Show RE RECLAMATION LAMA TION AND REHABILITATION PROJECT FOR DUCHESNE COUNTY WHEREAS Duchesne County is no longer able to function as a separate political sub-division sub due to lack of funds and the in in ability of of f 1 zens to pay taxes and whereas the the the-pr present e t C County County- u ty- ty Officials have been serving without without without with with- out pay and cannot longer contin ue to do so NOW NOV THEREFORE the following plan for re habilItation habitation is respectfully submit ted 1 That a project be sponsored by the State to provide for a com com coin soil and water survey of at Duchesne County and especially e especially pec- pec of those lands which have been returned to the County on Auditors Auditor's pe Deeds ds and lands which belong to the State of Utah This survey to determine the ity and suitability of these lands tor for rehabilitation purposes 2 That a project of Farm sponsored to effect placement of families on County and State owned ground or on suitable tracts of ground which may be acquired by the County under the provisions of this pro gram That the size of these homesteads shall range from ten to forty acres in extent depend lug ing upon the adaptability of said I Iland land and the personal attributes I of ot the people whose rehabilitation is being effected II Community centers to be built by local labor from FERA funds Community canning centers es where suitable creameries creamer creamer- ies les and cheese factories and other fabrication fabrication- plants established at strategic points And a County owned cooperative marketing organization organization organization or or- established to handle distribution of of ot farm products Machinery cows pigs chickens and horses to be provided where necessary to further the station program People participating in the re re project shall be given an opportunity to work on the various projects and be paid an adequate wage until such time as the various projects are completed ed and se self sustaining For in In stance it might require one year r to complete the various elements of ot a project and thereafter a moratorium of an additional year yea r should be granted to permit th the e new home seekers to become self sustaining Thereafter they would be bo required to pay an annual in installment installment in- in equal to one twentieth h I II I of of their total indebtedness plus plu s I Interest It t would be the duty of th the e I farm coordinator to centralize U as I I much as possible the various com com I projects For instance land that is suitable for dairy purposes should be devoted to that t industry and cream an and f b ric tio i in or near those communities Other tracts might be better adapted for chicken and egg production and should be devoted to that in in Other tracts especially some bench lands might be adapt ed for fruit production etc depending depending depending de de- pending upon results of soil sur sur vey and recommendations of farm fann experts hired for the purpose Tracts of ground which are arc found unsuitable after analysis for rehabilitation purpose should be retired from active use and class as County Grazing grounds Water at present allotted to ground so classified shall be di di to land more adaptable for farming Present incumbents desiring desiring desiring de de- siring to participate in the rehab program shall receive a alair fair lair appraisal of their property and water rights and be permit ted to trade same on new holdings in lieu of cash 3 Homes to be built on specifications specifications approved by a housing committee and so far as possible from materials of local origin fabricated in mills and plants es es for the purpose and em em local labor There are within the confines of the County plenty of available timber clay for brick manufacture and gypsum gypsum gyp gyp- sum and lime for plaster gyp I 4 That the administration of ot I this Rehabilitation on Program be I handled by a Committee of ot three to he be appointed as follows One member to be appointed by the Governor of the State one member by the Central Relief Committee and one member by the B Board ard of County Commissioners all of them to be subject to the State Central Relief Relic Committee and the Rehab Council of the State These commissioners to be appointed appointed appointed ap ap- pointed from a n. standpoint of ot ability ability abil abil- ity sty and not from political al and shall be non partisan The so BO appointed shall be vested with sufficient power to adequately administer the af af aC fairs of the Rehabilitation Pro Pro gram and all elements clements thereof That subject to rules and regulations regulations regu regu- lations lotions as set forth by the Utah State Tax Commission the taxes and earnings of ot the various ele ele ments of the Pro Pro shall go to a general fund to defray deray the costs of I II I tion and meet any bonded tl bt edness tI t De be incurred incurred un I der fo program c. he normal functions of county I government shall be as at present and the County Commission shall act in an ad ad capacity to the Rehabilitation Rehabilitation Rehabilitation tation Commission and shall be required to assist in the procure ment merit of the necessary lands lands and the transfer of titles subject to approval of the State Tax Com mission The County indebtedness and current expenses shall be met from normal tax t sources except that for the present due to the theo condition o d tion of th the c County u ty finances a reller up set-up snail shall be established along lines suggested for lor the re re lief ie of white collared workers to meet salaries of the County of of oC until such time as the tax returns are sufficient to defray the costs of administration 5 If It immediate steps are tak tak en to put this program into effect it should not be necessary for the Relief to carry the expense of County Officials over an extensive period as the increased in increased increased in- in creased earnings of the people through these various activities should enable them to pay their taxes and the governmental of the County would rapidly become self sustaining I The program as outlined is far tar reaching and revolutionary in ef eC feet but the desperate condition which faces the people of this I County prompt and vigorous vigorous vigorous vig vig- I orous measures to correct if the subdivision of ot government known as Duchesne County is to continue to function as such The program as outlined is in accord with the community farm fann program advocated by President Roosevelt and as a social exper is especially adapted to the needs of thus this particular section The of details which would would have to be worked out and the Ule legal aspects of ot the various phases of the program would have to determined by men best qualified for their res res tasks It is not within the of the undersigned to suggest how this should be done We merely suggest a general of procedure which in our opinion has vast possibilities and merits some consideration Respectfully submitted Afton Atton P. P Crocker Wm H. H Caso Case E. E W W. Crocker |