Tuttle swears in Commissioner Wilson

By Patsy Stoddard
Editor

Kent Wilson was sworn in as commissioner on Sept. 19. He was first approved by Commissioners Lynn Sitterud and Paul Cowley. Clerk/auditor Brenda Tuttle did the swearing in for the new commissioner.
The Board of Equalization closure and approval of the changes for 2017.
The veteran, blind and homeowners tax credit abatement lists were approved. Tuttle said these lists are compiled throughout the year. Recipients must meet age and income requirements to be eligible. The state reimburses the circuit breaker but all others are absorbed by the county.
A 50 percent low income tax abatement for Ryan Cowley was approved. Commissioner Cowley excused himself from this vote.
The bids for a mural at the Museum of the San Rafael were opened. One bid was received from Kaylynn Winn fine arts for $8,200. Museum director Meagan Wilberg said the amount of $3,500 from the capital request funds is all they have available. Tuttle said the additional amount needed could be requested in the next billing cycle. She said where it is a specialized item, you may not receive three bids.
Attorney Olsen said you advertise and you get what you get. The bid was not able to be awarded at this time because the money isn’t there.
The board approved the ratification of signing of cut-off date extension for South Moore Cut-off Road Phase 10. The date is now Dec. 31.
Change Order No. 1 on the Millsite Dam Rehabilitation Project was approved. There are areas of the project which need to be surveyed again. Cost will be $10,106. The Emery County portion will be $300. Tuttle said the Millsite Dam project will not cost the county anything, the county receives funding for facilitating the project.
Attorney Mike Olsen said he has received many complaints about smoking at county ball fields and people wondering what could be done about it. He said the county will enact an ordinance where there is no smoking within 25 feet of playgrounds and sports facilities, concessions and pathways. Attorney Olsen said a lot of other cities have enacted no smoking ordinances. The new ordinance will be posted for two weeks in the newspaper. The signage will be put up by the recreation district at the ball complex. The county approved providing flu vaccines this year in conjunction with the Wellness Clinic November 1-2 in Castle Dale and Nov. 3, in Green River.
The county will contract with the Emery Medical Center for the annual Wellness Clinic. Full time employees who participate in the whole Wellness Clinic will receive four hours of vacation. The wellness clinic will test vision, BMI, and a blood draw along with the flu vaccines. It will be $250 for each employee that participates. Mary Huntington, personnel director said they have been holding the wellness clinics for eight years and they are beneficial for reducing costs. The screenings have caught several conditions early.
The spouse and dependent children can also participate with a $10 co-pay. The flu shots are open for full and part-time employees and EMTs.
Attorney Olsen explained an Ordinance to Declare and Enforce a General Policy for the Fencing of Farms, Subdivisions or Other Private Property. He said there were two land owners, both in green belt and one of them removed the fence between the properties. When the adjoining land owner’s cattle trespassed on their property, the owner who had removed the fence called the sheriff’s office every day. Olsen said there needs to be a clear rule on fencing. “The Utah code is insufficient to let people know what their responsibility is. People want to know what to do. Carbon has had an ordinance in place for years.”
Ray Petersen, public lands director said the issue has come before the commission in the past and those commissioners said to leave it how it was. The general concept is to fence out. Petersen said it might not hurt to have a public hearing on the issue to hear both sides of the issue.
Commissioner Wilson said Utah is an open range state and fence out has been the policy. He said he has talked to four farmers who appreciate the commissioners tackling the issue. The board approved the new fencing policy.
Attorney Olsen said SUWA has filed a lawsuit against Garfield and Kane counties for violating the open meeting law. Balance Resources has approached the county to name and represent Emery County as one of the supporting friends of court in the filing to back Garfield and Kane Counties in the SUWA vs Garfield and Kane Counties lawsuit.
Attorney Olsen said the lawsuit stems from a visit to Utah by Sec. of the Interior Ryan Zinke. He asked the commissioners from those counties to come and give input regarding the monuments in question. When SUWA found out this had taken place they said the meeting should have been posted and been open and public. Attorney Olsen said there isn’t any money involved, just a vote of support.
Attorney Olsen said if a meeting is administrative and not legislative where money is spent or decisions are made concerning an entity, then it’s not in violation of the Open Meetings requirements. Attorney Olsen said if SUWA wins this lawsuit it will impact how the county does its job.
Petersen said it depends on who calls a particular meeting. If in a meeting, you obligate your county in anyway, then it should be a meeting of notice. The county put off joining as friends of the court until they find out who has joined. Petersen said Balance Resources is a non-profit organization from South Jordan. Commissioner Sitterud said he didn’t see where we could hurt ourselves by joining with Balance Resources as a friend of the court.
Balance Resources will move forward whether or not they have the support of the county.
Petersen presented an easement from SITLA for a segment of OHV Trail between the Pageant Site and the newly developed DesBee Dove Trail. The trail is between the reclaimed mine site and the Desbee Dove trail.
Mark H. Williams said the Desbee-Dove trail hasn’t opened yet, they are waiting for the fencing around the communication site. The trail right of way is funded through the state OHV program.
Commissioner Cowley announced the suicide prevention workshop on Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. at the Emery County Sheriff’s Office training room. Taryn Hiatt will be the presenter. Everyone is encouraged to get involved in suicide prevention.
The Arapeen ATV jamboree was recently completed. The staging area for the jamboree was the Castle Valley outdoors. The riders appreciated the facility and many rides started at the ranch. Williams said the group left $14,000 in the county from shopping at stores, gas, etc. This wasn’t including the cost of the jamboree. All meals were provided and the jamboree used Fatty’s and the Castle Valley Outdoors catering. The drone festival was held at the Huntington airport and was a good event.
Commissioner Sitterud said he was grateful for the process the county has been through the last couple of weeks in selecting a new commissioner. It was government in action. Commissioner Wilson said it was very stressful.
There will be a grant writing workshop on Oct. 23 at USU Eastern and everyone is welcome to attend. It is free of charge.
The commission approved Shala Hunsaker as a volunteer for the Fair, specifically the Miss Emery Pageant.
Josie Stilson was approved as a has a three-quarter time Deputy Treasurer with prorated benefits. Working 29 hours per week.