Next week’s meeting moved to Tuesday
~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
Describing themselves as a “outgrowth of Nueva Vida,” the program to encourage Latino families and workers to locate in Greene County, local representatives of the newly-formed 144-Corridor Housing Initiative (144-CHI) spoke to the Greene County board of supervisors at the meeting on Nov. 7.
Mary Weaver of Rippey and Alan Robinson and Derek Kennedy, both of Grand Junction, told the board 144-CHI was formed to attract people to live on the east side of Greene County. The group wants to improve the attractiveness of existing housing in Grand Junction, Rippey, Dana, and Paton.
Kennedy spoke about the success of the Legacy program in Ogden and said the 144-CHI program is modeled after that.
Robinson said residents in the four towns could request a 50-50 match of funds to complete exterior projects to housing that would be completed within one year. Grant money would be a maximum of $1,000 per request with recipients matching the grant.
The group said homeowners would be encouraged to use local contractors and stores to complete projects.
144-CHI is looking at various sources for funding including each of the towns in eastern Greene County.
Weaver asked the supervisors about the possibility of applying for Dreyfus funds from the county on an annual basis.
Board chair John Muir said that would be possible.
“I’m curious to see what other city councils will say,” he said. “Three-year consecutive awards (from Dreyfus funds) have been the norm.”
Supervisor Dawn Rudolph asked if there might be “concern about completing projects in one year.”
She was told recipients can re-apply if a project goes over the time limit.
The group discussed the need for a re-allocation procedure for funds granted but not used.
The group appeared to agree they plan to apply for Dreyfus funds from Greene County.
In other business, county attorney Thomas Laehn presented a “very rough draft” of a proposed Greene County Courthouse Building and Grounds Policy which he said was based on current rules for the use of the courthouse and grounds.
Laehn said the Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower Foundation should be involved in additions or changes to the current rules.
Supervisor Pete Bardole noted the Foundation rents out part of the Tower.
Laehn identified a list of areas under county control: rotunda and assembly room on the first floor of the courthouse; board room on the second floor; and the main courtroom, magistrate courtroom, and jury room on the third floor.
Laehn also identified “area north of the courthouse and the courthouse plaza” as additional areas under county control.
The board discussed the Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower Plaza and the observation deck of the tower as being places outside groups can reserve through the Foundation.
Laehn said, “The Foundation needs to get direction from the county. The board (of supervisors) needs to exert some policy over the tower.”
“Where do the rental fees go?” he asked. He received no answer.
In past discussions about the tower, responsibility has been divided between the county having responsibility for the physical tower and grounds, and the Foundation having responsibility for the programs at the tower including tourism, volunteer staffing, music played.
Supervisor Rudolph asked about the difference between “custodial fees and rental fees.”
The board discussed possible rental fees of $10 per hour for any of the reservable spaces to be identified in the final policy, and $50 refundable deposit to cover damage or cleaning of the spaces.
The board agreed applications to reserve spaces should be submitted to the auditor before an event, and no rental fee or deposit should be required of federal, state, or municipal governmental agencies.
Laehn and the board also discussed security for the identified areas and changing the unofficial title of the Bell Tower Plaza to the “Courthouse Plaza.”
Other suggested additions or changes to the policy included a “no animals allowed except service animals” provision. Laehn noted federal law defines service animals as “dogs or miniature horses.”
Prohibition of “roller skates, skateboards, and roller blades” was discussed.
Laehn said issues discussed at the meeting were just a starting point and the Foundation should be involved in the final draft of the proposed courthouse building and grounds policies.
The board unanimously approved a resolution hiring Sydney Crnkovich as a full-time dispatcher in the county sheriff’s office at an annual salary of $37,000 with a $1000 per year pay increase upon completion of certification.
The board also unanimously approved the transfer of $74,000 from the TIF (tax increment financing) special revenue fund to the debt service fund for payment of interest and charges due on general obligation urban renewal capital loan notes. This payment is due on Dec. 1.
The board discussed a request for $600 from ISAC for a soil compaction study and no supervisor was interested in having the county participate in the project.
Attorney Laehn told the board the Sac County attorney had suggested to him several counties pool their opioid settlement money to establish a multi-county drug court.
Laehn said the Department of Corrections and court administration would have to first approve the plan. He said he would like to explore the possibility.
Laehn also suggested to the board the date for swearing in of new county officials be changed from Jan 2, 2023 to Dec. 27, 2022. Laehn said Jan. 2 is the beginning of new terms but the county is closed for holiday.
The board tentatively set the oath of office swearing-in for new county officials for the Dec. 27, 2022 board meeting.
Supervisor Mick Burkett told the board he had attended a meeting last week with Summit Carbon Solutions. Drainage clerk Michelle Fields also attended.
“We met with Summit about drainage and the pipeline,” he said. “Summit said they now have 87 percent of landowners’ (in the county) permissions (to put the carbon capturing pipeline across their properties.)”
Engineer Wade Weiss reported he will apply for county bridge funding to cover needed repairs to the bridge on Grimmell Rd.
Deputy auditor Billie Jo Hoskins asked the board to move next Monday’s board meeting to Tuesday. Hoskins said the board’s canvass of the general election cannot be done until noon on that Monday.
Hoskins said voters who voted provisional ballots in the Nov. 8 election have until Nov. 14 at noon to provide evidence their ballot should be counted.
The board agreed to hold its next regular meeting and election canvas on Tuesday, Nov. 15.
