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Show ' . 1 If Feasibility of Val Verda Annexation Is Questioned per household per year would be needed if Val Verda becomes a city. County Commissioner Harry Gerlach, however, said he felt some of the figures in the study may be highly inflated. He suggested a property tax increase of between $69 and $175 would be needed to maintain the minimum government needed to govern a new city. That figure is derived from an average home appraisal of $50,000, Gerlach said. Gerlach said the cost, which reflects start up costs, does not, however, project the price tag for upkeep of equipment and services in the new city. Start up costs in the study are estimated at $557,500. Ralph Fisher, chairman of the Val Verda Citizens Council, ,said one projection shows a property tax mill levy of 17.67 mills may $871 By RON KNOWLTON Review Staff A public VAL VERDA hearing has been set by the Da- vis Commission County Wednesday at South Davis Junior High School to receive input on whether the Val Verda should become a city. The public hearing will begin at 7:30 p.m. The hearing follows a recently completed study on the costs for Val Verda to become a city. An election will be held before May 1 to determine if the area should become Davis Countys newest city. The study was completed by University of Utah student Wayne Davis as part of an internship project through the political science department at the University of Utah. It shows that a long term tax increase of between $343 and be. needed to fund the new city which Fisher said no one in our area would be willing to consider from what I can see. But that figure comes from a high side" study, showing what the highest costs would be. The cost may be much lower than that. The 17.67 mill levy figure is about five mills over what Bountiful residents pay in property taxes, Fisher noted. I think anyone would rather be annexed to Bountiful than have home rule under those terms, he added. Val Verda Citizens Council members, however, are still reviewing the study, Fisher said, and have not come to a definite conclusion yet. He suggested Val Verda residents wait until the public hearing before drawing conclusions since many of those conclusion are based on preliminary specuMany facts have not been released yet, he added. In the studys conclusions, it suggests the community may not be able to maintain the present status quo even if residents vote against incorporation. Both Bountiful and North Salt have declared their intentions to annex all or parts of the Val lation. Verda area. The study concludes that if annexation takes place, the ability of the county to continue deliv- ering municipal type services within its current cost and taxing structure may be compromised. The study also concludes the tax burden on Val Verda residents may increase. The amount of the increase depends upon the level of expenditures (and services) desired by the residents. The study also notes that all county taxpayers may be impacted with higher taxes should Val Verda become a city. That impact would come because of a significant loss in sales tax revenue from the area that was paid to the county before. The countys general fund mill levy would then likely increase to makeup the loss. The study concludes incorporation is not unfeasible, but does not offer a recommendation. When Val Verda residents vote on the issue, they will also be faced with a decision on what form of government they want. Basically there are three forms. counThe three are: mayor-cit- y cil, mayor-cit- y commission, or mayor-cit- y manager. Elections for city officials would take place in November of 984 if incorporation were approved by voters. Incorporation could take place K by July 1, 1985 or July 1, 1986, Gerlach said, depending on when funds could be raised to start the new city. Gerlach said some residents have had misconceptions on tax changes in the area should it become a city. The county general fund mill levy would not drop in the Val Verda area if incorporation takes place, as is commo.nly believed, Gerlach said. A special, services tax, however, would be dropped. 1 Loss of the special services tax would leave the new city to con- tract for its own services--suc- h as garbage collection, police and fire protection which are now provided by the county.. The U. of U. study notes that Val Verda residents will spend $711,000 in 1983 for special services from the county. out OaiaHcv Qnutllm ..V nanailt OBSMSWiasi cnrOnufitu QSSsSSns , aitio . iV Vol. 3 No. 64 Friday, November 25, 1983 Colonial Theme Downtown Plan Given Approval RON KNOWLTON Review Staff BOUNTIFUL A downtown revitalization plan was given conceptual approval by the Bountiful Redevelopment Agency last Wednesday. The plan calls for the area to have a theme. It includes enlargement of sidewalks on Main Street, placement of a plastic canopy over the sidewalks, construction of a fountain and ampitheater front of the Bountiful Tabernacle. Also an eight story office building would be built at 46 S. Main as part of the plan. A plaza with several small shops would be built in front of the office building. The plan also calls for an art center in the old Stoker school building, two junior department stores, and movi theatres south of the Tabernacle on 100 South. Mayor Dean Stahle said four architects were commissioned to come up with a concept of how the downtown area could be revitalized. All four architects came up with the same concept. Stahle said a revitalization project is needed because the Bountiful business community has become badly fragmented. Many businesses have left the downtown area. Most of the feedback from businessmen has been good on the project, Stahle said. Some, however, have felt resentment toward the agency, like were trying to destroy this downtown area, Stahle said. Richard Stringham, one of the architects who worked on the project, said the architects tried to put together a plan to create a more charming, dynamic downtown center. The focus of the project is on the downtown Tabernacle. He said the architects felt the area should be tied together in some way gather than a series of separate, competing elements. Were trying to preserve as many elements as exist and build upon them, not tear them down. The unifying feature for the area will be the plastic canopy which will stretch from 200 South to 100 North on Main Street and provide a connecting link, Stringham said. He said a pattern shduld be placed in the sidewalk, also. The canopy will have, steel tube columns and will be made of plexiglas. It will be placed at a semi-coloni- . , , al t level so as not to obscure the buildings behind it. The canopy could vary in height along the street. ' Store signs could be placed on the front of the canopy and signs could hang from within the canopy. When buildings are remodeled, they should be remodeled so as to provide a colonial look, Stringham said. They should have fine detailing and should be constructed of native materi' als. The colonial look would add a lot of interest and encourage people to shop, Stringham said. - A lot of white walls and stucco would be nice to relate to the ' tabernacle, Stringham said. He said Bountiful presently has many small shops, but does not have a major anchor store. He said he doubted many major department stores would be interested in locating in the. downtown area, but perhaps two MUELLER PARK in Bountiful becomes a scene of a junior department stores could winter postcard after Sunday nights storm. The white be attracted to the area. snow reminded everyone that winter is really coming Movie theatres are needed downtown because we feel the city should not die during the night, but should remain active. Also there should be more residential buildings in the downtown area, he said. the district pay $2 per month for RON KNOWLTON Review Staff The plan would need to intersewer service. Bountiful resiest private developers, he said. The South dents pay $1.75, Barlow said. BOUNTIFUL And it should basically be a Davis County Sewer District The district assesses a three free enterprise development, board of trustees is considering a mill tax levy to cover operating he added. $12 million bond issue to inexpenses. The proposed $12 milDoug Todd, another architect, crease the size of two sewer lion bond would add an addisaid the plan may not be speciftional two mills. plants to meet 1985 federal waically an answer to Bountifuls Each mill produces about ter standards. needs, but provides a point of The district currently has two $213,000 in revenue. discussion. The Bountiful City Council in North Salt Lake t plants--on- e Stahle said the RDA does not and one in West Bountiful. took no action on the bond meahave the means to become deepElmer Barlow, who serves on sure, however. Councilman Bob Linnell said he would need more ly involved with the project but the board, told the Bountiful could cooperate with developers. City Council that the size of the information before making a deBountiful merchants would also two plants (which went into op- - cision on the bond measure. be asked to handle some of the eration in the early 1960s) must On a related matter, the Bouncosts of the project. be increased to meet the future tiful City Council passed a resoJohn OHara, a Bountiful resilution to suggest the district needs of the county. dent who was at the meeting, south in disallow a member of the board residents Currently told the RDA the cost of the Davis communities served by of trustees to serve a dual role project could be tremendous., I hope we dont unleash a monster that will drive some of the small businesses who have been here a long time out of the RON KNOWLTON ber of Commerce monthly community, he said. ' Review Staff He said the cost of the project membership meeting last Gov. Scott Wednesday, said many studies BOUNTIFUL also should not be borne by taxMatheson said ,he will recomhave shown there has been a depayers. mend a tax increase for the first terioration in the quality of eduStahle said the idea of the project is to build a well balanced time during his term as gover- cation in recent years. He noted the state has also exnor. The additional tax money community and not push peoadwill for all he invite of but out education, go downtown, ple perienced a high growth rate. and keep people in the area. ded. . Nearly 18,000 new students were added to school rolls in the state Matheson, who was the speakHe said Bountiful is really Area Bountiful this year. Cham er the at bubbling now. to Utah, bringing with it skiing, sledding and future spring run-off Board Studies Sewer Plant Bonds with the sewer district. The controversy revolves around a member of the board of trustees who also serves as assistant manager for the district. Mack Wilkins, who represents an unincorporated area of the county on the board of trustees, also serves as assistant manager for the district. Barlow said Wilkins receives two salaries from the district. He receives $80 per month for his service on the board of trustees, and a $24,000 per year salary as assistant manager. The district currently has a manager (who receives a $31,000 per year salary) and an assistant manager, Barlow said. Councilman Paul Allen said he questions the justification for continuing both positions, when perhaps a manager is all that is needed. Councilman Dean Hill said there has been a great deal of friction because of the conflict. Barlow also suggested Bountiful should have an additional member on the board of trust- -' ees. Currently there are seven members on the board. Five of the board members are appointed by south Davis cities. Two are appointed from the unincorporated areas. Barlow said there is only a population of 12,000 in the unincorporated areas, while Bountiful has a population of 40,000. Wants Education Tax Increase - I Holidays Ahead Christmas and Hew Years Day just (with 'ahead, everyone, needs some ideas on What to cook, how to xlecorate and what to jgive as gifts. B Section Qdso n Photo by Ron Knowlton i soon become a second class state within a few years, he said. Other states have made a commitment to look toward the future. He said Utah must do the same. With the recession apparently over and the state economy showing a healthy recovery, Ma- -' Continued On 2A All-Ar- Index . Holiday..-- B Jt. Sports ea The Classified f fV: Think of creating a new Weber School District each year just Qjtt of growth without money into education, the governor said. He said this is a very critical and serious time for education. Matheson said Utah is competing with other western states for economic viability. If the state is not able to compete, it will 8A.9A Section. 7A,8A Team Lakeside Re- - ' views sports staff has selected an football team consisting of players from all seven area All-Ar- high schools. 7A J i ft JL. |