The biweekly meeting of the Emery County Board of Commissioners was called into session on Tuesday, Jan. 21. This gathering featured normal commission fare such as the approval of donations, ratification of grant applications and departmental approvals. But the most hotly-contested item on the agenda was a potential pay raise for the County’s assessor.

Opening the meeting, Ariauna Downard from the Emery Aquatic Center provided a safety minute presentation. Downard discussed the upcoming registration for summer swim lessons, which will open on Feb. 28. She also spoke on how open swimming will begin at 3 p.m. starting on Feb. 17 due to the conclusion of the high school swim team season.

Next on the agenda was the ratification of the 2025 Children and Teen book enhancement mini-grant. This grant gives public libraries the funds to purchase books, with it being explained that outside of the bestsellers every library wants to have in stock, the list of books purchased varies vastly from library to library within the county. In a 3-0 vote this grant was approved.

After this was a public hearing for Four Corners Behavioral Health, which is seeking input from the counties on how to best aid them with mental health issues and substance abuse. During this hearing, one citizen from the county took the podium to explain all the ways Four Corners has helped her, which includes helping her acquire materials to fix her porch.

Next was a presentation from participants of the Castle Country Classic Livestock show, who were requesting a sponsorship/donation from the commission. Riley Allred addressed the Commissioners,” We host a beginning Showmanship class for the younger kids. This is a great tool to help instill a love of raising livestock.” 

Avery Allred added to this, stating,” Another thing that is important for Castle Country Show is to choose younger judges that are working on building their judging profiles.”

When put to a vote, the Board of Commissioners approved a donation to the stock show for $3,500.

The Commissioners then set their focus on a long-standing matter within the meetings regarding the annexation of formerly unincorporated areas within the county. Special Service District Manager Jacob Sharp explained that following the extended process of public hearings and public comment period the move could finally be completed with the Commissioners’ approval. The motion was made to approve the annexation which passed unanimously.

Following this, a variety of tourism and travel matters were presented. Starting with a request for quotation for event marketing and Media to help promote the county’s events. The next was the approval of a contract for billboard services outside of Huntington. Also discussed was the approval of funding for the 2025 Swell Trails Grant for $30,000. This grant aids in the development of public trails to enhance the communities of the county. And finally, the Commissioners looked at a potential contract with Eastern Utah Broadcasting for radio advertisement. All of these motions were unopposed and approved by the Commissioners.

After this barrage, the Commission looked at a memorandum of understanding between Green River, SERDA and Emery County for the Green River Food Bank. Julie Rosier from SERDA presented to the Commissioners, explaining that this MOU would help increase the food bank services within Green River. Again, when put to a vote the MOU was approved without objection.

Next on the agenda was another MOU, this one for Medical Service courtesy of Carbon Medical Service for JRI individuals in the Emery County Jail. What this would do is allow JRI individuals to receive counseling and treatment programs from Carbon Medical to help prisoners get ahead on their transition back into regular life. This item was passed unanimously by the Commissioners.

Emery Archives director then addressed the Commissioners, asking for approval to apply for a grant to help digitize the Huntington Creek Irrigation records. This process would help make their records easily accessible online and help preserve them for future generations. After hearing this explanation, the Commissioners approved the application.

Another public hearing was then opened, this one regarding a potential raise for Emery County Assessor Kris Bell. First taking the podium in the hearing was Emery Clerk/Auditor Brenda Tuttle who spoke against the increase,” To single out one elected official whose responsibilities have not changed since taking office feels like a slap in the face to all other elected officials in Emery County,” adding,” it could also be considered a slap in the face to all other county employees who quietly come in every day and do their jobs.”

Bell then took the podium to explain her position for asking for the raise,” This isn’t meant as a slap in the face to anybody … I don’t feel like I do any less than the other two offices. I feel like we all do a lot of work and I don’t want to say what they do or don’t do because I’m not sure what they do, or don’t do. But I believe I should just be compensated, just like those other two offices.”

Emery County Recorder/Treasurer Jose Stilson echoed the concerns shared by Tuttle,” I show up each day and do the best I can to make sure the county functions that I’m responsible for are being accomplished to the best of my ability. I’d be more than happy to give up the additional compensation that I received for the combined offices, to go back to the responsibilities, liability and stress of one office.”

 Stilson continued,” I believe there should be a distinction between an elected official over two elected offices and an independent Department.”

The tension was palpable in the room as the Commissioners moved to a vote on the issue, where in a rare denial of an agenda item, the officials declined the compensation increase.

The final public agenda item inadvertently piggybacked off the compensation debate, as the Commissioners looked to begin the process of separating the offices of treasurer and recorder. Stilson explained that the departments were starting to be overwhelmed with an extremely high workload and that she served as the bottleneck as she had to certify and approve each document produced by the office.

 The Commissioners agreed that it would be good to begin the process of separating the offices, and as such approved the process to begin moving forward.

The meeting was then closed to the public to discuss “pending or reasonably imminent litigation.” 

The next meeting of the Emery County Commissioners will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 4 in the Emery County Administration building.