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Show 0 ; community Tt comments... The National Park Service this week Issued a public invitation for persons in Southeastern Utah to get involved in developing some management and development guidelines for Natural Bridges National Monument. This is the first of a series of invitations that will be Issued over the next few months which will involve every section of the Canyonlands Complex before it is through. I'm sure a lot of people will ignore the invitation, feeling that the NPS is trying to pay lip service to public; involvement, but after talking at great length to Superintendent Pete Parry, I'm convinced he's dead serious in wanting the suggestions of a broad-based group of citizens in working out management and development goals. There are those, also, who will feel that persons representing extreme positions will not be able to discuss middle ground rationally, and this well may be. But I feel that the whole attempt will be a noble experiment, and I'm betting the results will be more positive than negative, if people will honestly take the time to get involved. For too 'long, residents of Southeastern Utah; representatives of national organizations, be they conservation or industrial, have had the knowledge that regardless of their input to the park planning process, the whole thing was going to be decided in the end by the guys In green uniforms. In the end, that may still happen. But the experiment In the Canyonlands Complex appears to be a very honest experiment on the part of the NPS. "You tell us how you want your parklands developed and managed, and we'll do our part to come up with a plan that will fit," is their plea. I hope it works. -sjt- I look forward, perhaps not with eagerness, but at least with a fairly good feeling, to annual solicitations for donations or membership in the Red Cross, Heart Fund, Easter Seal organization, and a multitude of others. But there are some solicitations I can't abide, and this seems to be the time of year for them. I'm talking about the guy with the twelve dollar insurance policy that I can't afford to pass up, and which will only take ten minutes to explain. This guy I have never seen before, except that he's dressed Just like, and talks just like the guy with the same deal that came around last year. I'm also talking about the guy who represents a respected national organization that wants to represent my views for me in Washington in return for a membership fee, which also entitles me to a subscription to his magazine. Now I'm not knocking these national organizations, and I believe thev do a areat deal of aood in Washinaton. tellina congressional representatives who a whole lot of people feel about what's going on there. But it's just not my bag. I belong to a number of professional organizations which also represent my views In Washington In connection, with my business. I also do not hesitate to write or call any member of Utah's congressional delegation whenever I want to share my views with them about their actions. I know that this is not true with a whole lot of people, and for them perhaps a membership and a subscription will get them closer to involving in the " write your congressman" club than anything else. But again, it's not for me. And what's more discouraging is the tongue lashing I get from the professional membership sellers when I won't even let them take the ten minutes to describe what a great deal I'm going to miss by not joining. I wonder if they have a city license? -sjt- |