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Show Wheelchair ramp construction to begin By GARY R. BLODGETT BOUNTIFUL Construction of a wheelchair ramp for the handicapped hand-icapped to enter the Bountiful Public Pub-lic Safety Building (old city hall) was approved Wednesday night by the Bountiful City Council. City manager Tom Hardy told the council that the city was advised of the need for a wheelchair ramp about two years ago, but bids , at that time were too high. Thus, the council accepted a bid offer of $4,900 from Workmen Construction Con-struction Company, of Woods Cross, to construct the concrete ramp with heavy duty, easy-to-care-for-painted railings. The ramp will be installed into the front doors on the west side of the building. "We realize that this is on the opposite side of the building build-ing from the parking lot, but it is much more suitable than entering on the east side of the building," said Mr. Hardy. He said that handicapped parking park-ing lanes could be provided on the north and south sides of the building build-ing for easier access by the wheelchair wheel-chair handicapped. "A ramp of this kind is badly needed and should be installed without delay," said Mayor Dean S. Stahle, in calling for the vote. He explained that all new buildings, by state law, must be equipped with ramps for the handicapped but that all public buildings should provide this service. Then donning their hats as the Bountiful Redevelopment Agency instead of the city council, the RDA board heard a report from RDA Director Randy Sant that a major expansion of the J.C. Penney Store at 101 West Pages Lane is being, considered. J.C. Penney Company, Inc. has been working with Davis County Industrial Development Director Rick Mayfield to locate a site for a catalog order center and major telecommunications tele-communications facility that could employ as many as 800 people. It was emphasized, however, that the proposal to use the upstairs of the Bountiful J.C. Penney Store is only in the development stages and plans are very tentative. A spokesperson for Penneys, who requested not to be identified, said the Bountiful store and a site in Arizona are being the most serious- ly considered for the regional center. If approved, the Bountiful store's top floor would be utilized as a catalog order center and major telemarketing center for the entire Intermountain Area. When in full operation, the development could hire as many as 500 to 800 part-time employees, mainly telephone operators oper-ators to take catalog orders from Utah and surrounding states. The store's main floor will continue con-tinue to be utilized as a retail sales store. A final selection of the catalog store site is expected before the end of the year. |