Show Gov Matheson seeks solution to Ute Indian problem Gov Scott M. M Matheson Is Ls L trying to find a compromise solution to a dispute between Ute the Indians and non Indians over legal jurisdiction of lands in the Uintah Basin In a letter written Jan 3 the governor asked both sides to meet for discussion of the issues and possibly come up with a draft agreement to be submitted l to the Legislature By giving the dispute to the Legislature the governor hopes to avoid a court decision which would embitter the losing side and add to an already difficult situation The battle over legal jurisdiction already is in the federal courts but Matheson said his proposal for talks has been approved by the Ute Indian tribal lawyer and leaders of both houses of the Legislature Letters from the governor have gone gonei i to Duchesne and Uintah county commissioners com coma commissioners missioners and the mayors of Duchesne Roosevelt and Vernal asking them to appoint two representatives to meet with tribal leaders in a mediation group t I Also sitting on the m mediation group will be two members of the state attorney at- at attorney attorney at at- torney generals general's office The problem between Indians and non-Indians non in the basin dates from 1975 when the tribe issued its new Law and Order Code claiming legal jurisdiction to the boundaries of the original reservation established in 1861 and 1882 This amounts to more than 42 million acres including almost all of Duchesne County a large part of Uintah County and parts of Wasatch and Grand counties |