POOL TALK • Local
resident, Lynn Boswell, addresses the Juab County
Commission Monday. The Commission pledged $250,000
toward the pool project.
By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Community support for an indoor swimming pool just grew a
lot stronger with Juab County Commissioners pledging
monetary support for the proposal.
Lynn Boswell addressed the county commission on Monday to
make the request that the county pledge some funds for the
proposed community recreation improvement then he and 25
supporters attending the meeting applauded the vote
commissioners made to be specific by contributing $250,000
for 2005 and $50,000 annually until the project is
completed.
"In order to encourage, demonstrate support and ensure
that this movement will be successful, I would like to
propose that Juab County establish a recreation account
similar to the account that was set up for the renovation of
the auditorium," said Neil Cook, commissioner.
"I would propose that we start with a request from
special service district #2 for a contribution of $250,000
in the fiscal year 2005."
He said the use of those funds fall within those lawful
uses outlined in state law.
"I would propose that we budget an additional $50,000 per
year from general funds to be added to this account until
the project is completed," said Cook.
Another alternative, he said, would be to dedicate that
amount from the "one time sales tax revenues" that will be
generated this year and the next two years toward this
project.
He was aware, he said, that the funds would represent
only a small portion of the eventual dollars required but it
would be a beginning point and would let everyone involved
know that the county commission is serious about helping see
the project go forward.
Robert Steele, commissioner, said that he still favored
the creation of a recreation special service district which
would require the taxpayer's permission.
"The biggest problem is not building the pool but the
on-going money needed to operate the pool year after year,"
he said.
In order to form a special service district, some steps
need to be taken.
"You need an organization," said Jared Eldridge, county
attorney. "You need to look at setting up a non-profit
organization which is a corporate entity with bylaws and
officers."
Nevertheless, all of the commissioners agreed to support
the venture with money and with help and Steele did offer
the second to the proposal by Cook.
Boswell said that he, and other employees are very
confident the Leamington Ash Grove Cement Plant will
contribute generously both in funds and volunteer time to
make certain the pool is constructed.
"Ash Grove has been very generous in supporting community
projects in the past," said Boswell. They are especially
helpful where the projects improve the lives of the youth of
the community.
The group seeking a pool is also seeking funds from other
businesses and from each of the communities, including Rocky
Ridge, Mona, Nephi and Levan, in the East Juab area who
would use the pool.
They will also request funding contributions from Juab
School District, said Boswell.
"We plan to speak to the local government entities and to
the school board," said Boswell.
The group has petitions out at several businesses in the
community and are getting signatures so quickly they are
having a difficult time keeping materials at the various
sites.
"We have already raised $2,500," he said.
That donation has been made in one week's time.
"If you had come to us a year ago," said Steele, "we
would have had to say thank you for your information but we
don't have the money now."
Now an increase in the tax base is expected because of
the new electric plant being built near Mona by PacifiCorp.
That needed boost will help build recreation facilities in
the county without a raise in taxes which was something,
just a few years ago, the county was considering in order to
just make ends meet, he said.
Wm. Boyd Howarth, commission chairman, said people did
need to be aware in making comparisons between what is being
done in Millard County as far as recreation is concerned may
not be quite what Juab County can afford.
"IPP is valued at $3.5 billion and our power plant will
be valued at $350 million when it is completed and on-line,"
he said. That represented quite a difference in tax base and
what the county would be able to accomplish with that
money.
It was against the law for the county commissioners to
engage future commissions in on-going debt without taxpayer
permission through the question being put on the ballot.
Neil cook said he would volunteer to sit on a recreation
board.
"There is, currently, an excitement among East Juab
County residents with regard to the building of a recreation
facility," he said. "Historically, when large projects
needed to be accomplished in out county or East Juab
communities, it has taken the involvement of everybody to
get it done."
The swimming pool, now in use, ball fields and county
fairgrounds which have been in used for many years are all
examples of what can be done when groups work together to
accomplish a common good, he said.
"We are now, and will be in the foreseeable future, a
small rural county; this will change, but slowly," said
Cook. "The only way that we can accomplish such a grand
thing as a recreation facility is to work together as
county, municipalities, school district and private
entities.
"I was a good friend of Mayor Ed Winn when the swimming
pool we now have was being discussed," said Dwain Bracken.
He said Winn and Harlow Pexton and others determined it
would be too difficult to get all the organizations involved
and so Nephi City was the builder and operator of the
facility.
"Before I vote," said Steele, "I think we need to talk
about forming a special service district to actually run the
swimming pool after it is built."
Matt Bowles, Nephi Recreation Director, said he had no
idea how much it cost Fillmore to operate the new pool there
because the operating costs were still be calculated.
However, Betty Heyborne, who heads a citizen committee,
said it was estimated the cost would be approximately
$250,000 per year.
"Are we a year from getting the special service district
on the ballot?" asked Brent Boswell.
Pat Ingram, county clerk/auditor, said the state had
specific rules about placing the question on the ballot. It
is, of course, too late for this year's November
election.
The question could be placed on a June primary ballot if
there was such a ballot. However, a June ballot may be two
years away. A November ballot, of course, would be a year
away.
A lot of work needed to be done before that stage could
be reached, said Steele.
There is grant money available, said Eldridge, but it
requires someone with tenacity to keep seeking those funds
and to stay on top of the requests and the requirements.
Bracken suggested Kirk Wright, superintendent of Juab
School District, to help write such grants.
"You can call on our citizen group," said Heyborne.
She said members of the group had many and varied
connections and would be willing to provide the tenacity
needed to see the project through.
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