Page 4 The Gunnison Valley Gazette Centerfield's 2012 budget outlook by CHRISTI GARFF With many cities and towns throughout the country facing huge budget deficits, Centerfield City through its fiscal responsibility appears to be riding the nation's economic downturn well. Mayor Tom Sorenson stated, "The budget is looking good this year... we are in good shape." City leaders met Wednesday to discuss and plan the city's 2012 budget. State law requires all cities and towns to pass and submit their 2012 budgets by June 25th of this year. Unlike many communities Centerfield has not raised property taxes in almost 30 years. Once again the city will not increase taxes in 2012. City leaders then agreed to offer a small pay raise to its full time employees, as well as continuing to provide the same health care coverage and retirement plan as part of their overall benefits package. Mayor Sorenson explained that Centerfield is one of the only communities left within Sanpete County that is still able to provide this benefit to its city employees with no out of pocket cost to that employee. Mayor Sorenson and city recorder, Debbie Hansen, then announced that they were able to find a way to save city residents money on their water bills for now. After being notified of an increase in the garbage collection fees, due to high fuel costs the two were able to sit down and find enough money in the current budget to cover the increase. The Mayor was happy to prevent the increase to local residents, but reminded those in attendance that if gas prices go up in the future, increases in fuel surcharges were still possible and those increases would probably need to be passed on to homeowners. There will also be one big change for city residents beginning in January 2012. At the 2011 state legislative session, legislators passed a bill altering the way municipalities are allowed to assess fees for services. Due to this change in state law Centerfield City will now be forced to change the way it pays for the city's police force. Instead of the city charging a $15.00 police fee on residents monthly water bills, the city will now need to assess a line item charge for police protection on a resident's property taxes. This change in the way the city collects funds will have no effect on the amount of revenue generated for the police force, but will only affect the way in which the funds are currently being collected. The city council originally put the police fee on water bills to allow residents to pay a smaller amount monthly instead of charging a larger onetime fee, thinking $15 a month would be easier for residents to pay than a onetime payment of $180. Centerfield City, by law, must now post two separate notices on these changes and then hold a public meeting. This public meeting will allow residents to ask any questions or to voice any concerns they may have on the matter. Thursday, June 9, 2011 JOPLIN Continued from Page 1 "It was our turn, our turn to give back," Melissa said. "When we were hit with the tornado in 2003, I could never have made it without the goodness of others. When something like that happens, you just don't know what to do. You don't know where to turn or where to start." Melissa is a student-council advisor at Gunnison Valley High School. Just before school let out for summer, she mentioned to her students that she was going to Joplin. Jantz Jensen, who was preparing to graduate, was one of them. "I went home and said, `The Judy's are going to Joplin,' and that it would be real cool to go. That would be a neat senior trip for me." Jantz says. His family couldn't afford the plane ticket to send him, so he used money he received from graduation to go—money he had planned to use for a different graduation trip to California later in the summer. The Judy's high-schoolaged son Preston also decided to go. So did fellow student Rylan Anderson, "talked into it" by friend Jantz. With Preston on next year's Bulldog football team, the Judys attended a "meet the team" banquet the week of graduation. They asked football coach Yori Ludvigson to make a pitch for cash donations for Joplin. He did, and then—with the consent of team captains—donated that evening's proceeds to the cause. With that and other donations, the Judys gathered about $8,000 by the time the group flew to Joplin. But donations of other goods and supplies came in, too. Since the group was fly- aem. ourtes ' oto Improvised messages like this one thanking relief workers are found all throughout Joplin. ing, there was no way to take those things with them. That's when high school English teachers Arti Olsen and JoLyn Chappell volunteered to load up a truck, hitch a trailer and drive 18-hours one-way to take the relatively small load of items to Joplin. They were joined by last-year Gunnison graduates Megan Jensen and Rayel Sorenson. Dr. Judy echoes the widow's mite idea. "You look at the destruction, and you just think how can you do anything. We just barely scratched the surface of what we could do for anybody. But having gone through it before, some of the biggest things for us were the little things." They cleared debris; hauled wrecked items; searched for salvageable belongings, either treasured or trivial but all somehow meaningful. Sometimes all they did was provide a general sense of comfort. "Lots of people just need to tell their story," Jantz said. "When you sit there and listen, they start crying and tell their story, and then just thank you for listening. They feel better. They just need somebody to talk to." They worked hard from sunup to sundown, in 90 degrees or hotter and high humidity. "They never once complained," Melissa said. "They just got right up and right to work, and worked hard. I'm sure they're exhausted; we're all kind of exhausted." For the group, particularly the youth, it was a life-changing experience. One can hear that as they talk about what they experienced, and what they brought away from those experiences. Those lessons are all about perspective. Preston Judy was struck by how "the people that were hit had good attitudes," even in the face of such tragedy and devastation. He remembered a house that had blown off its foundation about 10 feet. The basement was rubble. The ceiling was gone, but the porch was intact. An elderly couple was sitting on the porch eating sandwiches and drinking Coca-Colas. "We asked could we help them," Preston said, "and they said no, there was nothing to do but just watch the world go by. What struck me was that they were so happy, just chillin'. They said, `Go help the people that need help.' Rylan Anderson learned how important memories and relationships are. "We saw an old guy standing by his house, and we stopped to see if we could help with anything," Anderson says. "He just wanted to find a pocketwatch." The watch was a keepsake that had been handed down by the 96-yearold man's father. The group searched for almost an hour. They didn't find the watch. All they found was some silverware still in a drawer. "That put it in perspective, how bad it really was," Anderson said. "Everything was gone. The only thing he had was silverware. That's where he raised his kids and everything. All his memories were swept off." On the one hand was danger and fear. Structures were unsafe; health officials went up and down roads offering tetanus shots for people punctured by nails or other debris; the boys were tearing some cabinets out when the homeowner all of a sudden remembered the walls had been full of asbestos. And there was always a traumatic thought at the back of everyone's minds, which Jantz summarizes: "When I lift up this board, is there going to be somebody [dead] underneath it?" On the other hand was this illustration from Melissa: A man riding in the bed of a pickup truck with a piano and a dog. The truck was driven up and down the streets while he sat in back playing the piano. "To me and you, that sounds like a silly thing," she says. "But to the people in Joplin, it brought some happiness." Of the $8,000 the group brought with them, they gave $5,000 to local LDS leaders to use as needed. The rest they divided up among themselves to give to people as they saw fit. The goods and supplies were given to an LDS bishop who spread them on tables in his yard for people to "shop" from. Dr. Judy wishes the Gunnison folks who donated could have reaped the same benefits the group did. "A lot of people in Jop- Colon cancer doesn't just destroy your body. It ravages your family. Colon cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer. A simple screening can detect precancerous growths before the disease can take over your body, your family, or your life. Screening saves lives. If you're over 50, get a colonoscopy. ANONIDAY - WEDNISDAY 8 AAN To 9:30 P/v■ TIALAZSDAY - SATuR.DAY 9 AAA To 9 ?AN lin don't even know we were there. But for [people we helped], we have a real physical and spiritual connection, and it was good for them and it was good for us," he said. "I feel bad that all these people that donated didn't get to feel that same emotional connection we felt from people we helped. We got that reward." The group stopped to help a man clean his garage. During conversation, Dr. Judy referred to the boys as "young men." Preston says, "We left, and then I decided to go and give him some of the money I had. At first he wouldn't take it, but finally he did. He gave me a big hug and told me to tell my dad to 'stop calling you young men, because you're men.' Jantz got a hug, too, a different time. While driving around, they saw a yard with a spraypainted sign offering "free hugs." In the yard were two women and a shirtless, hairychested, tattooed man toking a cigarette. Judys and company stopped. Jantz got out and asked, "Are you guys still giving out free hugs," probably anticipating one of the women would respond. The man took one last, very long drag from his cigarette, flicked the butt away, and somewhat to Jantz's bewilderment, flung his arms wide open and said, "Okay, here you go," and wrapped him in a hug. Jantz gave the man some of the money he had. "I got a new perspective on life," Jantz said. "The enjoyment you get out of helping others. It changed my life to get away from happy-valley Gunnison and get out into the world and cope with different people." For Melissa Judy, an old perspective on life was simply reinforced. "It puts everything into perspective that what's really important is relationships with one another and helping. Things are things, and life is about relationships. We need each other, that's what it's all about." So, in the end, how much good did they do? Jantz offers more perspective. "There's nothing much you could help with. But the little bit you do help with goes a long ways." Jantz, Preston and Rylan had grown close to an older gentleman named John. They never got his last name. They tried several times to give him money, but he always refused. Finally, on the last day, they pooled their remaining money together and insisted he take it. Dr. Judy remained in the car while the boys said their farewells to him. While in the car, Judy said, some utility workers came up to him and told him, "You know, you've really had an impact here. John has talked about nonstop about this crew." The worker told Dr. Judy that John had once become teary-eyed about them, saying he wanted them to stay and be my neighbors. He told Dr. Judy, putting the whole thing in nutshell perspective, "You've touched somebody here."