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Show THE ZEPHYR APRIL 1990 PAGE 8 ' I " the councils turn an interview with. Zephyr: The cltv end the county have been negotiating for months to share certain services, but there still Isn't anv agreement What Is the problem between the cttv end county, and what can be done to overcome It? Dave: I don't know that there Is a problem, In the sense of something you can go out and solve. But I do think there Is an attitude problem. When you are a county of everyone In the county, and It commissioner, you are responsMe for the well-beiseems to me that when people become commissioners they forget about the people within the city limits. The county government doesn't control ss much Inside the city as It does outside the city limits. So the commissioners have a tendency to say, "you're city, and that's your problem, not ours. We're county." But residents of Moab are all residents of the county. And the county has a responsibility to those who live In the city. It's not Moab against Grand County. Moab deals with a lot of Its own problems. But Grand County cant forget the city. I don't say the county commission has to get Into bed with the Moab City Council, It but has to be an equitable situation, and treated In a professional manner. Most of the county residents live In the city, but the commissioners act like sometimes they don't represent them. I believe people can sit down and deal with things on a business basis, decide what kind of cooperation Is needed for Interaction between the county and Moab In police services, the Inspector, the planning departments. Work It out Years ago, the county commission tried to consolidate, at least consolidate the police. Right now we have an overabundance of police officers. The police department In the city has decreased In numbers, and the budget Is down. But If you looked at the money spent on police In Grand County, It would astound you. But people dont want to give up their turf, and If you want to say there's a problem, Its turf. "This belongs to us, this belongs to you. In reality, all of Grand County "belongs to the commissioners, In that they are responsible to all of us. Zephyr: Two commission offices are up for election this November. Have you been thinking about running? Dave: Realistically, I personally can't afford to stay In public office In Moab. Im not rich. If you are not affluent, or flexfely your chances of making a living In office are very poor. As long as people perceive county commissioners as and staying part-tiemployees, I cant do It If you really believe In doing something In office, you know It's not a part-tiJob. But unless you are affluent, how can you afford It? You have to spend Just too much time. If the economics were there, I might possibly run for county commission. But with the way It Is, I cant Zephyr: Can a county of 6.000 people do It anv other wav? Can we afford to have full-ticommissioners? Maybe If we had full-tipeople running the county, we wouldnt be only 6,000 people. In other words, you can poor-bo- y along, and you stay poor boys forever. Or, you can develop a professional outlook. The treasurer, the sheriff, the county clerk, the other offices, they're considered professional positions. They are considered a Job, a full-tiJob. But then you have a county commission, the most Important offices, who oversee the whole county, who set the budget, who run the whole show. They're only part time. If we had full time professionals overseeing the county, maybe our county planning would be better. Maybe our economic development would be better. Maybe the economy would be better, and we wouldn't Just be poor-boylalong. We got 6,000 people here, right? The population base In Park City Is 4,500. But they have professionals running the city. mi ixmujm mmojiujswu i. min ng self-employ- ed, me me me me me ng Dave Bierschied set out In a desolate desert. Somebodwla going to elected commissioners, or mayors, or council people feel that run this county. If the people In what happens In their community, then I think, are Important because It gives them a say yes, we can afford It We can afford a professional. Zephyr: Speaking of professionalism and economic development the Chamber of Commerce recently hired Tom Shellenberoer as an economic development coordinator. The position Is funded from the Cltv of Moab. Is It the best Idea for the dtv to turn over economic development to a private organization like the Chamber of Commerce? Dave: I dont believe government has to control economic development I know there's sentiment In the State of Utah that that Is necessary, from the state right down through the counties and cities. They believe that If they put money Into It, they have to have direct control over It But I dont believe that As for as the situation In Moab goes, what I was looking for In that particular posltlon was a coordinator, not someone to do magical things. People are Interested In Investing here In Moab, and they dont know where to go, who to talk to. Chambers of Commerce are places where business people naturally go for Information. We voted $15,000.00 for the program. Those monies arent donated. Those monies arent given away. Those monies are being paid for a service rendered. It's an Investment, and It should come back to us. Can I ask a question? Actually Its a statement, and It's cfirected toward the editor of your paper. I'm serious about this. Mr.... whats his name, hamburger guy. Zephyr: John Sensenbrenner? Dave: Yeah. I read his little thing In the last Issue. It seems like the paper Is going a little bit In the direction of the Stinking Desert Gazette. If Sensenbrenner doesn't like tiie BLM, he doesn't like the city, have him write an editorial saying what he doesn't like. Have him name names. But you throw out slanderous b.s. with little cartoon names to hide from any responsibility you write. I think If s crap, and It shouldnt be In the paper. I can see someone writing an article giving their opinion. But to write cute little plays condemning what you don't like, It Isn't right It aint over easy. It pissed me off. Zephyr: Okav. About the downtown plaza and visitors center. The Cltv Council and the Canvonlands Natural History Association have been talking about It for 3 months I now, putting It at the comer of Main and Center Streets. Recently. CNHA came up with a plan to have UDOT put out most of the money, with the cltv and county throwing In $35.000.00 each. But the Cltv Council hasn't voted to give anv money vet Whafs the story? Dave: I know there are people In the community who feel that maybe the city Is holding something up, but you cant allocate money If Ifs not there. Our problem Is timing. Ralph Miller, owner of the Main and Center Streets property wants to sell. The state, UDOT, If they go In on this, they may want us to do something. The natural history people, they want us to do something. But everybody Is bound by budgets. The plaza project has never come to Council for a vote. Ifs been discussed, and we've given our stamp of approval for the concept of a plaza, but It has never come to the Council for a vote on money. Now with this plaza, were supposed to maintain It That needs to be looked at through the parks department and budgeted for. I think the plaza Is a good Idea, and Center and Main would be an Ideal place. Are you willing to vote to give $35.000.00 to It? Zephyr: Dave: Ifs not a matter of willingness to vote. Ifs a matter of whether Ifs appropriate. If we feel there will be the funds, fine. But I don't see coming up with any money until the project Is rolling, and that may take a year. Then It would fall within our budgetary process. I would be willing to say that any Hem that comes to us at budget time Moab Is not a little gray town Castle Valley Inn Relax in sophisticated comfort amidst some of the Canyonlands most splendid scenery. Seven rooms, most with fine indoor and private bath ($35-60- ), outdoor dining for registered guests, six acres of orchard, lawns and fields ... full breakfast included in room rates. Featuring: THE GRANDVIEW HOT TUB Redrock to mountain top views Innkeepers: Eric and Lynn Forbes Thomson. CVSRBox 2602, Moab, Utah 84532. 801-259-601- 2 |
