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Show Single Copy 50t Vernal, Utah 84078 114th Year No. 6 Wednesday, February 8, 2006 QUIUEHS . WEATHER BY ASTCNUOOK Sec All www.vernal.rom l J LL I I I 5 W I I i mil m x i i- i r1 i'V ) 28 29 4217 4318 Sunnghnth MgjnjYSunjvHjghs w lArnhanana in Mavirn W "n atKegion -fa 1 occ j Dm Survey shows most visitors pleased with Ashley Forest By April Collett Express Writer In October 2006, the Forest Service will start a new recreational recre-ational survey for the Ashley National Forest. The surveys are done every four years and the most recent survey started in 2002. Lisa Ross, the public affairs representative of the Ashley National Forest Service, said, "The survey results are helpful help-ful in determining the interest inter-est of recreation on the Ashley National forest and, by determining deter-mining the interest we can better bet-ter manage the lands for multiple mul-tiple uses." The survey is also important for catering to the needs or wants of visitors to the Forest. The survey provides information infor-mation to the forest service in regards to its visitors, such as the demographics of persons visiting, popular sites, popular activities, length of stay, use of facilities, visitor satisfaction, and economic information. The Forest Service uses this compiled information to see patterns pat-terns in visitor activities, facility facil-ity use, or locations. They also can use these patterns to know what is needed when building new recreational areas. "Having the surveys on a regular reg-ular basis helps us to keep cur- . rent on visitor's interests," Ross said. According to the 2002 survey, most people come to the Ashley Forest for the unique geology and for the wildlife, in particular, particu-lar, fishing. Twenty-five percent of visitors interviewed were asked about the primary destination of their recreation trip. Since some people may incorporate a visit to the national forest as only part of a larger trip away from home, not all visitors chose the national forest as their primary destination. Of the 80 percent of the visitor that went to places other than this national forest during their recreation trip, 50 percent said the Ashley was their primary trip destination. In a typical year, visitors to the forest spent an average of $3,451 on all outdoor recreation activities activi-ties including equipment, recreation rec-reation trips, membership and licenses. In most of the categories of satisfaction on the forest, most visitors rated the forest as "very good." The only poor ranking was in the adequancy of signage: sign-age: 11.8 said it was poor, 4.4 percent said it was fair, 34.1 said it was good and 49.7 said it was very good. Categories where over 70 percent of those question ques-tion ranked the forest as "very good" were scenery, available parking, condition of natural environment and feeling of safety. Recreation complex By April Collett Express Writer The Alvin and Virginia Kay Memorial Park is estimated to 1 - - -V M' S ' ; I J vO iW v w Conceptual master plan of the proposed recreation complex for the property Vernal fireman hands down a saw to home on 1500 North. Fire leaves While a Vernal family was at the Roosevelt hospital, their Maeser home caught on fire and suffered substantial damage. Ryan and Leanna Wilkins had only lived in their home at 1500 North of 1694 West with their three children, for about six months before the fire. First responders at the scene, said they believe the fire started in a pile of split wood stacked on the back porch. A dog tied near the porch may have knocked over a heat lamp into the pile, causing the fire. A neighbor saw the smoke and tried to put out the blaze after he called the fire department. The fire spread from the wood pile to the wooden porch and into attic of the home. "I'll bet the dog knocked over start construction in the late summer or early fall of 2006. A master plan of the park has been approved by the Uintah Recreation Center. 1 " -- an EMT as they continue to fight a fire that settled in the attic of the Wilkins' Vernal family in need the heat lamp and caused the fire," said the neighbor. Vernal City Uintah County fire crews were able to put out the fire, but not before substantial substan-tial damage to the roof, and smoke and water damage to the Commissioner returns after cancer fight By Steven R. Wallis Express Editor Fifty pounds lighter and with a new haircut, Uintah County Commissioner Jim Abegglen strolled into Monday's Uintah County Commission meeting the first one he has been able to attend since last December. Abegglen finished radiation treatment last Friday after having a 2-inch golf ball-sized proposed The site of construction was bought from the Kay family on Vernal Ave. and 500 South and an architect to complete the construction of the proj- on south Vernal Avenue rest of the home. The family is accepting donations of clothing and financial donations can be made in the name of the Ryan Wilkins family at Wells Fargo Bank. tumor removed from his brain. "The worst part of the whole ordeal was the MRI, because they put the camera right up against your face and you have to sit still for up to 20 minutes," he said. "I tried to relax, but they started telling me not to go to sleep." "What amazes me is that-though that-though all of this, Jim has been able to maintain his sense of humor," said Commissioner to begin by fall ect is proposed to be hired on Wednesday, Feb. 8. There have been five architectural archi-tectural firms interviewed in the process of choosing a company com-pany to build the park. Each firm that was being considered consid-ered presented proposals to the Uintah Recreation Center. The Recreation Center hopes to hire EDA Architects, Inc. located in Salt Lake City. EDA has completed many recreation and fitness centers around Utah including Cottonwood Heights Recreation Center, the Taylorsville Recreation Center, and the Snyderville Basin Recreation Center. For the past eighteen months, the Recreation Board has done many public surveys and meetings meet-ings in order to create the master mas-ter plan for the park and also to come to many other decisions. City rejects bill to limit zoning powers By Steven R. Wailis Express Editor The Vernal City Council last week unanimously supported a resolution against SB -170 proposed pro-posed at the present session of the legislature that would limit the city's ability to implement planning and zoning ordinances. ordinanc-es. ' "It is very seldom that we would take such a strong position posi-tion against a bill, but every city in the state is being asked to pass this resolution," said Mayor Allan Mashburn. City manager Kenneth Bassett said the bill was being proposed by Sen. Al Mansell without any input from cities or counties coun-ties who worked with the 2005 Legislature to make significant changes to the State's municipal munici-pal and county land use code. Issues which cities and counties coun-ties are concerned about in the bill are: It takes away and disregards the opportunity for public input to the City's and County's elected elect-ed officials on a zone change, on an individual parcel of land, even though such a change may have significant effect on neighbors neigh-bors and adjacent land owners. It seriously compromises the ability of local elected officials offi-cials to balance the interests of developments and neighbors in making essential land use decision. deci-sion. It gives the development community the ability to control con-trol the development process in communities and establish intimidating penalties for officers offi-cers and employees of city and county, both criminal and civil, for failure to comply with that process. Presents difficult to impossible impos-sible timelines for the city or county's consideration of a land use decisions, under pressure of an automatic approval if those time frames are not met. Eliminates the City's and county's ability to plan long Mike McKee. "I deeply appreciate all the cards and visitors," Abegglen said. Abegglen became ill last September and for several week, doctors didn't know what was the matter. About four weeks later, he was diagonized with the cancer. "I go in for one more MRI and if they don't find anything, I should be okay," Abegglen said. The park will hopefully have a new library, a recreation center, cen-ter, a four-plex softball complex, com-plex, a jogging and walking path, senior center, as well as many other features. "The community center will be for everyone," commented Dan Rogerson, the director of the Uintah Recreation Center, "from toddlers, to senior citizens citi-zens ... we hope this will provide pro-vide a positive experience for individuals and families.'' There would probably be reasonable rea-sonable fees for using the recreation rec-reation center but the park will be completely open to the public, and most of the details are still yet to be determined. There will be public meetings about the construction of the Kay Memorial Park. For further fur-ther information, contact the Uintah Recreation Center. term, through its General Plan. Eliminates the city and county's ability to provide for the protection of surrounding property values, by imposing conditions for such protection according to the development proposal. The bill was conceived by a small coalition of developers develop-ers and home builders "doing business as" the Utah Property Rights Coalition. The Utah Property Rights Coalition is comprised of Anderson Development and 11 other builders build-ers and developers who would prefer to remain unnamed. Sen. Mansell has withdrawn his land-use bill, stating that he never intended the bill to pass. He just wanted to send a message mes-sage to cities that people were unhappy with them. In other business the Vernal City Council approved a $144,200 contract with Engineering Service to oversee a $1.4 million sewer replacement replace-ment project. "Most of these lines were built in the 1940s and 1950s and are in downtown Vernal," Bassett said. The project is on the April funding list from the Community Impact Board. The city has requested a half loan and half grant for the $1.4 million. mil-lion. The city doesn't have to bid professional services in that case, so the council approved the proposal of Engineering Services for about 12 percent of the project cost. Because of a deadlocked vote on the Ashley Valley Sewer Board, the City Council was asked to appoint a vice chairman chair-man and a secretary-treasurer. The Council appointed Darrell Lance as vice chairman and Bert Clark as secretary treasurer. trea-surer. Last month the council appointed Cal Dee Reynolds as the new chairman of the sewer board. Abegglen worked for about an hour Monday before returning home. He is undergoing physi cal therapy and hopes to back full time in about a month. "We appreciate having Jim back with us," said Commissioner Dave Haslem. "They say all my hair will fall out and then it will start grow ing back," Abegglen said. "I wouldn't even mind if it came back curly." Abegglen is in his fourth year on the county commission and was elected after numer ous years on the Vernal City Council. Commissioner Jim Abegglen f |