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Show Public Awareness And Attendance At Meetings Needed 1 wish to commend Gary Blodgett very highly for his down-to-earch article in the March 18 edition of the Clipper Clip-per relative to Bountiful's Redevelopment Re-development Agency actions in purchasing property in the amount of $450,000 for the aid and benefit of a private developer. de-veloper. While some still, of course, take objection to his version and views, I have a feeling others, a larger portion of his readership, share his views. MR. BLODGETT asked three very pertinent' questions which bear repeating: "Why would Bountiful's Redevelopment Redevelop-ment Agency schedule a public meeting on Friday at7 a.m. for the purpose of appropriating $210,000 in public funds for purchase of propeny for an elderly housing project? And why would the same agency which comprises the mayor and five city council members ask for an executive execu-tive session, which is closed to the public and the press, for the purpose of negotiating the purchase of property and then less than 36 hours later announce that the sale had been consummated? And why is the Bountiful redevelopment redevelop-ment Agency in the real estate business in the first place?" FACT: THE Agency did have a closed meeting Wednesday night and then a 7 a.m. meeting Friday to get the action "p.iblic" with, of course, onlj the barest possi ble notification. Not illegal, but certainly not in the role of complete openness that they have tried to cast themselves in. Fact: The Agency did vote to go ahead with the purchase of the clinic property at the price of $450,000 to be resold to the developer Roger Sears. The orgiginal intent as advertised adver-tised was for the city just to lend its endorsement on industrial in-dustrial bonds for the living center. Now the city, already involved in multiple financial problems, has bought the property. ALL THIS is legal, and unfortunately, un-fortunately, all with flaws as to timing, financial handling and presentation to the public. Neither the Clipper nor its reporter re-porter made any of the decisions deci-sions they only reported on them. A lot of citizens are angry and speaking of a houseclean-ing houseclean-ing at the next election but would that change any of this? What is needed now is more public awareness, more attendance at meetings and input in-put at the meetings. EVERY TAXPAYER and property owner has the right to tell the city council what actions ac-tions they like or dislike. And the city officials don't sit up and take notice unless there are a "lot of bodies" voicing disapproval. D.O. Billings Bountiful |