SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING August 3, 2009 The regular meeting of the San Juan County Commission was held at 10:00 A.M. in the Commission Room at Monticello, Utah. Present: Bruce Adams, Chairman Kenneth Maryboy, Vice Chairman Lynn Stevens, Commissioner Rick Bailey, San Juan County Administrator Norman L. Johnson, County Clerk /Auditor Attendees: Cyndi Eldredge, Scott Mitchell, Merlin Grover, Bob Barry, Keith Ivins, Blaine Nebeker, Rigby Wright, Jeff Nielson, Walter Bird, Howard Randall, Lynn Laws, Evan Lowry, Hercial Nakai, Bob Jorgensen, Jerry McNeely, Jim Keyes and Paul Barr. Cyndi Eldredge- SJC Personnel Office Cyndi presented a salary adjustment request from the Surveyors Office for Sam Cantrell, who has obtained his licensed surveyor status. The adjustment is from step 184 to 209 and effective July 1, 2009. Commissioner Lynn Stevens made a motion to approve the request. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Bruce Adams. Mr Bob Jorgensen commented that in this difficult time all county payrolls should be frozen. After an explanation and discussion Mr Jorgensen agreed the payroll change was justified. Voting was unanimous. Commissioner Kenneth Maryboy was absent for the vote. Cyndi presented a recommendation from the Road Department to adjust the pay step on four employees who are being moved from laborer to light equipment or heavy equipment operators. Sergio Cordova from step 48 to 51, Bobby Benally from step 124 to 129, William Montague from step 40 to 47 and Tyrel Cressler from step 40 to 47. Commissioner Lynn Stevens made a motion to approve the request. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Bruce Adams. Voting was unanimous. Commissioner Kenneth Maryboy was absent for the vote. Cyndi presented a salary adjustment request from Susan Taylor that she be allowed to return to a 32 hour workweek. Susan's benefits will also be calculated at 80%. Charlie DeLorme has approved the request. Commissioner Lynn Stevens made a motion to approve the request. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Bruce Adams. Voting was unanimous. Commissioner Kenneth Maryboy was absent for the vote. Rigby Wright - County Weed Board Rigby, along with several members of the Weed Board, Merlin Grover, Bob Barry, Keith Ivins, Blaine Nebeker and Jim Keyes, discussed with the Commission the threat of noxious weeds in the county and their inability to enforce the laws and rules. The spread of noxious weeds will threaten the organic farmers in a very few years. There was discussion on how the elk population may also be spreading the weeds. In one case a certified letter was sent requesting a landowner's compliance but they refused to pick up the letter. The Sheriff's Office will be asked to deliver the letter. There is concern that the legal, due process time frame, works against solving the problem. At the present time there are no commercial sprayers in the county and those who would like their weeds sprayed can not because of the county policy to not go on private ground. The concern over budget allocation was also a topic of discussion. It was concluded that Jim Keyes will take the lead and Commissioner Stevens will assist in working with the Weed Board over the next two or three months to develop a set of rules which can be effectively applied. In January there will be a media and information blitz in hopes of working thru this issue. Rigby also reported that the release of "bugs" is having a significant impact on the tamarisk. Mike Diem - US Forrest Service Mike updated the commission on many of the things going on within the LaSal and Abajo Mountains. He reported on 3 current fires which are under a management status. There are presently natural gas drilling and pipeline proposals being worked on for the Bill Barrett Corp. in the LaSal area. Other discussion items were the high wattage radio repeater on Abajo Peak, a Forrest Health consortium from Grand County, interest in locating a Bio-Fuel "pellet" company in the area and the Blue Mt. Ranch hazardous fuels project. Mike said he had signed the decision on 7 open road areas and that the long term travel planning is still being worked on. There was a discussion on various ATV and horse trails in the area. The road from Monticello to Blanding over the Abajo is a county B road and the locked gates placed on it are in opposition to county policy. There was considerable discussion on what could be done to resolve the issue and also where the road improvement project, planned a few years ago, stood. The commission thanked Mike for coming in and the openness of his administration and the cooperative attitude he has in working with the county. Norman Johnson - SJC Clerk Auditor Norman reported on his attendance at the IACREOT national elections conference July 6th thru 9th in Spokane Washington. He indicated it was a valuable conference and a lot was learned about the future of elections and the equipment to be used. Contact was made with many U.S. Federal and State Officials and several foreign countries. Norman reported that the 2009 Property Tax Valuation Notices were mailed on July 28th. The Data Center, a mailing service out of Salt Lake is being used at a nice savings to the county over the conventional printing and mailing process. There have been several tax and value questions received by both the clerk and assessor offices. Open Time and Other Business Hercial Nakai told the commission he was a former Dennison Mines, White Mesa Mill employee and is concerned about the waste product being processed at the mill. He feels the radiation level is to high. The commission advised him to contact the State Oil, Gas & Mining Office as the county does not have jurisdiction over of the mill. Jerry McNeely - North SJC Liaison Jerry discussed the Spanish Valley situation with the proposed gravel pit. He has received several phone calls and contacts over that and other issues. He has told them he works for the county commission, not the people, and that he represents the north end of the county, Spanish Valley. Jerry will attend the Rural Summit in Cedar City representing the county. Rick Bailey - SJC Administrator Rick presented three building permitts for approval and signature. Paladin Aircraft Restoration - steel quanset shed - Tarb Road - Monticello James Bowen - cabin - Mt View Mesa - Lasal Mountain Lamar Walker - shed / slaughter house - S. Horsehead Rd - Eastland A motion to approve the building permits, provided all appropriate signatures are in place, was made by Commissioner Lynn Stevens and seconded by commissioner Kenneth Maryboy. None opposed. Commissioner Bruce Adams declared the motion carried. Rick presented a Road Department request to procure a replacement air compressor at a cost of $5288 from Cate Industrial. A motion to approve the purchase, was made by Commissioner Lynn Stevens and seconded by commissioner Kenneth Maryboy. None opposed. Commissioner Bruce Adams declared the motion carried. Rick discussed several other issues with the commission including the Rural Development Grant for the Transport Ambulance, the Montezuma Creek EMS issues and information meeting to be held in Montzuma Creek by the State next week, an e-mail from Scott Stoddard / Brad Schafer on the Clay Draw project and the possibility of CIB funding of a county library project. Commission Reports A motion to approve the minutes of July 20, 2009, with corrections, was made by Commissioner Lynn Stevens and seconded by commissioner Kenneth Maryboy. None opposed. Commissioner Bruce Adams declared the motion carried. Commissioner Adams - announced that Senator Bennett had received a $1,000,000 earmark for the Oljato Road overlay. That earmark along with what we already have should just about complete the project. Commissioner Adams also announced the property tax settlement and payment schedule with Lisbon Valley mining, ensuring the County will receive all the past due taxes over the next three years. Commissioner Adams reported on NACo and the various (8) resolutions which were passed there. There is a reorganization of the NACo board into 4 regions. Our region is pretty much the WIR area. He will be in the County this week attending the Fair and participating in the activities there. Commissioner Stevens - attended the County Fair activities last week and will do so again this week. Commissioner Stevens was involved with several UAC meetings by phone last week and will do so again this week. Commissioner Maryboy - said the meetings in Logan were good as was the NACo convention in Nashville. He will be working this week within the chapters, on the letter responding to the Utah Navajo Trust Fund disposition, addressed to Herman Farley of the Navajo Utah Commission, from the Federal Government. Each Chapter will need to know the process that will be followed. Adjourned 12:58 PM