Garden City Council meeting

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times 

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  April 11, 2019.Tami Leonhardt ,Convention and Visitor’s Bureau,  noted that she works under the County Commissioners.  The area that is covered by this bureau goes from Georgetown, Idaho, to Woodruff, Utah.  There is a ten-member board—one from each of the Cities in that area.

Leonhardt works with advertising, budgets, grants and so forth.  She works with three budgets—her payroll, the Visitors’ Center, and advertising.  She also works with getting grants and works hard to promote the area from Montpelier to Woodruff.  She does things that encourage people to come to this area.  She is especially working on more activities that can be held during the winter months.  Snowmobiling is one of the big areas that is growing quickly.

Currently there is a film made about the area that will be released soon.  There are a lot of advertisements in magazines and on the internet.  She is also working with the Oregon Trail Committee on several ideas.  She enjoys her job and thanks the Council for allowing her to come and let them know about her job and how it is having an impact on the area.

The Council was given a review of the bids for the water system and who gave the lowest bid of $724,000.  This bid was for the Town of Garden City Water System Improvements.  A 24” pipe will be laid all the way to the highway.  The City will be able to utilize the full grant and the City will make up any short fall that may occur.  The bid went to CTI (Troy Peterson).  The motion was made and passed to move forward with this project.

Rhonda Menlove presented The Family Place Presentation which included a Proclamation for Family Month. The Utah Family month will be from Mother’s Day until Father’s Day.  The Council Members signed the Proclamation after the motion was made and passed.

Menlove reported that there are three Family Support Centers, Logan has three service areas.  There are DIs in Smithfield, Hyrum and Logan.  Family Place has permission to raise money.  This idea of an organization for Family Place has been very effective with the legislators.  Cache Valley has the program in place, and it is doing well.  Rich County needs to create some program here.  Currently there are some items such as diapers and some baby back packs in the Library food bank. There will be a meeting May 11 to help parents see the value of the program and how it works. 

There is a shelter in Cache Valley for abused children.  There will be some fund-raising activities for that facility. Menlove wanted to let people know that  donations will be going for a good cause.  This organization has a moto which is “Be Kind Utah”.  This organization is hoping to get at least one million acts of kindness during family month.

Business Licenses were granted to Ber Necessities Co, DBA Ber’s Shakes N’ Sodas.  The business is located at 70 W Logan Road.  The owner is Amber Clark.  The Waffle Den also located at 70 W Logan Road was given a license.  This business is a restaurant owned by Diane Foester.

Bear Lake Water Adventures requested that he be allowed to conduct a Concessionaire business located on the Garden City Park Beach.  He will rent non-motorized water vessels.  This is the fifth year Leo and Melissa Spuhler have rented out the water vessels.  The license was granted.

Long Ridge @ Bear Lake requested the final approval for Phase I, which includes 13 lots west of Cherimoya Subdivision.  Jeff Jorgensen was making the request.  After a brief discussion, the motion was made and passed for Jorgensen to begin Phase I of this Subdivision.

Dave and Claudia Cottle, Bear Lake Watch, were at the meeting and discussed ways that need to be followed and worked on to take care of and save Bear Lake.  They noted that 50 percent of the water going into Bear Lake comes from Smith Fork and Thomas Fork. 

The Cottles have created a Bear Lake Resolution that was passed by the legislature.  They noted that this was a real learning experience for them.  However, there are still problems concerning the lake.  The Cottles said "We certainly don’t want to lose the lake."

A goal from the state needs to be written and approved concerning this body of water.  This goal needs to show why preservation of Bear Lake is important.

The lake is beautiful and needs to be kept healthy and beautiful.  Goals need to be written and defined.  Reasons why and how to protect water quality should be investigated. Stake holders in Bear Lake need to be involve in this process. 

Currently there is a declining level of the Great Salt Lake.  The individuals down there have done an economic value study that states the Great Salt Lake must be maintained at its required level.  Bear Lake is one area where water could be drained to maintained that level.  They have evidence that millions, even billions of dollars, will be lost if the Great Salt Lake level continues to fall.

Cottles noted that there are studies, ideas, policies, and several other items that should be investigated.  They suggested that all the studies and information that can be found will be needed in the future to save the lake.  They asked that Garden City help as much as possible in this endeavor.