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Show UTAH STATS PRESS ASS.W P. 0. 1327 L.U3 CITTt SALT BOX v UTAH 84110 if A il l 1 7 28 Pages FEBRUARY 1, 1979 THURSDAY, VOLUME FORTY-NIN- E NUMBER THIRTY-EIGH- T jQ(o)fQ By TOM BUSSELBERG - FarSALT LAKE CITY mington residents could see a big jump in their monthly phone rates depending on where they could call within their local calling area. AND ALTHOUGH nothing was decided, several figures ' were thrown around Monday during Public Service Commission hearings in Salt Lake City. Two points are at issue. They include the extent of phone service for Davis County residents and rates affecting the entire state served by Mountain Bell. session was only The another round in the hearings called to determine what type of service residents in Davis County can expect in the future. Hearings were resumed Jan. 19 but were recessed un- til further data could be collected by Mountain Bell. That same claim led to another recess until Feb. 5 at 1:30 p.m. all-da- y - BELL OFFICIALS claimed they wanted to study more rate figures affecting Davis County before asking the to make a commission decision on the extent of telephone calling privileges county residents would enjoy. As it stood at the hearing, rates mentioned for Farmington customers ranged i from $7.34 to $17.73, depend-.e- g on how large an area they cbuld call toll free. final recommendations to the commission. Farmington and Kaysville other would pay more than Intertwined with the Davis nearby communities to call Salt Lake or Ogden, which are farther trom them than for any other county cities. County expanded service issue is a proposal that would alter rates to varying degrees for every Bell customer in the state. It would mean cus- THE BASE rate for Clearfield is $6.19, at present, while it is only $5.81 for Kaysville and Farmington customers. Bountiful residents, however, pay $7.67 base rate. Under the new system, the rates would be based on the cost of providing service rather than charging according to the number of telephones that can be reached without placing a long distance call, as is now done. WHILE THE base rate would be uniform throughout the state, some areas would pay more for total service because they can call a wider area. Salt Lake and Bountiful rates would be higher than those in St. George, for instance, because they have access to wider extended area calling privileges. EAS refers to areas a customer can call outside of his local wire center or central telephone office. This is why rate-paye- , tomers in St. George would pay the same as those in Salt Lake City for the basic rate. At present, that base rate varies, even within the same county. Just as it would be irresponsible for a decisionmaker to commit to something without knowing what the burden will be, the commission would risk doing a disservice to the of Davis County, Ogden and Salt Lake andor anywhere else in the state, if it should order the implementation of augmented EAS in Davis said, BUSINESS RATE readjustments have not yet been determined with another six to nine months expected before those can be calculated, the commission was told. Dr. George Compton, of the Division of Public Utilities, said the rate change would be felt most in small exchanges while the cost in medium exchanges would change very little. Rates in the city centers, such as Salt Lake, Ogden and Provo main would go down. RATES FOR main or cen- tral Salt Lake Customers would drop from $9.17 to $7.71, for example. Dr. Compton said revenue would not be affected by the change. The phone company requires residental revenue of $2,685,483, and under the proposal, that amount would not change. But basic rate collections would drop by a half million dollars while charges for EAS would make up the difference. The same would hold true for business customers. IN STRESSING the PUC .adopt a pricing or rate philosophy before making changes in Davis County, he County without some notion of the magnitude of the burden 'and upon whom it will be imposed. He said before EAS would be implemented, contact, would be made with those to be affected either through placing questionnaires in with regular billings, holding meetings or conducting scientific surveys. PUTTING EAS rates into affect in Davis County under one set of guidelines different from those in the state wouldnt be advisable. Dr. Compton said. No matter what is decided and when, it will take from 18 months to two years for service to be implemented in Davis County, according to Ken Hill, Mountain Bell Public Relations manager and a Bountiful resident. NEW electronic switching equipment must be installed and new offices built in Farmington and Kaysville, he said. : EVEN THE low figure would boost their monthly Fop rate, presently at $6.31, because of the proposed statewide realignment and Sa standardization of base rates. For $17.73, Farmington residents could call coun- The stark reality of winter somtimes doesnt really come to life until we see a tree that seemingly appears lifeless and frozen. But if we can somehow find the resource to look beyond this coldness we can hope for warmer days to come. SULLEN WINTER Weber Basin Water District To Take 'Firm Stand With Cities By GARY R. BLODGETT - Weber Basin Water Conservancy District officials agreed Friday that they will take a firm stand with cities who purchase water through the district either with or without a written contract. LAYTON WATER DISTRICT officials said that they have leaned over backwards in past years to help West Bountiful with its water time of needs--especial- emergency--an- d in then West Bountiful does a turn about" by announcing that it (the city) will drill its own well water. It's kind of a slap in the face, said one district of- - ficial. We do everything possible to provide the city with necessary water, even .without a written contract, and they decide to stop purchasing extra water from the district. THE CRITICISM stems from an incident last summer when West Bountiful hooked onto Bountifuls culi-narwater line for water it (West Bountiful) needed but did not have purchased from the district. West Bountiful,' according to district officials, purchased feet from the only district last year and then when the water supply ran 40-ac- low, West Bountiful attempted to hook onto Bountiful's line to purchase Bountiful's surplus water. WE ARE in the business of selling water; we have: meet to obligations throughout the district and can't afford to let West Boun- -' tiful, or any other community, buy water from another city, explained Wayne M. Winegar, district hookup was disconnected as soon as district officials heard with the calendar year 1979. He said the contract would cover the excess useage in 1978 and would cover water in addition to the 291 acre-fee- t what had happened. presently under contract.. secretary-manage- r. the Bountiful In Bountiful-Wes- t incident, the BOUNTIFUL CITY officials said they did not think it wrong to sell West Bountiful the water since it was already paid for (by Bountiful) and was surplus water. However, according to dis- trict regulations, all water sold to a municipality is that by purchased municipality, whether or not the water is actually used. THIS IS the only way we can operate this district, siad Mr. Winegar. We cant allow one city to buy from another. If more water is needed, and is available, it must be purchased direct from the district. Neil R. Olmstead, attorney for the district, wrote a stern letter to West Bountiful officials telling that they must Sign up for extra water or don't ever expect any more. district had delivered additional water (above the amount purchased annually) to the HE SAID that the community for the last three years to meet emergency needs, and this was done without a contract. But Mr. Olmstead's letter to West Bountiful stated in part: THE DISTRICT expects to receive, without undue delay, an application authorized by the City Council, requesting the district to prepare a contract between the district and West Bountiful wherein the municipality will purchase of not. less than culinary water annually from THE LETTER from the district to West Bountiful further stated: Unless such a request is received within a reasonable time, it will be the policy of the district, insofar as West Bountiful is concerned, not to respond favorably to any future request of your city for water in excess of that which the district is obligated to deliver under existing water purchase contracts. MR. WINEGAR said we dont like to be referred to as the Big Bad Wolf! when all Kaysville and Farmington residents can call neither FARMINGTON Preliminary engineering and surveying studies for the proposed West Valley Highway will be completed as soon as snow in the area is melted, it was decided by the Davis metropolitan area without a County Commission. call both centers, Kaysville customers would pay $14.46 THE COMMISSION signed a contract with Nielsen, Maxwell and Wangsgard, of Salt payments, at least under one proposal that would allow to call both Salt Lake and Ogden. At present, residents under the proposed rates. also call could They throughout Davis County. we (the district) are trying do is operate a water district to the best of our ability and to the best satisfaction of all our customers. City Administrator J. Dell Holbrook said earlier that he (and Mayor Glen H. Secrist) feel the district was acting in . a dictatorial manner in using its influence to stop Bountiful from selling its surplus water to West Bountiful last summer. WEBER BASIN has done a lot to provide south Davis County with needed water, but now West Bountiful wants to do what it can to provide as much of its own water as possible by drilling and storing what underground water sources we have, said Mr. Holbrook. THEIITBASE rate, if service area remained as it is now, would drop from $6.31 to $6.25. Other proposals would place the Kaysville rate at them to call countywide and Ogden. Under countywide calling for Clearfield, their rate would jump from $6.69 to $7.98. They would still be able to call Ogden at no toll charge. In the meantime, Bountifuls rate would increase by only 11 cents, up to $9.53, allowing those residents to call all of Davis County in addition to $11.04, allowing Salt Lake County. ALL OF these figures were-onl- preliminary, however, as officials said they needed another few days to study still other statistics before making oft Enough Funding (For Expansion Okayed - KAYSVILLE Although the budget request to continue programs at the Davis Area Vocational Center has been approved, funding for expansion was denied, its director said. VOCATIONAL Director Jack Shell said the State Joint Appropriation Committee on Public Education okayed his budget request for $504,841, but at the same time turned down a $12 million construction proposal. The center is financed primarily through state uniform school funds but also receives about $28,000 in federal funding bringing the total budget to $535,000. 84.42-acre-fe- the district, commencing residents Kaysville wouldnt be far behind in toll charge. For the chance to to BY TURNING down the construction requests, Mr. Shell said, We cant grow at all and will have to keep our programs as they are. We would like to add carpentry." The center is housed in four buildings on an 84 acre Kays-vill- e campus adjoining Davis High School. Facilities include building trades, auto body, old bus shop and mobile classroom areas. NEARLY 500 students are enrolled in the center and while most come from Davis County, services are also available to Weber and Morgan County residents. The staff numbers 30 with adult job placement at 92 percent. Twenty-seve- n training programs are offered ranging from auto body and painting to building maintenance, welding, ornamental hor- - UallGy tywide and Salt Lake City, including Murray, ticulture and business courses, MR. SHELL said new buildings are needed because present facilities are filled to capacity and employers are coming to hire students before they have completed their training programs. The center provides untold savings when it trains welfare recipients enabling them to drop government assistance. The state spends more than $4,100 a family on welfare payments each year, Mr. Shell said. During 1979 the vocational center will teach at least 150 members of welfare families and place them in jobs. IF $4,100 multiply the figure in welfare YOU Lake City, authorizing the work. They will be assisted by the Davis County Surveyors Office. Consulting engineer Gene Nielsen said the studies will be along a 6.2 miles strip of the proposed highway north of Layton extending from Gentile Street to 1300 North (Syracuse) along the Old 111 Bluff Road. MR. NIELSEN said that the snow will have to be melted from the area before aerial pictures and surveys can be completed. Aerial and ground surveys will be taken as well as en- gineering studies, it was explained. The contract also provides for a legal description of the remainder of the West Valley Highway rights-of-wa- y from the north to the south borders of Davis County. MAPPING OF the road is something that must be done as soon as possible, Mr. Nielsen told the commission. Several cities in the Western Davis County area are ex- - Davis Population Growth Continues - AcSALT LAKE CITY cording to a recently released Davis Countys population increased by about 6,000, or 500 a month, during survey, 1978. THAT PUT the countys population at about 130,000, ranking it fourth among Utah's 29 counties behind Salt Lake, Utah and Weber counties, a report in the Utah Economic and Business Review prepared by the University of Utah College of Business Bureau of Economic and Business Research says. While the county continued at a fast rate of growth it was outstripped by Utah and Salt Lake counties in that order. Of the states estimated 46,000 person growth in 1978, some 29.000 of that was in those three counties. Total state population was estimated at 1.316.000 1.059.000 in compared the official to 1970 census. THAT CENSUS showed Davis County's population at ViVVtiViViViVVVVViV payments by 150, you come up with a savings to the state of $615,000. So our job training does when you multiply this amount by the number of years these people can expect to be in the work force." tb 99,028. As the county is getting more populated, it is also getting more crowded, the study shows. Covering only 297 square miles of land area, Davis is the state's smallest county and each square mile, theoretically, is shared by just over 434 people. That is topped only by Salt Lake Countys 710. STUDENT migration, or the number of new students to Davis District, was estimated at 501 between 1977 and 1978. Total totalled 2,782 while the natural increase was figured at 2,950. tb ipanding and development must not be allowed to interfere with the proposed for the highway. An environmental study of the area has been delayed for now, said Commissioner Glen W. Flint. The area is lightly rights-of-wa- y impacted and another study would probably be required in 10 or 15 years because of changes in the area. APPROXIMATELY $65,000 from the countys collector road fund will be used to pay for the studies, including aerial photography and topography, as well as for purchase of where necessary along the rights-of-wa- y strip. Actual construction of the highway will probably not be started for several years, but when completed will extend from a point near the Salt Lake International Airport through Davis County to near Elder County the Davis-Boline, grb s x THE WEEKLY REFLEX 197 B'.' North Main SI Layton Phone 376-91- 33 Published Weekly by CUPPER PUBLISHING CO. John Stahle, Jr., Publishet Second Class Postage Paid At Layton, Utah ' SUBSCRIPTION $4.50 per year Out o! 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