FOUNTAIN GREEN—At the city council meeting on Tuesday, May 17, Mayor Mark Coombs and Fountain Green City Council members said they were pleased with the coverage they have been receiving since they made the decision in March to contract with the Sanpete County Sheriff’s Office for police services.
In 45 days, sheriff ’s deputies made 27 traffic stops, where in the past, there have been less than half that number in a month, the mayor told the council.
“I am impressed with the number of times I have seen an officer in town,” Councilman Rod Hansen said. “Even though I have seen him a lot, it doesn’t seem to be slowing people down on Main Street.”
Council members agreed early morning is one of the busiest times for traffic issues.
“I have spoken with the county and asked them to patrol better from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. and the same hours in the evening,” the mayor said.
Hansen said he feels it is only going to get worse.
“Highway 132 is the major highway for people to get from Sanpete County to Utah County,” Hansen said. “They don’t like the stoplights in Spanish Fork Canyon.”
Not having an officer in Moroni may be one of the reasons the speeding is so high through Fountain Green.
“One motorist was caught going 60 mph through Moroni,” the mayor said.
While speeding is still a concern in town, the teachers at the elementary school have commented on all the coverage the school had been getting.
“The officers have been stopping parents and reminding them about having their kids in the back seat and properly fastened,” Coombs said. “Teachers said they are doing a great job at keeping kids safe.”
The county is still in the process of hiring an officer specifically for Fountain Green. “They did tell us it could take up to six months to hire someone, but we are impressed so far with the things that we are seeing in town,” Coombs said.