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Show Commission faced with dilemma:whatto do with jail? The Board of Iron County Commissioners Com-missioners Wednesday pondered the possibility of remodeling or building a new county building-a jail-and put up another building for possible sale-the old courthouse in Parowan. The pros and cons of remodeling versus building a new county jail was brought to the attention of the commissioners com-missioners by a recent investigation of the jail facility by a lieutenant of the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Department (see related story this issue). DeLand, the investigating officer, confirmed the suspicions of the commissioners com-missioners and Sheriff Ira Schoppman: the jail is below minimum standards now required of jails in some respects. No official decision was made by the commission but will continue to be studied, including architectural surveys. sur-veys. Jailers approved With the city offices being removed to the Old Junior High Building, the commissioners also approved the appointment of jailers for the Lincoln Avenue facility. Jailers for the county-owned county-owned building will be, on varying wage scales, Jack Miller, Harl Adams, and Joseph Miner. Sheriff Schoppmann was commissioned by the board to work out shifts details, job descriptions and the possibility of additional hiring by the next meeting. A former county jail, .which adjoins the presently vacant County Courthouse Cour-thouse at 100 North and Main Street, i Parowan, was included in the sale of i.g'';-e of $50,000 as the commissioners put the two buildings up for negotiation. Although the commission said they preferred to sell the old courthouse to Parowan City for restoration, medical clinics, or other uses, they indicate realtors had expressed interest in purchasing the building. Bids to be advertised In other major action, the commission com-mission authorized Ralph Piatt to proceed with advertising for bids on presently granted Economic Development Administration d(EDA) projects. They include, the commissioner com-missioner said, the Woods Ranch Shelter, secondary road improvement, fire alarms at VVMC and culvert heads along the Lund Road. The commissioners authorized County Clerk Clair Hulet to prepare a list of surplus equipment and unclaimed un-claimed court evidence to be sold at public auction. The commission also noted a letter, to be included in November's county garbage billing, which re-explains the need and the basis for the garbage Special Service District (see story in this issue). The commissioners said payments have been received from only about 25 percent of those residents living within the district. If the district is ruled illegal, the intent of a present court action, Chairman Seaman said, "we would have to start over and get their (residents) desires." New Intersection , The commissioners also withheld action until further investigation could be undertaken, backing the Utah Department of Transportation in their desires to re-construct the intersection of the Enoch Road and Minersville Highway. The UDOT wants to bank the Enoch Road to the right, bringing it to a stop at a right angle to the Minersville Highway, High-way, Seaman said. Funds could be procurred from the county's "reserve account awaiting construction of a Kanarra Interchange," he said. Commissioner Jim Clark, however, said he felt all along "it was the states mistake and we shouldn't use county money to fix their mistake," referring to the Enoch Road Intersection. Also "taken under advisement" for decision at a later date was a proposal from John Plestina, owner of a new answering service in Cedar City. Plestina said he would "like to take the burden off the hospitals' back and be the dispatcher for doctors and the ambulance." . Plestina was told to make his proposal to the hospital board, also. In other business, the commission --again refused payment on an alleged indigent, this one housed at Valley View Medical Center. Coun$ Attorney Hans Chamberlain said the (see Commission, page 3) Commission business (continued from page 1) IHC contract states the county is responsible for indigents after they are declared such. No real attempt appears to have been made to find out the financial status of the individual in question, he said. -Withheld bills received from Don Barnes, operator of Southern Cross Ambulance Service, concerning new tire purchases. Barnes had told the commission "half the tread" was still present on the tires when they were purchased by the county. There was also some discrepancy as to what size tires operates with and what the bills received stated. -approved a $350 donation to the Kiwanis Club for improvement at the Woods Ranch skating area. Earl Hanson, Kiwanis member indicated it would go to repair a broken storage shed door and to improve water flow through the ice ponds. |