OCR Text |
Show A10 Wednesday, March 26, 2008 Vernal Express Utah AG releases new resource on open government Attorney General Mark Shurtleff wants to let some sunshine in on government records and meetings. The Attorney General's Office has created "The Open Book," a 27-page 27-page pocket-sized handbook to help answer questions on open records and open meetings. "The Open Book is my commitment com-mitment to the idea that open government is better government," govern-ment," Shurtleff wrote in the preface. "It is my hope that The Open Book will help everyone make sure the public's business is conducted in public." The Open Book has a simple question and answer format designed to help journalists, public officials and ordinary citizens. The handbook answers an-swers questions like: Can a meeting be held without people being in the same room? What should you do if you believe you have been illegally kicked out of a meeting? What records are public? How do I obtain a record? The Open Book contains the entire "Open and Public Meetings Act" and a sample form to make a Government Records And Management Act (GRAMA) request. The publication is designed to be a convenient but useful means to fill the void between these publications: The wallet-sized card on Utah Open Meetings created by the Utah Ileadlincrs Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists; The. 106-page "Utah Media Law Handbook and Guide to Open Government" which was prepared by the Utah Ileadlincrs Ileadlin-crs Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and the Ulahns For Open Government Gov-ernment il'FOG): and The 190-page "Handbook for the Utah Government Records Re-cords and Management Act," which was prepared by the Attorney General's Office. "The Open Book will be a tremendous resource for Utah citizens, elected officials and journalists," said Linda Pe-terseon, Pe-terseon, Utah Foundation For Open Government President and Managing Editor of The Valley Journals. "To have such an easy to use guide to the Open and Public Meetings Act and GRAMA at our fingertips will only strengthen our understanding of and commitment to open and transparent government in our state. I applaud Attorney General Mark Shurtleff for producing this book." The Attorney General's Office printed 2,500 copies of The Open Book and will distribute them to public officials, of-ficials, journalists and Utah citizens. The publication is also be available online with . additional GRAMA information at http:www.attorneygeneral. utah.govGRAMA.html. The Open Book was released during Sunshine Week, a national na-tional initiative to open a dia- fo ym n n m 1 1 OliFi rflMO IS Ynn n p n ftd f? mi n fift P7 n no nn r? nn nn n n Come meet with us and Discuss Your Upcoming Plans! i DELUXE POLE BUILDING PACKAGES Treated poles and splashboard, Engineered trusses for unobstructed interior space. 10' walls. 18'x30' $4899 $6079 24'x30' $5199 $6999 30' x 40' $ 7499 $ 9999 30'x50' $8799 $11,399 -J 40' X 48' MONITOR 0rl f?T STYLE WITH STALLS 3)U&kU Treated poles and splashboard, 12' post spacing for unobstructed stalls. Two overhead doors, 4 sliding stall doors, 2 walk doors, 10' outside walls. J w4n ' 4t' j ' firearm-! tMWSaSSSWW!"! 1 I . TRADITIONAL POLE BARNS Great for covered storage of equipment and feed. 8' walls. Also available in other heights. it ; i - - v;' ' "' " 18'x30' $2499 $2899 24' x 30' $ 3299 $ 3899 30' x 40' $ 4899 $ 5799 30'x50' $5999 $6799 30'X40' SUBURBAN POLE OARAGE PACKAGE 10' Sidewalls, engineered trusses, painted paint-ed metal roofing and siding, skylight panels, pan-els, steel doors and complete plans. 40774 u y y y ff f, $7 COMPLETE CIMARRQH GARAGE PACKAGES Our popular garage kits include the finest roofing, siding, lumber, nails, Martin steel overhead doors, sliding windows, pre-built roof trusses, complete plans and much, much more! ff f,f & u y y I. H:,il M M. m u h a y IIUllH 13'X30' SUBURBAN 24' X 30f SUBURBAN POLE GARAGE POLE GARAGE Single 9' x 7' door. 10' walls. 45955 2-9' x 7' doors. 10' walls.45063 24' x 24rp $ 4899 $ 5399 7799$ 5499 24' x 30' "T5499 $ 5899 $ 5299 $6199 24' x 36' I $5999 $ 6499 $ 5799 $6799 NEW SIZE! 30' x 40' x 10' DELUXE GARAGE PKG: $ 7777 See all of our kits online! www.Sltk8ffkEll3.com mi..yi'V A 1 1 logue about the importance of open government and freedom , of information. The Attorney General's Office Of-fice is conducting a GRAMA workshop with Assistant At-. torney General Laura Lockhart, . who helped develop GRAMA law for Utah, and Jeff Hunt, a former journalist and practicing attorney specializing in First Amendment, media and intellectual intel-lectual property law. The workshop was originally scheduled for employees of the Attorney General's Office but an invitation was sent to all state and local public information informa-tion officers. The Attorney General will also be participating in a panel discussion titled, "Government Secrecy: Censoring Your Right To Know." The event is being sponsored by the SPJ and the League of Women Voters. During Dur-ing the discussion, the Society of Professional Journalists plans to present the Sunshine Award to Mark Shurtleff, Jeff Hunt, Mike O'Brien and David Reymann for helping to create Utah's first Shield Rule for reporters. BLM seeks advisory nominees The Bureau of Land Management Man-agement in Utah it is seeking public nominations for five open positions on its 15-member Resource Re-source Advisory Council, which advises the agency on public land issues. The BLM will consider the nominations for 45 days following fol-lowing the Feb. 28 announcement. announce-ment. Resource advisory councils (RACs), are composed of citizens citi-zens chosen for their expertise in natural resource issues. The help the BLM carry out its stewardship stew-ardship of 258 million acres of public lands. The bureau, which manages man-ages more land than any other federal agency, has 24 RACs across the West, where most BLM-managed land is located. Each council consists of 12 to 15 members with an interest in public land management, including ranchers, conservationists, conserva-tionists, outdoor recreationists, state and local government officials, tribal officials, and academics. The diverse membership of each council is aimed at achieving achiev-ing a balanced outlook that the BLM needs for its mission, which is to manage the public lands for multiple uses. "With a variety of experience experi-ence and backgrounds, the RAC members offer wide-ranging viewpoints to our council," said Selma Sierra, BLM state director direc-tor in Utah. "Their innovation and creativity is the engine that drives citizen-based problem solving for land management issues." Individuals may nominate themselves or others to serve on an advisory council. Nominees, who must be residents of the state or states where the RAC has jurisdiction, will be judged on the basis of their training, education, and knowledge of the council's geographical area. Nominees should also demonstrate dem-onstrate a commitment to consensus-building and collaborative col-laborative decision-making. All nominations must be accompanied by letters of reference ref-erence from any represented interests or organizations; a completed background information informa-tion nomination form; and any other information that speaks to the nominee's qualifications. qualifica-tions. The five RAC positions open in Utah are in the following categories: Public land ranchers and representatives of organizations organiza-tions associated with energy and mineral development, the timber industry, transportation or rights-of-way, off-highway vehicle use, and commercial recreation. Representatives of nationally nation-ally or regionally recognized environmental organizations, archaeological and historical organizations, dispersed recreation recre-ation activities, and wild horse and burro organizations. Representatives of state, county, or local elected office; representatives and employees of a state agency responsible for the management of natural resources; representatives of Indian tribes within or adjacent to the area for which the RAC is organized; representatives and employees of academic institutions who are involved in natural sciences; and the public-at-largc. Nominations should be sent by April 14 to the Bureau of Land Management, Sherry Foot, Special Programs Coordinator, Coordi-nator, 440 W. 200 S., Suite 500, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84101. |