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Show THEZEPHYRMARCH 1990 PAGE 4 an interview with the grand county commission February 26, 1990, an Interview was held with the Grand County Commission. Present were Commissioners Dave Knutson, Feme Mullen and Merv Lawton. The Interview has been edited for length and clarity. On Recreation Board Regarding this 120.000.00 debt to Armstrong Consulting for architectural drawings, can vou explain the background on this, and what the Commission's role In It Is? Dave: Are you ready for a long answer? Zephyr: Always, m Iona as It's concise. Dave: The Rec Board became the funding agent for the equestrian multipurpose building. Along with that they Inherited the debt that the City had Incurred while they were the funding agent. Also they Inherited added debts because the scope of the proect was Increased from Just a shell to a fully operational center. The Equestrian Board authorized this expenditure, based on the availability of funds. When It became apparent that they could receive over a million dollars In the loans and grants, they Increased the scope. But It was a catch-2- 2 situation will some until not but have million dollars cover these expenditures, plans. they But they can't get the plans until they pay for them. So they've come to the County to ask for a loan on that Zephyr: Do vou see It the same was as David? Merv: Yes Zephyr: Feme: I believe so. Merv: I think the question we have to look at Is, can that department function without an assistant. Our Job Is to make sure It's functioning properly. Zephyr: How do vou determine whether the work load requires an assistant? Dave: First of all, although we budgeted that money, we havent used It because there's no deputy attorney. It's tlalne's obligation as an elected official to come In and prove to us that she needs one. Our ultimate responsibility Is over the budget, and especially now since It Isnt being paid from drug monies. If we start using general fund monies to fund this position, we will have set a precedent where we'll have a deputy county attorney forever. So I was Inclined to go with that position under drug monies, Im now going to have to know for sure that we need one. Well, what were the lustlflcatlons that made vou fund the position In December? By then vou knew the drug monies were no longer there. Dave: In budgeting for It? Zephyr: And accepting responsibility for It. Dave: We Just felt like It would be proper to budget for that We kind of had some feelings on some of the things that were going to come up. If Indeed the County does need that position, to not have budgeted for one would not have been a smart thing to do. If we don't need It, we can shift those monies somewhere else. It was looking ahead a Utile, and making a couple of guesses. We sort of Zephyr: covered ourselves. Zephyr: Do vou agree with that? Merv: To a degree. Zephyr: To which degree do voii not agree? Merv: Well, for one, the funding we put In there was really only for a part-tiJob. Bill Schultz was hired by Elaine for about 20 hours a week. So we haven't funding for a full position. Also, last year Elaine was not well, and Bill Schultz did most of the prosecutions; If that pattern was going to continue, I felt prepared to back that second position up as a part-tiposition. Feme: I agree. I think that if Elaine's health is good and everything ....... me Zephyr: Also, why Is It that vou can reouest the resignation of the Chairman of the Rec Board, but not the Road Board? Feme: I think we were out of line when we asked for that. The way I understood It, when you become a tax district, they are a burden to themselves; the County can't Interfere. I think the Board should have asked for his resignation If It's what they want, but not the Commission. Merv: I think were entitled to ask for his resignation as Chairman. Zephyr: Why Is that? Merv: Because I dont believe there's anything that says we can't Zephyr: Werent Special Service Districts set up to be totally autonomous from county government? Dave: Where people get hung up In this Is, we simply requested the resignation; thats all we did. We didnt exercise any authority or maintain that we had the authority. I talked to Rex about this; I told him It was basically a vote of no confidence. His position was temporary anyway and so this was a good time to step down. Zephyr: So vour reouest was a symbolic, gesture? non-blnd- lng Dave: Yes. Paving the Road to the Sllckrock Bike Trail What was the cost of paving the road oast the dump to the bike It done with countv funds? Merv: Yes . well, "B" Roud Funds. Dave: It seemed to me between 30 and 40 thousand, but I may be totally off. That figure rings a bell though. Merv: You'll find It will pay for Itself In the end, and we won't have to do any maintenance on that for quite a long time. Zephyr: trallhead? Was Deputy Countv Attorney Funding Zephyr: LaiLfatl the Commission Indicated It might discontinue the position of Deputy County Attorney If drug monies ran out fwhlch oav for the position!. They did dwindle substantially, but In the new budget, the Commission guaranteed the position with revenues from Its own budget. Now Mr. Schultz Is gone. Are you going to re-f- lll that position? Merv: Yes, we guaranteed paymenL Zephyr: Which vou had not done before. Merv: We haven't sat down as a Commission and decided what we're going to do In terms of a replacement. We would like to see Elaine continue to do that Job without assistance. I know she has at least once brought In Lyle Anderson from Montlcello. I dont know If she's Intending to develop a contract there, or ask us If she may. That hasnt come about yeL Zephyr: With the length of her term so short, and not knowing If she plans to run again, would vou consider delaying a decision on the deputy county attorney until November? me Courthouse Annex Zephyr: Con vou update me on the expansion plan for the lallcourthousa? And can vou give me some figures on protected revenues from this prolect versus cost? Merv: When we were looking at where we could get the funding, we figured we'd get $100,000.00 a year from court rentals, prisoners from the State and so on. Zephyr: What's vour annual coat? Merv: I dont know what that figure Is. The annual cost Is very little In say, Incremental. If you had 20 cells, the additional cost of having 30 cells Is very little. Zephyr: But what about the cost of caving back a loan? Dave: If we had to borrow the whole thing? We couldn't do IL Zephyr: Then what's vour plan to oet the money? Dave: We can get part of It from the Community Impact Board, where we can get the Interest way down. Another part of It hopefully from the CIB as a loan to Invest as In a bond. It's a big complicated thing, and we haven't exactly worked It out. We don't know for sure how much It's going to cost us. But the CIB Is going to have to play a big role In this or we wont be able to do IL We couldn't afford It ZePhyr: Realistically, when would construction actually beoln? Are we years awav? Dave: Oh, no. I Hope to see dirt being moved by fall. We've got to move on mvi w Msniy s, www yuii i now on option. W9 naVB Zephyr: OK. What Is It vou have to dn? Merv: We have to modify this building, Increase facilities, got the court facilities on the ground floor for handicap access, the Jail must be Improved. Almost every county has had to do this. We are one of the lasL The last town meeting really got us to thinking about a separate building, so we don't have all cement out here. We retain this little green bolt we have here. wall-to-w- Education Were vou satisfied Zephyr: Legislature has offered teachary? erne: I really havent seen that In Its completed form. You couldn't believe the news on the radio. Ih & that the State can do, given the clr-eumitanrLlh?1tnik ' Wnl Y But were all fighting for the same adequate. Slrfni pie and you can only slice it up so many ways. CANT ONLANDS LLAMAS DAILY RATES $50 per day per person 2 person min. MULTIPLE DAY TREKS $100 per day per person 4 person min. Do you want a truly unique dining experience? Join us and our beautiful llamas for a hike and dinner in the canyons around Castle Rock. Guided Pack Trips Daily Hikes Multiple Day Treks Drop Camps Custom Adventures (801) (801) 259-825- 2 259-573- 9 CVSR 1911 Moabr Utah 84532 |