This is an old news article. The events in this article are from February 2022.
LOA, Utah (February 22, 2022) — The Wayne County Commissioners met in Loa on February 22, with all three commissioners present.
The meeting began with Torrey-based Entrada Institute, which asked the county for support by approving their application designating Entrada as the local arts agency. Entrada has been operating for over 25 years and organizes 70-80 days of programming each year, inviting both locals and visitors. They have averaged 6,500 non-local patrons a year, which they said remained stable during COVID (although roughly half of them attended remotely). Their annual operating budget has grown to $150,000.
Entrada also asked the county for permission to build a kiosk in Teasdale Park, featuring a sundial to help educate visitors about the solstices. Entrada didn’t ask for funding from the county, but did need permission since the kiosk would be located on county property. In a turn Commissioner Stanley Wood stated that “support is a two-way street,” and noted that he was reluctant to offer support after Entrada’s vehement opposition to a gravel pit operation near Teasdale. Representatives from Entrada were quick to point out that although some of their members had been opposed, Entrada, as an organization, had not ever stated an opinion.
Commissioner Dennis Blackburn followed up with a question about whether Entrada would support grazing on public lands, and specifically, the one remaining allotment in Capitol Reef National Park, for its economic and cultural value. Entrada, however, would have to take that question to their board.
The commission voted to approve Entrada’s application for local arts agency status, but asked if they could provide more information on what the sundial kiosk was they proposed to erect in Teasdale Park.
In other business the commission approved rezoning and a nonconforming use permit for Muley Twist Inn, for an 18-unit glamping development just south of Teasdale.
Wayne School District Superintendent Randy Shelley spoke with the board about the district’s hope to build a new high school, which would also combine the middle school. He talked about a recent state report that listed each of Wayne’s schools as not structurally sound enough to withstand a moderate earthquake. Since a new school would cost over $50 million and the district’s bonding capacity is only $17 million, they discussed whether there was any possibility the state might have any funding available. It was a tough question, and one which neither the school district, nor the county, could answer.
The commissioners also discussed what will happen with the Hanksville Diversion, which delivers irrigation water to the town. Last year it was blown out by a substantial flood, and the engineer who designed it a decade ago, is out of business. It looks as though a temporary solution is to pump water out of the river into the irrigation system until NRCS is able to construct a new diversion.
– The Byway