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Show Cyan Magenta Yellow Black Wednesday, April 13, 2005 A11 Sanpete Messenger/Gunnison Valley Edition Fayette City will pay to gravel roads, residents off the hook By John Hales Staff writer An Iraqi child receives school supplies and a stuffed animal from U.S. soldier during one of the military’s humanitarian projects, called Project Crayon. Project Crayon to gather school supplies for Iraqi children TAZA CITY, Iraq—School children in Taza City, Iraq are receiving basic training—minus the basics. National Guardsman 2nd Lt. Gary Bartholomew, originally from Fayette, is in charge of creating and managing social programs in Taza City, Iraq. One such program, called Project Crayon, has the goal to provide every teacher and student in the area with basic school supplies. “Right now the [children] … go to school in mud huts for four hours a day and are lucky to have pencils and pens at their disposal. Lots can’t read or write. I realize that there is no way that we can solve all of Iraq’s educational problems in the next six months to a year but there are ways we can help,” Bartholomew wrote in an e-mail message. Taza City has about 20 schools with about 4,000 students and 300-400 teachers, but Bartholomew said they have only about 68 school supply packages to give out. “Every packet we receive helps.” The project would make a good humanitarian project for a school or business or a good Eagle Scout project, Bartholomew said. If you would like to help with this project, put together a supply package (see box), or provide any school supplies, drop them off at one of the following locations: Manti Telephone in Manti, Subway in Ephraim and Gunnison, and The Jean Scene in Gunnison. Or mail supplies to Operation Crayon, Attn: What is needed ... For the children: 1 pack of markers or colored pencils (8-12 count) 1 24-pack of crayons 2 pencils 2 pens 1 12-inch ruler (including metric measurements) 1 blunt-end pair of scissors 1 eraser 1 pencil sharpener 1 6-ounce bottle of glue or a glue stick 1 spiral bound notebook (8.5-inch by 11-inch) 1 small bundle of construction paper 1 coloring book Chaplain (Maj.) John Worster, HHC 116 BCT (Forward), APO AE 09368. If you represent a school or business and would be interested in “adopting” a school, contact Bartholomew at gary.bartholomew@us.army.mil for information on school sizes, locations and photos. Bartholomew also said adopting a school could get expensive, and some shipping companies have donated their services or offered discounted prices for businesses or schools donating to projects such as this. For those who deal with cash only, trusts are set up for the project at Gunnison Valley Bank and Far West Bank in Ephraim. For teachers: Packages of pens Packages of pencils Staplers with extra staples 5 spiral notebooks Large bundle of construction paper Large package of markers Colored pencils 2 packets of scotch tape Package of erasers Pencil sharpener Glue sticks or large bottle of glue Other items: Jump ropes Soccer balls Basketballs or any other sports equipment small town doesn't have to mean small profits RURAL BUSINESS CONFERENCE FOURTH ANNUAL growing from within May 3 & 4 College of Eastern Utah, Price Registration: $20 Join Senator Bob Bennett and the Utah Rural Development Council to learn how your business can acquire new customers, increase productivity, and contribute to a vibrant local economy by “growing from within.” Keynote speakers: Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. & Dr. Patrick M. Byrne, Overstock.com Breakout session highlights: • Effective Rural Marketing • Access to Business Capital • Finding & Keeping Quality Employees • Growing in a Seasonal Business Climate Information and online registration: www.ruralutah.com or call Senator Bennett's office at: (801) 379-2525 Special Thanks to Our Generous Sponsors ATK Thiokol • Mountain West Small Business Finance • Emery Telecom • Hunt Oil Company Utah Power • Utah Rural Electric Association • Western AgCredit • Zions Bank • Sun Advocate Emery County Progress • Utah Department of Commerce • Andalex Resources, Inc. Bill Barrett Corporation • CentraCom Interactive • Eastern Utah Community Credit Union Fannie Mae • Peczuh Printing Company • United Parcel Service • USDA Rural Development Utah Rural Telecom Association • Utah State University Extension FAYETTE—After much debate over a project to gravel portions of the town’s roads, the Fayette Town Council voted to have the town pay for the project rather than bill residents for it. At the council meeting last Thursday, council members Kelly Sue Mellor and Gerald Mellor took sides against fellow council member Sheldon Mellor while Mayor Shawn Crane attempted to mediate in a discussion about the quality of the project and whether or not residents should be billed for it. Some months ago, the council decided on a project to gravel a section of Main Street. As long as gravel was being hauled in for the project, the council also offered an option of graveling streets in front of residents’ property throughout town if those residents paid for the cost of the gravel. However, by the time the project was completed a couple weeks ago, gravel had been spread in front of properties whose residents had not signed up for the deal, and, therefore, according to the arrangement, would not have to pay for the gravel, as would residents who had signed up. Council member Gerald Mellor brought up that it wouldn’t be fair for some residents to have to pay for the improvements and not others, especially when all those improvements were made on town—not private—property. “We have improved the town’s property, the town’s rightof-way,” he said, “I don’t feel good about the town charging them.” Council member Jason Christensen agreed, saying, “If it’s the town’s right-of-way, the town should pay for it.” However, the council member in charge of the project, Sheldon Mellor, said that, likewise, if the town picked up the entire bill, it wouldn’t be fair that some people had the road improvements done in front of their homes while other residents didn’t. After a good deal of discussion, Mayor Crane voiced what later became the decision of the council: “I wouldn’t feel at all uncomfortable to have the city take care of it. Of course, the council would have to vote on that. But I wouldn’t feel at all bad if people want to donate to the city, either. But they shouldn’t be billed.” The cost of the project came to about $13,000. The town originally expected $4,500 of that to come from payments from residents. Later, Sheldon Mellor indicated that he didn’t think the council had heard the last of the issue. “I think we’re going to have a lot of problem over this,” he said. “It’s going to make it complicated in the months ahead because everyone will want the same thing whether they contributed or not.” The council discussed the possibility of continuing the project for the rest of the town, but dismissed that idea when Gerald Mellor pointed out that the town was already over budget. The council indicated, however, that the project could be continued next year when funds could be budgeted for it. During the course of the discussion, Sheldon Mellor men- tioned that certain residents had complained about the project, saying that the job was not well done and that the right material had not been used. Those complaints were reiterated by Kelly Sue Mellor and Gerald Mellor, both of whom seemed inclined to withhold payment for the project until Mark Mellor corrected deficiencies complained of, which dealt mainly with the project’s cleanup. As the council’s coordinator for the project, however, Sheldon Mellor said he felt Mark had done everything that was required in the contract, and that he himself was responsible for anything people disapproved of. The mayor also came to Mark Mellor’s defense, saying that the contract between the town and Mark said the work was to be done “as per the instructions of the town representative,” who in this case was Sheldon Mellor. Mayor Crane, while trying to be sensitive to Sheldon Mellor, nevertheless said Mark did according to Sheldon’s instructions, even when Mark had said he would have done otherwise had it been up to him. After much discussion that involved raised emotions and, at times, raised voices, the council decided that Mark Mellor was responsible to finish the project to the satisfaction of the council, but that he should also be paid commensurate to the work he had already done. The council decided the town would pay 80 percent to Mark Mellor immediately and would pay the rest upon satisfactory completion of the work. Tell a friend! The Sanpete Messenger The Voice of Sanpete County since 1893 |