Show million in sewer funds may be lost In a special press media meeting call- ed by the officers of the Ashley Valley Water and Sewer Improvement District and Maeser Water Improvement District Monday local news representatives were told that it looked like million in EPA sewer funds would be The Ashley Valley and Maeser district leaders attributed the loss of the EPA funding to the failure of Vernal City to finish signing an agreement to go together in a water ard sewer valley- wide It was reported at the meeting that two city councilmen have signed the agreement and only one more signature is Vernal City has been hesitant in sign- ing the water and sewer agreement because of the legality of turning oyer a portion of its system that is still en- cumbered with Vernal City of- an addendum agreement to go ahead with the sewer project and hold up the water project until the legal pro- could be The two districts have been unwilling to sign the city a meeting was scheduled with Vernal city's water Ed in salt Lake City Wednesday for the three entities to work out the technicalities of the original agree- At the Monday press both Ashley Valley and Maeser district representatives said they would not at- tend the Gyde meeting because they thought Vernal City would not sign the agreement Also at the Monday Gayle attorney for the Ashley Valley gave a brief history of the water and sewer He said the district had been organized four years ago for the purpose of getting water to the Ashley Valley areas not served by Vernal City and Maeser Water The district purchased acres of land for a sewer lagoon and Maeser district later acquired 20 per- cent interest in this McKeachnie explained that an original agreement was jointly drawn up by the three entities and developed into the present agreement by lawyers representing all three This agreement has been signed by everyone Involved but the final signature from Vernal Vernal City was counseled not to sign the agreement by Ed Clyde until tain legal questions were worked McKeachnie explained that the agree- ment has not been acted upon for a month-and-a-half and that the two decided Vernal City would not sign the Lyle chairman of the Ashl Valley told the press that agreement was a good one and that Vernal Qt would not sign it it meant that the million in EPA sewer funds would be lost and the project would to bottom of the on Page Sewer priority Lyle McKeachnie explained that the Ashley district needed water worse than they needed sewer and to separate the two would mean failure for their possible bond election to raise the need- ed funds c supply and needed a sewer Maeser is willing to go with AW Valley district for both water he Vernal City Improvements and has used the legal problems brought up by Ed Clyde as its reasons for not going along with a valley-wide water system The Ashley sewer pro- reached by the funds be us i omer sewer pro h e e- State Board of Health and EPA of- a Even though Maeser and Ashley Valley district leaders said they would nol the Ed Salt on meeting with their attorney to try and work out the The Attorney General has been asked for an opinion on the city's water pro- but he is reported to be waiting on the two attorneys representing Vernal city to come to a common |