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Show A-5 The Park Record Wed/TJiurs/Fri, November 2-4, 2005 CITY BEAT FREE CITY EDITOR: Jay Hamburger 649-9014 ext 111 citynews@parkrecord.com Computerized Analysis of Your Home's Approximate Value Emailed to Your Inbox Voting turnout could dip further election until 2007, predicts turnout this year will "'be average to small." She said she would prefer that 5,000 people vote but said the number will more likely Day, the dearth of candidates By JAY HAMBURGER and mild nature of the campaign be between 1,500 and 2.000. Of the Record staff "Why does this happen in a could leave voters uninspired The election officials in and at home when they normally town that is so bright and so Coalville might have less work would be going to polling places. involved," she said. than usual once the ballots arrive Voter turnout in Park City "I'm hopeful that we do get a from the Park City precincts. good turnout. I do think it's elections normally is mediocre With an election-season important," said Williams, who is and many people blame the trend malaise having descended on the seeking a second four-year term on the odd-numbered year elections. Utah cities hold elections city, it is unclear how many peo- as mayor. ple will vote on Tuesday and Williams said he is concerned, in years when there are normally there are fears that turnout, though, that the turnout could not other political races on the which is normally lackluster in drop since voters do not have ballot. Summit County, the state municipal elections, could dip other reasons to head to the polls and the federal governments even further. on Tuesday, like ballot measures hold their election in even-numbered years. The 2005 election so far is and other political races. notable for its lack of political Summit County Clerk Sue Turnout has fallen in the two pizzazz. Mayor Dana Williams is municipal elections this decade. Follett, who oversees elections, running unopposed and three The Summit County Clerk's said she has not received many people - incumbent Jim Hier and Office reports that turnout in Park City election-related queschallengers Mark Blue and 2003. when three City Council tions this year. By the last week Roger Harlan - are seeking one seats were on the ballot, was of a campaign, Follett said, she is of two spots on the City Council, 22.39 percent. The 2003 number, normally fielding inquiries about leaving Parkites without what is though, dropped significantly the election and the candidates. considered a full ballot. from 2001, when 37.27 percent Cities on the East Side of At this point in an election, voted in a highly competitive Summit County are also holding there normally would be two election held in the aftermath of elections on Tuesday. people running for the mayor's the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks "Sometimes people think it's office and four people competing and in the months before the already decided even though for the City Council. There are 2002 Winter Olympics. there's only one incumbent on frequently primary elections but. Williams forecasts turnout will the ballot," Follett said. with the small number of candi- resemble that of 2003. Also, those involved in the dates, primaries were not needed Candy Erickson, a City election say, turnout is influto reduce the field. On Election Councilor who is not up for re- enced by the issues of an elec- After lackluster campaign, Park City voters might ignore the polls tion. This year, there have not been divisive issues to spur lots of interest in the campaign. A variety of candidates also would have been influential to voters, Erickson said. "If we had eight people out there and a primary, that would make it interesting,1' she said. The Sweeney family's Treasure Hill development proposal is regarded as the most controversial issue in the city. Although the candidates have addressed Treasure Hill, it does not seem that the project will spur people to vote en masse. In elections since the 1990s, candidates have spent campaigns on topics like paid parking, the Olympics and United Park City Mines' Flagstaff development, now known as Empire Pass. Those issues drew much more citywide interest. "There are people who equate their voting with the amount of controversy." Williams said. Williams, who plans to vole, cautioned Parkites to not ignore Election Day because federal offices are not on the ballot. He said voters have more influence in the off-year elections. "I would love to see 50 percent of registered voters lake 20 minutes to exercise their right but my fear is they won't," he said. myPARKCITYreakstatmlutcoin 1 Eh- Forest Service tries to teach greens a lesson Agency attempts to bend court order to halt minor projects for Environmental Ethics, says that the agency was trying to stage a train wreck to get Congress to clean up the mess. Institute and other conservation In this case, "the mess" is (he By MICHELLE BURKHART groups, which charged that the 1992 Forest Service Decision High Country News Forest Service had been illegally Making and Appeals Reform A recent court case temporar- permitting projects without Act, which requires the agency ily prevented the public from opportunity for public input. to complete an appeals process cutting Christmas trees, picking But suspending minor activi- (public notice and opportunity mushrooms, or gathering fire- ties was not the point of the law- for comment and appeal) for wood in national forests - or so suit, according to the plaintiffs' projects implemented under the U.S. Forest Service wanted lead attorney, Matt Kenna of the •national forest management you to believe. This fall, the Western Environmental Law plans. agency suspended nearly 1,500 Center. He says that the Forest When the Forest Service routine activities, saying that a Service went far beyond the recent court ruling forced it to intent of the court order in began implementing the appeals allow time for the public to com- applying it to activities like bike act, 1it used "categorical exclument on - and appeal -- just races and the cutting of the sions ' to exempt environmentally benign projects from public about any action. Capitol holiday tree. input. However, over time, the The ruling 'resulted from a Andy Stahl, executive direc- agency added activities with lawsuit brought by .Earth Island tor of Forest Service Employees larger impacts- to the exclusion INTEGRITY list. "The Forest Service was eviscerating the 1992 appeals law." Stahl says. A settlement in 2000 put the exclusion list in check. But in 2003, the Bush administration modified the appeals process to implement the Healthy Forest Initiative. One new regulation allowed all categorically excluded activities to sail through without the appeals process; other rules expanded the size of projects that can be excluded. Since that time, the agencyhas inappropriately exempted thousands of projects from the appeals process, says Kenna. Examples include the Shaw Lake salvage limber sale in Colorado. keceive an. insightful market analysis with recent comparable sales in your neighborhood. Simply fill out a brief survey about your property at myPARElTYrmksMevalm.com and you will recieve a free report quickly, by email and without having to speak to an agent. Courtesy of ^ P r u d e n t i a l MaeQunid & Green Utah Real Estate Saturday, Nov. 5th BUY ONE BAGEL • GET ONE F R E E ! (with ad) Bagels • Breads • Sandwiches • Espressos 655.0905 Jeremy Exit - near Albertsons"^ Please see Forest Service, A-6 COMMITMENT HEN IT-GOMES TO DEF SERVICE fESCH CRIMINAL DEFENDER. 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