Nick Kiahtipes, Carbon High School Junior Class President, presented a signed petition to Carbon County Commissioners at Wednesday’s meeting urging them to cancel plans to build a new county courthouse instead, asking for a new youth recreation center.
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Kiahtipes said the petition had 1,051 signatures to date. Another high school student then read the petition to those in attendance at the meeting describing what exactly the petition states.
Before other representatives from the community offered their opinions on the topic, Commissioner Jon Jones said, “I think these kids are some great upstanding kids, and I think we’re looking at a couple of young commissioners when I look at them.”
Representatives from the Boy Scouts of America, Carbon County Boy’s and Girl’s Club, Sheriff James Cordova, USU Eastern Vice Chancellor for Administration and Advancement Brad King, and the local LDS Church, among others, took to the lectern to voice their opinion as to why a rec center would be more beneficial than a new courthouse.
Milt Davis, the BSA representative, stated that there are 2,110 youth in the area, but only 518 are involved in the BSA. That leaves 1,592 youth looking forВ activitiesВ in which to be involved.
After hearing comments and opinions from the community, commissioners stated that a $6В millionВ grant would be lost with the cancellation of the proposed court house. Two additional $6 million loans at two percent interest are also in play. According to commissioners, by losing the grant the county would need top pick up the extra funds in another grant at a higher interest rate. That, in turn, would increase county-wide taxes by about 45 percent, said commissioners.
The building currently in use was built during the 1950’s.
Commissioners denied the cancellation request of the community, but are willing to look into a rec center in the future, pending county support.
Commissioners will next meet September 5.
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