OCR Text |
Show Vol. 7, No. 20 Wednesday, May 50 15, 1985 cents a single copy District will tighten belt Following defeat of proposed leeway tax vote Homer Trinnaman and Carl "Blackie" Harris helped Lehi Post 19 of the American Legion bring home several honors. Lehi Am. Legion earns awards The local unit of the American Legion brought home several honors an area convention following recently. National recognition was awarded to Lehi's Post 19 by the National commander. Awards received were the annual citation for outAmericanism to it's community. service standing An honor ribbon for being the outstanding Post in it's area in 1985 was presented to Commander, Blackie Harris, and the unit earned the Beacon Post Award for maintaining an active service organization. Post 19 was organized in Lehi shortly after World War I as a s community-consciouservice group and in the growth intersted development of the city. The membership takes in a wide of including people variety businessmen, laborers, professional men and farmers. And, over the years has been the only organized group of veterans in the community, until just recently when the Veterans of Foreign Wars was organized. The American Legion has represented war veterans and their families in many ways. As a result of Post 19's interest, they have been able to help determine how government funds given the city for veteranbenefits should be used. These funds have been used the and for improvements development of Lehi . The Memorial Building has filled a big need need in the city for many years, and more recently, the Vets Ball Park with it's Softball and baseball complexes have been developed and with the cooperation of Lehi City provide an essential sports arena for youth and adults alike. The Memorial Building and Vets Park are two noteworthy Legion projects, but they are not the only benefits associated with Post 19. The Boys State Program, with the cooperation of local businessmen, has been a great benefit to many of Lehi's young men, along with other programs involving the youth of Lehi in developing better citizenshp, leadership, and athletic abilities. Another area of concern has been taken over by a former Post commander, and presently the Post's Service officer, Dennis Finch. He has helped eligible veterans and their families to get veterans and widows pensions and other benefits, including hospitalization in veterans hospitalas. Without his tireless service, many of these benefits would have been lost to local veterans. Post 19 also participates in getting Officials in the Alpine School District this week are looking for measures to "tighten their belt" as they figure the budget for the upcoming fiscal year - without the benefit of additional funding from a leeway. was The tentative budget presented at the regular business meeting of the board last evening. The three mill leeway increase in property taxes asked for by district officials went down to defeat May 8. Although the official canvass of the votes wasn't until the regular business meeting of the board, unofficial tally results showed of the 7,244 votes cast, 4,161 votes, 57 percent, were against the leeway and 3,083 votes for it. Approximately 13 percent of the 54,000 eligible voters in the district went to the polls - for what some veteran poll watchers describe as an "unusually heavy turnout" for a special election. When asked what the district will Dr. do now. Clark L. Cox, Superintendent, said "We'll go on. We'll just have to tighten our belt a little harder." "We will go over every area of the budget to see where we can cut that will least effect classroom operations and still balance the budget. We will look at every area and if we don't absolutely need it, we won't go with it." Dr. Cox said possible areas of cuts will probably be discussed at the board meeting. "The people have mandated we live within our current budget and we will look at it carefully and as objectively as we can. There will be no area that won't be scrutinized. We've got to balance the budget," he said. Dr. Cox said several practices had been instigated prior to the vote to save money, including a freeze on filling job vacancies, a reduction in the use of substitute teachers, reduction in administrative staff at No responded at each consolidated disctict in last week's leeway election for the Alpine School District. Graph shows how local voters - 437 340 " ' n 3ii - . 1,1 Ho 265 to . 230 227 T I Yes Yes 161 156 " J Yes Yes Yes J 99 123 I Yes Yes 85 til Voters J 138 I S(jo Id) 3010 178 Mo 151 jo lehi Ir. Hijhlind Forbes Wtst Forbes East Greermood LnrJon 1943 2931 185S 2967 3284 1594 Reg. Volets Re. Volm Rej Voters Re. Voters Ret Voters the district office, and cost cutting practices for custodial services. Or Richard Sudweeks, board president, added, "We'll make do. We'll have to take a close look at the budget and carefully prioritize proposed expenditures - and will make do with the kind of textbooks and supplies we have." "We'll do without the instructional a ris, and the computers and will have mamtai nance problems that will go unattended - but education will go on," Dr. Sudweeks said. Dr. Sudweeks said board members and district personnel are going to have to decide where to cut. "If we hire fewer people, the class size goes back up," he said. "Do we cut back in support personnel? We are already the lowest in -- the state there. The Utah Foundation says we already have the trimmest budget in the state." "We will just have to make do all." District officials had asked for the three mill leeway to raise $1.8 million dollars annually for the district, and had said this would increase property taxes by about $30 annually on an $80,000. home. The leeway would have also given the district state equalization funds which they are not able to get now. Funds were earmarked for additional textbooks and classroom supplies, additional specialists to help students in special areas, classroom aides for large classes, for equipment such as classroom and for building computers, Re Voters Crovcoest Villei ?803 Rt 31 J H liters Voters maintenance. asked officials last District patrons for a voted leeway 15 years ago. It was turned down then too Election judges reported many of the voters casting their ballots were senior citizens with one judge heard to comment there were only four people coming to vote in that district "who didn't have gray hair " The election is believed to have been affected by a group who came out in opposition, claiming the district lost $1.5 million through poor investments. It went down to defeat in all of the consolidated districts in American Pleasant Grove, Fork, Lehi, Highland and Alpine and Lindon, and passed in seven of 11 Orem districts. Drug advice highlights Lehi meet Dennis Finch for disabled serentertainment vicemen in hospitals and helps widows in getting burial benefits, disability compensation for service-relate- d injuries. Finch has helped in filing for children's benefits for schooling and aided in getting a housing complex fosr disabled veterans, how to obtain and distribute head stones and places for veterans funerals. Local Legion members have also held countless military services at the gravesides of veterans. Finch has also lent assistance in obtaining loans for homes and education. This tireless member of Post 19 helps to get discharge papers that have been lost or destroyed. Dennis Finch has been in charge of this type of service for the Post for eight years. He was Post Commander for 12 years and District Commander for a year. He has also served on the Veterans Council of Lehi. The Legion will be busy again on Memorial Day. Lehi City becomes the Avenue of Flags when members of Post 19 put the nation's colors along Main Street, and prepare the display at the Lehi City Cemetery. They conduct a military service salute early including a Memorial Day morning at the Cemetery site. There is no end to American Legion Post 19's service to the Community of Lehi, past and present. And, if men, like Carl (Blackie) Harris and Dennis Finch have anything to do with it, the future, too. 21-g- Will you, your son or daughter, or a friend be one of 78,000 to die this year because of a drug overdose? According to David Holindrake, of the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, chemical dependency is the number one health problem in the United States. Chemical dependency can result from any drug, street or preescription, or alcohol. And remember, one alcoholic affects four other people directly and 25 people indirectly. Holindrake spoke at a recent Public Involvement Council meeting and issued a stern warning to Lehi citizens. He said that at least 50 percent of Utah's high school seniors have used alcohol. And, according to a report, on a national level, one out of 10 people will become alcoholic. In a Mormon-Bapticulture, two out of four or one-hawill become ad st lf dicted. In Utah County where 70 percent of the people are of the Mormon culture, the percentage of people becoming alcoholic is higher and Holindrake believe that the legislature needs to appropriate more money to fight chemical dependency. Utah's population has increased 38 percent, but alcohol use has increased 80 percent. It costs each man, women, and child $200 per year to pay for the costs of alcohol and other chemical dependency, and the longer people are unaware, the longer it will go on, Holindrake said. He cited the signs or problems of users as follows: Demand for money. Things disappear around the house. (Prized possessions sold. Cocaine costs are great) Changes in grades or job per -- . -- formance; change in emotions or mood swings. -- Outlook on life changes. -- Locked bathrooms and bedrooms. -- Strange phone calls. -- Change in eating habits, such as a loss of appetite.-Lo- ss of interest in school and family. -Change in hygiene - tired. -- Red eyes (use of eye drops to reduce red eyes). -Change of friends. According to Holindrake the kids least likely to use drugs are children who communicate and share their feelings; independent thinkers; children who have parents who know their friends and what's going on; busy children interested in goals and worthwhile projects; and children with parents who help and work with family problems. Parents should never assume "It can't happen to us!" Families can intervene. They can talk to children. They can set goals and set down rules, and they shouldn't wait until age 12. "If you do you're seven or eight years too late," Holindrake said. He explained how to get children not to use chemicals. He instructed parents to talk to their children and set a good example. By setting goals and rules, you will get a strong family. Families should do things together while children are still young and after age 12, families should do things together with the adults of the family. Parents who discover that their children are using alcohol or drugs should get all the information possible and confront them, "This is what you are doing. I would like you to do something about it You can get See DRUGS on page 3 . Guard Engineers work on creek The Minutemen of the 117th Engineer Company, Utah Army National Guard can be counted on to step forward to help. The city of Lehi. looked at the rising water between Second and Third West close by Sixth North, then called for some of the 117th National Guard members. The thinking was to widen the stream bed wherever possible to lessen the chance that the river might overflow it's banks this spring. They had a bulldozer, or as it is called by the military, "a cat," to push down trees on the north side of the river. Some of the trees had been there for many years and had sent down very long roots into the surrounding soil. After lunch the Guard positioned the crane with a "bucket" attached to the winch cables. The bucket was dropped into the river again and again, each time removing part of the river bottom and bank. Now, with the job completed, the river bed should be able to handle anything Mother Nature could throw at it. National Guard works to clear creek channel at 300 West and 600 North in Lehi. |