For eight adjustments to its budget, the Millard County Commission approved $292,990, three of those changes being for its landfill, free television and filing an appeal in an effort to keep water in Snake Valley.

The commission gave the green light in its Sept. 11 meeting in the form of $150,000 for the Millard County Landfill Department, $80,000 for fencing along Highway 257, $30,000 for free television, $10,000 for filing an appeal of a Nevada State Engineer ruling on water in the Snake Valley, $10,000 for “special prosecution,” $5,140 for Utah State University Extension Millard County, $5,000 for the Central Utah Counseling Center and $2,850 for East Millard Tackle Football.

Regarding the $150,000 for the landfill, Landfill Operations Supervisor John Higgins said there were “catastrophic” incidents there, including losing an engine. Commissioner Jim Withers said that he would see what the options are after asking if Higgins needed a rental dozer, since the one Higgins was operating is down.

Commission Chairperson Wayne Jackson said the appropriation would be around $150,000 if the county did repairs.

The $10,000 for an appeal if necessary to keep Snake Valley water would be opposite Southern Nevada Water Authority. If the SNWA was able to take water from the valley, “This would create a desert environment in the Snake Valley,” Commissioner Dean Draper said. And plants on the valley floor would be killed, he added.

The county, which would use Mark Hurd again for legal counsel, has fought the water grab since 2004, Draper also said.

USU Extension Millard County Director Deric Despain asked for a bump up from appropriations to his entity from what had been given the prior two years because in that time, a former employee “terminated early,” meaning that he needed a bump in pay to account for the normal staff level, Despain said.

Rhett Wilkinson, staff reporter