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Show Vernal Express Wednesday, October 28, 1998 PUBLIC FORUM LETTERS TO THE EDITOR What is your opinion? The Express welcomes letters from its readers concerning any subject pertinent 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 submit-ted exclusively to the Express and bear the writer's full name, signature, signa-ture, phone number and address. Letters may be mailed, faxed at 789-8690 789-8690 or through e-mail at editoreasilink.com. The name or names of those submitting letters must appear on all published letters. All letters are subject to condensation. Letters express the opinion of the writer and are not necessarily the opinion of the Express Editor. Continued from page 2 check on the House's simple majority. major-ity. Prop. 5 is not over-kill. Hunting has been unduly affected by outside special interests in other states. Let's not let it happen in Utah. Correctly stated in an opposition letter, "Educated hunters have been leaders on conservation issues." Hunters have become more and more informed about conservation. They are the true conservationists. Hunters are the ones who pay for conservation through the taxes imposed upon hunting. Also, in reply again to the opposition, there is no one more so than those who hunt that wants our children to be able to enjoy wildlife. Another issue thrown out is urban growth and habitat loss. This is part of the concerns con-cerns of the hunter in keeping a balance bal-ance of predators in respect to other species. The opposition says that Prop. 5 supporters are throwing out a smoke screen, but I see much more being thrown out by the opposition. oppo-sition. Prop. 5 does not pit the "hunting" conservationist against the "non-hunting" conservationists, except where there is misinformation. misinforma-tion. And yes, both groups do need each other. Please remember that the issue here is a true majority vote of the "people" on an issue which has been proven to be affected by special interests groups outside of the states involved. The power is even more in the hands of the people peo-ple with Prop. 5. Please be as fully informed as possible with the true understanding of the issue, and may we do the best possible for our wildlife species. H.K. LATHAM Vernal Two savvy individuals Dear Editor, As you prepare to vote for the next commissioners you should ask yourself whether the candidates you prefer have the experience, inclination inclina-tion and aptitude to manage a modern mod-ern day conglomerate. You might not think of our county government as a large, complex, highly diversified diversi-fied enterprise, but you should. Many people, I suspect, think of county government as a simple organization whose activities are primarily clerical in nature, collecting collect-ing taxes, issuing marriage licenses, appraising property, issuing permits, per-mits, and so on. Years ago, in simpler sim-pler times, it was such an organization. organiza-tion. Today it is much different. I see it as a dynamic holding company compa-ny that owns and operates a diverse array of enterprises with talented employees, utilizing state of the art equipment, whose common bond is that they serve the public by providing provid-ing a public good. We have a road construction company, a law firm, a book store with a million dollar inventory, a title company, a security securi-ty firm specializing in law enforcement, enforce-ment, computer consultants, who keep multimillion dollars worth of computers running, an entertainment entertain-ment company that promotes conventions, con-ventions, hosts concerts, runs an ice skating rink, cater parties, and so on, a hospital for the elderly, a hospitality hos-pitality center for the elderly, an inhospitable hotel which caters to men and women who favor the color orange in their apparel, otherwise other-wise known as the jail, a property management firm that maintains assets worth $35 million and so on. There are more, a state of the art mapping group, a herbicide company, compa-ny, a sanitation company. But r Thank You Golden Corral! Thank you for giving us great service during our noon luncheon meetings this past year! We appreciate you! urriMAi at-it7a niTAHinrn nr? rr t irnnr enough is enough. I have made the point. As the County personnel director, I see the diversity more than most. I might be looking for RNs one day, POST certified sheriff deputies the next, or a college graduate with a degree in early childhood development develop-ment to man the children's wing of the library. I do not think there is a company under unified management manage-ment in the county with the breadth and depth of services as the county government. From my vantage point, commissioners commis-sioners more than earn their keep. If I was asked to provide a list of minimum qualifications for the job of commissioner which I am asked to do with every other position that opens up, here is what I would say: They must be long time residents of Uintah County who have been active in community affairs, who know the business life and the people peo-ple of Uintah County well. Without this fundamental feel for the place and its people they cannot represent the public interest well. Given the specialized and diversified nature of each department, there will be much that they will not know. That is where being a quick study, having good problem solving skills and lots of common sense help. Given the structure, they must have an organizational organi-zational mind-set. "Do we need to be in all these businesses? Where can we privatize? What is the right size for this department? Such questions ques-tions should come easily and often. They must have vision, the ability to plan for the future. They must have an abiding interest in making progress. Being a commissioner offers a wonderful opportunity to make a difference:" Finally they must never underestimate the importance of people, whether they are employees, constituents, rich or poor, young or old. Their hearts have to be in the right place. And one more thing a sense of humor helps a commissioner keep an even keel. Whoever we choose, they will be assuming command of a modem, multi-service organization that deserves to be run by people who know what they are doing. Every vote counts, so no excuses. It is in your job description as a citizen of Uintah County. Please vote on Tuesday, Nov. 3. JERRY GOLINS Vernal If it ain't broke Dear Editor: A recent hiking trip to southern Utah provided some interesting reading in the form of pro-Proposition pro-Proposition 5 posters. "Don't let outsiders make decisions about Utah's wildlife..." seemed to be one recurring theme. It seems that the creators of these ads do not understand how the State Wildlife Board works. (Or perhaps they do all too well.) The State Wildlife Board makes decisions governing wildlife on behalf of the citizens of Utah. The seven individuals individ-uals who comprise the board membership mem-bership are not elected but appointed appoint-ed and thus cannot be voted out of office. The average Utahn does not even know these people exist much less know their names. Right now, the board listens carefully care-fully to hunters and frequently votes to reflect this care and concern. Who will be on the board in 10 or 1 20 years? Will they always be "hunter friendly?" If they aren't hunters will need to raise a super-majority super-majority to be heard. Do hunters think it will be easy? Do they care what happens in 10 or 20 years? Utah is becoming more urban eventually even the Wildlife Board will reflect the change. So I ask hunters: "what then?" Under our present State Constitution, Utah citizens can challenge poor decisions made by the board if they can get the support of a 51 percent majority. This has never happened in our state history but it offers one of the few recourses we have at our disposal. Proposition 5, if passed, will require a 67 percent majority of Utah voters on future referendums. If this passes, we will have blindly given away 16 percent of our voting rights to an unelected board. Free societies are rarely so eager to give away their voting rights. In fact, since it is only Utah voters who can vote in a referendum of this nature, who are the "outsiders?" Being from rural Utah, maybe I am missing something. Has this changed? Are other states' citizens now allowed to vote in Utah on Utah issues? This argument for Proposition 5 just doesn't make sense to me. Another dubious point that the pro-Proposition 5 faction has tried to make is in regards to science. I submit that it has been a very long time since science has been considered consid-ered important in Utah wildlife decisions. Ask the biologists who lost their jobs after whirling disease was discovered in a prominent Utah family's private fishery. Fish which were slated for western streams. Utah DWR biologists often find that politics will preempt good wildlife management much of the time. If rural Utahns really care about this issue, I suggest they talk privately with field biologists off the record. They, too, would learn that our wildlife management is not science-oriented but yet another cog in our political machine. I care greatly about our wildlife. I gave up hunting years ago, but still offer financial support to groups including Ducks Unlimited, Audubon and others who preserve habitat. I do not feel that taking away my voice and the voice of thousands of Utahns is good for our wildlife. Most free societies think long and hard before they make any changes in a constitution that has served them so well. This is the basic foundation foun-dation of conservatism stick with what works. We should preserve pre-serve our right to a fair debate and vote. And, in a country person's vernacular, "If it ain't broke don't fix it." Nancy Bostick-Ebbert Vernal, UT or i ' Advertise In the ExpressThrifty Shopper 789-3511 54 N. Vernal Ave. LEODSD Vote for a proven leader.. BEVERLY EVANS Utah State Senate District 26 fif VOTE November 3rd For BEVERLY EMMS Pesticide Applicator's certification workshop The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food and Utah State University Cooperative Extension Service will be holding a commercialnon-commercial pesticide pesti-cide applicator training and recerti-fication recerti-fication workshop for Uintah, Duchesne and Daggett Counties on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 1998 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Roosevelt Utah State University Education Center, 987 East Lagoon Street, Multipurpose Multi-purpose Room. The workshop will be held for commercial and non-commercial applicators whose certification expires ex-pires at the end of 1998, or who are not currently certified to buy and use Restricted Use Pesticides. New category certification exams will be administered during the workshop. Applicators are strongly encouraged to obtain new category study manuals before the workshop. work-shop. The new study manuals are available at your local Utah State University Extension office and from your local Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, Field Representative. For more information informa-tion call David Wilson at 738-1142, 822-4680, 722-3997 ext. 142. Farmers prepare for end of harvest Farmers are preparing for the end of harvest season, according to the Utah Agricultural Statistics Service. Most counties have reported report-ed livestock in very good condition as they are moved from summer ranges. Winter wheat was 83 percent emerged, slightly below last year and slightly above the five-year average. av-erage. Corn was 87 percent mature, 1 percentage point ahead of 1997; and 28 percent harvested for grain. 7 School Board District 3 Common Sense Decisions for Difficult Issues : Common sense tells me that if the school 1) Reduce class size 2) Keep school districts employee's benefits 3) Pay for drivers education 4) Get support for the voted leeway 5) Have taxpayers support Then common sense tells me: 1) Who should not be supporting a 5 raise for the superintendent. But that is what my opponent is proposing. Obituary Earl Douglass G.E. Earl "Doug" Douglass, 90, of Grinnell, Iowa, formerly of Hardin, Mont., passed away Sunday, Oct. 18, 1998 in Iowa. He was born Jan. 30, 1908 in Pittsburgh, Pa., a son of Earl and Pearl Goetschius Douglass. Doug's father, Earl Douglass, discovered the bones that began what is now Dinosaur National Monument near Vernal. He was an only child and lived at the monument site from the time he was six months old until he was in high school. His admiration for his father, who he considered to be his greatest teacher, continued throughout his lifetime and was the driving force in many of the things he did in later life. Doug became a self-taught mining min-ing engineer, working with gold companies in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Oregon and California. In 1932, while working near Chico Hot Springs, he met the school teacher of the Chico country school. Thelma Dunckel from Livingston, became his main interest inter-est in life. On Dec. 27, 1933, they were married in his mother's home in Salt Lake City. Their life together togeth-er took them all over the west with the Humphrey's Gold Company until un-til they finally settled in the Sacramento Valley in California. In 1943 Doug spent six months in Ecuador testing the soil for gold in an exciting adventure that gave him stories to share with anyone who Onions were 86 percent harvested, harvest-ed, 13 percentage points behind last year and 10 percentage points behind be-hind the five-year average. Apples were 87 percent picked, 5 percentage percent-age points behind 1997 and 3 percentage per-centage points ahead of the five-year five-year average. Cattle were 88 percent moved from summer range, the same as last year and 3 percentage points behind the five-year average; and sheep were 89 percent moved, 1 LB BE DSIT Paid Political Advertisement "Beverly has always shown great support for what goes on in our communities. She has worked hard to upgrade and improve our area. Beverly has my full support as a Utah State Senator. " Craig W. Collett, Daggett County Businessman "Representative Beverly Evans has worked very hard to represent her district in the Utah House of Representatives. She has held key positions posi-tions and has worked well with other legislators and local officials. She will do an excellent job as Senator for District 26. " Senator Alarik Myrin, District 26 "Beverly Evans did an outstanding job as Representative for District 54. Let's elect her as a Utah Senator in District 26. We support her and urge you to support her. " Leonard and Nell Heeney, Vernal " have never known a harder working legislator than Beverly Evans. She is tenacious when she sets her mind to a project. " Gayle F. McKeachnie, Attorney, Vernal "Beverly is a well-informed, knowledgeable, effective representative. She represents her constituents well and will be an effective Senator. " Representative Jack A. Seitz, District 55 " have worked with Beverly Evans for several years. If you want something done and done right, call Beverly. She will do the job and keep you informed. She is not bashful and will always "step up to the plate". She is one who thinks things through and looks at both sides of a question before making a decision. Beverly is a joy to work with. I support her 100 " James M. Briggs, Daggett County Commissioner Paid for by committee to elect Beverly Evans would listen. From 1945-1961, he worked fo the Natomas Gold Company near Folsom, Calif. In 1963, he went to work for the San Juan Unified School District, retiring retir-ing in 1972. After retirement, he spent several years typing his father's fa-ther's diaries and using them to write a book about the life and works of Earl Douglass. In 1981 Doug and his wife, Thelma, moved to Hardin to live near their daughter, Mary Dodson. After the death of his wife in 1989, he moved to Roundup where he resided for six years. In 1996 Doug was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease and lived the remainder of his life at the St. Francis Manor in Grinell near his daughter and son-in-law, Diane and Tom Iverson. Recollections of his father and of his own adventures roaming the hills of northeastern Utah became Doug's most enduring memories toward the end of his life. Doug was a member of the Masonic Lodge. Survivors include two daughters, Diana (Tom) Iverson of Pells, Mont., and her children, Paul, Philip and Mark; and Mary Margaret Dodson of Wolf Point, Mont., and her children, Kathleen, Carl and Peggy. Funeral services were held Saturday, Oct. 24 in the Hardin Fairview Cemetery under the direction direc-tion of Bullis Mortuary of Hardin. percentage point behind 1997 and 3 percentage points behind the five-year five-year average. Subsoil moisture was 14 percent short and 86 percent adequate. Topsoil moisture was 1 percent very short, 10 percent short, 85 percent per-cent adequate, and 4 percent surplus. sur-plus. Range and pasture conditions were 15 percent poor, 20 percent fair, 51 percent good, and 14 percent per-cent excellent. There were six days suitable for field work last week. district's unable to: |