By Julie Johansen
Mayor Trent Jackson began the Ferron City Council Meeting reporting on EMS for the city. He stated that is it difficult to maintain money for the services, even county-wide. An alternative being considered is consolidating garages. The Basic EMT Class offered by the county has eight participants. Ferron City produced $128,979 from their ambulance runs. Also, their average response time was five minutes and they are fully staffed 60% of the time.
Fire Chief Randy Kenney then reported to the council that they have firemen completing their red card certification and should be ready before the wildfire season starts. The Ferron Fire Department will be hosting the regional training in April and they are always looking for volunteers.
Next Kyle Beagley of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) gave the council an update on getting the land at Millsite Golf Course. He reported that, in 2020, a patent for the lease was applied for. A land survey was completed after the dam was completed in 2023.
The question was what was best, a patent or land sale? He felt that probably a direct land sale was in the city’s best interest and the council seemed to agree. A cultural and biological survey needed to be done and then an Environmental Assessment (EA) could be processed with an application being sent to Washington in probably January or February. He concluded by stating that land sales can be very complicated but hopefully the sale could happen next summer.
Kasey Edgehouse then spoke to the council about an amendment to the agreement at the Millsite Golf Course with Bench Craft Company. This would include putting ball washers at each hole with advertisements on the ball washers. This amendment was approved by the council. Edgehouse concluded stating that the course would stay open as long as weather would allow with a hard closure on December first. They are winterizing everything and he reported a great fall season at Millsite.
Kim Johnson with Blue Ivy Professional Services spoke to the council about his employment engagement services for small communities. His area of focus was employee relations and handbooks. He said he can figure out how to make things better and happier for everyone involved. Engagement options were discussed and an agreement for one month, up to 12 months, was approved.
The council then discussed about coordinating the water bill and the ordinance. The decision was made to change the due dates on the bill rather than change the ordinance. It was also discussed that a fee charge of $35 would be issued if bill pays cannot be finalized the first time.
Agreements with Jones and DeMille for structural and schematic designs for the stockshow barn were approved. City Recorder Barbara Bowles is working on grants to help with the funding for the new building. The Governor’s Office of Economic Development had contacted the city with grants available to help rebuild.
Pictures of overloaded dumpsters at Ferron City were then displayed and problem solving discussion began. It is costing the City $28,000 a year just for the roll offs. Burn piles were considered to help with burnable trash and building a fence around the dumpsters was considered that could be better monitored. Citizens were reminded that extra garbage cans can be obtained for $6 a month.
Ferron City’s Christmas Party will be De. 20 but more details are coming.
