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Show A-18 Sat/Sun/MorVTues, November 13-16, 2010 The Park Record MountainTeam MORE DOGS ON MAIN Exploding turkeys and the tax rate $350: 5-week session $700: 10-week session CANYONS: PARK CITY. UTAH .' 'For more information call: (435) 615-3449 or visit www.thecanyons.com/localkids * Prices do not include lift ticket or equipment rental O 2010 The Corrfjra tm P-ghto ftesmvcd Tho Canyons ond Tha Con-pno mouruem logo arc refl=»rod trodamarto of Tho Conyona Ffccoft. In the more than twentyfive years I've lived in my house, it has not caught on fire. Not even once. That is a streak I'd like to maintain, so I do the normal things you do to keep your house from burning down, I get the chimney cleaned regularly, pay attention to where flammable things get stored, clear the vegetation around the outside, and so on. There have been a couple of fires in the neighborhood through the years, and the results have not been good. The topic of house fires comes to mind this week because it is time for the annual demonstrations of deepfried turkeys exploding and incinerating houses in seconds. Every year, as part of the Thanksgiving holiday tradition, we are treated to great video of people plunging frozen turkeys into vats of boiling oil. Generally speaking, to get a real explosion out of it, you have to forget that a 20pound turkey will displace a couple of gallons of the oil in the pot, and spill it over the burner and the garage floor. The manufacturers of turkey fryers (who tend to be located safely offshore and beyond the reach of lawyers who advertise on daytime television) always give detailed instructions about how to measure the right amount of oil and how to actually test the level with harmless water and the actual turkey beforefiringthings up. Fire departments were in the news recently when firefighters in Tennessee sat in their trucks and watched a house burn to the ground because the owner had not paid his annual service fee to the county forfireprotection. It sparked a discussion on whetherfire-protectionservice should be optional at the property owner's discretion, like cable television, or a mandatory (some say "socialized") cost in order to protect everybody B T y om from fire spreading, and to primary residences scattered gain economies of scale. through the wildland area. When I combined explod- One of the three fire districts ing-turkey videos with the will actually show up and hose mundane process of paying down the ashes after afirein property taxes this week, I got one of these remote locations, looking at what we pay for fire but they are doing it to be nice, protection. If the turkey does not because the property is explode, what does it cost to within their district. It's kind of have somebody come and put ironic, and maybe dumb, that the fire out? The guy in the homes with the highest risk Tennessee lost his house over a and arc most difficult and $75 fee. How does that com- expensive to service actually pare to what we pay here? In pay the least for fire protecSummit County, we have three tion. A friend who lives in one of those areas says she pays more for mosquito abatement than forfireprotection. Setting aside the wildland areas, price disparity It's kind of ironic, and between the Park City and South maybe dumb, that the Summit is pretty dramatic. homes with the highest risk Does it really cost three-and-ahalf times more to respond to and that are most difficult the fire in a fully sprinkled and expensive to service condo in Park City than it does to respond to a housefirein actually pay the least for Kamas? Would doubling the rate I pay forfireprotection in fire protection." Woodland materially increase the chances of salvaging anything if my house does catch actual fire districts, and then a on fire? Why does fire protecno-man's land of "wildland tion cost twice as much in fire" that isn't in any of the dis- Coalville as in Heber? tricts, but has a special tax levy It's pretty hard to compare of its own. a full-time professional fire With the efficient help of department to a volunteer the County Auditor's office department. There aren't staff, I was able to work up this enough calls in the South comparison. On a hypothetical Summit area to justify paying a Summit County property with bunch of guys to play cards at a taxable value of $250,000, the the fire station all day, and annual cost for fire protection without hydrants it wouldn't ranged from a high of $267.50 make much difference anyway. in Park City to a low of $1.75 in A volunteer fire department the wildland areas. The South probably couldn't respond Summit fire district charges effectively to a fire in a high$75.75. The North Summit dis- rise hotel. trict is $138.75. Wasatch Whatever tax rate you pay, County would charge the same I'd strongly recommend that property $62.25. you do your turkey frying The wildland area is sup- according to the instructions. posed to be just that - wildland. The idea was that open Tom Clyde practiced law in rangeland wouldn't have hous- Park City for many years. He es where frozen turkeys would lives on a working ranch in be pitched into boiling oil. But Woodland, and has been writinstead, there are hundreds of ing this column for nearly 25 subdivision lots for cabins and years. SUNDAY IN THE PARK By Teri Orr INCLUDE DEER VALLEY ON YOUR L I S T OF Shifting seasons now Things to be Thankful for. It has been such a slow hopped so fast when the car first I didn't turn. There are seduction this fall. The light hit it I couldn't be cer- lots of dogs at large in our warmth. The leaves lingering tain; perhaps it was just a neighborhood. But this large on the trees. Letting the yard skittish fat cat. shape was headed right for furniture stay out a bit too But along Holiday Ranch the birdfeeder. A doe, a great long. Loop Road, right off the big doe, was in the yard and Last weekend there was highway and just past the took her time wandering no more denying winter's Peaks Hotel, I slowed down from feeder to feeder, nuzapproach and so I bustled due to the nearly finished zling the corners and tipping about, cramming all the fall (and most impressive) side- the houses until they kinda chores - well, most all the walk project. Where the poured down her throat. I fall chores - into two half McLeod Creek Trail crosses just stood, frozen, listening days. Clothes in and out, the road and heads over to with every fiber in my being sweaters unearthed, ditto the new park and fire station, to her gentleness. boots and coats and gloves I always slow down because She had a bit of a saunter and scarves. Moving a sum- there is almost always a as she moved from feeder to mer's worth of stuff that walker/ jogger/ dog/ biker feeder. She was so huge and landed in the garage where coming across the road. But her eyes were so huge* and the car should be. Up on the on this evening, right about she was so close to my house rafters, into a dumpster, and the night was so still. under a tarp, off to St Mary's. Time stopped. Which I think was the point. I have no idea I bought stew meat and a how long I watched her. fat chicken and root vegetaThen a car came speeding bles. New candles and more In a resort community around the corner with its honey and tea bags. Canned (winter) means we rush lights on bright. The deer goods. Okay, even ice cream. around more and more, was between me and the And I filled the bird feedstreet but there is a large ers, which most of the fall while in nature things evergreen tree at the edge of have been neglected. slow down. The lesson my yard. She moved just I broke down and put four slightly to position herself just might be balance." new tires on my car. I moved between me and the tree. furniture around in the living The car passed. The doe room to make bringing in the looked up at me with an firewood easier. I pulled out unblinking gaze. I whispered a bag of tulip bulbs and placed them on a bench out- nightfall, there was no one to her through the glass. It. side so I would remember to on the road. Still I slowed by was gratitude for her visit. plant them. habit and looked both direcShe took the prayer with And I started making lists tions. On the park side, step- her as she as she slowly of things that I have been too ping right out of the camou- walked around to the back of busy to pay attention to. flage, was suddenly a big the house and off, I suspect, Notes to faraway friends. buck deer. He was just stand- to someplace along McLeod Dinners with people I like. ing there giving me A Look. Creek. Browsing on Main Street. I slowed way, way down and It is winter's approach Watching some exquisitely acknowledged his gift and here as the snow starts to hoped the car behind me cover the mountains and the bad television. Then it started to happen: would have a glimpse as well. woodpile. In a resort comThe animals started to talk to But the car was now honking munity it means we rush me. Well, converse, actually. at me. Who honks in Park around more and more, The birds were first. They City? In a subdivision? At while in nature things slow didn't scatter as Ifilledthe the end of the day? I mean, down. The lesson just might be balance for this Sunday in feeders.' They hung out on really. the fence, in the trees and on The week wound itself up the Park... the ground. I have become again and I was soon buried invisible to them, I think, under papers and work and Teri Orr is the director of the which I quite like. If I could projects. I was distracted and Park City Performing Arts train the colorful house wren a little miffed at myself for Foundation that provides to perch on my shoulders, I'd bringing so much wdrk programming for the George really be quite content. home, so I wandered down- S. and Dolores Dorf Eccles I think I saw a rabbit in stairs to put the tea kettle on £enter for the Performing my yard late one night when around 7 or 8. When I saw Tlrts. She is also aformer ediI returned home but it movement in the yard, at tor ofTfaQ Park Record. 44 Choose one of our delectable made-to-order pies: Old-Fashioned Pumpkin for $16; Sweet Potato Pecan, Apple Cheddar, Traditional Pecan or Chocolate Silk Pie for $21. May we also suggest Apple Gingerbread for $21, Pumpkin Walnut Bread or CranbeAy Orange Pecan Bread for $18. I'; Unprecedented! For the fourth year in a row, Deer Valley was named the #1 ski resort in North America by the readers of SKI Magazine in 2011. DEER VALLEY' • HAKKRY • MW 435-645-6623 Place order by Monday, November 22 for pickup on Wednesday, November 24 CLOSED THANKSGIVING !•* \ |