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Show Tax dilemma heard at joint meeting In a joint meeting of the Ashley Valley Water and Sewer Improvement District (AVWSID) and Vernal City, a plea was heard to withdraw areas in the city from the district to curtail "double taxation." During the transition period, before the separation of the water system is complete, the two entities have been meeting on a monthly basis. At last Thursday's meeting, Mrs. La Von Wall read a letter appealing to the AVWSID to have their homes and properties de-annexed from the Ashley Valley district and to reimburse areas in Vernal City for the taxes they paid to the district. The signers of the letter claim that "our homes and property were annexed to Vernal City in 1976 and not properly de-annexed from the " Ashley Valley Water and Sewer Improvement District. "Therefore, we are and have been held to illegal and double taxation to both entites during these past six years, receiving no services from AVWSID, neither water nor sewer." When property is annexed into Vernal City it isn't automatically de-annexed de-annexed from the Ashley District, which surrounds Vernal City. To de-annex de-annex from the district, property owners must file a petition before a judge who will determine the obligation the residents own the district, to "buy" their way out of the district. "We inquired at Richard Davidson's office (then the city attorney), and we were told that officers and attorneys of the AVWSID had used our tax monies to file a protest against our property being de-annexed from the district," Mrs W'all said reading her letter. Members of the Vernal City Council and the AVWSID board were given copies of the letter. Brownie Tomlinson, district chairman, said that (Continued on page 3) Water meet.,. (Continued from page 1) this was the first time he was aware of the situation. Mrs. Wall said she hoped her presentation would help solve the dilemma of most people who have annexed into Vernal City since 1974. In other business, the two entites discussed the Separation Agreement which is allowing the gradual separation of the Ashley Valley Water System between Vernal City and the Ashley Valley District. It was agreed that Vernal City will continue serving the water needs of the Ashley area, north of Vernal City, until they decide which entity will administer their water system. The Separation Agreement gives the Ashley area three years to make that decision. According to Kenneth Bassett, city manager, the city may shorten the time limit so the entity to service the area can make accommodations. Both entities agreed to modifications in the two main water transmission lines from Ashley Canyon allowing enough pressure to fill the nearly complete Chocolate Rock water tank. The modification would require Vernal City placing a meter on the 20-inch 20-inch water and the AVWSID placing a chlorinator and various pressure control valves on the line. Both groups agreed that during this period of transition that neither entity would do anything concerning water without the other entity knowing about it. Tomlinson suggested the two entities meet monthly until the separation is complete. Members of both entites agreed to this arrangement. |