Merlin Olsen Summer Classic Golf Tournament

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times 

Phil Olsen announced the second annual  Merlin Olsen Summer Classic Golf Tournament August 17 at Bear Lake West which raises funds for research for Bear Lake.  “ Bear Lake Watch is our voice to represent the lake.  If you are not a member sign up.  We have been very fortunate to have volunteers Dave and Claudia Cottle act as executive directors and do such a magnificent job at it," Olsen stated.

He added, “The tournament last year was just great, it is a nine hole course so we will play around the course twice.  The tournament is pretty much sold out, but we need a lot of people to come for an Elegant Picnic after the tournament.”

The Bear Lake Watch reception is at 4 p.m. and the Elegant Picnic will start at 5. Tickets are for sale on the BLW website.  Tickets are $20 a person.  “We make the money from the sponsors and random gifts to Bear Lake Watch for research,” said Olsen.  “ So I  would suggest an additional donation to support the research.   

This also carries on Merlin’s love for the lake and his family will be there, said Phil Olsen, Merlin Olsen’s brother.  There will also be an auction and raffle.  They are looking for more great auction items, some already donated include a package trip of hotel and tickets to the Ellen DeGeneres show, a lithograph from the Football Hall of Fame and sporting event tickets.  “Be a hole sponsor, this is where the money comes from”, said Olsen. “ There are a lot of volunteer opportunities.’ 

Clean, Drain And Dry

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

THE RESERVE, Idaho, June 29, 2013.  Bear Lake Watch Annual Meeting,  New Director of Wildlife Resources Greg Sheehan, is a member of Bear Lake Watch and he is also a Bear Laker with a cabin at Lockwood.  Wildlife Resources wants to protect the lake for endemic species and for the beauty of the lake.  They have been trying to keep Quagga mussels out of Utah, but Quaggas have now appeared in Lake Powell.  There are two large natural fresh water lakes, Utah and Bear Lake, which are waterways that are not easily cured because they cannot be drained. 

Sheehan said, “ Hopefully the billboards and ad campaign of Clean, Drain and Dry will make people aware of the part they play in saving our lakes.  If a Quagga is in the engine and it is drained at the lake you the lake could be infected.

Wildlife Resources work closely with three agencies that partner in Utah and Idaho  Idaho sells a stamp to fund their program.  Utah tripled the amount of money spent at Bear Lake.  Representative Rhonda Menlove sponsored a bill to limit the amount of launching sites.  Ideally, every boat should be inspected, but that is problematic during high season, and there can still be infected water in engines that cannot be seen.

Sheehan said, “We will focus on more education and tell people to clean and drain and dry their boats at home before coming.  Leaving Lake Powell, it is required that the boat be power washed or left  out of the water for at least 18 days.  The Quagga will die in 5 days in this heat but can last as long as 18 days.  Lake Mead got encrusted by the mussels in only three years.

 If you go to a lake that is contaminated go to a decontamination center.  They will do it at Bear Lake Marina.  

Bear Lake Watch Annual Meeting Report

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter
Rich Civic Times


THE RESERVE, Idaho.  June 29, 2013.  Bear Lake Watch Annual Meeting. New officers and board members were elected.  Jodie Burnett will be president; Phil Olsen vice president. New board members are Greg Critchfield, Fred Hunsaker, Ann Johnson, Jim Kimball, Dick Motta, Bryce Neilson, Jerry Phelps Carolyn  Nebeker Rasmussen, Margaret Sargent, and Ted Schmidt.

Bear Lake Watch (BLW) have new and expanding technologies with a new web page, Twitter and Facebook.  The website will be a good source of information about Bear Lake and some of the dangers facing it.  Ryan Critchfield, who announced he was at least thirty years younger than everyone else  in the room, said, “ Young people need to get involved with the preservation of the lake, they do care andwe need to get them involved in ways they communicate.”

Bryce Nielson said “As a scientist, I can see that the money from the Merlin Olsen Golf Classic Tournament needs to be used carefully. We partnered with the Quinny Natural Resources Library at USU to build a searchable database of everything that has been done or studied at Bear Lake.  This will be a useful resource.   This is a foundation to start from” Nielson suggested that members give input as to what Bear Lake Watch should study.   Some ideas include literal zone research, preventing invasive species, mud encroachment and understanding the evaporation on Bear Lake.  BLW can partner with state agencies to leverage research dollars.   Neilson talked about The Bear River Land Conservancy, which is trying to get willing owners to give land or put a conservation easement on land to protect  the vistas.  The old Lakota land has now been preserved by a conservation easement.  

David Cottle discussed lake levels and phragmites.  “This will be a scary year, it will be like 2001 when the irrigators used their allocations up to the limit.  They are not watering grains so they will have water for potatoes and corn crops.  They have worked hard to conserve water.”

 In 2012, the lake was at 5915.5 feet.  It is now 5916.05 and  it will go down another 3 feet.   This is going to be a very dry year.  Irrigators started pumping May 25 this year.  The natural Bear River flow is so low the major irrigation companies are relying on their storage.  All 5 pumps at Lifton are going.  Irrigation demand peaks around the Fourth of July.  Irrigators and Pacific Corps are working very hard to conserve the water so that there will be enough water for agricultural use this summer.

Phragmites are being attacked.  Last year the Reserve decided to spray them around their beach and other land owners joined in to share cost to treat 160 acres of phragmities by spraying from a helicopter     This year they’d like to do the same on the east side of the lake.  Anyone who would like to participate should contact BLW.  Land owners can take out phragmites on their land but should work with Idaho or Utah authorities.  They use aquatic friendly form of Round Up. 

Claudia Cottle talked about Utah Water Future, Governor Herbert  has created a team to ask about the future of water in the state and how are we going to provide water for future growth and preserve our resources.   BLW will send out information about the meetings held across the state.  Cottle said “We should be at those meetings.  We want more than water development, but we also want to preserve our Lake as a recreational Lake as well as water storage.  Having voices from all over the state is important, so go to the local meetings.”

Woodruff Fourth Of July Activities

The Town of Woodruff will hold its annual Woodruff Homecoming 4th of July celebration on July 3-4, 2013. 

 

This celebration has been an annual tradtion in the town for over 100 years.  In fact, next year the town will celebrate the 120th anniversary of the celebration.  Events will kick off on Wednesday, July 3 at 9:00 a.m. with Slack Timed Events.  Kid's games, consisting of mutton bustin, jr.. steer and jr bareback riding, will start at 5:00 p.m. followed by a rodeo at 6:00 p.m. 

 

Admission to the rodeo is $5.00/person with 5 & under free.   There will be a dance held in the town park at 9:30 p.m. The dance is free.  There will be $1.00 tickets sold for prizes during the dance.    (Due to the drought conditions were are experiencing this summer, there will not be fireworks as previously advertised on our posters.) 

 

Saturday, July 4th, the celebration will continue with a parade at 10:00 a.m.  A delicous chuckwagon dinner ($7.00/plate ($3.00/plate for 10 & under) will begin at approximately 11 a.m.  Kid's games (rabbit & chicken chase, calf scramble, mutton bustin, jr. steer and jr. bareback) will start at noon sharp.  The last performance of the rodeo will start at 2:00 pm.  After the rodeo, stick around and watch the ORV events. 

 

The Woodruff Homecoming Celebration is a time when people look forward to coming to Woodruff to meet old friends and a time for families to get together.  It is a day for showing loyalty to this great land and paying tribute to those who have made it possible. 

 

For more information contact the following people:

 

Rodeo Entry--Linda Downing  (435) 994-2234

Parade Entry--Jared Huffaker ((307 679-7682

Dinner--Craig Showalter (435) 793-4515

Dance--LesLee Huffaker (435) 793-7151

ORV Event Entry--Clint Cornelison (435) 881-1902

 

Information can also be obtained on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/WoodruffHomecoming

 

Thanks,

 

Anelisa Bell, Clerk

Town of Woodruff

Garden City Library Rummage Sale Raises Funds

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.

Thanks to all those that donated, bought items and helped with the Garden City Library Rummage Sale.

 

We were able to raise over $1,500 for our library.

 

Kathryn Warner

Clinton Williams On Dean's Honor Roll

ROCK SPRINGS – Western Wyoming Community College has released its Spring 2013 Dean’s Honor Roll list for full-time students. Clinton Williams of Woodruff, Utah was on the Dean's Honor Roll.

 

This honor is accorded to students who complete a minimum of 12 credit hours with a letter grade and a grade point average between 3.25 and 3.99. Western congratulates these students on their academic achievements.    

 

Dean’s Honor Roll for Spring 2013 include students from: California; Colorado; Idaho; Indiana; Montana; Nevada; North Carolina; Texas; Utah; and Wisconsin.

Letter About Bear Lake Clinic & Response From Clinic

 

A LOCAL BUSINESS NEEDS AN ATTITUDE CHANGE

 

I believe we should always try to support our local businesses, but Bear Lake Community Health Center sure makes that effort difficult.

 

Our son is staying with us at Swan Creek Village as he recovers from liver and kidney failure. His kidney specialist wrote out an order for a simple blood test to check his recovery progress.

 

I phoned to see if he could get this test locally, spoke to a guy, who turned out to be in the Logan office, as the Garden City phones were apparently forwarded (at mid-day).

 

I asked him if he could give me an estimate of cost for the test, as our son has no health insurance. He said we would have to visit the clinic to find out the cost, and also advised me to prepare a letter detailing his medical condition and finances.  He said that discounts were available if certain qualifications were met.

 

Armed with the letter, we paid a visit to the Garden City clinic. There we were told that our son would have to be physically examined by the local staff as a new patient before any blood test could be taken. Meanwhile, they asked him to fill out a very comprehensive medical history form.

 

I explained that I felt the specialist doctor’s blood test order was akin to getting a prescription filled, and objected to the required preliminaries that they wanted to impose. I felt that this was going to cost a lot more than necessary, and was only making the patient pay for protecting the clinic from any legal problems.

 

And, by the way, discounts for services could only be offered if and after the preliminary new patient procedure was completed.

 

In December of 2012, my wife had visited the clinic complaining of an earache, and she got the same new patient story, which ended up costing Medicare $109.00. I can only wonder at what the new patient work-up would cost an uninsured patient, as the clinic receptionist did not want to discuss or investigate those costs.

 

The conclusion of our last visit was their advice that we might be better served by driving to Intermountain Health Care, where they already had him in their “system”.

 

I subsequently telephoned the Executive Director of Bear Lake Community Health Center, a Mr. LaVal B. Jensen, and naturally got to talk to a solicitous phone operator who took my number for a call back which never came. By the way, she said I should try to call back again if I didn’t hear from Mr. Jensen in a WEEK!!!

 

And so we are left to wonder why we make the effort to support local business.

 

James J. Wise

961 West Cisco Run

Swan Creek Village

PO Box 15

Garden City, Utah 84028

 

 

 

 

                          Bear Lake Community Health Center Response

The Bear Lake Community Health Center Is mindful of the difficulties that exist when navigating the healthcare setting, and strive to minimize those difficulties for our patients in any way that we can. We also recognize that our Patients have a choice in selecting their Health care provider, and are very appreciative of the opportunity to serve those community members and visitors, who have chosen us to be their Health Care Provider and with whom we have accepted the responsibility for their care.

When accepting that responsibility, it comes with a commitment from us to provide excellent Patient care. That care is ensured by dedicating the required time and effort, including highly trained medical staff and resources to meet our patient’s needs. As a Community Health Center, we offer services in Family Practice, Primary and Urgent Care, Dental services, Behavioral Health services and Pharmacy. Although we do limited lab services for our patients, we are not a licensed third party lab, and as such most of our lab requests are sent out to other third party Labs for results. In order for us to fulfill our obligations with insurers, remain compliant with laws, and provide necessary treatment plans and follow-up, we must first establish valued relationships with our patients. This requires multiple processes and paperwork that is required to provide quality care and to meet our appointed obligations.

With the exception of prescription requests and refills within our Pharmacy, or in the case of emergencies, all services rendered at The Bear Lake Community Health Center are for use only by those patients who are willing to establish care. If services are needed and there is an unwillingness to establish care with our organization, the best option is to refer the individual to the provider, hospital or outside lab service that they have previously established care with and that have mutually agreed to be responsible for their care.

The Bear Lake Community Health Center’s charges are based upon data collected from a nationally recognized and reputable third party organization and they are highly competitive with other Physician offices within the region. The Health Center is not a free clinic and does expect a reasonable income from the quality services that it provides. Proceeds received, in part, can then be used to increase services rendered to those in need.

The Health Center offers a special sliding fee discount program to those who are uninsured or underinsured depending on their income and family size. Once the application has been filled out and approved, they can expect certain agreed upon discounts for services rendered.

The Health Center has a protocol established for patient concerns and resolution, with qualified personnel trained to assist patients with their questions or concerns. If there are questions or concerns they may be directed to the Bear Lake Community Health Center’s Business Operations Director, or the Compliance Officer at (435) 946-3660. If further contact is needed they are welcome to call LaVal B. Jensen, Executive Director directly at (435) 994-0854.

The Bear Lake Community Health Center appreciates its place in the community, and will strive to serve its patients through offering excellent service and quality care.

The Muddled Male

Estrogen vs Testosterone

 

By Bob Stevens, The Muddled Male

         I have always considered myself an average, all around nice guy.  My sisters, on the other hand, claim that while I may have mellowed a little in my declining years, I was a brat as a kid.  In my defense, I was the only boy in a house full of girls, so I was trying to survive while living under an estrogen-to-testosterone ratio that stood at four-to-two.  Since my dad was usually at work, however, the ratio hovered much of the time at four-to-one, with me being the one.  On top of that, we regularly had at least one grandmother staying with us along with one or more relatives of the female persuasion so that the real ratio was closer to six-to-one.  Two more sisters were added to the group about the time I was leaving home, but they didn’t know me in my youth and so they think that I have always been nice. 

            My only advantage living under those trying conditions was that I was the first born of my siblings which gave me certain privileges, one being the allowance to be a brat.  Another was to have had extra time to learn the fine art of being devious and to have been able to practice while the estrogen level still stood at a manageable ratio of one to one, meaning me and my mom who still loved me at the time because I was the only one around.  I tell you this in case you hear some of the unfounded stories that are being spread by my sisters and given substance by Ann, my wife, who has taken the part of my dearly departed mother and did so to make certain that the estrogen vs testosterone level didn’t decline. 

            The first story you might hear has to do with Bob, the Mathematical Genius.  Their claim is that I told them I could do any combination of arithmetical calculations in my head as fast as they could say them to me and I would give them an immediate answer without the use of a calculator. 

 

So they would say, “Add one million, two hundred thirty seven thousand, four hundred eighty three, to four hundred fifty seven thousand, four hundred fourteen.  Then divide that answer by thirteen, and then multiply the whole thing by fourteen million, three hundred eighty seven thousand, three hundred twenty three.”  I would purse my lips, squint my eyes and say, “The answer is one billion, three hundred thirteen million, four hundred seventy five thousand, five hundred fifteen,” and they would marvel at my obvious brilliance and then go away to think up another combination of numbers in an attempt to trip me up.  They were sixty-two before they realized that I had just been making up the answers. 

            A second story you might hear has to do with Bob, the Fish Boy.  Their claim in this case is that I told them I could breathe under water like a fish.  Then I would jump in the pool and submerge myself in water, all the time holding my breath while I made my chest expand and contract as though I was breathing in and out.  They are still trying to blame me for putting them in danger on the basis that they might have tried to emulate their beloved, older brother and drowned themselves.  I bet that if they had, they would still be blaming me, and Ann would have agreed with them. 

            The unfair part is that I am seventy-eight years old and they are still calling me Bob the Brat.  Ann, reading this over my shoulder, just yelled, “YEEEESSSSS.”

At Tony's Grove in Logan Canyon

 

Lauriann and Jake Wakefield at Tony's Grove..the wildflowers are blooming!

New Rich School Board Policies

Kathie B. Anderson, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

 

          GARDEN CITY, Utah, June 18, 2013. Rich County School Board held their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, June 18, 2013, in Randolph Utah. 

            Bob Earley, representing the classified employees, discussed the recent action items taken by the School District Board regarding wages, benefits, and hours for classified employees. After a lengthy discussion Earley said that he would return to the employees with the clarifications made by the Board.  Earley will return to the July School District meeting with the employee’s response. 

     Renee Hoffman, Bob Johnson, Kris Batty, and Sharon Pugmire are retiring this year.  They were given a plaque honoring their many years of service to the Rich County School District.   “Thank you for a job well done!” stated the Board.    

ACTION ITEMS:  ( Note: This is taken directly from the actual written policy, there are some context errors but they have been left in this article.) 

     1.  Policy 105.3.1.1 – 105.3.1.2 HB 345 was ratified. 

 105.3.1.1 -No fee may be charged for any class or activity in Kindergarten through fifth grade, including assemblies and field trips.

 105.3.1.2 – Textbooks, lab, and other course-related fees may only be charged in grades sixth through twelve.

     The Board also directed the District Office to hold the middle school budget harmless and make up the difference between the fee being assessed to the child/parents and the allocation RMS would have received from the District if 6^th grade students were considered elementary students. 

     2.  Policy 105.3.3.3 was ratified. 

105.3.3.3 Preliminary fee schedules for the upcoming school year shall be given to parents no later than June 1 each year.  Final fee schedules for the upcoming year will be published prior to the start of the school year on the district web site at least two weeks before fees are due.  

     3.  Policy 706.4.1 motion for adoption 

706.4.1 Wages.  Substitutes for classified employees will be paid at the currently adopted substitute rates.  After eight days of consecutive substituting for the same classified employee, the substitute will be paid on the first step of the appropriate classification on the existing salary schedule. 

    4.  Policy 705.2.1 and 705.2.1.1 was adopted. 

705.2.1 Medical Coverage - Subject to the personnel needs of the District, those qualifying classified employees continuously employed by the District on June 30, 2013, may be eligible to participate in the currently approved District group medical insurance program.

 

     A.  Those employees who are schedules to work 19 hours per week or less in a regular work week are exempt from receiving assistance in participation in the District’s group medical insurance program.

     B.  Those employees who are scheduled to work 20-29 hours per week in a regular work week may be eligible to receive coverage up to a family premium.

     C.   Those employees who are scheduled to work 30 hours or more per week in a regular work week may be eligible to receive full coverage of a family premium. 

705.2.1.1  Medical Coverage - Subject to the personnel needs of the District those qualifying classified employees who begin employment with the District on or after July 1, 2013, may be eligible to participate in the currently approved District group medical insurance program.

     A.  Those employees who are scheduled to work 29 hours or less in a regular work week may be exempt from receiving assistance in participation in the District’s group medical insurance program.

     B.  Those employees who are scheduled to work 30 hours or more per week in a regular work week may be eligible to receive full coverage of a family premium. 

     5.  Policy 705.2.2 was adopted. 

*Replace current policy 705.2.2 with 705.2.2, 705.2.2.1, and 705.2.2.2. 

    705.2.2 Retirement – Subject to the needs of the District, qualified employees continuously employed by the District and receiving retirement benefits on June 30, 2013 will continue to be enrolled in the Utah State Retirement system with the District paying its allowable contribution as long as the qualifying employee is scheduled to work 20 hours or more per week in a regular week. 

   705.2.2.1  Retirement – Subject to the needs of the District, qualifying classified employees continuously employed by the District and  not receiving retirement benefits on June 30, 2013, but who are scheduled to work less than 30 hours per week may not be entitled to enrollment in the Utah State Retirement system with the District paying its allowable contribution. 

    705.2.2.2 Retirement – Subject to the needs of the District, qualifying classified employees who begin employment with the District on or after July 1, 2013, who are scheduled to work 30 or more hours per week in a regular work week will automatically be enrolled in the Utah Retirement system with the District paying its allowable contribution. 

     6.  Policy 704.1 will be ratified next month. 

*Replace current policy 704.1 with 704.1, 704.1.1.1 and 704.1.1.2 

       704.1 Annual Leave – Subject to the personnel needs of the District, those qualifying classified employees continuously employed by the District receiving retirement benefits described in 705.2.2 on June 30, 2013, may only accrue annual leave benefits if he/she is scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week in a regular work week.  Annual leave will be awarded on an hourly basis.  Maximum leave available will equate to the scheduled hours per day multiplied by 10.  Twelve month employees will be prorated as per assignment.  Leave can be taken in half hour increments.  This time is accumulative to a maximum number of scheduled hours worked per day multiplied by 120.  Hours are available the first working day of a school year and may be taken as needed.  Leave can be taken in half hour increments.  This time is accumulative to a maximum number of scheduled hours worked per day multiplied by 120. However, if the employee is unable to fulfill the terms of employment, annual leave will be prorated. 

     704.1.1.1 Annual Leave – Subject to the personnel needs of the District, those qualifying classified employees continuously employed by the District and not receiving retirement benefits on June 30, 2013, may only accrue annual leave benefits if he/she is scheduled to work at least 30 hours per week in a regular work week. Annual leave will be awarded on an hourly basis. Maximum leave available will equate to the scheduled hours per day multiplied by 10. 

     704.1.1.2 Annual Leave – Subject to the personnel needs of the District, those qualifying classified employees who begin employment with the District on or before July 1, 2013, may only accrue annual leave benefits if he/she is scheduled to work at least 30 hours per week in a regular work week. 

       7.  Policy 603.4 was adopted. 

     Substitute educators will be paid at the current rate as established by the Board under the following rate classifications. 

     603.4.1 Non-Certificated   $7.50 per hour

     603.4.2 District Trained    $8.15 per hour

     603.4.3 Certificated or Bachelors Degree or Higher Degree $9.45 per hour.

     603.4.4 Consecutive Teaching – After eight days of consecutive substituting for the same educator, pay will increase for the remaining consecutive days as follows.

     603.4.4.1 Non-Certificated $8.15 per hour

     603.4.4.2 District Trained   $9.45 per hour

     603.4.4.3 Certificated or Bachelors Degree or Higher Degree $22.55 per hour            

 

8.  STAFFING-motion, carried. 

Stacy Malm – Fifth Grade Aide

Lorin Kennedy –  Teacher/Social Studies Rich High School

Lisa Shipman – Audiology/Speech Pathology

Connie England – Special Education Aide 

9.  The Amended 2012-2013 Rich School District budget was updated. Early retirement payments were already earmarked. 

10.  The proposed Rich County School District budget for the 2013-2014 school year was approved

 

Rich County School Board member, Burdett Weston, reported on Bridgerland Career Days. He reported 3,348 students were in attendance, 346 volunteers, and 31 different schools were represented.  Logan High School made a 5 minute video of this event and can be found on U-Tube BATC Career Days 2013.  Many letters were received, expressing how well the event went.   Karen Hess is a new Brigerland Board member.  The welding degree has 90 hours of work in the classroom, and only 30 more hours will be required for certification in pipe welding.    The BATC budget $600.00 less than it was 2009.  Graduation will be held on Thursday, June 20, 2013.

Fire Board Closes Meeting To Press And Public

Anita Weston, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah, June 2013.  Garden City Fire Board.  CPA Tiffany Wahlberg noted that she had called state authorities because of the difficulty the board has had, and discussed in several meetings, in deciding if the fire chief was an exempt or nonexempt employee.  Chief Kurek was hired as an exempt employee until about two years ago.  At that time the board decided that he needed to track his hours, be paid for 40 hours per week, and take time off for any hours that exceeded that number.   

Because of the unevenness of the jobs, responsibilities, and activities that Chief Kurek must do, it has been very difficult to make sure his hours are exactly forty hours per week and never over or under.  The board has been very strict in making sure Chief Kurek stayed within these limits. They have actually spent time in board meetings discussing a two hour overage.  If he did exceed forty hours of work , taking time off, especially near the end of the month has been difficult, resulting in Chief Kurek losing any comp time that he had accumulated.   

Tiffany Wahlberg reported that the state said that Kurek should be classified as an exempt employee and paid a salary for his position.  At that point in the meeting, a board member called for a closed session to discuss this matter, and those individuals at the meeting were asked to leave.

 

It was reported later, that Kurek will be an exempt and salaried employee.

Fire Restrictions, Audits, Board Member Absences

Anita Weston, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

 

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  June 20, 2013, Garden City Fire Board Meeting.  Currently there are no fire restrictions.  However, because it has been really hot with lots of wind, the local fire district feels some action needs to be taken.  They also think that everyone should be in agreement on what fire restrictions should be put in place.  Last year, individuals staying at the state parks could build fires while everywhere else, fires were banned.  It caused a lot of confusion and misunderstandings. 

Chief Kurek said he had contacted the state officials, the County Commissioners, and invited any of the local fire board members to come to a meeting where they can work out any issues and come up with a plan for the summer.  If all of the agencies involved will work together, inconsistencies shouldn’t be a problem this year. 

It was suggested that all of the volunteer fire fighters be given the EMT training through at least the first level.  The disaster exercises that were held this past month with the National Guard, helicopters, and so forth were very beneficial.  However, it became evident that everyone needed to have a better understanding of medical issues. 

Starting this next year, the state will use new audit procedures.  In addition to the financial audit, an audit of policies, procedures, and resolutions will also be carried out.  

Approval of all major purchases or expenses will be verified. Tiffany Wahlberg, CPA, requested Chief Kurek write the month on any large purchases or expenditure so that it will be easy to go back to the minutes of that month to make sure the item had board approval prior to the transaction.   

When bids are let for projects, there should be up to three, depending on the money amount involved.  This is to make sure that one contractor is not always hired, and that everyone has an equal chance of obtaining the job depending on their bid. 

There are restrictions on certain fund balances.  When they go over that amount, it doesn’t mean that the money needs to be spent.  Those funds can be transferred through motion by the board to a capital expenditure account. 

Since the fire department here is small there may be more than one family member involved.  In these cases, care should be taken to make sure that one family member is not supervising another family member.  Currently Mike Wahlberg should supervise TomWahlberg.  However, since they are brothers, Chief Kurek supervises both of these individuals.  As long as it is mentioned in the minutes and that procedure followed, this show there is no nepotism in this situation.

The records officer must have his training completed before December of this year.  There is a class available on the computer.  Also, all board members must also have taken their training.  These courses can be found at sao.utah.gov.  The auditors will check training carefully.

The budget needs to be adjusted to account for any grants or unusual activities that have taken place.  This can be done by motion of the Board.  Also adjustments where areas are over or under budget can also be handled by motion of the Board.  It can be done any time during the year.  A board member requested that some of the work be done at the next meeting.  Because the public may want to attend that meeting, the agenda must be posted seven days prior to the meeting and those items be listed as part of the agenda.

Insurance expenses and retirement fund changes need to be made.  Currently training costs are quite high and may need to be adjusted.

It was suggested that the board members read through the policies and procedures as well as the resolutions to make sure that everything is being followed that are in that manual.  As an example, one policy states that an individual will be dropped from the board if they miss more than five meetings in a year.  The current number of absences by board members was discussed making each individual aware of their attendance this year, (two have missed four meetings this year so far).

Fire Board Report

Kathie B. Anderson, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

 

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  June 20, 2013. Garden City Fire District Board Meeting.   Chief Dan Kurek stated that Tender 40 has been repaired and is now operational.  Repairs on the Brush 4 pump will be completed this week.  Many items have needed repair.  Chief Kurek will have the Fireboat ready to go within the next few days. 

To limit potential liability to the Garden City Fire District, Chief Kurek recommended that a file containing drug test results, as well as driving records obtained from the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles, be maintained for each fire fighter.  Since Fire Board member Ben Negus participated in last month’s board meeting via telephone, he said he did not have time to read the minutes and review this issue. Therefore, he asked that the proposed new drug testing policy be tabled until next month’s meeting.           

The board is considering the approval of a policy that will allow electronic meetings, meaning that one or more members of the board may participate via speaker phone or other electronic means.  Since not all of the board members were present, it was determined to table this issue until next month’s meeting when, hopefully, the entire board will be in attendance.           

A policy to assess a $50 fee against short term rentals on the third and subsequent visits by the Fire Chief is under consideration.

A short term rental property has experienced carbon monoxide issues at least twice.  Consequently, Garden City Ordinance Officer Andy Stokes has suspended the short term rental license for the property until a technician certifies that the problem has been resolved. 

Equipment to fight wild fires purchased using government wildland grant funds is District property, and is not owned by any individual fire fighter.  Chief Kurek will notify all present and former fire fighters of this policy and of the requirement to return all equipment to the fire station.      

There were no purchase requisitions this month.  All vehicle/equipment/and station service requests were checked, serviced, and fixed by Chief Dan Kurek.          

Responses: 

10 short term inspections

14 fire pits

  6 business inspections

  6 medical assists

  1 fire alarm (school)

  1 CO

 

  

Poppies

Photo by Lauriann Wakefield, Little Starling Photography