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Show ' T.tTT''-- MOUMMN TIM VOL 1 No. 4 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1981 FIFTEEN CENTS SERVING WEST VALLEY CITY, KEARNS AND MAGNA West Valley intra-cit- y probe yields "irregularities" By Anne Iceir W LSI VAlllY Cl I Y The West Salley Civil Services Commission reported luesdav it found "several urrgulaiities" in West Valley fire department promotions and pay in- creases. Mayor Henry Price and the West Valley tits Commission had requested the Civil Services Commission to investigate alleged irregularities, identify problems and ensure that regulations aie adhcied to. Guy Kimball, Civil Services Com- Chuck Kurszenski mission 'New' Magna Community Council opposes junkyard and accepts bell By Terri Potts of parks in the Valley for preparing drawings. Times Correspondent MAGNA Three new members have been added to the Magna Community Council. The new members are Yvonne Mason Way, Ralph Brimley, 3235 South 8920 West, and Chuck Kurszewski, 8973 West 3200 South. Their addition in the council is the result of the membership committees recent campaign to recuit members. Dorothy McGuire, membership committee chairperson, proposed that the council adhere to Article 9, Section 4 of the bylaws, which states that any member missing three consecutive meetings be released from the council. The proposal was accepted and passed. Enforcement will begin with the next meeting. The council also decided to print a monthly newspaper informing the community of council business and pertinent information. The newsletter will include the agenda for the following council meeting for those interested in attending. Nick Sefakis, council member, spoke with Carl Nelson, senior architectural engineer with Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation, regarding Pleasant Green Park. Nelson told Sefakis that Sharp, Pinegar, and Associates have the architectural been awarded contract. They will be ready for spring groundbreaking. Sefakis said that drawings for eighth-yea- r funds are in the making. Pleasant Green Park is fourth on the priority list Smith. . 7446 Planning and Zoning The council discussed the zoning change application for the property located at 7888 West to 7870 West on 2400 South. The applicant is applying for a zoning change in order to begin a junkyard. I make a motion that the council go on record as opposing the zoning change and opposing the development of a junkyard, said Sefakis. The motion was accepted by the council. Joe Ribotto, council member, will attend the next planning and zoning meeting to voice the opposition. Old Business chairperson, said some minimum requirements for promotion ere not met belore the promotions and pay increases were granted. "Some regulations call for three receive the award. Letters of recommendation must be submitted to the council by December 1. The award recognizes a citizen for outstanding and continuing service to the community. Presidents Report Pehrson received a letter from the Committee Lake Study Valley requesting a recommendation of a council member to sit on the committee. Rathrine Brimley was asked to represent the council. The principal of Webster Elementary is concerned about the buildings on Main Street, Pehrson said. The Board of Health has tried to contact the owners, asking them to upgrade the buildings, she continued. years experience within the department belore getting a promotion," I ire Chief W ilham l ukens explained. How do you make promotions if all the guys have onlv been there nine months?" (West Valley City was organized about nine months ago.) Luken's mistake, said Kimball, was in not requesting the Civil Services C on the obtaining the lighted mountain. The C" will be lit for worthy functions at the school such as athletic events, graduation, etc. C The lighted generates enthusiasm in the community, Sefakis said. New Business Ntxt Meeting The council gives an annual Community Service Award. Traditionally it has been given to a council member. Any community member is eligible to The next Magna Community Council meeting will be held Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. at the Magna Senior Citizens Center. The public is invited to attend. Recognition Nick Sefakis recognized the joint efforts of Cyprus High School, and Utah Power and Light in ken-necot- t, about that When vou're 'tatting a brand new city itom scratch, thit.e happen that nisi wouldn't happen m a1 established city ." Kimball blames the piohlem o:. a lack ot communication between the Civil Services CommisMon and the in, department, and saw both group, have taken steps to ensure it doesn't happen again. "I hey 'll abide stiictlv by the rules and regulations, and we'll chwk the qualifications out'dvcs " Kimball and the assistant Inc duet visited each of West Valiev l ity's thicc tire stations luesdav, hoping to gel better communications oft to a good stall. "It was great!" said Kimball. "I haven't heard any lirelightets complain. I have heatd, thtough the grapevine, that mot ale is low -- not due to the promotion pioblcms. but to eon fusion." Each station is made up ot expel ten ced men, all of whom weie named dil ash ferently, Kimball pointed out. station was run ditlerentlv, and the guys never knew where they stood. Only some could be promoted, sei it was very competitive. ..this will all settle Jown soon and they'll go to w if " 1 West Valley police raid condo, recover stolen property and guns By Anne Keir hme irrrspntent WEST VALILY CITY More than 20 law enforcement officers, including W est V alley City police, raided a Park City condominium last Thursday, Nov. 5, recovering what West Valley Police dergeant John Guthrie described as "SI 5,000 to S20,000 worth of stolen property," including guns and stereos. C The raid was the latest in the police Granite School District is willing to cooperate with the council to install a curfew bell on the top of Webster Elementary. Relocating the bell from the old firehouse will move it away from residential areas. LaRee Pehrson, council president, named Beth Archibald, Dorothy McGuire, and Nick Sefakis to the election and nominating committee. Elections for the next council will be held in December. Commission for a waiver ol the regulations. "It was all due to a misunderstanding. ..the chief wasn't aware those regulations could be changed only through the Civil Service Commission." According to Kimball, a city personnel employee first spotted some increases when the forms "irregular crossed the personnel desk. "Ihey called and said. Have sou approved this?' and we said No, Kimball recalled. "It was hard to promote, with all experienced men in the department, and thats what he (Lukens) was trying to do without asking the commission for a waiver." Kimball said nine promotions and four to five pay increases were at issue, and have been invalidated as a result of the investigation. But, Kimball said, Lukens intentions were not at issue. "Chief Lukens is a good chief. I dont think for a minute he meant to be underhanded. I think he meant to be proper and right he just didnt do his homework (about the regulations)." Lukens concurs. "There was no wrong doing. Were very comfortable effort to stop theft rings operating around West Valley. Property .ecovercd in the raid had been stolen from about 10 Salt Lake County homes, including five or six West Valley homes, as well as weapons belonging to the federal government, according to Assistant Chief of Police Gerald Maughan. One suspect. Lane Keller, 28, of 1753 South 900 East, was arrested during the raid, and another is being sought by West Valley police. Maughan said last Thursday's raid may be the beginning of several others. Were hoping for more to come out of this." Guthrie explained the condominium had been under surveillance for six days. "We were gathering information for the warrant," he said. The more items you have listed on the warrant, the more items you can recover. Once the warrant was signed, we were on our way in 20 minutes." Guthrie described the raid as "without incident. There was no the suspect was simply outviolence numbered." The group included 12 West Valley detectives, three Summit ounty deputees, three Park t iiy ofand representatives ol several federal agencies. Ihat many officers were necessary, said Guthrie, because police "knew there were weapons inside the condominium and we didn't know what we were getting into. ..whether there would be resistance. Most of the recovered property will be held as evidence, and returned to the owners after suspects have been tried. ficers, Don't get 'fenced' in, warn West Valley police By Anne Keir time i urrrpomtenl WEST VALLEY CITY "The public has to be the eyes and ears of the police," says West Valley Assistant Chief of Police Gerald Maughan. "We cant be everywhere. Officers insist that ordinary citizens are one of the police's most valuable sources of information, especially about fencing selling stolen goods. "If someone comes up to you and says, "Hey, you want a good deal on..." well, just about anything, you should be suspicious," says Maughan. Particularly hot items, the kind most often fenced" to unsuspecting people, include televisions, stereos, guns and items Maughan microwave ovens says are easy to steal and easy to sell. "We think that burglaries are e decreasing because of our Propolice work," says Maughan. active, he explains, means police are working on the problem in general, rather than wailing until someone is burglarized. And that means police arc anxious to aprehend "fencers," people who receive and sell stolen goods. That's where the public can really be of help to us, says Maughan. All stolen items are cventuallv sold to somebody, often in bars or in pro-activ- businesses. Everybodys broking lor a good deal these days. ..but it something is priced way, way below its value," you should be suspicious. If you suspect that something you bought was stolen, contact police. Tou arent liable guilty of receiving stolen property unless you knew it was stolen when you bought it, ot unless your property includes items stolen in two or more separate burglaries. Maughan says police dont prosecute victims. When we arrest someone, it's because our sources told us they had bought stolen goods, knowing they were stolen, or because we (police working undercover) sold them items (in three separate sales) that we told them were stolen." The best place to buy goods is in a reputable store," says Maughan. But sometimes even stores are guilty. Maughan cites the example ot one local merchant whom West Valley police arrested twice in three weeks tor pur chasing goods lie knew were stolen. Burglars themselves also help arrest fencers. When arrested, Maughan says, many burglars will otter. "It you'll tell the C ounty Attorney I helped you out. tell you who Im selling to" in hopes ot getting a lighter sentence. I here's no honor Said Maughan, Ill among thieves." Juvenile arrested for burning mail KEARNS A bag of Kearns mail was stolen by four Kearns juveniles fnday and burned beyond recognition, said Joy Johnston, manager at the Kearns postal station. Johnston said residents living on 4400, 4500 and 4600 W est between 4k(X) and 4900 South should be aware that any mail expected to arrive on Nov. 6 may have been pan of this stolen mail. Four teenage boys were arrested in connection with the theft, and referred to Juvenile Court for charges of felony theft, second degree. According to Salt Lake County Sheriffs office reports, Joyce James, 4925 South 4460 West, contacted police after notifying the post office that she had seen several boys standing by a Inside brown postal storage box on the corner ot 4925 Souih 446t) W est. James saw the hoys bend over, puk up a green bag, and begin running found olticers Investigating numerous burned pieces ol nia.l and the partiailv burned green mail bae burieJ in rhe backyard ot one ot ;r,e suspects. The mailman had iett one bag ou' ot a la, side the storage box besau-ot space within the box 1 tie bag let1 outside was attar.cJ to the posa, said the e storage box with a rope boys had cut the tope ar J !a.-'bag. - 13 T hree che.k sa. .cd a' i i tat been removtJ iron, 'he rr.au 'V c o was burned e f 4- |