The Emery County Commission met to conduct county business. The board approved the contract with Mill Street Entertainment for Charley Jenkins as an opening act for the 2018 Emery County Fair Concert. Charley hasn’t been here for four years. He will play at the park right after the parade and at the concert. The fair is Aug. 2-4.
They ratified the resolution lowering the wage requirement for the Fast Track Grant. This will give local business a chance to take advantage of the grant without requiring the high wage and they will be able to hire an entry level position at a lower wage.
The commission approved applying for a Grant for an Emery County Victims Advocate. County Attorney Mike Olsen said currently Emery County utilizes the Carbon County victim’s advocate, but has need of their own. Statute lists six pages of requirements the county needs to provide to victims. The state of Utah wants each county to have their own victims advocates and has funds available to aid in this process. The county will provide a 10 percent in kind match and the state will provide 80 percent. When people are harmed they don’t know how the court system works or they don’t know where to go for help. A lot of agencies participate, law enforcement and the courts are all involved. The state offered funding is ongoing for this position. The person selected will be an employee of Emery County. The commission will need to figure out the contributions and what constitutes in-kind; providing an office, tech support, vehicle, etc. Application for these funds needs to be completed by April 17.
Funds will become available in July.
The Domestic Violence coalition spoke to the need for a victims advocate, not only with domestic violence cases, but victims in general. If domestic violence victims don’t get the support they need then they won’t press charges and the cycle of violence continues. Advocates will help the person through the court process and get them the help they need. There is also a safe house available for a mom and children to go to away from the abuser. “It’s hard to see victims not get what they need,” said Nancy Orgill.
Suzanne Larsen from the Emery County Archives reported the changes regarding the Grant to digitize 20 years of the Emery County Progress. There will be a cash match for the funding. The Historical Society of Emery County has agreed to fund the $944 cash match. The archives will also be ordering archival boxes to keep the hard copies of the Emery County Progress in for research. These boxes help preserve the papers.
A business license for Perkins B-n-B was approved.
The commissioners approved a donation to the Emery County Suicide Prevention Group called Reach Up. Ann Larsen and Patsy Stoddard spoke of the group and the activities they have been having including a suicide awareness out of darkness walk. Guest speaker Taryn Parkins who spoke on suicide prevention, a survivors day where survivors of suicide told their stories. The group meets weekly and funding will go towards activities for the group. They have dropped gifts at people’s homes with an inspiring message during the holidays and at Valentines Day. Their approach is activity and service which will help those who are struggling with suicidal tendencies. The group meets every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Castle Dale Senior Citizen Center. Anyone wishing to attend is welcome.
Sheriff Greg Funk said, “This support group helps them from getting to the crisis level. This group is focused on people helping other people. It has helped the people immensely and takes the focus off of themselves and starts them helping other people. I have been very impressed with the group.”
The commission suggested the group submit a budget request in September for ongoing funding. The commission donated $250 to the group to help with activities and expenses.
The Grant Agreement between U.S. Forest Service and Emery County was modified, the county will receive more funding this year for taking care of certain forest service roads within the county.
Marketing funds for the Green River Softball and Golf Tournaments were approved. The golf tournament is Sept. 14-15 during Melon Days. Advertising will include: flyers for both tournaments, radio and facebook ads to promote the events. State parks runs the golf tournament.
The Travel Bureau is applying for the Outdoor Recreation Grant for Historic Interpretive Signage. They will place interpretive kiosks throughout the Swell to tell the history of various locations. Copper Globe, Mexican Mountain, DesBee Dove, etc. There is a cash match, an inkind match and state grant.
Ed Geary from the Historic Preservation commission said these signs help enhance the visitor experience by describing what they are seeing and what activity has taken place in the past. Each panel costs $1,000-$1,500. The panel which will go at the Desbee Dove mine site will explain the mining activity there over the years. The site has been reclaimed now and all evidence of prior activity erased. There is now an ATV trail there, so the kiosk would tell the history and many people would see it.
Commissioner Kent Wilson said, “I’ve been to the desert of field trips and this adds to the experience. It will benefit tourists and residents. Any signage we can put out there will help. “More signage is the desert will help aid with the search and rescue also,” said Commissioner Wilson.
The board approved the prioritized CIB list for FY 2019. Commissioner Wilson said Emery Town might want to change their priority from monitoring in the Greens Hollow lease area because the coal mine is already doing that.
The board approved Change Orders #6 and #7 on the Millsite Dam Rehabilitation Project.
The board approved the contract through Green Light Booking Agency for Jenny Oaks Baker to perform at the 2018 Emery County Fair.
The commission signed the MOU with the Manti LaSal National Forest in regard to Cooperating Agency Status in the Forest Plan Revision Process.
The BLM Right-of-Way was approved to do repair work on SR-24 where the road washed out last summer in a thunderstorm.
The board approved the Motor Vehicle Driver Information Agreement.
19. Randy Johnson-Government Matters, LLC Reported the solar bill passed and the natural gas bill has been signed by the governor. Both might have substantial impact on the county. Dominion Energy can spread cost of installing natural gas in Green River over its entire customer base and the solar bill could open the door for Pacifi-Corp to look at solar. The Emery County lands bill is being looked at line by line by the legislative committees. This will become the draft language and the bill will be introduced on both sides of the government. “There won’t be much notice on the hearings, maybe two weeks and we’ll be required to go and testify, the commission may be required to testify.
Robby Jensen reported on the aging program. One of the meals on wheels drivers left and they have substitutes who have stepped in to drive. They have three new employees. They are looking for grants to help with a fall prevention program they will identify people who are at risk for falls and teach them preventive measures. They will offer ways to regain strength. There will be several classes offered on fall prevention. They are working on the foster grandparent program which benefits students in elementary schools. The grandparents listen to the children read. There will be an grandparent day for support for those grandparents who are raising grandkids. They will have an activity at the Castle Dale Senior Center and there will be agencies there to help these seniors.
They will be partnering with the hospital and the health departments to do a bike rodeo and give away helmets. Jensen reported they are in the budget planning stage right now for their next budget which begins July 1. They are also working on veterans programs and helped with free income tax service for seniors.
Commissioner Paul Cowley thanked Jensen for the work they are doing with the county seniors. He thanked the search and rescue team for all their work on recent searches on the desert. “They do this without compensation and are called out in the middle of the night. I appreciate them for this service. It’s a blessing we have the quality and caliber of people to step up and I take my hat off to them and to the sheriff. They take off work and they do it without complaint.”
Any eligible Emery County EMTs wanting to attend the EMT Conference in St. George was approved.
An open position on the Emery County Career Service Council Board will be advertised. The board will advertise an RFP for Lawn Care at seven of the Emery County Libraries and the Emery County Road Department.
The following volunteers for Search and Rescue were approved: Brad Reed, Greg Jewkes, Wade Allinson, Jeff Tuttle, Howard Tuttle, Pete Alger, Zach Crawford, Leonard Norton, Jerry Price, Shaun Jeffs, Kirk McQuivey, Randy Lake, Chuck Ebeling, James Byars, Ben Orgill, Lee Magnuson, Jason Jensen, Tyler Tuttle, Brett Guymon, Russ Archibald, Casey Toomer, Greg Oliver, Hal Johnson, Ross Christiansen, Troy Winters, Michael Taylor, Rod Magnuson, Jim Jennings, Brawny Killpack, Larry Johansen, Chris Winn, Jared Anderson, Doug Johnson, Matt Crosland, Dal Gray, Ryan Torgeson, Nathan Martinez, Dalen Johnson, Lowell Morris, Lynn Tuttle and Ronnie Bloomer.
Camille Thomas was promoted from Assistant Librarian in Castle Dale to Branch Librarian in Cleveland.
Mindi Labrum was transferred from the Elmo Library to Cleveland Library as the Assistant Librarian. 10. Maria Johansen was selected as the Assistant Librarian for the Elmo Library. Sherri Jensen was selected as the Assistant Librarian for the Castle Dale Library. Julie Rollins is the new Janitor for Castle Dale Library.
Keldan Guymon and Kaitlyn Carter were promoted to Head Lifeguard. David Robertson was approved for a 3 percent wage increase for successful completion of his six month orientation period.
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