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Show Cyan Magenta Yellow Black 75¢ Settlement of Sanpete to be held Saturday A7 www.sanpetemessenger.com VOL. 114 • NUMBER 9 MANTI, UTAH • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2007 County identifies possible courts site SANPETE WEA THER EATHER FORECAST High/Low % precip. Wednesday Clear, 69/38 ................ 0% Thursday Clear, 73/42 ................ 0% Friday Mostly clear, 73/41 .... 5% By Suzanne Dean Saturday Publisher Clear, 69/37 ................ 0% EPHRAIM—Sanpete County Commissioners are looking at land fronting on the east side of U.S. 89 near the south entry to Manti as a possible location for the proposed courts building. Commissioner Mark Anderson said the parcel as a whole was 26 acres, but the county was focusing on the highway frontage only. If the deal goes through, the county would purchase at least three acres. But if the Utah Administrative Office of the Courts approved, the county might buy more, he said. Just after noon on Tuesday, commissioners were on their way to present the site to the Utah Administrative Office of the Courts, the prospective lessee of the courts facility. If state courts officials give the green light, the county will pursue negotiations with the landowners, Anderson said. The commissioners talked about the possible site at a presentation last week before the Ephraim City Council, one of several appearances they’ve scheduled at city and town council meetings around the county. There isn’t enough time to close a deal before the election, when voters will approve or reject bonds for the structure, Commissioner Claudia Jarrett said. But she said commissioners hope to be able to present a letter from the property owners confirming their intent to sell the land to the county for the court facility. The commissioners have been trying to make their case for a proposed $8.5 million facility, to be financed using county-issued revenue bonds. The bonds Last Week’s Weather (Courtesy Ted Olson, Snow College) Date Max. Sept. 17 Min. Prec. AT A GLANCE Vice president leaves Snow College EPHRAIM—Gary Arnoldsen, interim vice president for administrative services, has left Snow College. Arnoldsen, who had been on the Snow staff for 24 years, stepped into the interim vice presidency after Larry Christensen retired about 10 months ago. President Scott Wyatt said there had been an understanding at the time that Arnoldsen would serve until a new president was able to hire his or her own vice president. Prior to appointment to the interim post, Arnoldsen was controller, a job in which he supervised Vicki Murray. She was recently sentenced to jail stealing more than $100,000 from the college. But Wyatt said Arnoldsen’s departure had nothing to do with the case. “I hold him in high regard and think that his integrity is beyond reproach,” Wyatt said. “That’s exactly the way I feel, and I’ve told him that. His resignation has nothing to do with blame being put on him for any wrongdoing on campus.” Wyatt said Arnoldsen had resigned but had not yet submitted a formal letter of resignation. You said It! “They went from one fire to the other without touching home.” —Graciela Meyers about the tireless hours put in by members of the Indianola Valley Fire Department fighting fires in Southcentral Utah. INSIDE Opinions ........ A6 Lifestyle ......... A7 School ........... A9 Sports .......... A11 Classifieds ... A13 LLOYD CALL / MESSENGER PHOTO Members of the Sanpete County Sheriff’s Department break ground for the building of a new jail complex south of Manti. The Groundbreaking ceremony also included county and municipal officials. Jail groundbreaking Sheriff’s complex gets underway By Lloyd Call Associate publisher MANTI—County, construction, and financial participants were on hand Friday, Sept. 21 to break ground for the Sanpete County Jail, a half-mile south of Manti on the east side of U.S.89. Under the direction of commissioner chairperson Claudia Jarrett, groups took turns making brief comments and then turning shovelfuls of dirt. County officials first, then General Excellence winner be able to provide $3 million in a low interest loan to Sanpete County for the new jail.” CIB added an $8.2 million lowinterest loan to the project, and the county approved a general obligation bond for $6 million following a county vote held June 2006. Okland Construction is building the 128-inmate bed facility with a completion date of Nov. 8, 2008. Following the groundbreaking, refreshments were provided by KMTI Radio. (See “Courts” on A5) Mt. Pleasant receives Caucuses select candidates for Ephraim council positions grants for beautification By Sara Hansen By John Hales Staff writer EPHRAIM—A slate of candidates was not the only thing to come out of Democratic and Republican Party conventions last week, as Ephraim geared up for municipal elections in November. Both parties also passed similar resolutions they hope will initiate a change in the way the city deals with future midterm vacancies on the city council. On the evening of Thursday, Sept. 20, members in both parties met to select nominees for November’s election of four citycouncil seats. Three of those are four-year terms. For those, Republicans nominated Dave Parrish, Terry Lund, and incumbent Penny Kittelsrud. Democrats selected in- cumbent Craig Rasmussen and Kim Cragun, leaving an opening for the third four-year seat on the Democratic side. The Democrats did, however, select Richard Squire to campaign for the two-year seat against incumbent Dave Warren, hoping to win back the seat vacated when former council member Garth Sorenson moved out of the city. The selection of Warren, a Republican, to replace Sorenson, a Democrat, moved members of both parties to propose resolutions to their conventions that would, in essence, require Democrats to fill vacancies left by Democrats, and likewise for Republicans. The resolution passed in both conventions, but Ephraim City Manager Richard Anderson says changing the way the city handles vacancies is not so simple. Under current city ordinance, Anderson says, the city abides by a section in the Utah State Code that provides for vacancies in municipal legislative bodies (city councils). That statute, 20A-1-501 U.C.A, says nothing regarding the role of political parties, but simply indicates that interested persons are to make application to the city, and that the council then appoints an applicant to the vacancy. Anderson indicated that it might be possible to change the city ordinance to allow for party participation in filling vacancies, but he would have to consult state law to make sure such an ordinance would be legal. It would also be a matter for the city council to consider, and if the council approved, they would direct Anderson to draft an ordinance for the city to adopt. Staff writer MT. PLEASANT—Mt. Pleasant City has recently received grant money and raised money to complete a three-tier granite, are replacing the old wooden billboards, which have previously served as the welcome signs. Alden Johansen, who spearheaded this part of the project, said, “I’m tickled the Gateways to Mt. Pleasant will soon be graced with these signs. project to help beautify the city. In the first tier, new entry signs will be placed on the north and south entrances into the city on U.S. 89. The signs, which will be made out of city found the money to do this.” Alden said he wanted this project to be completed because of his pride in the community. (See “Signs” on A3) Road construction to improve traffic flow, beautify Manti By Judy Chantry Staff writer MANTI—According to Utah Department of Transportation, the construction currently underway to realign roadway entrances to U.S. 89 at the north end of Manti will create a safer traffic flow area. Additionally, the changes will allow the Central Utah Pioneer Heritage Association (CUPHA) to follow through with its plans to beautify and enhance the area with gardens and a museum. Richard Morley, president of the CUPHA, is excited about the completion of the realignment project. “When construction is done and the existing road by the DUP monument is obliterated, we can begin landscaping,” Morley said. Utah Press Association 1999 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 sheriff’s department members, financial advisors, and Manti City officials got a chance to say a few words. Commissioner Bruce Blackham said, “This jail protects our future; it gives us the infrastructure we need to live our lives in this great county.” Jarrett and commissioner Mark Anderson both commented that many hours have been put into the jail project. Funding for the project is provided by state and county funds. Jack Cox, Utah state director for USDA Rural Development said, “We are extremely pleased to (See “Road” on A3) North entrance to Manti City New Road Alignment Cemetery Buildin DUP g U.S.89 Central Utah Pioneer Heritage Center Current road construction in Manti will facilitate the development of the Central Utah Pioneer Heritage Center near the Manti LDS Temple. |
