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Show State iYesa Voters turn down $3,9 million bond By BRUCE LEE Record Editor CEDAR CITY The $3.9 million bond election for a new hall of justice for Iron County turned out to be Parowan and Paragonah against the rest of the County, and the the smaller two cities got their way. The election was defeated Tuesday by a margin of 102 votes. Parowan turned down the proposal 497 to 53, and Paragonah voted against it 92 to 13. Those 523 votes by the northern end of the County turned the tide to defeat the Cedar City votes, which went for the proposal in every district. High turnout in Parowan . Parowan and Paragonah voters turned out in higher numbers, logging an approximate 50 percent voter turnout, while Cedar City's was closer to 20 percent. "I guess, if that's the way they want it, we will have to look at other alternatives," said County Commission Chairman Dee Cowan "We'll just have to think about it and make some plans. We'll have to do something sometime." Cowan noted that jail consultants have told the Commission that a new jail must be built or the County could very well be facing some law suits from inmates concerning the condition of the present facility. He also said that the circuit court and the Cedar City police department would soon be out of office space when their lease expired in the fall of 1982 and won't be renewed. There was no visible organized compaign before the election in Parowan to defeat the issue, but many individuals had expressed the idea that the building should be built in Parowan instead of Cedar City as the Commission proposed. However, consultants have pointed out that the jail could not be placed in the basement of the courthouse because of laws saying that a jail must have natural light. Also the cost of transferring prisoners to court from Parowan would be extremely prohibitive. Still must build Cowan still feels that the County will build a facility, he just isn't sure how it will be financed. The possibility of obtaining a Federal grant still exists; and there is also a chance that a private source may build a facility and lease it back to the County with an option to buy. The commissioner was also somewhat disappointed in the vote from Parowan, saying he couldn't understand the reaction, unless the residents of the communities felt threatened; and he added that he could see no reason for that. Iron County Attorney James L. Shumate is somewhat apprehensive about the vote and the future. "We'll just wait and hold our breath, and see what w we can do," he say. "We hope for the best." Afraid of law suits However, he wasn't entirely convinced that the best could happen, afraid of law suits from inmates or of a judge ordering a new jail built or the old one closed down. Both options would be extremely expensive he said. "It's just going to cost more in the future to build," he said. The new facility, if it had been approved would have housed, not only the new jail, but the sheriff's department, the Cedar City Police Department, the Ninth Circuit Court, a justice of the peace court and possibly the County attorney's office. Election totals Districts For Against Brian Head 9 12 Paragonah 13 92 Parowan 53 497 Enoch-Midvalley 101 75 Cedar City 1, 2, 3 132 110 Cedar City 4, 5, 16 266 166 Cedar City 6, 7, 8 133 42 Cedar City 9, 10, 12 232 79 Cedar City 11, 15, 17 142 58 Cedar City 13, 14 13 39 Summit 20 37 Kanarraville 5 33 New Castle 34 21 Beryl-Richland 70 66 Modena 4 9. TOTAL 1227 1329 |
