OCR Text |
Show Vernal Express Wednesday, December 27, 1995 OpiniOl! cUld COITimCnt&iy JACK-STRAWS by JackWallis New Year's review Every year at this time we look back to see where we have been and then look forward to where we would like to be. But the real purpose of this review is to make plans and resolutions to help achieve future goals. This year has been an active one with construction continuing to be on the upswing, New home and business busi-ness construction along with the starting on the LDS temple has been good for the building industry. 1995 has been a good tourist year. The mild winter weather is probably responsible for the increased visits vis-its at Dinosaur National Monument. The December visits, with the federal shut-downs, will determine whether or not Dinosaur Monument will hit the one-million one-million visitor mark. Even with all the activity in 1995, a few goals suggested sug-gested in 1994 were reached. It may seem like we are stuck in a rut to keep repeating some of our goals, but they still seem like they are worthy of repeating in hopes that some day they will be reached. The 1994 and 1995 resolution included: Continue efforts to construct the Seep Ridge highway for a direct southern connection to Interstate 70. Obtain federal financing for a paved loop road over Blue Mountain connecting Dinosaur National Monument Headquarters and Dinosaur Quarry Visitor Center. Support a move to give Dinosaur National Monument a name change to a Park. Highway surface improvements on U.S. 40 from the Colorado state line to Myton and U.S. 191 from Vernal to the Wyoming state line and Highway 44 from Creendale to Manila. Promote tourism, RV rallies, tours and conventions. conven-tions. Support local events such as Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo, Outlaw Trail. Festival and other community activities. Take part and encourage everyone to clean-up, fix-up and improve the appearance of our homes, businesses and premises. Support an active promotion effort to encourage conventions, special events and businesses to come to the Vernal area. These projects are still our goals for 1996. Other projects we hope to see started in 1996 include a rest stop and visitor information center at the tumoff to Dinosaur National Monument in Jensen. Other 1996 projects should include the starting of the Scenic Byway program through Ashley National Forest, a study on the feasibility of a railroad into the area, and traffic control lights on the Maeser highway on both sides of Uintah High School. With all the potential projects it is essential that we have community support and that a positive and generous gen-erous attitude be expressed in working towards achieving our goals for the future. Public entiti.es need to aggressively support each other in developing and manintaining the essential services which make a community a better place to attract businesses as well as a better place to live. Our New Year's resolution is to keep working towards developing more opportunities for those in our community who have an investment in their families, fami-lies, homes and businesses. PUBLIC FORUM LETTERS TO THE EDITOR What is your opinion? The Express welcomes letters let-ters from its readers concerning any subject pertinent perti-nent to the Uintah Basin. There are no restrictions as to contents, if not libelous or vindictive and of reasonable length (two typewritten double spaced pages). Letters must be submitted exclusively to the Express and bear the writer's full name, signature, phone number and address. Letters may be mailed, faxed at 789-8690 or through e-mail at editoreas-ilink.com. editoreas-ilink.com. The name or names of those submitting letters must appear on all published letters. All letters let-ters are subject to condensation. Letters express the opinion of the writer and are not necessarily the opinion of the Express Editor. Centennial year Dear Editor, As the holiday season comes to a close, our thoughts turn again to our centennial celebration. Utah, the 47th state. Utah a state for 100 years. This thought causes us to reflect upon our state as it was 100 years ago and upon our beginnings here in Ashley Valley. It is interesting that the Ashley Valley was one of the last places in the West to be settled. Father Escalante caught a glimpse of it and trappers had passed through, leaving their names on valley and river, but until Pardon Dodds, with Morris Evans and Dick Huffaker, came in 1873 and built the first log cabin, there were no settlers. Hardy souls then began to trickle in a few into "old Ashley Town," a few along the Green River, a few into Dry Fork. The Deseret News in May of 1878 reported 100 inhabitants here. Then followed the "hard winter" of 1879 and the Meeker Massacre scare when a fort was built near the center of present-day Vernal. The history of our Valley is rich, colorful and fascinating. fasci-nating. One cannot study this history without feelings of admiration, respect and even awe for those fine men and women who struggled and persevered to settle this area. The Daughters of Utah Pioneers, as keepers of this noble heritage, have planned some special events for the Centennial year. The first will take place on Statehood Day Jan. 4. In honor to our pioneers and to the day, the DUP museum will be opened Jan. 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The locally produced pro-duced video "The Settlement of Vernal" will be available. L What a fine way to begin our Centennial Year. SYLVIA SLAUGH Jensen Whiterocks Road contract Dear Editor, U&W Construction is a joint venture between the Ute Tribe and The Witch Company, owner John Edward Fausett, and by now I'm sure everyone has heard it will not complete the Whiterocks Road Project. The joint venture calls for a 60-day termination notice of withdrawal of either venture. The Ute Tribe has written writ-ten a resolution and a letter telling us that they want to terminate the joint venture. That is fine and good but the joint venture cannot be severed until the 60 days are up and that will be Feb. 2, 1996. I do know that the Ute Tribe has employed Mr. Max '' Adams to find a contractor to take The Witch Company's place on the Whiterocks Road Project. Mr. Max Adams has also hired Mr. Tom Reidhead, to take over Road Management, on the Whiterocks Road Project. Until Feb. 2, 1996, John Fausett intends to continue con-tinue to work on the road, if the weather holds, and everything goes good. Yes, Mr. Max Adams is calling everyone who might want to work on the Whiterocks Road Project and telling them that there is no U&W Construction. This is not quite the truth, it will continue for the 60 days and then a judge will need to decide if the rest of the contract con-tract shall be let out for bids or if the Ute Tribe will be the prime contractor and hire a sub-contractor to finish. We have been in a joint venture with the Ute Tribe, since June 14, 1994, and it has been a long eighteen months. We have in this time kept a 75 percent to 90 percent Tribal Member payroll and a payroll in excess of $300,000 to tribal members alone. They tell us the new contractor must hire 51 percent Tribal Members, but I would read the contract well, as I think it says in the bid proposal that the company needs to be 51 percent per-cent tribally owned. Yes, we know how this usually works if someone comes in and claims they are 51 percent per-cent tribally owned and they pay someone 30 percent of the profit to get them to say it. This happens all the time. Mr. David Allison, the new Bureau of Indian Affairs superintendent, claims he will make sure that if is tribal member, that are building the Whiterocks Road project. He will be checking the project and the contractors con-tractors to make sure they are using Tribal employees. I would like you to print copy of our joint venture and lease on our joint venture and lease on our equipment. Also, the resolution to pass the joint venture, and equipment rental rate sheet. This gives everyone an idea of what we signed to work with the Ute Tribe. We have tried to stay out of the paper and not play the political game. I find we cannot do this any longer, everyone, needs to know we have hired more than our quota of tribal members, they are not all on a shovel or a broom, they are running the following equipment: 16G motor grader, D8N Caterpillar Bulldozer, 672 JD Blade, 744 JD Loader and 980C Loader, 446 Backhoe and a 310 JD Backhoe. We have honestly tried to make a difference on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation. The Business Committee, and Mr. Max Adams have promised the same positions with the new contractor, plus an increase in wages. If we are gone come Feb. 2, 1996, we will miss the Tribal Members we have worked with in the past year. We wish them all the best. When this is all over sometimes some-times I think that John should write a best seller of his experience with the Special Service District, Uintah County and the Ute Tribe. Thanks to Mr. David Allison and Mr. Charlie Cameron for listening to our side and not taking sides in the conflict. We do appreciate you and we will also be watching to keep you to your word about the new contractor keeping the 51 percent rate of tribal members mem-bers hired. We have one tribal member in our office and we feel maybe there is a place in Mr. Max Adam's office for her. She is a areat asset. ROSE MARY FAUSETT Roosevelt Ouray elk herd Dear Editor, In response to Mr. David Deans ill-conceived letter on the "nice elk herd" in the Ouray area, perhaps it would have been better had he gotten his facts straight before signing his name to such a letter. The Division of Wildlife Resources contacted Mr. Deans prior to the appearance of the letter, and the issues were clearly explained. However, Mr. Deans opted to write the letter based on misconception and innuendo, not facts. We would be glad to discuss anyone's concerns and provide pro-vide whatever factual information is available to us. The following are facts for the elk situation presently occurring in the Ouray area, which Mr. Dean's letter failed to mention. 1. Under Section 23-13-6 of the Utah Code, the Division does have authority to take big game as deemed necessary for the interest of wildlife. When crop depredation is involved this does include taking nuisance animals at night under controlled conditions. 2. Currently 40-50 elk have taken up residency in the Ouray area, probably originating from the Book Cliffs herd and migrating northward during the recent drought. 3. Ranchers have and are currently experiencing a substantial agricultural crop depredation problem on their private lands in the area associated with these elk. According to state law DWR must deal with this problem prob-lem and has been over the last several years. 4. Since the animals arrive on private lands after dark and leave before daylight, they are not available to public pub-lic hunters via a depredation hunt. During daylight hours the elk are on Ute Tribal land. The State does not have wildlife authority on Tribal Trust lands. 5. DWR does not feel it practical to trap and move these animals, as the only place we have to take them would be the Book Cliffs from whence they likely came. Experience has shown that they would most likely like-ly return post-haste, perhaps even bring new recruits with them. 6. During the past two years, about 10 animals have been removed at night from this population by DWR employees in an attempt to discourage the herd from using private cropland. The meat has been donated to charitable organizations and needy individuals as per state policy. To charge DWR with killing and wasting wildlife at Ouray is simply not true. 7. The DWR has no plans to encourage establishment of an elk herd in the Ouray area. To do otherwise would only aggravate an existing depredation problem with local ranchers. Although the animals do snenH some time during the year., on the Ouray National Wildlife Refuge (mostly on leased tribal land), they continue to pose a serious and unacceptable conflict with some adjacent agricultural interest. Very little public hunting is available to offset the problems created creat-ed by an elk herd in this area. Discussions with the Ute Tribe Fish and Wildlife Department will be initiated next month to explore a cooperative long-term solution. Wild animals are just that, wild, and no matter how you work a program, the unexpected can and does happen. hap-pen. The incident four years ago with the elk going out on the frozen Lapoint Reservoir and falling through the ice was such a case. Nobody felt worse about losing these animals than DWR folks. Unfortunately, when you have to make tough decisions sometimes things don't go the way you would have liked. Fortunately, those who have never jumped into life's frays and had to deal with unexpected, uncontrollable, and unpleasant consequences are a very small minority. The rest have more empathy. - For those who have questions or disagreement about Division program (or even support us), we welcome your comments and inquires and will try to get back to ; you with factual information. We have established a ; local citizens Regional Wildlife Advisory Council and you are likewise encouraged to express your opinions to this council as you see fit. Either way, please come ; prepared to talk factually and constructively about solutions solu-tions and avoid engaging in or tolerating destructive ; hearsay about support problems and personnel. STEVE CRANNEY Utah Division of Wildlife Resources f- VERNAL Expi (ISSN 0892-1091) Published every Wednesday for $19.00 per year in shopping area and S30 per year out of shopping area within state and $33 per year out of state within USA by the Vernal Express Publishing Company, 54 North Vernal Avenue, Vernal, Utah 84078. Second class postage paid at Vernal, Utah 84078. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to VERNAL EXPRESS, P.O. Box 1000, Vernal Utah 84078. Jack R. Wallis Publisher Steven R. Wallis Editor Vicki Feldt Lifestyle Writer Kathleen Irving Staff Writer Eric F. Pye Sports Writer Janet D. Wallis Advertising Marcia Henry Advertising Melanie Morrison Circulation & Classified Ads Phone 789-351 1 - FAX 789-8690 Member of Utah Press Association and National Newspaper Association Area correspondent Lapoint Marlene McClure, 247-2552 Whiterocks Virginia Ferguson, 353-4584 Manila Clara Robinson, 784-3436 Tridell Lorna McKee, 247-2350 Deadlines News Monday 5 p.m. Display Advertising Tuesday 1 1 a.m. Classified Advertising Tuesday 11 a.m. Voice of Business Taking the tenth by Dr. Richard L. Lesher President U.S. Chamber of Commerce WASHINGTON An essential element ele-ment of the conservative revolution now underway in Washington is a general assumption that the federal government has usurped many fundamental responsibilities, responsi-bilities, including welfare, that more properly belong at the state level. An opinion poll earlier this year by NBC and The Wall Street Journal reported that by a margin of 67 percent to 23 percent, Americans believe the federal government should transfer funding and responsibility for certain spending programs to the states. In Washington, the transfer of federal programs to the states is championed by a group of 28 Republican freshmen who dub themselves the "New Federalists." Many other politicians of both parties see the movement move-ment as an opportunity to help reduce the federal deficit. Federalist sentiments are echoed at the state level where 15 states have passed resolutions affirming the validity of the 10th amendment to the Constitution which says in its entirety: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited prohibit-ed by it to the States, are reserved to the States respec tively, or to the people." Citing that provision, several states have mounted serious challenges to federal authority to enforce various regulatory laws within their borders. The primary thrust of the New Federalism is to provide pro-vide block grants to the states for funding economic development, job training and welfare programs now conducted by Uncle Sam. Some 300 federal programs involving $125 billion in annual spending are involved. There is a widespread assumption that given enough flexibility and freedom of action, the states will manage man-age these programs much more efficiently than the federal bureaucracy is doing. The waste and inefficiency ineffi-ciency in many federal agencies has become a national nation-al scandal. Already, several states are taking the lead in aggressive aggres-sive campaigns to reduce welfare rolls, putting greater stress on training and job placement. There is a general gener-al "get tough" mentality afoot to require welfare recipients to participate in job training programs in order to remain eligible for benefits. This debate 'about the proper role of state governments govern-ments is as old as our republic, and speaks to the very heart of our political system. Historians and political scientists debate the "proper balance" between the federal and state governments, and there is a wide diversity of opinion regarding where that balance lies. Advocates of big government view the' New Federalism movement as a threat to basic social programs pro-grams which they fear the states will underfund or abandon altogether. The business community is concerned con-cerned about the evolution of 50 regulatory fiefdoms in which multi-state businesses may have to contend with contradictory regulations and duplicate paperwork paper-work requirements. In addition, though some states are eager for the opportunity to assume greater responsibilities, others are ill-prepared. Many of the 300 federal programs had never been performed at the state level before. Without question, there will be some confusion and disorganization in the early stages which critics will be quick to condemn con-demn as evidence the states aren t up to the job. But in the long run, returning power, resources and responsibility to the states will be good for all of us. The states are closer to the people and their problems than Washington can ever be, and more sensitive to the careful use of tax dollars. But the transition will be bumpy and the results mixed, at least in the beginning. begin-ning. The mess in Washington was a long time making mak-ing and will take a long time to clean up, |