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Show 1 Ttrcr UTflHRESS ASSOCiSti" J67 EAST 300 SOUTH 01; !094 C ohli LAKE CITY 64111 Serving American Fork, Alpine and Highland Vol. 15, No. 24 Wednesday, June 16, 1993 50 cents a single copy UT County voters to decide $22 million jail bond Tuesday . . A sparse turnout is expected for the June 22 special bond election to finance construction construc-tion of a new security centerjail in Utah County. County officials are asking approval to spend $22 million in general obligation bonds to construct the new facility on property prop-erty in the Spanish Fork area. .- In addition, voters will be asked to approve ap-prove $11 million to refinance the revenue bonds issued when the county administration administra-tion building was constructed in 1986. Commissioners say refinancing these bonds could save the county $ 1 million over the life of the bonds. Property taxes would not be increased to refinance these bonds. However the jail bond will cause an increase in property taxes Voting districts are consolidated for the election, county officials say, and are as follows: Alpine Districts 1,2 - Alpine Elementary School, 400 East 300 South, Alpine. American Fork Districts 1,2,3,4 Green wood Elementary School, 50 East 200 South. Districts 5,6 - the Senior Citizen Center, 50 East Main. Districts 7,8,9 - the American Fork High School, 510 North 600 East. Highland Districts 1,2,3 - Highland City Offices, 5378 West 10400 North, Highland; Little interest has been shown in the election, Utah County Commissioner Malcolm H. Beck said, with only a few voters turning out for public information meetings held throughout the county dur ing the month to explain the issue. The new security centerjail has to be constructed, county officials have said. Paying Pay-ing for it by a 20-year general obligation bond will mean a lower tax increase than if it is necessary to finance the facility by a revenue bond. The general obligation bond would mean a raise of about $17.50 on a $75,000 home, Beck said. On a $ 125,000 home, it would be $29. Officials say the new center is necessary because of over crowding in existing facilities. facili-ties. The county is facing court imposed sanctions and civil lawsuits because the existingfacility is in violation of federal and state guidelines. The county has purchased 40 acres of land near Spanish Fork on which to construct con-struct the new facility. The original design would house the sheriffs administration building and 300 inmates. It could be expanded to house 600 should inmate populations rise further. Truck drawing, Extravaganza tickets on sale for Steel Days '. A pickup truck in American Fork has generated a lot of tickets in recent weeks - but they're not of the traffic violation variety. - Recently parked inside the Kmart building, a 1993 Ford Ranger Splash is the attraction. - Tobegivenawayduringthecitys annual Steel Days celebration, the red truck sports the city's colors. Members of the Lion's Club are selling tickets for chances on the sporty vehicle. . Those who purchase tickets for either the variety and fireworks show or the Steel Days Extravaganza Extrava-ganza also have their tickets entered en-tered into a drawing for the truck. "An Evening on Broadway" is the offering for the extravaganza, set for July 15, 16 and 17 at American Fork High School at 7 p.m. each evening, and sponsored by thecity's Arts Council. Tickets are $4 per person or $20 per family. The variety show is planned for 9:20 p.m. on the football field at the high school. Master of ceremonies for the short program is Country ioe, irum ivovr raaio. Tickets are $2 each or three for $5. Hats and tee shirts have been seen throughout the town as community com-munity members have begun purchasing pur-chasing them in anticipation of the annual summer event. This year's theme "Come Celebrate Cel-ebrate With Us" is seen on the clothing. cloth-ing. They are on sale at City Hall Hats are $8 each and tee shirts are $8 for adult sizes and $6 in children's sizes. Winds tear roof from Highland EL satellite , Strong winds tore the roof from part of a portable satellite unit at the Highland Elementary School Friday night. Alpine School District maintenance mainte-nance employees said the wind lifted the metal roof from four or five classrooms on the west side of structure. struc-ture. Nothing inside the building appeared damaged. - - The microburst hit about 8 p.m., lasting an estimated 30 to 45 seconds, sec-onds, according to reports. ' The damaged portion came to rest between the portable satellite unit and the main school building, according to reports. - Thegust also reportedly snapped tKree power poles about a mile east o the school. No injuries were reported. K TT TT aE W - 2 i y Photo by Marc Haddock Workers prepare bottom of new outdoor-indoor swimming pool for final surfacing Tuesday, as the American Fork Fitness Center nears completion for its scheduled July 3 opening. Pool construction on schedule for a July 3 grand opening By BARBARA CHRISTIANSEN City Editor American Fork's new fitness center cen-ter is having the finishing touches applied this week as the facility nears its scheduled July 3 opening date. Plastering of the pool surface was set to begin today, along with laying of the sod around the building. build-ing. Trees and bushes were to have been planted earlier this week. Workers completed the concrete surface of the pool deck on Monday. With that project finished, the next step was to do the plaster work, which is expected to be done by next Tuesday. "It will," said Project Manager Greg Zemp, "probably take a full week to get the pool filled, warmed up, and the chemicals settled. We will play that by ear." On the exterior of the structure, the laying of the sod was to take two or three days. "The interior of the building," said Zemp, "is essentially complete, with a few minor finishing items to be completed. There is a little painting paint-ing and some touch-up work to do." Monday evening the workers were scheduled to lay the finishing surface on the rubberized track, following fol-lowing which the lanes would be painted. The six racquetball courts had been completed and were ready to See Pool on Page 2 AF budget passes over protests of $800,000 surplus By BARBARA CHRISTIANSEN City Editor A small group of protesters did not deter the American Fork City Council last week from approving the city's budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The group approved a spending plan of just under $9.5 million, which includeda surplus carried over from previous years and a planned surplus sur-plus for the upcoming year. That overage was the basis of the conflict. Council member Kent Walker took the initiative early in the discussion dis-cussion to present a motion to approve ap-prove a budget plan which would have rebated the previous surplus to all holders of city water meters. In suggesting the dispersal of the funds, Walker noted that too large of a reserve was not prudent. "It has never been the purpose," he said, "of government to provide for forced savings or to make a profit. It is fitting that the money should be returned to foose citizens." He suggested that the city set aside a reserve fund between $450,000 and $480,000, which would be around 10 percent of the general fund, rather than the over $800,000 provided for in the mayor's budget. Mayor B. Kay Hutchings indicated indi-cated that the city was wise to set aside monies to provide for future expansion of facilities such as city hall, public works, and public safety. Citizens should be given the right to vote on such projects, according to Walker. "It is unwise,"he said, "improper and imprudent to use that money. It would deny local citizens their right to exercise their voting franchise." .There were residents who disagreed. dis-agreed. Bill Pierce applauded the council's ability to save. "The city," he said, "should be commended for being able to acquire ac-quire a surplus. It doesn't worry me for five minutes about how to use the surplus funds. They can use them as the council wants." His comment was met with applause. ap-plause. The mood got even more tense when Hutchings asked Walker to explain how he had recently taken the council to task for passing 33 items, any of which could have bankrupted bank-rupted the city. "You have made," he told Walker, "a 180 degree turn around. Now you are telling us there is money to give back." Walker's response was met with hissing from those in attendance, but his stand was supported by Phil Collins, former candidate for the council. "Governments act," he said, "to cover the needs of the citizens, not their wants. Governments are not corporations. They do not make money. The question is really how much of a surplus to have." He also questioned the purpose of those reserves, saying they should not be placed in funds which are restricted in purpose. "When they are appropriated," he said, "in restricted funds, they will be spent." After much discussion. Walker's motion failed to get a second. It was replaced by a motion by council member James Hansen to adopt the budget as it had been revised in fine tuning after the last council meeting. In a role call vote requested by Walker, his was the only dissenting vote. Ricky Storrs, James Hansen, Larry Lassen and Grant Parker were in favor. Temple to be named for Mt. Timpanogos The First Presidency of The LDS Church announced that the temple being planned for the Utah community commu-nity of American Fork will be known as the Mt. Timpanogos Utah Temple. Plans to build the temple in American Fork were announced in April during the annual general conference of the Church. The temple will be built on a site of approximately 20 acres at 900 East and 700 North. The site is near the western slope of Mt. Timpanogos, which is part of the Wasatch Range of the Rocky Mountains. Moun-tains. Groundbreaking and construction construc-tion will await the completion of architectural drawings and required government approvals. There are 45 operating Latter-day Latter-day Saint temples in the world. They are not to be confused with local churches, or meetinghouses. The temples are used during the week for marriages, baptisms and other sacred ordinances and are generally closed on Sundays when members of the Church attend worship wor-ship services in their local meetinghouse. meeting-house. The Mt Timpanogos Temple will be the ninth in Utah. Others are in Logan, Ogden, Salt Lake City, South Jordan, Provo, Manti and St George, while another is under construction in Bountiful. New zone calls for larger building lots Bigger may not necessarily be better, but it's at least newer, as American Fork City adopted a new, larger residential zone. At its meeting June 8, the City Council formally adopted an Rl-15,000 Rl-15,000 cone, requiring a minimum lot size of 15,000 square feet with a minimum width of 120 feet and minimum depth of 110 feet. , ' Council member James Hansen, who also serves on thePlanningand Zoning Commission, made the motion mo-tion to adopt the new tone. -. "The need was baaed, he said, "on the fact that there are some people who like larger lots." .'. "It is a good move," he added, "on the part of American Fork to provide pro-vide for different zone, especially on the fringes of the city." City resident Pat Soderquist applauded ap-plauded the city's move. This is a real good example," she said, "of the Planning Commission listening to what the people have asked for." As new properties are annexed into the community, the R 1-15,000 is the automatic zone of preference. Those owners who wish higher density zone will need to include that request in the public hearing process required of every annexation. annex-ation. "The zone," declares the ordinance, ordi-nance, "ischaracterized by spacious lots, uncrowded buildings, andquiet residential conditions." Buskers to perform in Sunday concert The Buskers will bring the folk music of the early 1960's back tolife this Sunday when they perform in the American Fork Arts Council's Concerts-in-the-Park series. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. in Robinson Park, 100 East and Main Street. In case of inclement weather, the concert will be held in the Senior Citizen Center. Everyone is invited to this free hour-long concert, but bring a lawn chair or blanket, as no seating is pimil'.'J The Buskeis is a popular trio that resunects the music and style of popular folk music groups like the Kingston Trio. The group recreates the sound with a lot of energy and good humor, making this annual concert visit one of the highlights of the Concerts-in-the-Park J0m Ifij ) X X( & 7 V " series. Photo by Marc Haddock The Buskers, singing in the style of early 1960 folk singers, will perform in Robinson Park Sunday at 7 as part of concert series. |