Escalante City Council met on Tuesday, October 19, 2010. During the Personal Comment portion of the meeting, one citizen spoke of concerns about streetlights on 100 West. Although city workers have recently replaced the bulbs, some of the street lights have ceased to function. The City made a commitment to remedy the problem lights.
Planning and Zoning reported that Justin Fisher will be attending a P & Z meeting in the very near future to advise the committee on ordinances involving subdivision of property. Copies of the proposed ordinances continue to be available at the City Offices. It is possible that the new ordinances will be ready for final approval by the 16th of November, but will certainly be ready before year’s end. An “alternate” on the Planning and Zoning committee is needed in order to insure a quorum. The City will post this open position and anticipates making an appointment at the next City Council meeting.
A representative from the EMTs approached the Council asking for funds to assist with continuing education requirements for those who volunteer in the emergency program. There are now six EMTs on the team; previously there were five. Costs have gone up. Each EMT has been paying for some portion of his or her expenses, but with escalating costs, an increase in the amount provided by the City is requested. Mayor Taylor and the Council, after some detailed discussion, opted to authorize the full amount ($1,000) existing in the budget at this time. They recommended that the EMT representative approach the Council next May before the second education session is held. Funds in excess of the City’s annual budget may be available at the end of the fiscal year.
A design and a bid for the new Fire Department sign have been submitted. The bid was for $1,500. While the bid is not considered excessive for a metal cut sign, the City will look at other estimates.
There are approximately 600 accounts on the City water system. Of those accounts, twenty-two have been using the electronic payment system offered by the City. Of those who use electronic payment, most use the system offered by their bank. Recently, the company, which historically has billed each patron $49, has announced intent to also bill the City $9.95 per month for the service. The city workers were directed to negotiate with the company. The city’s electronic billing will be retained if the fee is waived. Letters will be written to the twenty-two customers to inform them of the situation.
The next City Council meeting has been changed. The date has been moved to Wednesday, November 3rd. Thereafter, meetings will return to the first and third Tuesdays of the month. As usual, citizens are encouraged to attend. One citizen was heard to comment, “This is a remarkably participatory meeting. It’s wonderful.”
Bodies in the dumpsters are against the law. Similarly, tree limbs, appliances, large furniture, mattresses and construction waste are all designated refuse for the Sanitary Landfill. (Some people in town call it the dump, but the politically correct term is “Sanitary Landfill.” Call the City at 826-4644 to arrange a time to go to the landfill or contact one of the many citizens who carry a key in order to make this resource more available.
The Escalante Canyons Art Festival Committee held a recruitment event this week. A number of bright, new people were present and other interested people who were unable to attend sent word. Committee goals for the forthcoming year include providing new ways for artists to sell their work, recruitment of additional patronage for the event and involving more people in the community, including teenagers, in the festivities. Anyone who wishes to be involved may do so by calling Dana at Escalante Outfitters: 826-4266.
“Health is not simply absence of sickness.” (Hannah Greene). The grant application for the expanded Kazan Clinic moves toward completion. Over 200 letters of support from Escalante citizens will be included in the application. People from Boulder have also written supportive letters and those who have spoken with Boulderites describe much enthusiasm for the new option for health care in Escalante. Because over 300 people from Garfield County seek services in Wayne County, the healthcare committee anticipates more patients at Kazan. This week‘s issue of The Garfield County Insider includes detailed articles regarding questions and specifics of the plan and proposal. In addition, citizens may contact members of the Healthcare committee with questions.
To Shred or Not to Shred. Many of us throw our routine paperwork directly into the trash which then goes to the dumpsters. Sightings of personal information in and around the dumpsters have caused concern due to the potential for identity theft. It turns out that once paperwork leaves the owner’s property, it is no longer legally private. Although dumpster diving is a misdemeanor, picking up somebody else’s personal paperwork from public property is not illegal (Supreme Court decision). We are fortunate, in this community, to have the option of burning some trash. Paperwork containing personal information should be shredded or burned. No one wants the two-year headache of having to re-establish his or her financial life following an episode of identity theft.
So That’s What the Guys at the Golden Loop are doing! Steven Johnson says that it’s what makes coffeehouse innovations so much more impactful than market-driven interventions. “If you look at the long view, the good ideas that underlie most of the great changes in our society—that have driven progress--more often than not actually have roots in the open kind of information commons of the [Escalante] coffeehouse…. in those environments, ideas are free to connect with each other and build on top of each other,” he says. “That remixing is really where great ideas happen.”
From the Mayor’s Desk: Mayor Taylor asks to be excused from Newsletter duty this week.
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