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Show ifield C tit PANGUITCH • PANGUITCH LAKE • HATCH • BRYCE • TROPIC • ANTIMONY • HENRIEVILLE • CANNONVILLE • ESCALANTE • BOULDER Thursday, November 26, 2009 • Issue # 244 IS IT A RECOVERY OR REGURGITATION? I have looked for ways to convince myself that this Recovery Act is helping America. Prior to passage of this bill, I was mindboggled at the thought that 787 Billion dollars could be managed effectively, if at all. The government website (recovery.gov) is available for everyone to review. It takes a little effort and time to navigate and familiarize yourself with, but it does show where money is being dispersed throughout America. The website shows disbursement reporting by recipient, and also by agency. As I reviewed the website this Tuesday morning, dispersement amounts for Garfield County are as follows: AS REPORTED - BY RECIPIENTS 1) $52,997 in contracts, CXT Incorporated Government contract to install prefab concrete at Hanksville field station2) $1,942,363 in grants, Garfield County • justice assistance grant@ $10,000 UDOT • SR12 Bike Path Extension @ $750,000 Garfield School District Ryan Davis, Editor • Education of students with disabilities @ $210,308 • Preschool grants for children with disabilities @ $8,431 • Improving basic programs operated by local education agencies @ $60,443 • Education for homeles children and youth @ $1,745 • State Fiscal Stabilization Fund @ $901,436. AS REPORTED - BY AGENCIES: 3) $423,000 in loans Circle of Destination, LLC The website also shows that this disbursement has reportedly created .3 jobs for Garfield County. Pretty good for $1.9 million dollars of disbursement, eh? I have the questions. Is anyone willing to find the answers? I. Who got the dang job? 2. How long does this job last? 3. Is it a created job, or a job that is being sustained? 4. If it is a created job, what is it? 5. If it is a job being sustained, how long will it be sustained for with these funds? These are obvious questions, and need to be asked on a nationwide level, also. When you visit recov- SUPERINTENDENT GIVES NOTICE On November 17, 2009 Superintendent George Park gave written notice to the Garfield County School District that he will not be seeking renewal of his contract beyond June 30, 2010. The School Board officially accepted the notice by motion in its November 19, 2009 board meeting.. The motion was prefaced by board member Brian Bremner's concern over the difficulty in finding board meeting minutes that document the formal consideration and approval of the contract. Bremner then proposed a motion to accept the notice and advise the Superintendent and the State School Board of the decision. The vote for the motion was unanimous. The Garfield County School District will begin its search for a new superintendent immediately. No time table is available for completion of the process. , THURSDAY HIGH: 50 LOW: 23 SUNNY FRIDAY HIGH: 53 LOW: 25 MOSTLY CLOUDY SATURDAY r RAIN / SNOW SHOWERS HIGH: 39 LOW: 20 SUNDAY PARTLY CLOUDY HIGH: 48 LOW: 19 MONDAY SUNNY ----, PARTLY CLOUDY HIGH: 43 LOW: 19 TUESDAY HIGH: 47 LOW: 20 0 WEDNESDAY SUNNY HIGH: 47 LOW: 20 Member of: ,Utah Press ***** I FPA. INDEPENDENT FREE PAPERS OF AMERICA Garfield County Commissioner Maloy Dodds received the prestigious honor of being named the 2009 Outstanding County Official at the Utah Association of Counties 84th Annual Convention held in St. George November 13th. Maloy was chosen from a field of eight county officials representing each of the affiliate groups that make up the UAC membership. The process includes a selection committee that weighs the contributions and services made by each individual and a vote among peers that takes place during the Convention. Commissioner Dodds was selected by the Utah State Association of County Commissioners and Council Members as their official of the year. Maloy has served the citizens of Garfield County in his role as Commissioner since January 1995. He currently serves on many local, state and national boards. The UAC Annual Convention is held every November and is used as an opportunity for elected and non-elected county officials to collaborate on issues, receive training, organize leadership, recognize individuals, and prepare official county positions for the upcoming Utah Legislative Session. The organization represents all 29 Utah counties and 297 elected officials. DON'T BE A TURKEY THIS THANKSGIVING Highway travel during the 2009 Thanksgiving holiday week is expected to be heavy in the Central Utah area as families pile into their cars and head off for holiday destinations. But there's one sure recipe that can turn a joyful holiday into a tragedy: failure to buckle up. "Seat belts are the single most important safety device in your vehicle and they have saved countless lives and prevented untold numbers of injuries over the years," said Lisa Taylor, Health Education Coordinator at Central Utah Public Health Department. "Public health officials urge everyone driving on our state's roads this holiday to drive carefully, don't drive impaired and, most important, buckle up each and every trip, night or day." Nationally during the Thanksgiving holiday period in 2008 (which ran from 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 26, to 5:59 a.m., Monday, December 1), 389 passenger vehicle occupants died in motor vehicle traffic crashes, including 156 during daylight hours (6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.) and 231 during nighttime (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.). Two fatalities were unknown regarding time. Nighttime is the most dangerous time on the road because seat belt use is lower. Of the 231 passenger vehicle occupant deaths in motor vehicle traffic crashes at night during the 2008 Thanksgiving holiday period over two-thirds (67%) did not have their seat belts fastened (where seat belt use was known); while 40 percent of fatalities in daytime crashes were not wearing seat belts. "Thanksgiving is the iconic American holiday," said Taylor. "Unfortunately, some people seem willing to forego this classic family gathering for the pleasures of an emergency room, or worse, the morgue, simply because they didn't take a second to buckle up before driving." According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes. Research has shown that when lap and shoulder belts are used properly, the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants is reduced by 45 percent, and the risk of moderate to serious injury is reduced by 50 percent. "If you fail to buckle up during this holiday period, you run the risk of getting a ticket, or worse, getting killed or injured," Taylor warned. "Make sure the only belt left unbuckled this Thanksgiving is the one at the dinner table, not the one in your vehicle." BIM UTAH GEOTHERMAL LEASE SALE RESULTS The Bureau of Land Management Utah held its competitive geothermal lease sale today at the BLM Utah State Office in Salt Lake City. The BLM sold 3 parcels on 3,780 acres of federal land in the Cedar City Field Office. During the oral auction, BLM received $201,260 in bonus bids for the geothermal lease rights. In addition to the bonus bids, the sale netted $7,562 in rental fees and $435 in administrative fees, for $209,257 in total revenues from this lease sale. Radion Energy LLC of Provo, Utah, submitted the highest total bid per acre—$75 on parcel number 3 containing 981 acres. The highest total bid per parcel was also submitted by Radion Energy LLC —$98,950 on parcel number 1 containing 1,979 acres. Geothermal energy accounts for 8.5 percent of renewable electricity generation, and 0.3 percent of the total U.S. electricity supply. Almost 50 percent of the nation's production of geothermal energy is on federalland. Utah's current geothermal production is in primarily in Beaver County where two plants produce 24 megawatts per year. The BLM administers 29 geothermal power plants using federal resources in California, Nevada, and Utah. These power plants have a total capacity of 1,250 megawatts and meet the power needs of 1.2 million American homes. Geothermal energy uses steam and hot water generated by heat from the earth. Some geothermal power plants use steam or hot water from a natural underground reservoir to power generators for electricity generation. Others use hot water to provide direct heat for residential and other buildings, and for other applications. For more information, contact the BLM Utah Information Access Center at 539-4001 or go to www.ut.blm.gov . There's no such thing as entitlement, unless someone has first met an obligation — Margaret Thatcher ac_ — ■•■••/• IU "l• IM! AMA .4 1 ery.gov, please look closely. You will notice there are some obvious discrepancies or possibly reporting errors on the website. This being said, all information may not be up to date or accurate. In reviewing Utah statewide, there have been many jobs "saved" because of the reinvestment part of the bill, but the whole title "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act" gives me heartburn. Why heartburn, do you ask? Well.... We may well be reinvesting in what hasn't worked for America in the past. What about the creation of new jobs that sustain themselves and create new streams of money? What is Recovery is supposed to mean? Does any one see signs of recovery showing up on the radar. If any of you do, please indulge me. I would love to report it. To many people, this bill is a starting point within our own country for a progressive solution to heal the earths ailments of humanity.... which is a noble cause, granted. It is our responsibility to care for each other. However, as much as I love America, (and if any country could pull this off with pure guts, it would be America), I also think we have walked ourselves into financial bondage (slavery). How can we help others, when we can't even help ourselves? It calls to reason the responsibility of the republic to monitor and study just how effective this program is working for us. These are your tax dollars that are funding this program.... If we are going to have any chance to make this work, the government needs our help. I believe that they have taken, taken, taken, irresponsibly, yes. We also, with our "Gottahaveitnow" mentality. That is another issue in and of itself. Our country is in a cancerous mode of entitlement. We need to quit thinking "bail-me-out", and start thinking "build-us-out". My intent in writing this article is not to criticize or condemn. I simply want to create a dialogue for our community to start thinking about. I believe our communities have some great minds, and if motivated could help our economy stabilize and grow locally. Are you willing to give a little to save a lot, or are you going to let this steamroller of debt flatten you? It's your choice. OUTSTANDING COUNTY OFFICIAL AWARD 1,411r. THE GARFIELD COUNTY INSIDER is owned and operated by Snapshot Multimedia and is distributed weekly to all of Garfield County. Its purpose is to inform residents about local issues and events. Articles submitted from independent writers are not necessarily the opinion of Snapshot Multimedia. We sincerely hope you enjoy the paper and encourage input on ideas and/or suggestions for the paper. Thank you for your support. Multimedia Phone: 435-676-2621 Fax 435-836-2700 PO BOX 472, Loa, Utah 84747 snapshot@scinternet.net ALL content for THE GARFIELD COUNTY INSIDER must be submitted on FRIDAY BEFORE 5:00 PM to be included in the following Thursday edition of the paper. 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