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Show PAGE 2 THE ZEFHYROCTOBER 1993 the meeting should be fair warning. Just reading this schedule of events is all an insomniac needs to fall asleep. I avoid the meetings like the plague, grateful that dedicated souls like Ken Davey (the Dean of Moab's Press Corps) faithfully attend these gatherings of Grand County's governing "Somebody get a rope." Pace Piquante Sauce Ad Here we go again. I leavy sigh. Well, it now appears that most of the recently elected County Counalmen will face a recall vote on November 2. Critics of the Council had until September 17 to submit recall petitions with the required number of signatures. At this time, it appears we'll see recall elections in all seats. districts except 2 (No attempt was made to recall Ken Ballantyne) as well as both I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. As I recounted a couple months ago in this column, former commissioner David Knutson predicted this turn of events last May when he said in a Zephyr interview, "Hell yes, I think there will be a recall election, at least one. There are people who are waiting. I know one guy who says he already has the petition signed and is just waiting for the date to come up. But that's just talk." It's not talk any more. Ironically, the recall provision of the new form of government, a commission, has become the tool change so bitterly opposed by those who preferred the But what new out. the rascals to those of same people throw exactly have the new guys done that was so rascally? Nothing. And Knutson's statement says it all. I don't really think David himself is all that enthusiastic about this latest rebellion, but he definitely saw it coming. 1 Ie predicted recalls last Spring because this vote has nothing to do with job performance. The new Council members were condemned the moment their own victories were assured last February. This is revenge, pure and simple. The old commission was tossed out last year; now the tossecs want to be the tossers. Gee...does this sound like grade school crap, or what? Not one member of the new council played any kind of active role in the referendum campaign to change the form of government, other than voting on election day. They were, instead, either courageous enough or dumb enough (or both) to volunteer to be guinea pigs. Nobody really knew what to expect from the change. Everybody should have expected a lot of bumps in the road as the new Council felt its way. But I didn't expect that we'd give them six months before putting their necks in a noose. What were the burning issues that the council critics found to be so compelling as to push for recall? I'm convinced that no issue was really necessary, but for form's sake, they came up with a couple. Over the last couple of weeks. I've watched the "burning issues" develop and grow. Here's what I observed... at-lar- ge County Council meetings are usually tedious, drawn out affairs that could tax the patience of a saint Hie typed agendas that county clerk Fran Townsend provides to the public prior to "All the news that causes fits." THE CANYON COUNTRY ZEPHYR P.O. BOX 327 MOAB, UTAH 84532 3 (801) publisher & editor Jim Stiles 259-777- political specialist & features Ken Davcy contributing writers Jack Cambell JaneS. Jones Cherie Gilmore T. Scott Groene Mary Yates Hank Rutter historical photos I Icrb Ringer food editor Willie Flocko Roving Reporter Robert Fulghum production & circulation assistant Arden Trewartha photographs & art are by the publisher unless noted otherwise. The Zephyr, copyright 1993, all rights reserved The Canyon Country Zephyr is a monthly newspaper, published eleven times a year at Moab, Utah. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of its vendors, advertisers, or even at times of its publisher' . body....yawn. But every once in a while, the fertilizer hits the fan. I dragged myself to a Council meeting a couple of weeks ago and have not been so entertained in years. About a hundred Spanish The group was of Valley residents descended on the meeting with steam coming out their ears. the from letters received had of their neighbors building inspector, angry because several ordering them to improve the appearance of their yards. The letters, written in typical bureaucratese, ordered the alleged violators to dean up their acts in 21 days or face the consequences. Spanish Valley has always had its fair share of weeds and junk cars...I always thought it was part of its charm, but someone complained about the "unsightly property, and Jeff Whitney sent the letters. (Jeff made it dear to me that most of these problems are handled on the phone or in person, and don't usually require a letter.) The angry crowd, led by Duane Dull, told the Council, in no uncertain terms, that they would not tolerate further harassment by the County and that they wanted to be left alone. It was their property and they would do with it as they pleased. Period. Actually, I found myself in sympathy with the Spanish Valley folks for the most part. Many of these people have lived in Moab for decades, and, as it was stated over and over again at the meeting, one man's trash really is another man's treasure (or woman's...this paper is proud to be politically coned at least sometimes .) Trying to determine when the rights of the community take precedence over the rights of an individual is difficult, and a decision that should not be taken lightly. Beyond that, I see Spanish Valley as a last line of defense against the invasion of immigrants from Colorado and California, a people determined to build their new homes in a community that's just as...cute...that's the word, as the communities they left. They are somehow appalled at the prospect of building a cute little (or big) home with a cute red metal roof and a cute outdoor jacuzzi, next door to a piece of property that has the world's greatest collection of antique washing machines and goatheads. By taking a stand against Yuppification, the citizens of Spanish Valley are doing more to preserve the traditions of the community than any governing body with dreams of limiting growth could ever hope to achieve. And I applaud them for that. I'm not kidding. But I couldn't understand why they directed so much of their anger at the Council. According to Jeff Whitney, the number of complaints about zoning violations has not changed significantly from a year ago. And more important, the complaints are coming from the neighbors of the alleged violators, not from any compliance officer out looking for wrong-doerAnd some of the rhetoric at this gathering left me bewildered. One gentleman stood up to proclaim that a recent decision by the Supreme Court rendered all zoning regulations null and void. He went on to say that his right to do with his property as he pleased was protected by "the 5th and 14th amendments to foe Constitution." But the 5th Amendment, as I recall, deals mostly with the right of an individual not to testify against one's self (you know...to remain silent), and the 14th Amendment gave citizenship to the slaves. Reading the fine print, there are some allusions to the taking of private property for public use, but I don't think the government wants to confiscate anybody's '59 Chevy. Another man worried that the Council was leading the community in a dangerous direction, and that someday, the flag of the red, white and blue may be replaced by a flag of RED. But even that rascally conservative from the Utah Association of Counties, Bill Howell, noted recently that the threat from Communion has diminished greatly, and that the environmental "flag of green" now poses a greater and more immediate danger to the health, happiness, and g to the citizens of our fair land. Come on, guy ...get your colors right. Another major sore point with the protestors seemed to be Debby Gilger, the city's compliance officer; recently her duties were expanded to include county regs as well No one had anything nice to say about Ms. Gilger, and one person suggested that her mere presence in a room could incite violence, a talent I thought only I possessed. But after the meeting, I chatted briefly with Mr. Dull and learned that in fact he had not been contacted by Gilger at alL She had not yet assumed her county responsibilities. Dull's concerns were about anticipated problems, not about anything that had yet occurred. Debby Gilger was doomed to failure, before she ever got the chance to open her mouth. s. well-bein- So I found myself sympathetic to the Spanish Valley residents' concerns, but put off by their method of dealing with them. I don't think anyone on the Council wants to strip property owners of their rights, .js I recall, everyone on the Council is a property owner too. I think u would be a great idea if someone in the county learned to write zoning violation letters in a way that wasn't so threatening and impersonal. The tone of those letters did more to anger and alienate the people than anything else. I also believe that the practice of allowing a person to anonymously report their neighbor's alleged violations should be discontinued. If they have a problem with a neighbor's yard, they should bade their concern with a little conviction. Or ...they could do what Tom Arnold did. If T.K. could assemble a collection of rusty old Volkswagens and proclaim them to be the centerpiece of Tom Tom's VW Museum, imagine what other treasures might await similar designation? Hub caps? Crankshafts? White wall tires? The mind boggles. The hostile mood of the Spanish Valley crowd was matched, snarl for snarl, by those enraged over the "Scenic Overlay" controversy, which exploded out of nowhere two weeks ago. Adrien in a Taylor did an admirable job of responding to this non-isseditorial, but it is a story that deserves repeating. I first heard about the Scenic Overlay Ordinance, while checking on ads two Mondays ago, and the town appeared to be in an uproar. According to the document, the ordinance allowed the Council, at its discretion, to designate certain areas of the county "scenic zones." That designation gave the Council the right to place restrictions on file way that property is used, whether privately or publicly owned. I had never heard of this ordinance, and while the idea had merits in limited situations, the broad application suggested by the ordinance troubled me. I headed straight for Council Chairman Charlie Peterson's office. Charlie and I have the kind of relationship that I think allowed Knutson and me to for so long. Candor has never been an impediment to our friendship. So I asked the question... "Are you guys leading the recall revolt yourselves?" "What do you mean?" asked Charlie. "Well, it's this Scenic Overlay Ordinance..it's killing you guys. The community may not even wait for the recall. They may just get a rope and hang you." "Stiles," Charlie said wearily, shaking his head, "I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about." 0 Peterson withdrew to his office and emerged a minute later with a manila folder bulging at the seams. "Maybe it's in here," he said. "I just got this from P & Z (Planning 4c Zoning)." Sure enough, there in the pile of paper was the same ordinance I'd seen all day. But for ue Times-Independe- nt co-exi- st |
