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Show . UTAH PRESS ASSOC 467 E. 300 SO. V 'CV. V SALT LAKE, A A UT Thursday, Sept, RATS M!D 84111 pram Volume 33, Number 35 ' " Postag Single Copy 25 c A 17, 1087 UT U .130 Green Sheet Publication Elementary Enrollment Falls Below Projections by Paula Huff (iieen Sheet. sta ft Writer GRANITE PARK Elementary school enrollment is 894 students less than what Granite School District officals projected this year, Board of Education members were told Tuesday Junior high and high school enrollments were 270 students over the projection, according to Kent Gardner, director of staff relations But the outward migration of elementary students caught Granite officials off guard "As we talked with the principals it was clearly evident these elementarv-agchildren have moved," said Superintendent Dr John Reed Call 'The families are gone and very often the home is vacant e "The evidence seems to suggest an outward migration of younger families," he continued The low turnout in elemenatrv age students caused the district some staffing problems Nine teachers had been hired which were not needed And 25 elementaries had teachers transfered to other schools The total number of students enrolled at Granite is 74,184. which is 808 more than last year Gardner also presented the staffing rati i to board members He said the aveiage in the junior highs is 27 students per teacher, w hile it is 24 77 at the high schools 1 The kindergarten ratio is 25 16 students per teacher, 25 87 per teacher first through third grade, and 10 30 per teacher fourth through sixth grade ' Granite is about at the state average." said Call "And this state is the lowest in the nation But board members complained that the tigures are misleading Lynn Davidson said a teacher's tree penod is averaged in, which br ratio ings down the teacher-studen- t He also said classes with a limited number of students like shop -of the number students in push up the academic classes "I know there are classes out there with 41 students in them, he said J Dale Christensen said the high teacher-pupi- l ratio has caused him some grave concerns "I think the (actual class size) information needs to get out. he said "The public needs to see this data Gardner said once all of the students names are plugged into the computer, he would be able to provide the board with actual class sizes rather than ratios In other business, the board was presented with the new student alcohol-druabuse policy Although the board approved the policy, thev asked the administration to take a closer look at how smoking and smokseless tobacco is treated - g The policy says, "volaticns of student use, possession distribution or sale of alcohol oi drugs drug paraphernal, imitation controlled substances or reporting w here drugs are being used or posce'sed will cause students to be suspended and eventuallv charged upon further v lolations But board members thought smoking and smokeless tobacco should also be cause for suspension and charges The usual practice in Granite schools is to isse a smoking ticket to students if discoveied using tobacco on campus Christensen suggested the use of smoking and smokeless tobacco be considered as serious a charge as the use oi alcohol and drugs The board asked the administration to leconsider changing smoking and smokeless tobacco laws in the disti ict Districts Eye $ 5 1 Million Surplus bv Paula Huff Gieen sheet stall Water MLRRY Murray, Jordan and Granite School Districts have been eyeing the projected $51 million state sui plus in hopes of a slice of the pie DISCUSSION . . . West Valley police officers were summoned when the city planning commission chairman complained that citizen J. Vernon Harry was out of order during Thursday session Harry was protesting issues surrounding the Hercules Overpressure Zone. Murray School District Superintendent Ron Stephens said he hoped the legislature would compensate the districts for the $14 25 weighted pupil unit cut in August But Granite and Jordan superintendentsthe expressed WPU pessimism about restored to $1,204 per student Irate Citizen Halts Planning Session by Ray Friess Green Sheet Staff W riter VALLEY Police officers were called in Thursday when West WEST Valley Planning Commission Chairman Tom Pearce, unable to control or silence a man upset w ith rezoning plans, recessed the meeting for about 10 minutes and the entire commission w alked out of the room You'll listen to me now and you'll also listen in court," stated Dr J Vernon Harry after being told by Pearce that the commission was not interested in testimony concerning the Hercules overpressur zone The issue here today is is this the best use of this land, not the Hercules overpressure zone." Pearce warn- cluded what he said were military figures that conflicted w ith Hercules contentions about safe distances for development near hazardous sites After he refused to be silenced or to confine his testimony to the rezoning issue, Pearce called for a vote on a motion by two of the commissioners for a recess and that the police be summoned This does have to do with plans for the area. Harry stated "The two questions are connects " After the commissioners walked out of the room. Harry continued reading his statement, despite the fact that the secretary's recorder had been turned off Harry also admonished those attending to stand ed up for their Constitutional rights and The area in question is in the area prevent the taking of their property of 4 10U South and 6400 West Under and loss of property values by the consideration by the commission is a commission proposal, the result of this past summers public Master Plan hearings Harry apparently had some backto zone the area for use as a golf ing from some of those attending the course or for light manufacturing hearing Several were heard during Such action would satisfy Hercules the recess saying that "Hercules objections to continued development controls everything around here near their facilities, development Anything they want, they are able to " Another stated that company officials fear would sub- push through to in the the the only way to stop it all is to take liability company ject event of an accident involving ex- everyone of them to court The commission is expected to for plosive mixtures Dr Daily attempted to read into mally accept the Master Plan the record his testimony, which in changes at its next session being In fact, Superintendent Dr John Reel Call of Granite said legislative :iwd analysist Leo Memmott has oid superintendents not to expect any additional funds At a Society of Superintendents meeting. Memmott said, first of all, the $51 million surplus is not a final number The states fiscal books won t be closed until December, then the surplus w ill be determined But if there is a surplus, Memmott said the state is already committed to returning $14 8 million to Utah citizens as a result of over collection ol individual income tax witholdings Fire Marshall Says That leaves a projected $36 2 But other programs will take a larger bite, he said Two years ago the legislature passed a law which implemented a budget stablilization account "That law says if there is a surplus, a certain amount must be placed in this account in case a revenue shortfall occutes said Memmott About $20 million would have to be placed in that account if there is a surplus, he added And that leaves $16 2 million of the surplus But the states social service and million youth correction program will pro bably take a large chunk of that said Memmott When the federal government announced they would reduce social serv ice and youth correction funding in L tah by $6 million, Governor Norman H Bangerter told the service to go ahead and spend the money they had budgeted for So nearly $6 million of the state surplus w ill go to social serv ices That leaves $11 million Memmott said several departments, including schools, are begging for a share in the suiplus - Blaze Was Intentionally Set by Steve Warren Green Sheet Staff It rift r WEST VALLEY A mobile home 1307 W 2320 South ' w as intentionally set, says John Blundell, W est Valley fire marshall The blaze, which was reported at 8 25 p m on Sept 8, completely destroyed the mobile home It was the second fire at the structure in fire at less than five months On April 15, trailer occupants Michael Hilton, 41, anu Lori Ann Hilton, 21, were home when a fire broke out The Hiltons tried to extinguish that fire themselves Firefighters were summoned by a neighbor When they arrived, the firefighters not onlv found the Hiltons battling the flames, but they allegedly later found that a hot plate in the trailer ws being used to pro- cess narcotics derived from marijuana Investigators concluded that the hot plate caused the fire The Hiltons now face three felony counts relating to pioduction and possession of a controlled substance and a misdemeanor count of reckless burning Blundell says prosecutors are awaiting a couit date from 3rd District Coui t Although the second fire is still under investigation Blundell said Continued on page 3 West Valley City Candidates Differ On Various Issues At-Lar- ge WEST VALLEY. Often voters complain that "there isnt a dimes worth of difference between candidates or political parties But in West Valleys race for city this year, that councilman to be heard not is likely complaint Incumbent Claude Jones and his four challengers for the office differ among themselves both on specific issues and on their individual priorities for the city Opinions about the new city hall, for example, range from support of both the building and the proposed location, to opposition to the location only, to outright opposition to a new building anywhere Like the mayor, the councilman will represent all 95,000 West Valley residents The field will be reduced to two candidates in the Oct. 6 primary election This is the second in a series of articles focusing on West Valleys n e Continued on page 3 Bob Christensen Richard Evertsen |