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Show Page 2 Westside Selects New Officers And Roxanna Olivas, Central City Directors "More money would make the job ahead for neighborhood The Westside Community Council held its election of officers and annual board councils much easier" by Jeri Anderson Her day as Coordinator of Community Organizations, starts at 9:00 a.m. and the chaos in her office at the Central City Community Center lasts until 5 or 6:00 p.m. and then there is generally a meeting to go to at night, but all of this keeps young Roxanna Olivas busy and happy. She says she never knows what to expect when she walks into the office, it's impossible to tell, but she enjoys her work. In fact, she started as a volunteer for trial period and liked a ten-mont- h it so well she indefinitely as a is staying full-tim- e employee. Roxanna's responsibilities are numerous but her biggest concern is trying to coordinate 12 block leaders from community councils with their activities and plans. She also has started putting out a newsletter which she compiles and distributes to the Central City neighborhood. The name of the newsletter is the "Central City Messenger." "Right now we are trying to just maintain the level of activity that we have established and desperately are trying to expand it," said Roxanna. The Community Action Program is being phased out and that's eliminating a lot of valuable so one of our responsibilities is to try and replace them with people we people, Ernest Snider, now Westside president. have, but we just don't have enough money and that is making it difficult to do all we want to meeting on Tuesday, March 13at Glendale Junior High School. Over fifty people elected a slate of officers and a Board of Directors which Included Ernest Snider, president, Katherine Florence Washko, vice-presiden- Lawrence, t, secretary-treasure- r and Selma Jacobsen, historian. A panel discussion on problems followed the elections with City Commissioner housing now, she said. The program now is utilizing many low income people who are volunteering their services. They aren't being paid for their services, they are people who enjoy doing things for their community. The problem right now is that of money. Proposals are being written and considered and plans evolve around finding ways to make money for the program, Jennings Phillips, Harold she said. at the County Complex at 21st South and State and this will benefit senior citizens who need this type of housing," he added. He urged residents to offer their comments and suggestions, stating, "my office door is always Roxanna said, "Our budgets have been drastically cut to about $8,000 per council and now we have approximately $570.00 per month to run a program. We need supplies more than anything, it's one of our biggest concerns." "Our volunteers are happy to work," she said, "but they too need some reinbursement for their service, it gives them Brereton of the Department of Community Affairs and Paul Herrick, Executive Director of the Salt Lake Housing Authority. "After my return recently from Washington, D. C. we are in a state of flux as far as low cost housing is concerned at this time, Commissioner Phillips said. "Sometime in June, 300 units for the elderly will be built open." Harold Brereton commented on housing on the westside, saying, "it's really in very good condition." incentive, something to work for and it would help them." Jay Greenan, Executive Secretary for the Westside "Money always makes things easier, but not having it doesn't Council, told residents there was make it impossible, involvement in the Council and described the formation of four committees which would deal with specific problems in the area said Roxanna. She knows the program will work, it has been successful before and it will be as long as people need a program such as this. Money or no money, Roxanna will be one of the people to make things work, for she is dedicated to helping and achieving. ample opportunity for community development for the westside, housing, social services and streets. The Board of Directors was expanded from 21 members to 24. - Florence Lawrence, secretary - treasurer. |