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Show Commission Addresses Hospital Issues, Boulder Fire Protection Needs PANGUITCH Garfield County Commissioners Maloy Dodds, Clare Ramsay and Louise Liston met July 10 for their regular meeting, joined by County Attorney Wallace Lee. County Engineer Brian Brcmner was excused ex-cused to accept delivery of a new piece of county equipment. Commissioner attendance at upcoming up-coming out-of-area meetings was discussed and assignments agreed upon. Both Dodds and Ramsay sched- uled a July 12 with Greg Thayne representing Congressman Bill Orton's office to discuss the Garfield County stand on wilderness and reiterate that the county would like Orion to back them on Garfield County's wilderness proposal rather than Orton pursuing his much-publicized new bill touting National Conservation Areas. The same two commissioners will attend a meeting meet-ing set at 1 p.m. July 26 at Ruby's Inn to discuss the habitat for the Mexican Spotted Owl. (SecCounty Commission Addresses Many Local Issues Page 6A) County Commission Addresses Many Local Issues From Page 1 On August 8 all three commissioners commis-sioners will participate in a horse ride overview of the East Slope Grazing Allotment with the representatives repre-sentatives of the US Forest Service, Representatives Tom Hatch and Met Johnson, and others. Representative Hatch made a request re-quest of the commission to assist financially with the upcoming Aug. 16 -17 visit to Garfield County by 16 members of the Utah Legislative Natural Resources Committee. The group will tour the county looking at road situations, other issues and the important Andalex project. Hatch will host the group and other leaders for a cookout Aug. 16. The commission authorized $200 toward meat for that event. Wulf Barsch and Ray Harshman, representing Boulder's volunteer fire department, appeared before the commission early Monday to inform in-form commissioners of the town's efforts to upgrade its fire protection. Barsch said that Boulder is geographically geo-graphically the second largest town in the state of Utah, covering 40 square miles and taking in Salt Gulch, Deer Creek and an area known as the Draw. He said Boulder has only 4.5 miles of paved roads, emphasizing that all other , roads are dirt and that most are impassable im-passable without a four-wheel drive vehicle. Barsch indicated that Boulder has only about $2,000 to work with each year toward fire protection, the ' majority of that coming from ' Garfield County. He said three areas ar-eas of fire protection are lacking: the type of fire trucks needed, the number of fire hydrants, and radios for communication between fire fighters. Barsch asked the commission commis-sion if they could double the annual amount given to Boulder Town for fire protection. Unable to comply with ' Boulder's specific request, commissioners commis-sioners commended volunteers for their efforts and offered to help by extending up to five years or $10,000 in a lump sum to the community, toward the purchase of a new four-wheel drive fire vehicle. Discussion included other possible possi-ble methods of funding and how several other communities within the county had dealt with similar needs, the commissioners explained ex-plained Utah fire protection funds are based on the number of registered regis-tered voters in a town, not on the acreage being protected. Bruce Fullmer who has been working jointly with Jean Seiler, met with the commission to discuss dis-cuss plans for the upcoming Garfield County Fair slated for August. This year's theme "Growing From Within" will focus on the county's growth and attempt to acquaint people with the county's new businesses throughout the county. Fullmer provided commissioners with a rundown of events planned for the fair. Because of reduced participation, par-ticipation, the Cookout King event will be replaced by day-long demonstrations of outdoor cooking. Educational booths will be encouraged encour-aged and will include a booth sponsored spon-sored by the Bryce Valley High School entrepreneur group that bottled bot-tled local water for sale. A cowboy poetry contest will highlight events "this year and a permanent stage will be erected in the fair building for all stage . events. Other activities include mud volleyball, miniature rides, clowns, and new this year, sumo-style sumo-style wrestling. Also slated is a dance, demolition derby, horse competitions, 4-H categories, a talent tal-ent contest, quilting, foods, and clothing categories. Commissioners and Fullmer wanted to encourage more participation participa-tion at the fair by citizens from across the county. To do so they are asking some of their road crews to assist with set-up and clean-up of the fair building and grounds and encouraging each area road shed to enter a car in the demolition derby. Commissioners will allot $200 per vehicle to help defray costs of car entries. The county will also complete the fence between the park property and John Orton's property this summer as well. The status of the Bryce Canyon Airport construction project was discussed by the commission. Letters were sent in early July to the contractor Image Construction, the bonding company, and Airport Manager Greg Pollock declaring the construction company in default and assessing a penally of $100 per day until such time as the project is complete. Heather Bowman of Tropic informed in-formed the commission she will compete as a third place state winner win-ner at the National High School Rodeo finals set for July 16-22 in Guillette, Wyo. She asked for financial fi-nancial support from the county to help defray costs of the week-long competition. After some discussion discus-sion the commissioners made a motion mo-tion to support Bowman with $250 and wished her good luck. Garfield Memorial Hospital Administrator Wayne Ross was on the afternoon agenda to discuss physician compensation with county commissioners. Ross thanked the commission for their earlier support and backing while IHC searched for a third physician to staff Garfield Memorial Hospital and Clinics. Ross said they had successfully secured a young former Salt Lake City physician who is excited about settling in Panguitch Ross hopes to provide better coverage at clinics and more relief to the very strained medical staff already al-ready in place. Commissioners were happy to hear there would be more physician presence on additional addi-tional days in the outlying clinics. Clinic days in Escalante will be expanded ex-panded to three days a week and all three physicians and two physician's physi-cian's assistants will rotate their days at the outlying clinics. Commissioner Liston explained to the two new commissioners that the previous commission had committed to support IHC financially finan-cially in supporting a third physician physi-cian in Garfield County. Ross expressed ex-pressed to the commission that it has required upwards of $25,000 for the recruitment process in seeking a new physician. He said the hospital hospi-tal would appreciate any financial support over a long term period that the county could offer. Ross did not disclose physician salaries but asked commissioners to consider contributing between $60,000 to 70,000 annually. The commissioners reminded Ross that all the funds set aside from the sale of the hospital had been expended to support the Long Term Care Facility. They assured Ross they would take his request under advisement, ad-visement, but they must look at the budget first and scrutinize it carefully care-fully before making a commitment. They placed the matter on the July 26 agenda for 2 p.m. The group went on to discuss the new Long Term Care facility. Ross informed commissioners that 22 residents are living at the center and that the care center receives daily inquiries. Ross stated the hospital has hired almost 20 new positions to handle the patient increase. in-crease. He said not all jobs are high paying but provide secondary incomes to local families and a few provide sole incomes to families. Ross informed the commission that Garfield -Memorial Hospital and Clinics had extended over $100,000 in "free" care last year to individuals and families unable to pay for services. ser-vices. Mel Israelson, representing Pink Cliffs Motel on Scenic Highway 12, met with commissioners to make a request regarding property taxes for the motel owned and managed man-aged by Israelson and Jerry Bartlett. Israelson explained that the motel had been undergoing bankruptcy proceedings for the past three years and had been awarded to Bartlett. He explained that none of the previous pre-vious owners since 1991 had paid any taxes to the county and now they had been assessed back taxes from a991 through a 1994 and accompanying ac-companying penalties and interest for around $9,500. He said they have paid the current taxes since taking over operation in 1994. He asked the commission to waive the penalties and interest incurred by previous owners. The commissioners commis-sioners brought in County Auditor Judy Henrie and County Assessor Tom Simkins to answer pertinent questions regarding property taxes. The commissioners act as the board of equalization for county tax assessment as-sessment and as such will have to take the matter under advisement. They will have County Attorney Lee research the matter and give Israelson a written decision. Commissioners addressed a midyear mid-year review of the county budget noting this was a very different funding year for Garfield County. PILT funds to counties have been slashed drastically, the Northstar preliminary hearing and subsequent trial pose major funding problems, and repairs on the courthouse and sidewalks, and other items will all impact the budget this year. |
