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Show A-17 TO WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2000 A THE PARK RECORD ill 15 EDITORIAL' A close presidential contest invigorates election process As this is being written all of the major national news outlets are still calling the presidential election too close to call. And that is just fine with us. For the first time in years, citizens citi-zens have been given the sense that every single vote counts - even those cast by the hapless souls on the West Coast who vote long after the eastern east-ern polls have closed and many candidates have already written their concession speeches. This year though, the election is completely up for grabs and it is sending voters to the polling booths in droves. As a result, more citizens than ever will have a say on a host of local candidates and initiatives. In Summit County election, participation par-ticipation is likely to set a new record. With approximately 3.000 new voters on the rolls and passions running high about issues like a new arts and recreation sales tax. contested seats on the county commission and in the Utah Legislature, turnout may set an all-time high. Typically 60 percent or so of Summit County residents vote during a presidential election year. Less than half show up in off-presidential years. We won t even mention the dismal primary numbers. num-bers. But as of mid afternoon on Tuesday the countv clerk said turnout was already heavy throughout the county. We say. damn the pollsters and full speed ahead to the voters. Despite the exit surveys, political analysts' predictions and a pile of Internet and telephone polls, it is still up to us. Summit County was particularly fortunate this year to have a number of qualified candidates on the ballot. All of us owe each of the candidates our respect and thanks for putting their beliefs, and in many cases their own money, on the line to make sure all of the issues were thoroughly debated. It is not easy to stump for office in this county. It is made up of an array of well-educated citizens from every point on the political spectrum spec-trum - and few of them are shy about criticizing those who disagree with their views. In particular, particu-lar, the county commission candidates Randy Chard, Shauna Kerr and Merrill Duncan along with state legislative candidates Becky Richards and David Ore are to be commended for their numerous appearances at local public forums and debates and their tireless responses to questions from the media and the public. The local races have been a mode! of civic dialog dia-log and. win or lose, each should be proud of their participation in the democratic process. 2-1 THERE WAS AN ELECTION?... I WON ANOTHER TERM?... LORDY, LORDY YOU JUST CAN'T BEAT THIS ONE-PARTY STATE! LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ACS, PCHS Health Fair Editor On behalf of Park City High School. I would like to thank Annette Worlton and the American Cancer Society for providing our high school students and staff with yet another day of fun and learning. This has truly become a collaborative effort on behalf of the school and community to bring quality programs to our students. A big thank you also goes to the many people who helped to make thts event successful. I would like to apologize for anyone that I may have forgotten ahead of time. Thanks to: The American Cancer Society, Body Tech. the National Ability Center, Peace House, Canyons Chiropractic Snow Creek Emergency and Medical Center, Park City Chiropractic, Park City Family Health Center, the Pregnancy Resource Centers. Summit County Health Department. The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital (TOSH), Utah Highway Patroi. Valley Mental Health, the Wasatch Vision Center, While Pine Touring and Hang Time , and last, but certainly not least, the PCHS staff, (acuity and administration for all of their support! A special thank you goes to tvvb of our students, Ryan Finn and Tony Baugh. for their help it hanging the signs. We also appreciate all of the businesses who supplied sup-plied incredible raffle prizes throughout the day: Bunya Bunya. Slarbuck's. Belle Salon, the Suntan Company. Bad Ass Coffee. Davanza's, The Canyons Ski Resort. White Pine Touring and Hang Time, JMR Chalk Garden, Silver Mountain Sports Club and Spa, Espresso Brothers, Racquet Club Park City. Envy. Shirt Off My Back. Fran s Designs. Blockbuster. Jamba Juice. Martha Hodge. Bahnhof Sports, Cinemark. the Expanding Heart. Backscratcher. 7-Eleven. Subway and Roots. Sincerely. Gail Mc Bride PCHS health teacher Chicken or the egg? Editor As a complacent parent of two young children in McPolin Elementary School. I am usually the last person to understand the nuances of school politics. However, the recently tubrniUeJ plan for Uudeot realignment realign-ment in Park City baffles even the most ardent school board watchdogs. My thoughts are not the opinion of an impassioned impas-sioned father facing forced busing. On the contrary, the plan has little effect on my household. Unfortunately, when ill-con- GUEST EDITORIAL Our forest, not government's by SHAUN RICE, Kamas, Utah I think it's time for someone to take stand on an out-of-control. unchecked agency. I'm talking about the U.S. Forest Service. Somewhere along the way, they came up with the idea that the National Forest belongs to them and them alone. That we are all merely visitors they can herd around as they see fit without any kind of public input on how they manage the forest. For at least the last 10 years or better. I hav e seen them close all kinds of roads and trails to motorized vehicles. They do it by hiding behind the phrase, watershed protection! What it boils clown to is segregation. I want to point out a few things. The U.S. Forest Service has been running around closing all kinds of roads and trails to motorized motor-ized travel but keeping these places open to horseback riders, mountain bikers and cross-country skiers all of whom have every right in the world to enjoy our forest. But. the fact is. as a motorized vehicle owner, every year I pay a tax and license fee before I'm ev en allowed to go ndc in the forest. for-est. Do the above-mentioned groups have a fee to pay? The answer would be no. Last summer I went to our local Forest Service and asked why they closed Riley's Canyon to motorized travel Guess what the answer was. Yep. watershed protection once again. This answer is bull. Riley's Canyon hasn't changed in 30 years. I mentioned that I thought it would be a good idea to try and spend more time and money on education instead of punishing us all for what a few people are doing. The gentleman that I was talking to responded by pulling out a map of ATV trails and told me this area is open, this area is closed there's your education. He turned and walked away, dismissing me as if he were talking to a schoolboy. The time has come to let the Forest Service know that these mountains donl belong to them they belong to everyone. They don't giv e a hoot about public opinion. Case in point, the tollgate on the Mirror Like Highway. Yes, they had their public meetings but it didnl matter because it was a done deal before the meetings were ever held. So, here is what I propose: They should quit buying $30,000 Dodge trucks to ride up and down the highway checking campgrounds. camp-grounds. Then they should purchase some ATVs and put people in the backcountry writing tickets for violators. I know I have never seen a Forest Service person on any of the ATV trails when I've been out riding. I wonder if anyone has. As an example, I went for a ride on the opening weekend of the bow hung; the fire danger was extreme to say the least I can't tell you how many open pit fires I saw . but I can tell you how many Forest Service personnel per-sonnel I saw out patrolling to write these people tickets. None! To finish up this article I will tell you how I think it should go if the Forest Senve continues con-tinues on this path for all out segregation on our forest. First, if we as motorized vehicle owners are expected to keep paving an annual tax and license fee. then horseback riders, mountain bikers and cross-country skiers should all have to pay an annual users fee in the form of a card of sticker or something some-thing that shows they've paid. If they don't have one. write them a ticket just like a motorized vehicle owner would get. Next, the Forest Service should enforce their own rules and wnte tickets to the people who part all up and down the Mirror Lake Highway during the winter season, instead of looking the other way. After all they are the ones who have turned putting up signs, to tell you w hat you can and can't do, into an art form. The way things are going, if you want an outdoor experience of any kind, you w ill go to a building that the U.S. Forest Serv ice has constructed You will tell them what you want to do. They will take you to a axxn and. of course, thts will all carry a fee depending on what you want. In this room, it w ill be set up like a hologram just like Star Trek. That will be your experience in a nutshell nut-shell Sounds far-fetched, right? I don't think so. In the end. at the rate things are going, you will no longer be allowed to enjoy the great outdoors because it will all be closed to everyone. And all we will have left is memories memo-ries and pictures. The VS. Fore 4 Service answers to no one they do as they see fit w hen they w ant and where they want. If you don't Uke it. tough. It's time we hold them accountable for their actions. They should have public input on any and all road closures. If public opinion says leave it open, then leave it open. There is enough room for all of us. We all have the right to enjoy our forest regardless of our mode of transportation, like I said before, they need to get out of their $30,000 Dodge trucks and start patrolling the backcountry. instead of closing it all off. If they don't, it will be too late and none of us can enjoy it. If you think it cant happen or won't, look at what's happening in Yellowstone. This is not a personal attack on horseback riders, mountain bikers or cross-country skiers. This is to let the U.S- Forest Service know that t. and thousands Lie me, have had enough. We want input on what happens hap-pens to our forest. It doesnl belong to them' They are supposed to be the caretakers no judge, jury and executioner. ceived plans such as this float to the surface and will not flush, one begs the question, why did the septic tank back up in the first place? Last week parents heard the "criteria" used to formulate the current buying plan Individually, the various points appear reasonable. rea-sonable. Collectively, the criteria build a matrix that limits Park City to a single solution. solu-tion. Oddly enough, the prominently listed criterion, "common sense." falls by the wayside. way-side. Busing children from Deer Valley to Parley's Park Elementary School typifies this lack of logic. Rigid application of this formula forgets that we are dealing with children and not cattle. W'hich came first, the criteria or the plan Moreov er. w horn does this plan really benefit? bene-fit? Busing children out of their chosen neighborhoods has failed miserably all across this country. I have personally witnessed wit-nessed "white flight" in Boston and Atlanta It is and always will be a lose-ke propisi-lion. propisi-lion. The stated goal of the plan seeks etli-cient etli-cient utilization of our elementary school Conspicuously missing from the plan is the problem that brought us here in the first place. Apparently, our school board mis-" mis-" Tead future growth projections and built the new Trailside Elementary Schxl where the growth failed to materialize. Is it not interesting inter-esting that the current busing plan bases its premise on the future growth projections as prognosticated by a local real estate agency ? If it failed before, why are we relying on it again? More importantly, why are we rectifying recti-fying a past mistake by disrupting the lives and education of our children? Do not make the mistake of underestimating the value of neighborhood schools. Emotional considerations aside, watching your home depreciate will certainly get your attention. Coinodentally. last we.'k Park City residents resi-dents also received four suggested options for alleviating the overcrowded conditions in our high school. Two of the four alternatives alterna-tives are immediately eliminated as a result of the elementary school busing plan. Take note. One of thise precluded high school plans appears to be the most sensible. Is the right hand talking to the left hand ? Whether or not the current plan reflects misguided. well-intentKKied ideals or a preordained pre-ordained solution to a past mistake, the process remains flawed. Reexamine the criteria, cri-teria, question the priorities and stop the momentum now before haste forces us into another long-tcrni regret to today's manageable man-ageable y.'uation. Sincerely. Paul J. Fatten, Jr. Mission of mercy Editor Dan and I are leaving for our mission tnp to the orphanages in Haiti On the eve of our departure. I w ant to thank my community commu-nity for all your ke and support. I believe that without this. I would not have the courage to attempt all that we want to do. Thanks to my benefactors for making this financially possible: my anony mous gentleman, gentle-man, his tender-hearted sister. Park City Community Church. Skip and Kimberly klintwvrth. John and Karen WarTen. the Flanders family, the Hoban family. Bemadette Marltnelli, Bruce, John Campbell and Vicki the Bunco Queen. My gratitude to AH Resort Express. Morning Star Ladies. Mountain Vineyard and Heber Appliance for your gifts. To American Airlines, thanks for waiving the excess luggage restriction, even though I pushed you to your limit, and to Dr. John Hanrahan for his smile and medical relief expertise. Thanks to Joey Marquart from The Park Record for your enthusiasm for our project. My heart goes out to mi friends and family fam-ily whose calls and ears filled me nh faith and hope: Roche lie Ondell. Kay Gnmme. Kathy De Temple. Rb Anderson. Joctte Hessick. Luann Flanders. Bonnie I'lmer. Susan Packard. Beth Grogan. Debbie Strong. Karen Snyder. Suzanne Moore. Karen and Mail Emerson. Vicki (Tough. Katie Lillquest. Kate O'Keefe. Myle Walsh and Teresa WxxJard I'm sure I've omitted some a heartfelt thanks to each of you. To our awesome children. Jessie and Taylor who give us a reason to fight for the kids w ith so muih les Shan them ITianks (or vour cheers of "Go (or it. Mom and Dad'" Park City, we ll see you on the other end Thanks for all the donated clothes and for making this such a special place to call home Kym and Dan Meehan Fast cars scare residents Editor I am writipg this editorial to thank The Park Record tor their efforts in helping cpsse the speeding problem that exists in Summit Park 1 would also like to correct a nitscommuntcaiion that was written about - Summit Counts Engineer Derrick Rsik. Derrick Radke did return my phone calls and he made suggestions on what actions the homeowners could fake to revive the speeding problem The response should be coming from the Summit Countv Commissioners, they have the ability to recognize rec-ognize and resolve the speeding problems that are present in Summit County. It would be nice to think that the Summit County residents could sob e it on their own but that will not happen. We elected our public officials to woik for the people and protect them from careless humans. We have building axles, parking meters and leash laws! So why can t we make a better effort to slow down all the people that move to Park City to be in a hurry? Take it slow ! Rick Halliday Diversity Center proponents Editor. Thank you. Pjrk RtxtfJ. (or giving frontpage front-page coverage to what might have been a back-page story. Headlining preventative action regarding our Park City minorities was a bold way to underscore an overkx'ked societal problem. While your article on the proposed minority minor-ity center focused on our collective effort to centralize resources and services, two "standouts" already exist in this area First. Shelly Weiss from Mountain Lands Community Trust has single-handedly fought the battle on many fronts, including housing, legal advice, food, counseling, etc. Though her actions in your article were inadvertently inad-vertently credited to a "Linda Johnson." Shelly unselfishly and gracxxisly serves Hir minority pvpulaiion on a dailv basts. A second stand nit rs Chief llovd Evans m his effort to be proactive and supfxrttve His department has provided Kth initiative and encouragement for the devekfrnent of a unified minority center. In fact, his support -iv e voice has been a primary impetus to keep this collaboration of agencies devekiptng Your editorial suggested that we consider a "diversity center" with services and referrals refer-rals for the many cultures represented in Park City and Summit County I couldn't agree more' In fact. I ke the name itself Yours was a wonderful suggestion. Until a permanent kx'ation can be secured, the Christian Center is available as a temporary kxation fiic many ot these services. My thanks again to The Park Record for spotlighting this unseen, yet essential ingredient to our Park City society. Tim Dahlin Christian Center of Park Citv The Par Rarj welconses tetters to tNt tdifor on ary subject. We as (bat the letters adftere to the foSowvrg guideisnesThey must mcJude the ckJ'tss and telephone number num-ber of author. No tetter w-8 be published under an assumed name. Tbey must not con-tarn con-tarn Kbetous matenal. Writers are limited to at evtrv 22 235, letters rsust not be longer than 350 words We reserve tr ngut to edrt letter ae too long or i they contain statements we consider unnecessary offensive or otscene. Fun Fall Festival Editor-On Editor-On behalf ot the Fall I un festival Committee at Parley's IVk I !. :' School 1 would hke :"o -hark :S. t--. f--businesses f r then support ! o-..t . ' Texas Reds. Wendv's. M,)..r,,;j !' s Foods. Domino's Pizza. I :t'e (. ,- r s Pizza and laco Bell for d-.T,.,:nc f.-xi thank to the Eccles Center ( .tk u.t I .;. The CanviHis. Cole Sport Park. ( 'itv I'.'.a Co. W al Mart. Anderson I ur-.-x r I he Framed Bouquet, lommv Kn-xk.'s ..'id New Yoik Bumto for eloriatirz e't .t:ii cates and prizes tor our latf.c K.k Diamond Gvmnastics for Jon,i':r-e tl use of sou! infiatabies The children and adults ho .it'J..: thw festiv .i had a cre.it rme thanks i,. -ev businesses .ind the p.ireri voiur.: spent m.m hours to r-i e:ite ,i !u party for the children o! our cormt.umfv 1 would like to thank the !;.!' "aii n" v unset i vk.idK.tn: -i .a rut: or tK Sat ut day to help m.ke k s-, . ,,! j ..... cess Last but not least, j h.,e. ih.i is vou i the young ladies from Pa; k C,:v Ihgf-Sshixl's Ihgf-Sshixl's National Honor 'Sx-ety he helped take tickets, run earniv.-l Nvnro oi whatever I asked them to .'. ou .te great and 1 appreciate vour h. !p 1 en n. had a great time emovtnc t'e c.itvs .k: Kxxl at the festival Thanks again Gayle Romero Kail festival chairman . h a'. 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