Grand County Commission Meeting Report 2020-12-01

Agenda and Packet with supplemental documents can be found here.

2PM Workshop for 2021 Budget

Transient Room Tax (TRT) discussed.

• GC will allocate some TRT “promotional” revenue to identified needs such as local trail ambassadors, youth recreation programs and other sustainable recreation strategies. Will likely bank some of the TRT promotional revenue for future use; don’t want to enter into advertising contracts due to uncertainty re Covid situation in 2021. Could also use TRT promotional revenue to help fund the MIC; will request Moab City contribute to MIC operations. (Editors note: County TRT revenue allocation is set by statute with roughly 50% allocated to tourism mitigation (law enforcement, SAR, roads, etc.) and ~50% to promote and establish recreation, tourism, conventions and films. City TRT revenue does not have statutory allocation requirements.)
• Straw poll supporting strategy to budget 2021 TRT revenue based on 2020 actual amounts (which were significantly lower than 2019 amounts); it can be adjusted later.
• Three billboards on I-70 promoting Moab/GC will be updated to reflect County’s new policy of promoting sustainability and responsible recreation. Will cost approximately $12,000.

4PM Regular Meeting

CARES Act Funding distributions. Background: County’s CARES Act funding is earmarked for grants to political subdivisions, businesses and nonprofits. At the Nov. 4 GCC meeting, a working group was created to make recommendations for the allocation of ~$530,000 of County’s CARES Act funding (which includes the Town of Castle Valley’s CARES Act funding that CV elected to be distributed by the County).

• The working group established criteria for business and nonprofit applicants: relief funding already received, local ownership, benefit to community, and impact on mitigation of pandemic.
• Applications totaling more that $2.5 million were received from seven political subdivisions, 45 businesses and nonprofits.
• Recommendation to fund all political subdivisions that applied: GC School Dist., Moab Valley Fire Dept., Canyonlands Health Care SSD, Solid Waste SSD, Castle Valley Fire SSD, GWSSA, and EMS SSD, for a total of $429,838.
• Recommendation to fund 26 of the 45 businesses/nonprofit org’s that were locally owned and reported a net loss after all other grants and loans were included due to the pandemic.  Each of the 26 would get equal amount of $3846, for a total of $99,996.
• Total recommended to be allocated = $529,834.
  
• Chris Kauffman, County Treasurer, noted that the County, as a political subdivision, must allocate and distribute its CARES Act funding by the end of 2020.
  • Political subdivisions MUST spend by end of year; some have already spent the money, and these grants are reimbursement.
  • Businesses and non-profits are not required to spend their allocations by end of year.

The Commission approved the working group’s recommendations to allocate a total of $529,834 of CARES Act funding, 7-0.

Fiscal assistance agreement with Utah Division of Parks and Recreation. Through the Division’s non-motorized trail matching fund program, GCATT will receive reimbursement for up to $11,235.00 of the $23,875 total project cost, for trail maintenance, signs, tools. Approved 7-0.

Amend job description for the “Events and Information Planner” position, re-title to Business Development Specialist (in the Economic Development department). The Business Development Specialist position is being proposed to assist local businesses in marketing, grant writing and being able to offer the support of the Travel Council to local business. The majority of the duties of the Events and Info Planner have been transferred to the Travel Council Specialist position created 8/2020. Approved 7-0.

Request for Qualifications for Lobbying and Legislative Consulting Services and Appointing a Selection Committee. Most Utah cities and counties hire private lobbyists to help support their legislative priorities in the Utah Legislature and with the Governor’s Office, including the counties of Summit, Salt Lake, Beaver, Tooele, Duschesne, Uintah, Box Elder, and the cities of Moab, Salt Lake, Morgan, Washington, West Valley, West Jordan, Brigham City, Midvale, and Herriman, and others.

• Grand County’s lobbyist(s) would be hired to work on legislative priorities set by the County Commission, by separate contract. The RFQ seeks submissions of statements of qualifications only and does not obligate the County to hire a lobbyist. The selection committee is: Quinn Hall, Mary McGann, Chris Baird, Gabriel Woytek, Christina Sloan, Curtis Wells. Approved 7-0.

Agreement for Medical Services with Moab Regional Hospital for Inmate Care at the Grand County Jail. Agreement with MRH regarding how to bill the County for inmate medical expenses and creates a new mental health provider agreement with Dr. Prest to care for inmates during the substance abuse detoxification process upon booking. Approved 7-0.

Public Hearing to Solicit Public Input on a Proposed Resolution Amending the FINAL 2020 Grand County Budget. Public hearing will remain open for comments until 5PM Wed., Dec. 9, 2020. Summary of amended Budget can be found here starting on p. 249

Public Hearing to Solicit Public Input on a Proposed Resolution Adopting the 2021 Grand County Budget. Public hearing will remain open for comments until 5PM Wed., Dec. 9, 2020. Details of amended Budget can be found here starting on p. 252.

Public Hearing to Solicit Public Input on a Proposed Ordinance Approving a 1.4% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for County Elected Officials effective January 1, 2021. Public hearing will remain open for comments until 5PM Wed., Dec. 9, 2020.

• The proposed 2021 budget currently contains a 1.4% cost of living adjustment for all Grand County employees.
• State Code requires that a public hearing be held to solicit public comment for an increase in the compensation of elected officials.
• Cost of living adjustments are intended to offset inflation, consumer price increases, and maintain the purchasing power of an individual’s salary over time.
• The cumulative increased cost for elected official’s salaries would be $10,798.33 for 2021.