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  • Chicken Creek DUP would like Levan Town to purchase old Relief Society building to serve as a place to store artifacts

By Rebecca Dopp
Times-News Correspondent

Noreen Harper, acting captain of the Chicken Creek DUP in Levan, came before Levan Town Council Wednesday, January 9 to discuss two items of business.
The first concerned a Memorandum of Understanding between the DUP and the town over the DUP cabin. The memorandum was presented over a year ago when Sandra Mangelson was the DUP captain.
"This is kind of a formality," said Mangelson, council member, "and it basically says that the town owns the building and will maintain it, but that the DUP has ownership of all the artifacts that are in the cabin."
She said the DUP has an inventory of those artifacts.
Mayor Russ Mangelson acknowledged the receipt of the memorandum, but said the council had not had a chance to review it. S. Mangelson said that the DUP and the council need to review it and make sure it was what both parties wanted before signing it.
"We just need to follow through with it," said S. Mangelson.
The council will take some time to go over it and bring it back to council meeting next month as an action item.
Harper said the next item of business concerned the old Relief Society building and adjacent properties now owned by the Ballow family in Levan.
"They are expressing an interest in selling this property, which is actually three lots," she said.
She said the DUP feels that the old Relief Society building needs to be preserved and it would be a better place to store their artifacts.
"As the DUP, we do not have a way that we generate money that we could actually purchase the properties, so we came up with the idea to see if that was something the town could do," Harper said.
She said they had looked for other resources available to the DUP and had found some grants and matching grants to help with restoration of the building but not for the actual purchasing of the properties themselves.
"We also are looking at this as something that would be of value to the town in the future to own those properties, so at a future date, if we need to expand the town hall, we've got some property to do that with the idea of even watching for the other corner lot to become available and the town purchase that," she said.
She pointed out that at the Christmas lighting ceremony it would have been nice to have a larger building and suggested that if the town purchases the middle lot with the shop area on it, it could be used at times when there is a larger attendance of townspeople.
Council member Brent Taylor asked if there was any Community Impact Board (CIB) money available for projects like this. He said it wouldn't hurt to make sure it was on the wish list for CIB grant money. The CIB meeting was held on January 14.
S. Mangelson said there might be other monies available for community buildings used as an emergency crisis center. The town could store emergency supplies and also use it as a community center.
R. Mangelson asked what it would take to restore it. Harper said the floors are in really good condition because they had been covered. The roof would need some work, but that at the present time there were no leaks. She didn't notice any structural problems when they walked around it.
"I just wondered if it would be beneficial if we had someone come in and give us an estimate on what the end result would be," he said.
S. Mangelson said the DUP can probably find funding for restoration of the building and remodeling the inside, but not for the purchase of the building. Harper said they might meet the requirements for the Utah Historical Society to receive funds.
Harper asked if the town was open to the idea of finding funding for all three lots.
"I think it's a great opportunity," said S. Mangelson.
Taylor said that it would all depend on what the town could put together for funding, stating that the town does not have the means to do it on their own.
"If it's possible, then of course," he said,
Alan Paystrup, resident, asked if the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints would be interested in helping out. He said the Church might be interested in having an access to the parking lot on the north side.
"We talked about the Church maybe getting involved," said S. Mangelson, "but then we decided it would be better if the town owns it."
Paystrup said the Church might, theoretically, be interested in purchasing just a portion to provide access to the parking lot. The lot in question is approximately .13 acres. It was an idea that the council thought they would take to the stake presidency to discuss.
Harper said another idea to raise funds would be to take donations and then have those who donated have their names on a plaque. She also said they could offer commemorative belt buckles or wall hangings with the name of the town on it for purchase. The DUP could also hold bake sales or other fundraisers.
"Who do we know that grew up in Levan that has gone out and made it big, that we can talk to them about getting donations?" asked Taylor, jokingly.
"The rich ones all still live here," quipped S. Mangelson,. "That's as rich as it gets."
The council decided to investigate avenues for funding and see if it was possible to purchase the property. They will follow up at the next meeting.