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- Communities and county send project requests to the Community Impact Board for considerations
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By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
There are some ambitious projects planned by the communities and the county for the year 2011 for which Community Impact Board (CIB) funding will be needed.
Emery Polelonema, the regional planner for the Six County Association of Governments, discussed the draft document for the 2011 Consolidated Local Capital Improvement List for Juab County with commissioners.
If a project is not on planning list, it will not be considered for funding. Therefore, Polelonema, each year, assists the county and the various communities of the county in compiling a list of projects for "short term" and a "medium term" planning.
"The short list is for projects which are proposed for 2011," said Polelonema. "the medium list is for projects needing funding from 2012 to 2016."
The county also has a short list of projects.
On their list is a mental health building upgrade, continuing fairgrounds projects, a Snake Valley Water Study, Old Highway 91, and the Yuba Dam Bridge Renovation Project.
Commissioners went through the draft document with Polelonema and tweaked it preparatory to its being set in final form and submitted to the state.
"Glenn Greenhalgh, county planning director, said he thought the county needed to request $150,000 for a water utilization study," said Polelonema.
An ambulance building and a fire station to be built in Eureka were found budgeted together.
"We need the two buildings separated on the list," said LuWayne Walker, commissioner. "We need to request approximately $750,000 for each building rather than $1.5 million for the two buildings together."
They were two separate projects and, in addition, the fire station needed to be on the short or priority list.
Walker also pointed out that the Central Utah Counseling Center drug treatment center in Nephi was on the list twice, under different names, for the same project.
Shepherd's Lodge, which is used by the counseling center, in addition to the newly constructed building now also being used, was listed for a $900,000 remodeling. The Central Utah Counseling Center was also listed for a renovation at $200,000.
"There is no sense in having the new building listed," said Walker. "I'm sure they just want the old building renovated."
Chad Winn, commissioner, said he had also noted that the digital television repeater project was still listed as a priorly project.
"That project has been completed," said Winn. "We need to remove it from the list."
"I would really like to know what type of projects CIB is funding," said Val Jones, commission chairman. "I would like to see the list of CIB awards from last quarter."
For example, said Jones, he was told by one member that the CIB was not interested in funding fairground projects.
He had watched one group of community leaders spend most of the day at the CIB board hearings only to find out that the project did not meet CIB criteria for funding.
"I think you need to remember that there is a whole board who reviews the project proposals," said Polelonema. "One thing they do not fund is school district projects because they have their own funding sources."
In Juab County, each of the communities had some items on the list for consideration of funding.
Eureka has, as short list requests, cemetery expansion of the fence line; a utility truck; and a liner for the sewer lagoon project compliance.
Rocky Ridge listed a new source well as being the community's priority.
Levan is seeking help in funding a property acquisition for park safety; a Main Street curb, gutter and lighting project; and a community park project.
Nephi is on the short list for funding to help with a transmission and sanitation upgrade; a swimming pool upgrade; housing rehab; water storage distribution; a golf course expansion; a transmission upgrade; a sewer lagoon upgrade; a streets and drainage project; park construction; an industrial park project; a development of a trail system for bicycles and pedestrians.
Mona has three projects but all are on the medium term list. One is a community building; the second is the memorial park; and the third is the sewer system.
Walker kept track of the changes that needed to be made to the draft document and gave those changes to Polelonema to use in getting the final document completed by deadline.
In addition, the county authorized Jones, as commission chair, to sign the document pending changes.
"I was pleased to talk to the new mayor from Mona," said Polelonema. "He was so appreciative of our help."
Through local intergovernmental agreements, the Six County Association of Governments (SCAOG) was organized in 1969 to provide services available through state and federal programs to the citizens of Juab, Millard, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier and Wayne counties. Services provided range from home-delivered meals to loans for business startup and expansion. The SCAOG administers an annual budget of over $3 million dollars and maintains a staff of more than 80 full and part time employees.
General oversight for programs administered by the SCAOG is provided by the General Board comprising all commissioners and one appointed mayor from each county. The General Board meets quarterly or as required. An Executive Board of one appointed commissioner and appointed mayor from each county meets monthly, or as required, to provide program specific guidance and direction as necessary.
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