Iron County Commissioners are holding a public hearing Monday to review recommendations by the auditor on budget adjustments, which include a change of $962,000 in the ambulance fund.
The public hearing will be held at 10 a.m. at the Iron County Courthouse in Parowan at 68 S 100 E.
Iron County Auditor Gene Adams said he is proposing to make a $962,000 adjustment in the ambulance fund. However, he was not able to provide details on how he came up with that adjustment.
According to Commissioner Dave Miller, the county recently sold the ambulance service to Gold Cross for around $1.5 million. Adams said he isn’t sure how much of that money is included in the $962,000 and what other figures help to make up that number.
Adams said he had to adjust the ambulance budget for a reduction in expenses and revenue but that there was no profit from the sale since the ambulance service had a $2 million debt and still owed money on the Cedar City ambulance building.
Adams was also not able to provide information on how much the county still owed on the ambulance building prior to selling it to Gold Cross.
Miller and Commissioner Dale Brinkerhoff also said they were not clear on Monday’s adjustment for the ambulance service but would make sure they fully understood what was happening prior to any approval.
“I’ve been out of town so I haven’t had a chance to go over it but I will and I’ll make sure I completely understand before Monday,” Brinkerhoff said.
Miller said he also didn’t completely understand where Adams was coming up with his numbers.
The commissioners will also be reviewing a $2.8 million adjustment coming from the state Corridor Preservation Fund that is earmarked for the purchase of right-of-ways. Miller said this money is going toward to buying right-of-ways on the belt loop that is currently being built from Interstate15 at exit 51 to State Route 56.
“That money is for planning for the future,” Miller said.
The commissioners will also be reviewing a possible $20,000 donation to the Western Freedom Festival, a new event organized by several Utah elected leaders to “honor, pay respect and pledge continued support to preserve western culture, lifestyle, heritage, family values and freedom.”
Miller said the money comes from a windfall this year in the county’s Transient Room Tax of approximately $150,000 that is generated by tourism.
“Good things are happening,” Miller said. “I believe there is an attraction to southern Utah because of good robust messages that are getting out there and people are attracted to our values and our local activities like Shakespeare.”
The festival is scheduled for Oct. 23 and will be a day of activities and educational learning opportunities and will conclude with a live concert by country music star Darryl Worley.
