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Show Vol. 19, No. 1 Wednesday, January 8, 1997 50 To cents a single copy subscribe call 756-766- 9 Orderly growth, opportunities ahead in 1997 By RUSS DALY City Editor As eventful as 1996 was, some Lehi officials believe that 1997 will prove to be even greater for the things that can be accomplished in the city. "There's a lot going on in the city," said Councilmember Frances Comer. "If people knew the hours and hours that are put in trying to serve the needs of the city; there are some positive things that are happening in the city." When asked to provide information for an informal "State of the City" outline, Mayor Gibbs and members of the Lehi City Council looked back at the accomplishments of 1996 and looked ahead to some of their goals for the community during the coming year. "I think we need to continue to work on managing our growth," said Mayor Bill Gibbs, "and I think we're in a position to do that." Mayor Gibbs felt that one of the most positive moves in the city was the hiring of a new administrator, who assists the mayor and council with the operations of the city, such as revenue and personnel issues. Gibbs suggested that the future might also include the hiring of other employees, which would include a Public Works Director. Another of the mayor's goals for 1997 is to define the boundaries of the city to plan for the growth that he said is still to come. "I'm wanting to define our boundaries with American Fork and Highland," said Gibbs. "I don't want to push into them any farther and I don't want them pushing into us. I want to do it as friends and not as adversaries." Despite the growth that officials have said is certain to come to Lehi, some officials stressed that planned growth is the key. "My policy has been and still is that we have planned and consaid trolled growth," Councilmember Dee Ray Russon. "It is not right to burden citizens with the costs of growth and development. We should keep in mind the existing citizens." Reed Councilmember Sunderland, who is the city representative to the Timpanogos Special Service District, said that a new sewer intercept line south of Lehi will "allow for some orderly development to take place within the city." He also said that all of the expansion is a 35 to 50 year projection designed to handle growth in that the city will continue to focus parks and playgrounds for the on J the future. Roads Sunderland said that citizens responding to a city questionnaire indicated a desire to see improvements in roads, but that the ratio the city had spent on roads had never increased throughout the years, despite the fact that budgets in all other departments had risen ' f? jV ) hS f community. He said that the city had major expenditures for the Centennial Park, located at about 2300 N. 600 West, as well as for new play equipment at Wines Park, but felt that it was necessary for the city. Russon said the city has ground in both the Gateway and Suinmercrest subdivision areas for future park development. "ill K' Library, Senior Citizens Center Comer, who heads both the library and the Senior Center, said she would like to see both facilities expanded. "That library serves a lot of people's needs," she said, explaining that in past years, librarian Janeen Watkins has not had a budget that would allow the library to discard each year. "That's one of my goals with the council," said the councilmember. "I think we've made a good start on it." Concerning other transportation needs, Gibbs felt that the state would probably have to move ahead with the Legacy Highway project sooner than they had origi- old books and acquire new ones. Comer praised nally planned. "I don't see how they can't with the build-u- p we're going to have on he said. Public Works With the increased number of employees in the Public Works department, as well as the demands placed upon the department by the growth, Sunderland said that the department is "running out of space." The staff now includes the city planner, an assistant planner, three inspectors, one computer technician, a full time secretary and a full time receptionist. The city council is considering both options of constructing a new building or renovating an existing building to expand the office space; whichever option was chosen, he said, they would probably have to double the amount of space they have now, which could handle the department's needs for about 10 years. Power Department According to Councilmember with power issues, 1996 brought about the completion of several major projects, as well as the personal development of the employees. A new substation was brought e in southeast Lehi, which Rod Olsen, who works Photo by Russ Daly Workers install new playground equipment in Wines Park as part of Lehi City's commitment to improving and developing parks, one of the City Council's goals for the coming year. will provide power to all develop- ment on the east end of Main Street, as well as to serve as a backup for some of the north part of the city. New poles and lines have also been installed on the Frontage Road and 900 North to handle the increased demands in that area, and a line bored under from the northwest substation will service Fox's Landing, Thanksgiving Point and the pending developments on the west side. In addition, a new engineered building, to be completed this spring, will serve as headquarters for the power department crew and their equipment, as well as to serve as a warehouse for supplies. Olsen said that a wage adjustment for the city employees has brought them closer to the county average, although wages still are the average level. During the year, however, four below of the apprentices became journeyman linemen, which Olsen said will be' of benefit to the city in connection with OSHA regulations. In addition to the eight linemen, the power crew has two apprentices and a warehouse person. While new standards, implemented last year, will help the Public Works department more accurately base fees for developers, one of the department's concerns this year is the deregulation of power and its effect on the Intermountain Power Project. "It's going to hurt the residential customers," said Olsen about the Lehi's financial obligations to the project despite a possible decrease in demand due to the power deregulation of customers. Arts and Recreation Center Both Gibbs and Councilmember Robert Fox, who oversees the Arts Council, spoke in favor of an arts and recreation center for the community. "One thing I think we have to do is come up with some basis for a recreation center," said Gibbs. "I don't know how it's going to come off, but I think it's something we need." Fox explained that a committee was to have met last night (Tuesday) to discuss costs, which would bring them "one step closer" to knowing what they will have to do to realize their dream. He likened the project to the effort of raising monies for the original Hutclungs Museum building. "The kinds of things that we can see happen in the community are fantastic," said Fox. "I see the vision; there is no limit to what we can accomplish. I won't rest until I see this vision happen." Parks Russon, who holds the responsibility for parks and recreation, said Hintons give lifetime of service to helping others find their roots By RUSS DALY to Germany to find out how to do genealogy and how to keep records. Most people go to Europe to see the sights of the past, but a Lehi couple planted seeds for the future by training native Europeans to look into their own history. Harvard and Rose Hinton, who returned in November from serving as family history advisors in the Europe West Area, used their expertise in genealogy, extraction work and the family history program to help volunteers who staff the 275 Family History Centers in the Germanic and Mediterranean countries. They arrived in Thoiry, a pastoral area of France, in June 1995, only to be affected by a boundary change just six weeks later. Elder and Sister Hinton moved to Bad Vilbel, Germany, near Frankfurt, to continue their assignment to provide training to other couples who would oversee the Family History centers in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Spain, A City Editor France, Portugal and selected parts of Switzerland, Austria and Belgium. "The hope is that a native couple can be found in each of these countries so that the couple can live in their own home," said Harvard. The Hintons prepared seminars for the Family History Center workers. One was held in Vienna for members throughout Austria; another one was held in France for r drive. those withing a two-hou- conferThey also held a week-lonence for all of the couples to meet together to help each other and discuss methods. Because of Rose's own extensive background in genealogy and family history, one of the workers in the Family History Center in Frankfurt suggested that a Jewish woman talk to Rose because of some research the latter had done. g Another time, Rose had the opportunity to visit with five Russian archivists who had come young church member from Moscow served as translator. Rose started out with the basics of the family group sheets and the pedigree charts, which, according to Harvard, "they were thrilled to get." Later, Rose showed them the FamilySearch computer program and other tools. In addition to the training, they also served as liaisons with offices in Salt Lake City, with Harvard responsible for ordering equipment and supplies and Rose tracking all of the extraction films. "It was really frustrating to see that there really wasn't equipment to help people," said Rose. They encouraged local leaders to make improvement that would make the centers even more although many of the centers had to be located in' chapels where things had to be locked up when user-friendl- not in use. "There are a great number of who are using the facilities," Harvard. Rose suggested that the percentage would be as percent because of high as the high interest in genealogy. Their offices in Bad Vilbel were located in a five story building, of which three floors were occupied a water bottling by company. One of the church's two rented floor included administrative office for family history and for the extensive microfilming effort about 60 percent of all of the developing of microfilm for Europe and Africa is done there and one floor included the processing 90-9- Astra-Quell- equipment. The Hintons explained that they came into possession of 1,000 rolls of paper copies of microfilmed records; each roll weighed pounds, and the individual records had to be cut into sections. The copies had been donated to the church by the government of France, in hopes that the information would be indexed and 75-10- 0 recently-retire- d Senior Center director Marilyn archived. The rolls had been sent to a distribution center and forgotten. They were discovered when the center needed the rolls to be moved. Family history work is not new to the Hintons prior to their call to Europe, they served two other family history mission. In June 1987, they went to Mauritius, an island in the Indian Ocean, where they were assigned to serve in proselyting, leadership and family history positions. Although Rose had majored in French during college, she said he had to "dredge it up for Mauritius." Fortunately, the were able to speak mainly English, but Harvard said he remained very close to his wife when French was called for. Six months after their return in the fall of 1988, they received an assignment to the Philippines. In just three short weeks, however, they were transferred to South Africa. They returned to Salt Lake for about two months while they waited for their visas to be processed, and Rose used that time to study extensively about South Africa and research methods that the people would employ. From her preparation, she prepared a detailed training course for family history workers. They also held several firesides and spoke in sacrament meetings ail over South Africa. As one meeting in Port Elizabeth, they met a woman who recalled an Elder Hinton who had been in the mission about 10 years prior to that time. When they told the woman that it had been their son, Dwight, who had served in that area at that time, she hugged them and told them that he had baptized her. While they were serving in South Africa, they witnessed the breakdown of apartheid and the changing of laws that had segre- - See HINTONS, Page 4 Nielsen for the "great job" she did, and expressed hope that the new director could reach out to the seniors who are not taking advantage of the programs offered at the center. In addition to government officials, two business leaders in the community provided input about the economic and business outlook for 1997. "I think we expect that we'll have another good year, maybe not as strong, but good, decent growth, especially in our area," said Steve Swenson, former city councilmember and manager of the Lehi branch of the Bank of American Fork, which recently opened on Main Street. He predicted that Lehi would experience both commercial and residential growth and expected that the construction market would remain quite strong. Despite the favorable unemployment rates in the Rocky Mountain area, Swenson said there are problems with entry level job positions. "Some of the businesses are saying that it is hard to find labor that is dependable at the entry level positions," said Swenson. "They're going to have to pay higher wages, but then that's going to push the See FUTURE on Page 4 Man charged with felony child abuse By RUSS DALY efts t; w - - rLv- Iff Hi! 11. - I i x i , fevlf I, City Editor Casey Perkins, 21, of West Valley, was charged Monday with two counts of child abuse, one of which was a second degree felony charge, after allegedly injuring his . girlfriend's daughter. The incident started Thursday afternoon when the child was alone with Perkins in her mother's apartment. According to police reports, the man claimed the child fell, saying he saw her on the floor when he turned around. He said the girl was dizzy and could not walk. The mother, who was outside at the time of the incident, took the child to American Fork Hospital emergency room, where doctors tried to assess the child's injuries. Doctors attempted a CAT scan, which was unsuccessful, and released the child to the mother's care. Later that evening, the mother again left the home, leaving the child to the boyfriend's care. Perkins said he observed the child not breathing and moved her to the kitchen floor in what he said was an attempt to perform CPR; he then called 911 for medical ' assistance. The Lehi Ambulance responded to the apartment and transported the child to American Fork Hospital for treatment. Doctors at American Fork recommended that she be taken to Primary Children's Medical Center and Life Flight attempted the transport. Due to bad weather conditions, the helicopter was forced to make :M Photo courtesy Harvard and Rose Hinton Rose and Harvard Hinton, shown here in front of the Heidelberg Castle, used their genealogical expertise as Family History Advisors in the Europe West Area. They previously served family history missions in Mauritius and South Africa. an emergency landing at the interchange of the Lehi Ambulance responded to the freeway location and transported the child to the Salt Lake Alpine-Highlan- d facility. At Primary Children's Medical Center, a CAT scan and MRI and e numerous other tests were ABUSE on Page 4 per-Se- )l |