Author Bios

All-day kindergarten will be re-instated at Morgan Elementary School for the upcoming school year.

Morgan County is making equipment available to the public in an effort to control noxious weeds county-wide.  Backpack sprayers and sprayers that can be attached to ATVs will be available Mondays and Thursdays from the county extension office free of charge for county residents.  The equipment was purchased by the Morgan County Weed Board.

Many different opinions were aired at the last community meeting hosted by the Morgan County School District discussing the voted local levy. The April 18 meeting was held at Morgan Elementary School and was one of the last of the 18 meetings the district scheduled to disseminate information regarding the levy that will be on the June 25 ballot.

It was standing room only Tuesday when the Morgan City Planning Commission unanimously denied a conditional use permit for a residential group home.  More than 90 residents crowded the council chambers, where Alpha Counseling and Treatment presented plans for a group home for “disabled youth suffering from autism, Asperger’s syndrome and similar challenges” at 535 Derrick Circle.

Morgan County School Board members, teachers and residents are talking about a website created by Morgan community members that voices opposition to the voted leeway that will come before voters on June 25.

Interest was high in the Morgan County School Board seat vacated by Joey Skinner, but Mark Farmer was chosen above four other applicants as the newest school board member.  On Tuesday, he was appointed to serve until the end of 2014.

Those owning buildings in the commercial zoning districts of Morgan City will have to make sure their properties are in tip-top shape according to a new building maintenance ordinance amendment unanimously passed by the Morgan City Council.

The Morgan County Council is voicing their opinions on development plans dubbed the Mountain Green Village.

 
How much will come out of residents’ pockets if the voted leeway passes in June?  School district officials are revealing the amounts as they prepare for upcoming informational meetings with the public.

As Morgan school officials prepare to ask voters to approve a voted leeway on June 25, 2013, they are busy scheduling meetings to inform the public.

The Morgan County Council approved the first phase of the Morgan Bike Park, which could include a pump track area.  The area would be restricted to non-motorized recreation only.

Morgan City is taking the next step to locate a hotel in its boundaries by writing a letter of intent to enter into a development agreement with Scott Somerville, president of Renascent Hospitality.

Eight months after opening the Trojan Century Center, Morgan school officials are saying the facility is seeing a lot of use.

While preparing the year in review piece for last week’s newspaper, I really was amazed at all the things that took place in Morgan County during 2012.  Sometimes I get stuck in the weekly rut of attending meetings, listening to recordings, writing stories and editing the newspaper.  The chance to look at every newspaper published by The Morgan County News in 2012 gave me the opportunity to step back and really get an over-all picture.

Morgan County School Board recently received honors for achieving 100 percent participation in the Utah School Boards Association’s Master Boards Award program.

Morgan County School District administrators are putting figures to the amount of money they will seek for a voted leeway on the June 2013 ballot.

Following an administrative investigation conducted by the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department, the officer who fired a shot that struck the left eye of Kristin Nicole Biggs has been cleared and returned to duty in December.

The Morgan County police officer involved in a Davis County shooting Nov. 25 has been identified.  While the Davis County Attorney’s Office says Morgan Sherriff’s Sgt. Daniel Scott Peay’s use of force was “not justified” by Utah law, Davis County Attorney Troy S. Rawlings declined to prosecute Peay.
In a two-page memo to Morgan County Sheriff Blaine Breshears, Rawlings said Peay’s use of deadly force “does not squarely fit with the letter, scope and intent” of Utah law.  However, Rawlings said a jury would likely not find Peay guilty of a crime.
“We believe a unanimous jury would not convict Sergeant Peay of a crime when presented with all of the evidence,” Rawlings said in the memo. 

Morgan City’s consultant is progressing on bringing a hotel to Morgan and is now concentrating on financing arrangements and which hotel chain best suits the area.

Auditors gave Morgan City a clean bill of financial health during the fiscal year 2012 financial report.

A Morgan County employee since 2009 has moved up the ranks to accept a position as the new planning and development services department director.

The Morgan County School Board got a grim outlook for the future of state education funding during their annual presentation to legislators.

Morgan resident Jennifer Vesper took second place honors in the 3rd annual Ivory Homes Gingerbread Contest, earning a$500 cash prize not only for herself, but for her Relay for Life team. 

Following the untimely death of Morgan County Councilman Don Mathews, the county is seeking to fill his vacancy representing District 5 in the North Morgan area.

The interlocal agreement among the city, county, and school board that governs recreation programs in the county is in place, but on shaky ground.

Scott Logan Gollaher is scheduled to appear before Judge Noel S. Hyde in a Morgan court room Wednesday on four counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, an additional 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, and one count of sodomy on a child.
Gollaher, a registered sex offender, was constructing a new home in the Morgan area when reports of sexual abuse reached the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office.
On June 17, 2012, Morgan County Deputy Joseph Rohbock was called by a concerned mother whose 11-year-old daughter had been the victim of a sexual offense incident. The mother had allowed her daughter and her daughter’s cousin to go with a friend the previous day.  The three girls had traveled to Morgan to Scott Gollaher’s home at 246 E. Woods Creed Road in Morgan City.  While visiting the Morgan home, the young girl said she had been touched, spanked and continually fondled.  The visit involved a four-wheeler ride where Gollaher was the driver and the victim was his passenger in front.

What started out as a Morgan County deputy noticing a driver driving without any lights on along Interstate 84 ended up in a high speed chase spanning three counties and the first officer-involved shooting in the county in at least 15 years.

The Nov. 20 canvas changed the outcome of the Morgan County School Board Precinct 1 race between incumbent Jody V. Hipwell and Lydia Nuttall by just one vote.  On election night, Hipwell was the winner by 23 votes.  After all the provisional ballots and absentee ballots were counted, Hipwell won by 24 votes.  

In the wake of charges facing a local business owner, Morgan City is reviewing its business license application.

In both of Morgan’s only contested local races, the incumbents came out on top—so far.  In the Morgan County School Board Precinct 1 race, Jody V. Hipwell beat out opponent Lydia Nuttall by just 23 votes.  Although the final count Tuesday was 418 to 395, county officials are waiting until Nov. 20 to count all absentee and provisional ballots.  Precinct 1 has 28 provisional ballots and 12 absentee ballots, or 40 votes that could still make a difference.  

Just 16 months apart in age, sisters Marnie Franich Stark and Rana Franich Aguirre were inseparable.  When they were young, their mother Jessie Franich would dress them like twins.  The “Fiesty Franich sisters” shared many common friends while attending Morgan High School.  Even their parents couldn’t tell their voices apart on the phone.

The way recreation programs are handled by the city, county and school board may be changing in the near future.  Changes could affect the annual 4th of July celebration. 

The Morgan County School Board is considering administering the Student Health and Risk Prevention survey to students in select grades in February or March of 2013.  In years past, some parents have objected to the content of the survey and claimed the schools did not properly follow through on the “opt in” parent permission procedure.

**TV tower upgrades cause hiccup in channel 11 reception
On Nov. 1, Morgan’s digit to analog television conversion was finalized with $71,000 worth of equipment installation. However, older TV sets are still having problems displaying the three KBYU channels, or channel 11.
Morgan County Councilwoman Ronda Kippen advised residents to rescan their television in order to ensure that channel 11 is reprogrammed properly. Those residents with newer television sets that automatically rescan whenever they are turned on likely have no problems receiving channel 11.

A Morgan High School athlete was honored at the 34th annual Dinner of Champions presented Sept. 12 by the McCarthey Family at La Caille Restaurant in Sandy.

In the name of public safety, the Morgan County Council is ready to take on pesky address issues, including involving city officials.

**Hailey Kilburn Jones (cousin):
Marnie meant so much to me.  So many wonderful memories: her beautiful smile; her heart-felt giggles, giggles that came from her toes up; her one-of-a kind hugs, I always knew how much she loved me when she gave me one.  She wasn't just my cousin I was very close with, but my friend also.  All the fun Christmas Eves together as a family are great memories.  She was my protector growing up.  She was ALWAYS there when I needed her most; it's like she could sense that.  When my husband lost his job, she was the first one to my house to see how she could help.  She was so caring, loving, and giving.  I look back on her life and realize all the effort she put in to stay close and to know what was going on in our families’ lives.  She cared so much for everyone's well being.  I want to live my life by her example.  She had such a way of letting you know and feel how important you were to her and how much she loved you.  I see now how important it is to let people know how you feel about them.  You can't wait for tomorrow; do it today.  Marnie did that.  I never questioned what I meant to her.  Whether it was with words or deeds, I just knew how much I meant to her and how much she loved me.  She meant the world to me.  I love her with all my heart! She was kind and caring.  She loved unconditionally.  She always made you feel special.  She had a one-of-a-kind smile that truly did light up the room.  Her hugs were the kind of hugs that got you through until the next time you saw her again.  Most importantly, she was BEAUTIFUL inside and out.  She was always a protector and loved fiercely those closest to her.  Our Marn was just so special, she touched so many lives. She was an angel here on Earth to our family, and now she is our sweet angel in Heaven. 

Mike Waite is the newest full-time Morgan County employee, accepting the newly created county facilities manager position.  When the job description was created in June, the Morgan County Council envisioned the position would oversee the county’s parks, road, weed, fairgrounds, and building and grounds departments.

The Morgan County Council hopes to change the “anti-business” reputation it seems to have.

One of the entrants that earned a best in show award at Morgan City’s Cruz’n Classics Car Show almost didn’t enter.  Duane Carpenter, owner of a cherry red 1959 Ford Edsel Convertible, saw a brochure for the car show the night before in Wyoming.  He hurried to make it to Morgan’s Riverside Park from Evanston on Saturday.

Mountain Green resident David Sawyer, who recently returned from serving with the U.S. armed services in Afghanistan, presented both Morgan County and Boy Scout Troop 576 with American flags for their service.

The rapids at Taggart are well known to many rafters, tubers, and kayakers. But it’s now a location for many who enjoy the emerging sport of stand up paddle boarding, or SUP.

The Morgan County Council has agreed with moving forward on hiring someone to help with the county’s economic development goals.
"We have difficulties in the county," Councilman Lyle Nelson said. "We are hailed as the county that is difficult to do business in, or get a business started in. I have heard horror stories of those that gave up trying."
He said the answer to turning that around is to hire at least a part-time economic development director or consultant.
"We need someone on our side that can actively recruit," Nelson said. "We need to put some money into someone here consistently that answers the phone."

It may be nearing the end of the outdoor watering season, but several water companies have asked for voluntary restrictions in the name of conservation.

Secondary water issue plagues district

Public comment was split nearly evenly Tuesday evening on whether or not the Morgan County School Board should raise taxes to provide the district with $100,000 in contingency funds.

Soon after parents buy the new school clothes, pack the backpacks, and pay registration fees, they will be facing another school-related expense: new taxes.  On a split 3-2 vote, the Morgan County School Board narrowly passed a tax that will increase the property tax on a $200,000 home $14.96 a year. 

Matthew Godfrey, Morgan City’s economic development consultant, is “very confident” he has found a developer who wants to build a hotel in the area.  However, Godfrey says a letter from the Morgan County Council supporting improvements along the banks of the Weber River near Como Springs and the county fairgrounds would go a long way in bringing a hotel project to fruition.

The new Trojan Century Center has become an unnecessary stumbling block in discussions regarding the need to increase property taxes to fund education.  

The new Trojan Century Center has become an unnecessary stumbling block in discussions regarding the need to increase property taxes to fund education.  

It’s taken years from the time this splash pad was first mentioned to the day the water was turned on and officially named the Morgan City Riverside Splash Pad.  I know; I’ve written at least four articles about Morgan’s splash pad in the last two years and edited six just since May.  

Although subdivisions developers are still required to improve infrastructure along existing county streets, small subdivision developers may catch a break with a recent code amendment. 

Lydia Nuttall, who is running for a seat on the Morgan County School Board representing District 1, is familiar with the way the school district works.  

Scott Logan Gollaher, 53, was booked into the Weber County jail without bail on 10 counts of possession of child pornography and one count of sodomy of a child. 

Two weeks after voting to delay a property tax increase, the Morgan County School Board is reconsidering.  They have set a July 12 date to hold a public meeting, where they may vote to move forward with raising taxes as early as this November in order to build a contingency fund into the district’s budget.

 
District officials are considering a new tardy policy at Morgan Middle School.
The new policy is based on one already in place at Roosevelt Junior High, Morgan Middle School Principal Terry Allen said.  In surveying his staff, 90 percent responded that they liked the new policy.

 
The Morgan County School Board approved a new high school attendance policy.
“Attendance is always a difficult thing,” said Morgan High School Principal Wade Murdock.

 
The Morgan City Council appointed their newest member Tuesday.
Among five residents who expressed interest in the seat left vacant after Lynn Mickelsen’s death, the council chose Michael L. Kendell to serve through 2014.   Julie Anderson, Stephen V. Gale, Holly Limb, and DeOrr Peterson were the other applicants.

Although the Morgan County School Board voted to dip into pay-as-you-go funds to balance the “bare bones” budget this year, they are promising the tax payers a tax increase next year.

As part of celebrating its 100th anniversary worldwide, Holcim is donating 100 man hours to the communities they operate in.  In Morgan, this means $8,000 worth of new playground equipment for the Croydon Park, as well as the man-hours needed to install it.  The equipment removed from the Croydon park is slated to be installed at the county fairgrounds.

By asking their human resource consultant to write up a job description, the Morgan County Council is moving ahead with creating a county facilities manager to oversee three departments.  The new job description will help the council settle on a salary range in the future.

Shane Wilkinson topped 33 other drivers to win the 2012 Rabbit Rumble Demolition Derby in Delta on Saturday, May 26.  Although he won $4,000, Wilkinson said that only barely covers the expenses he put into his 1957 Lincoln painted black with a number 72 on the doors.

Morgan City is short at least $814,000 in taxes owed to a special improvement district by Mount Joy, LLC, a local developer now involved in bankruptcy court proceedings.  Without payment, Morgan City officials may have to cut costs or reduce services to make a $103,000 bond payment June 1.  Developer Gray Jensen said things are in the works that could help the city make the payment.

The Morgan County Council agreed to amend a development agreement, effectively reimbursing a developer for affordable housing the county never built.

School lunch prices are on the rise.