Many view Morgan County as a sleepy town slightly removed from the crime and drugs along the Wasatch Front. But Interstate 84 makes sure the county is on the footpath of many criminals travelling to and from other locations.
Mike Waite is the newest full-time Morgan County employee, accepting the newly created county facilities manager position. When the job description was created in June, the Morgan County Council envisioned the position would oversee the county’s parks, road, weed, fairgrounds, and building and grounds departments.
Although the Morgan County Council prepared an offer to purchase the former bus garage property on State Street, the Morgan County School Board decided to accept another offer from a commercial entity.
Saturday afternoon the public met to break ground on a brand new building for the Morgan Health Center and the staff and residents couldn’t be happier.
The Morgan County Council has agreed to purchase the former bus garage on State Street from the Morgan County School District for an undisclosed amount to be paid over a three-year period.
The facility will be used as storage for various county equipment including sheriff department and emergency vehicles. Presently, a majority of such equipment, valued at several hundred thousand dollars, is stored outside and subject to weather deterioration.
Chairwoman Tina Kelley cast one of two opposing votes, saying the county had other financial priorities such as replacing a boiler for the county building.
The Morgan County Council has agreed with moving forward on hiring someone to help with the county’s economic development goals.
"We have difficulties in the county," Councilman Lyle Nelson said. "We are hailed as the county that is difficult to do business in, or get a business started in. I have heard horror stories of those that gave up trying."
He said the answer to turning that around is to hire at least a part-time economic development director or consultant.
"We need someone on our side that can actively recruit," Nelson said. "We need to put some money into someone here consistently that answers the phone."
An economic development attorney has asked Morgan County to shake off the webs and dust that has collected on its Redevelopment Agency created in the days of Garth Day and kick things into gear again.
Public comment was split nearly evenly Tuesday evening on whether or not the Morgan County School Board should raise taxes to provide the district with $100,000 in contingency funds.
In the throws of budget turmoil, the Morgan County School District is motivated to sell its old bus garage property on State Street. Superintendent Ken Adams said there has been interest in outside parties purchasing the commercial property, including renewed interest from Morgan County. The school board went into executive session Tuesday to discuss real estate negotiations with the county. They planned to have something in writing for the Morgan County Council to consider during their Aug. 21 meeting.
Soon after parents buy the new school clothes, pack the backpacks, and pay registration fees, they will be facing another school-related expense: new taxes. On a split 3-2 vote, the Morgan County School Board narrowly passed a tax that will increase the property tax on a $200,000 home $14.96 a year.
Matthew Godfrey, Morgan City’s economic development consultant, is “very confident” he has found a developer who wants to build a hotel in the area. However, Godfrey says a letter from the Morgan County Council supporting improvements along the banks of the Weber River near Como Springs and the county fairgrounds would go a long way in bringing a hotel project to fruition.
The Morgan School District’s financial situation is so complicated, it is going to take a combination of many options to solve, or even squeak by from year to year, school board members agreed. The solution rests on raising taxes, a voted leeway, and possibly even more cuts that could directly affect the classroom.
Scott Logan Gollaher, 53, was booked into the Weber County jail without bail on 10 counts of possession of child pornography and one count of sodomy of a child.
Within the last week, the Sheriff’s Office completed two extensive separate investigations involving two registered sex offenders. As a result of these investigations, two adult males were arrested and booked into the Weber County jail on separate charges. On behalf of the Sheriff’s Office, we would like to extend our thanks to all of the agency’s that assisted in the arrest of Scott Gollaher.
Two weeks after voting to delay a property tax increase, the Morgan County School Board is reconsidering. They have set a July 12 date to hold a public meeting, where they may vote to move forward with raising taxes as early as this November in order to build a contingency fund into the district’s budget.
After nearly two years of work, donations from many of Morgan’s businesses and residents, meetings, design, and planning, the splash pad is nearly complete. The city just missed having the splash pad ready for the 4th of July celebrations, but is now just days away from having the project ready for use.
At a ceremony just after the flag raising on the fourth of July, individuals from various branches of government in the county gathered to reaffirm their commitment to supporting the families who have individuals serving in the armed services. “We owe it to our veterans, we owe it to those who are serving our county and protecting us,” said Mayor Egbert.
Morgan City is the first recipient of a new award from the Utah National Guard. Colonel Brown told the city, “I am so thankful to the city for what you have done in helping my family out with our utilities and just knowing that they were safe here in this small community.”
Although subdivisions developers are still required to improve infrastructure along existing county streets, small subdivision developers may catch a break with a recent code amendment.
New city council member Michael L. Kendell was sworn in on Tuesday at the city council meeting. Kendall is replacing council member Lynn Mickelsen, who recently passed away.
Jody V. Hipwell and Lydia Nuttall will proceed to the November election for the Morgan County School Board District 1. Hipwell received the most votes at 86, while Nuttall came in with 67. With 43 votes, Tina Cannon was eliminated after the primary election.
Jody V. Hipwell and Lydia Nuttall will proceed to the November election for the Morgan County School Board District 1. Hipwell received the most votes at 86, while Nuttall came in with 67. With 43 votes, Tina Cannon was eliminated after the primary election.
On Tuesday, June 19, Shaka Laka handed out over 500 samples of sunblock and chapstick with a retail value of well over $1,000. A tent set up across the street from the post office on State Street hosted the event. This half day of generosity was spurred by an appeal to residents to vote for their company to qualify to be eligible to receive a $250,000 grant from “Mission: Small Business.” The contest requires 250 votes to be eligible to receive one of 12 grants offered from Chase and Living Social. According to their website, the company is “based on the mainland in Utah, but we are all about the island style, kickin’ back, and just having fun.” They also note that their products are made in the USA “on Da Biggah Island of Utah”
With a strong background in finance and a focus on volunteer service, Tina Cannon hopes to make a difference on the Morgan County School Board. Cannon is running for District 1. Cannon is a professional accountant who worked at a public accounting firm for many years. She left the firm to spend more time at home with her children. She and a partner run their own accounting firm, where she provides services to businesses and is able to work out of her home and be close to the needs of her children. The change has also allowed her to do more volunteer work.
Lydia Nuttall, who is running for a seat on the Morgan County School Board representing District 1, is familiar with the way the school district works.
Jody Hipwell currently represents District 1 on the Morgan School Board. Hipwell has been serving on the board since August of 2011 when she replaced Earl Ericksen, who passed away. Hipwell is a native of Ogden. After her marriage to her husband, Carl, they spent 17 years in the Southeast United States in Arkansas and South and North Carolina. Hipwell, who has four children, volunteered in schools in each of the communities where they lived.
The school district is in financial trouble, enough that two top administrators are doing something drastic to save costs.
Superintendent Ken Adams announced his retirement, effective April 16, 2013. The state retirement board has already approved the move, Adams said.
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