Helping Victims

By Micky Jones

The Riverside town council had a filled agenda for the spring meeting April 14th. In attendance were Mayor Leroy Stephenson, council members Ed Golden and Fred Lorenz.

Stephenson told the council he had to fix the lift station.

“The backup generator was not working the way it should have been,” Stephenson said. “I had the people who built the control unit for the generator come down and they got a new motherboard for it, and now it is working perfectly. I don’t have a bill from him yet, but it might end up costing about $500.”

Beginning with the financials first, the March 2022 financial statement and bills were approved. The financial statement totaled $17,124.87 and included a specific purpose tax, requisition No. 7 amounting to $1,389.79. 

Guests who spoke first, were from the Carbon County Sheriff’s Victim\Witness Protection Program. Loretta Hansen and Dawnette Spaulding were accompanied by Sheriff Archie Roybal, sopke to the council about what their services offered the county. The group presented a proclamation for National Crime Victims Rights Week (NCVRW) which is held April 24 through April 30. Since 1981, NCVRW has challenged the Nation to confront and remove barriers to achieving justice for all victims of crime.

The 2022 NCVRW theme is rights, access, equity, for all victims. The theme underscores the importance of helping crime survivors find their justice by enforcing victims’ rights, expanding access to services, and ensuring equity and inclusion for all.

“This is our first time for coming to Riverside,” Hansen said. “We have one week out of the year that we recognize victims of all crimes. We serve 14 law enforcement agencies in the county, not just the Sheriff’s office. We serve a lot of people.”

After Stephenson read the proclamation aloud, Golden addressed Roybal with an observation.

“Before I moved here, I was on a council in a town of 350 people and it was the sixth largest town in the county,” Golden said. “Every meeting we had a deputy come in and tell us what criminal activity was in the community. County commissioners also came to tell us their budgets and tell us what they wanted and were going to do for us. I just wonder why doesn’t happen here.”

Roybal listened.

“Staffing is one problem, but honestly we could try and make that happen,” Roybal said. “We do come to facilities like senior centers in different towns and talk about relevant issues. I can’t promise anything at this moment, but we can certainly look into this idea.”

“I am not trying to point any fingers or say the department isn’t doing its job,” Golden said. “But those little towns couldn’t afford police departments like us and it did give a sense of security knowing what was happening in the county.”

Roybal thanked Golden for his insight.

“This isn’t my first time here and it won’t be my last,” Roybal said. “I think it is important for ideas like yours to be presented, so thank you.”

The council approved the Carbon County Visitors Council (CCVC) choice for the at large board seat which is to be filled by Alex Gruenhagen after CCVC board member Mike Armstrong explained why Gruenhagen was chosen. Armstrong went over the lodging tax’s application for Air-n-Bs.

Mother Mountain Anglers was approved to use the Riverside Town Park for their upcoming summer event “The Tale of Two Cities”. The town has approved purchasing a flag for the event which Riverside has done annually since the event was founded. The disc golf tournament will start June 11.

The town of Riverside received correspondence from the Grand Encampment Cowboy Gathering (GECG) . GECG is a non-profit outfit dedicated to preserving & promoting Cowboy & Western Ways & Life through Events, Activities, History, Worship, Poetry, Art and Music. The council will buy an ad for the program which runs the third week of July. 

The first reading of ordinance 228-FY 2022-2023 budget was approved. The council approved Stephenson’s proclamation declaring April child abuse awareness and prevention month. Child Abuse Prevention Month recognizes the importance of families and communities working together to strengthen families to prevent child abuse and neglect. Through this collaboration, prevention services and supports help protect children and produce thriving families.

The next regular meeting of the Riverside Town Council will be at 6 p.m. on May 12 at the Riverside town hall.