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Show County budget ($1.7 million) pondered; cloudseed nixed on a six-to-one matching fund, Trafton added. Bill Dawson, public health sanitarian, gave the commissioners an outline of his local inspections and job descriptions, stating the county could use another full-time sanitarium. Dawson said several areas of public health inspection-such inspection-such as motel-hotel sanitation and food services-are far behind due to lack of time. Dawson said more restaurants are requesting inspections and educational information on food handling but case load prevents it. He said the southwest district of Utah is "the lowest in the state in food service facilities and handling." Estimates cost Bill Kaufman, coordinator of Community Health Services for the State Division of Health, said the district concept is the most effective way of operating a "rural county" health program. Kaufman estimated the cost to the county would be about $50,000 to duplicate the SWDHD's services. The commissioners voted 2-1, with James Clark dissenting, to not participate par-ticipate in the State Division of Water Rights cloudseeding effort for the coming winter. The weather modification program had requested $9,000 from participating counties. Commissioner Grant Seaman said he has asked for specific comparative figures on snow level from the state agency and has never received a reply. He indicated he favored the research but felt the county should not have to "foot the bill." A motion to change the county employees from their present Blue Cross-Blue Shield health insurance to an Equitable Insurance plan died due to lack of a second. The commissioners com-missioners promised Richard Hollingshead, local agent of Equitable a decision on the matter by December 14. In other business: -The commissioners okayed plans for a revamping of the Kanarraville water system. The commissioner's okay was needed to obtain Farmers Home Administration funding. -Engineer Ralph B. Piatt advised the commission that an effort : to obtain a waiver on the "minority rule" for federal contracts will be made. He said 11 minority businesses have been contacted with little positive response. Jail decision pending -the commissioners also indicated a decision will be made on the future of the county building at 56 East Lincoln Avenue, Cedar City, at their December 14 meeting. The commissioners com-missioners debated the value of the property versus the value of the building and estimated, the costs involved in remodeling or abandoning the building. -Ray Anker was appointed as secretary of the County Planning and Zoning Commission and Howard Nelson was approved as a member of the commission. -It was noted two paramedics licensed in California but now living in the county will be licensed by Utah as Emergency Medical Technicians, thus making them available for the volunteer ambulance . service. The Iron County Commissioners gave approval to a tentative 1978 budget Wednesday, after reviewing the budget request from the Southwest South-west District Health Department and refusing to go with the cloudseeding program as offered to the county. The $1,699,991 budget prepared by county auditor Clair Hulet will be further refined and accepted following public input on December 15, at 10:00 a.m. The budget includes county general tax revenues of $1,326,719, of which $437,494 is "in lieu of taxes" money given from the federal government. --Other revenue amounts are Class B road funds of $117,118; Debt Service, $71,834.50; Collector Roads and Collector Road Maintenance, $120,866; Transient Room tax, $39,951 and county library, $23,501. Backwards budget? Commissioner Jim Clark again expressed his feeling that the budget process of the county was "backwards." "back-wards." He said he would prefer to receive the budget requests from the various departments, comparing them with revenues, then set the mill levy rather than setting the levy first then conforming requests to that levy. Among those putting in requests Wednesday to the commission was Hans Chamberlain, County Attorney, whose initial request for his office showed an increase of nearly 72 percent, from the 1977 figure of $35,800 to $49,845. Chamberlain said the request reflected the criminal case load of Iron County and comparative com-parative budgets from around the state. Also offering a request for funds was the Parowan Fire Department, represented at the meeting by Albert Orton, Chief, Frank Adams, councilman-elect, and Frankie Lou Bentley, councilman. The trio said the 1,000 gallon tank truck is needed for the north end of the county. Offer more protection Orton said a $20,000 truck is being considered, with the county being asked to pay $5,000. The remaining portions would be paid by Parowan City and state funds, Orton said. The new truck would offer more back-up protection, they said, as well as enabling the city to pump from hydrants. An equipment request of $1,500 was also presented by the Parowan group to pay for new firemen gear. A delegation from the Southwest District Health Department gave the commissioners an "informative presentation" of their local services at the request of Commissioner Jim Clark. Included in the group was Dr. David Trafton who said the cost of operating the public health program in Iron County during 1978 would be $15,850 (or 23 percent of the program) as compared with the 1977 participation of $11,500 (or 19 percent of the total cost). Matching fund At present, Trafton said, "Iron County has the lowest percentage of participation in the district. In fact it is being subsidized by other counties. Also, we need to bring the county up to minimum standards." The program is run from the state |