Officials in Summit County are preparing for another Utah legislative session as they watch bills regarding the state’s budget and tax cuts, water and first responders. But the departure of the deputy county attorney, who had a knack for combing through legislation, presents another hurdle during what promises to be a frenzied month and a half on Capitol Hill.

Last session, the county’s legislative team was led by Deputy County Manager Janna Young and Deputy County Attorney Jami Brackin. Although Brackin has since moved to St. George and her experience sifting through bills to find ones affecting Summit County will be missed, Young said county officials remain focused on monitoring legislation and playing defense for residents.

“The best government is one at a local level,” Young said, adding that the legislative team is dedicated to fighting for what the community wants — and what it doesn’t.

County officials are closely monitoring bills related to sustainability practices, public health and issues about local control entering the 2022 general session, which begins on Tuesday and is slated to run through March 4.

Each week the legislative team meets to track bills, share what they learn and take positions on the issues. They also employ a lobbyist and work with the Utah Association of Counties to screen legislation and reach out to lawmakers.

And Young said they already have some insight into the policy themes of this session.

Summit County Sheriff Justin Martinez, for one, is particularly interested in legislation that would change the waiting period for public safety employees who retire but later choose to return to work from one year to two months. He said that an unexpected consequence of the current law is that many individuals choose not to return to law enforcement after the waiting period expires. If someone does return to the field after 12 months, Martinez said it’s likely that they’ve lost institutional knowledge and experience.

County officials will advocate for the legislation because it would allow public agencies more flexibility with hiring, and Martinez added the bill would help with recruitment and aid in retention. The state’s 28 other sheriffs are also in favor of the bill, according to Martinez.

Officials are also monitoring legislation to help fund rural medical services after a similar bill was introduced too late last year for approval. The bill would create a pot of money that provides health insurance to part-time providers, and officials believe this will serve as an incentive for recruitment in rural areas as well as assist agencies that rely on volunteer or part-time emergency medical services workers.

The county’s team is also expecting to see legislation connected to the state budget surplus, but hopes the funds are used for improvements to infrastructure like roads, bridges, water and sewer. Young added that the group is planning to advocate for more transit funding, too.

Bills related to property taxes will also be closely watched. Young said they’re supportive of the concept of deferring property taxes or reimbursing homeowners who were impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, but added that the county is guaranteed the same budget every year unless there is new tax revenue. Summit County property tax rates are adjusted every year to keep the budget stable, but if credits are given, Young said the loss must be made up, or else the tax burden is shifted onto other homeowners or commercial properties.

“There are other ways to get a solution rather than increase the indigent level,” she said.

Other legislation that has drawn the county’s attention covers issues such as building permit fees, water quality, election reform and mental health.

As always, the county’s team is also looking for any bills tied to land use such as owning or annexation. The latter issue is particularly topical after last-minute legislation in the 2020 session led to Hideout’s annexation attempt and Summit County’s ongoing legal challenge that has so far stymied the move.

“It’s been a really busy last few years and we don’t see that slowing down,” Young said, adding that there is tension around issues being discussed at the national level like law enforcement and COVID.

But even though there are always a few bills that ‘scare (the team) to death’, Young affirmed that lawmakers are open and willing to work with counties and lobbyists on legislation. Most times, they’re able to reach an understanding despite differences in politics.

“Previously, our issues were dead on arrival. Now, people are willing to work with us,” she said, crediting the strong relationships county officials have built at the Capitol. “They see the value our community provides to the state economy.”

Visit le.utah.gov/~2022/2022.HTM to keep up with the Utah Legislature during the 45-day session.

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The Park City Board of Education voted on Friday not to move to remote learning for the upcoming week just one day after state leaders reinstated the option to transition to online classes amid a surge of COVID cases in Utah schools.

Gov. Spencer Cox, citing a public health emergency, announced the option on Thursday as the omicron variant rampages throughout Utah and overwhelms the state’s testing resource capacity.

The change reversed a law that prohibited schools from going fully remote and required them to have in-person classes at least four days a week. Now, school districts facing COVID outbreaks or administrators who deem “the risks related to in-person instruction temporarily (as outweighing) the value” may move classes online for up to one week starting Tuesday or Jan. 24.

But despite some schools in the Park City School District exceeding the test-to-stay threshold, which is now being used to determine if a school can move online, local school officials opted to continue in-person instruction.

As of Friday, Park City High School had 185 confirmed cases within the last two weeks, Treasure Mountain Junior High had 144 cases, Ecker Hill Middle School had 84 cases and Jeremy Ranch Elementary School had 43 cases.

During an emergency Park City School District Board of Education meeting on Friday, members discussed whether it was safer to keep kids and teachers in their buildings or move online. The decision, they said, was a complicated one.

While evaluating the importance of in-person learning, officials must also balance the health and safety of students and employees amid staffing shortages and a high number of absences.

Between Jan. 3 and Thursday, there were 280 overall absences at the secondary schools in the Park City School District, according to data shared during the meeting. School officials added that the elementary schools are also experiencing higher-than-normal absences but it’s not as dramatic.

Although it is unclear if the absences are for part of the day or the whole day, administrators did note the attendance rate is abnormally low.

Teachers have also been requesting substitutes more often, and administrators may not have enough bodies to fully cover classes.

Mike Tanner, the chief operating officer of the Park City School District, said it’s been common for individuals from various positions to fill in for other workers who are sick. School officials estimate that nearly 10% of their overall staff is out.

To help cover, teachers are giving up their planning periods, and employees working in the district office or other areas of the school are stepping into other roles. Many educators are working later into the night to make up for time they lost during the day, according to Jake Jobe, a teacher at Park City High School and the co-president of the Park City Education Association.

Beyond teachers, Tanner said that the custodial staff and bus drivers have been hit particularly hard. The district is even considering the purchase of UV lights for the buses to aid in cleaning.

“We’re working to keep the wheels on the bus,” he said. “Everyone is doing overtime.”

Though the South Summit and North Summit school districts haven’t been hit as hard, they are also facing challenges during the COVID surge. In the South Summit School District, Superintendent Greg Maughan said that staff in the district office have even obtained their food handler permits to assist food service workers in the cafeteria.

Although the district has experienced a rise in cases, the percentage was not high enough to consider moving online. Maughan said they’ve seen the highest number of cases in the elementary school.

Jobe acknowledged that the Board of Education is in a tough spot.

While he supports the idea of online learning because it could “reset” the case count with students and staff out, he also believes that kids learn best in the classroom.

“No one wants to teach remotely,” he said, adding that each grade level experiences different challenges with online learning.

But Jobe also emphasized the union’s concern with staffing shortages and exhausted teachers. He added that the district has been working to “patch the holes” created by the COVID surge and that he’s proud of everyone for stepping up and supporting each other.

State leaders on Thursday also announced they were rescinding the test-to-stay mandate, which requires students at schools with outbreaks to be tested regularly in order to attend class in person. Officials indicated that Utah’s testing resources are stretched thin and that the tests can be better utilized elsewhere.

Officials from both the Park City School District and the South Summit School District told The Park Record that this year has been challenging in a different way compared to the first two academic years during the pandemic. However, neither district has plans to change its mitigation strategy beyond enhanced cleaning.

“Last year, there were clear rules. This year, it’s more politics — and they’re all playing out on the school stage,” Tanner said, adding that the district will do what it can to safely keep kids in school.

As cases continue to rise, school administrators urge students, teachers and parents to remain flexible. They’re asking for individuals who feel sick to stay home and for the community to remain unified in their effort to stop the spread of COVID.

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With the surge of coronavirus cases in Summit County and the omicron variant running rampant, county health officials are urging residents to get boosted and help stop the spread.

Confirmed cases in the county since Dec. 23 have continued to exceed the previous single-day record of 79 set in January 2021. And although 85% of eligible people living in Summit County are fully vaccinated, only 33% of the population, or 12,346 people, have received a COVID-19 booster shot, according to nursing director Derek Moss.

There have been numerous days where case counts have exceeded 200 recently, and health officials hope that the increase, primarily caused by the more contagious omicron variant, will underscore the importance of receiving a booster or third dose for complete coverage.

“Having two doses is good, having a booster dose is kind of a better circumstance given the current omicron surge that we’re dealing with,” said Derek Siddoway, the communication and public engagement director for Summit County.

The Health Department took a two-step approach to vaccination efforts late last year when both the pediatric vaccine and booster shot were approved. While there was a push to get people boosted at clinics at all three county health facilities, Siddoway added that officials were primarily focused on providing first and second doses to children ahead of the holidays. In Summit County, 4,907 children aged 5 to 18 are fully vaccinated and 6,037 have received at least one dose.

Although there’s been a slight decline in demand for the vaccine or booster since the holidays, Moss said the clinics have still remained fairly busy. But the demand hasn’t always been steady. When case counts were lower throughout most of the fall — there were no more than 35 cases a day in October, for instance — some residents may have felt they didn’t need the booster.

“It may be that people felt they were covered with two doses,” Siddoway said. “Originally when there were discussions about a booster dose, some of the language out there was that it may not be necessary for everyone to get.”

There are a number of other reasons some residents have forgone the booster despite being in favor of the vaccine, such as the possible side effects and recovery time that may come with the jab or simply that it’s a busy time of year.

But as Summit County officials anticipate a rise in positive cases over the next month, they are encouraging eligible residents to receive the booster to provide as much protection as possible, including against future surges and variants.

There are no plans to offer a mass vaccination clinic for the booster shot, but the Health Department has openings five days a week at the Park City location near Quinn’s Junction and three days a week in Kamas and Coalville.

The county is also partnering with the nonprofit People’s Health Clinic to help reach Hispanic residents, as well as others facing barriers in getting vaccinated. There are also interpreters at clinics to prevent anyone from feeling discouraged or intimidated if English is their second language. Flyers with information about the vaccine and how to receive a booster have also been translated into Spanish to reach a broader population.

County health officials also encourage residents who still have hesitations about the vaccine or booster to speak with their health care provider.

“We recognize that the vaccine isn’t for everyone but it is for a large percentage and the majority of people,” Siddoway said. “But if people have concerns, they should talk to their primary care physician and see what type of vaccine might be best for them.”

With the reimplementation of a countywide mask mandate last Friday, health officials hope more residents will opt to get boosted. They believe the vaccines, combined with wearing masks and getting tested when showing symptoms, will help community cases decline.

Health officials point to some studies that highlight how omicron is more infectious than the measles to emphasize how easy it is to catch. Even individuals who are fully vaccinated can contract the virus, but receiving both doses helps ensure a less severe reaction.

“We hope that this surge highlights the importance of being fully protected,” Siddoway said. “Even though we’ve been in this two years and we’re all ready to do something else besides COVID, we hope that people understand the reasons we have vaccines and the need for a booster given the current surge.”

Individuals in the 50-64 age group have been the most willing to receive the vaccine, according to Moss, with 12,279 receiving at least one dose and 9,488 being fully vaccinated. Those ages 19-24 and 65-69 have been the least willing to get the jab with 2,300 people in each group completing an initial vaccine series.

The Health Department encourages fully vaccinated individuals who haven’t received the booster to take the extra step to more fully protect themselves and others.

“Our dream or our hope is that we can get to 100% (boosted),” Siddoway said. “Now we realize that we won’t get to 100% but as close as we can is what we’re shooting for. We’re ready to serve when anyone makes the decision to get a booster.”

Utah has reported 706,183 positive cases, 28,414 hospitalizations and 3,907 deaths as of Monday. A total of 4.6 million vaccines have been administered.

For more information about boosters or COVID-19 testing in Summit County, visit summitcountyhealth.org or call 435-333-1500.

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Summit County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a domestic violence call on Monday at an apartment complex under construction in Silver Creek.

According to a report from the Sheriff’s Office, the complaint was made by the construction superintendent. He pointed out two of his workers — a male and female who live together. The construction superintendent told deputies that the female worker reported to him that she had been fighting with the man over drugs and he hit her with a snow shovel.

Deputies interviewed the couple separately, and each one told police that the man had swung the snow shovel at the woman but missed. Once police identified the individuals, they discovered both had multiple arrest warrants.

The couple consented to a search of their vehicle, which is also where they live, and deputies discovered drug paraphernalia. The 42-year-old man was also searched and police located more drug paraphernalia. He was arrested on a felony theft warrant and transported to the Summit County Jail, according to the report.

The Summit County Sheriff’s Office responded to a number of other calls between Monday, Jan. 3, and Sunday, Jan. 9, including mail theft and a number of burglaries.

Sunday, Jan. 9

Deputies were called to Canyons Village following a report of a vehicle burglary. The person stated that their car was broken into while parked in the underground parking. Police do not have a suspect or description.

Deputies responded to a residence in Canyons Village after receiving a domestic violence call. The victim stated that she was picked up and thrown to the ground by her boyfriend during an argument. Officers observed marks on the victim where she reported she had been lifted. She told police that she did not live with her boyfriend and that he didn’t leave the residence after the incident. Officers noted the suspect’s car and attempted to make contact with him, but he refused to answer the door or telephone. The case will be forwarded to the Summit County Attorney’s Office to screen for charges.

A person reported that during the evening of Jan. 8 or early morning of Jan. 9 a key to their second vehicle was taken out of their unlocked pickup truck. Both the vehicle and the key were believed to be stolen. Officers located the missing car filled with a number of items that did not belong to the registered owner in an upper parking lot of the Red Pine Condos in Canyons Village. The responding officer also found evidence in the vehicle and is conducting further follow-up. The car was returned to its owner.

Saturday, Jan. 8

Officers received a report that a hunting bow was stolen from an opened garage sometime overnight in Kimball Junction. The caller did not have any identifying information about the hunting bow and there was no video surveillance. Police have no additional leads.

Deputies responded to a mail theft call after a check was taken and cashed in Sandy. The suspect’s information was located following an investigation. The case was forwarded for investigation for suspect contact in Salt Lake City and remains open for follow-up.

Friday, Jan. 7

A person reported that an unknown white male entered their unlocked vehicle sometime overnight in Bear Hollow and took a wallet containing numerous credit cards. The credit cards were fraudulently used at numerous locations in Summit County. Deputies obtained video evidence and the case was transferred to investigations for follow-up.

Deputies responded to condominiums in Kimball Junction following a report of two vehicle burglaries. The suspect, a 43-year-old woman from Las Vegas, returned to the scene and was in the manager’s office. She became erratic and appeared to be under mental distress. Deputies paged UNI Mobile Crisis Outreach Team (MCOT) to assist. The agency determined the suspect required mental health assistance, and she was transported to a mental health facility. The case will be screened for charges by the Summit County Attorney’s Office.

Deputies reported to Silver Creek Village around 2:30 p.m. after a construction worker fell approximately 40 feet from scaffolding. The 40-year-old Provo man was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Salt Lake City where he was pronounced deceased upon arrival. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was notified about the incident and an investigator responded to the scene.

Wednesday, Jan. 5

A slide-off involving multiple cars near Landmark Drive in Kimball Junction was caused by significant black ice on the road, according to deputies. Three vehicles that slid off the road and collided were totaled. A fourth vehicle also slid off the road while attempting to avoid the crash and hit a wooden fence in front of the Best Western hotel. Deputies reported that the vehicle nearly went over the side of the hill. There was a fifth vehicle involved in the incident but it did not sustain any damage. Afterwards, the road was salted by UDOT plows.

Tuesday, Jan. 4

A 43-year-old woman driving a red Fiat was accused of trespassing and was located by deputies at the Chevron gas station in Coalville. The Las Vegas woman reportedly became agitated and started walking into the road while yelling at deputies during the investigation. When officers attempted to remove her from the roadway, she became more agitated and assaulted one of the deputies with a flashlight. The suspect was safely taken into custody and transported to the Summit County Jail on assault charges.

Deputies were dispatched to a Kimball Junction restaurant following reports that a 28-year-old man was acting strange. The Bedford, Kentucky, man removed his shirt and entered the women’s restroom. He was arrested and booked for intoxication.

Monday, Jan. 3

Deputies conducted a traffic stop at a gas station in Wanship and located an individual with a National Crime Information Center. The 43-year-old male was booked into Summit County Jail and may be extradited to California for outstanding charges.

Deputies were called to Bear Hollow following a domestic violence incident. An adult male at the residence reported that he had been pushed down the stairs by his wife, and she denied the allegations. Officers did not see any evidence of a physical altercation and separated the couple for the night. The case will be screened by the Summit County Attorney’s Office.

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