Minutes for 2008-11-25, Direct pdf link.
MINUTES
OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF WEBER COUNTY
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 - 5:30 p.m.
Commission Chambers, Weber Center, Ogden, Utah
In accordance with the requirements of Utah Code Annotated Section 52-4-7(1)(d), the County Clerk records in the minutes the names of all citizens who appear and speak at a County Commission meeting and the substance “in brief” of their comments. Such statements may include opinion or purported facts. The County does not verify the accuracy or truth of any statement but includes it as part of the record pursuant to state law.
Commissioners Present: Jan M. Zogmaister, Chair, and Craig L. Dearden. Kenneth A. Bischoff was excused.
Others Present: Alan D. McEwan, Clerk/Auditor; David C. Wilson, Deputy County Attorney; Fátima Fernelius, Clerk/Auditor’s Office, took minutes.
A. Welcome - Chair Zogmaister
B. Pledge of Allegiance - Fátima Fernelius
C. Thought of the Day - Commissioner Dearden
D. Consent Items:
1. Purchase Orders in the amount of $162,343.29
2. Warrants #244547 - #244785 in the amount of $3,470,333.93
3. Minutes for the meetings held on November 6 and November 18, 2008
4. New beer licenses
5. Surplus two snowmobiles from Weber County Search and Rescue
Commissioner Dearden moved to approve the consent items; Chair Zogmaister seconded, both voting aye.
E. Action Items:
1. Contract with Broken Heart Rodeo for a New Years eve Bull Riding Event to be held at the Golden Spike Event Center (GSEC) - Contract C2008-216
Jim Harvey, GSEC, presented this standard contract.
Commissioner Dearden moved to approve Contract C2008-216 with Broken Heart Rodeo for a New Year’s eve bull riding event to be held at the Golden Spike Event Center on 12/31/08; Chair Zogmaister seconded, both voting aye.
2. Contract with Los Amigos Race Association for a Hispanic racing event to be held November 30, 2008 at the Golden Spike Event Center (GSEC) - Contract C2008-217
Jim Harvey, GSEC, presented this contract.
Commissioner Dearden moved to approve Contract C2008-217 with Los Amigos Race Association for a Hispanic racing event at the Golden Spike Event Center; Chair Zogmaister seconded, both voting aye.
3. Final approval of the Williamsen Subdivision located at approximately 3025 North Highway 162 in the Eden Area
Scott Mendoza, County Planning Department, stated that this 3-lot subdivision was comprised of 14.32 acres and approximately 700 feet of private road improvements that had been completed. The applicant was requesting three variances to the subdivision standard: 1) a private road, 2) asphalt width of 20 ft. rather than a rural road standard of 24 ft., and 3) a hammer-head turnaround. Mr. Mendoza stated that County Engineering and the Weber Fire District had no objections to the variance requests.
Chair Zogmaister asked why the applicant had chosen the hammer-head turnaround rather than the typical cul de sac and Mr. Mendoza responded that an applicant could choose a hammer-head for a variety of reasons, but he was not certain as to the reasons in this case.
Commissioner Dearden asked what would happen if the county was asked in the future to take over the substandard road and Mr. Mendoza replied that the road would have to be brought to county standards prior to the county taking over maintenance. Commissioner Dearden asked if that was written in an agreement so that the petitioners were aware of it and David Wilson, Deputy County Attorney, did not believe there was an agreement for this type of development, but the process had been followed in the past as Mr. Mendoza had described, and special assessment districts could also be created if necessary. Chair Zogmaister asked how the hammer-head turn around would affect emergency vehicles in the event the county took over the road. Mr. Mendoza said that the Fire District seemed comfortable with it but County Roads might advise against maintaining a road where they had to make a 3-point turn and recommend that the turnaround be changed. Commissioner Dearden believed that it was unlikely there would be a request for the county to take over the private road.
Commissioner Dearden moved to grant final approval of the Williamsen Subdivision located at approximately 3025 North Highway 162, Eden; Chair Zogmaister seconded, both voting aye.
4. Declare Parcel #06-006-0020 as surplus property
Nate Pierce, County Operations Department Director, stated that the county received this parcel (consisting of about .05 acres) through a tax sale in 1994. One abutting property owner expressed interest in acquiring it. It is on a hillside in Riverdale City and there may also be some interest by Riverdale since it is in their master watershed plan. Once declared surplus, the surrounding land owners will be notified, and a bidding process entered into so all parties will have an equal opportunity.
Ernest Rowley, County Recorder/Surveyor, stated he was not familiar with Riverdale’s zoning ordinances but wondered if there might be a problem with the adjoining property owner behind the parcel acquiring it because it was a piece of a lot already in an approved subdivision. David Wilson, Deputy County Attorney, noted that the piece appeared to have been part of that original large lot but for some reason had been split off and went to tax sale. He did not have objections to declaring the property surplus as long as all abutting property owners were notified.
Commissioner Dearden moved to declare LSN 06-006-0020 as surplus property; Chair Zogmaister seconded, both voting aye.
5. Contract with Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest Service to provide patrol duties for forest service areas - Contract C2008-218
Commissioner Dearden stated that the county had contracted with the Forest Service for many years to provide patrol duties of the forest service areas. The contract amount is $52,000.
Commissioner Dearden moved to approve Contract C2008-218 with Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest Service to provide patrol duties for forest service areas; Chair Zogmaister seconded, both voting aye.
6. Contract with the Ogden Valley Recreation/Transmission Special Service District - Contract C2008-219
Commissioner Dearden stated that he and the Sheriff had worked with the Translator District on this contract. He noted that the comptroller had raised questions relating to funding and stated that the majority of the funds were coming from a grant received by the county for communications and administered by UCAN and the remaining $25,000 were coming from CAP funds. This will resolve some communication issues (dead spots) with the Sheriff Office as well.
Commissioner Dearden moved to Contract C2008-219 with the Ogden Valley Recreation/Transmission Special Service District; Chair Zogmaister seconded, both voting aye.
F. Public Hearings (commenced at 6:00 p.m.):
1.Commissioner Dearden moved to adjourn the public meeting and convene the public hearings; Chair Zogmaister seconded, both voting aye.
2. Public hearing regarding Community Development Block Grants
Dennis Richardson, County Engineering, noted that this public hearing was to supply information regarding the 2009 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, to solicit possible projects that may be eligible for the funds, and to field possible suggestions and questions about the projects from the citizens.
The national objective is for grant money to primarily be spent to benefit low to moderate income persons but also includes using funds to aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight and to meet urgent needs because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to health and welfare. Eligible activities are identified in the CDBG application guide that is available for review by interested parties. Examples for possible CDBG projects include ADA improvements, public works infrastructure projects in qualifying areas, property acquisition, public services such as food banks and homeless shelters and loan programs for private businesses that hire low income persons or for persons who own rental housing and rent to low income persons.
The Weber County area can expect approximately $575,000 in CDBG funds for 2009 and the Weber Area Council of Governments will rate/rank all county-wide preliminary applications to determine what projects can proceed with final application. All pre-applications must be submitted to the Wasatch Front Regional Council by December 1, 2008.
The county currently has two active grant projects: modification of restrooms for the Weber County Library to bring them more in compliance with ADA standards and an emergency housing rehabilitation project that is administered through the Weber County Housing Authority. Both projects are completed and will be closed out by year end. In the past, Weber County received grants for developing ADA-compliant campsites, installing ADA-compliant door hardware at the fairgrounds, installing storm drains in low to moderate income communities to reduce flooding, installing wheelchair ramps at street intersections to make pedestrian sidewalks more accessible, as well as sponsoring non-profit agencies such as Your Community Connection (YCC), Ogden Weber Community Action Agency, and Catholic Community Services. All possible projects for which funding may be applied for are indicated in the regional Consolidated Plan and is available for review in the Weber County Planning Office. Possible county projects for the 2009 funding year: construction of wheelchair ramps at intersections in the Wheat Ridge Estates Subdivision and replacement and modification of wheelchair ramps in other areas of the county to comply with ADA standards. An owner of property in Wildwood Estates in the Ogden Canyon approached Mr. Richardson because their waterline system is grossly inadequate and wanted to check whether they qualified for CDBG funds. The YCC and Affordable Land Lease Homes were at the CDBG “How to Apply Workshop” and would like the county to sponsor them and to submit a pre-application for a grant.
Chair Zogmaister invited public comments and Rebekah Clements, YCC Senior Life Program, gave an overview of their program and of the proposed use of the much needed funds. Mr. Richardson explained how the Affordable Land Lease Homes program helped provide housing for low to moderate income families.
3. Public hearing to take public comment regarding the 2009 Tentative Budget
Dan Olsen, County Comptroller, gave a slide presentation overview of the 2009 balanced budget . The presentation included 2009 revenues (totaling $109.5 million), and expenditures (107.1 million). The tentative budget was adopted on 11/4 and has been posted on the county’s website since that time. Chair Zogmaister asked if Mr. Olsen had received any public comments and he had only received comments from county departments. Mr. Olsen showed somber economic statistics. He noted that the county’s new building permits were significantly lower than in many years and showed the number of job losses throughout the State, the number of unoccupied and abandoned new homes by county, and stated that the second quarter of 2008 had the largest decrease from this time last year in the value of taxable sales throughout the county. He said that Weber County was doing alright but was feeling the negative economic effects of those factors as well. Economists were projecting 3-5 years for Utah’s economy to recover and the county will probably follow that trend. Mr. Olsen outlined revisions made since adoption of the tentative budget that included revenue estimates (reduction of $371,000 to the General Fund) and increasing one pay grade for all Office Specialists II and III ($70,505 from the General Fund and $16,793 from the Health Fund).
Chair Zogmaister invited public comments and none were offered.
4.Commissioner Dearden moved to adjourn the public hearings and reconvene the public meeting; Chair Zogmaister seconded, both voting aye.
5. Action on public hearings:
F.2. - Public hearing regarding Community Development Block Grants
No action was required.
F.3. - Public hearing to take public comment regarding the 2009 Tentative Budget
No action was required.
G. Assign Pledge of Allegiance & Thought of the Day for Tuesday, December 2, 2008, 10 a.m.
H. Public Comments: None
I. Adjourn
Commissioner Dearden moved to adjourn at 6:36 p.m.; Chair Zogmaister seconded, both voting aye.
Jan M. Zogmaister, Chair
Weber County Board of Equalization
Alan D. McEwan, CPA
Weber County Clerk/Auditor