Welcome to May! In today’s episode, we are going to cover the formal organization of a much-anticipated housing authority, the many great events and resources promoting Mental Health Awareness throughout the month, and some more community tools and events dealing with water safety, noxious weeds, and road construction. Alright, let’s get into the news!
TOPIC 1: County Council Selects Housing Authority Board Commissioners
The county is moving forward with the creation of an independent board to direct affordable housing programs and seek solutions for medium and low income families. After interviewing 13 candidates at last week’s council meeting, council members formally amended the bylaws of the Summit County Housing Authority and selected seven people to serve on its board of commissioners.
The new bylaws dictate that the board will be composed of three county council members and four residents serving at-large. All commissioners must live within the boundaries of the housing authority, and the four residents selected by council to serve on the board were Kristen Schulz, Jennifer Lewis, Joan Meixner, and Rich Sonntag.
Lewis, Meixner, and Sonntag will serve until Feb 28, 2026. Schulz will serve until February 28, 2030.
The at-large commissioners will serve alongside council members Tonja Hanson, Canice Harte and Megan McKenna. All council members spoke very highly of the candidates. Harte specifically said the motivation behind amending the bylaws was to increase the size of the board to allow more of these highly qualified applicants to serve.
The focus for the housing authority will be on addressing housing needs through financing, acquiring, building, maintaining and managing housing projects and programs. This includes providing medium to low income residents with affordable housing opportunities and incentivizing moderate income housing.
TOPIC 2: May Declared Mental Health Awareness Month
County council also unanimously adopted a proclamation declaring May as Mental Health Awareness Month.
According to the proclamation, an estimated 16,000 Summit County adults live with a mental health diagnosis, and 1 out of 7 children live with a severe mental health illness severe enough to impair daily functions. Summit County commits to support education and provide peer-support groups, financial assistance for those seeking therapy, and mental health tool kits through behavioral health and the mental wellness alliance.
The proclamation concludes with these words:
The people of Summit County are encouraged to come together to recognize that mental health is universal and applies to everyone, and we encourage individuals to take care of their mental health by recognizing when they need help and seeking treatment.
Throughout the month of May, there will be many community events promoting mental wellness and encouraging awareness for those facing illness and stigma. Visit ourmentalhealth.org to learn more about mental health tools and other resources available locally, events happening this month in our community, and how you can start mental health conversations with loved ones.
TOPIC 3: Test Your Well for Bacteria
With the warmer weather, we can expect flooding and runoff from snowmelt, which can affect water quality—especially in wells.
It is always a good idea to test your well periodically for bacteria. That’s where the Summit County Health Department’s Environmental Health team comes in! We have an in-house laboratory facility to test for bacteria and nitrates in drinking water and provide this service for individuals and community water systems.
We charge $27 for a bacterial sample and $30 for a nitrate sample. Contact the Summit County Health Department in Coalville for more information at: 435-336-3224 or visit summitcountyhealth.org/water
Also: If a resident wants to test for water contaminants that we do not test for in our county lab, we can offer to take the sample to a larger lab.
TOPIC 4: Upcoming County Lands Events
Event 1: Roots of Conservation
Do you have what it takes to be “Weed Wise”?! Join the County Lands and Natural Resources Dept. in their second event in their “Roots of Conservation” series on Tuesday, May 29, 5:30 – 7:30 PM at the Richins Building in Kimball Junction.
Hear from these noxious weed gurus: Dave Bingham, Summit County Weed Superintendent, and Sara Jo Dickens from Ecology Bridge + Summit Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA).
RSVP at: summitcounty.info/rootsofconservation
Event 2: Birding on the 910!
And The birds are back, and so are we! Join the County Lands and Natural Resources Dept. for a guided morning walk and birdwatch on the 910 Ranch on Saturday May 10 from 7am – 9am! This event is limited to 15 participants and an RSVP is required at summitcounty.info/910birding
We’ll be spotting spring migrants and year-round residents, listening for calls, and learning how to identify local birds with help from our expert bird watching Volunteer Ambassadors—and the Merlin Bird ID app!
TOPIC 5: Roads Dashboard is LIVE!
If it’s not ski season, it’s road work season! Stay up-to-date on road work throughout Summit County this summer using our brand new Roads Dashboard.
Visit summitcounty.info/roadsdash for a map of where, when, and what is happening on our roads. If you’ve got questions, each project listed on the dashboard provides a point of contact who can help you learn more. So, again, visit summitcounty.info/roadsdash to stay in the loop on road work this summer!
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