Commission to advertise for help in evaluating potential economic projects

By Patsy Stoddard
Editor

The first meeting of April for the county commission began with a public hearing on the bonds to be issued for the Castle Valley Special Service District. There weren’t any public comments on the matter.
The bond is in the amount of $900,000 it is a general obligation bond, Series 2017. The bond will be used for improving the treatment and collection of sewage, acquisition, treatment, storage and transportation and supply of water for domestic, industrial, secondary and other purposes. The money can be used for drainage and storm sewer facilities including curbs and gutters, transportation facilities including roads, sidewalks, bridges. All projects are within the boundaries of the Castle Valley Special Service District.
The TAP Award was presented to Emery County. This award was given for excellence in safety. The county has an active safety committee. Any accidents or mistakes are reviewed and the safety committee takes corrective actions. The presenter said if you can learn from mistakes it will help to keep your costs as low as possible. Another aspect is keeping safe drivers in county vehicles. This is the first year Emery County has earned the award. One of the benefits of receiving the award is discounts on workers compensation premiums.
Doug Folsom was the presenter for the award. The Utah Local Governments Trust presented the TAP Award which is the Trust Accountably Program offered through the Trust. The county implemented this with a comprehensive Risk Management program to reduce risk and mitigate loss control. By so doing, the county will receive a 1.5 percent reduction in our workers compensation premium and if the county continues they have the possibility to obtain up to a 4.5 percent reduction.
Commissioner Keith Brady congratulated the staff of Emery County for their hard work in receiving this award.
The memorandum of understanding between SITLA, BLM, and Emery County for the management and maintenance of the Good Water Rim Trail was again tabled. The BLM is not ready yet with their portion of the agreement.
A contract between Live a Little Productions and Emery County for the 2017 Emery County Fair was approved. This company will put on a monster truck event and ATV rodeo at the Emery County Fair.
The contract with Clive Romney for a musical/storytelling performance at the 2017 Emery County Fair was approved. Romney will perform at the senior citizen lunch on the Thursday of the fair. Dates for the fair are Aug. 3-5.
County Attorney Mike Olsen said he has discussed the interlocal agreement with the Southeastern Utah Health Department. He has added language which would allow the county to withdraw from the contract if they choose to. They also discussed the needle exchange program. He said they have backed down from that. He said the health department recognizes they would need to work with the commission should a needle exchange program come to the county. The agreement with the health department was approved.
Commissioner Brady said Emery County has a lot of volunteers on various boards. They don’t get thanked enough for the many volunteer hours they donate to the county. He asked that EMTs, Special Service District Board’s Members and the various County Board’s Members and search and rescue team members be offered the employee discount at the Emery County Aquatic Center. This discount was approved.
The board approved waiving the rental fee at the Aquatic Center on May 24, for an EMS Appreciation Activity.
The contract with Utah State History and Emery County to digitize cemetery records and file them in the Utah State Database was approved. Emery County Archives director Suzanne Anderson explained when Bernice Payne acquired grants they had to go through the Archives. Now the state archives and Payne will be able to work directly together.
The BLM Right of Way Grant for borrow pit adjacent to Price River Road was approved. This road will receive needed repairs from the flooding which occurred last fall.
The commission approved to advertise for an Request for Proposal for professionals to analyze and prepare a report on the impacts of economic projects in Emery County. Commissioner Brady said as projects approach Emery County and want to locate here there needs to be a way to determine if the project will be an economic benefit to the county. He has talked to a couple of companies that analyze potential projects and their impacts.
Attorney Olsen said the company would look at the project and see if it’s viable. These companies have teams of experts to evaluate potential projects.
Commissioner Brady said he has talked to Zions public finance and they would probably put in a bid.
Whichever company is chosen to put a company through the evaluation process would be done on a case by case basis as projects come up.
Attorney Olsen said the company will show impacts from a potential project. They would show their work and analyze it. This type of process is not new to other places, but it is new to Emery County and help is needed.
Jordan Leonard, economic development director said solar companies are looking now at Emery County and seeking tax incentives.
The commissioners have plans to visit other locations where solar farms have been placed to look at the economic benefits to the areas.
Attorney Olsen said that’s where a company would help out looking at benefits and impacts of projects to our county. It was agreed to advertise for RFP’s for a professional company to evaluate potential projects.
The board approved advertising for an RFP to accept bids to build a fence along the property line of the Green River Library.
Sheriff Greg Funk said all deputies will be on duty on Easter weekend. The BLM will reimburse the sheriff’s office for overtime hours spent on the desert.
Commissioner Brady reported the Rock and Mineral show in Green River was a success and well attended for the inaugural event.
Shannon Hiatt from the Aquatics Center reported they have 300 spots open for swimming lessons and 152 are filled. Call the pool to register your children for swimming lessons.
Commissioner Paul Cowley reported Ahmed Mohsen from the BLM is moving to Cedar City and the Price Field Office will get a new manager. “Ahmed has been a friend to Emery County,” said Commissioner Cowley. He also reported the gates on the forest are now closed to keep roads from being damaged as they dry out. Shed horn hunting is now open again. It was closed for two months to lessen the stress on the animals after the hard winter.
Randy Nielson, Stoney Jensen, Pete Alger and Justin Childs were reappointed to the Fire District Board for each to serve another four year term.