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Show WASATCH HONEST continued from page 4 also demonstrates that -went into your action. some thought The fourth most effective way is to send an email. Although email does allow for ‘quicker responses, it does so only if your ~ elected officials check their boxes often. Many get an email address to demonstrate how progressive they are, but rarely check it. The White House actually just deletes most of the stuff they receive. It can be an effective way for politicians to let citizens vent their feelings without feeling an obligation to respond. If you get a generic response to a _ic email query, you know it’s not using. On the other hand, some cians make effective use of their specifworth politiemail systems to gauge public opinion. Email is beginning to play a much larger role in national politics, especially in congressional offices. The least effective way to communicate with your politicians is through the ballot box. The ballot box is the only way remove or replace politicians, but since it is only used every two, four or six years, politicians can go a long time before they know what their constituents think. Between those times, they can do a lot of things that their constituents may not approve of. _ The Art of the Deal ment buildings in Heber as they are' The only way that citizens will ever get an honest government is if they voice its time and money? Wrong again. UPCMC agreed to lease a measly 200 acre-feet of water to JSSD for the sum of $350 an acre-foot or $70,000 a year. Salt Opinion by Dan Stephens, Courier Publisher Lake City is leasing 1,440-acre feet to JSSD for $205 an acre foot. UPCMC What is going on at Jordanelle? In what must rank as one of the all-time most one sided agreements ever negotiated by a public entity, Jordanelle Special Service District gave away the store in its agree- ment with United Park Corporation (UPCMC) to City treat Mines water contaminated with lead and zinc coming from the Ontario Drain Tunnel. It is hard to believe that the county could top such loser agreements such as the Deer Crest Annexation and _ the Jordanelle Firehouse. This just goes to show that I should never underestimate the lack of negotiating talent we have in county government. _ The negotiations were held between the former county attorney Dan Matthews, former JSSD manager LeeRoy Farrell and Hank Rothwell, the current UPCMC President. The county negotiating team | kept the county commissioners aware of their progress executive session in regular, meetings. closed-door Of course, nothing of any importance has been done in a public meeting in recent memory. | aie let me say that UPCMC and its President Hank Rothwell deserve no criticism in any form whatsoever. Hank’s job and his obligation to his stockholders is to secure the best deal possible. If the ments that are being built in recreation — people you are negotiating with foolishly areas, and the Olympic venue and its offer way more than you would settle for, lack of an endowment fund. Other scheduled on the agendas. The county’s agendas are now available online at: http://co.wasatch.ut.us. | i Another questionable Jordanelle deal Some of the issues that are currently before the people of Wasatch County include: the proposed school district tax hike, the removal of questionable county employees, the approval of develop- issues will be posted on the bulletin boards in the city and county govern-. | ~ August 24, 1999 __ COUNTY SLE you don’t say “Hey guys we’ll take a lot less.” You accept what they’ve offered . and ask for more. That’s business. If | ever need a negotiator, I’m calling Hank. What is wrong with the-agreement? Well first off, why in the world did JSSD agree to | design and build, at its’ sole expense, a $9.7 million treatment plant when they are only owns an additional 1,400-acre feet that they are specifically not leasing to JSSD. Between Salt Lake City and UPCMC they own one third of the water from the tunnel. The: drain tunnel puts out 15,480-acre feet per year. Since the JSSD _ getting 10 percent of the water treated? Surely it only makes sense that UPCMC pay some share, a large share, of the cost . of the Clarification Plant. After all, UPCMC is obligated through its’ agreement with the state to treat the water whether JSSD uses any of it or not. The logic offered a developer and JSSD (they will) of the costs. Of will be treating the entire flow, why does it only have rights to 1,600-acre feet or 10 percent of the total flow? - is that since UPCMC is will pay water fees to in the end pay a share course that is a weak argument. UPCMC So who owns the rest of the water that JSSD is treating? Midway Irrigation owns a third and is considering plans to store their share in Jordanelle Reservoir and take it out when needed. They apparently have no plans to lease their water to JSSD. will be building only a small part of the total development in the Jordanelle area. The fact is that other developers (and their future residents) | will end up paying the majority of the cost. And those payments are a long way | The last third is owned by Utah Water Company, L.L.C. I suppose JSSD could - negotiating with Utah Water down the road. In the meantime JSSD is © be Company to buy or lease their third, but. borrowing the money to build the plant. don’t you think it would make sense to Next, after agreeing to pay for all of the secure the rights to the water before you plant JSSD then agreed to lease the land built a $9.7 million plant to treat that it is built on. Excuse me, but if I just same agreed to pay the entire cost of the plant from a position of weakness, eh? I think the least I’d insist on is that the land under it be given to me. Pay $9.7 million for the plant and then $50,000 a year to lease the land as it? Give me Nothing like negotiating So how does this effect those of us down in the valley? It creates an enormous legal liability. By law the county must protect the interests of its future citizens. a break. Add water? Tf it does not, it can be sued. to that a $50, 000 a year mee source access oS For what? What in the world is a “source access payment?” You can be sure that once the wealthy residents of Jordanelle find out just how No one seems to know for sure. About all I can figure is that it’s a stealth way for county to court. Who will pay the bill then? The people who rent county officials. elected . the JSSD to funnel an extra $50,000 to_ UPCMC every year. So make it $100,000. to UPCMC every for land leases and access payments. You’d think that in light of the Get that JSSD is paying $9.7 million for a-plant and ~ $100,000 to UPCMC every year maybe UPCMC could give JSSD some water for bad a deal they got, they will take the our « cur- The only way the residents of the county can limit their legal liabilities is by taking care of the problem now before residents move into Jordanelle. Othérwise, the citizens of the county may pay dearly for their commissioner’s mistakes. | rr their opinions. Opinions speak louder in words. Send your letter to the editor to: ~The Wasatch County Courier 525 S. Main Street * Heber City, UT 84032 » (435) 654-2531 LOW 98 65 SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY Aug 26 Aug 27 Aug 28 Aug 29 Aug 30 HIGH LOW HIGH LOW HIGH LOW HIGH LOW HIGH LOW 87 56 93 62 92 58 88 57 ae. 57. ns 95 64 HIGH FRIDAY sient en eer HIGH LOW THURSDAY vn et Aug 24 WEDNESDAY Aug 25 » eines “ TUESDAY Prone ey WASATCH COUNTY COURIER WEEKLY FORECAST |