This is an old news article. The events in this article are from February 2023.
(February 27, 2023) — The Garfield County Commission met in Panguitch on February 27 for a regularly-scheduled meeting.
Settling on ‘The Dump’
Commissioner David Tebbs reported that “The Dump” section of Highway 12, between Bryce and Tropic is already starting to slide a little, with a crack emerging in the middle of the eastbound lane. So far, the south side of the road has settled two or three inches.
The settling occurs after only a year since that stretch of highway received a significant overhaul.
In 2017 settling under the road caused the south shoulder to melt off into Tropic Canyon, leaving the guardrail suspended in midair. The county has already alerted UDOT to the disappointing problem. Commissioner Tebbs repeated a phrase others have said in Bryce Valley: “The Dump can’t be tamed, and neither can the Paria.”
Influencing Legislation
Commissioner Leland Pollock reported on work down in Salt Lake during Utah’s legislative season which is ongoing, as well as a trip to Washington D.C. to meet with Rep. Chris Stewart and Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, and Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
Commissioner Pollock reported on Senator Lee’s recent efforts to find a legislative solution to the West’s RS 2477 roads which are currently in litigation in Utah. In that case Utah is arguing that under an old, retired federal mining statute called RS 2477, the State (not the federal government) should hold title to all the roads created prior to the 1970s. The State is still waiting for a decision from Judge Clark Waddoups, in which he will rule on just 15 “bellwether” roads. Following that decision the status on roughly 12,500 other Utah roads will need to be deliberated. An act of Congress might be simpler and faster — Senator Lee believes.
Land and Road Maintenance: Panguitch, Henrieville and Escalante
David Dodds reported that Garfield recently purchased land from West Panguitch Irrigation Company on the north shore of Panguitch Lake. The parcel, however, includes an encroachment from Aspen Cove Landing, a lakeside resort. The Garfield commission voted to swap about a quarter-acre of land to Aspen Cove in return for a public easement to county property and the lake.
A grant application for a flash flood emergency watershed project in Henrieville has been funded, to the tune of $192k. Garfield County will add matching dollars and work amounting to over $56k. Work will be done on the loop road south of town, opening flood channels and putting in an estimated three hard water crossings and riprap.
Escalante Mayor Torgersen is asking for help with road maintenance east of the cemetery, which is currently a mire. The road is used as an access point for the Escalante Canyon Trailhead. The county said it might be best to wait for now, until chipsealing for the new elementary school road is ready to go. The new school is scheduled to open by the autumn of 2024.
School District Report
Garfield School District Superintendent John Dodds reported to the Garfield commission on work the district has done over the last couple of years in expanding its online school program. The program currently has about 300 students, all of which but a handful, are from outside the county. The program has created positions for three full-time jobs.
He also reported that the district obtained a $70k grant to hire a mental health coordinator, which will interface with other resources such as the Prevention Coalition and Southwest Behavioral Health Center.
Mr. Dodds also thanked the commissioners for their help on Capitol Hill this year, especially as HB-215 was quickly passed. That bill increased funding for schools on the one hand, but also opened the door for funding private schools through a scholarship or voucher program. He noted that the bill probably had public support because of backlash against public schools surrounding the teaching of critical race theory in urban schools, as well as other cultural issues. He is concerned that the bill will weaken small, rural schools.
The Garfield commission approved combining some small lots together in two separate subdivisions: Hidden Rivers Estates south of Panguitch, and Haycock Creek near Panguitch Lake.
– The Byway
Read about the December Commission Meeting here.