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Show TRYING TIMES - JANUARY1995 - 9 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII More ROUND MOUNTAIN from Page 1 a telephoned the govemor’s office and expressed his concern about safety on the highway. Perhaps a barrier or guardrail might be installed to prevent another tragedy. Following the Town Council’s first January meeting, Merrill shared with me a letter dated December 29 from Archie Hamilton, the Price District Engineer for UDOT. Among the interesting points in the letter are the following: First, no barrier can be installed without widening the road; this cannot be done without a right-of—way easement from the Bureau of Land Management. Two years ago UDOT requested the BLM prepare an improvement plan for the total length of SR128. So far they have not done so. Second, UDOT has received inquiries concerning the use of SR128 as a haul road for materials (Round Mountain) to cover the tailings pile. In Mr. Hamilton’s estimation, “This pavement under no circumstances would sustain the loading that would be generated from that type of truck activity. A more serious concern is the narrow roadway, along with numerous blind vertical and horizontal curves.” Third, Mr. Hamilton proposes consideration of the following: Use the earth materials obtained from widening SR128 as part of what is needed to cap the tailings pile in place. Whether or not these materials would be suitable for capping, the improving and widening of River Road would cer— tainly make the removal of Round Mountain more feasible. A meeting of UDOT and others will be held at 10 am. on the 19th at Mile Marker 9 to discuss these issues. We’re not invited, but Merrill reminds me it’s a public road and we have a right to listen and speak our minds. LEVEL TWO: So far, as a town, we have not engaged in the process of protecting our interests in regards to Round Mountain. We cannot afford this negligence. There are serious issues at stake: The scenic integrity of our valley. The protection of our fragile aquifer. Noise and air pollution resulting from blasting and excavation. The hazards we will confront if large trucks begin using Loop Road and SR128 to haul materials to the Atlas These are issues we can organize around, exerting the political and legal leverage at our disposal as a town. But first we must recognize that this is a top priority, begin to focus our defused energies on it, and do the necessary research into what must happen if we are to protect our valley. In my opinion, it would be a pity to continue consuming our time and energy fighting among ourselves—ad infinitum, ad nauseam——congratulating and back-patting each other as we win our battles and lose the war then watch a chunk of our home disappear toward the mouth of Moab Canyon. As ever, we get to choose. ~Donovan Roberts flilllllliIlllillllllilililillllIIIllllllllllliiilllllillliillliilillliiillllilIiITT] Good-bye Times This is my last issue of the Times as editor and designer. Other duties call; I have neglected them too long. My 1995 resolution is to work on my house. Never have I had such a difficult time deciding what to write. I appreciated Valli’s address on page 3 because she seemed to be looking into my heart. It is a very heavy time for me. I wanted to do a valley newsletter from the time I got here in ’89, but it took me 2-1/2 years to discover that there were three others wanting that too. I will always appreciate the willingness of Joan, Jil, and Jack to step out into the void along with me. All I can say is that we’ve done our best—and that is that. The business of putting out a monthly is relentless. The necessary judgments are impossibly complex, the compromises agonizing, the misunderstandings enormous. Solomon, mind readers, future tellers are what’s needed, not mere mortals. The calendar never waits just because you need more time. The pages just keep turning. A monthly newsletter as an alternative to the grapevine—that’s what we wanted as we started. A community builder, we dreamed. I wonder how the future will judge us. I really don’t know. There’s a question I’ve wanted to ask for a long time. Where is the hate coming from? Lately I feel like a combination of a soldier walking through a minefield, an accused witch, and public enemy number 17. It is not much fun. I imagine all this will pass and things will get better. I guess. In time. On the other hand, I do want to thank my partners in this venture. I love you all, and I value greatly our concerted gropings toward agreement, enlightenment, honesty. We have m; always agreed, butl have learned to respect you all and understand better. And to know you, that IS a pleasure. I will look forward to our continued butting or putting heads together, and I trust us to continue that, even though we won’t be lashed together as tightly as in these three years. I thank all those who are writing for the Times. I have enjoyed working with you. I hope you will ALL keep writing. I may try my hand from time to time. Thank you, columnists, you have been great to come through each month. Thanks, valley artists, for drawing us pictures. Thank you, loyal advertisers and quik ad runners. Thank you, subscribers. Thank you, cash donors. Keep at it, all of you! The Times experience has enriched my life, and I will miss doing my part. But I will also love the blank spaces in my daybook. AND I will be rooting from the sidelines as the Castle Valley Times continues, with old energy and new. Please offer your support. —Cris Coffey SHE. flllllilllillliiillililllllilllllllilllllilililliiilllllillillllllIllil llIlllllllllll |