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Show H . 0 Emery County featuring S' Entertainment Hagailna 20 Vc'utm 82 Thursday, Juno 23, 1SC3 Property value rise discussed Emery County Commissioners the discussed upcoming revaluation process with Utah State Tax Commissioners during their regular meeting held June 18. Attorney Scott Johansen went over the proposed contract with a finetoothed comb, asking the tax commissioners about intricacies of the contract. David L. Duncan, chairman of the UTC, said The program is not popular, and we recognize that. It is best to try to work together. We have come with the basic contract to get reappraisal done. Emery County Commissioners and County Assessor, Gerald Stanton, must sign the contract with the UTC before work can officially begin. According to Douglas L.Holmberg, director of the local valuation division, Emery county has 7,103 standard property units to be assessed. The procedure has a termination date of April 1, 1981, and the estimated cost of the revaluation is $110 million. UTC policy says that each unit must be visited by a certified appraiser. The 17 certified state appraisers will receive $20 for each unit that is seen and valued. Three certified county appraisers, Gerald Stanton, Colleen Thompson, and Lois Krump will receive $14 per unit. Johansen showed concern about assessors salaries being credited against the actual cost of the project as well as payment for preliminary work. The UTC will pay for 70 percent of actual costs, and the county will pick up the remaining 30 percent. Johansen also questioned the cost involved in visiting each unit, considering the land area and scattered housing in the county. Stanton later said property units are appraised at market value on the basis of what it costs and what it will sell for. Utah code reads that all local commercial and private ownerships must be assessed at 25 percent of fair market value. Home improvements and land improvements on building lots, location of the unit, and plumbing, fireplaces, building covers, and built-in- s within the home are some the factors which determine value of the property. Property value will more than said Stanton. Emery double, county is really not unique in this revaluation, because inflation is a problem statewide. One relief provided to the taxpayer is that revaluation is based on 1978 standards, he said. Those on fixed income or in the low income bracket need not of worry, Norma Fox, i I u A' can obtain Homeowners tax credit according to property their income bracket. For example, someone earning less than $9,000 a year may receive scaled tax credit. Simply fill out the circuit breaker form in the county auditors office, Fox said. Another alternative is the abatement of property taxes of indigent persons who are over 65, disabled, or under difficult circumstances. Fifty percent of taxes could be rebated by the county. The revaluation will be particularly hard on the young married couples. If they have house payments of $500 a month, it could mean a $20 $30 increase each month, Stanton said. The whole reason for property tax revaluation is the uniform school fund, Douglas F. Sonntag, commissioner for UTC, said. This fund is a pooling system for surplus revenue which equalizes the financial status of school districts based on mill levys and weighted pupil units. Johansen later said that Emery county is one of two counties in the state which actually gives money to the uniform school fund. In fact, Emery county gave $1 million last year. The revaluation was put on the rolls in 1972 with a state assessed value of $10 million. Stanton later said the county is valued at $210 million this year in state assessment which includes mining and power plant values. Local property assessment in 1980 could be approximately $16 million, he said. h iijj 'J5- - - Jt 4. $ & j'l f l f h Although sparks flew and wood burned, firemen had this blazing house under control which they fought Thursday afternoon, June 19, on 300 East Main in Castle Dale. Actually, the house is going to be torn down to make room for a new store which will be coming in, and Castle Dale City Volunteer Fire Chief, Richard Herring, took advantage of the dry wood. He and burned the house three for practice. 7-- It is good practice to work on a normal house. There arent too many houses you can practice on, Herring said. They ignited the fire with gasoline and diesel fuel, starting in the bathroom and controlling it as it spread through the rooms. The firemen went through all the procedures, utilizing oxygen tanks and axes, chopping a large hole in the roof to pull the smoke up and their county convention, sees a swing to a conservative spirit since the last election. Glen Bott, Emery county clerk, informed me that the Republicans out voted the Democrats in territory that is traditionally Emery County that are being considered by the BLM for an intensive study phase. They are trying to find areas to lock up for wilderness. This meeting is to help you keep them from being locked up, County Commissioner Roger Curtis said as he opened the meeting. He encouraged anyone in attendance to comment on the areas, write any fiisthand and to knowledge about the areas on forms which were provided at the meeting. They were to be sent to the BLM. We are in the middle of the Initial Inventory and the Intensive Study phase of the BLMs effort to Slides of the areas being con- designate wilderness areas in the sidered were shown to the people in country, said Burnett. You can have a real impact on attendance to help acquaint them conwith the areas under sideration. the BLMs ettorts, lie said. If you have any first hand knowledge About two weeks ago we took on roads, livestock water holes, or an airplane tour of the areas and Mdings in these areas, write it took these pictures, said Dan Hunter, an administrative assistant to the commission. You The areas being considered are can clearly see that there are Sids Mountain, 93,000 acres; plenty of impacts on the area that Devils Canyon, 9,510 acres; Crack would prevent this area from being 30,100 acres; San Rafael Canyon, considered wilderness, he said. One more for the nest Words can't describe how this proud father feels, but this sign just about shows it. Ted Farmer of Orangeville awaits the arrival of his wife, Mary Ann, and their infant son. 8 lb. 2 oz. John Zebulon was born Tuesday night, June 17 at Castle View Hospital. He is probably surrounded by the curious glances from his four brothers and sisters, Sage, 5; Josh, 3; Ted Ann, 7; and Cresta Lee, 4. Grandparents are Dale and LaFonta Farmer of Columbia, Utah and Glenn and Alta Preston of Sunnyside, Utah. 1? I r out of the house, and even performing acrobatic movements with ladders. Herring said they jump at every chance they have to burn a house down for practice. The ambulance crew of Scott and Sandy Rasmussen responded just in case of injuries. They administered to an injured finger sustained by Fred Tubbs. Other than that, no safety problems occurred. M a life as long rit h" been We havenever as the fire deg organized, He d Their dedication i should show Castle the concern the fit safety. Around 9:10 were still having smoldering embers for the last time. f dness idents ve for remen ( h. ,t "Mne c doused Republicans hope for swing to right (Continued on Page 13A) the SUAG, in conjunction with the Emery County Commission. Approximately 25 people attended the meeting. There are 476,040 acres in ! Delegates travel to SLC Emery County Republican delegates to the state convention will be honored with the presence of Ronald Reagan during the State Convention this Friday and Commissioner Rue Ware Saturday, June 27 and 28. motioned not to approve of signing The party, which recently held awareness meeting held Thurs. June 19, in the county courthouse. The meeting was presented by H. SI V Castle Dale firemen just practicing Input can help citizens told What we are doing here is what the environmentalists have been doing, gathering together in groups and writing the Bureau of Land Management, Keith Burnett, from the Southeastern Utah Associations of Governments, said as he addressed a public Ji 1 ; I ;f county auditor, later said. Reef, 55,540 acres; Horseshoe Canyon, 20,550 acres; Mexican Mountain, 62,540 acres; Turtle 33,700 acres; and Canyon, Desolation, Grays and Rattlesnake Canyons, 171,000 acres. There was a large amount of concern about the areas that are used for grazing cattle and sheep. These areas would be closed from herding, If permits were given, the livestock would have to be handled by horseback. Any improvements Democrat during the last electon, said Republican County Chairwoman Virginia Snow. The Republican party won in Emery, Ferron, Clawson and Green River during the last election that included the gubernatorial race as well as the U.S. congressional seat occupied by Gunn McKay. We had an outstanding turn out to the county convention. We had 71 delegates and we elected 13 delegates to the state convention, said Snow. Each town in Emery County will be represented at the state convention, she said. One of the highlights during the county convention was the passage of a resolution supporting the sagebrush rebellion. The resolution calls for the turning over of federally controlled land in the state saying that congress requires the federal agencies to divest themselves of all land within a state that is not held for the uses provided by the Constitution, unless the consent of the Legislature of that state is ob- tained. I have since received a letter from William Stevenson, state chairman, which said that since many county organizations have called for the passage of the sagebrush rebellion it may become a part of the party caucus, which may even include the Democrats. It just shows that people are interested in what is going on in Washington, she said. When asked how she thought the Republican party would do this year in the county, she said that it would probably depend on how many people move in during the coming months to work on the power plant and work in the mines. Years ago the county was Republican dominated. Now the unions and labor interests are pretty heavy in the area, and Jake Garn and Orrin Hatch arent too popular among the labor groups. If not too many people move in and vote we should do pretty well in the area, said the chairwoman. During the weekend convention the delegates will be visited by Ronald Reagan. He has already eliminated the competition and will seek for party support from the Utah delegates. We have already been told that we need to seek strong candidates (Continued on Page 13A) Contract a warded to Morrison-Knudse- n The general construction contract for Utah Power and Light Co.s 400 - megawatt 3rd unit of the on water holes and other fixtures Hunter Plant was awarded Friday in the area would have to be done to the low bidder Morrison with by hand, as machinery Knudsen Company, Inc., of Boise, deadline for public comment is sponsor of a joint venture of June 30. After that time the BLM Morrison Knudsen, Fegles Power will look over the comments and Service Corp., and Lord Electric Corp. The utility also said a contract decide which areas require further was awarded last week to study and which ones should be W.W.Clyde Construction Company of Springville, dropped from the program. Utah, for site The BLM will then have up to 10 preparation at the Hunter Plant. years to complete the study before UP&L announced that both conareas to be tracts would begin immediately. recommending to as wilderness The Hunter 3rd unit is scheduled designated Congress. for operation June 1983. Design -- engineer for the unit is Brown & Root, Inc., of Houston. The plant presently consists of two 400 megawatt units. When the plant is completed, it will consist of four 400 megawatt units. The plants first two units were built at a cost of $480 million. The cost of the 3rd unit is estimated at $400 million. The existing plant and its future units incorporate anti - pollution -- -- equipment including scrubbers and desulphurization other aesthetic and environmental considerations. Employment during the peak construction of the third unit is estimated at some 850 workers. |
