OCR Text |
Show iiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiHimimiiiiminimiiiiiimmim Western Resources WRAP-UP iiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiii iimiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiii liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiii luiiiiiiii Departmental reorganization VA offers assistance in on-the-job training Wednesdoy, Januory 23, 1985 Yeffial Expf6 7 - r -H( 1 By Helene C. Monberg Vernal Express Washington Correspondent Washington Three different sets of reorganization of government departments depart-ments and agencies are in the works here, all highly controversial. President Reagan, in a memo dated Jan. 3, to the Secretaries of Defense and Interior and to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), directed all three to consider "possible "possi-ble consolidation of civilian functions of the (U.S. Army) Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation" in the Interior Department. Task forces made up of eight Interior In-terior and eight Army officials are now hard at work to come up with some options. op-tions. They are aiming to present options op-tions to their respective Secretaries by Feb. 1, to OMB by Feb. 15, and Mr. Reagan said in his Jan. 3 memo he hoped "we could send a reorganization proposal on this subject to Congress by the first of March." Officials at both Interior and the Department of Energy say they have been told to consider reorganization schemes designed to combine the two departments. Western Resources Wrap-up (WRW) has been unable to find any written directive on the subject. President Reagan on Jan. 10 tapped Energy Secretary Donald P. Hodel to become Secretary of Interior, to replace the department Interior Secretary William P. Clark, and John Herrington, personnel director at the White House, to succeed Hodel at Energy.. Hodel said on Jan. 14 relative to the merger, "We're not going to do any of that work until we've had our day in court" ie., until after both Hodel and Herrington have been confirmed by the Senate. At the same time Mr. Reagan tapped William Bennett, who is chairman of the National Endowment Endow-ment for the Humanities, to succeed Terrel Bell, who resigned to return to teaching in Utah, to become Secretary of Education. This department, along with Energy, is a candidate to be phased phas-ed out, but there are no plans to do so at the moment, WRW has been informed. There appears to be no support for any of these proposals on Capitol Hill, develop and analyze a detailed version of. the OMB options and any other such options as you might wish to develop with a view toward presenting presen-ting your analysis to me by Feb. 15. "(I would hope we could send a reorganization proposal on this subject to the Congress by the first of March.) "Because this will be reconsidered as an organization issue, your analysis should be reviewed by the Cabinet Council on Management and Reorganization within this time frame in order that I might also have the benefit of the Cabinet Council's views." It was initialed by the President on Jan. 3. Once he heard of the Reagan reorganization directive, O'Meara wrote a hot letter to the President on Jan. 7 stating that Western water developers "feel betrayed" by the Administration Ad-ministration in pushing OMB proposals pro-posals to merge the civil works functions func-tions of the Corps and the Bureau. O'Meara urged the President to "reject "re-ject this ill-conceived and dim-sighted suggestion." The O'Meara letter to Mr. Reagan said in part: "We are convinced that one of the reasons you so solidly carried car-ried all of the Western states in 1980 was because of the adverse reaction to the Carter 'hit list' (to cut out or cut back) on water projects. Although additional ad-ditional water resources development in the West is desperately needed, we have quietly endorsed your policy of limited new starts because of your determination to stem rising deficits. Now we feel betrayed. "We think it would be a serious political, economic and administrative error to favorably consider the proposals pro-posals of Mr. Stockman to merge the civil works functions of the Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation... "the principal thrust of the Bureau of Reclamation is to provide irrigation water for the thirsty land of the West. The work of the Corps of Engineers has a completely different function. Historically the civil works functions of the Corps are centered on flood control con-trol and navigation. The two agencies have worked in a cooperative not competitive com-petitive and certainly not duplicative manner toarry out tneir aumonzea The Veterans Administration (VA) is reminding all service-connected disabled veterans that its Vocational Rehabilitation and Counseling Department can assist them in obtaining ob-taining a marketable job skill through on-the-job training. One of the functions of the VA Vocational Rehabilitation Program is to provide rehabilitation services for eligible disabled veterans. This service may include an initial counseling evaluation to establish eligibility, entitlement, and to determine deter-mine whether educational or vocational voca-tional training would best suit the needs of the individual veteran. Douglas Wadsworth, regional office of-fice director for the VA, said the VA will help service-connected disabled veterans identify their interests and talents through counseling, testing, and offer assistance in job placement. place-ment. Job placement assistance is provided to disabled veterans upon completion of their training program to help them find and keeping a suitable job. Veterans who are seriously disabled disabl-ed may have the benefit of extended evaluation to better assess their needs. Eligible veterans may enroll in schools or colleges; train on the job or in apprenticeship programs; enter programs which combine school and job training. Homebound disabled veterans may receive training train-ing through special rehab facilities or at home if necessary. In addition to vocational rehabilitation, rehabilita-tion, the VA also provides counseling upon request for eligible dependents of disabled veterans and veterans training under the GI Bill. Chapter 31 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Program also offers assistance to disabled veterans. Under the program, veterans who are in need of vocational rehabilitation rehabilita-tion to overcome a handicap may receive up to 48 months of education or training to restore employability. Training or education can be extended extend-ed if recommended by the VA Administrator. Ad-ministrator. , The full cost of training is paid by the Veterans Administration and veterans receive an allowance while in training and for two months after training is completed. In addition to a monthly training allowance, a vocational rehabilitation rehabilita-tion on-the-job trainee receives ongoing ongo-ing counseling, medical and dental care. Trainees can also qualify for an interest free emergency loan. Wadsworth said some of the government govern-ment non-paying training positions can lead to full-time Civil Service employment. To qualify for the on-the-job training train-ing program under Vocational Rehabilitation, veterans must have remaining education entitlement and have been separated from the service ser-vice less than 12 years, or show cause that for medical reasons they could not pursue training during the past 12 years. . Bert Johnson, DAV representative, is available to assist and counsel disabled veterans in the Basin area. Johnson is at the Job Service Office one day a month. For more information on the programs pro-grams offered through the VA and their Vocational Rehabilitation Program, Pro-gram, interested persons may contact con-tact the regional office, 125 South State Street, Salt Lake City. Their phone number is 524-5450. A toll free phone number, 1-800-662-9163 is also available. Information on local veterans job placement and training programs can be obtained by calling . Chuck Larson or Kathaleen Williams at the Vernal Job Service, 789-1211. fWps " " -J X T t j ..... ( '7 v i , f - ; y I 1 ill? 1 ; ' if " ' ll 1 j f i U I r ' ., f " MJ'jf'' . i nili. I -i imiririr STRAWBERRY DAM & GATE CONTROL, Bonneville Unit, Central Cen-tral Utah Project, Upper Colorado Region. Workmen from the Utah Projects Office O&M Branch are lifting up the stop logs from the spillway opening. This will help release from Strawberry to Soldier Reservoir. This is one of the many steps towards equalizing equaliz-ing Strawberry and Soldier Creek Reservoir which will be one large reservoir. Flashboards raised at Strawberry Dam and at least two key Commme-lfnnclhi-j-Both-have exemplary chairmen, Rep. Morris K. Udall, D-Ariz., D-Ariz., of the House Interior Commit tee, and Rep. John D. Dingell, D-Mich. of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, oppose them. Chairman James A. McClure, R-Idaho, of the Senate Energy Committee is decidedly decided-ly cool to them too. McClure has opposed oppos-ed Administration attempts in the past to dismantle the Department of Energy (DOE). A nine-man Presidential Commission Commis-sion on Indian Reservation Economies reported to the President on Nov. 30 on the status of Indian economies, with a long series of recommendations. Among its recommendations to Mr. Reagan, were to propose legislation to create an Indian Trust Services Administration Ad-ministration largely to supplant the present Bureau of Indian Affairs, and to administer a block grant program for tribes to participate in if they elect to do so. Although the Commission, made up of six Indians and three non-Indians, specifically recommended thai Congress Con-gress rrpral and repudiate I louse Concurrent Con-current Resolution 108 (l3-83rd Congress) on termination, the National Na-tional Tribal Chairmen's Association ha repudiated the recommendations of the Commission as an invitation to the federal government to cut back on its trust responsibility to Indians. Hie top Indian leaders arc concerned concern-ed that Indian programs arc candidate can-didate for rwrgaMimtittn and potential poten-tial reduction at time hen hudKel cut have already taken (Mime toll on Indian delivery )stemi. They cnl Mr, Itrauan a telegram on Jan. H requesting re-questing that he meet with tribal representative to disCUss the Com-minion's Com-minion's recommendation, t'dall csn'l think much of this latent M of Indian p ropotaU, aide told WHW on Jan. 15. KIWiM; ItKAttloN Til rut stmATiawni t"T,u The d rective that Mr. Heagan wnt Id tr.irrv Sn rrUr) William I. Clark, let IWrtue Secretary Caspar tt Wrir.trt-f and OMR Uirrctnf David A &! fcman rtirtwl W sfror-4 tractinft frm Rtl'all O'Meara. nerutive Vice rtidrnt rf lh National Wafrf ;m;rt r A"0 N'RA). The d.rrrtive rrad a N',": "Sub- fur.(!-,. r. tyf IN ("nT of '.r nr-t and lb I'iireau of r,rdama!ni. In I t' I to (relay's d.snof the e-.ifrt r-tpd aNi P Ol Cahiod n-.fi.rgi, ave deti'M thai; ter-li.'tirji se)jt "m cnTwr'Ki i?h th frcriain of the 1 hnii. n rvr f,YTn ehtt pit N hare ..iffirirr.! tr-f.fy 1 ifrrfwH f fr.f ani fnit in he cnl " records and both are considered nationally na-tionally and internationally as first-class first-class organizations. "We reject the notion that it would save money to merge the Bureau of Reclamation and the Corps of Engineers," O'Meara said. He figured that even with 16 percent of the Bureau's work nonreimbursable costs for flood control, fish and wildlife habitat, salinity control and recreation and with its costs for planning, investigations, in-vestigations, research and administration administra-tion totalling only $66 million a year, whatever savings that could be effected ef-fected would be peanuts. "With considerable confidence I predict the idea will be stonewalled by every Western Senator, by many members of the House and most Western governors. More Important, It will be opposed by the grass-roots where the average citizen will take his lead from the objections already raised rais-ed by Secretary Clark and Secretary Weinberger" as being Impractical. O'Meara said that his association had not yet had time to adopt a resolution resolu-tion on this Issue. "When wc held our last convention In t'hoenlx In November 1W4 not one delegate In hi wildest dream Imagined that the Reagan administration would consider a proposal to merge these two great water development agencies. I know the people lor whom I wotk well enough to BMure you that when they have the opportunity, thi association Will condemn thi propwed merger. "We urge you to promptly end publicly reject thi ill conceived and dim lighted mggrsiinn," O'Meara' letter to the President concluded. Most of the ater development 6g-ncir generally ftgrr with the thrwl of the O'Meara Irttef , Hut environmental en-vironmental prgatii?ations gt-nrf ally back the ftirtTcnr.!idaiinn idra, particularly the National WiMlifg Federation, ith the Vie that U filiation wet? implemented, it tw;!d Mve the federal govrfnmenl m money in h4 rf) of f?cord h:h fedrral deficit- They els) fr eat d as as the Rufeau misoO nf fetla'rtv ire. the We!. ttcmUpRK ll TR'H t t t'lM The MTiof tvj.atm-T,( of kirg griip is tOfha.ted hjr Ai'ant Scvfriary Richard H It '? and lan! Secrrtary Rn?tt N, '.--.a Tt--l The AtTiyOps kirg grrojp is headed ry Aifar ecfftafrdfeicate R"' rft A Ii3tn (!() J'aj Crn. t. W aU. It . dirf W of t n a f ,n is? C'asj TN? ( M ! Rf'-i f ac h t-.3P $t t-h trtan Jat f-rc li jwmy? the data tv-fc4 W dfisi. $m tre:rt f t the ( rp k-li Yzs .t -..i -n at Mi frs-f hs k f TP t3v-1 f I! K ftt v-a-l (?BtU)t r4 the Md f9t:' P '4 the gafeaw ef t5.elTr.at;'?l al i Sacramento, has been detailed here to head the Bureau task force. The two task forces had their first meeting on Jan. 10 and they will continue to meet, off and on, for the next week to ten days, sources at both the Army and Interior In-terior told WRW on Jan. 15-16. The two groups are looking at duplication of services and are looking at options which might make the delivery of services more efficient so that the federal taxpayer gets a bigger big-ger bank for his buck. Both the Corps and the Bureau are involved in the construction of hydroelectric hydro-electric facilities, and the construction of municipal and industrial water supply and flood control facilities. The Corps has a navigation mission, while the Bureau's specialty is to provide the Irrigation water for agriculture in the 17 Western states. Currently the task forces are looking look-ing at overall personnel numbers, where their work forces are located, particularly In the field, and the services ser-vices performed to determine where there is duplication and might be consolidated con-solidated to speed up delivery of services ser-vices at les cost. The prc-constructton planning and Investigation (unctions are being reviewed. So are research functions and administrative costs. Cost sharing is somewhat different for each agency, end this is being looked at by the working groups. There U widespread concern that the present federal water program aren't working very well. Whether reorganisation end consolidation would make them work better I the 4 question that only Congre. Ultimately, can decide, The president ha little nurganiiaUon authority of hi on, Rrorgani?.aUon of the 10 h'g ater egenrie ha been froposcd periodically in the pad and ha always failed. The Corps I the construction agency for U.p Army and the Air rorce. lu civil work pTfgfam, an ruentiaHy civilian function, is minor In corn paritrt with iU maf military ftii"i"fl. "Civil x V is a tepchilJ d the Af my" is ho noe Vrfr fan Corgf T.ftal Malfef mmmfd up this Corp hmcin, Recau of the Rwteau a!l ttr?rtn Mimtatinoit --fa!- pr-.ly irt the Wr!-il has a H mfttt pmhtkal (W fnf j! han the Cofp, whkh opiate in all "A !a!es. Ik dJ. alt has a havy irnnh etnml ii:h mihiary ejThf a'K-ta tter. artkularly ftuck-af trit. M is rnrCrf -;h tr.Sefint i (? ff rH?l. r-lf r-lf tiof i. $ uni'.e c i ijiafl depar1mee. S!fi(t!y invmhfd in d"tf.eM l C is br'T ix' !"afJ derf i-tTiCt-,) and m flf fi-TT, h.ks fntftK ha? ftr-nYf rir. i (nrccf I finrj f,!yf a! t FniiT(f S ff.ist;n "Pveiy fr.;.:.in 0f i.r,ctr r; y J It pfh eJt. TN ! gvt te'Txi t'd iVti9 in the ( ;:1 Af l jc . ;I j-ri-r-. ;.--5 h 31 'a V t rS't r4 V- rVrf"c" 1 . s h pi-1-! Kc ' 1 e ix ir. c- jl-.-t ,sC)-;f c 1 aTa f rj rj rj rj rj rj For Current Recorded Local Road Conditions Dial 789-8491 Courtesy Utah Highway Patrol For state wide road conditions dial , 1-800-752-7600 Courtesy UDOT and Utah Dept. of Public Safety. 4. t , C 1 rl rv The spillway flashboards at historic Strawberry Dam were removed Jan. 8 to begin the equalization of the levels of Strawberry and Soldier Creek ' Reservoirs, according to Upper Colorado Col-orado Regional Director Clifford Barrett Bar-rett of the Bureau of Reclamation. The 18-inch-high flashboards, also called stop logs, have been in place to retain additional water in Strawberry Reservoir. Removal of the flashboards allows that stored water to flow into Soldier Creek. . ; . . - . Later in the week, to complete the second step in the process, the Indian Creek Diversion Canal was breached, permitting approximately 12 cubic feet per second which had been flowing flow-ing into Strawberry Reservoir, to flow directly into Soldier Creek. These two steps are part of the entire en-tire plan to make one enlarged reservoir reser-voir from the two existing reservoirs. Strawberry Reservoir level will drop 3 to 6 feet and Soldier Creek could rise from 10 to 13 feet. Barrett reminds the public that with the fluctuation of the two reservoirs during this equalization process, caution should be exercised around these reservoirs since the ice surfaces of both reservoirs may be unstable. ', , t r viV"- J, nil V V; We can help with annoying age lilies. : if t ;! s Jt Ilifocals witlmut the iliviiling lint f'..yvJj,'jd;:e4al. a'.'aje-sei t'tt v--y Bd ?' -3G9 a--3J Pcai 5 a- G-a-aMeJ JI..IUI. JW.1L .... I I r |