RMS January Students Of The Month

Eighth Grade

Academic

• Apryl Adams

• Aly Wallentine

Citizen

• Sage Rothlisberger

• Maddi Staheli

Seventh Grade
Academic

• Creed Pariera

• Sydney Hopkin

Citizen

• Amanda Shulthess

• Ethan Slusser

Sixth Grade

Academic

• James Mckinnon

• Kayley Hatch

Citizen

• Brenen Woodward

• Natalee Parry

Conflict Over Garden City School Board Designee

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  January 20, 2016   Garden City Board Designee, Scott Tolentino, asked why he was not getting the minutes prior to the meeting as other board members were.  He had called and e-mailed the district regarding the minutes at least three times. 

There was discussion  on what his role was. Board member Andy Stokes said that if he is simply a member of the public then he is entitled to either the pending minutes or the confirmed minutes after 30 days, but if he is  a non voting member of the board as designated by state statute then he is entitled to all the information the other board members have.  

As for closed meetings the code says they may invite him but not shall, therefore Chair Pete Cornia said that they would not invite him unless it was mandated by law.  Cornia said “we made a decision to keep him out.”  Bryce Huefner, school board member said that no decision had been made.  He thought that it was not right to make a blanket statement for all closed meetings because the intent of the law was to allow the designee to have input into school matters that affect the area he represents.

Dale Lamborn, superintendent, said that he often puts confidential notes on what the board is voting on in the packets he sends to the board members. Huefner said that with GRAMA rules all that could be public record anyway so there was no need to keep that from Tolentino.  It was decided that Tolentino could have the minutes of the meetings and a board packet.

Another Beautiful Moose

Photo by Reed Eborn

Rich County School Board Meeting

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah. January 20, 1026.  School Board Chair, Pete Cornia, asked for a vote to purchase a new Bluebird school bus to replace an older bus.  The new bus will be a clean diesel bus. It will cost approximately $136,297.  Robin Esterholt, transportation manager, noted that the next oldest bus has 295,000 miles on it. The board voted to approve the purchase.

A Driver’s Ed car needs to be purchased.  The state gave the district $13, 483 for a car or simulators.  Simulators are very expensive. The district has chosen in the past to buy a vehicle and then to take the previous Driver’s Ed car and add it to the district fleet.  They would like to buy a Ford Taurus as the Taurus is heavier and better in the snow.  It will cost the district an extra $7,000 for the Taurus, but it will hold up better for the fleet later.  

Minor changes were made to the existing district transportation policy.  They will no longer allow bus rentals because the school district insurance companies advise against it.  No guns can be carried or transported on the bus. Cornia asked about concealed carry.  If the driver or the students know about the gun then it is not considered concealed, so they are not allowed on the bus.  Even within the school no guns are allowed including look alike toy guns.  There will be no animals excepting for service animals on the bus.

Bryce Huefner, board member, asked if the district had any insurance when the bus goes out of state, going through Evanston on the way to Salt Lake for example.  Three or four small districts are affected by this, so there is no cap on liabilities but the state has looked the other way.  Huefner asked if the district needed a rider to protect us from liability.  He was asked to do research on the cost of such a rider.

Middle school principal, Kip Motta said that he would like to propose a vote in the next agenda to use the drug test for the first sport as the only drug test as so many sports seasons are short and back to back.  They would continue to randomly test.  Only one positive drug test has been found in the eleven years the district has been testing and that turned out to be a legally prescribed medication.  Random drug testing does become a deterrent for drug use in the high school.

Board members reported on the Utah School Board Association meetings.  Bryce Huefner said that the USBA suggested that the districts do school finance training for staff, so when the public asks them about school finances they have better information.  There are fixed costs whether there are 100 students or 50.  Huefner said we could put this information on the website. 

Andy Stokes, board member, said that in some districts a board member is responsible for a school and are responsible for interface with teachers and students and the board.  He suggested that schools and board members could be rotated which would give board members a chance to get into the schools.  He suggested that the student body presidents do a report at school board each month. 

The next  meeting will be changed to February 24, at 6 p.m. as the regular school board meeting and girl’s state basketball conflict.  

Cisco Sonar

Chickadees and Ice

By Bryce Nielson, Cisco Sonar

As you are aware by now I am addicted to bird watching.  Most of it is done looking out my window from my office (the couch) with a view of the Lake in the background.  My favorite birds are the two species of chickadees, the black capped and the mountain.

I feed black sunflower seeds in my primary feeder that is ruled by the chickadees.  The black capped show up first in the the fall but can be seen any time of year.  As winter approaches the mountain chickadees come down from the forest for food.  You can never really tell how many birds are at the feeder because they come and go so rapidly.  Since they are a tiny bird, what are they doing with all the seeds?

The chickadees, nuthatches, and titmice are all cachers.  They take seeds as fast as they can and “cache” them everywhere to ensure they will have something to eat later when food gets scarce.  Ornithologists have learned that chickadees not only remember where they hide seeds, but also what caches they have already eaten, what have been eaten by other animals and which ones have their preferred foods. They can remember for over a month after caching and when spring comes, their brains automatically erase all the information and start over in the fall.

I also watch what is happening with the Lake and ice.  I have watched the cycle for 40 years.  Cold, calm weather in December, skimming from the shores and with continued cold development of ice strong enough to walk on.  Ice tents come out, gear is dusted off and plans are made for serious ice fishing.  Depending on the weather, it continues to freeze over for the winter things warm up with winds and it breaks up but may freeze again.  People either cheer for ice or open water.  I have seen it freeze in February but never in December.  The longer it takes to freeze, the quicker it thaws in the spring.  It all depends on weather now.  At least we have some snow in the mountains. 

Fun event on Saturday, January 23rd at the Marina

The Bear Lake Monster Winterfest is a family friendly event being held on January 23, 2016. Most activities take place in the Utah Bear Lake State Park Marina. The state parks entrance fee at the Marina will be waived for those attending the event, with a hope that you’ll donate to the Common Ground charity that the event is fundraising for. The event is put on by the Bear Lake Rendezvous Chamber of Commerce, Bear Lake Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau, Garden City Fire District, and Bear Lake State Park.

Activities include:

• Monster Cisco Disco - Dipnet for Cisco fish at dawn
• Monster Bait Tournament - Bring your BIGGEST little Cisco fish
• Monster Chili Cook-Off - Judges will determine the winner
• Monster Craft Fair - Wide variety of products/services, from 10am to 4pm
• Monster Polar Plunge - Take the plunge to help raise funds for Common Ground Adventures

See all the details at BearLakeMonsterWinterfest.com

Uprgrading Broadband In Garden City Discussed

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  January 14, 2016. A public hearing was held to discuss the possibility of broadband expansion in Garden City.  A consultant, Mr. Paul Wrecanzone, came to make some suggestions to assist the town in moving toward faster internet.

Garden City feels that more professional people and high tech businesses that do their work over the internet would be interested in moving to Garden City if there was a faster internet service available to them.  It would also help in the summer time when all of the communications services in the area are overloaded.

Paul noted that Howard Pope, from CentraCom, was in attendance at the meeting.  He requested that he come up to the table and take part in the discussion.  He noted that CentraCom needs to be part of the solution in obtaining faster transmission of information, whether it be voice, data, and so forth.

Pope noted that CentraCom has put a lot of fiber in place and that fiber is less costly than copper.  Getting fiber to every home would result in lower cost and would certainly increase bandwidth.  Currently, however, copper is what is being used. 

Wrecanzone noted that there are some grants and funding services for broadband development.  He said he would get information about these organizations back to the City so they could look further into those types of funding.

Mayor Spuhler asked if the City should begin to write some ordinances that would require developers to put in conduit as part of the required infrastructure.  Apparently many cities are beginning to require this.  Pope said that it would really help the communications companies.  Currently, when someone requests communications connections, CentraCom has to do everything necessary to make it possible for individuals to be serviced.  He noted that it is much less costly to have the conduit put in place at the same time that power lines are being installed.  The same trench can be used for both.  It is then a much easier and less costly activity to put the fiber into the conduit and add that service to each home.

Wrecanzone said he would send some copies of ordinances from other cities that requires conduit to be installed.  He said that there area standards that must be followed, and he will also include that information.  Conduit must be laid in a certain way, or it is not useable. 

It will take the cooperation of both public and private individuals to bring this plan into fruition.   Wrecanzone  noted that a partnership with CentraCom and Garden City would be good because both of these different entities have access to different funds.  Wrecanzone thought a committee that included the city engineer, the city attorney, CentraCom, and one or two independent people would be a good group to begin working on this project.  Pope indicated that he would contact his company about this project.  Paul noted that he would begin working on some ordinances and on creating a plan to get fiber to each home.

Garden City Council Reports

 Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah. January 14, 2016. Chuck Stocking, council member, noted that there have been some problems with the pool boiler.  He will get that taken care of soon.  Swimming lessons are going well.  About $92 has been spent for different items used for water aerobics.   He also noted that all of the library computers are working.

Darrin Pugmire, council member, reported that he will be meeting with the County Commissioners this coming week to work out who will be doing what concerning the gun range.  The Commissioners approved the building of the gun range at their last meeting. 

Pugmire also asked about the road from first west that was to connect to 3^rd West.  The council members didn’t know, so Pugmire indicated he would look into this matter.

Pat Argyle, council member, reported that half of the money for the fireworks for Raspberry Days was paid.  The balance will be paid after that activity is completed.

She noted that grant money for the flag pole has been received.  She will move forward on getting that taken care of.  She reported that the Raspberry Days brochure will have a a different look this coming year.  She asked if the entertainment for Raspberry Days had to be let out to bid.  The Council told her to get the best she could with the budget that is available, and that it didn’t need to go out to bid.

Mayor Spuhler has been working on marketing Garden City—not just Bear Lake but Garden City itself.  He has made a 60-second video.  He showed it to the Council, and they liked what he has done.  He is going to work with some individuals from USU and see what the cost will be to move forward with marketing Garden City.

Garden City Finances

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah. January 14, 2016.  A report of the Garden City Financial Report for the fiscal year July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015, was presented by Tiffany Wahlberg, CPA.  She noted that everything appears to be in good shape and gave a clean audit report. 

She noted that one of the major changes from last year was how retirement funds for employees are to be handled.  The State of Utah has added about four pages of footnotes to explain why there are two levels of retirement funds and how they are to be handled.  Retirement funds are actually a liability because it is a responsibility of the City to provide the needed monies for retirees over time. 

She thanked the City workers for their support and help during the audit process.  She said that the City is doing well and that the annual report is a good report.

Robert Peterson noted that he has been looking into insurance proposals from three different companies.  Two of them have submitted their proposals.  Peterson asked that this item be discussed next month when the third proposal will be available as well.  He is very optimistic that changing the insurance plan with save the City money and the benefits will be better than the current program.

Peterson has written three different policies.  The credit card policy was reviewed and approve by the Council.  The payroll procedure policy was read and approved by the Council. 

The billing policy and procedure was also discussed by the Council.  The City bills for water service are accurately and promptly sent to all users.  The City then also takes timely and reasonable actions to collect any past due amounts. 

However, the public works employees still have to spend a great deal of time red tagging an individual’s water system because he/she doesn’t pay his/her bill.  An individual’s water system is not red tagged until they have been billed several times and contacted with registered mail.  Then, the workers red tag the system.  The individual’s water will be disconnected after being red tagged three times in a year. 

The Council decided that an extra cost should be included in this policy in order to pay for the time the City’s employees are spending trying to collect on past due water bills.  It was determined that the first red tag will not carry a fine.  However, the second red tag will cost the individual $50, and the third red tag will cost $100.  If the individual doesn’t pay at that point, the water is disconnected.  The shut off is $150 and the turn on fee is also $150.  The policy was approved with the fine costs included.

The City has been working toward building a community recreation center.  They have the plans available so that people can see what the center will look like on the City’s web site.  The decision was made to approve and hire a bond council for the recreation center so that the council can get the information out to the citizens prior to voting on a bond for monies to build this facility.  The motion was made to hire John Crandall’s firm for $5,000 to get things moving toward getting the recreation center project moving forward.

A Frozen Marina

Photo by Rebecca Curtis Moldenhauer