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Show 0 A-2 The Park Record Wednesday, January 19, 2000 Private talks could pave the way for changes with BFI Smaller bins, different colors in Old Town are being considered by new trash service by Jay Hamburger OF THE RECORD STAFF The barrage of complaints to the city, the county and Browning Ferns Industries from Old Town has apparently forced some changes to BFl's garbage pickup in that part of town. In an interview. BFl's Brad Mertz said the garbage-collection firm ts considering alterations to its Old Town operation meant to assuaae those who are unhappy with BFI. Mertz said BFI is considering uving smaller trash bins in the i evidential areas of Old Town and the firm is considering leplaeing the blue trash bins with a different color. But questions remain concerning who will pay for any changes in Old Town. He cannot yet offer a price for any changes. if Park City wants to do some things, we're willing to do what we can do to help them out." Mertz said. "BFI. Summit County and Park City are having talks and BFI is a company w here customer service is important impor-tant and if we can provide better service in Old Town, we're willing will-ing to do that." The citv and BFI met private- Assessor Kresser is looking to sort out primary vs. secondary home property tax controversy by Tim Westby OF THE RECORD STAFF In a countv filled with second homes. Summit County Assessor Barbara Kresser has wrangled lor year over how best to levy property taxes. She's been sued .til the way to the I'tah Supreme Court over claims of unfairness. Kroner won that battle, but now -he's trying another attempt to -cttle the primary secondary-home secondary-home controversy and questions of fairness that plague her office. Last -week. - the ,?ummit County Opmrnissioneffgteed to Kresser'! request to hire someone some-one on a short-term basis to help sort out who is a primary resident and who is a secondary resident. At -stake are potentially large increases, or decreases, in property prop-erty taxes for county homeown BancWest: Continued from A-1 As a part of the purchase agreement. Bank of the West has committed to offer employment to all the Zions and First Security staff currently employed at the 68 offices. The branches have a total of 432 full-time-equivalent employees. "We're delighted to be able to offer jobs to every single one of the employees of these branches; they're the ones who know their customers' needs best." Don J. McGrath. president of both BancWest and Bank of the West, is quoted as saying. "In addition, we will create a regional administrative adminis-trative and support headquarters in Salt Lake City, staffed largely by experienced, professional I 'tan bankers who understand the communities there and in Idaho." "While we regret being required to sell these offices that have long been a part of the Tle Boys Do$ Gr Invite you B before or I7f SUcurttutCT Drive rVojfecfor Swtre on ttve PrV Gty 3 us route. Plenty 0$ free rrViig. lv last Thursday to talk about Old Town. Park City Councilman Roger Harlan, who attended the four-hour Thursday meeting, said Public Works Director Jerry Gibbs, Assistant Public Works Director John Lind and four BFI representatives also were present at the meeting, which was held at the Public Works Building. "It was an opportunity for the city to inform BFI there were a number of legitimate concerns." Harlan said. He also said BFI gave the city options that were not offered before, such as different colored bins. "Nobody in our organization realized there were choices besides blue." Harlan said, adding that the option of smaller bins was also not known to the city. Harlan left the meeting confident confi-dent that the necessary changes will be made. "I'm taking their word that they want to solve all the problems prob-lems that can be solved,' Harlan said. Summit County Public Works Director Lamar Richins is pleased the city and BFI are negotiating "They were talking about fighting for J ers. "I was hoping there was someone some-one out there who would be willing will-ing to contact key people for a few months," says Kresser. That person, ideally a "people friendly" person, says Kresser, would go to neighborhood associations, asso-ciations, rental agencies and perhaps per-haps knock on a few doors to help Kresser figure out who is and is not a primary resident. The state tax commission defines a primary property as "a principle place where one actually actual-ly lives." Primary residents ire taxed based on only 55 percent of a property's assessed value. But a secondary property defined as "a place of temporary sojourn" is charged on the full 100 percent of a property's value. The state moved to the two- the new big bank in town Zions and First Security branch networks, we are confident that our customers and employees will be well-served by Bank of the West." Harris H. Simmons, president and chief executive officer of Zions. is quoted as saying say-ing in one of the releases. "With this agreement in place, we expect to be able to complete our merger of equals late this quarter, quar-ter, subject to shareholder approval, of course." The cash transaction will be accounted for as a purchase. Including the effect of restructuring restructur-ing charges, the transaction is not expected to be dilutive to BancWest s per-share earnings in 2000. It will be accretive to cash earnings this year. For 2001, the transaction is expected to be accretive to both reported and cash earnings. The sale is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2000. conditioned upon the r r Ue &Ua wouU UUe fo to join t Uem A-Pf Ct your screening. offering different types of containers con-tainers for those on Main Street." Richins said. "BFl's very, very receptive of any ideas." Richins added: "They said "We want to work w ith Park City.'" He also said BFI should be commended for trying to adjust to Park City. "They've been very receptive all along. Everything we've asked, they've been willing to do," Richins said. The Summit County Commission, not the Park City Council, hires a trash-collection company for the entire county. BFI won its contract, which went into effect at the beginning of the year, over G&F Waste Disposal, w hich served the county coun-ty for years. BFI employs an automated trash pickup system, the first such system in Summit County. Since the changeover, complaints com-plaints about BFI have been widespread, especially in Old Town. Some say the automated system and BFl's schedule aren't working and others have said BFl's blue trash bins are out of place in Old Tow n. Mertz plans to give Park City more information about the options this week, but says his company and the city are not facing fac-ing any deadlines. "There's no real timetable." Mertz said. fair taxes tiered system as a way of helping full-time residents and first-time homebuyers. But with growing number of secondary homes and rentals in Park City and Snyderville Basin, it's becoming increasingly difficult diffi-cult for Kresser's office to sort who is a full-time resident and who isn't. Long-term rentals, says Kresser. would get exemption, but nightly and short-term rentals would not. "We don't know the difference unless they sign an affidavit," says Kresser. "There are people who will sign anything if think it'll save them some money." she adds. w When does a secondary resident resi-dent become a primary resident? Kresser admits can be a gray area, but she says her office usually usu-ally look for a year-long iease. "It's my hope that hiring an outside person will make things as fair as possible," says Kresser. approval by the appropriate regulatory reg-ulatory authorities and the completion com-pletion of the merger of equals of Zions and First Security. In the interim. Zions and First Security banking services will continue to be provided by each branch. The 60 Utah branches include 17 in the Salt Lake City area, eight in the Provo-Orem area, five in the Logan area, four each in the St. George and Park City areas and 22 elsewhere in the state. After the acquisition. Bank of the West will be Utah's second-largest bank with a 12-percent market share, based on deposit totals. Its share will be more than 30 percent in some local markets. Local-area locations being acquired by BancWest include Park Citv' and PC Private Banking (1100 Snow Creek Dr.), Kamas (5 South Main), Coalville (5 South Main) and Heber Valley (81 East Center). A SMUWE mx. PRIVATE CLUB Ktt A V Blind illOP HID OK filMSGMSe The latest innocent victim in the seemingly neverend-ing neverend-ing Park City trash saga, this traffic light, located at the intersection of Park Avenue and Deer Valley Drive, took a vicious hit from a dumpster-style garbage truck that drove by with its boom accidentally raised. Traffic was backed up for awhile while crews cleared the wreckage, but the accident didn't cause any secondary damage. ROGER GLAZIER PARK RECORD Hi TA Continued from A-1 Continued from A-1 The city plans to use federal funds for the transit center, but Washington has yet to provide the city with all the money necessary. The city; though, has an agreement with the federal government that requires the feds to pay for SO percent per-cent of the project. Since the money has not yet been provided, the city might build the project over two seasons, which would require a change in its approval from the Park City Planning Commission. The Planning Commission did not want the project proj-ect built over two years. On Thursday, the City Council is expected to debate whether to phase the project or complete it in one year, which uould require that the city provide funds or issue debt Strategizing for Sundance Fest Continued from A-1 buses running from 5:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. and from 1 1 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Bus stops are marked by blue signs and route maps may be obtained from any bus driver or at various lodging locations around town. For more information on the Park City transit system call 615-5350. Where to catch the flicks Films w ill be screened at 6 venues in Park City (as well as venues in Salt Lake City. Ogden and at the Sundance Resort): the Eccles Center (1750 Kearns Blvd.), the Marv G. Steiner Egyptian Theatre (328 Main Street), Holiday Village Cinemas I, II, III (1776 Park Ave ), Park City Library and Education P.C. man to Continued from A-1 program. Born in Salt Lake City. Jacobson grew up in Bountiful. He entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1952 and rose up through the ranks to Major General. Early in his military career, he says, the Air Force had a dire need for astronautic engineers. When 71 BENEFIT ( ITS MEMBERS V .(Camera..; ...And plenty of 111 still an ,nen Pa' hack when federal grants are received. "We really need a decision on overall project policy." Bakaly said. The City Council has a bevy of other transit-center topics to discuss on Thursday. Bakaly said he wants to broach issues concerning S R. 224 and what type of public-relations campaign the City Council wants to accompany the project. Also. Bakaly said the transit center cen-ter could be configured to include approximately 500 square feet of usable space that was not part of the approval. That extra space, he said, would cost only a few thousand dollars dol-lars and would not increase the visibility visi-bility of the building. Bakaly said if the City Council chooses to redesign the building to accommodate the extra space, the ' Park City Police Department could Center (1155 Park Ave ), Prospector Square Theatre (22(X) Sidewinder Drive) and The Yarrow Hotel (1800 Park Ave.) Although parking is limited at most of these venues, sev eral nearby areas have been designated as festival festi-val parking. Official Sundance parking park-ing includes paid underground parking park-ing at Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR), Above ground parking is for resort customers and skiers only - all others will be towed. Festivalgoers may park at Snow Creek Parking (located at Dan's Foods); City Park (across from the Park City Library); and near the Eccles Center on Prospector Ave. (located off of Bonanza Drive). There will also be limited parking at study the Mars mishaps the Air Force offered him an opportunity to go to graduate school to study astronautics, he jumped at it. As a result, Jacobson says, much of his career was involved one way or another, with the space program. After he retired from the Air Force. Jacobson moved to Cambridge, Mass. to become president of the You'll he. In $ooA D03 Grin brings Cwf Style hi TUc WsK TVe Pwk Record CrbC4UcS in WW - Uke Gty Weetty &linA Dog Grill is leOcr o$ -0f Lke Tribune Serving Dinner 7 HiflUH Week reservMtiAHS towJy recMAeA t up in air open a substation at the transit cen open a substation at the transit center, cen-ter, but no decision has been made about a use. The Planning Commission, though, would have to OK Police Department use of the building. Thursdays meeting probably will clarify many issues that have dogged the transit center for a few months, most notably the funding questions. The project is estimated to cost $9.5 million. The city has already received $5.5 million in federal fed-eral grants and Washington has pledged another $1.7 million. Another $2.3 million is needed from Washington. Bakaly is planning to start the bid process on the building early next month. He said the bid might include a request for prices for both a phased construction schedule and a one-year job. s , Park City High School. McPolin Elementary School, and Treasure Mountain Middle School, providing access to the Eccles Center, on weekends and evenings. Cars may also be parked at the LDS Church (2300 Monitor Drive), except on Sundays. To access the Egyptian Theatre, paid parking is available at China Bridge (on Swede Alley). Remember to leave plenty of time to get to screenings. Restaurants will be packed with people all trying to make the same show, there will be increased traffic, and parking a distance from the venues ven-ues may require time to hoof it to the theater. Keep in mind that unoccupied unoc-cupied seats are given away 15 minutes min-utes prior to the screenings. Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc., a company heavily involved with the Space Shuttle Program. "I do this because I've dedicated dedi-cated my adult life to the security securi-ty of this great republic." say Jacobson. "Much of that in the space program. I feel like if 1 can make a contribution then 1 should." oo4pHy - |