OCR Text |
Show 9 2 Yemal Expfe Friday. Soptombf 9, 1983 PUBLIC FORUM LETTERS TO THE EDITOR What is yen opinion' The Express welcomes tetters from its readers concerning any subject pertinent to the Umtoh Bosm While there ore no restrictions os to contents or reasonoWe length, letters must be submitted eclusively to the Express ond beor the liter's full name, signature, phone number ond oddress Names must be printed on ocJitical letters but may be withheld for good reasons if requested on others. AH letters are subject to condensation. Library Help Maeser tax increases To the Editor: Responding to Mr. Nash's article last week, I would like to write a few words opposing his description of our public library. Our library is a facility that is advantageous ad-vantageous to both educational as well as cultural interests. We have the opportunity op-portunity of using any of the equipment equip-ment available, previewing and displaying works of art in the multipurpose room without charge, participating in well organized childrens' activities such as puppetry, square dancing, story time, art lessons, and reading contests; not to mention this to is without charge using us-ing experienced professional advisors. I haven't really noticed the plush carpets, but I have noticed the friendly friend-ly way I've been treated at the front desk. If the library is over-staffed, maybe it's time we asked their professional profes-sional help seeking information on World War II and various other subjects. sub-jects. Aware of what is in our library, they are also knowledgeable on the Inter-library Loan System that can provide pro-vide nearly any book needed in only a few days. I would like Uintah County Library Staff and County Commissioners to know how much my family along with many others in our community appreciate ap-preciate this facility and the professionalism profes-sionalism shown there. Thank you, DEENA MILLECAM Dear Editor Somehow the recent action by the Maeser Water District to increase its mill levy to 22 mills has escaped public and media attention. That is an incredible increase in taxes. Last year, the Maeser Water District only levied a 4.75 mill tax. With this increase tax, the property taxes on a $60,000 home goes from $47.50 to $220, a 450 increase. The increase in-crease is way above the 6 annual increase in-crease allowed by state law. And this is on top of one of the highest user charges for water and sewer services in the Ashley Valley $46 every two months. Granted, the District may have financial problems. Millions of dollars of loans, costly attempts to drill wells that have not proven productive, and cost overruns on other related projects have been difficult and complex issues for the Water Board to deal with. But no explanation or alternatives have been presented to the Maeser residents. And there have been no public notices in the newspaper or public hearings regarding the large tax increase. Let's hope that the District will provide pro-vide a forum for the discussion of these issues. A tax of 22 mills by a water and sewer district, particularly during the present economic climate, seems impossible im-possible to justify. NAME WITHHELD BY REQUEST Hanging found near Whiterocks A badly decomposed body was found hanging in the tree southeast of White-rocks White-rocks Wednesday afternoon. According to Brent Boren of the Indian In-dian Tribal Police Department, Stan Hoopes, Jr., of Tridell, was riding his horse in the foothill area of Little Valley when he spotted the body hanging in the tree. He reported it to the Indian Police. The cove in which the body was found is concealed by foliage this time of year, and the body was not visible from the road. The road between Tridell and Whiterocks is about 450 yards from the cove. The body was sent to' the state medical examiner along with dental charts of a young male Indian who was reported missing in the spring of this year. Officer Boren identified the youth has been missing for four months. Tribal Police were awaiting a positive identification Friday. The investigation is being handled by the Indian Police Department and is being headed by Officer Boren. THEY HAD A BIG- AtRSHOW AND A AUTO DAR.E DEVIL SHOW AND I MISSED IT ALL' . I THOUCrMT O N LABOR. DAY YOU WAS SUST SUPPOSED TO wofctc-J Life and other trivialities . . . Driving home Thursday afternoon Mineral lease money... Continued from page 1 nioh how mineral lease money should be allocated. Richard L. Dewsnup, then Assistant Attorney General, wrote that opinion. That opinion also referred to bonus money paid by energy development companies. That opinion is very lengthy. A couple sections sec-tions are worth quoting concerning the meaning of "priority". Dewsnup writes, "Two things are particularly clear; first, Congress wanted to give the legislatures of the states maximum max-imum discretion in determining how the shared funds would be used, including in-cluding oil shale funds; but, second, the states had to first satisfy the financial finan-cial needs of local communities and subdivisions of state government to alleviate adverse social and economic impacts resulting from the development develop-ment of minerals under federal leases before the shared funds could be used for any other purpose." At another point Dewsnup concludes, con-cludes, "It thus becomes reasonably clear that the Utah Legislature must first make provisions to satisfy all present pre-sent and foreseeable ( reasonably to be anticipated) financial requirements to alleviate adverse social and economic impacts resulting from development of minerals leased under the Federal Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 before any funds received under 30 U.S.C. SS 191 may be used for any other purpose." Energy impacted areas could hardly ask for a more positive statement in their favor. Whether the state has followed that opinion has been questioned. ques-tioned. The state legislature earlier this year took $10 million of the Ua and Ub bonus money paid by White River Vernal Express (USPS 6580-6000) Published tvtry Wedntidoy ond Ffidoy lot $ U 00 pw yot in o'M ond $20 00 pt ytor Ovt Oi O'to by m Vtrnol Enprttt Publishing Company, 54 North Vornol AvffluO, Vtrnol, UioK 8078 Sond cIom pofog pod o Vtrnol, Vtr-nol, U'oh 84078 POSTMASTER. Snd odd'.M (hongtt 'O V! R. NAl EXPRESS, P O. fto 1010, V.rl, U'oh 84078 JcmV R WoU.t Editor 0d Publish S'wt P.. Wo. .,........ Nwi Ed.w $tttn V. Cn'u'enn . , , . Atti Nwi Editor Aldon Rot! Spo"i Editor Rvffc Ann 8ifktti0H . . . . Wwi'i Nw JoftO W.ll.o! AdHg PKo 7813511 Mbr ot U'oh Pri AiKX'O'Kjn od National Nwpnpf Assoce Ar0 "ttponntJ; Jn . : , . . , Vo Se, 719 0628 Mlo Ood Region, 784 346) Nopl Ado Optm, ?r JUS TrM . UM, 247 2)50 loo ; rWd MwW, 247-242J Moow .... Elo-M AUn Pater, 7t9 2t78 Mrd .Tnxy put, 722 mi WVrrjl Vioa tmpw, 3$) 4584 Gm , , No"a toon, 78 1)02 GsetJv, tl, trjs . Sfofe pVhIm, S45-2)27 MrMje 500 6 tuwdrje 1 1 00 0 TV 10JO Awr tVb 200 pm t Shale Corporation to balance the 1982 fiscal year budget. People with the Community Impact Board believe what they are doing with the money they receive is the best of all possible uses, otherwise they would use it differently. People in Uintah Uin-tah County may have another opinion, perhaps as valid or more so than members of the Community Impact Board, but so do people in Duchesne County, Garfield County,, or , Washington County. Someone must make the decision as to how the money is used. There is always the opinion, as there is in any situation, of taking the matter mat-ter to court. Public officials notwithstanding, not-withstanding, there has been talk that Uintah County should contest the usage of that $10 million dollars the state took from the Ua and Ub bonus money. But, as one local official suggested, sug-gested, that may not be a smart consideration. con-sideration. In actuality the $10 million went into the general fund, but in application ap-plication it certainly could have been used specifically in the area of the Thistle mud slide. The Community Impact Im-pact Board, the state legislature, or anyone else could easily justify the usage of that money in the Thistle situation as being energy related, since the road blockage brought energy rich Carbon and Emcrgy counties coun-ties to their knees. Whether the $10 million goes directly for the Thistle area or is rerouted through the general budget seems inconsequential. in-consequential. Uintah County Is going to want to approach the Community Impact Board for several considerations considera-tions in the next few years. Right now there is a lot of sympathy throughout the slate for victims of this year's flooding. It may be unwise to ruffle feathers of the bird you wish to help you at a future time. By Steve Christensen Express Assistant Editor r- The first thing I noticed when I moved mov-ed to the Ashley Valley several months ago was the terrible roads. I swear I have never been anywhere that the roads were in such poor condition. When Vernal City began a massive street improvement program I was elated, but I must ask one question, who planned this mess? I live on 100 North and 400 West. Since the Express office is just a few blocks away, it's been a snap getting to and from work. Because of my job, I also like being close to everything, so I don't have much travel time. Now, I have a difficult time even getting home from work. As I approach Vernal Avenue from the east, I note 100 North Street is clos- . ed. Fine, so I turn north to go down to 7 200 Nortfi, but it is also closed. So is 300 North, 400 North and 500 North. Since . my options are getting short, I turn right, go around the block, and come back on Vernal Avenue proceeding south. They are repaying half of the street, so I breath in and drive between these orange poles that look like they would be a lot of fun to knock down as I drive by. I resist the urge, and soon I am at Main Street, on the wrong side of the street, because that's where the orange poles and these lady flag type people guide me. The only problem is that cars keep coming out of the parking park-ing lots on the right side of the street. They are all turning right, so I ask this ' flag woman if it's okay if I turn right from where I am. She tells me it would be better if I go straight through and turn west on 100 South. On no! not 100 South, I remember that street. It looks almost as bad as 100 North. Okay, I'm a law abiding citizen,-1 do as I am instructed. So I'm on 200 South, proceeding west. I decide I can miss the worst of the 100 South by turning north at 100 West. I go through the light at Main Street, but 100 North is closed. By this time I'm a little aggravated, so I decide I'm going down 100 North anyway, those roads are never really totally blocked anyway. Wrong! At 300 West the middle of the road is dug up and piles of dirt and new fire hydrants cover every inch of the rest of the street. Okay, so I shouldn't have been on that road in the first place, it serves me right. I retrace my steps to Main Street. Thank goodness for Main Street. I proceed to 400 West and turn north, but there is a sign that says the road is closed, so I turn around, go back to Main Street, around to 500 West Street, where 100 North is als6 closed. After waiting on 500 West for the flag person to tell me where to go I proceed to 200 North Street. I don't believe it, 200 North is not closed. I go to 400 West Street, turn south, and the road is closed. The moral of the story is I really wasn't in Vernal at all, I was in the twilight zone, and I have been condemned con-demned to spend the rest of my life driving around, trying to get home. Naples bond, too good to pass up By Steve Christensen Express Assistant Editor Naples City will hold a bond election September 27, in an attempt to secure a loan from the Community Impact Board in order to improve roads in the city. The loan is for $1 million. Of that amount, $600,000 will be charged at 5 percent interest, the other $400,000 will be interest free. Computed together' that equates to only 3 percent interest. The city will never have a better chance to do something really meaningful mean-ingful to improve the roads in Naples. The loan also includes money to build a Naples City Building. Naples will also contribute $250,000 to the project. pro-ject. At first glance that may not appear ap-pear to be as good a move as the road improvement, but upon closer Inspection, Inspec-tion, that too looks like a pretty good deal. Right now Naples City is paying $500 a month rent on a converted house they are using for a city building. The facility is not very well arranged and does not give a person a very good impression im-pression of the city. That $6000 a year they are now paying for rent might as well be going towards a building they .will eventually own. .'. The Naples City Council has said from the inception they do not intend to levy a property tax against land owners in order to finance the city. There have been rumors circulating around town that if the bond passes the city will need to implement a property proper-ty tax in order to repay the loan. The City Council adamantly denies this claim. Their rational appear valid. - Right now Naples City is budgeting ' $160,000 for street improvements and another $60,000 for building funds. Terms of the loan require it to be repayed in 12 years. There need be no principal payment during the first two years of the loan. This makes $63,000 due each of the first two years. The remaining re-maining 10 years will require payments of $110,000 each year. Besides the city buidling, the loan will allow repaving of 12 to 14 miles of the total 21 miles of roads in Naples City. The repaying will substantially cut down the necessary repair work, thus, most of the current road maintenance budget of $160,000 can go towards paying pay-ing back the loan. In addition, the entire en-tire building fund budget can go toward pitying buck the loan. All of the repaving work can be accomplished in one year, beginning in the spring of 1984 and being completed during the Tennis --for the fun of it By Steven Wollli Visitor... Continued from pogo I sticks together, Mr. Sorensen said. "There are a lot of older people cm the block, but I'm sure any of them would help me If I needed them." Jimmy Ivan Hunt, 2) of Vernal, was booked into I'intah County Jail on charges of criminal trespassing. He was held on t'4 bail. Gambling... Corrlinvd f0"1 pOO I Nash Mid. if the court find thai the machines were, in fact, being used for illegal gambling. Mate statute requires them to be sold at public auction of destroyed if they cannot be sold. The owner of the machines, who placed them m the establishments, has not been implicated. Sheriff Stewart said the entire operation was accomplished without incident NEWS ITEMS CaB your Hometown Newsoaoer 7W All right I will admit ll-I love to play tennis. There is Just something about smacking a furry little yellow ball and watching it fly across the net. And I will also admit it Is this Infatuation In-fatuation with the sport that Is the main reason for the first annual Vernal Ver-nal Express and Vernal Recreation Open Invitational Tournament. The tournament start this week end wouldn't be possible without the sponsorship spon-sorship of local businesses and clubs. rroeeed from the tournament will go to improving the Vernal City tennis ten-nis courts and to start a scholarship fund at t'intah High School. fifty four people have signed up for the tournament, and others keep wan-ling wan-ling to enter, Either there are a lot of other people in the area who enjoy the sport or else the tennis court are in pretty bad shape. Nearly three year ago an epose appeared in the Vernal Expres revealing the danger of playing tennis ten-nis on the Vernal tennis court. Since that time Vernal City has sunk lio.ooo into improving their four court. The problem with the court is they weren't built correctly in the first place. It's difficult to play tennis on the same native asphalt used on the city's mad. Even though the problem has been corrected to some degree, it will never be smooth until they are entirely entire-ly resurfaced. The other tennis courts wbkh are owned by the tintah School District are cracked and torn so badly that play is a game of fueling where the ball will go net!. It would be ail em if you should fall on the court It s too bad because they are the only lighted courts. The next typical jab I could throw would be to say, "Look at the wrestling wrestl-ing team. They are Renting their own room in the new high school. Why shouldn't tennis get the same." But I won't make that statement because I like wrestling almost as much as tennis. As the wrestling team does something for this community that no other sport has ever done. Another reason why I would pull that punch is because after scrutinizing the School... plans for the new high school, I spotted spot-ted eight tennis courts arc in the plans. Now understand that the courts will not be built right off, but maybe if the Interest In there, they might be built. Until they are built, I will hold my breath when the county docs away with the tennis courts to make room for the new jail, and I will continue to wear two pair of socks while playing to save my feel. After all there arc some things In life more important than tennis, jut ak a golfer. Whether golfer, tennis player, or someone so-meone who just likes to participate In all sport, a lot of credit has to be given to I'am Reyers and the Vernal City Recreation Department. fall of that same year. The building budget will nearly cover the loan payment during the first two years, thus allowing the city to build up a small fund toward repaying repay-ing subsequent years of the loan. During Dur-ing the third year, even at the present budget, there will be $220,000 available to make a loan payment of $110,000. This still leaves money to make street repairs on the additional 7 to 9 miles of road that will not be repaved, which includes sections of road that are now in good condition. People are constantly concerned about increasing taxes, and rightfully rightful-ly so. When a community gets a chance to do something about one of the biggest problems it has, without increasing in-creasing taxes, they should go for it. Flaming Gorge Water System ("laming Gorge Water System, Inc., in Daggett County has applied for funds from the Board of Water Resources to help finance repairs to its municipal water system and to develop a spring, The syMcm serves the rural area of I.uccrne Valley near the Town of Manila, Some damage to the system has resulted from extremely wet soil conditions, Estimated cost of the project pro-ject is t'r4.noo, The Division of Water Resources. I'tah Department of Natural Resources, will conduct a feasibility study on the proposed project before the board act on the application. CoMi(vud fto pogt I school project, said that a change order wnuld have to be negotiated with the lower bidder, Peterson supported the idea of delaying the bid aw ard until un-til the other source of fill could be evaluated. Eof the remainder of the meeting the architect presented drawings of the new- high school for board approval. ap-proval. The board decided to bid the new shcool in November along with the auditorium addition to West Junior High School Contractor can bid the building separately or together or both. bkk Harris was appointed by the board to be over seer of the construction construc-tion ol the high school to insure that the building meets the boards jpecification. "A man i Harris of his background will really help.." Superintendent Phil Ellis said "We are fortunate to have a man of hi caliber " Harris was general contractor on the Dee s Special Event Center and several hospital and school. Daytime Easy Adult; Music... Eaty On The tor... You'll Wont To listen no Country 6 P.M. to 7 P.M. Iwn in th Ralph tmtry Show 7 rM foMtdnitsht Jim Uonard tho Adyl! Stollon |