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Show THE ZEPHYR JUNE 1991 PAGE 4 i an interview with the grand county commission Jim Stiles conducted an Interview with the Grand County Commission, Sam Cunningham, Dave Knutson and Manuel Torres. The Interview has been edtted for clarity and length. HOSPITAL full-tiZephyr: Kim Hardman, the hoaoltal administrator, wanted to hire a financial director, and you came up with $5.000 a year for a financial consultant Is that me right? Dave: Yeah, thats right position? Zephyr: But he wanted a full-tiManuel: He felt like If the finances were there to have a finance person who understood medicare and medicaid. It would be better. At the time, we didn't have the option. And that was to get a consultant who funding so we asked whats the second-be- st would come at the end of the year. Dave: Do you want me to translate that for you? From the beginning, Hardman said that finances was not his forte1. His was management style. We understood that, but couldn't afford a finance director, so we came up with a consultant Instead. Zephyr: Isn't that what LHS wanted as well? Manuel: LHS was going to cost Grand County $28,000, or more. Dave: Thats why we said no. position, lust like LHS. Zephyr: But Hardman wanted a full-tiI If Manuel: Absolutely. But think you talk to Kim, he's happy with what he has now. So It was Just something that came and went Zephyr: Explain Merv Lawton's trip to Salt Lake for me. The county attorney's opinion was that municipalities should be represented on the hospital board. Manuel: Why are you asking us to explain Merv's trip? Zephyr: Isn't Merv representing the Commission In trying to contact other attorneys who might have a different opinion than Lvle Anderson's? Dave: No. Zephyr: He did It on his own? Dave: We didnt send him. He did that on his own. Bless his heart Bless his little black heart Manuel: Listen, I think he's as concerned about anybody else In Grand County. He saw something that he thought was going to cause a problem.... I dont know what his Intent was. Zephyr: So basically. Merv dldnt agree with the county attorney and was seeking legal advice that offered a different point of view. Sam: How could we possibly speculate on that? I view this In the same vein as citizen who freely gives their Input any Manuel: It may be a little bit more touchy area. Zephyr: Isn't the bottom line here that the county commission really does not want Tom Stocks sitting on this board? Sam: Thats an Incredibly prejudicial statement on your part, viewing from a totally dispassionate news reporter. I find that personally, really offensive. Zephyr: Really? But Is It true? Manuel: No. I told Tom, and I know I'm not wrong. When we took over the hospital board, all appointments were dissolved as well, InducHng the city. I asked him to come before the commission If he Is the choice of the city. I wanted him to go public. Zephyr. I've also heard that the commission Isn't very enthusiastic about Peter Hanev representing Castle Valiev on the board. Manuel: Its not Peter Haney. Its anybody outside the limits of the city. Dave: I'm not that benevolent about the whole thing. For one thing, Peter Haney came out when he was campaigning, and basically said he dd not want a hospital. He said we ought to make It Into an emergency room, period. Get rid of this, that, and the other thing. That concerns me. As for Tom Stocks, we felt we needed a new board. We made a clean sweep, and Im concerned about having some of the same philosophies, Ideas, coming back to haunt us. That's not a personal Indictment of Tom. I think the city already has plenty of representation. Everyone except Nyland lives In the city. We wanted fresh Ideas and we didnt want them Influenced by politics. Zephyr: Your preference then Is to not have these municipality positions filled on the board? Dave: It would be not to have them. Sam: My preference would be not to have It become a political Issue, but to be filled by truly Interested people who represented the constituency that they supposedly me me represent Manuel: I feel the same, 100. Zephyr: But who would represent a constituency better than the duly elected mayor of the cttv? Sam: I was thinking more Peter Haney who doesn't live In Castle Valley. Zephyr: But there are precedents for that Trish West who lives In Moab. represents Castle Valiev on the Rec Board for Instance. Sam: Just as curious an appointment Manuel: Castle Valley has made some funny appointments. I think Its putting a bad name on the citizens of Castle Valley. Im going to put some pressure on them. This tells me that the mayor cant find anybody that Is willing and diligent from his own town. Theres a lot of good people In Castle Valley, and I Just dont buy It KEYSTONE PIT Zephyr: Last month. Manuel, you said the state was pleased with the condition of the Pit But appsrentlv. they now have a problem with the monitoring wells, the fact that Ha an unsupervised operation, and that It was overflowing Into an unapproved pit Whafsthe status of this now? Dave: The state sends us a letter every year giving us a status report, so that's not uncommon. Jim Adamson has said that they're looking at a cflfferent way of monitoring around the state. Thats not specific to us. The overflow problem was taken care of quite some time back. Our biggest concern Is to bring It up to where It should be. We got Into this to provide a service for the community. But now Its got bigger than that, and we have to gear up for It Zephyr: Youre talking about raising fees. Dave: Yep, were going to. Zephyr: Did vou ever determine what the lease charge Is? The county hasn't paid In a nickel lease money. So whats your basis for raising the fee? Sam: Market evaluation. Manuel: Hey, If you don't have to pay on something, anything you raise Is a true profit In business. Dave: We raised the price because we knew there are going to be some expenses down the road. Then we need to negotiate with the owner. Manuel: We're setting up a meeting with the state and all the effected parties to take a look at the pit, see what changes have to be made, raise prices, have an 8 to 5 opening, shut It down at night., whatever It takes. Sam: At the same time, looking to see If we want to buy It or not CONTAMINATED SOIL Zephyr: We're now accepting contaminated soil at the landfill. Dave: We have been... from San Juan County and other places. We took some from Salt Lake. We dont look at this as something to operate the landfill for. If that's something we're going to do we need to Increase the prices significantly for people. If they pay It, Its great revenue. If they go somewhere else, thats great too. Zephyr: What are we getting right now for contaminated soil? Manuel: Is It $25 for a rd dump truck? Or Is It $50? Anyway, we decided to If It comes from outside the county. Were Increasing all the fees because, hey, double that were In bad shape financially. Dave: Were not In business to do this for free to outsiders. The only reason to accept outside contaminated soil Is for profit Sam: And Its useful as fill to the county. Dave: Mostly we're trying to cover up that dump, so all the dirt that comes In Is to helpful us. And the state has said Its perfectly safe. 'raging environmentalist1 In this group. Zephyr: Sam, you're the How do vou feel about all this? Sam: If we are, In fact doing an environmentally sound thing which to all Indications we are, and since we cannot wish away the problem of contaminated soil since we are addressing the problem of leaking storage tanks, then when a county Is being fiscally responsible by addressing how much we charge for doing this, we are also being environmentally sound. There Is a problem. We are addressing It In our own area and adjacent counties and now we've had to address outer counties. And weve done that with a hike In our fees. Zephyr: But If other counties don't want this waste, as an environmentalist do vou think our county should be responsible for them? Sam: SJmllar to the keystone pit. Its going to keep on happening. We're going to keep on pumping oil until we change our consumption rates. We cant wish It away. I dont think we should advertise that were accepting everybody elses toxics, no. But I hope we can deal with It on a case by case basis In a responsible way. Dave: But whats the difference when we say, we want tourism because Its a clean Industry, when In reality Its the biggest problem we have. We have no facilities for them. And yet we keep Inviting them. Shouldnt they stay In their own back yard? out-of-cou- nty 10-ya- self-proclai- TOURIST IMPACTSFOOD TAX Zephyr: Ok. Let's talk about that Are the tourist Impacts getting to the point we where need to quit promoting ourselves and direct that money toward dealing with Impacts? Manuel: Thats what were doing with that 30 from toe Travel Council that comes back to the county. Weve addressed that and solved part of It Dave: Economics Is Important when we talk about contaminated soli for the dump, because we have to provide services for the tourists. Weve got to provide them and get It any way we can. Zephyr: What about the food tax? Is it fair? Manuel: No. Dave: Ive been contemplating on that People say we need to tax the bikers, and toll a on the river bridge. We come back and booth put say we can put on a restaurant tax which hits most of those people, and everybody screams that's not fair. If s got me rather confused. Manuel: What upsets us Is the legislature In passing this tax only one segment of the taxing capacity that we can take advantage of. Dave: But look. I pay taxes on my ATVs that I rent and mountain bikers dont How can they say thafa OK. Bight that bothers vou. But this food tax la similar. The tax would be levied at the Creekalde Restaurant or the Main St Brellar. but the Dell at Cttv Market would be exempt Dave: I agree. We need to look at that Manuel: w fake advantage of It with everybody else. I say yes, because If we sit here and complain the legislature Is going to tell us we dkJnt take advantage of the opportunity they gave us. It may not be fair to everybody, but we gave you something In return. Dave: Nothing's been decided yet We want more Input ZeP,1Yr: And that 1 Is targeted for tourist Impacts? t0Ur8m' 100 oonto talk about what were going to do with It ButkTa k wayyeah Y011 080 use ft fa1 Pramoflon. or Impacts. Thafa vour cotton. THAT THE EVENING BEFORE THIO TORRES TOLD A MEETING OF THE REC BOARD OF PLANS THE 1 FOOD TAX TO HIRE A MANAGER FOR THE EQUESTRIAN JS5SJJJ 222! |