MANTI-- County Commissioners were impressed with Logan Simpson Design Inc. before they came to the June 17 commission meeting. At a work meeting, the commissioners had listened to a proposal from the group. Commissioner Jarrett told company representatives, senior planner James W. Carter and Nathan Crane, that they were impressed with the company's experience.

Jarrett noted that the cost of the general plan didn't include a transportation plan. The commissioners told Carter and Crane that transportation was unique in Sanpete because 51 percent of the county is public lands and the county has 13 municipalities.

Jarrett said the county is still a farming community and it was nothing to get stuck behind a tractor or a sheep herd. She said that movement of animals and equipment would have to be factored in, as well as working with Utah Department Of Transportation (UDOT). She said the county needs a plan just to work with UDOT.

Carter said they would look at criteria and current conditions as well as other factors. After a look at Sanpete needs, Carter said they would come back with a quote for the transportation plan.

Byway

After an explanation from Jana Abrams with Carbon County Travel Bureau, commissioners were satisfied there was enough reason to rejoin the three county Fairview/Huntington/Eccles Canyon road Byway group and directed Sanpete County Economic Director Kevin Christensen to include money in his budget.

Abrams explained that the group was formed in 1999 and the canyon road became a national byway highway in 2002. She said that when she came on board in 2005 Sanpete had already pulled out.

Abrams said the group had completed two one-acre parking lots in Fairview Canyon on SR32, parking lots in the big drift area, extending the parking there. She said they also put in a restroom.

Abrahms said that with Carbon and Emery counties, they pay 20 percent of projects with the Federal Highway Commission paying 80 percent. She said the two counties have been able to make the 20 percent match with "in-kind" work, which meant the counties could supply labor or materials equaling 20 percent of the cost instead of money.

Another project was to supply small radio stations with road conditions and county events in Fairview, Huntington and Emery County. Seventy percent of traffic goes through Fairview and people can tune to 1610 on their AM radios for information in and around Fairview. Abrams said the transmitters don't broadcast very far.

Abrams commented that now the National Byway has been changed to be 90 percent recreational, instead of historical, the group has to have a new plan and she wanted to see Sanpete included. She said every third meeting would be in Sanpete, if the county became a partner. She said the cost would be about $3,700.

Commissioner Inouye said the Fairview Canyon road has one safety issue with snow boarders around and in the road. Abrams said the group could do a project to help the problem.

Axtell SSD seeks help

Axtell Special Service District (SSD) board members filled the commission room and explained problems they would like county help with. Speaking for the group, Travis Blackburn, the board's chairman, said that State Auditor Van Christensen told the group that they are not supposed to pay the $15 a month post office power bill or charge $20 a month on the water project.

Another board member said that some town's people have complained about the charge and don't want to pay it. Adding that Christensen has given them a list of changes to procedures they have had in place for 20 years and no time to change them.

Ross Blackburn said that the post office was an important service in Axtell. He said without the little building the residents would have to go all the way to Redmond and with today's gas prices that would be a hardship.

Blackham noted that several years ago the Axtell people had requested building a small building for their mail and the county commissioners had agreed it was a worthy project and Jarrett added that the county even gave $1,000 toward the project. Lee Holmstead said that the county didn't charge them a building permit.

Blackham said they chose Axtell SSD because it was the only organized group in the town since the town is unincorporated and doesn't even have a city council.

County commissioners were sympathetic but told the board to continue working as they have, but make sure that all their meetings were open to the public as required in the open meetings act. One board member said that they have had people disrupting their meetings and Jarrett said they had the right to expel them from the meeting, which they should ask the sheriff for help.

Blackham said the state auditor would work with them, but also asked for specifics of what requests Christensen was requiring. Blackham said the state auditor does have legislative power over them and the county had no power to get in the way of that.

Blackburn said the state auditor said they would be in big trouble if they paid one more month on the post office power bill.

Blackham repeated that he would help them and the commission said they would do what they could. Jarrett again told them to bring their documents to Blackham.

Aspen Grove

In the form of an apology, Commissioner Jarrett told representatives from Aspen Grove Assets, LLC the county had prepared a resolution but failed to get it listed on the agenda. Jarrett said there wasn't any way the commission could act and that it would be on the July 1, agenda.

Davis Asay, spokesman for the company, said they didn't have a problem with that, but he added that at the meeting held in Mt. Pleasant that charges that the subdivision would cause flooding was untrue. He said the 100-year flood plain was far away from the area. He said there were no current high water concerns.

The commission tabled the matter until the next meeting.

Jail

Barry Bradley, who handles communications for the county, said that two towers for the jail would cost $4,556.77 plus shipping. He said the antennas would be moved over later, once the towers are erected. The towers would be on cement pads on the roof of the jail and would have guy wires attached. Some of the existing antennas are over 25 years old and he may leave some base stations at the courthouse since moving them would require another FCC license. He said they could be operated by remote.

The commission also approved other jail costs. They approved payment of $765,475 to Okland Construction for the facility, which Jarrett said was now 40 percent complete. They approved payment to Central Utah Testing and Inspection in the amount of $1,155; Sunrise Engineering for water and sewer extension work in the amount of $19,376; and Wells Fargo Bank interest due on the Utah General Obligation Bond for $722,041.25.

For the courthouse they approved $1,600 for an air conditioning compressor and $2,300 for other work done on the building.

Request

Brooke Bowhuis requested a mass gathering permit for another music concert. She is from the Wind Walker Ranch, but said she was just inquiring for Ryan McEuen and the request wasn't for her group.

The commissioners said they would talk to the sheriff and that everything they required for her project last year would be the same.

Agent

The new Utah State University Extension Family Consumer Science and 4-H Agent Anita Raddatz introduced herself at the meeting. Raddatz said she worked for Washington State University for 11 years before coming to Utah State University Extension.

Raddatz said she would mostly be helping young adults make the transition from leaving their parents house, in regards to health, nutrition and managing finances along with helping young adults connect to the outside world with IP services. Raddatz is now a resident of Ephraim.

Grandstands

Commissioner Mark Anderson was given the approval to finish refurbishing the fairground's grandstand. He said that it will take about $15,000 to finish it and engineers said the stands were solid but wanted to put steel on the supports. He said the engineers said the grandstands are in very good condition.

Miscellaneous

The sheriff's department was approved for merit pay increases to bring officers up to the pay scale keeping wages competitive with state wages. Several officers went up two and three steps in pay.

The commission also approved Sheriff Holman's request to pay Dr. Burnham $70 an hour when he is working on inmate health and $12.62 an hour when he is working with the county's task force. They also approved the Interlocal Agreement for South Sanpete School resource officer.

Approval was given for Deputy III Debbie Plummer, in Ross Blackham's office, to go to $16.13, a three-year step increase and for Blackham to hire part-time Brittney Plummer at $9.46 an hour.

Kelli Olsen was approved a step increase to $11.00 and Lisa Black approved to go to $14.91. Black, County Assessor Ken Bench said, has been attending all required classes to be become a full appraiser. Bench said it was a five-year process.

Zoning

Even though Kenneth Christiansen was only splitting one lot, he had to go through all the steps for a major subdivision. Holmstead called it a "one lot major subdivision."

When the county redid their zoning ordinances and in order to keep subdivides from getting around the major subdivision rules, the county made a provision that a lot could only be split once as a minor subdivision and any splits after that went under major subdivision rules. Christiansen happened to be caught in those rules and the commission approved him for a preliminary approval of a major subdivision on property near Axtell.

Kenneth D. Gilbert was approved for a minor subdivision north west of Sterling for 2.2 acres. The commission waved 100 ft frontage rule based on terrain. Gilbert was not happy with the process and claimed Holmstead discriminated against him.

The commissioners approved a minor subdivision for George Whitman for 15 acres east of Moroni on a condition that building permits wouldn't be granted until he complete a cul-de-sac road and approval for Orson Huntsman a minor subdivision one mile south of Spring City, north of Wind Walker Ranch.

A public hearing was set for Preston and Natalie Burnside for a zone change from sensitive to agricultural designation on property located in Mt. Pleasant.

Sensitive lands require 40 acres to build and the Burnsides only have 18.3 acres. The public hearing is set for Tuesday, July 15. at 3 p.m.

In other matters, the commission approved the contract for the Gunnison Valley Resource Officer. Jarrett said the officer is attached to the Gunnison Police Department and the county will fund its part at $24,000.