Happy 4th of July 2019
Life in the West
~~Climate Change Forecast For The Four Corners
~~ Property Owners and Nightly Rentals Facing Scrutiny
~~ Opinion: Bluff City Should Rethink Objection to Solar Farm
~~ What's Best? Ban Plastic Bags or Other Alternatives?
~~ Supreme Court Determines to Stay out of State Political Boundary Issues
~~Letting Fires Burn VS. Value of New Growth Is it Really Worth it?
~~ Agenda for July 2, Commission Meeting--Note new location
SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMISSION MEETINGMONUMENT VALLEY WELCOME CENTER - MONUMENT VALLEY, UTAHAGENDAJuly 2, 2019
9:00 A.M. Work Meeting 1. San Juan County Marketing & Promotion Initiatives Briefing - Natalie Randall 2. Budget Briefing / 2019 Tax Rates Discussion - John David Nielson, John Fellmeth, David Everitt 3. Status of Maintenance for Roads on the Navajo Nation - Ben Musselman, David Everitt 4. County Administrator Appointment Process - David Everitt 5. Public Lands Issues Report - Nick Sandberg 10:00 A.M. Commission Meeting 1. Approval of Minutes - June 10 & 18, 2019 2. Citizens' comments* (Please complete the request form - available at the door) 3. Designate the County's representative at the upcoming NACo conference 4. Ratify BLM Letter confirming participation as a Consulting Party in the Canyon Rims TMA - Nick Sandberg 5. Authorize Chair to sign comment letter regarding the draft Colorado River Management Plan and the draft Green & Colorado Rivers Mineral Leasing Plan - Nick Sandberg 6. Authorize the Chair to sign a Cooperative Agreement with Utah State Division of Parks & Recreation to install vault toilets at Hook & Ladder Trailhead - Ben Musselman 7. Ratify 2019 property tax rates - John David Nielson 8. Approve new hires - Walter Bird 9. Mental Health Board Appointment 10. Ratify approval of Reimbursement Agreement with SITLA for planning work in Spanish Valley - David Everitt 11. Commission Reports
~~Uranium Mining in the Four Corners Could See a Revival this Year
~~ Video of June 18 Commission Meeting
~~ Rep. Bishop and Team Introduce RNR Bipartisan Act: Recreation Not Red Tape (RNR) Act
~~ Rural Communities Seek Help through Utah Coal Miners Strike Team
~~ Reintroduction of Wolves into Colorado has Negative Impact on Elk Herds
~~ Related video The Devastation to Other Wildlife
~~FEMA and the Dysfunction of Federal Bureaucracy
"Another bureaucratic fiasco simply reinforces why the nine most terrifying words in the English language are still: “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”
The number of declared national emergencies—and how much we spend on them—is rising, yet one of the agencies tasked with handling national emergencies has been particularly opaque about its effectiveness."~~ Recent Supreme Court Decision Looks at Gerrymandering
~~ Nat'l Parks and Monuments Crumbling After Years of Neglect
"Nearly $12 billion is needed to repair infrastructure, mostly crumbling roads, at 419 park units managed by the National Park Service (NPS). The maintenance backlog grew $313 million in 2018 alone, federal figures state." So why would Dine Bikeyah want to resize Bears Ears back to original designation if the NPS can't even maintain what they already have? Free Range Report
"The maintenance backlog goes beyond just NPS-managed lands. In total, the Interior Department faces $18 billion in deferred maintenance when lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies are factored in."
Editorial Comment: "Back in 2016 and 2017 when were were actively fighting the 1.9 Obama Declared National Monument, this issue was one of the concerns we had, and it hasn't gotten any better. In fact, it's gotten worse, because now our country has a 22 Trillion debt! How can we suppose the Federal Gov. can take care of our Public lands, or Nat'l parks and Monuments when they are indebted to other countries? Collateral for debt appears to be the confiscation of more public land. Local and State control is in most cases better; they at least pay their bills." Janet Wilcox
