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Show PAGE 4 THE ZEPHYR MAY 1990 an interview with the grand county commission Zephyr: Do vou support It Feme? Feme: Im still kind of In doubt But I feel better after hearing Lance. Zephyr: Could Green River have annexed the land without vour consent? Merv: Yes, they could have. The Zephyr conducted an Interview with Commits) onera Feme Mullen and Merv Lawton. Commissioner David Knutson was unable to attend. The Interview has been edited for clarity and length. The Hospital The Learning Report Zephyr: The first questions are actually for Feme, because you're on the hospital board. A lot of questions have been raised lately about the resignation of Mr. Bloxham. the contract with LHS Services, and the general morale of the hospital staff. Can you discuss some of these concerns? Feme: I cant speak as to why Mr. Bloxham resigned, because at his resignation, we signed a paper that If the reasons were to be discussed, It was up to him to explain. And so I cant discuss that As far as the Board's concerned, the LHS came In for an Interim. We had them get an administrator here until we could hire one. They're here for 90 days. Whether we sign them on as a management has not been deckled. Before It Is decided, we're having a public meeting. They have done a study for us of where the hospital Is, the directions we're going, the options. That Is complete, were having a workshop meeting, to go over these. Then well set up the public meeting, so everyone can have their Input We'll take It from there and make the decision whether to hire them to manage the hospital. Zephyr: Some have said that 1989 was a profitable year for the hospital and question the need for LHS. Feme: They are not making money. They came out ahead of their budget but misconstrued that Theyre still getting that money from the taxpayer. They are they supporting the hospital. Zephyr: How much do taxpayers pay to the hospital each year? Feme: I don't know the exact amount but when they say they lived within their but the budget Included the tax base. budget they did How about the morale of the staff? Zephyr: Feme: I think Its better now, and I think this time and motion study they did on the hospital, they did a lot of Interviewing, and It was about split, as far as whether Bloxham left But the morale of the hospital was very bad. I had received so many complaints on the care at the hospital. Zephyr: What do vou think of the Learning Report? (The report was financed bv rural Utah counties and Indicates devastating economic Impacts If wilderness Is designated bv Congress - Also see essays bv Sierra Club and Western Land Users In this issue). Merv: I havent read tt. Feme: I think I have, but I cant remember right now. Merv: I know that It says Grand County stands to lose a tremendous amount I know that Arden Pope (BYU Econ. Professor) harshly criticized the report, saying that the figures were bloated to a tremendous extent But I dont know that his statements were supported by many people. I dont know enough about the report, and If a a tough one. Uke many of these, there will be people who support It, and people who say "no to It Feme: I do know which one you mean now, and my objection to It Is, you can slant a report any way you want The value placed on those lands Is rather ridiculous. You really have to read these things and know they are slanted. Zephyr: How much did Grand Countv contribute to this report? Merv: It was $1500.00 Zephyr: There have been complaints that while the taxpayers essentially paid to have this report done, nobody can get a copy of It Feme: They are going to make more copies. There are a lot of people who want to see It They want to get It published cheaper, and this takes time. They want to get It out to the public. Zephyr: Is there a copy here that citizens could have access to? Feme: Ill bring mine down. Zephyr: Economics Is an Inexact science and last year when we discussed this expenditure, no one seemed to dispute the notion that this was going to be a biased report against wilderness. Merv: Dont say that I'm against wilderness. I do have difficulties though, In wilderness having designated by Congress with no say by the local people. Medical Waste Incinerator 14 Zephyr: The medical waste Incinerator received Its license to proceed. Just to confirm, this Is on annexed Grand County land, and could vou have prevented them from coming In? Merv: Yes It Is. I presume It Is. Zephyr: Do vou support the Incinerator? Merv: I do now. Tourists Impacts Zephyr: Speaking of wild things, how do vou think we handled the Influx of tourists last week? Do vou think we were approaching the bursting point as far as Impacts go? Zephyr: Why? Merv: Initially, I was not happy about It because I didnt know enough about It, and It seemed to be slipping In under the table. We had meetings with Solid Waste and the Air Quality, and I felt satisfied with what I'd heard. Probably our most knowledgeable person here Is Lance Christie on those type of Installations, and we organized a meeting with him and Air Quality engineering people. They had that meeting and he felt It was OK. So I used Lance as an advisor, and I feel confident that It will be alright If It ever goes In. If It goes In, I think It will be manned satisfactorily and It Is something that's needed. The locality Is the question. BBBSBHBBBSHHBIHBBBBnBSflEBHHBEBB&HBBBESSB&SSBBSSHI suzan martin sales associate Business (801) 259-502- 1 Residence (801) 259-791- 4 APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY...I HELP YOU? . Feme: Yes, I do. And I think this Is too bad because I think the Jeep Safari has been handled very well over the years. This year, I think they were overwhelmed and they feel as bad about It as anybody. It was Just too big to be handled. And It seems we had a different group. Before It was a more mature group; this time, I saw all these brand new and I like young people. But Ive heard from Ber Knight Jeeps with these young people that they're going to try and limit It Thats what has to be done. Merv: I disagree. I dont think It was out of hand. I was on one of the trails; we had problems with a few, but I thought It was better than In the past There were some Incidents, but I thought the trail leaders were responsive. Zephyr: You're speaking specifically of the trails. I'm talking about the crowds, the river corridor and related health problems. Feme: Down the Kane Creek Road, tourists were taking railroad ties out of peoples yards to use as firewood. They ended up calling the police. Zephyr: Whats the latest on the Blue Ribbon Panel? Merv: The BLM has Installed some vault toilets, but not enough and that requires Identified 19 sites that need toilets and I dont know how many are In now. But We money. Its not enough. The sanitation problem In Moonflower Canyon Is shocking. Feme: I think we need to start designating campsites. We cant have facilities everywhere. Merv: We still have the problem that of all the money that the tourists bring In, very little actually comes back to the county. We dont get the money to put In the necessary Infrastructure. The BLM has a limited budget too. We couldn't suddenly expect them to put In a lot of money that they're not budgeted for. Its not a pleasant thought Daylight Is not there, to say, ah, here It Is. The BLM was able to get some money through Jake Gam for the Kokopelll Trail, of which the river corridor Is a part Zephyr: But every six months. In the spring and fall, things get worse and a little more In terms of the Impacts. Merv: We knew this was going to be a problem. We knew It a year ago. I sincerely hope that by next year we'll be a bit further ahead. non-reversl- ble Election Interest Zephyr: Were vou surprised bv the small number of candidates who filed for county offices this month? Merv: No. Feme: There are so many that are uncontested. It shows a lack of Interest or something. Deputy Countv Attorney Zephyr: I asked a couple of months ago If vou Intended to hire a new deputy county attorney. You aald that Mra. Coates would have to luatHv the need before vou would hire one. Since then, vou have filled that position. What were the statistics that aupported Put your trust in Number One: 0 Equal Homing Opportunity EACH OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED. that decision? Feme: The Increased load. Zephyr: How does It compare to four years ago? Feme: At the time, we had the figures before us that showed the Increase. Merv: Its our responsibility to see that tfie whole process of the Justice department flows. If we feel that one person cannot handle the load, It Is our responsibility, even If It costs extra money, to assure that It works property. It seemed like It was very necessary for us to hire part-tim- e. Zephyr: How does the case load compare? |
