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Show -NEWS- Spanish Fork Woodland Hills revamps budget Covering what matters most HHarie Orman STAFF WRITER "Finish the old, begin the new" was the theme of a special meeting on budgets of Woodland Hills City Council on Feb. 5, 2008. The budget plans from last year did not anticipate the costs of repairing the main water pump and snow removal in a turbulent year, and Mayor Toby Harding wanted the council to understand how the extra costs and some unspent monies were being moved around. City Finance Director Chris Helvey led the council through the 32 pages of budget information. Some savings resulted from delays in hiring new city employees, but the city needs to get over this hurdle. A public works superintendent is the highest priority position, and it will be advertised within the next few weeks. Other part-time employees are also on the list of positions to be created, but so is an assistant to the mayor, a "chief of staff" to supervise other employees. Jerry Johnson emphasized the need for clear job descriptions and an organizational chart as a prerequisite for hiring, but this view was not shared by all. The upshot was that Mayor Harding agreed to provide a job description for a "chief of staff' within a month, and Jerry Johnson volunteered to draft an organizational chart. The council discussed the options for a wider Woodland Hills Drive because the mayor would like to issue a request for proposals soon. Although an engineering firm had previously told the council that wider roads lead to higher driving speeds, councilman Steve Carter said that other highway studies showed that wider • roads had fewer accidents. Council member Steve Lauritzen advocated a "walkable community" as an important city planning goal. The unanimous agreement was to widen the road by two feet and add a four foot wide sidewalk. The looming specter of balloon payments for the main city water system in Maple Canyon was partly softened by the mayor's observation that the city easily has enough money for at least the next three years of payments. The original financial model projected that impact fees from new building would cover the payments, but that model overestimated the actual building rate by about 20 percent. Jerry Johnson asked that thefinancialcommittee look at ways to plan to cover the escalating payments. Another major budget item concerned a pumper truck requested by thefiredepartment. They are hoping to be part of a multi-city purchase of several trucks. The cities are sharing the cost of preparing the bid request and evaluating responses. Discussion then turned to the task of preparing a budget for next year. The tax rate, already the highest in Utah C(ounty, will not be lowered, and a public hearing on the budget will be announced late in the month. City councilmen will be preparing "wish lists" for drafting a strawman budget with the expected largesse from property taxes, impact fees, and other tax money. Macey's helps families of servicemen Macey's grocery' store will be hosting "Tailgating for our Troops," an event to benefit the Utah National Guard (UTNG) Charitable Trust. The tailgating event will feature a twoday meat sale with 50 percent of the proceeds going directly to the trust. The UTNG Charitable Trust was set up in 2006 to help the families of deployed servicemen and women. The UTNG estimates nearly 60 percent of deployed service members experience a decrease in income, which becomes a tremendous hardship on families. "We want to help the families of these brave men and women," said Dave Wirthlin, president of Macey's. "These service members volunteer on our behalf. It is our responsibility as a community to pull together for. their loved ones while they are in harm's way." The two-day sale will take place at each of the 10 Macey's locations along the Wasatch Front, traveling from store to store for ten consecutive weeks. The sale will also feature a semitrailer painted as a tribute to the men and women of the armed forces. The first sale will take place at the Macey's West Jordan, 7859 South, 3200 West, on Friday, Feb. 8 at 10 a.m. and continue through Saturday, Feb. 9. The dates and locations of future sales can be found at www.maceys.com and clicking on the events tab. "Our hope is to sell 1,000 cases of chicken at each of these sales," said Darin Peirce, regional vice president of Macey's. "The more we sell, the more we will be able to give, but we are confident in the generosity of our guests in helping support this great cause." Macey'sis a subsidiary of Associated Food Stores, Inc. Over the past three years, Associated has also sponsored two special concerts recognizing America's servicemen and women. Called "Night of Honor - Celebrating our Soldiers" these events featured performances by Nashville recording artists Lee Greenwood, Crystal Gayle and Diamond Rio. Over 2,000 tickets were given away, free of charge, to any person serving in the military, so these good people could have a date night with their significant other. Macey's was founded in Rose Park, Utah in 1947. Macey's grew from a small store into a multi-store chain by providing personalized service and genuine old-fashioned friendliness. This ten-store chain now serves the communities of Providence, Ogden, Clearfield, West Jordan. Sandy, Orem, Provo, Spanish Fork, Tooele and Pleasant Grove. Macey's is pleased to be a part of each of these communities. Associated Food Stores is an independent retailer-owned warehouse based in Salt Lake City, Utah, which provides complete warehouse facilities and services to nearly 500 grocers in eight western states. Associated can be found on the Internet at www.afstores. com. PANIC strives to better the community People Against Narcotics in the Community (P.A.N.I.C.) held a meeting on Thursday, Feb. 7, with a visit from Tiffany Berg, Mrs. Utah, who spoke about her struggle with drug addiction. Crowned on May 18, 2007, she. has since shared her message of recovery and hope in "Healing from Substance Abuse". Berg started doing drugs when she was thirteen. She began with diet pills, and by the time she was twenty was • a Meth addict. She told about sending her kids off to school and drinking all day until they returned, and hiding alcohol behind her cookbook as she made dinner. Berg lives in Lehi with her husband and five children. She has written five books and is the co-founder of the Heart 2 Home Foundation and Utah Home Make Over, which has received over one million dollars that goes toward labor, furnishings, and building supplies for needy families. Berg is aware that Utah County is the highest county with users of Heroin and OxyCotin, self-medicating and substance abuse that affects teenagers and top business owners and moms. Utah's highest number of Meth users are moms. In her 2002 E-Book You Don't Have To Be Average about affecting positive change, Berg ends by saying, "Your highest aspirations and your loftiest dreams do matter! It matters to you! Don't just fall into your destiny as if you were falling off the high dive. Don't let the only momentum in your life be gravity, the way of least resistance. Do it right. Make a big splash so people will know you were here. Make your mark on the world. When it's all said and done, you'll want to look back and smile, having no regrets. So, go for it! Biggee Size your life \" Berg emphasized the need for willpower. "Harness your willpower and you harness your life," she said. Mechelle Leifson, organizer of P.A.N.I.C., opened the meeting and thanked her family for their love and support. She welcomed Officer Rudd, Spanish Fork's drug officer. Next month, March 6,2008, at 7 p.m. in Diamond Fork Junior High, the meeting will be on Recovering Addicts. P.A.N.I.C.'s meeting for Nov. and Dec. of 2007 was the film "Happy Valley" about the •ourtesy ph lives of people in Utah who are addicted to drugs. It will STRENGTH FROM EXPERIENCE: Mrs. Utah, Tiffany Berg stands with Mechele Leifson after her motivational presenpe in theaters March, 2008. tation at the community PANIC meeting. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2008 • A5 Obituary Justin Hayes Olsen Justin Hayes Olsen left this world to the next, in his sleep Feb. 6, 2008. He was born Dec. 19, 1975. He lived most of his life in Utah County, principally Spanish Fork. Hayes felt poorly the night before and went to bed , early. No one had a clue of anything seriously wrong. Hayes truly loved his family. He was very patient with his kids, showing them maximum love in a kindly way, even when disciplining them. Hayes loved to give his wife and kids presents. He lived for the moment and enjoyed life fully, without worrying too much about the future. He always had a ready, engaging smile and a big bear hug for everyone. Hayes was friendly to a fault. He would loan or give away anything he had to anyone who expressed a need. Hayes really loved people. We wish he would just wake up and let us finish our association with him. He was only 32 years old. He is survived by his wife, Sandra Sophia Irvine Olsen ,and his three children: Gage, Skylinn and Anson; and by his parents, Clark and Marti Olsen, and five siblings, Tyler Olsen, Cheyenne Nilsson, Alden Olsen, Lance Olsen, and C.J. Olsen. In lieu of flowers, please make any contribution to the special children's account set up at Mountain America Credit Union in behalf of the Olsen children. Funeral services were held on Monday, Feb. 11, in the LDS Chapel located at 400 North and 500 West in Spanish Fork. Interment was at the Spanish Fork City Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at: www. walkerfamilymortuary.com Ted Gordon: Lake Shore; Bruce Lowell (Teresa) Gordon, Spanish From GORDON • A4 Fork; Todd Robert (Deanne) Gordon, Salem; Jed Riley Jesus Christ of Latter-day (Leslie) Gordon, Salem; Saints, he served as Elder's Stephannie (Reggie) Bliss, Quorum President, High Delta; 38 grandchildren; 47 Priest Quorum Secretary, great-grandchildren;brothers, Young Men's President, Keith W. (Beth) Gordon, Ward Music Director, and as Lake Shore; Robert Morris a Temple Ordinance Worker Gordon, deceased; Junious for the past fourteen years. He Gordon, deceased; Alma also served as Dance Director Lowell Gordon, deceased. He for many years. was also preceded in death by He leaves behind his his parents. loving family; his dear wife, Funeral services were Maxine; six sons and two held on Saturday, Feb. 9, in daughters, Leslee (Larry) the Lake Shore Ward Chapel, Fillmore, Brentwood, Calif.; 5196 South 3200 West, Lake Terry Howard (Nancy) Shore, Interment was in the Gordon, Orange, Calif.; Spanish Fork City Cemetery. Brent H. (Lorna) Gordon, Condolences may be Lake Shore; Kim Alan, sent to the family at www. deceased, (Thurza) Gordon, walkerfamilymortuary.com Thalian Club throws Valentine's Day party The Thalian Valentine Party was held Feb. 6 at the Chillon receptioa center. President Jackie Voorhees welcomed all members and guests. She also excused members who were ill. Voorhees reminded everyone of the upcoming Mothers and Daughters party to be held April 13, 2008. Netella Montague explained that the Christmas donations went to the D.U.P. to be used for the new" monument at the old pioneer cemetery. The cemetery is being cleaned up and landscaped and the monument will be placed there. The monument is a father, mother, and two children. Beverly Lewis also said the cemetery would have a park and everyone should go see it. The place will be dedicated July 24, 2008. Netella Montague was the hostess and led the Pledge of Allegiance. The prayer was offered by Janice Loveless. After the tasty dinner, Ruth Leifson introduced the musical program, a trio consisting of Frank Nelson, Jane B. Nelson and Norelle Daley with pianist Ann Osborn. Beautiful Valentine love songs were sung, including "Love makes the world go 'round", "Utah, we love thee", "Just a little street where old friends meet", "Always", and the group joined in for "Let me call you Sweetheart" and "I love you truly". Two special numbers were sung by Nelson, "You raise me up" and "If you get there before I do". Their last song was "Love one another", and the group joined in. The members were happy to see each other and enjoyed visiting. The Thalian song ended the party. The next meeting will be March 5, 2008. The staffat The Spanish Fork News wisFtoexpressour heartfelt condolences to the families of those who have passed on. -N-" E "W Sincerely, Spanish Fork |