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Show I i . V- .. , .. i V . y. : . " . ! ' .Y-;V f , " - ri . . - . ti. ,i J - .",'',''. ... . j-' I . ' . .'' ... Grand County Commissioners, a representative of the University of Utah, and others toured a number of sites near Moab last weekend looking for a satisfactory sat-isfactory microwave signal. This picture was taken Following weekend field trips to examine possible ' sites for a proposed te- levision translator sys-f sys-f tern, a University of Utah engineer met with the County Commission on Monday to report his findings. find-ings. Several sites were tested test-ed for strength of signal. and the Bald Mesa site was termed ideal for the installation of Ultra High Frequency equipment which would beam a sig-nal sig-nal into the valley for VL Very High Frequency lai: transmission. If install-ti.'i install-ti.'i ed, such a system would ffe- offer an alternative to television te-levision viewers not wi shing or not able to avail av-ail themselves of the existing ex-isting cable system. Milton Davis, who is affiliated with both the U of U and Kl'F.D television, televis-ion, conducted the test and estimated the cost of installation on Bald Mesa at $40,000, with V II F equipment installation an additional $7,000 to $10,-000. $10,-000. Davis stated that it would be advantageous to share the system with San Juan County, which is now sharing a facility on Abajo Mountain with Green River, and is not receiving as strong a signal sig-nal as could be trans- at Poison Spider Mesa west of Moab. The most satisfactory site was on Bald Mesa on the west slope of the LaSal Mountains. Photo by W. D. McArthur Msk! Trip Pound TV Signal osi Bald Mesaj I of U. Eim'mer Quf lines Cosfs to County mittcd from Bald Mesa, in his opinion. For upkeep and maintenance, main-tenance, Davis proposed that the county levy 34 mill taxes to provide for the translator system. Commissioners pointed point-ed out, however, that Grand County already levies le-vies the maximum allowed allow-ed for recreation, under which classification a television te-levision system would fall. In order to provide such a system, it was noted, a special service district would have to be formed and the additional necessary levy added to current tax levels. Initial purchase and installation costs may necessitate a bond in addition. There was no firm information in-formation available as to what upkeep on the proposed pro-posed system would be. San Juan County, according accor-ding to information received re-ceived by the County on Tuesday, pays about $1,-000 $1,-000 quarterly for maintenance, main-tenance, which is half the actual cost. The Commission asked ask-ed that a study of cost per taxpayer for the system sys-tem be made to be presented pre-sented at a public meeting meet-ing to be held Monday, Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m. in the Grand County Courtroom. Court-room. Tom Worster, Grand Junction, Colo., regional manager for United Cable Television Corp., the parent pa-rent company of Town I Television, was inter-I inter-I viewed Tuesday regard-I regard-I ing his company's posi- tion on the matter, and he stated that the intro- duction of translator ser- vice by private interests has never been opposed j by the corporation, but added that "We don't feel : that private enterprise should be made to compete com-pete against a governmental govern-mental body." He said that if the Grand County Commission decides to install a television translator trans-lator system , the operation oper-ation of such a government govern-ment sponsored facility will not affect the current cur-rent cable system operated oper-ated by Town Television in Grand County. He pointed out that if the County installs such a system, all taxpayers will be required to pay their share whether or not they elect to use the service, ser-vice, which is as provided provid-ed by any special service or special improvement district. 'Town Television has been, for many years, an integral part of the Moab Mo-ab community. We have a very large investment in Moab and we intend to continue providing a valuable service to the community. A number of improvements have been made to the cable television tele-vision service, and major ma-jor improvements to the microwave transmission are contemplated," he concluded. Town Television's franchise fran-chise to operate in the City of Moab is before the City Council for renewal re-newal by Feb. 16, andbe-fore andbe-fore that time a public hearing on the terms of the. franchise must be held. Cable television service is provided in the county by virtue of a permit per-mit granted by the County Coun-ty Commission authorizing author-izing Town TV to run lines lin-es in county road rights of way. |