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Show L ska. 1 9769 YOUR TOWyour NEIGHBORS YOUR NEWSPAPER THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2004 50 CENTS AN ED pmmi few c down in ifp. - t I ; s Mayor Itaving Elisabeth Nardi Utah Valley staff Larry Ellertson will be sworn in as a Utah County Commissioner next week, and when he does, it will officially end his tenure as mayor of Lindon - although he had hoped it wouldn't. cmy chbiuum is v-uouu uuni pian to resign post earlier than he as mayor until mid-January and He'll be serving as therefore would have been sPi-vi 1 , i ... ' Dotn positions at the same time. Larry his ah County commissioner. But after getting opinions from county officials, Ellertson decided against the dual role, though it would not have been against state law. "It seemed to be somewhat problematic," prob-lematic," he said. "The main issue I and others saw was a potential conflict of interest could arise even though it was going to be a limited period of time. I thought I might be able to avoid that, but the perception percep-tion seemed to be more pervasive." Ellertson said he plans to step down as Lindon's mayor by Monday, Mon-day, the day he will be sworn in as commissioner. He wanted to stay on in both positions mainly because there were still things he wanted to do as mayor of Lindon, such as finishing a joint service agreement between Lindon and Pleasant Grove. There also were some road right-of-way issues he wanted to finish before he left because he had been working on them for so long. "I was kind of trying to tie up loose ends, but that's not going to be able to happen in a few da3's," he said. Utah County Commissioner Steve White said the commissioners asked the county attorney to look at the possible conflicts con-flicts that could arise if a commissioner commission-er was also serving as a mayor. The See MAYOR, page 8 Two cities reflect on past, look to future v 3 4 Wit it .ST 'Y v.' "V qvic, economic yowth top lie list (or 2004 Brenda Armstrong Pleasant Grove officials and the community spent much of the year focused on the future of their city. Over the past months, the mayor and City Council provided pro-vided input and direction on future civic projects and new economic growth. Some projects included plans for a new fire station, recreation center and a new library. There continued to be heightened interest in retail and industrial Jevelopment opportunities in the Gateway area. Mayor Jim Danklef began the year by saying, "I see Pleasant Grove preparing to roll up its sleeves and go to work on what could be 23 of the most positive and productive months the city has experienced in some time." In January, two new council members, Michael Daniels and Cindy Boyd, joined the Pleasant Grove City Council. Darold McDade was re-elected and Councilman Mark Atwood was fleeted mayor pro tempore. ' Zt&l Lindon continues growing, celebrating in 2004 as it turns 80 years old wo. J1CI,B WUIli. LUgCUUCl towards economic prosperity." The mayor also advocated the construction of Phase II of the Pressurized Irrigation System. goal was to complete this v Photo by Candice Livingston Pleasant Grove and Lindon residents lined streets to welcome back soldiers with the 1457th Battalion from Iraq. Harlow Clark See YEAR IN REVIEW, page 3 The year's biggest stories for most Lindon residents celebrated the ordinariness of town life. Lindon Lin-don turned 80 years old, and celebrated cele-brated March 16. Old council members and planning commissioners commis-sioners and ordinance writers all showed up, as did Dennis Smith, Lindon City's last retiree. Smith is a fourth-generation member of his family in Lindon, and his daughter, DeAnne Borchert intro duced a sixth, her son Russell. Savannah Bush was crowned Little Miss Lindon in late April, with attendants Autumn Dowdle, Whitney Washburn, Janelle Matheny, and Hillary Merrifield. The royalty and their parents designed and built the float, and the royalty hitched a ride on Pleasant Grove's float when theirs developed some problems during a parade. See LINDON WRAP-UP, page 8 course gives safe driving instructions Cathy Allred ity Editor sons' driving "lve safe Avlva UUU V pensively are just two of ,s admoniti American AssnHnt.inn n t. Retired PerSc COlll- AARP tw, c V avci uaic u y Warn is -i- j ,t . an in-mass unv-;a unv-;a Provement course for prists age 50 and older, w U comes to nationwide .' f m three of the top e volunpoi- i icauci o flic H n Pi . iin-T 'caaant urove. driv c Raw 7 s l'uul" iui uian, s.en "I took a class and was asked if I wanted to be an instructor. I considered it and here I am." Don Gover aarp's assistant state coordinator Baldridge, recruited Dennis Wilson as the statewide duel -1 1 T troor in Anril ana uun Gover, a few weeks ago, as the assistant state coordinator coordina-tor over Utah, Summit and Wasatch Counties. "I recognized talent in him," said Baldridge of Wilson. Wil-son. "He is a very capable instructor. He's capable and responsible. And busy. You like busy people, because they are usually organized." Wilson was a nuclear facilities facil-ities manager who taught and trained hundreds of engineers. With a background back-ground ready for the position, posi-tion, Wilson was an adminis trator for 35 years. Gover also has an educational educa-tional background and was an electrical maintenance foreman. Teaching safety was a part of his job. "I took a class and was asked if I wanted to be an instructor," Gover said about working for the AARP. "I considered con-sidered it and here I am." Baldridge additionally was an educator for 43 years including teaching history for 25 years at BYU Hawaii. He also volunteer on the See SAFETY, page 3 ) ; T r i Pholo by Cathy Allred Left to right, Dennis Wilson, chief trainer; Don Gover, assistant state coordinator; and Ken Baldridge, state coordinator; all live in Pleasant Grove. They help run the state AARP Driver Safety Program. |