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Show ko Be il Rik WASATCH COUNTY COURIER A8 Ro ‘ Ee _ this debate,” Gen closed ied “Why on similar themes. | “We need representation. The outlin- in next week’s election, had previous obligations and asked to be excused. The empty seat at the three-person table didn’t stop the other candidates — ing areas need to be divided up so we have a voting voice,” said Rhonda Rose, a 21-year resident who currently lives in Daniels. ‘I believe getting in their of millions of dollars to’. UPCM. with the size and growth of our county, we - shots. : “Pve seen the prob- lems that can happen “The opposition — was invited to uncontrolled attend this Libertarian Mark Covington who said he must "> a have profession- Maybe | nessing the growing Phoenix. didn’t show up, — both and I have no idea. = “I saw that the people who had: the money got their LEE OLSEN, MODERATOR way. That’s what got. me interested in poli_ tics in Wasatch County.” 3 ‘ber, Tim Quinn, a trans- plant from a fast growing Atlanta suburb, said he knows first-hand what unchecked | do. In lieu of debating, Quinn relayed a conversation he had with an unnamed com- — tracts can be voided, especially if they were signed in questionable lived here long enough government meetings. If there’s a lawsuit to void the said his priorities, if elect. ~ lion dollars, it’s too much for three men to establish guidelines for — to Quinn did encourage those in atten- . rapid development as well dance to read the initiative in its entirety an extensive trail system on the county’s Web Site, saying it was impact fees from develop“laid out pretty clearly.” ers. “We want you to vote based on acid: Danan Lynn. Thacker, a fourth — edge, not emotion,” Rose added. generation native of Wasatch County Following the debate-turned-rally, the said the commission needs to be more contract, panel offered a ‘sign-up sheet for resi- Meanwhile, the editor for the. Wasatch Wave announced to the gather- | ~ needs to include .a master plan, | Lo ene by a committee of 100. It ing, that a second debate, sponsored by the newspaper, is scheduled for _ Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. at- Heber Valley Elementary. She said the newspaper has received commitments from the © would then engineer heard and back from get Mr. . — Rothwell concerning the contract. - But later on when we were talking to LeeRoy Farrell, the former head of the Jordanelle Special Service District during 1997, Farrell claimed that Mr. Rothwell — was personally involved in the. negotiations of the contract. If Farrell have is correct, no.reason to which we doubt, Mr. Rothwell was disingenuous at best. Think about it. Who has the most to lose if the initiative passes? Sure, there are a lot of people who have their personal interests tied up in keeping the system the way it is. But the group with the most to lose, in my opinion, is UPCM. And since UPCM has used Dea Riley and Associates in the past for its public relations, maybe they just _ picked up the phone again and said, “Dea, can you help us again?” It certainly appears that Dea Riley is coordinating the opposition to the — ‘| tract we were told by him that he dead body lying around somewhere was not familiar with the contract and that = would have to consult and someone is shoveling cash over the ey to cover the smell. + | — ee opposition group to attend that debate. | the county water initiative. have subpoena power. During the And since the group Wasatch discovery process it could even try County Citizens for Conservative _ to find out why such a deal was ever © Government refuses to disclose signed in the first place. Were there their support group, it seems clear any side deals? that it is being financed by outside A little over a year ago my pubsources. We already know that ‘lisher, Dan Stephens, and I paid a there is a strong Park City connecvisit to UPCM to find out a little more about this water contract. We | tion to the whole effort. Maybe I am just engaging in fanhad been invited up by Hank Rothwell, the president, and Rory — ciful speculation. In fact, I hope I -am. But something smells really Murphy, a vice-president. When we asked Mr. Rothwell about the conbad and my guess is that there’s a dents willing to campaign for the sevenmember commission. _ | adding that the current office holders often show exasperation at what residents say in public meetings. “This is not how it’s supposed to be.” Thacker also insisted future planning on contract .with UPCM is _ uncon‘scionable. Unconscionable con- missioner on the subject. “T told him, ‘I haven’t Covington ed, would be the county’s as creating paid for with “Commissioners need to do more than just hold a few hearings to find out what the people want,” said Thacker, depending regulation. And as the regulatory environment changes, guess who pays the bill for keeping the mine ‘tunnel water clean? Yep, that’s you, your kids, their kids, and so on forever. If this iit passes, a strong case could be made that the water Another panel mem- to hate any of you men. — _ But the county is grow‘ae wort, and with a budget of $17 mil - responsive to “the will of the people.” more _the future state of environmental damage can debate. Why they - growth Foyears odagoMein, after wit- pains of Albuquerque even his back to us. We never cost of treatment is extremely 3 expensive, if not impossible in some cases, it must have seemed like a sweetheart deal to get the taxpayers of Wasatch County to | help out UPCM. Folks, my conservative estimate -is that this deal alone is worth tens Thacker. _ ‘Later, during the initiative “debate,” the panel in favor of the change touched Democratic and Libertarian challenger with CONTINUED FROM AG ~ “If you build it they will come, but where will it (sewage) go,” quipped Also absent was current commissioner LaRen Provost. According to Olsen, . the incumbent, who is facing both a with doors,” and needs to outline sewage design in advance. they didn’t show up, I have no idea.” from GAINS should not, he said, be “finished behind SECRET CONTINUED FROM A1 _- NOVEMBER 1, 2000_ me School ‘Board: Debate A No Contest Incumbent Skips Debate With Challenger Salazar DEREK JENSEN Yh - OEE, CUTE OCI | T : COURIER STAFF | e debate fk Mvancdicr Setwceo , incumbent school board member Richard Bonner and challenger Robert Salazar was one-sided in a hurry - and it had nothing to do with either man’s oratory skill. In what turned out to be a me albeit lively night, ‘things started strangely when Bonner, the retired school board incumbent, failed to show up for the exchange on education. Later, more of the same occurred when both incumbent County Commissioner But the iia: didn’t. — iia: | | ee but international people.” Questions for the challenger were written spontaneously by audience members, and then read by a modera- while keeping control localized. “J don’t believe in big government — coming in and telling schools what to lenger Robert Salazar, who opened the teach,” he said. “It should be controlled evening at Wasatch Junior High School _ tor. The most. passionate response — atthe state level.” ; by fielding questions on a variety of sub-— came when Salazar debunked the Salazar, a 12-year Wasatch resident _ jects affecting students in Heber Valley. notion he’s trying to unseat Bonner for who has four children, has a MastersSalazar, who sat confidently on stage | political reasons. | degree in exercise physiology and curwhile addressing the auditorium crowd, © “Anybody that seatsrun for Sebital rently works at the Wasatch Medical _ delved into issues ranging from tech- office for a political vendetta ought to Clinic. As a school board member, he | nology and test scores to corporate have their head examined,” he charged. - said he would not stand for the status signs promoting consumerism cin Salazar focused on technology as a quo in local education. schools. priority for Wasatch schools, including | “T just have the feeling money is not _ “We're not just a ahaa eee inN the ~ “power school,” which he said he would being appropriated effectively,” Salazar middle of Utah that turns out kids for _ whole-heartedly support. He said added. “If I’m fortunate enough to get this area,” Salazar said: “We have to administrators need to pay attention to elected, I'll have to do some digging train our children to not only. become educational trends that are effective, around.” I | i A UEC LaRen Provost and the anti-nitiative - committee skipped the discourse altogether. ee oe ; “654-3040 - |