Power
line issues postpone Tremonton's health department move
By David
Archer
TREMONTON - The Bear River Health Department will
remain at its current Tremonton location a bit longer
than they had planned. This comes after the Tremonton
City Council agreed Tuesday night to give the health
department a 90-day extension on its current building
because of problems delaying the construction of a new
facility.
LaPreal Clark, representative of the health department,
asked the council for help due to the fact that the
department had agreed to allow the Tremonton City Police
Department to move into its current building, located
at 125 S. 100 West, at the end of the year.
The plan was for Bear River Health Department to build
a new facility along 2000 West, but the proposed 345-kV
transmission line from Rocky Mountain Power that would
run along the road has put those plans on hold. The
health department is worried about the transmission
line not only being a potential health hazard, but also
worries about declining property values in the area
if the line is finalized.
"I would like to continue to provide services to the
Tremonton people," Clark said. "But we need to stay
in our building to do that."
Tremonton Police Chief Dave Nance said he sympathized
with the health department's situation, but also said
his department is growing and needs the new building
as soon as possible. The police department has already
moved a part of their operations into the basement of
the health department's building, but is unable to move
the rest due to space issues and public access.
City officials are also dealing with limited space
and will be taking over the current police department
area when the move happens.
"The city needs the area we're in now, and we'd like
to move in [to the health department building]," Nance
said.
City Council members discussed the issue, and said
they could understand the difficulties being faced by
both sides. Councilman Jeff Reese proposed giving the
health department a 90-day extension that will allow
them to remain in their building until the end of March
2009. In the meantime, Reese said he hoped to see a
resolution to the transmission line issue that would
clarify the health department's situation.
Councilman Lyle Holmgren agreed with Reese, noting
that concessions from both sides will have to be made.
"We're going to have to cinch up a bit and try and
make this work as best as we can," Holmgren said.
In other business, Grant Nish approached the council
to ask the city to surplus and sell him a small piece
of property adjacent to his, just south of North Park.
Nish has plans to build a storage-shed facility on the
location, and said the additional 12-by-150 feet of
space he is asking for would better fit his plans.
Councilman Byron Wood asked Parks and Recreation Director
Rhett Ogden if there would be a problem with Nish's
request. Ogden said the area has been considered for
the construction of a parking lot for North Park, which
currently has what he called "numerous parking issues,"
and he doesn't know if the area in question would be
part of that plan.
The council agreed to table the issue until their
next meeting, deciding it would be best for members
to examine the land themselves and work with Ogden to
make sure it didn't interfere with any of the city's
future plans.
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