OCR Text |
Show April 15 03.qxd 12/7/2021 Volume VIII Issue I 3:55 PM Page 11 THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Page 11 April 15, 2003 Q & A cont. from page 10 township could work collaboratively with existing Valley townships, tripling the voice of Valley residents. Today this is difficult to do because of specific legal procedures governing meetings involving the County Commission, Weber Planning Commission, and Township Councils, which were created to ensure that combined meetings are open to the public. A township has no risk of increased taxes. A township has no risk of a reduction in current services such as road maintenance, snow removal, fire protection, police protection. A township has no need for an added layer of government or support services such as a city attorney, engineers, planners, etc. A great deal of time energy and money was spent collecting immense feedback from Valley residents and formulating the Ogden Valley General Plan that represents the vision of Valley residents. A new city could never afford to replicate that research, especially utilizing merely volunteer efforts. A township would not eliminate the Valley General Plan and its protective ordinances in one fell swoop. A township is a cost free step toward local control without the risk of the Valley being exploited by those who would advocate unfettered development. According to our neighbors, it is working. 6. According to the Utah code, is it true that if we sign a petition to incorporate, that we give the five sponsors, whoever they are, the power to select style of government, boundaries of officers, and other significant powers to direct the course of our community? How will sponsors be chosen? Initially, no one understood precisely who the sponsors should be, or how they should be chosen. At an early steering committee meeting, there was heated discussion on this matter, i.e. sponsors should be selected by the steering committee and become voting members of the steering committee, sponsors should be selected by the steering committee and not be voting members of the steering committee, sponsors should be nominated and chosen by the public, sponsors should be well-known or influential members of the community whose names would encourage residents to sign the petitions. Names were suggested and eliminated if they were considered to be controversial individuals. There is no set way to determine sponsors and how they will be chosen. The steering committee has decided that members of the steering committee will be sponsors. The sponsors have significant powers—both direct and powers of influence. They determine boundaries for geographic representation, and have the most first hand knowledge in every aspect of incorporation research including possible styles of gov- ernment. If the incorporation issue reaches the ballot, the public will vote for the style of government concurrent with their yes or no vote for incorporation, remembering that much of the public will vote based upon information disseminated by the steering committee sponsors. 7. Will all the ordinances that have been adopted to implement the Valley General plan be null and void upon incorporation? These ordinances promote dark skies, architectural standards for a rural community, pathways and planned growth. How do we know which ordinances will stay or go and who makes that decision and with what authority? In the event of incorporation, the Ogden Valley General Plan, and the ordinances that support it will be immediately rendered null and void. The newly elected governmental body is under no obligation to adopt any portion nor are they obligated to implement a moratorium, if a moratorium were implemented, we would be at the mercy of a, likely, “volunteer” government to determine what changes would be made. It would be impossible for this group to replicate the depth of research involved in the current General Plan. Further, depending on the style of government (whether the Mayor has virtual unilateral power over decision making or must work collectively with a representative city council), there could be no balance of power, and virtually no recourse until the public could vote in the next election. Just as developmentally minded landowners raced to subdivide their land prior to the General Plan taking effect (building what we now see inconsistent with the General Plan), changes made during this time would be legally supported by the United States constitutional principle of no export facto laws ( aka “grandfathering”), and damage would be irreparable. In Honor of Those Who Serve The OGDEN VALLEY NEWS would like to highlight and honor a local serviceman or woman in each edition of the paper. Please send information of family members who are serving in the Armed Forces or National Guard, and photo if possible, to: OGDEN VALLEY NEWS PO BOX 130 EDEN UT 84310 Or email to: crwendell@att.net or shannafrancis@att.net Remember AYSO Soccer Registration! August 2003-May 2004 Early Bird Fees for soccer season are $37.00 if signed up during the following registration dates. If not, the regular fee of $45.00 will apply. Please plan to register on these dates to lower your costs, and to help AYSO get a head start on planning for the fall season. When: April 24, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Thursday evening April 26, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Saturday Where:The LDS Stake Center, 6500 E. 1900 N., in Eden Saturday is also Team Picture Day for those teams now playing. Smile pretty, and come for registration! AYSO is still looking for volunteers. Call Kay Larrison, 745-3927, with any questions. A High Valley Shootout meeting is scheduled for Wednesday April 23 at the Ogden Valley Library in Huntsville at 6:30 p.m. Volunteers are needed for the tournament, please plan to attend. Questions? Call Lei Lani Gauchat 745-2684. We Salute! Lieutenant Colonel Robert John Primbs, Jr., was selected for special assignment as a member of the Columbia space shuttle accident investigation team, NASA, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas. Colonel Primbs provides engineering and technical analysis support to board members. He has a comprehensive background in space and missile systems, aircraft structures, and flight test. Colonel Primbs holds a BS degree in engineering electronics/physics, an MA in industrial management, and is a graduate of Air War College and national security programs at both the Naval War College and National Defense University. He is a resident of Huntsville, Utah and was returned to active duty during operation ENDURING FREEDOM supporting the war in Afghanistan. His home duty station is Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. He is the Chief, user equipment branch, for the NAVSTAR satellite global positioning system. Lt. Col. Robert John Primbs Layton Wild Bird Center Nature/Bird Walk Schedule Join us for a free nature/bird walk. We leave from the Layton, Wild Bird Center at 8:00 a.m., every Saturday (unless otherwise noted), rain or shine. Our walks are a great way to introduce children to the world of nature. Bill Fenimore or another local expert leads the walk. We discuss and observe birds, mammals, flowers, butterflies and other nature interests, as we encounter them. The Wild Bird Center “life list” includes 171 different bird species observed during our Nature/Bird Walks, thus far. Helps us add new bird species to the Wild Bird Center list. April 19 Kays Creek Parkway April 26 East Kaysville Foothills May 3 Beus Pond, Ogden May 10 Tri-State Marsh May 17 Great Salt Lake Bird Festival, Davis County Fair Grounds, Farmington May 24 Riverdale Parkway May 31 La Plata (departs from the Wild Bird Center at 7:00 a.m.) June 7 Bear River Waterfowl Refuge, Nature Bird Photography Workshop June 14 Antelope Island State Park for Grasshopper Sparrows June 21 North Arm, Pineview Reservoir June 28 Jefferson Hunt Campground /Perception Park We draw your attention to the La Plata trip that was enjoyed by many last year. La Plata is an old silver mine boom ghost town near Monte Cristo. Jim Poulter will lead this trip on private property that he owns. Since the area is private, the Nature/Bird Walk provides an especially good time to view this historic area. See Moose, Elk, Deer, as well as beautiful Mountain Blue Birds, warblers, the forest grouse, vireos, and many other mountain bird species. We will see beautiful wildflowers and butterflies. Jim will tell us about the history of La Plata. We end this trip with a fun picnic lunch. Bring your favorite treat and something to drink. We will leave the Wild Bird Center at 7:00 a.m. Celeste C. Canning PLLC Attorney at Law 2456 Washington Boulevard, Suite C Ogden, Utah 84401 A field of flowers creates an image of the American flag. Subscriptions available for out of area residents at $18.00 annually. Send payment with mailing address to: THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS P O BOX 130 EDEN UT 84310 Local: 801 791-1092 Office: 801 612-9299 Email: ccanninglaw@aol.com Meeting the Legal Needs of Small Business and Their Owners FREE Initial Thirty Minute Consultation. Appointments in Ogden Valley upon request. DAM SPECIAL AGAIN! (JUST A REMINDER COMPLETION OF PROJECTS BEFORE CLOSURE WILL SAVE YOU MONEY) WASATCH PAVING Asphalt Application, Maintenance, Repair 745-3006 |