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Show THE ZEPHYRJANFEB 1992 everything from everywhere Zephyr: But they're ALL Hemlngwavs. Sam: Maybe. That'a the job of zoning Zephyr: But If ahe accepta Input from accept Input form SUWA7 Sam: Someone doea. Maybe not here. How about some Steinbeck? and the commiaaion. WALll. doea ahe have a reaponalbllltv to She put It together In one weekend on her Zephyr: I'm not queatlonlng Bette'a dedication. Sam: I know you're not Stanton-bashinBut someone had to do H. I pulled all this Information together and said here It is. What's trash is trash. Zephyr: What parts do you specifically oblect to? Sam: Weil, language like unconditional support for keeping grazing fees at $1.97 because It's the highest and best use of the land Is totally Irresponsible. It offends me as much as saying - Cow Free In '93. Zephyr: So you think political statements should be kept out of master plana. Sam: At least At least that On the other hand, this Is a Redneck commission, If you want to call It that, tempered however much by me. That'a the essence of It My I'm here to tell them, these are the facts and mission Is to be the either you're disregarding them or you're right on. Zephyr: How often as the minority member are you the dissenting vote with David A Manuel? Sam: Never In public. Zephyr: You mean on a public vote, you've never dissented with them? Out of all the votes you've cast how many time have you differed with them? Sam: Four or five. But basically I don't think thafs effective. We have some terrific fights, but when we go before the public, we amalgamate our positions. And I think that's appropriate. Zephyr: Do you think there are decisions that the Commission has made without discussing them In a public forum? Sam: Yes. Zephyr: Is that a problem? Sam: It Is for me. . g. self-appoint- ed fact-find- er. Book Cliffs Road Zephyr: Last week the Road board approved a $350,000 budget: $250.000 of It Is earmarked for Anal design pending completion of the EIS That money, of course, goes to Creamer A Noble. You apparently don't support this project. How would you these funds If you were In the majority? Sam: I'm not the road expert. I bet Dave Warner, the county roads man, could tell you all kinds of things that could be done with IL Zephyr: The Board has spent or budgeted over e million dollars now. They say It's to Increase oil exploration: vet where we DO have an oil boom, none of the companies has requested a penny for roads. Sam: I rest my esse. You've made It for me. in addition, and In defense of the an it's Issue thaifs been around for a long time, and it's s hell of a lot of money to put road, the Issue to rest, one way or the other. But If you force anything, you can get a favorable outcome If that's what you want.. - i Zephyr: Do you think Grand County works too closely with Creamer A Noble? Sam: Absolutely. Zephyr: i was told that on the Hastings Road Improvements that have been requested by Elgin residents, the commission Intends to hire Creamer A Noble to write the propoaal for the federal funding. Is that right? Sam: I'm a commissioner and I didn't know that Zephyr: I had a good source. Sam: Thats not a road board Job Is It? Zephyr: No. This Is Class B road money. Had you heard that? Sam: No.well, I'm trying to be scrupulously fair here. Let me say that I've now been on a number of biddings through the county, and i don't know what's flawed, the buHdlng In rural Utah, or the builder. Maybe If s the mechanism of building In rural Utah. If you advertise a big job and you only get 2 or 3 people bidding, there's something wrong. Either Ifs economically questionable, or we're not advertising correctly, or we've got a bad reputation. don't know. Zaohvr: I recall when Crssmer A Noble won the engineering contract on the Book Cliffs Road. Knutson himself said h was a done deal, to use his words. That even though the project was put out tor bids. Creamer A Noble had the lob. Do you think thafs happened more than once? Sam: I don't know. Wouldn't even want to speculate. re-dire-ct ;- That's an Irresponsible question. Use your bloody head on this thlngl We advertise for tourists forever. Look at the visitation Increases. I'm sorry but I see people smashing and mashing Into me everyday I go to work. I want them picked upl How ludicrous to ask if we're becoming a speed trap! offended. . own time. PAGE 5 . J Zephyr: It's a fair question. Sam: No It's not It's ridiculous! Zephyr: At the hearing the question was raised - has there been a significant Increase In accidents as a result of unchecked, unlawful driving behavior that warrants Increased protection, and the answer was no. Sam: Fines do not prevent accidents. They prevent the precipitation of accidents. Zephyr: Increased law enforcement Is a response to an Increased problem. Sam: You don't think thousands of people on the road Is an Increased problem? Zephyr: Walt s minute. We're caught In an endless loop here. Accidents are s of result poor driving habits. We have not had an Increase In accidents. But we're Increasing enforcement to write more tickets. So that decision cannot be tied to a concern for public safety. Sam: You can't say that Zephyr: Well. I did. Sam: That's a non sequitor. Zephyr: OK. I think we can all agree that you do not think Increased revenues for fines makes us a speed trap. Education Zephyr: I hit a nerve with Knutson a few months ago because I said In an editorial that I didn't believe the Commiaaion. or the Mayor, or the Council did enough to Increase funding for education In Grand County. He took great offense at that. He responded that the county gives 52 of State PILT monies to education, and I'm sure he'd dte this recent donation from Chevron. But I was talking more about lobbying efforts with the legislature to change funding formulas that might direct more money to rural Utah. So while they were eager to hire Steve Creamer to lobby the legislature to change laws that would allow mineral lease money to come back to the county for projects like the Book Cliffs Road, I'm personally unaware of similar efforts by the Commission on behalf of education. Sam: David was quite right about the PILT monies. Thats an extraordinary effort Zephyr: But how much Is that? $45.000 or so? Sam: I was going to say about that Zephyr: In the whole scheme of things, that'a not much, considering we sit at the bottom of the pay acale In Grand County. Sam: I would like to see the school board come to us In helping to assist them In making those kinds of efforts. But I would hesitate for the Commission to do it on Its own. Merv Lawton Appointment Zephyr: Merv was appointed to the Spanish Valiev Water A Sewer District Board by the Commiaaion. According to Dale Pierson. Its director, you have to live In the county. Now, on the same day. I think, that Merv was appointed to the Board, he voted on an absentee CITY ballot. On the other hand, county attorney Lvle Anderson Isn't sure If It matters WHERE he lives. Sam: Dale had not apprised us of that fact. Zephyr: You're saying Dale never shared that Sam: Never shared that with us. There's something to be said for the fact that we should know that. If we were doing something In error, that's why we have people who draw salaries who hsve special interests to tell us we're doing something In error. Zephyr: Dale ssys he DID bring that up at the meeting. Sam: He did. He said, does Merv live In the county? And I said absolutely. If I recsll, the dsy the sppolntment was made was the ssme dsy that Mr. Lawton placed an - absentee ballot Zephyr: A cltv ballot Sam: A city ballot Zephyr: So does he maintain a dual residency? Sam: Not to my knowledge. But It would seem they need to address that problem to him. Moab's Future . Zephyr: How do you see Moab's future, and are we prepared to deal with H? Sam: Obviously the answer is no, we're not prepared but we better get ready quick. Equestrian Canter (continued) Zephyr: Have you heard of problems with the Equestrian Center construction? the roof doesn't The bricks weren't waterproofed, and windows were Installed upside-dow. Board of from members the of came Some these fit the building? Equestrian Sam: I've heard these. The historical facts are that the break In the conceptualization of thla thing cauaed a lot to be lost In the translation. And we're lucky to have anything that stands up at all. That's been the essence of the more responsible stories I've heard. building doesn't have to meet building Zephyr: Is It true a government-funde- d codas? Inspection Sam: That's Immaterial. Zephyr: But If It had been examined by an Inspector upon completion and deemed Inadequate Sam: It still wouldn't have made a difference. As the stewards of government money, It behooves us to see It's spent correctly. n, The Proposed Fines Increase Zephyr: The county Is protecting an Increase of $100.000 In fines collected for 92. The Sheriffs office plans to hire two more people and they will, as a result write more tickets and generate more revenue. Is that right? Sam: Essentially. Zephyr: That's a 50 Increase. Are we becoming a a peed trap? Sam: Have we already become a tinseltown? the Zephyr: Huh? Are the fines being levied In the public Interest to protect the for revenue to levied county? generate citizenry or are they being Sam: Your focus is all wrong. When I heard that last night, I was terrifically Committee, when you get past ill the Zephyr: Regarding the rhetoric with Jack A Bette. Jack's concern Is that you can't plan for the future H you don't Committee shuts out a lot of consider all the points of view, and that the with If an opinion, you'll never get people. Bette's responae Is that you Include everybody anything accomplished. How do you sit on that? Sam: I saw the first 20 minutes of the last meeting, and saw no progress and a lot of mudsllnglng. ft was absolutely counterproductive. Committee had similar goals. Zephyr: But I thought the Sam: Jack Campbell comes to every meeting. And he beats the same dog over A over. Do It after the meeting for Pete's sake. strip along Hwv 191 five veers form Zephyr: Do you envision a motel, fast-foo- d ent . . now? Sam: Probably. Zephyr: Do you envision a dramatic Increase In population? Sam: What's dramatic? Zephyr: Double. Sam: Well, when you have a finite space, almost anything's dramatic. Manhattan Island, Zephyr: Spanish Valiev la about the same ahe aa from one group -Sam: Exactly. I'm afraid of that The Impact has basically bean I see no way the displaced TellurideAapen group. Unless we suddenly become In the holes In the to reverse the trend. And so It becomes, how many fingers can you put dike? If we esn't structure It right, we're gone. Zephyr: Thanks. Sam. un-co- ol, |