Bryner named SSD’s new attorney, replaces Sampinos
The Carbon County Transportation and Recreation Special Service District (SSD) board has agreed to provide members additional compensation when they are required to go out of town on district business.
The matter was discussed at the regularly scheduled meeting last Monday. The SSD owns property in the Scofield area and members are regularly required to go there on district business. Occassionally they are also required to travel to other places to see or inspect work that is being done with SSD funds.
Members are paid $60 to attend regular meetings. However, a trip to Scofield or 9-Mile Canyon can take several hours.
The new policy, passed unanimously at the Monday meeting, provides for members to be paid $50 per hour, with a minimum of $150, plus vehicle compensation, for traveling on SSD business.
The SSD is made up of seven members, six are appointed by the county commission and the seventh is a member of the commission. At the present time that is Commissioner Casey Hopes. Pace Hansen is chairman of the board.
The terms of Hansen and Richard Lee will expire December 31, 2018. Terms for the remainder of the board expire December 31, 2020. The other members are Mark Morley, Larry Jensen, Kevin Axelgard, and Dennis Christensen.
Linda Ballard is administrator, Doug Rasmussen is accountant, and Christian Bryner is attorney.
In other SSD-related news, Bryner was recently named the SSD’s attorney.
Bryner replaces Nick Sampinos, who represented the SSD for many years.
Leaving his position at Price City made it also necessary for Sampinos to resign from the SSD. His resignation was effective May 31, leaving the SSD without legal representation.
Advertising for the position resulted in two applications, from Bryner and Thomas Sitterud, who was recently hired as attorney for Price City. At a meeting Monday Sitterud gave a brief history of his experience. Bryner said he has represented Carbon County since 2010, is familiar with the workings of the SSD, has been involved in the formation of new services for special service districts, is familiar with how mineral rights money comes to the district and is disseminated, and familiar with Payment in Lieu of Taxes (where government entities contribute to the coffers when they are not otherwise required to pay taxes).
At first the decision was postponed to the next meeting, but Doug Rasmussen, accountant for the SSD, pointed out the district will have been without representation for two months. Upon his recommendation proposals for both applicants were reviewed and Bryner was selected. Sitterud will be offered the opportunity to become conflict counsel. His services would be employed in the event of a conflict of interest for Bryner. Since he represents the county, a conflict of interest is a possibility, explained board member Mark Morley.
Bryner will be compensated on an hourly basis.