SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 24, 2000 The regular meeting of the San Juan County Commission was held at 10:00 A.M. in the Commission Room at Monticello, Utah. Present: Ty Lewis, Chairman Mark Maryboy, Vice-Chairman Bill Redd, Commissioner Rick Bailey, Administrative Assistant LaVee Scherick, Deputy Clerk A motion to approve the minutes of the January 18, 2000 meeting as written was made by Commissioner Bill Redd and seconded by Commissioner Mark Maryboy. UNANIMOUS. Commission Meeting There will be no commission meeting held on January 31, 2000 due to a fifth monday. Victim Advocate/Contract Lou Mueller, Victim Advocate, presented the 2000 contractual agreement between San Juan County and herself for signature. The contract is effective January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2000. The Victim Advocate will be compensated at the rate of $12.75 per hour and up to 35 hours per week with no cost to the county, no overtime compensation, sick leave or vacation accrual. Commissioner Bill Redd made a motion to sign the contract. Commissioner Mark Maryboy seconded. UNANIMOUS. Out-of-State Travel/Peggy Humphreys & Susan Taylor Peggy Humphreys, Community Development/Visitor Services, presented an out-of-state travel request for Susan Taylor to attend the Consumer Travel Show in Vancouver, BC on February 10-13, 2000 and for herself to attend a Consumer Travel Show in St. Petersburg, FL on March 2-6, 2000. Commissioner Bill Redd made a motion to approve the out-of-state travel requests. Commissioner Mark Maryboy seconded. UNANIMOUS. Executive Session Commissioner Bill Redd made a motion to convene into an executive session to discuss legal issues. Commissioner Mark Maryboy seconded. UNANIMOUS. Commissioner Bill Redd made a motion to exit the executive session. Commissioner Mark Maryboy seconded. UNANIMOUS. No decisions were made. BLM/OHV Closure Bill Stringer, Moab BLM, discussed with the Commission the Moab BLM office original OHV plan to change one million acres of open/cross country travel allowed to limiting travel to existing roads and trails in specific areas. The planning process will be the next step in order to include public meetings to hear comments on designating some of these roads and trails. Proposed mechanical and motorized travel closures are listed in a draft Federal Register. BLM/Road Closures Monticello Field Office Manager, Kent Walter, stated that this Wednesday a Federal Register notice will be published stating that there will be a temporary emergency closure on the Moon House route at the north boundary of that state section as well as the Snow Flat Spring Cave routes where it was closed before. BLM/Term Permit Renewal Nick Sandberg, Monticello BLM, reported on the term permit renewal process that is taking place. The BLM has started with the issue identification phase. Mr. Sandberg stated that letters have been sent to the permittees. Each permit will be addressed after which a determination will be made. Oil & Gas Exploration Kent Walters reported that a proposal has been submitted to the BLM from Western Geophysical for a 40 square mile 3D shot hole seismic survey in the McCracken Canyon area. Abandoned Mine Mr. Walters stated that the Abandoned Mine project in the Cottonwood Wash area is under way. PLANNER-PERSONNEL EDWARD SCHERICK'S REPORT Merit Pay A discussion was held concerning merit pay. A temporary employee is not eligible for merit pay. If a permanent employee is in their probationary period through December 31 and into the following year, that employee will not be eligible for merit pay until the beginning of the year after probation is completed. Job Advertisement The Commissioners made it clear that when a position is advertised it will be advertised internally first and then go to the public. Once the advertisement goes to the public, the process will be completed with no in house preference. Payroll Change/Paul Langston A payroll change was presented for Paul Langston to become the permanent Shop Foreman to replace Jonnie Alvarez. He will move from Step 169 @$2281 per month to Step 171 @$2399 per month effective January 1, 2000. Commissioner Bill Redd made a motion to approve the payroll change. Commissioner Mark Maryboy seconded. UNANIMOUS. Payroll Change/Preston Palmer A payroll change was presented for Preston Palmer, who entered POST, moving him from Step 63 @$1344 per month to Step 89 @$1530 per month retroactive to December 1, 1999. Commissioner Bill Redd made a motion to approve the payroll change. Commissioner Mark Maryboy seconded. UNANIMOUS. OHV-Road Closures Planner Scherick reported on OHV activity, road and trail closures. He also stated there is a rumor of the possibility of another national monument being established adjacent to Canyonlands National Park which could include the current park expansion proposal. Drought Mitigation Plan Planner Scherick reported that he has a copy of the San Juan County Drought Mitigation Plan prepared by Fred May. A lot of work has gone into this plan. Mr. Scherick feels that the County should adopt this drought plan as part of the County Master Plan. Blanding/Monticello Watershed Planner Scherick reported that the watershed group met. The Forest Service idea is to bait trees to help keep the beetles under control. Dan Kent, Friends of the Abajo, feels that logging would not help and that beetle infestation could not be stopped. Some feel that logging is a viable option. Wilderness Request Planner Scherick reported that the County has received the official denial FOIA from the BLM on the comment period extension. An injunction has been filed. Meetings There will be a safety meeting on January 25, 2000. Fred May will be in the County on Thursday and Friday to talk about the Drought Mitigation Plan. On February 11, 2000 there will be a San Juan Forum meeting in Farmington, NM. There will be a watershed planning meeting on February 11, 2000. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT RICK BAILEY'S REPORT Building Permits Building permits were presented for David DesRosiers for a new home in Bluff and for William Robert Blake for a modular home in the Blanding area. Commissioner Bill Redd made a motion to approve the building permits. Commissioner Mark Maryboy seconded. UNANIMOUS. San Juan Central Recreation Special Service District Administrative Assistant Rick Bailey reported on a vacancy in the San Juan Central Recreation Special Service District. Chip Sharp and Randee Bayles are interested in serving. Mr. Bailey will contact Mike Bowers for confirmation and a recommendation. Jail Reimbursement Rate Administrative Assistant Rick Bailey reported that the year 2000 reimbursement rate for inmates is $43.07 per inmate per day. This is up from last years rate of $38 per inmate. Proposed Utah Heritage Trust Legislation Administrative Assistant Rick Bailey gave each of the Commissioners a copy of proposals on the 1/8th cent sales tax on open land. These allocations would include potential city & county projects, wildlife projects, Division of Parks and Recreation proposals, and critical land proposals. Bluff Airport Patent Administrative Assistant Rick Bailey reported that the County has received the response from the BLM on whether or not the land with the Bluff Airport patent would be transferred with or without mineral rights. The BLM usually retains the mineral rights with lands that are patent. The County will look into it further. Blanding Senior Center Administrative Assistant Rick Bailey requested permission to contact an architectural firm for preliminary drawings for the remodeling of the Blanding Senior Center. The Commission gave their approval. EPA Public Hearings Mr. Bailey stated that Risk Management Public Hearings will be held on January 25, 2000 at the Elkhorn Operating Company and at the courthouse for Tom Brown, Inc. Cal Black Airport/FAA Grant Application Administrative Assistant Rick Bailey requested authorization to sign an FAA grant application on the Cal Black Memorial Airport for taxi way improvements in the amount of $137,000. The Federal Government will pay $124,580, the State would pay $6,210 and the county would pay $6,210. Commissioner Bill Redd made a motion to approve the application and authorize Mr. Bailey to sign the application. Commissioner Ty Lewis seconded. Commissioner Mark Maryboy was not present when the action was taken. State of Utah/Grant Application-Crack Seal Administrative Assistant Rick Bailey requested authorization to sign a grant application for crack seal in the amount of $18,573 with the State to pay 80% of that amount. Commissioner Bill Redd made a motion to authorize Mr. Bailey to sign the grant application. Commissioner Ty Lewis seconded. Commissioner Maryboy was not present at the time the action was taken. State Aging The State of Utah is proposing to conduct a survey on senior citizens and are requesting that each Area Agency contribute at least $3,000 in to the account to conduct they survey. This amount will be deducted from the County allocation before distribution of funds to the County are made. Administrative Assistant Rick Bailey requested permission to sign the letter to participate. The Commission agreed. Meeting The Navajo Revitalization meeting will be held on March 13, 2000 in Blanding. The Bluff Public Hearing to hear comments on zoning will be held on February 29, 2000 at 7:00 P.M. The State Tax Commission will be in the County to meet with all elected officials on February 1, 2000 at 8:30 A.M. Senior Citizen Day at the Legislature will be held on January 27, 2000. Administrative Assistant Rick Bailey will be in Ogden on January 27, 2000 to attend an aging meeting. COMMISSIONER MARK MARYBOY'S REPORT Commissioner Maryboy will be holding a Road meeting at the Red Mesa Chapter on January 31, 2000 at 10:00 A.M. to include the BIA, County, State, and Navajo Nation regarding all of the Roads that are on the BIA list for possible funding. Commissioner Maryboy asked Mr. Bailey to contact the County Road Department concerning the meeting. The Navajo Nation Council will be in session this week. He will attend that most of the week. On Friday, Commissioner Maryboy may travel to Salt Lake to meet with State Representative Keele Johnson concerning Native American bills that he is sponsoring. He may attend the Police Academy graduation while he is in Salt Lake City. COMMISSIONER BILL REDD'S REPORT Commissioner Redd attended the UAC Legislative Committee hearing last week in which they discussed Recall legislation, Township changes, Jail Reimbursement, and Non-Taxing of film companies. He also meet with the State GPS committee. Letters will be sent out to all the counties requesting status on their GPS work. Also discussed was procedure to follow in securing additional funds for GPS work. This week Commissioner Redd will attend the Multiple Use Coalition meeting. He will also attend a Constitutional Defense meeting next monday. COMMISSIONER TY LEWIS' REPORT Commissioner Ty Lewis will attend the RC&D meeting in Green River on January 26-27, 2000. He will attend the Legislative Session in Salt Lake City on Thursday, January 27, 2000. He will attend the UAC Insurance Mutual meeting on January 28, 2000. Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 1:15 P.M. Ty Lewis, Chairman LaVee Scherick, Deputy Clerk