OCR Text |
Show Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues, December 3-6, 2005 The Park Record A-2 Shakeup at P.C. nonprofit Ebqjensive homes also on list Weiss claims director 's job performance at community outreach center not up to par police Chief Lloyd Evans, who is also a PCCOC board member. Of the Record staff "This is a small county. A iot of One of the non-profit organi- folks arc involved with folks who zation's former directors claims are on boards." However, Martinez said, the Park City Community Outreach Center (PCCOC) ter- Weiss' close relationship with the minated his contract a few weeks police department was the prinago because of "innocuous" cipal concern. comments he made in the media "And the fact that the chief is about a controversial, area on our board of directors ... How "Most Wanted" list, recently is it that some our funding comes posted on the Park City Police from the police and the chief is Department's Web site. on the board of directors and The list, which consisted signing the checks?" he added. entirely of Latino suspects, garPCCOC attempts to serve as a nered significant media atten- liaison for struggling immigrants tion. in Summit County. But Weiss" "My comments said only this, association with the police '... I am curious why 100 percent department has muddied the of the Top Ten is made up of a organization's relationship with population that is only 20 per-1 the Latino community, Martinez cent of Park City's population," said, adding that clients often former PCCOC program direc- asked him if he worked for the tor Lee Martinez said about police. remarks he made to a Salt Lake "At one point, Shelley did tell Tribune reporter. "I questioned me that part of my function was why 20 percent of the popula- to work for the police," he said, tion, that makes maybe 25 per- adding that he was asked to procent of the crime, is 100 percent vide law enforcement with inforof the Top Ten." mation about people he served. Because his comments upset "I'm kind of uncomfortable with his supervisor, PCCOC that ... I just thought that was Executive Director Shelley really awkward." Weiss, his six-month contract to Weiss denied she asked oversee the organization was not Martinez to tip off the police. renewed a few weeks ago, "[Martinez] should take Martinez said during an inter- responsibility for not doing such view Thursday. a great job," Weiss said. "Shelley has said the same But Martinez also blasted thing in quotes of her own to the Weiss' managerial skills and media," he said, adding that he blamed her for why it once took was never told not to speak to six weeks for him to receive a reporters. "I didn't go looking paycheck, when he was to be for the media, it came to me ... paid every two weeks. all of this seemed like an overOne of PCCOC's primary misreaction." sions is to help immigrants But his comments also upset resolve labor disputes, but he Park City police Chief Lloyd was "getting the same damn Evans, which resulted in his ter- behavior" from the organization, mination, Martinez said. Martinez said. "This is a personnel matter "People need to know that the that I'm not entirely comfortable public funds are not accounted talking about," said Park City for and there seems to be an By PATRICK PARKINSON apparent conflict of interest with regard to my previously doing such a fantastic job, up until the time I was quoted in the paper," he added. According to Weiss, "there are a bunch of different things [Martinez] didn't get done." "He violated his contract," she added. But she praised him last summer after he had taken the organization's reins. "I really want people to know that we've got a person who's bilingual, who's got all of the right stuff. He's worked for everybody from Mike Leavitt to Rocky Anderson," Weiss said, describing Martinez to The Park Record last summer. "He's extremely qualified for what he's doing." PCCOC board member Riley Risto has a different perspective than Weiss on Martinez's job performance in Park City. "I think [Martinez] was doing a wonderful job," Risto said, adding that the quality of Martinez's work had nothing to do with his dismissal. "He had a six-month contract and the contract ran out." "[Risto] also knew that we were not renewing [Martinez's] contract and Riley did not protest that non-renewal," Weiss countered. Park City has given PCCOC about $19,000 to help the organization operate for two years, but Martinez claimed he didn't see any financial statements for the organization while overseeing the office at Aspen Villas apartments. "I really was concerned." he said about the lack of fiscal oversight. Weiss hopes the Summit County Commission will grant PCCOC money during its current budget talks. "Our books and all of our financial records are open to anybody who wants to take a look at it," she said. City scrutinizes affordable housing • Continued from A-1 The city's assessment anticipated both council members' recommendations. Robinson is already working on a similar assessment survey with Summit County and hopes to pass an affordable housing resolution that agrees with Park City's, she says, to develop a regional housing approach. In the report, there are several recommendations for government financial assistance programs such as a mortgage assistance program. Promoting employer assisted housing is also mentioned as a rec- ommendation in the assessment, notes Robinson. However, of the 53 businesses that completed this year's Employer Housing Survey, only 64 percent were Park City businesses and only one ski area responded. The Canyons Resort still has 267 affordable housing units it needs to build and Park City Mountain Resort is responsible for developing housing for 80 employees under its Development Agreement, Robinson said, and though Deer ValJey Resort has already met its 112-unit requirement as part the Deer Valley Master Plan, and currently pro- vides 70 units expressly for its employees, the town still comes up short when it comes to housing its core sector leisure and hospitality workers. "One of the concern^ isjiow to get the business community engaged [in affordable housing] in a more meaningful way," she said. "Every year, we've always had a lot of people coming in with no housing...Folks need much more assistance." Park City has also launched a community housing survey, which can be accessed online at www.parkcity.org. Click on "Community Housing Survey." Gingrich tells Reps: clean up act By GLEN WARCHOL MediaNews Group Wire Service Salt Lake City - Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says he is "sickened" by recent scandals involving GOP congressional leadership. "This is the biggest crossroads for the Republican Party since Ronald Reagan came to the presidency in 1980," said Gingrich, who was in Salt Lake City Thursday to speak to the conservative Sutherland Institute. "I'm for more aggressive leadership in the Republican Party and more principled leadership." Gingrich said he was deeply troubled by the resignation Monday of Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif., and by the widening bribery and ethics investigation into the activities of lobbyist Jack Abramoff. "Frankly, it sickens me," he said. Gingrich called on Republicans to lead ethics reform. "You have to clean it up. You can't tolerate it. You can't excuse it," Gingrich said during a brief news conference. "We have to set a standard as a party." Cunningham resigned after admitting to taking $2.4 million in bribes. Abramoffs partner Michael Scanlon pleaded guilty last month to conspiring to bribe a congressman and other public officials. Rep. Robert W. Ney, R-Ohio, has been linked to Abramoff, but maintains he was lied to by the lobbyist and denies allegations of improper influence. Scanlon served as a press secretary to then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas. DeLay stepped down from the No. 2 post in the House after being indicted in Texas on charges related to improper fundraising. Investigators into influence peddling are looking at half a dozen members of Congress, current and former congressional aides and a deputy secretary of the Interior, according to the Washington Post. Gingrich brought ethics charges in 1987 against Speaker of the House Jim Wright. The Democrat resigned as a result of the inquiry. Gingrich ushered in a Republican majority in the House in 1994 wilh his Contract with America, and promised reform after years of Democratic rule that he claimed was epitomized by the House Bank overdraft scandal. He later was a leader in calling for the impeachment of President Clinton. But Gingrich has weathered his own ethics allegations, including that he claimed tax-exempt status for a college course run for political purposes. The charges were eventually dropped, though Gingrich admitted to unintentionally giving inaccurate information to the House Ethics Committee. • Continued from A-1 But attorney Bruce Baird, who filed the fair-housing lawsuit, countered, "[the plan] tells me that the Summit County Attorney's Office is so desperate to not admit that they simply haven't been doing a good job." One of the moderately priced housing units on the county's report is a lot in Jeremy Ranch with nothing but a sport court, he claims. "Can somebody live on a sport court in a Park City winter?" Baird asked. Baird blames Summit County deputy attorney David Thomas for the alleged misrepresentations in the report. Summit County Commissioner Bob Richer said Planning Director Michael Barille prepared the document with Phyllis Robinson, an affordable-housing advocate at Park City Municipal. Robinson claims in a court affidavit that Summit County currently has more than 1,700 units of affordable housing, a court document states. Baird has asked a federal judge to disallow the county's report because the document is "misleading, false and perhaps, attempted fraud on the court." "Until I've seen the (court) documents I cannot comment on it," Robinson said Friday. To identify properties listed on the report, county officials reportedly screened tax rolls in the Summit County Assessor's Office for properties with a maximum sales price of $216,000. Richer concedes that he was not well versed in the contents of the housing plan before voting for it in October. "There's 1,800 properties on the report, if you think that we drove around and personally inspected each one of the 1,800 properties, the answer would be 'no,"' Richer said. "When you have an organization of the size that we have, that's why you have to manage the organization and you have various people that are department heads." But that's sloppy governing, Baird said. "When I think of good government, I expect people to read - PHOTO COURTESY OF BRUCE BAIRD Attorneys who are litigating against Summit County claim this sport court in the Snyderville Basin was identified by the Summit County Commission as affordable housing. 1,838 list are generally valued well above the moderate income level, for the entire 1,323 units, but trust the court will be able to follow the evidence," Baird's motion states. Thomas and Richer stood by their housing plan this week. "We have confidence in both Michael Barille and Phyllis Robinson who prepared the report... we believe in them and we trust that their information is accurate and correct," Richer said. "We think [Baird's] charges are ludicrous," the county commissioner added. Thomas says county officials were "up front" with the court about how the properties were identified and hasn't seen Baird's photographs. "Certainly, they can try to quibble about things here and there ... over a couple of units, if [they] want," Thomas said. "There's an adequate moderate income housing program in the Snyderville Basin." Motions filed Friday against Summit County bolster his argument for summary judgment against the government in the fair-housing lawsuit, Baird said. "1 remember early in this case, Mr. Thomas accused our law firm of misleading our clients into filing this case," Baird said. "It's very clear from the facts, who's been misleading whom." the things they vote on and ask tough questions,1' Baird said. Baird says his investigators examined all of the units the county claims are affordable. According to a motion filed against the county, a lot on Whileaway Road included in the report, valued at $92,015, "does not contain any housing unit." Also included in the report is a house at 8810 North Silver Spur Road near the Jeremy Ranch Golf Course valued at $114,125, "which [plaintiffs] would love to see go to a more deserving moderate or low income family," Baird's court filing states. The county claims a house on Richmond Drive in Silver Summit, currently for sale for $520,000, also constitutes moderately priced housing in the Basin, court documents state. Governments often determine what the price of affordable housing should be based the area median income in the neighborhood. According to Baird, the county included in their housing report a house on Matterhorn Drive in Summit Park that the assessor values at $45,844. But a buyer currently has that home under contract after it was listed for sale at $659,000, Baird claims. "Plaintiffs could go on in this fashion, showing that properties identified by [the county] in the Armed robber turns himself in • Continued from A-1 PCPD Officer Jim Snyder was first to arrive. "Basically, the reason why it only took a few hours [to arrest Balcon] is because it was good police work. They questioned the suspect's roommates and associates, and I think once Balcon became aware of that, he decided he probably ought to turn himself in," Kirk said. According to Kirk, Balcon is a Park City resident and owns a white van that fits the description of the vehicle the suspect used to flee the scene on Sunday. Detective Fierro has collected enough information to hold Balcon in jail to determine his immigrant status. Fierro says Balcon is from Mexico, and has worked as a house painter, among other things, in the Park City area for a few years. Suarez says he was surprised that a customer would threaten a cashier at his store. In the past, Suarez can only recall a few shoplifters stealing a loaf of bread or a few drinks from the coolers. "Salt Lake is different, but here, look - I don't bar the doors," he explained. "This is Park City [and] we don't make a lot [of money]." But now, Suarez is taking steps to secure his store. By Tuesday, he had added a second camera and television screen that can record the daily transactions at the front counter and was contemplating additional security measures. "Tomorrow, a security company is going to come in and put in a panic button," he said. Suarez adds he feels lucky that everyone is safe, but he's disappointed that someone from the Latino community decided to rob him. "It's too bad," he said of the crime. "Some Hispanics are bad, but a lot of us are good people." Kamas rangers prepare for winter • Continued from A-1 rooms along the highway and a "warming hut" near Mirror Lake, Thibodeaux said. "We keep that open all winter with an active propane stove in it. All you do is flick a switch ... it probably saved about four lives last year," he added. Avalanche danger, however, is high this weekend in the Kamas district, Mowrer said. Thibodeaux adds, "Watch the snow conditions and watch the weather." Stay off steep slopes in excess of 35 degrees and be prepared with shovels, probes and beacons, and know how to use the equipment if someone becomes buried in a slide, he said. "We do a lot of avalanche education here," Thibodeaux said. "It is very dangerous." Meanwhile, much of the interest this year in the Wasatch-Cache has come from families seeking permits to harvest holiday trees. Pollock said. "It's extremely popular. There are a lot of families that do that every year," she said. "We've had quite a few calls this year." Because of an infestation of bark beetles in the forest, trees cannot be cut in Kamas. However, in the nearby Evanston and Mountain View Ranger Districts permits are available for $10, Pollock said. For more information about services offered this winter in Kamas, contact the district at (435) 783-4338. Eat, Drink & Be Generous! February 2-5, 2006 P A R K All proceeds will benefit the: Highlights of the 2006 Event C I T Y Culinary, Community Night Kick-Off Soiree Vintner Dinners CLASSIC Masquerade Ball and more... F O U N D A T The Underdog Foundations mission to fund community youth programs in the areas of education, arts, advocacy and athletics. Visit our website for a list of our preselected 2006 beneficiaries. www.theunderdogfoundation.org • www.parkcitywineclassic.com V -J |