Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Commission Selects New Board Members for NEWUSSD

From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2003 05:42:51 -0400

Commission Selects New Board Members for NEWUSSD

Friday, August 29, 2003
Emery County Progress
Castle Dale, UT

By PATSY STODDARD

Editor

The Emery County Commissioners met in Green River for their regular commission
meeting on Aug. 19. The first item of business was the approval of the appointment
of three new members to fill vacancies on the North Emery Water Users Special
Service District. Kevin Jensen, Joy Barton and Mike McCandless were approved for
the board.
Maughn Guymon was on hand from the Area Agency on Aging which is a division of the
Southeastern Utah Association of Local Governments. Guymon explained that the
state fiscal year runs from July to June and every year they send state dollars to
be utilized by the three county area. The funds are put through a formula for
appropriation to the various programs run by the division.  These programs include
the food services for the elderly. Guymon said funds are close to the same with a
reduction of $1,600 which will cut mainly into the food services. “You can serve a
lot of meals for $1,600,” said Guymon.  Commissioner Ira Hatch extended a vote of
thanks to Guymon for the dedicated effort he puts forth in running the aging
program for the counties. The commission approved the agreement between the county
and the agency for the administration of the funds for the program.

Mayor Glen Dale Johnson of Green River spoke under the category of citizen
concerns. He said that Green River City has paid for the improvements to the TV
communications and the city has been reimbursed by the CDBG for their portion and
the county was scheduled to pay the rest of the bill up to $10,000. The
commissioners approved the payment to reimburse Green River City and the action
will be ratified at the next meeting. Mayor Johnson said they had to pay half of
the costs up front before the contractor would begin the work and the other half
was paid when they were finished.

Mayor Johnson also requested information about the water rates the county pays for
their property in other cities throughout the county. Mayor Johnson said he would
take these findings before the Green River City Council again. The council had
voted no to a request by the county to be charged residential rates instead of
commercial rates for the county held properties in Green River City.  Mayor
Johnson also said that Green River City subsidizes the water for the senior center
so the county doesn’t incur an expense for the Green River Senior Citizen Center.

Mayor Johnson invited the commissioners to the Melon Days Celebration which will
be held Sept. 19-21. A golf tournament and Queen pageant will be held on the 19th
and the vendors will begin in the park at noon. The parade will be on Sept. 20.

A representative from Nextel was on hand to discuss the communication site
sublease. Commissioner Drew Sitterud said the item was being tabled until County
Attorney Dave Blackwell had a chance to look at the contract.  Commissioner
Sitterud explained that Nextel wants connections on the Horn Mountain Site and the
Moore Site and will build a tower for Emery which is now without cellular phone
service. Sheriff Lamar Guymon also suggested they put one on the Cedar Mountain
tower as well as the Castle Dale tower and this would take coverage clear into
Grand Junction. The county owns the tower on Cedar Mountain.

The representative requested the county attorney send any revisions and changes to
Nextel so they can be aware of any problems with the contract.  Morris Sorenson
spoke to the commission about the forest service agreements. The forest service
has picked up the costs to improvements on the Horn Mountain Road and the county
has provided the equipment. Sorenson pointed out that these agreements help with
county road maintenance costs and are beneficial to the county.

Commissioner Hatch informed the audience on the next item which was the
consdieration and approval of the US Forest Service payment options. The federal
government makes payments for federal lands not taxed for products taken off of
the land. They run their formula and a certain percentage comes back to the
county. Commissioner Hatch stressed that this program was not to be confused with
PILT funding which is a payment based on acreage.  The forest service payment is
divided with 50 percent required to go to schools and 50 percent to roads. The
payment options include being paid an amount for the yearly quota or an average
payment of three years combined. The numbers for 2001 was $19,252 and 2002 was
$17,873. If the county uses the 100 percent allocation the number for this year
will be $25,300. Commissioner Hatch said that now is the time to act on whether
they want to continue to do the averaging or go with the 100 percent allocation.
The commission voted to go with the 100 percent allocation.
The commission approved a personnel item for the clerk/audiors office to advertise
for a up to 39 hours-3/4 time employee.  The commissioners gave their reports next
and Commissioner Gary Kofford said the fair is over and it was a success. There
are a few suggestions that have been made that will be discussed for next year.
Commissioner Kofford thanked the many people who participated and the time and
effort put into the event by the volunteers. Commissioner Kofford also explained
the UAC wilderness proposal and whether or not the county should participate. He
said the first meeting for public comment will be held on Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. at the
Museum of the San Rafael.
Commissioner Hatch also commended Commissioner Kofford and Sheriff Guymon for the
hard work they put into the fair. Commissioner Sitterud said they had sent a
letter of support to the Moab BLM concerning the Solitude landfill in Green River.
Emery County supports the project and thinks it will be good for the Green River
economy.

He also reported that on the wild and scenic river proposal that the Muddy River
has been dropped from Emery to where it crosses I-70. It has a number of dry
stretches and has been dropped to the Lone Creek crossing. It was noted that only
the upper section has been dropped from the BLM process. On Aug.  26 at 9 a.m. the
wild and scenic river group for the forest service will meet at the court house in
Castle Dale.

http://www.ecprogress.com/index.php?id=1&go=news&pub=2003-08-26

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