Show Number 51 Vol 78 Gunnison Utah 84634 Wednesday December 22 1999 50 cents Officer Stewart resigns Jensen reappointed to Gunnison Council The Gunnison City Council has filled the position left vacant by Mark Pickett At their December 15 meeting Brian Jensen was appointed to fill the remainder of Pickett's term At a previous meeting Pickett subHe will mitted a letter of resignation give up his council seat on December 31 Jensen whose own term ends this year will stay on the council for another two years In other business: The council approved construction of a subdivision proposed by Merriel Wnthen It will be located near 3(X) E UX) South Wathen's next step is to follow all of the building codes and add existing w ater and sew er lines as required C is expected to begin in the spring Utah Power and Light is ready for Y2K the council was informed The group also received information on UP&L’s merger with Scottish Power and a press release about Monday’s power outage in the northern part of the county Karen Prisbrey presented the coun- cil with some concerns compiled by members of the morning aerobics class The list included items previously brought to the council’s attention such as the chlorinator and broken lights Representatives from the city met w ith Valley Buildersand the pool architect and have scheduled these repairs for to proceed Membersof the hospital board these recommendations Upon consensus of the council it was decided that the speed limit on Farmer's Freew ay w ill remain 25 miles per hour The council continued to examine No new fees the city's fee schedule were approved but the council will continue to examine the issue voting on proposed changes m a future meet- ing The completion ot the HXiW KM) South Street proicct was diwued The council rev icwed a "punch lisi"ot clean up items that Cox Rock the project's contractor plans to finish flic council commented on a federally proposed radon testing pi oec In inknlithc Sate ater eoniundion has proposed a k ing Act the don Rule he council said the leMme and necessary tocomply onoi would be loo costly 2HXi to Cities have until January comment on the ptoiect I imbwillsend a teller xpressing he council's opin loll he council voted to renew thee ity 's w ill) BAC Consulting tor com- coniruc puter support he first cilv council meeting at the ednesdav new ear is sc heduled tor January 5 at 7 R'p m nomi- nating committee reported that they ould meet on December 6 to narrow the list of hospital board applicants From the 2 residents w ho submitted letters of interest the group selected three These names w ill be presented to w never bothered to verify they didn't who had actually been at the meeting when I got notes about the meeting from Paul Gottfredson I'm sorry Anita Lyons GVES receives Gunnison Valley Elementary ceived a $20 (XX) grant from the Educational Reform Foundation (ERF) Much of this money w ill go tow ard improving the school's math program According to Principal Grant Hansen the grant money will be used school year to during the address areas in the Accelerated Student Achievement Project that can be improved especially in math “The grant will help uscontinue and improve the direct instruction teaching model the school started in 1994" he adds C urrcntly Hansen states some elements of Utah’s Core Curriculum for math are not being taught at GVES The program that teachers use SRA Math Concepts doesn’t include these City Manager Ray Limb and Councilman Mark Pickett discussed suggestions made by Tim Jones city engineer regarding the pressuried irrigation system Limb and Pickett talked with Jones and he sucaested that the city contact the water resource board designers of the original sy stem to get more input The council agreed with January Police officer Bret Stewart has signed effective Dec 3 The council will discuss the resignation with the police department and determine how Setting the record straight I jpologie to adult education teachers Stella Hill and Ron Dailey for my incorrect reporting of the South Sanpete School Board meeting Based on things I'd heard assumed that they attended the meeting which the hospital board who will select a board member from the three nominees The nominating committee was comprised of four city council members and Neil Mellor hospital board chairman grant The grant money says Hansen will give teachers the time and materials to fill in the “blank spots" and make the necessary changes school ear a During the liaison from ERF and the State Office of Education w ill visit GVES at least three times This representative will assess the progress that is being made problem amas needing to be addressed and other additional help needed GVES was among several Utah schools to receive the grant To be eligible Hansen says the school went through a competitive application process The Education Reform Foundation the group that provided the grant is composed of businesses and private individuals in Salt Lake City Their goal is to improve education in Utah Students perform The Gunnison Elementary children presented their annual Christmas Program this week Gunnison residents have been treated to several wonderful musical programs this past week The high school and middle school bands and choirs performed last week and the local LDS Ward Choirs and several individuals performed on Sun day December 19 County continues to exceed State growth averages For the third year in a row Sanpete County has exceeded state averages for population growth and new jobs While a recent report shows above and average growth in employment income it also indicates that Sanpete still struggles financially These statistics are found in the latest edition of the Utah Economic Business Rev iew The report looked at economic growth and development from l997to 1998 In 1998 Sanpete County's population hit 2 244 — a 32 percent increase from 2058 the previous year Statewide the numbers are also going up but at a slower rate During the same 7 perperiod the population climbed cent statewide Sanpete ranks among the top six counties for population growth Wasatch Tooele Iron Summit and Juab counties also saw big increases between 997 and 1998 The job market also saw a boost in 1998 In that year Sanpete County's civilian labor force went from 8336 to a 5 percent increase tions expanded statewide lesser extent 8755-- Occupabut to a The average increase lor all Utah counties was 22 percent Sanpete County also 'inked among the top 10 counties lor increases m nonagriculturalemploymentand payroll Some ot the study's statistics are making Sanpete slightly deceiving appear one of Utah's wealthiest counties I ooking at actual figures instead of growth rates however paints another picture In Sanpete the monthly County nonagncultural pay wage went up by hike in the percent the state This boost in earnings how ever doesn't pull Sanpete trom the bottom l'he end of the state's income list county ranks ust behind Kane and Rich tor the state's lowest monthly 68 salary The county also came in tai below income Percapita avcrageinpcrsonil Sanpete County residents saw a decrease in then salaries conic trom $128 Km IsWhoM2XU)in ls percent with the average Utahn earning $2!0!u a ear In dds the county also saw decreases in property taxes the value ot and nonresidential construction new the value ot total construction the state hroughout expansion continued but at a slower rate than in prev lousy ears )t 'economic indie show ed less ol an tors traced in Udy increase than seen in dd7 inly one value of new nonresidentiul construction experienced a dec line This inlomation was compiled by he David cJes vhool ot Business' Bureau ol vononne and Business Rcsoaic h Bt BR ai the I ruvei city ot Utah ach yeai the BI BR examines economic indicators tor the poi ears todelei mine hval and state w ide tic lids in Utah's economy lhe lun rs ana ly cd uic hide population employ inert income taxes and construction Forest Service extends Comment period Pillars of the community The Gunnison Valley Middle School started a new tradition of honoring area residents who have served the community The first recipients of this honor were (left to right) Phyllis Cowley The GVMS Phyllis Greener John Bartholomew Max Lambertsen and Frank Christensen Studentbody officers are (left to right) Scott Andersen Jake Hill Chris Mellor Seidi Inouye Mckell Ashton The USDA Forest Serv ice unlay announced a extension to the public comment period for the proposed rule for managing land and resource on the 155 National Forests and 20 Grasslands The extension gives interested individuals and groups the opportunity to provide comments until February 3 2 (XX) The internet electronic mail postal and facsimile systems m place since the orest Serv ice published the draft planning rule Octohei 5 temniti av ailable to register comment In announcing the proposed planning rule Forest Service Uluet Mike Dombeck said the changes to the rule complement the Foiesi Service's Natmal Resources Agenda “As we work to improve watershed health rccieation opportunity s sustainable forestry and forest mad sys tenis we need to improve public and scientific input into the process said Pombcch “ ith this proposal we've captured the innovative and success fill things our people arc doing in the field to woik more closely w ith the niencan people" he continued (See Comment on Paqe Gunnison High School basketball teams are enjoying great success The Boys toppled ranked Rowland Hall and the Girls defensed Granstville to a win Read more about the games on Pages 9 & 10! rrrpr I'll copy jj 2) |