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Show c Free Press - Thursday, September 5, comment The terrible two hit the terrible twos Cities will need good candidates By BETTY FOWLER Twins can be terrors. They can be double trouble, and cause terrible trauma. They can also be adorable, Certain events which take place between now and Sept. 24 will be of crucial significance for every community in North Utah County. Over the next few weeks, small groups of local citizens will gather to determine who they would like to see controlling the affairs of their communities. Potential mayors and city council members will be identified and asked to toss their hats in the community political arena. Others will come out, on their own and out of genuine concern for their town, and will file as independent candidates. However these men and women are selected, by Sept. 24 the choices available to local voters will be narrowed down to a few. Those are the names that will appear on the ballot on Nov. 5, and from them will be selected the people who will make the major decisions about local issues over the next four years. These candidates will be involved in election campaigning that captures little media attention, and which may rouse only a handful of voters to the ballot boxes on election day. Municipal elections usually don't create a lot of excitement. And that's a shame. Because the decisions made by the local city council affects us daily, and much more intimately, than most of the decisions that take place in cute and cuddly category. That was until Monday. Things changed in a hurry. Kip and Paula are trying to find out how to punish without being candidates for a child abuse charge. The catastrophe occurred while Paula was busy in the kitchen. She and Kip, intending to paint, had purchased two gallons of paint, one white, and one bright red laquer. The twins, unbeknownst to the trusting mom, had rolled the paint into the hall. Raquel pushed the Three years isn't all that long her home Wednesday. The victim was identified as Joann Brown. She was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at the American Fork Hospital. Two children, 7- - and girls, were able to escape the 3 a.m. fire and go to a neighbors who reported the blaze. Joe Heaps, Alpine Fire Chief, said when firemen were called to the fire at 4860 Country Club Drive, you could see the flames from the highway. "It was a split entry home, brick and frame construction," the fire chief said, and the fire was "going pretty good when we got there. When firemen arrived, they were half-bake- g, Mrs. Brown was found on the floor in one of the bedrooms. Apparently the victim fell asleep on the couch with a cigarette in her hand. She attempted to put the fire out, but could not. She awakened her children and helped them escape before succumbing to the fire, said Brent Leseberg, chief of police. d Two units from the Alpine Fire Department, two from the American Fork Fire Department, and the Ambulance Fork American responded to the call. High School. d I J MARC ,IA,),)(,CK work with some fine writers and city editors who have become much more than fellow employees. They are my friends. As a columnist, I've written 158 columns. In the process, I've tried to be honest and humorous. Both have been painful at times. People meeting me for the first time have told me, more than once, that they felt they knew me well from what I had written. There have been times I wasn't sure I wanted to be that well known. As an editorial page editor, I've written over 150 editorials pointed, some pretty bland, most dealing with issues that we thought were important to our readers. In the process, I've received complaints from the Central Utah Water Conservancy District and the Alpine Board of Education, the Utah Taxpayers Association and several local city councils - and a whole bunch of mad people from Highland. Other editorials have expressed opinions held by those same individuals - and they've told me That has included countless pleasant concerned conversations with people, and almost as many un- about it. One editorial prompted an pleasant conversations with concerned people - all have been the with meeting welcome. manager of U.S. Steel's Geneva I've also had a few unpleasant Plant and the chief local public conversations with people who were relations officer. It was also named more unpleasant then they were the best editorial in the state for all concerned. I could have done weekly newspapers, regardless of without those. size. But I've also had the chance to It's nice to know someone reads lf those. As a photographer, I've exposed about 15,000 frames of 35 millimeter film over the past three years - and had about 1000 of those printed. About 800 of those have appeared on the pages of our newspapers. I don't know how many have been ruined. And every now and then, I've felt like one of those photos really did a better job of communicating than I could ever do with words. As a copy editor, I've designed over 300 front pages over the past three years - with varying results. It's amazing how much accumulates with the passage of so little time. As a writer, I've produced about 12,000 column inches - that's almost half million words. If I'd been writing for "True Story" magazine, I would have made about $25,000 over the past three years for that kind of output. "National Geographic," on the other hand, would have paid nearer $725,000 for that many words - if they printed all of it. As a breadwinner, I've made more than if I had been writing for "True Story," but less than if I were on the staff of "National Geographic." But if I had been at either, or anywhere else for that matter, I couldn't have done all the things I've done here - and that's why I'm still plugging away after three years. It's all been fun and fulfilling. Here's to the next three years. adbetween Negotiations ministrators and teachers in the Alpine School District have broken off despite efforts of a federal mediator. Dr. Clark L. Cox, district superintendent, said the three points in dispute are salary and other money issues, sick leave incentive, and personal leave policy. At a press conference Wednesday, Dr. Cox said the federal mediator was here last Friday and all day Tuesday of this week, with negotiations going until about 5 p.m. Tuesday. "When we did not reach an agreement, the mediator left, and it is not anticipated that he will return," Dr. Cox said. He said the district made a salary offer based on available funds -"our very best offer" - through the mediator, and it was refused. Then the teachers presented a counter offer "which we refused." "Any higher (salary) offer would not be in the best interest of the distrct. We do not anticipate changing that offer," he said. Dr. Cox said the district offer totaled about 7.4 percent including a salary schedule base of 4.5 percent; lane and step increases for teachers which cost the district 2.4 per cent; increased insurance costs of .5 percent which would maintain the contract program at the 1984-8- 5 level; and an increase of 4.5 percent compensation for supervision such as coaching, activity supervision, etc. The Alpine Education Association counter proposal asks for a 5.5 percent base salary schedule increase; establishment of a new additional step for teachers with a bachelor's degree and at the top of the salary schedule. This, the AEA estimates, would cost the district an additional extra-curricul- $58,000. In addition, they are asking the district to increase the life insurance and death benefits for educators by $5,000 to $20,000 at an approximate cost of $22,500.; give a 5.5 percent increase in compensation for extracurricular supervision; and continue funding by the board of lane changes and step increases. Dr. Cox said after negotiations broke down Tuesday, teacher representatives asked that a "fact finder" be named. "I told them to put their request in writing, along with exactly what they want to find facts about.," Dr. Cox said. "We won't spend the district broke," Dr. Cox said, adding "we have gone as far as we can go. It's too bad we can't meet what the teachers ask for (but) facts are facts." "We think we do very well by the teachers. In every category but one - new teachers - we are above the mean salary for school districts throughout the state - and this in a district that receives less m and o and (maintenance operations) money per child than any district in -- the state." "We have books, and complaint I textbooks in to have supplies, textother equipment. The get most is the lack of the district. We can only cut back so far. Eighty-si- x percent of our funds go for salaries, six percent for utilities, and there is eight percent to run the rest of the district. "Regardless of what we'd like to do, we can't shave any closer," Dr. Cox said. In the area of sick leave, the district wants to cut back benefits for teachers during their first three years with the district. The current policy provides for 7 days of sick leave with full pay each year. For the remainder of the school year, teachers are paid the difference between their salary and the cost of a substitute teacher for each day of sick leave. The district wants to keep the seven days sick leave, but not pay teachers for other sick leave during the school year during those first three years. The district also want to restrict teachers' five days of personal leave so they cannot take that leave during the first and last week of school, or just before or after Christmas vacation. Dr. Cox said negotiations have been going on since May 17, with many meetings scheduled during this time. "We have suggested fact finding before. Now we are down to where we are after having four months to negotiate." "We declared an impasse. We didn't get any place with a mediator. If a fact finder is called in, he won't deal with personal leave and sick leave so we will be back to square one." Dr. Cox said negotiations are always "frustrating" but he believes both sides have been negotiating in good faith. Nick Franklin, president of the AEA, said his organization hopes to go to fact finding now in an effort to settle the contract. Fall's A Coming Sale with Fall goods for your shopping, during our Fall's A Coming Sale Sept. $1.50 year." d that." center at 12:30 pm. that day. Transportation is free. Attending the circus at the Salt Palace is an annual for Lehi senior citizens. In order to insure a seat, get your tickets early. family For those cool Fall evenings UP 14 Dr. Richard Sudweeks, board president, disucssing the problem, said, "Last year we the number of teachers needed, and this year we are determined not to Dr. Clark L. Cox, district superintendent, added, "When in doubt, we went with the conservative figure." the entire For Lamps Ladies Slacks New Fall and light your 14 OFF 14 Ml Sale Price Winter colors early evenings OFF mi pods aie cleaned and letutbrihed ty the handicapped, the elderly and those need Our Best Work is Your Best Buy (F Deseret Industries ft handicapped, i federally or in need app'Owd teclaim JiHtmert dnnaled otM.ho0 good II tliwiK Ihose 1.88 2.79 15 Exposures 2.58 3.78 5.38 3.59 n 24 Exposures 36 Exposures who & Disc 1 4.89 7.79 Color Print Film Sept. 4th thru 11th 53 N. Merchant St. - American Fork e)IH( Reg. Price 12 Exposures 135,110, 126 Thrift Store ifirticiiM". 3RKffl3E OFF To Aemembet 5 Sweaters Winter Coats -- Seniors to see circus Lehi Senior Citizens will attend Barnum and Baily's Circus on Saturday, Sept. 28. Tickets are $7 and the first 40 to sign up v.;:: go, according to B.J. Lot I, president. Thcv v.ill leave the senior citizens the editor's column or - Yes, Fall is on its way and we're prepared to help you prepare for it! Our store is busting at the seams One mother told board members and even with preregistration knowing classrooms will be overcrowded, nothing seems to get done - "not just this year but year after do dumb. Robyn Her face went red and she didn't knew she was in trouble when the lid even smear it with paint ! Oh yes. Twins are double trouble. came off on the second step! The cleaning fluid they used to Red paint splattered on the wall, on the tile, and soaked into the clean the tile on the landing caused the little squares to disentegrate. carpet. smiled-fatuousl- Salary negotiations fail about class crowds held at the The meeting, Grovecrest Elementary School in Pleasant Grove, also included discussion of the pilot productivity study at the American Fork Junior still does. Tins aren't so -- Parents complain Classroom use of funds for items such as crayons and instead of higher watercolors teacher salaries, inadequate bathroom facilities, and overcrowded buses were concerns of patrons attending the Aug. 27 public information meeting of the Alpine School District Board of Education. explode. -- told the mother was in the home. "We tried to get in to look for her but the fire was too hot, we couldn't get in," Chief Heaps said. Alpine-Highlan- -- Three years ago this week I took over as managing editor of this fine publication. And it seems like such a short time. Going back over past issues, I can remember as if it were last week or last month each headache, belly laugh and heartache as the news was gathered, written and then displayed. The thrill of a job well-donand the dismay over a story remains. This third anniversary is a kind of personal landmark. I've never held a single job that long before - unless you count the seven years spent stocking shelves, dismembering chicken and sacking groceries in my father's 1GA store. That started at age 11, and ended at age 18 - and I swore I would never do it again. For the past nine years, since I finally stopped going to school, I've bounced from job to job, looking for something satisfying. That included editing a weekly newspaper in Emery County, editing a trade magazine in Salt Lake City and writing "happy news" press releases for Young Brigham University. 1 did well at the first two, and failed at the third. Then I came here, where I have done many things. As managing editor, I've talked to a lot of people about a lot of things. Highland woman killed in home fire was killed in an early morning blaze "Oh, oh," Raquel yelled, "Sissie's bad girl. Sissie gonna get it ! " Paula came running. She jumped right into action yelling for Kip. Her hands and feet were coated with crimson goo. She looked like she'd been walking on razor blades. She is it? well-bein- in container of white paint down the stairs of the entryway. The lid stayed on and the twins giggled. Now it was Robyn's turn. She shoved the gallon can of red paint off the landing, down the stairs, and waited to see what or who would Paula and Kip have decided to deprive Robyn and Raquel of their allowance from now (they're two) to age 18. That seems a bit harsh. They will also deprive them of Captain Crunch and Snow Cones. They're going to ask Santa Claus to put the twins in his bag. It was just last week that Paula was telling me how much she enjoys her babies. "Sometimes I don't do anything y but enjoy them," she . "This is such a cute age." wasn't Paula available for comment Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. Phebe and Billie, the twins' grandmothers, replaced those cute wallet photos with pictures of Godzilla and King Kong. It's a lot of a little bit of everything city-sponsor- ed old Highland woman cunbuiieu ins insurance man. It was $200 deductible. better you C believe it You sure hear Kip brag about his twins, Robyn and Raquel. To hear him tell it, they are paragons of virtue, unbeatable in the How property tax dollars will be spent, what level of sewer, water and garbage service will be offered, how much police protection will be available, how much support will be given to the local fire department are all decisions made by local elected officials. They also determine how much support will be given to the local library and recreation activities, and how much effort the city will put into encouraging and supporting industrial and commercial development. City councils decide how much money will be set aside to support road maintenance, and how much will be used to keep up the city parks. The mayors and city council members chosen this November will have a profound effect on all the residents of the community. That's why qualified and concerned citizens must step forward now and express an interest in running for these important positions now. The jobs are sometimes thankless and often and the pay ranges anywhere from nothing to peanuts. The main rewards are satisfaction in helping to guide and shape the community. But North Utah County is growing, and these communities will need dynamic leaders to protect local interests in the coming years. g Now is the time for those interested in the to of their homes step forward and express their interest in serving on their local city council, so that when local voters visit the ballots on Nov. 5 they will be able to support a candidate who will represent their views regarding city government over the next four years. time-consumin- jip angelic and appealing. Washington, D.C. A 1985 - Page 2 ate QLHDE0D3 "MP |