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Show February 1 03.qxd 12/7/2021 3:33 PM Page 1 The OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Your Community Newspaper Eden Residents Vote to Pursue Incorporation Feasibility Study Ogden Valley News INCORPORATION con.t on page 13 PRSRT STD POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 11 EDEN UT POSTAL PATRON EDEN-LIBERTY-84310 HUNTSVILLE-84317 OGDEN CANYON- 84401 HCR 843AO Gray Cliff Lodge to Host Fundraising Event for New Holy Trinity Monastery By Shanna Francis, Citing that it was a matter of “when— not “if,” the Eden Planning Committee hosted a public meeting on January 16 at the Kimber Academy to see if there was enough local interest in pursuing the idea of incorporation for the small Valley community. Apparently there was; 83 adults and one baby—a standing room only crowd—packed the private school where the meeting was held, surprising members of the committee who hosted the meeting. Eden Planning Committee Chair Steve Clarke stated in response to the crowds, “I’m very pleased that so many people came to express their feelings, and to learn about the issues.” Robert Fuller stated, “The large turnout of Eden residents is a symptom of the discontent the community feels with the current way the county is being governed. For instance, there is too much uncertainty in the zoning decisions that are being made.” Many at the meeting stated that they were not for or against incorporation, but wanted to find out more information about the process, and the feasibility of incorporating. A question on the minds of many, “Would taxes be increased if Eden became a city?” The Eden Planning Committee explained different options for the community’s future. Were residents interested in becoming a township, as East Huntsville and Liberty/Nordic; pursuing a study to see if incorporation were feasible; changing the form of government in the county from a three member county commission to a seven member council form of government; or were they interested in leaving the community’s governance as it already exists? After a question and answer, and comment session from the audience, a straw vote was taken. Of those attending, 43 voted to pursue an incorporation feasibility study for Eden; 9 voted to leave things the way they were; and no one voted for pursuing a township option. Before ending the meeting, the Eden Planning Committee asked for volunteers to sit on subcommittees that would move the process along. Approximately 50 volunteers signed up to participate in the process, and were divided between six different committees. Clarke, stated, “Again, I am overwhelmed and pleased at the number of people who signed up to volunteer!” While the Eden Planning Committee facilitated the original meeting, members were abstaining from holding leadership positions on committees. Eden Planning Committee member Dick Manley stated, “As a committee, we want to remain outside of the process, maintaining our apolitical position. From here on, the process will be solely a community effort.” On January 22, volunteers met and were given more information about the process of petitioning for a feasibility study from Weber County. Volunteers were then able to choose from the following committees to serve on: Boundaries, Government Structure, Business Forum, Eden 20/20, Services, and Outreach. These committees then selected a chair and co-chair. The chairs of each committee organized to create a steering committee that will oversee and manage the process. Chuck Millet was voted to chair the Steering Committee at a meeting held January 25. The Incorporation Feasibility Study Steering Committee will host a public meeting for the community on Thursday, February 6, at Snowcrest Jr. High February 1, 2003 Picture taken at the Needles Outdoor Ice Skating Rink located at Snowbasin: A Sun Valley Resort. Snowbasin: A Sun Valley Resort, is hosting a romantic Valentine dinner atop of Middle Bowl at the beautiful Needles Lodge. The $45 sit down dinner also includes a scenic gondola ride up to the restaurant, and ice skating at the lodge's groomed arena. Reservations are required. Call 620-1022. Photo courtesy of Richard Caldwell of Snowbasin: A Sun Valley Resort. Incorporation Feasibility Study Committees Making Progress By Shanna Francis, Ogden Valley News Subcommittees working with the Incorporation Feasibility Study Steering Committee are already hard at work for the community, gathering information and reaching out to residents for their input and support. The Boundaries Committee is collecting maps and data to help in determining a workable legal boundary for a possible Eden City. The Government Structure Committee is preparing material what will educate citizens on options for governing a city should the community decide, after the feasibility study, to proceed with the incorporation process. The Business Forum Committee acts as a liaison between the committees and the Valley business community, soliciting and utilizing the expertise of business owners in the Ogden Valley. Eden 20/20 is collecting, deciphering, and preparing information, such as the current Valley General Plan, that will reflect the vision for the community’s future. The community’s ideas and values are now being sought, enabling the committee to capture the essence of Eden—yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The Services Committee is exploring the services that will be needed to main- tain an independent community, and options for providing these services in a viable and economic way. The responsibility of the Outreach Committee is to keep the community informed, and to solicit feedback on the progress of the process. They will be instrumental in developing and preparing petitions, and obtaining necessary signatures for a feasibility study to proceed; soliciting donations to pay for legal costs, and for a certified surveyors map and legal description of the boundaries for the proposed incorporated area; and coordinating with local schools to facilitate a learning environment where students can participate in, and learn from this grassroots, democratic process. The Outreach Committee has set up an account at Wells Fargo Bank in Eden where donations are being accepted. After legal and surveyor fees are paid, any remaining donations will be used to make improvements to the Eden Park. Donation bottles can also be found at local Eden businesses. If you would like to be involved in this historic process, contact Eden Planning Committee Chair, Steve Clarke, at 745-1348. To find out more, please plan on attending the February 6 public meeting to be held at Snowcrest Jr. High, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . Page 2 Announcements . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6 Historical Article . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9 Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15 On Monday evening, February 17, the historic Gray Cliff Lodge will host a sitdown dinner as an Ogden Valley fundraising event for the new Holy Trinity Monastery. Dinner will be served from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., with seating and dining available anytime during these hours. A limited number of tickets, which are also tax deductible contributions, will be sold for $50 per person. A silent auction will also be held during the evening for twenty baskets of monastery products—including their famous flavored creamed honey and bread. The Gray Cliff Lodge is offering three dinner selections to ticket holders: a chicken and shrimp combination; halibut; or New York steak. Attendees will have the opportunity to examine a model of the new monastery, and ask architect Kenneth Pollard questions about the monastery design. Also available for questions and discussion regarding all aspects of the building program will be a Big-D construction company representative, several Monks from the Abbey, and other individuals knowledgeable about the project. Monastery representatives also want Valley residents to be aware of a conservation easement option being pursued by the Abbey—an additional means of obtaining building funds. A large portion of the Abbey’s present acreage will be declared “open space,” which will ensure that it will remain so in perpetuity. In exchange for the loss of right to develop the property in the future, the Abbey will obtain funds that will be used to construct the new facility. The Abbey will also be working closely with the Agriculture Department of Utah State University, developing a program to update and modernize the farm. USU staff will be present at the dinner to discuss this aspect of the Abbey’s program. Jody and Steve Sniggs, owners and operators of the Gray Cliff Lodge, offered several months ago to host the dinner as a way of helping the Abbey move forward with its building program. They have been working with volunteers and Monks from the monastery to organize the fund raising event. Plan on supporting the Valley monastery by reserving your tickets now. To obtain more information or tickets, call the monastery at 745-3784, or e-mail arca@xmission.com You may also call the Gray Cliff Lodge at 392-6775. |