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Show Wednesday, June 2, 1 976 Page 2 Newspaper How About It? Talk DAY OF DECISION This Tuesday is a day of decision for Park City voters. By means of the ballot box they will demonstrate their willingness to shoulder a $1.1 million bond debt to fund the Snyderville Basin Sewer Improvement District's $4.4 million sewer system. After weighing the facts, we feel the bond issue must be supported. There is no question that Park City is faced with a critical sewage treatment problem. The city's existing facility is operating at full capacity (and sometimes more than full capacity) and producing substandard effluent. Either the Snyderville District is given the green light or the city must be prepared to expand and upgrade its treatment plant immediately. Park City's ability to perform the latter task is doubtful. doubt-ful. . Should local residents decide to defeat the bond election they will be taking a gamble that the city may not be able to backup. Time and money will be the two crucial factors. Can funds be found to finance expansion and, if so, how long will it take to get things underway? In the meantime, mean-time, the EPA will be breathing down the city's neck. Failure to comply with EPA standards, a situation the agency has been willing to ignore up to now, could have a catastrophic effect on the positive momentum being experienced by Park City. Another moratorium is a distinct possibility and for how long is anybody's guess. Passage of the bond issue is the best solution to a bad situation.- The funds are available, the homework has been completed and the wheels are ready to turn. Voices have been raised protesting the fifty percent hike in monthly service fees which the district would impose. The jump to five dollars is not cause for joy but it is estimated that expansion ex-pansion of the city plant would mean an eight to ten dollar charge. It has been said that property owners in the Snyderville area stand to gain the most from the new sewer facilities and this may be true. Land values will certainly be enhanced by the availability of sewer service but as the area develops, the hefty $750 fee for new connections will constitute a substantial contribution to district revenues. It is a new building that will carry the major burden of the proposed treat' ment plant, not established residents. The five"' dollar monthly charge is extremely modest whenl compared to other areas in the state. There is the possibility that Snyderville could become a Frankenstein's monster if the quality and quantity of its growth is not controlled. The county is presently formulating a master plan which has benefited from Park City input and the city can and will continue to exert its influence over the development of neighboring areas. In any event, we can't cut our own throats for fear of what might happen in other parts of the county. coun-ty. We need an improved sewer capability and we need it as soon as possible. Although the sale of general obligation bonds involves some risk to property owners they are the cheapest and most expedient way to go. The desirability of Park City as a place to live or visit, as manifest by the need for a larger sewage treatment plant, makes the probability of a property tax to subsidize the new facility remote. The project is geared to generate revenues in excess ex-cess of what is needed to meet all expenses. This might even mean lower monthly service charges if actual growth exceeds the conservative projections used to formulate the financing scheme. When the city's immediate need is pitted against the uncertainties of an expanded city-only city-only treatment plant, the sewer district concept becomes more appealing. When the long-term costs to present residents are considered, the bond issue becomes much more palatable. When the probability of another building moratorium is compared with a waiting remedy to the city's problem, the new treatment plant is hard to reject. When all the facts are digested and the alternatives are studied, Tuesday's answer has to be "Yes." I Publisher Editor...... Business Manager Reporter, Photographer .. Office Manager. . . Published weekly at Park City, Utah. Subscriptions Sub-scriptions $6 per year, $1 0 out of state. Send or ders for subscriptions THE NEWSPAPER P.O. 84060. Pictures, news and mitted Drior to Wednesday Dubication at our of- I fice, 419 Main St., Park 738, Park City, or by calmg 649-9592 or 358- I9fii? Publication matter i Monday afternoon for Wednesday pubication. J. Howard Stahle .... Steve Dering M . . . Bonnie Stahle p .....Greg Schirf . . Sandy Erlckson or change of address to Box 738, Park City, Utah advertising may be sub City, by mail, P.O. Box must be received by ETr?" .-TJ ' V, J : V Lowdl Brown Bury Blake Dear Editor; On next Tuesday, June 8, we arc being asked to vote for or against the Snyderville Basin Sewer District. On the surface it would appear that this sewer project is a step along the path of "progress". But a closer look raises questions that are very im- portant to all of us here in Park City. our aging sewer pipe system The Snyderville Sewer to some unkown degree. We project would-provide or, a-, that the above main sewer line to go from mentioned months . Are Parr "ity through months that have a high Snyderville. and out to occupancy rate for nightly Interstate 80, thus opening up lodging. x the access road to Park City The above figures show a to large-scale development positive correlation with that is not feasible now due to Spring run-off of melting inadequate sewage facilities, snows, indicating that There are already 7 or 8 large perhaps the infiltration of projects (including, two outside water into the sewage trailer courts) proposed pipes is greater than along this road, and presently suspected, being considered in Coalville. The increase from January Summit County does not have t0 April is 158,200 gallons -an adequate master plan for an increase of 36.3 percent zoning this road between over January. However, this Park City and Interstate 80. substantial increase is not This road is the main access due to any increase in nightly road to Park City, and we in lodging guests in April over Park City are as much January. In fact, the reverse concerned about the en- js true. In January, available vironment along the road as nightly lodging probably we are about the environment had an occupancy rate of within Park City. The over 90 percent. Whereas, in potential for large-scale April the occupancy rate was development and com- probably 50 percent or less, mercialization along that The figure for sewer plant road probably exceeds all the operating levels thus show a new development that has negative correlation with been completed in Park City, nightly lodging occupancy The real danger for the future rates. If the sewer plant is is over commercialization operating at an increase of and "strip development". 30.3 percent in April, while Park City has no our night lodging occupnacy jurisdiction over this area, rates show a decrease of 40 Decisions on zoning, signs, percent for the same period, building permits, etc, will be it appears that the main made in Coalville. If the reason for the plant operating sewer bond is approved, what at maximum levels is due will prevent this road from m0re to the infiltration of being lined with trailer outside water than to the courts, gas stations, drive-increase in population. It then ins, complete with neon and follows that the emphasis plastic signs? In effect, we should be to repair the sewer will be giving Coalville alines to prevent infiltration. ' blank check to protect the and not to impose a building environment of this area. The moratorium. road from Park City to 1-80 is only a small corner of Summit County, but the potential revenues to Summit County from development are great. If Coalville is concerned about the environment along this road, why do the number of bill boards along it keep increasing, and why hasn't something been done about the growing automibile junk yard at the 1-80 junction? The present County . Commissioners Com-missioners may have the best intentions in the world but I'm not in favor of giving them veto power over our environment. Park City Sewer Plant It is stated the Park City Sewer plant is operating during some months in excess ex-cess of its 500,000 gallons per day capacity. Figures stated for the average number of What are your feelings toward the June 8 sewer bond election ? Lowell Brown -1 feel very strongly that the sewer bond should be passed. I feel this way because if it is not passed it will stop construction of a building that I would like to build on Main Street. I also feel it would be detrimental if it is not passed since there is no alternative to the bond at this time. ' Steve Deckert - I favor the bond election. I think expansion of the present site is not an alternative alter-native since the availability of funds is questionable at best. We need a new plant as soon as possible in that the existing one is already operating at full capacity . Betsy Blake - Although I haven't read all the facts yet, I presently favor the bond issue. Having the new people coming into the community com-munity pay the bulk of the cost, the availability of federal money for the new treatment plant and having the plant located in East Canyon as opposed op-posed to a Park City residential area are all appealing ap-pealing to me. Jim Carr The sewer line along the Snyderville highway into Park City will make possible "strip development" and over-commercialization and have a detrimental effect on the environment of entire area. Hence, I would like to see Park City undertake its own sewer expansion. LETTER TO gallons per day for the first four months of 1976 are: January 435,300 gallons; February 455,000 gallons; March 516,400 gallons; April 593,500 gallons. The figures rise from month to month at an increasing in-creasing rate. We know that outside water (streams, springs, etc.) is infiltrating Alternatives So. if the Sewer Bond fails, what alternatives do we v have? " Park City could move to enlarge lis present sewers plant as it had planned to do ; prior to receiving pressure from the State and EPA to J join with Snyderville to build a new enlarged plant. The estimated cost to build is slated to be $800,000. Bush., and Gudfeell are reported to have completed the plans and Park City has already paid for the plans. We would also . undertake the necessary! repairs to our own city sewer j lines, at the stated cost ofj. $160,000. j Under the Snyderville;, Sewer District, the total cost is approximately $4,400,000 of which $1,100,000 ( 25 percent), would be raised by Park City,. Snyderville and Summit THE EDITOR Park, with Park City probably paying the heaviest share, by far.. Park City should be able to obtain its own bond for the total of $960,000 and do the job for ourselves as we orginally planned, prior to the pressure from the State and Federal Governments. And a moratorium on building would probably not be any more necessary than it is now. Sincerely, James Carr More Sewer Dear Editor; Park City paid many thousands to Bush & Gudgell for a water-sewer study. It revealed that Park City had a water supply and a sewer treatment plant, financed by a 1965 revenue bond, adequate to take care of all of original Park City and to develop every vacant lot within the original boundaries boun-daries of Park City. Parkites assumed to pay $3.35 mo. sewer charge and $200 per unit for new sewer connections con-nections to retire this sewer bond by 1990. Why are these same people how being asked to approve another sewer bond which will cost us $750 per unit sewer connection fees to develop our vacant lots and will increase our monthly sewer charge 49 percent a month for the next 25 years? For this increased drain on our pocketbooks, what will we receive that we did not already contract to receive by the 1965 bond we are paying off? Nothing, except to obligate ourselves to pay an additional debt for 25 more years until 2001 to finance the land developers to bring in new faces to contribute to our air, and traffic pollution, an increase in-crease in our cost of living while spawning one of the highest unemployment rates of the state, the destructiion and disappearance of our fish and wildlife, an increase in drunk drivers endangering our lives, a disappearance of our mining industry because miners cannot afford the cost of living in our area, an unknown phenomenon of thieving and robbing increasing in-creasing daily despite a police budget which has sprialed from $25,000 to over $100,000 in less than 5 years. If you wish to encourage this deteriorating quality of your life, vote yes to the bond issue. But if you are sick of seeing the choke cherries, oak bush, and quakies sucumb toJthe bulldozer and asphalt jungle, if you are sick of being unsafe on the streets and having to lock and bolt Stove Deckert Jim Carr your doors and windows, if you are sick of paying the 2'2 percent franchise tax added to your phone bill, light bill and gas bill, your doubled scavanger bill and increased taxes on your home and business imposed on you to finance the increased costs of government brought about by developers who escaped scott free, then vote NO to stop this insanity. ' One furtherpoint: -until then-last then-last minutLvnlhe s.propdsiedal bond issue was proposed as' a--revenue bond. A revenue bond is where a group of people without a service, who need the service but have no money to pay for it new, borrow the money through a bond issue. They alone repay the bond and interest through service charges imposed on themselves. This is as it should be. You are not your brother's keeper. At this late date, the proposed bond has been shifted from a revenue bond to a general obligation bond. That means that the bond and interest become the general obligation of every property owner in the land area of the district, not the obligation of the users of the service. Certainly interests rates on GO bonds are lower and they are easier to sell to investors, because , everyone's property is subject to tax and foreclosure sale to pay off the bonds and interest if the service charges imposed on the users are not sufficient to pay off the debt. Those supporting the bond represent to us that our properties will probably not be taxed to meet the bond payments and interest because the entire cost is projected to be paid through service fees and future connections. However, these projections were made prior to the meetings of the Park City-Snyderville steering committee which has proposed to drastically restrict densities in the land area encompassed by the sewer district outside of Park City, and prior to the forthcoming for-thcoming consideration of the Park City rezoning which proposes to reduce existing densities in Park City to protect the quality of life. Remember: if developments proceed slower than an ticipated (another recession?) or if projections fail because of the present City and County trend toward reduced development, your property taxes will be increased in-creased along with your 49 percent increase in monthly charges. If you rent, your landlord will raise your rent to pass on these increases he must meet. Think. 25 years is a long time to live with debt. These considerations apply to everyone in the County within BOND ELECTION The Snyderville Basin Sewer District bond election will be held Tuesday, June 8, at the Memorial Building from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Registered voters in districts 1, 2, 3, 5, 9, 10 and 12 who reside within the boundries of the sewer district may vote. , AMERICAN PARTY CONVENTION The 1976 County Convention of the American Party of Summit County will be held Saturday, June 5, at 7:30 p.m. at the Kamas Town Park, in Kamas. Candidates for County Commission and three delegates to the State Convention will be elected. Speakers include incumbent County Commissioner Dale Leavitt, and Bob Trepanier, candidate for two-year County Commission. Sandwiches and refreshments will be served. Delegates are expected to attend and the general public is invited, free of charge. For more information in-formation call 649-8075. 4TH OF JULY ' Nan McPolin and Violet Terry are in charge of soliciting funds for the Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration. If you are able and willing to donate something for this celebration, you can contact them at either 649-9417 or 649-9265. They will also be selling chances on a Bicentennial Bicen-tennial quilt, a homemade pompom pillow, and a bunch of roses, all to be given away at the dance to be held the evening of the celebration. Chances are $1.00 and include all three prizes. utner ladies selling chances for the celebration are Reverlv Pare. Carnlvn firnss Vinlot Trrv and Nan McPolin. COUNSELOR TRAINING There will be a Day Camp Counselors Training Course June 7-11 starting at 9 a.m. at the Memorial Bldg. This will cover all aspects of the Day Camp Program : scheduling, programming, program-ming, safety and health, and First Aid. FIRST AID There will be an 8-hour Multi Media First Aid class offered to the public on June 10, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Memorial Bldg. There is a $5 fee for supplier, books and a First Aid,CardfoTthree,:i wh'passf Register'bSfWe Juh ff'biSalling'' 9461. NEW HOURS FOR PLANNER Due to a heavy work load, City Planner Van Martin will only be available for public calls, appointments and zoning administration from nood until 4 p.m. Monday thru Friday. This action has been taken at the request of the city council. ABSENTEE BALLOTS Absentee ballots tor voting in the June 8 Sewer-Bond Sewer-Bond Election will be available at City Hall starting June 1. LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL Sign-up forms are now being distributed at Marsac School and at the Memorial Building. Ages 9-12. Need asst. coaches. . BABE RUTH LEAGUE Now being formed, contact Rec. Dept. at Memorial Building, if interested, ages 13-16. Need Coaches. FOOD AND BEVERAGE FOR ART FESTIVAL Local non-profit groups interested in operating food and beverage concessions during the Art Festival Aug. 14-15, please contact the Chamber of Commerce office as soon as possible. PROMOTE THE ART FESTIVAL Vacation Bound? Take along Art Festival brochureposters and do your bit to help promote this year's event throughout Utah and neighboring neigh-boring states. Call C of C 649-8899 or stop by the Chamber's temporary headquarters in the lobby ofthe Silver King Bank. the proposed sewer district as well as to every Park City resident. Vote NO June 8. Protect yourself and your community and make the land profiteers pay their own way. Sincerely, Dr. D.A. Osguthorpe I VOTE YOUR WAY BUT P S. If the sewer bond passes, who will next, be called on to pay the cost of buying and bringing in the water that the developers must have and that the City and County don't have? |