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Show PAGE 2 THE ZEFHYRNOVEMBER 1993 a role in political the Book Cliffs Highway, the Nightmare That Wouldn't Die, continues to play made about the board road the former passions. Despite the fact that every dire prediction cannot pry their fingers loose the potential loss of mineral lease monies failed to occur, road stopped, mineral lease the on of a project whose fate was decided a year ago. Expenditures of the remaining funds in the most monies were directed to another special service district, and road district were expended. Supporters of the road know this is their last desperate chance to resurrect that project from its tomb. While many in Grand County seem incredulous at the idea of a recall vote on November 2, in other parts of the state, sentiments are even stronger. In an October 12 editorial in the Tribune, titled "Turning Elections Into Political Comedy, Grand County Proves Recall's Futility," the writer ourselves. "The petition gatherers, the writer argues that we have created a "civic nightmare" for 'Grand County Citizens for a More Responsive and states, "shamelessly dubbing themselves in a political vendetta. Responsible Government,' unconvincingly insist they are not engaging Instead, they claim, This recall action should only enhance their voter mandate...' Who needs enhancement oily eight months after being elected? Hey fellas, why not just have a daily die-har- Page Two Jim Stiles More recall stuff.. .so after weeks of anticipation, I thought I'd finally get to hear recall proponents justify their efforts to farce the first recall of elected officials in the history of Utah. The League Of Women Voters, who for many years has provided the most balanced and unbiased forum for candidates and issues in this county, again offered time to both sides erf this fractious topic cm October 19. 1 looked forward to a spirited debate. As most of you know, I love a good argument, even when I'm a spectator. But I was doomed to disappointment. The Recall Kids never showed. Out of 700 citizens of Grand County who signed their names to the recall petitions, not one, not one council critic had the nerve to present his or her views to the community (The League of Women Voters Forum is later broadcast on Channel 6). Two words come to mind: courage and conviction. Are we supposed to take a "movement seriously when it can't face file scrutiny of its fellow citizens? Then I heard that the recall group was staging its own "public meeting" at the Spanish Trail Arena on the 21st..Jt was advertised as an old fashioned town meeting with the intent of rallying the real citizens of Grand County together on the eve of their predicted return to power. So I went to that meeting too, expecting a large and enthusiastic crowd. I counted 34 people, not counting kids. The moderator of the meeting, Mr. John Althoff, who, as of 10 AM on October 22, was not even a registered voter of Grand County, and who continued to refer to Moab's mayor of 12 subscribers, it's "Stocks.), explained that the years, as Mayor "Stokes" (For you leaders of the recall movement could not attend the meeting because they had "to unexpectedly leave town on business." Well...maybe so. But it sure would have been nice if just one of these shadowy critics had the courage of their convictions to defend their actions to the citizens whose support they must have to bring this government down. out-of-to- A few weeks ago, Chris Smith, a writer for the Sait Lake Tribune called me on the phone and asked for my thoughts on the recall election. I shrugged my shoulders and said something like, "I used to be angry, now I'm just amused...I believe we're practicing organized anarchy down here in Grand County. I don't really think fids fiasco is all that funny, but I'm not sure how to deal with it anymore. Everyone has read the full page ads by the Western Association of Land Users and their list of grievances against the new Council; everyone has read the subsequent rebuttals from the Citizens for Better Government. And, as I've mentioned, efforts to engage the recall proponents in live debate were unsuccessful. What else is there to say? To me, this recall election is utterly ridiculous, coming just eight months after the county council took office. They've hardly had time to screw things up, and, obviously, it's a tit for tat response to last year's sweeping change. Behind the scenes, however, I can't help but think that "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 Davey contributing writers Jack Cambell Jane S. Jones Cherie Gilmore T. Scott Groene Mary Yates Hank Rutter historical photos Herb 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 . telephone poll?" But the editorial goes on to argue that our "political comedy" only proves how untenable the recall provision is, and I'm not sure I agree with that. From the perspective of a year later, the nightmare we face now was inevitable, and it may have been avoided by one political concession. Remember that David Knutson and Manuel Tones had been elected to four year terms in 1990, by large margins. Then, just two years into their terms, they learned that they would have to stand for election again. When I discovered, during the late summer of '92, that the two incumbents would not somehow be "grandfathered" into the new government, I remember feeling vaguely troubled, but I never raised a word of protest or dissent Maybe I'd grown so weary of the commissioners and their shenanigans that I no longer cared if it was all that fair or not. But now I wish I had listened to my instincts at the time. Whether I wanted them to serve the balance of their terms should not have been the issue. The fact was, they were elected by a majority of the citizens to serve a full four years. coundlmen until 1994, and had the county Had they been allowed to continue as the held a special election to fill the remaining five district seats, we may not have found ourselves in the position we are in today. Some would respond that David and Manuel had every opportunity to run for the council seats, and they chose to stay away. But if the current council gets recalled on November 2, do you think any of them will have the energy or the will to do it all over again? I doubt it I don't make these observations to point a finger at anybody, particularly the Citizens for Better Government, who devoted hundreds of hours trying to find out what file citizens of this county wanted its government to be. The recall provision, as I've mentioned, has drawn a lot of fire lately, but I think ultimately, that provision will be vindicated with some modifications. It was the short term ramifications of such a sweeping change in government that created a onetime problem; the recall merely provided a tool for those who felt they had seen their own 1990 vote neutralized. Of course, all this is water under the bridge. The terms of the new form of government did not allow for the commissioners to complete their terms of office, and both Manuel and David decided against running for a seat on the new council The point I'm trying to make here is that, regardless of what any of us might say about the "sour grapes" attitude of the constituents, it is posable to stand in their shoes for a minute arid grudgingly understand their anger. Where the logic breaks down is the way in which they have attempted to even the score. As surviving councilman Ken Ballantyne observed recently, they should be putting all this energy into finding qualified candidates to oppose the four coundlmen who must stand for in 1994. And finally, regardless of the recall outcome, I hope this county gets over its recall fever. If this council is removed and their political opponents manage to regain "power," I hope I don't see this round's losers circulating petitions in six months. Enough is enough. What's important is that we all get out and vote, to settle this issue, once and for all at-lar- ge . pro-reca- ll Nowhere has the political polarization that has this county in a death grip been more evident than at a meeting a couple of weeks ago at Star Hall. The issue was the county's efforts to protect the Mayberry Orchard on Route 128 from future development The crowd of 200 plus did battle with each other for more than two hours, while the council mostly stepped back and watched. A straw vote near the end of the meeting suggested a 3 to 1 majority in favor of the council's efforts, but dose to 70 Moabites forcefully stated their opposition to the use of UDOT funds, specifically earmarked for such projects, for the purchase of the orchard. Many of those who stood to speak in favor of the council's actions were long-tim- e residents, but an equal or greater number were people who have come here in the last few years to start new businesses and new lives. On the other side of the aisle, the opponents of the council were, almost without exception, the same group that have always supported development, regardless erf the sacrifice to the heritage of this community's past. They fear any effort to restrict growth as the work of "outsiders," falling back (even now) on comparisons to communism and behavior unbecoming to an American. Think about it.. .does that make any sense at all? The Old Guard fears the Newcomers because they think they will change the community. But the Newcomers (in this case perceived as the County Council) are the ones trying to keep a little of Moab's past alive, while the Old Guard doesn't seem to have a problem at all turning an orchard into a campark. The Old Guard thinks that a campark will generate more taxes and reduce everybody's tax burden, when in fact a campark will dramatically increase the valuation of everybody else's property and taxes will increase anyway. Do all small towns in America share this philosophy that all growth is good? In Greenville, Massachusetts, voters will decide if they should allow the nation's largest retailer, rt to build a massive store on file outskirts of town. Many of Greenville's oldest citizens are opposed to the construction, saying it will gut their small downtown businesses. But I would bet money that if the county council tried to pass an ordinance restricting the size of commercial buildings in Grand County, thereby shutting file door on mega-storlike the same group that railed against the council for stopping future development of the orchard would be on their feet again. They'd say that the council was against profit, the free enterprise system, the Constitution, and Morn, and apple pie as well. Come on...who's side are these guys on, anyway? rt What would a do to Don Knowles' Moab Hardware? Or Brig's Hardware? Or some erf the new rt independently operated dothing stores and shops? targets its lines to the a which area in is store Even built product particular shops selling art and southwest jewelry could be negatively affected. Many of the council's critics are, no doubt; members of the Wise Use Movement, the conservative bastion erf Westerners that daims the federal government has no right dictating use of public lands. It constantly falls back on the phrase, "custom and culture when it talltn about its desire to save the Old West Tell me, all you Wise Use Guys & Gals, what has more "custom A culture," a peach orchard or a Campark and a convenience store? Wal-Ma- Wal-Ma- es rt, Wal-Ma- irt Wal-Ma- |