Randolph asks County for money for subdivision road

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah. October 2, 2019.  Sim Bell, councilman for Randolph City, told  Rich County Commissioners that they did not have  any ordinances for subdivisions in Randolph because there had been so little development there. 

Then Merrill Muir decided to build the Crawford View Subdivision.  The City got the water line in and Rocky Mountain Power put in electricity.  The gas company put in gas lines.  Now the subdivision needs a road from the highway to the subdivision and Randolph does not have enough money to build it.  They would like the County to help pay for it.

Commissioner Bill Cox said that the County has done a lot of work for the City already.  If it is considered a city street then there are some revenue benefits but, he asked, “what benefit is it to the city or county when it is a private road.  You took it.”

“What will it cost to put it in?” Cox asked. 

Dale Wilson, road supervisor, said that the road will be 1500 feet long and 24 feet wide.  They have to put in pit run and crushed gravel.  Merrill Muir, the owner of the subdivision will donate as much as 300 loads of gravel.

Commissioner Sim Weston asked why it was not Muir’s responsibility to put in the connector road himself.  "Why is it the City’s responsibility and not Muirs?"

“I agree,” said Bell.  “The town agreed to put in road.  We put in water to property line.  Muir paid an impact fee.  The City should have put a moratorium on building until they had ordinances for subdivision.”

Bell went on to tell commissioners that Randolph has never billed the County for rodeo water or road water in the past which has saved the County money,  but now they are going to have to raise rates and bill for those things.  There was a lot of water leaving town without permission, so they wrote an ordinance for water use.  The water truck fills up at one place so they can meter it.  If the County helps the City would continue to donate water which has been worth about $4500 a year.

Dale Wilson estimated that the road would cost over $60,000.  Cox said that taking that much money out of the budget without forewarning is almost impossible.  Sim Weston suggested that the developer pay a good  part of this.  Commissioner Norm Weston said, “We’ll  get some numbers together and then talk  about it.”

Eighteen Wheeler Philosophy

By Mel Hansen,  The Eighteen Wheeler Philosopher

Rambling thoughts of a bucket ass truck driver.

Yesterday I was fighting Wyoming’s notorious 60+ mph wind gusts between Laramie and Rawlins.  A 100 mile stretch known as Elk Mountain.

When the actual mountain came into my view this is what I saw.

I thought it kinda neat and took pictures to show my wife. She liked them.

As I looked at them, I couldn’t help begin to relate them to meself. There are days where everything around me is mostly all clear and sunny, maybe a few clouds here and there, but yet I at times find myself like Elk Mountain, everything is fine and in clear view...but a storm cloud covers my head and shades the rest of me. Why is it that everything around me appears to be sunny and clear, whilst I’m covered and shaded?

Do I bring that storm cloud upon myself, affecting the rest of me, because I begin to think I’m taller or stronger than others, thinking I’m more knowledgeable?  Even unable to receive from others...knowledge...and yes!...even constructive criticism? And because my thought process is clouded, I can’t see how clear and beautiful it is around me until God sends 60+ mph wind gusts to clear the cloud so I can see!

It’s okay to stand tall. We all need to! Just don’t let the clouds of whatever might be, keep you from seeing and enjoying the full view. There’s so much to see.

How Beautiful Upon The Mountains

Photo by Debbie Hadlock Stahmann

Bear River Mental Health update

Bobbie Bicknell  Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah. October 2, 2019. Beth Smith, Director of  Bear River Mental Health outlined this year’s mental health area plan. 

“Bear River Mental Health serves all individuals, regardless of age or ability to pay, who are experiencing a mental health crisis; including suicide ideation, panic attacks, uncontrollable behavior, or situations involving a threat to self or others. Under-insured or uninsured children, youth, and their families, individuals involved in the legal system, and all Medicaid eligible individuals, may qualify for service.

Bear River Mental Health provides services to individuals residing in Box Elder, Cache, and Rich counties.  There are convenient locations throughout Northern Utah where children, families, and adults of all ages can access quality service. More information can be found at brmh.com.”

Each year a document is prepared to set goals and directives.  It also responds to changes that happen in the legislature for the upcoming year.

 

Telehealth is becoming a good way to help rural counties.  They received a grant for Rich County Telehealth this last year.  BRMH worked with the schools and were able to provide $15,000 of services through the specially designed program which is HIPAA compliant through the Telehealth computer, and then were also granted $30,000 for a trained professional to come to Randolph, Laketown and Garden City.  The grant goes on for another year.  Smith said that they believe they can double the amount of services to Rich County this year. 

Cary Thomas is the therapist who is assigned to the schools one day a week.  Last year the legislature gave money for  more services Rich County which will be used to provide an extra half day. 

Thomas works in the Garden City after 3 p.m. so that she can work with the parents and other adults.  It has been shown that whole family therapy is needed in many cases and having a facility in Garden City makes that possible.  Students are either self-referred or the local school will refer a student. 

There is also a need for a licensed social worker for Rich County part time.   Smith said, “We’d like to get Telehealth in the jail .  We are seeing the technology work. There is a HIPAA compliant computer which protects privacy and allows the client can talk directly to the therapist.”

The problem is finding qualified people in the county for part time work.

BRMH has a social worker in the Cache County Jail to do assessments.  They have worked with pharmaceutical companies to have medication on hand so that they can start after a prescription has been given and be monitored while in jail. Sometimes that affects the prisoner so that they can move on to a case worker for job placement etc.  

Commissioner Bill Cox, said that this will help because now so many are going back to jail over and over because of mental health problems. 

For the severely mentally ill, the BRMH will wrap themselves around that person so that they are not lost, said Smith.

Stabilization and Mobilization Response (SMR) for youth in crisis is available. A master level therapist and aide will be deploy in 30 minutes which means it might be as much as two hours to get to Randolph.  In  that case, the Rich County Sheriff will try to stabilize the situation until the crisis team arrives. The previous crisis response has been to respond over the phone and then have the person in crisis go to the closest ER. 

This is not effective and is very expensive.  The BRMH want to do  a “Crisis Now” program that has been done in Arizona and is hoping there will be funding for that next year.

There were big cuts to both mental health and the health department because, the legislature expanded Medicaid funding and cut the Utah funding for these programs assuming that it would make up for their cuts.  But not as many people signed up for Medicaid because they didn’t understand the changes, so the Medicaid funding was not there.  The Bear River Health Department was forced to lay off six people.

Kris Hodges Honored

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah. October 2, 2019. Kris Hodges, Laketown, was honored at the Rich County Commission meeting for thirty-four years of dedicated service and countless hours on the Laketown Ambulance .  She is retiring from service.  Hodges has been a training officer as well as an EMT, which  means she has spent more time even than the regular ambulance runs. 

Kris and Dennis Hodges

“We appreciate the service and dedication you have had to make it work,” said Commissioner Bill Cox.  “We also appreciate your husband, Dennis, for his support over those years.”

Commissioner Norm Weston added.  “We’ve been through a lot with the ambulance program.  You have affected the lives of many of the people here in the county.  Sim Weston said, “There are some EMTs who would not be there if it were not for you, including me.   Kris encouraged me to train and become an advanced EMT.”

The Colors of Fall

Photo by Carol Ann Dyer, "In Dyer Need of the Outdoors"

October Students of the Month, Rich Middle School

Academic Students of the Month

Eliza Ball, Sixth Grade

Karter Groll, Sixth Grade

Kassi Argyle, Seventh Grade

Sam Leifson, Seventh Grade

Kaysen Johnson, Eighth Grade

Hannah Scott, Eighth Grade

Citizens of the Month

Tammra Johnson, Sixth Grade

Ridge Lundgren, Sixth Grade

Colby Stokes, Seventh Grade

Emi Wirthlin, Seventh Grade

Peyton Gough, Eighth Grade

James Schulthess, Eighth Grade

Garden City Fire Department to raise taxes

Leonard O’Reilly, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah. October 2, 2019. The Garden City Fire District (GCFD) Public Hearing for a tax increase was opened at 6:00 PM. GFCD Chair Randall Knight gave a brief background on how the board came to the realization they needed to increase the tax base to purchase needed fire trucks in order to meet the current and future fire department service needs.

Because the Utah Code does NOT allow residential impact fees to purchase fire suppression vehicles a reliable source of income was needed now to upgrade the old fire trucks in the fleet.  The fire station extension is being built to provide shelter from the weather for the newer equipment like a ladder truck and engine.  The new bay was designed to store four trucks.

About 15 citizens were in attendance and a very lively conversation ensued. There was criticism of increase in taxes which was countered that the average increase was approximately $10. Others wondered if the increase was justified until they heard all that the department needs for equipment to keep abreast with the community that has grown extraordinarily in recent years and shows no sign of slowing down. Mostly newer used vehicles will be needed. After a good back and forth conversation, it was agreed that the funds were needed and the department was thanked for serving the community so well.

Also discussed was the need for having the boat. It was pointed out that besides being ready for fighting fire on boats in the marina and on the lake, it has been equipped for handling medical emergencies as well as rescues. Public questions focused on why the fire department was providing the service.  The fire chief said the coast guard and DNR do not have fire support in their job description.  So because the people using the marina and lake pay taxes the Boards have felt it is GCFD’s responsibility to provide the service to the estimated $1 million worth of boats and thousands of people on the lake.

The fire chief said four lives were saved the first day it was put in the water and eight others since that first day.

Chief Wahlberg gave a report concerning getting the construction finished. He reported that it has been difficult to get the various trades to accomplish the work needing to be done in the right order. Mayor Leonhardt offered that if siding isn’t done in three weeks, he would like to call for a “barn raising” project to finish that phase and Ken Hanson also stated that he had people that could help.

No other business was discussed other than stating the following responses:

7 - Medical calls
2 - Fire calls
1 - Carbon monoxide call

Bear Lake Comprehensive Management Plan Update

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah. September 27, 2019.   Matt Coombs of The Utah Department of Natural Resource, Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands (FFSL), said they are updating the 2009 management plan for state owned sovereign lands portions of Bear Lake, especially the area in Rich County, to more reflect the changes in the area and in technology in the last ten years.  Changes in state laws and regulations need to be incorporated also. Https: //ffsl.utah.gov/

The area below the high water mark of 5923.65 feet above sea level is sovereign land.   The FFSL has to administer their lands using multiple use and sustained yield principals for also all uses on beneath or above the lake bed. 

Over 20 people attended the public meeting and the reasons were varied.  One participant wanted to protest tax increases, and was told that was not in FFSL purview.  Others complained about the weeds and muck as well as the garbage that visitors leave behind. Coombs said that there are thirty miles of beach and that they have one employee to manage it.  The agency is understaffed and underfunded so it is not able to do as much beach cleanup as needed.

   

Deer flies are not easy to kill. Combs said.  The county does mosquito abatement.  FFSL allows some mowing of weeds to mitigate the fly and mosquito habitat.  Another mentioned that Bark Beetles are a problem, which is not a lake problem; he was advised to talk to the state forester. 

They are now scoping the plan and getting input until mid-December. You can submit a comment online as well as attending the meetings. The earlier you put the comments in in the process the more  weight it will have. When the plan draft Is done in July 2020 there will be a forty five day formal comment period.  There should be a formalized plan in June of 2021.

FFSL manages protect existing resource development uses such as the marina.  They also protect existing resource preservation such as the Swan Creek inflow and the east shore spawning habitat.

FFSL also manages wetlands. In the new plan they will state what is used in each classification, after the classifications are determined, to streamline the permitting processes.  Right now, the permitting is cumbersome because each property must be studied before a permit is issued. It will be more user friendly under the new plan.

Shorelines and management are different at different lake levels.  Resources also change.  The four endemic fish species spawning are affected by low lake levels for example. Two or three years ago there was a LIDAR of the lake taken which has given FFSL new data on the fisheries.  

Best management practices for water quality management are important.  “For example,  boat ramps,” Coombs said.  “We have some good ones and some really terrible ones.  We would like to standardize them.”

They are also doing boundary settlements to establish property. There are some very old deeds up here and some are complicated. If you have a deed after statehood the boundary line is the established high water mark.  

At the annual meeting in spring, they will talk about best practice for  the lake based on that year’s lake level.

   

Parking difficulties were mentioned.  UDOT takes care of the beach above the water line, FFSL manages parking below the water line.   

The current Comprehensive Plan is on their website. http://bit.ly/bearlakeplan