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Show A-2 Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues, April 13-16, 2019 The Park Record The Park Record. Serving Summit County since 1880 The Park Record, Park City’s No. 1 source for local news, opinion and advertising, is available for home delivery in Summit, Wasatch, Salt Lake, Davis and Utah counties. Single copies are also available at 116 locations throughout Park City, Heber City, Summit County and Salt Lake City. SUBSCRIPTION RATES In Summit County (home delivery): $56 per year (includes Sunday editions of The Salt Lake Tribune) Outside Summit County (home delivery available in Wasatch, Salt Lake, Davis, Weber and Utah counties; all other addresses will be mailed via the U.S. Postal Service): $80 per year To subscribe please call 435–649– 9014 or visit www.parkrecord.com and click the Subscribe link in the Reader Tools section of the toolbar at the bottom of the page. To report a missing paper, please call 801–204–6100. 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Phone: 435–649–9014 Fax: 435–649–4942 Email: circulation@parkrecord.com Published every Wednesday and Saturday Continued from A-1 Health is a choice ic Director Beth Armstrong, County Council Chair Roger Armstrong, Park City Councilor Nann Worel and Ed Rutan, president of CONNECT Summit County, selected the two finalists. Later this month, the committee will present a final recommendation to the County Council, which the panel can accept or deny. The County Council will award $2.3 million for the first year of services, prorated over 10 months. The funds will come from the county, state and Medicaid. Both Optum, which is based in Minnesota and has offices in Salt Lake City, and University of Utah Health Care Plans operate a different model for services than what was provided under Valley Behavioral Health. Valley Behavioral Health operated as a “one-stop shop,” relying on its own ability to provide services, according to a Health Department staff report prepared in anticipation of the meeting. Optum and University of Utah Health Care Plans would be offering a network model as a way to provide more choices and providers for patients to choose from, said Aaron Newman, the Health Department’s mental health and substance abuse coordinator. He said the network model could drastically reduce waiting periods for patients seeking services. “We have been up to a 160-day waiting period,” he said. “We have seen that come down, but we are still at around 100 days. Availability is the Continued from A-1 Talisker sued suit says the lenders generated approximately $88.9 million through the foreclosure and collections processes. As of the end of October 2018, another approximately $107.4 million was owed. But the lawsuit claims Bistricer in late 2015 had some of the firms named as defendants transfer interests in entities controlled by himself to another entity under his control, called Hampstead Equities GP Inc., for a $1.5 million payment. The lenders were not aware of the transfers at the time they occurred, it says, outlining that the value of the transferred interests was pegged at a minimum of approximately $41.3 million. The sum is far higher than the $1.5 million payment, the case notes. “The assignment orchestrated by Bistricer, and accomplished through the various entities he owns or controls ... was intended to, and did, hinder, delay, and/or defraud Plaintiff in its efforts to collect on the Loan,” the lawsuit says. It labels the move a “fraudulent transfer scheme.” It also says the defendants “are alter egos of each other” and are “insiders and affiliates of one another.” The lawsuit says the entities named as defendants are “owned solely or substantially, directly or indirectly, by Bistricer and/ or members of Bistricer’s family.” They are also “managed and controlled in voting, operations (if any), Direct Importer of the World’s Finest Rugs A t t h e H i s t o r i c Vi l l a T h e a t r e 3092 So. Highland Dr., Salt Lake City (801)484-6364 888.445.RUGS (7847) Mon.-Sat. 10 am to 6 pm key aspect of why we are looking at a network provider rather than staying with a mental health care provider. There is a reason why we have seen this be successful and this will be a huge change for our community.” Representatives speaking on behalf of University of Utah Health Care Plans touted years of experience as an in-state agency and a vast network of services, including many providers who would be willing to relocate to Summit County. “We have 270 Utah-based employees ready to go to work,” said Chad Westover, CEO of Health Care Plans. “The people we have are specialists in their area. They are also here and they are local. We have the depth and expertise.” Optum has partnered with Salt Lake County for the last seven years to manage its Medicaid plan and behavioral health services, as well as providing services in 31 other states. Several letters were submitted to the county from providers, including many in Summit County, willing to render services on behalf of Optum. “We have a lot of specific experience,” said Blaine Bergeson, vice president of business development for Optum. “We have an operating infrastructure that understands the needs and demands. We have a lot of experience and local staff doing the same work that we think Summit County needs.” Elected officials asked several questions after both finalists completed their presentations to better understand the different services that each could provide. The County Council was initially expected to make a decision on April 17. However, that date was pushed back to April 24 to give County Councilors more time to review the proposals. “This is a big decision and we have two great providers here,” said Chris Robinson, a County Councilor. and decision-making by Bistricer, either directly or indirectly.” The entities also are believed to be “undercapitalized, fail to observe corporate formalities, do not pay dividends except as dictated by Bistricer, are used by Bistricer to siphon funds, have non-functioning or non-existent officers or managers other than Bistricer, fail to maintain corporate records, and are used merely as a facade for Bistricer and one another,” the lawsuit says. The Midtown Acquisitions, L.P. side summarizes the case by pointing to Bistricer as the key figure in the dispute. “This case involves a $150 million loan, multiple defaults followed by judgments against defaulting parties, and an elaborate scheme involving affiliates of the Borrower and guarantors to avoid repaying the loan. At the center of this scheme is one man, Bistricer, who owns and operates a network of corporations, limited liability companies, and real property assets primarily under various iterations of the name ‘Talisker,’ the lawsuit says. It claims Bistricer, “signing on all sides of various transactions, directed his entities to transfer their membership interests in down-stream subsidiaries (which ultimately owned real property assets at the Canyons Resort and Deer Valley Resort) to another newly created Bistricer-controlled entity, Hampstead, that was not liable to Plaintiff on account of the loan or judgment, for essentially little to no value.” The lawsuit seeks a judgment for the value of the assets transferred, a court declaration that the defendants “in fact are alter egos of one another ... and therefore that all Defendants are liable for the debts and obligations of one another” and the appointment of a receiver to oversee the transferred assets, among other measures. Political season starts for area party leaders The Democrats and GOP will choose slates of officers ANGELIQUE MCNAUGHTON The Park Record While the highly anticipated presidential race for the 2020 election is still a year away, Summit County’s political parties are likely gearing up for elections that hit a little closer to home. It’s time for residents to break out their party credentials because both the Summit County Republican and Democratic parties’ organizing conventions are scheduled to be held in the coming weeks. The Republicans will gather Tuesday, while the Democrats will convene May 11. Every couple of years, the parties elect new leaders who will be tasked with running the meetings and conventions for the upcoming election cycle. The Republican Party convention will be held on Tuesday from 6 to 9 p.m. in the South Summit High School auditorium in Kamas. At the meeting, delegates will be voting on the party’s new executive committee. The Summit County Republican Party chair, vice chair, treasurer, secretary, and four regional chairs will be elected. The regional chairs include representatives from Park City, North and South Summit, and the Snyderville Basin. Anyone is invited to attend the convention. However, only members of the county’s central committee will have voting rights. Summit County Republican Party Chair Brantley Eason said the convention is being held in conjunction with Wasatch County’s Republican Party Convention. Invitations have been extended to the party’s local and state elected leaders. Eason said Summit County’s Republican Party is in a “good position right now.” “You’ve got the national party, state party and county party and we are all focused on different areas,” he said. “But, in the county we are focused on local issues and our communication is up. We have a good amount of donors coming in and we have a good core here in the county.” Eason anticipates some leadership changes at the state level during the state organizing convention, scheduled to be held May 4 at Utah Valley University in Orem. “We’ll see what happens next month,” he said. “There are a lot of people vying for the positions that will set the tone for the direction of the state Continued from A-1 Brush up on the arts Tail that Saved the Rail,” a 16-panel graphic novel produced by the fourthgrade art classes of South Summit Elementary School. This installation is not only supported by the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Visual Arts Learning Program, but was created for Spike 150, the statewide celebration of the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, Whiting said. “‘The Tail that Saved the Rail’ is a story about a young Chinese boy named Ming and his heroic mouse,” he party, so we will see how that fares and what that means for us.” The Summit County Democratic Convention will be held at noon on Saturday, May 11, at Park City High School. During the convention, the Summit County Democratic executive committee will be nominated, which includes about a dozen positions, such as chair and the three vice chairs. The executive committee will also be tasked with selecting a candidate to serve as the Summit County assessor through the end of 2019 after the unexpected resignation of Steve Martin. Martin will vacate his post on April 30. The party’s nominee will need to be approved by the Summit County Council. “Any Summit County resident is allowed to come and visit and we certainly encourage public participation,” said Cheryl Butler, Summit County Democratic Party chair. Butler anticipates representatives from Better Boundaries, TRUCE (Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education) and supporters of Medicaid expansion will attend the convention, along with local and state elected leaders. “We expect to hear from them about what is happening and what the future holds for those propositions that the Legislature worked to modify,” she said. The county’s convention serves as a “build up” to the state party convention, Butler said. The state organizing convention will be held Saturday, June 22, at Park City High School. Candidates for the state party’s leadership roles are expected to attend the county convention. The list of delegates for the state convention will be finalized on May 11, Butler said. She added, “We are really looking forward to that.” “We have almost 90 representatives from Summit County so we have a very large delegation,” she said. “We are awarded that number and overly represented at the state level because the party recognizes the strength of commitment here in the county.” The county convention provides party members with an opportunity to gather and plan ahead for the 2020 election, Butler said. She said there is a “huge continuation of energy” that is currently behind the Democratic Party. “People are really wanting to get organized around the issues and candidates for 2020,” she said. “We have so many presidential nominees that part of being a Democrat is trying to keep track of all the moving pieces. In Utah we are going to be some of the earliest voters on the national stage, and we are already seeing candidates that are coming to visit us here because of that.” said. “It will be on display in the teen area of our library space.” The graphic novel has a tie-in with “The Chinese Helped Build the Railroad — The Railroad Helped Build America,” a photograph exhibit presented by the Chinese Railroad Workers Descendants Association (see page C-1). “The Tail that Saved the Rail” will be relocated to Coalville when the “The Chinese Helped Build the Railroad” exhibit heads out to the Ledges Event Center in Coalville in June, Whiting said. “We’re happy to be part of Celebration of Art, and I know the local students are happy to be part of it as well,” Whiting said. Celebration of Art will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, at the South Summit Services Building, 110 N. Main St. in Kamas. The event is free and open to the public. For information, call the Summit County Library Kamas Valley Branch at 435-783-3190. |