MANTI-- Representatives for Wolverine and Occidental (Oxy) oil companies told Sanpete County Commissioners they couldn't comply with the planning and zoning board's bond requests during the Aug. 5 commission meeting.

Sorenson said the contracts with the landowners allow them to come back on the oil companies for any problems and the insurance would take care of those problems. He said they couldn't find a bond service or other service that would take care of both the county's concerns and private landowners.

He said it was unclear what the planning and zoning board wanted.

Commissioners said they understand the board's concerns and Commissioner Claudia Jarrett said the board had final say over conditional use permits but they could come to the commissioners for appeal.

They said they couldn=B9t act on the appeal at the meeting and set Wednesday, Aug. 13 at 6 p.m., in the east courtroom to meet with the commissioners and the planning and zoning board for the appeal and work out a solution for the county and the oil companies.

One of the concerns Sorenson expressed was time. He said the projects are moving along and the oil companies have people coming in for various jobs and they need the permit now. He told them, "You're impacting us so much."

Later in the afternoon, the commission took time for 'consideration' for a request by Petro Hunt Oil Company's request to drop two $10,000 bonds and replace it with one $100,000 bond.

Checking with Steve Keller, the county road supervisor, Commissioner Jarrett asked if repairs on the west side of the road between Ephraim and Wales had been competed. Keller said they hadn't been done. The commission held off making a decision at this meeting.

Moratorium on youth homes likely

After a discussion with Sanete County Attorney Ross Blackham and Zoning Administrator Lee Holmstead, the commissioners directed Blackham to draft an ordinance declaring a six-month moratorium on youth homes while Blackham and the zoning board study the ordinances governing youth homes.

Blackham said the county has two ordinances youth homes could come under, 'youth homes' and 'residential facility.' He said both ordinances are not clear.

County resident Donald Olson emphasized he felt a company badgered the zoning board into making a decision to allow a youth home recently. He said the company threatened to bring a lawsuit against them and the county.

The commissioners replied that they felt the board had no other choice because of the way the ordinances are written. Commissioner Jarrett told Olson the board has to follow the ordinances as they are written.

Indian Ridge Water Conservancy Board appointments

The commission dissolved the Indian Ridge Water Conservancy District Board and renewed it under the original court decree. They had taken applications for the new board members, which many were from members who had served on the old board. There were new people who also applied.

During the consideration of the board members, the old controversial problems surfaced and Commissioner Jarrett told the 11 people attending the meeting to focus on getting a new board appointed.

The Indian Ridge Subdivision has 740 lots with 10 lots where homes have been built and 74 connections available under the current water system with an 80,000-gallon storage tank.

However, one of the main problems the conservancy board has is they don't own the water. The last board had leased the water from Jay Barlow but over the years they lost the lease. Barlow sold the water to Dale Kemp but the sale is now in litigation.

There were other allegations of the old board members misconduct, which Commissioner Jarrett squashed trying to get the group to focus on working together. She said that the prime consideration in the selections of the new board members was to get everyone working together.

The new board consists of a five-member board with one position set for four years, one at three years, one at two years and two at one year. This staggers the board re-appointments. At the end of these terms, then the commission will make the terms set by the original court decree.

Applying for the positions were Janet Barlow, David Taylor, Jay Barlow, Edward Tomsik, Chuck Cummins, Linda Holm, Ann Atkin, Benjamin Kemp, Dave Bess, Christi Jardine and Glen Foulke.

The commissioners went into an executive session to discuss appointments. Later in the evening, the appointments were announced and members sworn in.

Selected were David Taylor, three year term, Chuck Cummins, two year term, Dave Bess, four year term with Ann Atkin and Benjamin Kemp, both one year terms.

Courthouse heating and air conditioning project Commissioner Mark Anderson said the county has spent thousands of dollars trying to make the heating and air condition in the courthouse workable. At earlier commission meetings he had requested and received permission to have Honeywell come in and check the courthouse system and make suggestions on how to fix the problems.

He said they did come and look at the system and told him the system was in good shape but the control over system ducts was the problem. He said they would fix the system and also offered a maintenance program that cost $85,391.90 for a five-year agreement paid in quarterly payments.

Commissioner Anderson said they would also train county employees on the system. Commissioner Dwight Inouye said he had talked to the school district and they were happy with Honeywell's service. No action was taken at this meeting.

Antenna rental

Commissionerr Anderson said Manti Telephone Company would like to attach a radio system communication antenna to the county communication tower located in Antelope Valley on BLM ground west of Manti. He said the telephone company was fine with a $1,800 rent per year for the placement on the tower plus whatever the BLM wanted in a yearly fee. After some discussion, the Commission tabled the decision to look at legal implications.

Miscellaneous

The commissioners approved use of the Exhibit Building during the 2009 Mormon Miracle Pageant for the Sanpete Trade group headed by Shauna Cole.

Cole said the group made $1,000 less this year than last year because attendance was down, but they still made more than in 2006.

Cheryl Searle told the commission she didn=B9t bring the contract for the state to rent space in the new jail because she wanted to expand the amount of space rented. She said she recently learned a room was available next to the space they wanted to rent. She said she would be back with a contract to rent the entire space. The contract will be for one year.

During the meeting, the commission held a public hearing on a CIB grant application the county is making to get money for the county general plan.

They are looking at receiving half of $79,500 to do a transportation plan with the general plan. After the public hearing, the commission approved Logan Simpson Design to do the general and transportation plan.

Commissioner Inouye is asking Sanpete Citizens to get involved with the planning process. He said there will be several public hearings and wanted the public input. He said the county 'needs' input from the public and wants them to come to the public meetings.

Commissioner Jarrett said the county's old general plan, made in 1997, was very general and didn't provide much detail. Commissioner Inouye said a new plan was long overdue.

A petition for a property boundary change by Carl and Iris Bailey is in limbo. The commissioners want the planning board to take another look at subdivision ordinance on boundary changes.