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Show PAGE 4 THE ZEPHYR TIINE 1992 F were both in favor of adopting inspector and the dts planning department btolg local contractor said, in essence, one the ordinance, on hearing code. But at the facts & opinions of the month's news a summary by Ken Davey . the new public we don't need any more regulations. can t actually make people do And coundl members in their majority agreed. By golly, you of the toe drainage for vast areas dty, that's just more than we engineering before they change can stand. months when the coundl had golden Those are just three examples from the last couple of to determine "direction. And in each case the opportunities to "take control" to set "guideline?," miinril derided to pull back from taking a hard position. to exerdse The In the coundl doesn't need ""control", it already has it, if it diooses it truth, will needs it political coundl doesn't need "direction," view is not what is required, nor is it likely. But if elected officials An defer and demur from taking action everytime a developer or contractor complains, they are residents, who want to feel that dty leaders are letting down the other 99 percent of the city's taking their concerns info account nt FACT "We need to get control, because right now, it's out of control." "Where are the guidelines?" "We need direction. All the above are quotes from Moab Gty Council members during a May 5 discussion of the impacts of bed and breakfasts, overnight accommodations, and the influx of visitors to Moab during toe spring of 1992. OPINION The council is right that certain aspects of tourism are out of control But they fail to acknowledge their own role in that development Mare people are pouring into town than ever before. The visitation numbers at Arches National Park in 1991 now look puny compared to this spring so far. In addition, the number of people coming who never go near the park, but spend thrir time on BLM land. There were groups camping in parking lots, lining up at Gty Market, pitching tents in back and front yards, occasionally without the permission of the homeowners. Understandably, the council does not want to shut down the flow of visitors; too many local residents make their living from out of town guests, in toe restaurants, gift shops, and tour businesses. But at toe same time, council members want to be in a position where they can direct some of toe changes that, right now, are taking place with no planning at alL But council members have had opportunities to make statements, in words and in action, that they truly want to gain that control. And in almost every case, they have pulled bade , because they didn't want to appear to stand in the way of development plans. CASS HISTORY At the north end of the valley, a RV park has been built right along the highway and just south of the river bridge, outside toe dty limits. As always, zoning for toe area was changed by the county commission because as a group they don't believe in zoning and, without any deliberation whatsoever, they turned the grazing area into a commercial zone. That area is not part of the sewer system, and the county gave permission for a septic system to serve the campers and trailers. But for water, the developers had to come to the dty and request a hookup. Coundl members could have asked how the development would affect the groundwater, or how it would afreet the future visual quality of toe north end of toe valley, or the impact cm the wetlands preserve; or toe effect on any other services needed by a couple of hundred campers on toe rim of the dty. But, rather than seem they held their collective tongue. In fad, they even told the developers that if the dty ever annexed the area, they would not be bound by toe rules and regulations regarding curbs and gutters that the rest of the dty must record-breaki- 1- ng - follow. CASE HISTORY Canyonlands Motel construction project at Center and Main streets trees fronting Main Street as part of their building effort. The wanted to tear out toe Shade Commission Tree . city's said, well, if you tear out the trees spread about 40 feet apart, you should plant new ones 20 feet apart The trade, from the Shade Tree Commission's point of view, was more trees in exchange for shorter trees over the next decade or so. The developers didn't like that idea, but went along with it But not before they complained to the council that it cost them, out erf a total budget erf probably at least $23 million, as much as $200 more than they wanted to spend. Coundl members did not ask why the developers had to tear out the original trees, and did not talk about the need to keep shade in the most central area erf the dty. Instead, in the main, they went out of their way to explain to the motel's general manager that the Shade Tree Commission would not get out of line again. CASE HISTORY 3- The State erf Utah has; as part of its Unified Building Code; a provision that excavation work on large amounts erf dirt should require certain licensing and engineering requirements. In the past, Moab neighborhoods have been damaged by 2-- The mid-size- d - The Board of Education has accepted the resignations of the prindpals of both the Helen M. Both individuals were what are called provisional Knight School and toe High School. first two years on the job who have not yet established employees, that is, employees during their certain job rights, including the ability to contest not being rehired. Both were given information that indicated if they didn't resign, they would not be back for their career records and resumes. anyway, and that resignation would be better School board nffiHafa, dting legal reasons, have declined to comment cm their views, holding that if they raise reasons for their decisions, they could be legally put into a situation of having to defend themselves in possible legal action. But the turn of events has evoked some strong reaction in Moab, including an editorial in toe Times Independent, and a number of HMK teachers have gone an record saying they felt Paul Nash, the HMK principal should remain. OPINION pHnratinn is Grand County is not a source of local pride. Standardized test scores; even faiHng into account their inherent weaknesses, nevertheless indicate students score significantly lower here than both state and national norms. Fir too few Grand County graduates go on to erf complete college degrees, far too many drop out high school far too many end up pregnant at 17, without skills needed in a changing world. The current teachers and administrators cannot be held solely responsible for the failures, but neither can the town continue relying on the standard excuses of recent years, toe poverty of the area, the shortage of money, the indifference of state officials. A failure to look for internal problems is a sure sign of a future failure to solve ANY problems. Two new members joined the school board in 199(1 and 2 more will get on board next January. A new superintendent has been hired. Significant changes are needed, and the indication is toe new board is willing to do toe work to make them successful Now IS NOT not the time to hold with the status quo. Now IS the time to challenge assumptions of the past that the way things have been done for toe last decade are good enough for toe next Moab is now an appealing place for people to live. The very reasons that tourists will spend $90 a night for a motel room are also the reasons that educational professionals can be attracted e to jobs here. A few years ago I occasionally worked as a substitute teacher in the county. One day, I was assigned to a classroom of an English class, and written on the blackboard was, "metaphors and similis." On another day in another classroom, I saw that a campaign against negativism was called, "Don't feed the vultchure." In both cases I asked the students how long those misspellings were left on toe board, and the students told me they were there for at a week or so, at least full-tim- understand typographical errors. I have misspelled names, misnamed people, transposed numbers, and made a host of other errors in print that embarrassed me and the publication. But someone, the teacher, the aides, the school administration, should have caught those spelling mistakes. ' And more than anyone, toe STUDENTS should have caught toe errors, and felt comfortable, even triumphant In catching a teacher in a mistake. But it didn't happen. It is indicative of a sloppy approach that is expected in a government bureaucracy, and acceptable in a number of private businesses. But toe education of 10 year olds is too important to tolerate that kind of approach. Are tire current teacher and administrative staffs of toe schools the best we can get? Not ok, not good enough, but the best we can get? If so, then leave things as they are. But you'll search far and wide to find anyone with experience in the flmnla to say that's the case. Qiange is needed, the board of education is willing to make it, and they should be supported in that I VoU Sfolg' 5U3WAY Aty M fHRE OU "TWO , ANt aT& OrJE , A4 OTHER. A r fUtfO W0 M WSULp You Hav 6pr7 HOW l 74 South Main o Moab, Utah 259-SUB- S WE SERVE BRAIN FOOD |