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Show ?.o. p ri box ia::7 CITY G411Q 'til 1 M t l' M i , V. At r JJ SALT LAKE aTY, UTAH -F- RIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1976 Nov. 2 Election Vote Certified Salt Lake County Commissioners Hear Modernization Plans An eventual appointment of. a manager to ease excessive administrative burdens will be proposed to Salt Lake County commissioners this week by consultants in a four-ste- p plan. Accordng to Booz. Allen and Hamilton, Inc., of San Francisco, the outcome after an unspecified transition period that would include an election to establish the post, would free commissioners for fulltime policy making. Voters in the Salt Lake County turned down an extensive modernization in 1974. That plan would e commishave replaced the council to sion with a part-tim- e e oversee activities of a administrator. Early findings declared, Salt Lake Countys current organization structure makes it difficult for commissioners to be effective in and adminboth a policy-makin- g istrative role. The $24,000 study, ' specifically urges commissioners to distribute their workload on more equal, functional lines rather than politcs and calls for immediate establishment of a policy and operations arm providing information needed to set policy. full-tim- full-tim- Final election returns from the Congress was told this week the The report concluded, The Nov. 2 voting became official this of trillions of barrels of boards portfolio approach to man- week as the State Board of Canvas- unlocking oil from shale deposits in the West agement, and the resulting frag- sers released their vote votals. could sharply reduce U.S. dementation of functional responThe finaly tally covered all statependency on Middle East oil, but sibilities, disrupts administrative wide and races, as added environmental and economic continuity and makes it difficult to well as all initiative and proposiproblems are strangling the effort. exercise countywide perspective. tions on the ballot. Testifying at Senate oversight It recommends: There were no major changes or hearings, both government and Rebuild county government surprises in the official count, but officials said oil shale along functional lines with the due to the heavy turnout, it will industry are the- nations best deposits commission chairman responsible make it more difficult to get source of liquid fuel to replace fuels for central administration while initiative petitions on the ballot in extracted from crude oil. colleagues respectively, run human the future. Assistant administrator of the d services and or State law requires signatures Energy Research and Development public works community de- equaling 10 percent of the guber- Administrtion, Dr. Philip White, velopment activities. natorial vote to get an initiative oil now presents a very The governing body would have petition on the ballot. That means said shale picture' because the e analysis to set policy 53,956 names will be needed, com- confusing have led to a wait and problems needed as the basis for professional pared to 47,645 previously. see attitude on the part of in-- . management, for the first time. dustry. It was pointed out, theoretically, White said in a statement, on the commission chairman's second the positive side, the technology for aide would be administrative asproducing shale oil commercially sistant for policy and operations, a already exists and is cheaper and post designed to groom the future simpler than the production of county manager. liquid fuel from coal. As the governing body devotes Allen Court Clerk E. However, White told the Senate Supreme more time to policy making, it fuels and materials sub48 have said minerals, Mecham, applications could free itself of administrative Sucommittee that the positive factors received Utah been the by duties by upgrading the adminoffset fill were vacancies Court to three by a formidable list of istrative aide, administrative serv- preme in created the negative factors, including inflation by retiring judges ices director post to chief adminhas put the new, high risk istrative officer with reponsibility coming months. Final deadline for that venture beyond the financial capa the applications was last week. y for operations. For the Supreme Court post to be vacated by Chief Justice F. Henri Henroid, who plans to retire at the end of the year, 21 applied. Another 17applications were for department. Fire Chief Charles Paris said a Third District Court judgeship to taxpayers would enjoy 20 percent be available When Judge Stewart lower fire insurance premiums in M. Hanson Sr. retires, and 10 are most of the unincorporated county for the post now held by Fourth if the Fire Department were up- District Judge Court Judge Stermulti-count- y - people-oriente- . full-tim- 48 Applications For Court Vacancies day-to-da- Austere Budget Unveiled County Auditor Jim Snow, this week released an austere 1977 working-budgthat Salt Lake officials say is devoid of County frills but still $6 million over available revenue. As Snow calls it, the minimum budget, is sure to bring cries of distress from county department directors, who have requested et Western Oil Shale Development Could Ease Dependence bilities of many companies. Dr. White also said environmental restrictions particularly on Interior Department shale leases in Colorado and Utah represent a major problem. Deputy Assistant Secretary chris Farr and, an Interior Department official, defended a department decision to suspend several leases. White said the air pollution problem had been an absolute road block and that, legally, the department had no alternative but to stop development on the Colorado and Utah leases so long as air quality standards were not met. He added, shale was economically as well as environmentally less costly than any other method of producing synthetic liquid fuel including the conversion of coal to liquid fuel. Dr. White said, the most important benefit that shale oil would give would be to put downward pressure" on the price of oil imported from the OPEC countries. The Interior Department official said, large scale shale oil production could give psychological leverage to U.S. efforts to restrain future crude oil price hikes. TODAYS EDITORIAL graded. Under Basil B. McGlochlin, the lighting asked has a 64 for department, to new increase equipbuy percent ment and put a dent into maintenThis is not the 1977 budget, stressed Snow as he distributed a ance costs McGlochlin said exceed two-pag- e paper showing 1977 gen- 80 percent of original value. But the minimum budget allows a eral fund spending at $66.7 million. Snow added, What this is, is a 1977 spending level only 13 percent worksheet of the minimum spend- above the 1976 level of about $6 ing level we can manage after million. For the first time in four years taking into account a six percent the Parks and Recreation Departand various factor inflation department received an increase of 10 mental needs. More cuts are forthcoming from percent on the worksheet, but that departmental budgets however, will be little consolation to director added Snow. Gary Swensen, who wanted twice Sheriff Delmar Larson, who last that amount. Swenson told commisweek requested a 36 percent spend- sioners that recreation programs ing increase to hire needed depu- will be virtually wiped out without ties among other things, was cut in substantial increase. Similar cuts went to the countys the worksheet to a six percent other 40 departments. Including increase. Third District Court,' Salt Lake substana without tht Warning tial raise in spending, Larson said, Court and the 10 justice of the crime will increase and layoffs will peace courts, were cut below even occur, especially among school 1976 spending. District court is down by five percent while city and crossing guards. Surveyor Carl Larson asked for a JP courts are down by eleven 97 percent budget increase, saying percent. Commissioners have said, the that his small department is stalincludes substantial emboom. forecst Under a ling county building the minimum budget, Larsen gets ploye layoffs and a freeze on merit and an eleven percent increase. pay increases. minimum budget the asked has Fire The However, Department unchalheretofore increase include a does 36 for a percent spending west-side to staff two nearly completed lenged merit pay raise of five fire stations and improve percent for all 3,000 employes. The service. But auditors now see only cost in 1977 would be $1.6 million, a three percent increase for that if commissioners dont reject it. highway-sanitation-stre- et cost-of-livi- ling R.' Bossard, who will also retire. In the near future a judicial nominating commission will be called to review the applications for each of the upcoming vacancies. Groups Charge Too Much Industry Input in Energy A number of Salt Lakers said this week that too much industry input and not enough environmental safeguards have been put in the first draft of a state energy policy prepared by the Governors Blue Ribbon Energy Task Force. The committee of industry, legislators, private citizens and energy representatives will meet this week to begin work on the final proposed policy for consideration by the end Freedoms Erode Without Vigilance Like South Dakota topsoil, freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution must be handled with care if gradual and costly erosion is to be prevented. A farmer who takes only from the land soon finds that he receives little in return. And so it is with freedoms that Americans continue to enjoy during the 200th anniversary of the Republic. These liberties must be guarded selfishly, defended vigorously. Ironically, one of the principle methods of defending freedom is itself under attack, that is, freedom of the press. As protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution, Congress shall make no law . . . abridgof January. of the press. Witnesses includes representa- ing the freedom tives of the Sierra Club's Uinta Yet, freedom of the press in recent years has Women Voters of Chapter, League suffered setbacks. For example, the use of gag orders of Utah and Utah Consumer Action by judges has increased with alarming frequency. Group. Representing the Sierra Club, These gag orders restrict the press in various ways. Dr. Joan Cole, said the task force Some limit publication of types of information about a has mistakenly assumed that deand prior restraint velopment of coal and mineral court proceeding or trial resources in Utah would bring others prevent the press physically from gaining about a better way of life. access to the courtroom or court testimony. Dr. Cole added, the preliminary These gag rules have, in some cases, banned report is a coal promotion document instead of a guide for energy (continued on page 2) development. i s T'" ix ."'T J J , |