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Show m9 Dutch John closer to privatization Legislation sponsored by Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah) to privatize the federally-run town of Dutch John, cleared the Senate Energy Committee bringing the settlement on the town one step closer to completion com-pletion and eventually saving millions mil-lions in taxpayer funds. "The time has arrived to transfer the ownership and maintenance of this town to local hands," said Bennett who introduced the Dutch John Privatization Act last year. "Keeping Dutch John federally owned is not only a tremendous burden on federal funds, but a heavy restriction to citizens living there. This town is an anachronism, and an expensive one at that, and I am pleased to see my colleagues support our efforts." The bill also creates an annual grant over 15 years to Daggett County from public power revenues, rev-enues, offsetting costs of transition while a community tax base is created. cre-ated. Properties not maintained by the federal government as necessary facilities will be transferred to the county. Revenues from their sales will assist in costs related to the town. Dutch John was established in 1958 by the Bureau of Reclamation to house personnel and equipment during the construction of the Flaming Gorge Dam and Reservoir, housing over 2,000 people at the time. The town continues to serve as a residence for approximately 175 people, including federal government gov-ernment employees and other associated asso-ciated with the Flaming Gorge Dam and Recreation Area. Because the Museum... Continued from page 2 House. Those findings indicated that approximately 1 .4 to 2 million dollars could be raised in a capital campaign program. The office of State Parks is now ready to begin the capital campaign effort. The Legislature appropriated approximately $100,000 to begin the preliminary design work for the museum. The results of that will be used as potential donors are contacted con-tacted and the museum project is explained to them. In the campaign phase (Phase II), Nancy Davenport who is a full-time State Parks employee, will be used. However, it is felt that it is also necessary to solicit the continued efforts of Dave Jones and his firm (FRCI) in order to successfully complete the campaign. cam-paign. Dave Jones submitted a proposal pro-posal to the City Council for a ten-month ten-month contract. The cost of the proposal pro-posal came to approximately $25,000 and the request was made that Vernal City participate in one-half one-half of this cost as they did with one-half of the cost of the initial study. The request was approved by the council and therefore Phase II of the campaign is ready to be put into action. The total rehabilitation of the Field House Museum will cost an average of $10 million dollars. Those funds will be raised in several sever-al different capacities when the time is appropriate. Nancy Davenport also stressed to the council that the Vernal Field House Museum project is the high priority this year for the office of the State Parks. Lester E. Prall from the Department of Community and Economic Development, presented a recommendation to the council to adopt the City of Vernal as a "21st Century Community." The 21st Century Community program is a program that Governor Leavitt has taken throughout the State in the last several months. The program is intended to help rural communities establish goals and objectives for long range planning. Communities who become a part of this 21st Century effort likely will receive recognition in the form of additional considerations in grants and loans from the State. An additional addi-tional benefit to the communities would possibly be participation in other programs that will lend themselves them-selves to additional information that will benefit the communities not only from a planning stand point, but also from a financial stand point as well. The City Council approved Vernal to become a member of the 21st Century Community upon completion of the application and acceptance by the Governor's Rural Partnership Board. Ken Bassett, City Manager, stated that by becoming a part of this program we are accepting a formalized effort of the Governor to bring rural communities commu-nities together. Several proposals were reviewed by the Council to determine the best health insurance program available to the City and it's employees. The City has been insured through Intergroup of Utah for the past three years but because of the 19.5 increase in insurance costs it was critical to solicit other programs to see if there was, in fact, another option for selection. After careful review of six different differ-ent proposals, the council concluded conclud-ed that United Healthcare would be the most cost efficient as well as the most beneficial to city employees. There will be a small increase in the cost to the city employee of approximately approx-imately $19 per month and the city will foot the rest of the increase of cost. However, this cost increase is minimal compared to the increase that would have come by continuing continu-ing on with Intergroup of Utah. A contract between the Department of Community and Economic Development and Vernal City was presented to the board. The contract was for the 1998-99 CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) project ' which is a rehabilitation project. The project was fortunate in receiving $48,000 to continue with the rehab program. The program is targeted toward the low to moderate income household. This summer Vernal City will begin construction on home rehabilitation projects for 17 individuals who have applied for this program. The projects will include ramps and bathroom remodeling for seniors and disabled within our community. TAKE IT WITH YOU AND SAVE P 1 ' I I - I 'mm I mmt Bargains galore in the ExpressThrifty Shopper 54 N. Vernal Ave. 789-3511 PIZZA LARGE 2 TOPPING PIZZA 2 Liter Bottle Pop & 4 Ice Creams I rTmi ,,- r. $1099 14 town has remained federally owned and due to rising costs, the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Forest. Service spend nearly $1 million annually an-nually running community facilities and services. Provisions in the Act would transfer trans-fer approximately 2,400 acres of land no longer necessary for agency functions out of federal ownership. Residents of Dutch John will have the opportunity to purchase homes they currently rent from the Bureau of Reclamation at fair market value. After transfer of ownership, a local government will provide basic community com-munity services, such as roads, water, wa-ter, and sewer, presently provided and paid for by the federal government. govern-ment. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) is a co-sponsor co-sponsor of the bill. Postal rates approved for increase The cost of mailing a letter will go up by a penny early next year, said Vernal Post Master Dan McCarty, reporting action taken by the Postal Service's governing board Tuesday. The new rates approved by the Independent Postal Rate Commission on May 11, will take effect Jan. 10, 1999. Other rate changes included a decrease de-crease in the cost of an additional ounce of first-class mail from 23 cents to 22 cents. The cost of sending send-ing a local newspaper will increase from 14.5 cents to 15.7 cents and the magazine rate will go up from 27.1 cents to 29.1 cents. The basic parcel post package that cost $2.42 will increase 32 cents Vernal Express Wednesday, July 1, 1998 wwi uhmw, "'! ,...,. ; Vnm , ., imiiui...,. wpii 11 .(Ha ' . , "II3" ' ' 3kv vL)r .r I t3uiwiwi-y :i "' i 1 1 'mmmtLtUmi '. 1 Vance Norton is congratulated by accomplishments as a marksman. Sheriff Rick Hawkins for his 19-year-old killed while driving tractor Marksman invited to world competition The teenage driver of a farm tractor trac-tor was killed Friday as a result of an accident at 9:40 p.m. on SR-40 near the Echo Drive Inn in Roosevelt. Samuel Ruben Ames, 19 of Altonah, was driving a 1981 Massey Ferguson Standard Clearance Farm Tractor west on SR-40. A westbound 1990 Jeep Wrangler driven by Kimberly Ann Foote, 20, of Vernal overtook the tractor and struck it on the rear left side throwing the driver off. The driver suffered massive injures when the tractor rolled on top of him. Trooper Jack Peterson, Utah Highway Patrol, said the driver said she did not realize the vehicle was a tractor until she was almost in contact con-tact with it. "Just before the collision the vehicle ve-hicle attempted evasive action, but was unsuccessful," Peterson reported. report-ed. "The tractor had no 'slow moving mov-ing vehicle' placard, flashing lights or other equipment to warn traffic to the rear. The tractor had reflectors reflec-tors on the rear, but they were inadequate inad-equate to illuminate the vehicle." Trooper Peterson issued no citation cita-tion in the accident. Foote suffered minor injures to her arm as she pulled her 8-month baby from a car seat. Foote was taken to the Uintah Basin Medical Center where she was treated and released. Tribe pulls rug on water projects This year, Corp. Vance Norton of the Uintah County Sheriff's Department has been invited to Austria to compete internationally against teams from other law enforcement en-forcement departments throughout the world as part of the Deputy Sheriff's Association Rifle Team. The team was invited to the competition com-petition because of its performances perfor-mances in three other competitions. In 1997, the team placed second shooting against departments from the entire western United States. In 1998, the team scored 4th in the Autauga Arms International Super Marksmen Shootout. In this event, the team competed against 27 international inter-national teams. Last May the team took third shooting against Utah police teams at the Utah Police Olympics. The competition not only sharp ens the team's abilities, but serves as a means of obtaining useful information in-formation about how other departments depart-ments are doing. "To do well at competitions you not only have to shoot well, but also al-so have to be able to deal with various vari-ous situations and targets," Norton said. Much of the equipment Norton uses at the competition he purchased pur-chased from his own pockets and the practicing and competition are on his own lime. "Vance has achieved, through his dedication, a great amount of success," suc-cess," said Sheriff Rick Hawkins. "Most of his training has been done on his own and it has enhanced our department. His skills will be a preventive pre-ventive measure, used as a last resort re-sort to insure the safety of officers, victims and suspects." Water projects the Ute Tribe fully supported were given the thumbs down by the Tribal Business Committee, if they are built on tribal trib-al lands. Over three years ago the tribe hoped the projects would bring prosperity to the reservation if they were built on tribal property. In a statement read to federal, state and local water officials in a meeting in Salt Lake City Monday last week, Ron Wopsock, Ute Business Committee Chainnan, said the operations agreement did not serve the tribe and its purpose has changed. "The Uintah Unit, as presently configured, no longer provides the tribe with benefits it believes are necessary to justify building the Lower Uintah Reservoir on the reservation," Wopsock read from prepared document. "Similar changes to the configuration of the Upalco Unit will make the unit equally untenable from the tribe's perspective." Wopsock said that the tribe would consider supporting the projects if they are built off the reservation, but with environmental impact statement nearly complete for projects pro-jects on the reservation, the tribe's lack of support nearly killed the projects. The deadline for federal funding of the projects is July 2000. After reading the tribe's position, the Business Committee and their attorneys walked out of the meeting. meet-ing. Millions have been spent on planning the projects, but without tribal support the outlook is bleak. - "stir v l Most of Norton's shooting equipment, he purchased himself. Flaming Gorge outlet pipe test rescheduled Testing of the outlet pipe at Flaming Gorge, originally scheduled sched-uled for June 35 or June 26, 1998, has been delayed while crews complete com-plete modifications to the electrical circuits that control the automated operations of the outlet pipes. Testing is now scheduled to take place on either Tuesday, June 30, 1998, or Wednesday, July 1, 1998. Each of the two outlet pipes will be tested for approximately two hours. During that time, releases from each pipe will be slowly increased in-creased to full capacity of 2,000 cubic cu-bic feet per second, and then reduced re-duced and shut off. Ill v-1 m m ft Sunday WESTERN PHRIC CfilLEliEJIiR Western Heritage Museum Open Mon-Sat 9 am -6 pm Museum 789-7399 302 East 200 South 789-7396 Office JULY 1998 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday l iMniittir i t Events listed are subject to change. -J PDQ Penni"g 2 Art Show 3 '.clss orss- 4 'Art Shw Please call Western Park to verify 789-7396 . , R" IVes tern Heritage Museum 789-7399 "uiy 1 - July so g g -Art Show y .Art Show Q -Art Show g Art Show - Q .Art Show - -j .Art Show Utah Clinic DINOSAUR ROUNDUP RODEO I2 1 3-rdmg 1 4:nr 1 5:rningl 1 6,ArtSh0W 1 1 7 :zm 1 s- j'"" -Art Show -UBBRA .Utah Farm Bureau ConvenHon Heunion ArtSh0W 'Art Show Bureau Convention njjaTu" Horse ShoT i" "f M'iww.iit avi i ;rmzmrmw?Tm 1f ArtShow j.ArtShow ArtShow O.ArtShow fyt "Art Show OC'AIShow 17 CAj '4-H Riding . . Trail Dusters C.C. ,pD0- Penning l .Valley CJO ' Class of -73" Club .Rising Stars Roping Reunion Rodeo tllilMlilTJ fJCZ Q"7ArtShow QQ.ArtShow QQ Art Show Qrt 'Art Show J4 'Grass Roots' '3 Cousins Art CJO C. I .4-H Riding 4!lO.Rising Stars fc57.PDQ Penning OU Las, Day I ' USTRC Ropirig Show Starts Club .Trail Dusters UBBRA lgS'HKW.WjpW 4.U:W!.9m Aug. 1-29 ET,'UiH"i; HUP'l I Utah Power - (Private) fAJlii'li" I ' ' J Grass Roots MaMiaiUatfiii ClerkAuditor Convention (Private) Roping thru Aug. 2 This monthly calender of events is brought to you by the Vernal Express and the following businesses. 7iny'$ leather goods Hand-Made Saddles (tor Pack Saddles Wallets Belts Bridles Halters All Items Custom Tooled by Tiny Clark-OwnerCraftsman SUPER CENTER HOMETOWN PItIJD Open 7 Days A Week 7 am to 12 Midnight Pharmacy - Floral - Bakery - Deli - Film Developing - Check Cashing ATM - Western Union - Money Orders . Ticket Outlet 575 W. Main - Vernal - 789-2001 750 E. 200 N. - Roosevelt - 722-2296 ) FrontIer TraveI anc! Tours "Your Travel Professional" "Best Possible Schedul Best Possible Prices" Airline Tickets Car Rentals Cruises Hotels Amtrak Vacatons Groups Corporate Business Accounts Free Ticket Delivery Wlth-ln Uintah Basin Utah Motor Co. New & Used Vehicles Service & Parts Leasing & Rentals 435-789-0454 270 E. Main Vernal A 11 W J Is- kl 0 fi Stefan |