Orangeville City approves group home

By Phil Fauver Staff Writer

Orangeville City Council met on Sept. 8 and candidate for County Commissioner Danny VanWagoner appeared before the city council stating that he did not like the way the county commission was going. Danny VanWagoner presented his history and credentials to the Orangeville City Council and asked for their vote.
Orangeville City Council then approved a group home or residential treatment center for girls to be owned and operated by McKette and David Allred.
McKette Allred requested and received the Orangeville City Council’s approval of a residential treatment center called the Meridian Mentoring. The group home will be in the former Tanner house located at 635 South Main Street in Orangeville Utah. This home would be for up to 16 girls ages 12 to 17 with mild behavioral problems. The girls will all be secured in the home with a security camera system inside and outside the building.
McKette said this home will not take anyone that has an addiction or violent behavior problems. The girls will come from homes where the parents had difficulty dealing with behavioral issues and have asked for assistance. The girls will not be wards of the court. McKette said the community should not be concerned with the girls in this home.
The group home will have six employees two of which are therapists. There will be one adult supervisor for each four girls during the day and one adult supervisor for each eight girls at night. The girls will be given therapy sessions four times a week. Each girl will have an hour of therapy and one hour of family therapy. A doctor and nurse will be available on staff. McKette and David Allred have received a Utah State License from the Department of Human Services to operate this group home. David Allred has been certified as a Control System Manager for this group home. The staff will also be certified in control system management and food handling. Background checks will be made on each employee.
There will be a daily routine program for the girls. They will be home schooled with laptop computers to access resources that will help the girls achieve the academic goals the parents have for them. These girls will be introduced to successful people for inspiration and will perform household tasks such as cooking and cleaning and service projects. The girls will not be in the public schools. The girls will be in a confined environment.
The Orangeville City Council asked for a bi-monthly report which was agreed to by McKette Allred.
The Orangeville City Planning and Zoning Board approved this application for a group home of up to 16 girls. This is a variance to the Orangeville City Planning and Zoning Policy which limited group homes to nine members.
Anyone with questions or concerns can contact Allreds at 435-749-1315.
Russell Earley asked for a 1200 foot right of way to lay a 2 inch water line along the fence 18 inches from the fence to his farm. Approval was given for Planning and Zoning to look into this pipeline and examine possible problems.