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Show Utah Press Association FIESTA DAYS COVERAGE AND S SALEM DAYS SPECIAL SECTION INSIDE AN E D I T I O N O F P R I D E & PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID SPANISH FORK, UTAH PERMIT NO. 2 P R O G R E S S Hie Spanish Fork News A L VOL. 2/NO. 31 O C A L L Y O W N E D A N D O PWEDNESDAY, E R A AUGUST T E D1, 2007 500 SPANISH FORK, UTAH / J/<? 'iJ'' iy if Namon Bills / Spanish Fork News ON DUTY: Spanish Fork officer Brad Stone assists a resident during Fiesta Days. SFPD serves throughout Fiesta Days Heather Campbell STAFF WRITER While most of us were out enjoying recent Fiesta Days events with our families and friends, another group was quietly working behind the scenes to make sure everything went off without a hitch. As we enjoyed a variety of city-wide events such as the carnival, rodeo and parade, perhaps taken for granted were the many members of the Spanish Fork Police Department who helped ensure that this weekend was one of both celebration and safety. According to Lieutenant Steve Adams, of the Spanish Fork Police Department, Fiesta Days is something that involves the entire police force. "The whole police department works that week," he said, "and many of them do a lot of overtime hours." Adams said that for most people Fiesta Days is a family event, but he noted that many officers sacrifice time with their own families during the Fiesta Days celebration to make sure the public can come and have a safe and enjoyable time. For the police department, Adams said, "Planning for Fiesta Days begins long See SFPD • A7 Officers respond to knife fight, July 23 On July 23, 2007 at around 9:54 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of 51 North Main St., Spanish Fork on a fight in progress. The reporting party indicated that there were around 20-25 people and that there were possible weapons being used. Officers who were patrolling the area just half a block away responded. Upon their arrival they found two victims who had been stabbed or cut with a knife. They also found another victim who had been assaulted. When the suspects saw the police officers, they quit fighting and ran north through business parking lots located in the center of the blocks. Officers chased them on foot. At 200 North other Spanish Fork police officers arrived in patrol cars and blocked the escape route of the suspects. The officers ordered the suspects to the ground. All suspects seen by officers were taken into custody at this location. See FIGHT • A7 4ki Heather Campbell / Spanish Fork News OPEN FORUM: Kevin Payne opens the North Park discussion at the meeting on July 28 as Councilman Chris Wadsworth listens. Residents discuss North Park concerns Heather Campbell STAFF WRITER On Saturday, July 28, residents gathered at North Park hoping to be able to ask questions and talk about concerns they have with issues surrounding the North Park development. Resident Kevin Payne opened, telling the crowd he had organized the meeting in an effort to help people better understand what is happening with the park. While he admitted to having filed a lawsuit against the city regarding some personal concerns he had with the park, he told the audience, "I want to make it perfectly clear, I am not adamantly against the park." Payne encouraged the audience to keep the meeting, "civil and upbeat and know that everyone has the right to feel the way they feel." He hoped that overall, people would feel good about the meeting. Many residents, however, were disappointed to find out that Mayor Thomas was unable to attend the meeting. Payne told members of the audience that he found it, "greatly disappointing," that Thomas could not be there in person. However, Payne said, Thomas, who was away on business, "gave his full support for community input," on the park and promised to read and answer any and all comments and questions submitted on questionnaires that were handed out at the meeting. The mayor also asked Councilman Chris Wadsworth to come and field questions acting as a representative of the city council. Wadsworth was met with a barrage of questions covering a variety of issues ranging from parking and traffic concerns to park safety and location. But perhaps the most heated issue was in regards to whether or not the city had given appropriate notice of their intentions regarding the park's redevelopment, as many residents complained about the council's decisions, calling them "hushed," and "kept in the dark." Wadsworth said that in regards to the notification process, which the city was required to do by law, he felt that the city had made every effort to give residents notice by publishing it in the papers and holding numerous meetings. "We have held approximately 27 meetings regarding North Park issues," Wadsworth said, "including on-site meetings, public hearings, a few neighborhood meetings, meetings for the preliminary plat and most recently the contract." However, resident Clint Betts received some applause when he told the councilman, "It's not our responsibility to be at all 27 of those meetings." Betts, who claimed it was the council's duty as elected citizens to represent the residents at those meetings said, "We're here now and we don't approve — those 27 meetings don't matter now." As to which stores were corning I and when, Wadsworth said that during business negotiations, "There were some things that legally we could not talk about," and the city was in no way trying to be secretive. Wadsworth encouraged those in the audience who felt like they were uninformed to review past city council minutes, and urged those with complaints to please attend the upcoming council meeting where they could voice those concerns at a public forum. j While the majority of the meeting was spent talking about concern^ regarding the redevelopment of the park, there were still many in attendance who spoke in favor of the development Resident Randy Chappell said he came to the meeting "to see if they [those who oppose the redevelopment] could change my mind, and they haven't. ... The cit^ as a whole can use it." Resident John Stewart said thai while he would love to see stores in a different location, he "could see why the1 developer would choose this spot." ! And while he and his wife admit thai living nearby means that they will havej to deal with increased traffic, he felt that "it could be a nice showcase for the} city, and would be good for the whole o Spanish Fork." While there seems to be no doubt trja residents want to see some changes ii the park plans, it still remains unclea whether or not, in the end, majority i for or against the park's redevelopment: |