Emery County commissioners approve $5,000 livestock donation, cemetery fee changes and multiple contracts

Emery County commissioners on a February 2025 meeting in Castle Dale approved a slate of routine and programmatic items, including a $5,000 donation to the Southeastern Utah Junior Livestock Show, changes to burial fees at Lawrence Cemetery and contracts for the county general plan and other services.

The donation request came from Kaylee Morris, who identified herself as a fundraising representative for the Southeastern Utah Junior Livestock Show. "We wanted to thank you guys for your continued support for our show, and we're wondering if you guys would like to donate towards us again," Morris said, and asked the commission to match the $5,000 the county provided the prior year. Commissioners approved the donation with a stipulation to support all contest species, including rabbits, and with a request that a county commissioner present the award buckle at the event.

The commission also approved an amendment to Emery County Resolution No. 03-18-08, which governs the management plan for Lawrence Cemetery. The amendment reduces the differential between cremation and full-body burial opening fees, setting cremation grave preparation at $150 for weekdays and $200 for weekends, a change commissioners said was intended to align county service charges more closely with the lower costs that often lead families to choose cremation.

County officials approved a contract with BioWest for a review and update of the Emery County General Plan. County staff said the work will be a revision of the existing plan rather than a completely new plan and will include required state additions and public hearings with the planning and zoning board.

The commission approved a renewal with Westco to continue an existing billboard on Main Street in Green River that promotes the John Wesley Powell River History Museum; the county will pay annual rental of the panel space and not incur production or design costs for the year. Officials said the sign has been well received in Green River and is intended to direct visitors to the museum.

Finally, commissioners approved an amendment to contract number 231366 with the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development (OED) to continue a reimbursement arrangement tied to the county research center. The amendment extends the county’s role as the invoice recipient for certain expenses and continues the county’s reimbursement process through June 2025 while the state transitions billing procedures.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda: approved. Vote recorded in transcript: Borwood—Aye; Leonard—Aye; Jensen—Aye. (Motion moved and seconded.)

- Southeastern Utah Junior Livestock Show donation, $5,000, with stipulation to cover all species including rabbits and presentation of the "best of" buckle: approved. Vote recorded in transcript: Warwood—Aye; Leonard—Aye; Jensen—Aye. (Motion moved and seconded.)

- Resolution amending Emery County Resolution No. 03-18-08 (Lawrence Cemetery management plan) to adjust cremation grave fees to $150 (weekday) and $200 (weekend): approved. Vote recorded in transcript: Forward—Aye; Leonard—Aye; Jensen—Aye. (Motion moved and seconded.)

- Contract with BioWest for Emery County General Plan review and update: approved. Vote recorded in transcript: Glendard—Aye; Jensen—Aye. (Motion moved and seconded.)

- Renewal with Westco for John Wesley Powell billboard rental in Green River, annual rental $6,630: approved. Vote recorded in transcript: Warwood—Aye; Leonard—Aye; Jensen—Aye. (Motion moved and seconded.)

- Amendment to contract no. 231366 between Emery County and State of Utah OED (research center reimbursements), extending reimbursement arrangement through June 2025: approved. Vote recorded in transcript: Borwood/Boardwood—Aye; Leonard—Aye; Jensen—Aye. (Motion moved and seconded.)

Why it matters

The actions fund a long-running local youth agriculture event, alter cemetery service charges that affect funeral costs, and set the county on a multi-step planning process that will shape land-use policy through a BioWest-led review. The billboard renewal supports local tourism messaging. The OED contract amendment maintains an interim reimbursement process for the research center while the state transitions billing.

What commissioners said and next steps

County staff said the general-plan update will include required state elements, public hearings, and coordination with the planning and zoning board. The BioWest contract was described as a revision of the existing plan rather than a wholesale rewrite. For the OED contract amendment, county staff said the change is intended to keep reimbursements flowing until the state completes a direct-billing setup; the amendment extends the arrangement through June 2025.

The commission handled these items in regular session; additional public hearings or follow-up work were described for the general-plan review process and for implementing the cemetery fee change.