelson and Attorney David Blackwell for their service to the county. I appreciate what they did.”
Commissioner Keith Brady said he attended the catastrophic fire meeting. This committee was formed as a result of catastrophic fires in Utah including the Seeley fire.
Projects are being planned such as prescribed burns and clean-up of build-up in the forests. The state is zoned into areas and Emery County is joined with Carbon, Grand and San Juan counties. If there are any preventative projects that need funding, there are funds available to aid in these projects.
For every $1 spent in prevention it saves $17 in suppression. For every $1 spent in prevention it saves $400 per catastrophic fire. The work of this committee will hopefully help reduce the possibility of future catastrophic fires.
The San Rafael Conservation District and the Green River Conservation District want to be part of a tree program where they can purchase saplings at a reduced price.
The conservation districts will have a weed tour in September in Green River. The conservation districts are applying for monies to continue working on eliminating Russian Olives in Emery County.
Commissioner Migliori reported he wants all the information and agenda items for commission meetings ready one week before the meeting is scheduled. That way the new commissioners and county attorney will be able to review the items and learn about them prior to meetings.
Commissioner Migliori attended the regional meeting for the Division of Oil, Gas and Mining.
There was a lot of information on directional drilling and fracking.
He said it’s good for the commission to keep up on the oil and gas industry and new developments there.
The mammoth exhibit at the Museum of the San Rafael is complete and there will be an open house on Jan. 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the museum.
Commissioner Migliori encouraged everyone to bring your family and come to see the new features at the museum.
2015
COMMISSIONER RESPONSIBILITIES
*Point of Contact
(As approved in commission meeting.
Commissioner Keith Brady
Animal Control
Aquatic Center
CCP
Clerk/Auditor
Conservancy Districts
DWR/RAC
ECBC*
Economic Development
GR Medical Center
Fire District
ITS/GIS
Justice Court
LBA
Local Emergency Planning
Museum
Public/Mental Health
Public Lands
Seven County Coalition*
Sheriff/Homeland Security
State Parks
Trails
Travel Bureau
TV/Communications
Wildland/State Fire
Commissioner Paul Cowley
Airport
BLM/RAC
Children’s Justice Center
ECBC
ECSSD#1
Fire District*
Historic Preservation
Housing Authority
Lawrence Cemetery
Library
LBA*
Museum*
NEWU District
Public Lands*
Road Department/Landfill
Senior Citizens
SITLA
Treasurer
Water Conservancy
Weed/Mosquito
USFS
Commissioner Ethan Migliori
Chairman
Ambulance/EMTs
AOG
Attorney
Assessor
COG
Care Center
Consultants
County Facilities
CVSSD
ECBC
Economic Development*
Extension/USU
Insurance
LBA
Museum
Personnel
Planning/Zoning/Bldg.
Public Lands
Recreation Dist./Fair
Recorder/Archives
Seven County Coalition
State Parks*
Trails*
Items approved by the commission on the consent agenda included:
1. Approval of check edit list, requisitions, and dispositions.
2. Carole Larsen selected Amy Dewitt as a part time janitor for the Orangeville Library working 7.5 hours per week.
3. Approval of JR and Linda Nelson as volunteers for the Travel Bureau.
4. Approval of Karen Huntsman, Kim Huntsman, Dixie Thompson, and Jacob Begay as volunteers in Archives working on digitizing and scanning documents.
5. Approval of Shannon Hiatt to receive a 3 percent wage increase. Effective 1-19-15.
6. Approval of Gary Price to receive a 3 percent wage increase. Effective 1-19-15.
7. Approval to promote Gaylene Cox from Deputy Clerk/Auditor II to Sr. Deputy Clerk/Auditor. Move from Grade 14 to Grade 17. Effective 1-19-15.
8. Approval to promote Janet Damron from Deputy Recorder I to Deputy Recorder II. Move from Grade 13 to Grade 14. Effective 1-19-15
9. Approval to hire Brenda Lemon as a full time, with benefits, Deputy Recorder I. Wage Grade 13.
10. Approval to move Carol Furner as a Deputy Clerk Auditor I from part time to full time with full benefits.
11. Approval of out-of-state travel to Denver, Colo. for James R. Nelson and Lynda Nelson to attend a travel show.
12. Maegan Wilberg has selected Janelle Bagley as a part time Sales Clerk working 19.5 hours per week for the museum. Not eligible for benefits.
13 Approval of business license for Creal Lasting Impressions LLC.
14. Approval of commission meeting minutes dated December 16 and 22, 2014.