Show “Out of Step” to Business of the Week Oasis Seed Company serves and seed raisers by Dawn Carder Established in 1939 Oasis Seed was incorporated as a Company cooperative in 1941 placing ownership in the hands of its farmers and seed raisers The business continues to be locally owned and operated with Evan Maxfield serving as General Manager Each family participating in ownership has one share of stock and an elected Board of Directors (presently 7 members) works with the General Manager in assessing needs and overseeing operations According to Evan Maxfield local ownership allows Oasis Seed to provide better one on one service to its customers “We remain small enough to give personal service” he stated The majority of the company’s clientele are members of the cooperative but service to and out of the area customers comprise the largest part of the income However Evan stresses that Oasis Seed is primarily a service organization for the coop members The duties of the General Manager are vast and numerous Evan says that his first responsibility is to manage the overall affairs of the business “That includes everything” he said with a smile “all that goes on here I have to be a specialist in retail and interstate seeds namely alfalfa” There are over 200 varieties of alfalfa seeds and approximately 25 varieties are added yearly “It’s an unending task keeping updated” stated Evan Manager for Becoming General Oasis Seed was not what Evan had planned to do After graduation from Delta High he went to Southern Utah State College on a music scholarship “I loved it there” he said “and I would have stayed if the music program had offered more” From SUSC Evan went to BYU to continue his education majoring in Chinese and minoring in music His studies led to a BA degree and because of fluency in two Chinese dialects a job as a liaison with a California company Despite proficiency in an extremely difficult language musical talent and possibilities for a more glamorous career in intelligence or translating Evan soon found himself back in the Delta area “I hated translating so I really didn’t pursue such jobs” he admitted After a year in California he followed his father in the seed business It was in J981 vhen with dad aiming that Evan officially for retirement joined Oasis Seed Maxfield a 45 years Leigh had established a known seedsman reputation in alfalfa marketing At the request of the Board of Directors Leigh went “on board” at Oasis Seed air Feb 28 local farmers Seed produced elsewhere often provides the larger percentage of income The growers provide the desired benefits Along with keeping current on alfalfa varieties Evan must be on applications and characteristics of the many chemicals sold He also must be educated about and know how to market the grain seeds and numerous farm products handled at Oasis Seed “Anyone of my jobs could be considered a full time position” he commented Although the company does handle some barley wheat corn and oats 95 percent of the business is with alfalfa With increased consumer demands dustry standards have become much more stringent with the past eight years It is therefore essential for Evan to make sure seeds are tested for quality purity and viability Certain standards must be maintained Oasis During the winter months Seed is open from 8 am until 5 pm Evan Maxfield Saturday Monday through Friday hours are added in the summer and in the early 1970s when the business during the harvest season (August and was ir a slump Borrowing against his September) the shop is usually open own credit to meet the payroll he pullevery night until dark These hours ed business around and is says his son allow harvesters to bring their crops in responsible for “making this a going Seasonal help join the immediately seed business” five full time employees to meet While attending college Evan had customer needs in the fall each year worked three summers for his father Tremendous responsibility is on the thus becoming acquainted with Oasis shoulders of the General Manager Seed Once a full time employee he However Evan Maxfield says that he learned “on the job” with the help of enjoys his work “It is hard to get his father and longtime foreman Morbored when dealing with the public” ris Hopkins “I was here on a trial he mused Commenting on the operabasis” he commented “Dad always tions he added “The existing program said the best way to learn is to do That makes a viable strong business Oasis definitely is correct about this job” Seed has had no net loss since my The main business of Oasis Seed is father took over I believe I too have alfalfa and the company acts as a added successes” With marketing agent for growers Top on Evan’s list of interests wife fewer middlemen Joanie and their four children ages says Evan more competitive prices are provided to the eight six three and one month He customers and growers allowing them also has participated in several comto enjoy better than average prices munity symphonies playing trumpet he Sales cover a fifteen state territory east teaches private trumpet lessons and he west and Wisconsin as and Ohio as far is choir leader for the Hinckley' 2nd to California and Oregon Ward LDS Church On the side he 60 percent of the does a little farming Approximately volume is produced right here in this Eventually Evan may like to try area with the remaining 40 percent his own another from other states to fill the business Where and what are not volume Prior to 1982 local growers known factors at this time for he was what 95 of realizes that any business in this area percent produced marketed With this change Evan has takes a lot of effort frugality and wise had to alter the concept of marketing management in order to succeed While he used to center on distributors In the meantime Evan Maxfield on the endeavors to improve his performance “he now' must' concentrate wholesaleretail'trade:1 “If I'hadn’t and his company each day He credits changed” he explained “(he J0his oytfctaqding crew and a very suphave" the 'samd portive Board of Directors with the member wouldn’t benefits” continued and increased successes of With a decrease in production Evan the business Together they provide had to solicit wholesale dealer trade in ongoing service to the personal order for prices to off set any deficit customers of Oasis Seed We are involved in a war Gloria Probert chairperson for Daffodial Days watches as Mayor Keith Gillins signs a proclamation designating March 14 through March 20 as Daffodil Days Proclamation the survival rate for cancer increasing at an encouraging rate and there is growing and real hope today for the conquest of this disease and Whereas there is real need for additional funds to hasten this conquest by supporting research into cancer education treatment and prevention programs and service and rehabilitation aids for Utah cancer patients and Cancer the American Whereas Society is presently supporting many vital research projects and its volunteers are providing important education programs to our citizens and Cancer the American Whereas Society’s official symbol of hope in the fight against cancer because of ad Whereas is vances in cancer treatment and prevention is the Daffodil first flower of spring I Keith L Gillins Now therefore Mayor of the City of Fillmore Utah do hereby proclaim March 14 1988 through March 20 1988 as Daffodil Days and urge all residents to join with all volunteers of the East Millard Unit of the American Cancer Society to support this special occasion by donating for daffodils In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the City of Fillmore to be affixed this Second day of February 1988 Keith L Gillins by Marlene Whicker There is a war going on! This war has been in progress for 75 years and while some skirmishes have been promising and some strategies are worket ing no major battle has been This battle is against an enemy that is so cruel it strikes young and old never follows the rules and will kill regardless of race age or social status The enemy I am talking about is cancer This foe is one we all will have some acquaintance with at sometime in our lives whether it strikes us one of our family or one of our friends it WILL strike! The only way to stop it is by finding what makes it tick and then find ways of preventing it As said before there has been a war against cancer for 75 years This war has been waged by the American Cancer Society through donations from people like you and me Through research and public education the battle against cancer is showing signs of success but the battle is far from over and the American Cancer Society is still in the front lines The dolloars you donate to the American Cancer Society go to several areas the biggest hunk goes to research public education fund raising and patient services coming next in line For every $ 00 of donations going to the National headquarters for research Utah receives back into the state S206 in research grants On a local level the American Cancer Society gives patient services such as traveling aid to treatment centers prothesis aid in home visits and related services They also offer many public education materials lecturers brochures traveling programs etc These are all free to the public Our aim is to let everyone know WE ARE HERE! We want to help and we need your help We need volunteers we need to have you know what we have to offer we can’t help you if we don’t know you need us And we need to have you understand that much of this help can only be available through the donations YOU make! This is a wa' that we are all in together Let’s fight it and WIN Athletic scholarships available Over 100000 collegiate athletic scholarships are available each ear to male and female high school and junior college student athletes Contrary to popular belief students don’t have to be all state to " ’alify Much of this monev goes unused A new publication with forms sample letters and tables factual information is available for student athletes It takes them step by step through the important process of of getting an athletic scholarship and cludes college and conference listing The cost is $1200 Write the National Post Office Bov Sports Foundation 408 Matawan NJ What happens to a family when becomes involvtheir ed with alcohol? The popular national TV series “Our House” (Sundays at 6:00 pm on Channel 2) will look at alcoholism in the Feb 28 episode entitled “Out of Step” The story focuses upon a girl who is invited to a party She and is introduced to alcohol becomes very ill which leads to an teresting and realistic portrayal of the negative effects of teen drinking The episode provides practical and effective skills in dealing with these situations in one’s own family The script for this episode was reviewed by The Cottage Program International a Salt Lake Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention program The Cottage provides many services to church groups and family schools Their new promembers at gram Families In Focus is a family enrichment program designed to reduce alcohol and drug abuse and other adolescent problems For more information about Families In Focus please call Utah Cattlemen to have banquet The Millard County Cattlemen’s Association will have its annual banquet on Thursday March 10 1988 at 7 pm The festivities will be held in the ME Bird Center in Delta Included on the agenda will be prominent speakers live music and door prizes For tickets andor more information call Sherril Tolbert Delta Doyal Mitchell Fillmore or your local board member Thurs Feb DSPS Millard County Meet the 25 1988 - Page 3 Staff Sara Smith Mail-o- ut by Dawn Carder Being part of a family that has its own business has its advantages and depending on how one disadvantages views the situation The advantages clude having a job and learning the good old work ethic Disadvantages if one considers them such may be learning all this at a very early age In either case Sara Smith is a seasoned worker and she is not yet in high school! Born in Delta Sara moved with her family to California when she was just a year of age She was five when they returned and that was when Sara began her career at the Chronicle Progress The old adage “start at the bottom” truly applied to Sara The bottom is just exactly where she started for her first duties were to clean the floor She t has advanced to helping with which entails bundling the papers for Taught by Julie proper distribution Sara knows exactly what needs to be done and she does her job well An eighth grader at Delta Middle School Sara is an honoi student She plays flute in the band and her favorite subject is math Interests include chewing gum drawing painting rock ’n roll and going to the music boys movies Although she would rather live in sunny California where the family had a swimming pool in the yard Sara likes living in Delta “I like it here because there are fewer people” she said “And it’s homier here” Sara the third of four girls is the expert daughter of Jean Smith And who does she admire? “I admire my mom and my family” she quickly answered with the Chronicle (The family Progress is through “Grandma Sue” Dutson editorowner) Sara Smith in the opinion of this reporter is an exceptional person She is physically lovely to look out and her disposition is sunny and positive What I admire most about her is her drive and determination She will accomplish any task to which she sets her mind County Commissioners address the issues The following items were selected from the unapproved minutes of the meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Millard County on T February 16 1988 PRESENT: Warren E Jensen Chairman Mike Styler Abner Johnson Commissioners Warren Peterson County Attorney Marlene Whicker County Clerk Robyn Pearson Administrative Assistant Upon motion of Commissioners Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Styler the contract with Wheeler Machinery Company was signed by Commissioner Jensen The contract was approved during the bid held on January 26th for a grader for the Road Department Commissioner Styler reports that the County has been offered 40 to 50 acres surrounding the White Sage Park from IPP This ground includes a building which the West Millard Jeep Posse is interested in Commissioner Styler suggests that the County have a public hearing be held to determine whether or not the County Fair should be placed permanently in that area Commissioner Johnson suggests a meeting in Delta for the West Millard area citizens and an additional meeting here during the regular Commission meeting Commissioner Styler motions that a public hearing be advertised Mr Pearson suggests that the Commission contact Reece Nielson and AI Pfitzer to firm up the offers from IPP before the hearing is held so that the Commissioners could be informed of all aspects of the deal Attorney Peterson reports that Mr Leon Smith has approved and forwarded the Planning Commission recommendations for Amendments to the Zone under the Heavy Industrial Millard County Zoning Ordinance Commissioner Styler reports on a meeting he had with Mayor Gillins and Dr June Day wherein they came up with some suggestions that could help to solve the miscommunications the citizens group had concerns about Discussion was held regarding the implement of a meeting with the Mayors and City Council One particular item the Commissioners feel should be discussed is the Landfill Mr Styler suggested the meeting be held in the Holden Fire Station whereas it was the central location in the county Mr Pearson will set up the meeting The hope is to eliminate any misunderstanding or problems the Commission or cities may have The subject of emergency type work which was needed this past week from the employees was discussed Commissioner Johnson commended the way the work was completed and willingness to readily perform when needed Mr Bruce Hall will contact the commission regarding possible funding to cover the additional costs the landfill will incur due to the horse disaster Commissioner Styler informed the Clerk of the dates set for public hearing to change the Zoning ordinance in the Heavy Industrial Zone Motion seconded by Commissioner Johnson all Commissioners voting aye Date set for March 22 1988 at 11:00 am Mr John Hansen County Auditor alerted the Commissioners of a possible refund that the County may be eligible due to an overage of gasoline tax price Also the fact that the county is no longer eligible for tax exemption Mr Hansen also wants some type of program implimented to keep track of the tax paid by the County Mrs Mary Day brought up the matter of the IPA 1986 protested tax funds being held by the County Treasurer It is the position of the Commission that they will only be released upon receipt of the proper documentation from the Utah State Tax Commission Sheriff Ed Phillips met with the Commissioners regarding bids for vehicles his department is needed The State will be submitting bid specs for vehicles soon It was mentioned that perhaps the County can get in with the State bids Sheriff Phillips would like permission to shop around and get an idea as to what he can expect The Commissioners told him to go ahead and look for prices and assess the needs of his department He will get back with the Commissioners at a later date with his findings MARCH 1 1L988 VOTE FOR SPECIAL VOTED LEEWAY! FOR MILLARD THE PROPOSED COUNTY SCHOOLS VOTED LEEWAY IS NOT A TAX INCREASE! The Official Ballot states: authorization of the 2 mill voted leeway is contingent on an annual equal 2 mill reduction from current levels Advantages of the Voted Leeway 1 The Millard Board of Education is committed to a 195 TAX REDUCTION! The Board of Education would have control of the voted leeway funds so they would stay in Millard County School District 2 the 40 School Districts in Utah have a Special Voted Leeway Category These Districts are more able to handle the budget shortages that are occuring DID YOU KNOW? 16 of Our children’s education is the key to their future Let’s join together to benefit all by passage of the proposed voted leeway Sponsored by the Fillmore and Delta PTA Organizations |