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Show ! 340 Vol. 19, No. 8 Wednesday, February 26, 1997 50 To subscribe call cents a single copy 756-7(!6- 9 No welcome wagon, but YSI gets final approval for group home By RUSS DALY City Editor Residents surrounding a group home near Lehi High School are not likely to call out the welcome wagon for their new neighbors after what they see as a disappointing defeat. Despite several presentations to the Lehi City Council in a special meeting Monday morning where local residents and others spoke out against the placement of a youth home in the area, referred the matter to back its Development Review Committee (DRC), which gave final approval to Youth Services International (YSI) for the facility later the same quasi-offici- day. "I can't believe it," said Gale of the issuing of the business license to YSI. "I feel so disappointed. It's disbelief that you can present this much information and it could still go through." In a telephone interview after the meeting, Councilmember Frances Comer indicated that the city's hands were tied. "We have done everything we Holbrook, could," she said. "We're as frustrated as they are." Monday's meeting started and ended with executive sessions with the councilmembers, attorneys for the city and members of the DRC. The public part of the meeting included presentations from local residents, citizens of other communities which had successfully stopped YSI from establishing facilities, and even a former employee of the institution itself. Although there were officials present at the meeting, they did not speak out publicly. "We feel that Youth Services International misrepresented themselves when they came into Lehi City," said Holbrook. "We feel that with the information we have really shows that." Referring to the Federal Fair Housing Act, she said that the potential residents did not meet the criteria of the word "disabled" and thus did not qualify for the protection of the act, which prohibits discrimination against elderly and disabled persons. "Whether the boys are disabled or not is not in question at all," she said, claiming that in all of the YSI literature in her possession, "not once did they use the word 'disabled.'" She said that such a group home is not permitted in a single family residential zone and suggested that they could help find a place where the zoning would permit the use. "I know this business has a place, but it's not in a single family residential area," she said. "I felt like the laws had been chipped away so that we were not protected anymore." "These kids are not disabled per se," said Tami Pyfer, a resident of North Logan, where the Planning Commission voted against allowing a facility to be put in that community. "These kids are criminally adjudicated youth. In using the word 'disabled,' they are providing misinformation to you." Another Lehi resident, Grayson Rogers, a certified social worker with the State of Utah and a former employee of YSI, said he had concerns about the facility, particularly with its location in proximity to the high school. "I was concerned about YSI attempting to put a home in Lehi, with the location right across from the high school," he said. "The way that it was presented seemed to me a little suspicious at best." Comer asked Rogers what types of potential problems he had seen through his experience of working in a YSI facility. Speaking in generalities in .; s ! v , JL x I f . , ' 6s,V: - - - - - ...4 .- v .. , Councilmembers Robert Fox, left, and Reed Sunderland, discuss the issues surrounding the establishment of a group home in Lehi. Residents near the home presented facts about the company and questioned the validity of the company's usage of the word 'disabled' in gaining approval for the home. Names proposed for new school By RUSS DALY City Editor i - f . T' - s; S . f. .A1 Photo by Russ Daly Members of the Eagle Mountain City Council discuss the Interim General Plan for the new community in a joint session with their newly appointed Planning Commission. points where their is a successful effort. In a previous meeting of the council, one official explained that this method removes the subjectivi- ty associated with requests made of other government bodies. The Planning Commission will hold a workshop on the proposed interim General Plan on Thursday, March 6 at 6 p.m. in the Lehi Public Library, 120 N. Center, Lehi, and a ; Photo by Russ Daly "- - r I Mi l'HM,liKS;'- if! wm0m0 i : - rill t ? 1 By RUSS DALY " ' 1 1 Eagle Mtn. prepares for onslaught of developers Eagle Mountain may not be shielded from developers who might come calling in the next 30 days, but at least they are armed. The Town Council and the newly formed Planning Commission met in a joint work session to review the draft of the new city's development code, which is still in the process of being refined. "Right now we're functioning as a city without any guidelines," said Hooge, "We want to get these into place." Based on a proscribed list of absolute performance standards, where improvements are assigned a score for compliance, developers are required to install such things as runoff and erosion control; landscaped buffers; potable water, irrigation and sewer mains; roads and related parking; sidewalks and improvements; trails; and neighborhood parks and squares. The code also allows for relative performance standards, which may be different in different parts of the city. The score is a composite of the importance factor, which ranges from one to five, and an assessment value of implementation, which ranges from 2 points (showing essentially no effort to comply to 2 ', 1,1 - t , See YSI on Page 4 City Editor ' f public hearing on the plan on Tuesday, March 11 at 7 p.m. in the same location; the Town Council will hold a similar public hearing on Thursday, March 20 at 6 p.m. at the same location. Parents interested in participating in the naming of a new elementary school in Lehi met with the new school's principal and PTA officers to present their choices for a name. Principal John Bushman presented the patrons with a list of names that had been submitted to a selected committee in order to narrow the field to three choices for presentation to the Alpine School Board, which will make the final decision. The names that were to have been submitted to the school board last night (Tuesday) included, in the traditional alphabetical order of presentation, David Evans, Eagle Crest and North Bench. Other suggestions which were discussed to varying degrees included Bull River, Windy Ridge, Jolui Hutchings and Ridge Point. Upon the suggestion from a patron to name the school after the town's first school teacher, someone used a cellular phone to ask a family member to find the name of Lelii's first educator, which turned out to be Preston Thomas. Jack Reid, representing Alpnie School District, said that although the board was to have received the names last night, they would not make a decision on the matter for at least two weeks. The meeting gave parents a chance to meet officers for the Parent Teacher Assocaion at the new school. Pam Longhurtst will serve as president, with Beth Grant as presidentelect. Sharon ShefEed will be the legislative vice president, with Sheryl Biggs as treasurer and Stefani Neeley as secretary. According to Reid and Buslunan, construction on the new school is on schedule. Slightly more than 700 students will attend the new school, which will have 45 to 50 faculty and staff employees. New restaurant on Main Street? By RUSS DALY City Editor Whether Lehi's Main Street will have another restaurant remains to be seen, but the property in question will definitely not include an apartment. Ed Sanderson of Sanderson and Associates, who assisted Corine Sorensen with the design of a restaurant at 288 W. Main, official ly made the request of the council to change the current zoning from commercial to mixed use to allow her to create a two bedroom apartment out of the existing garage while using the existing home as the restaurant. The apartment would allow Sanderson to run the restaurant and have her daughter near her, See RESTAURANT on Page 4 Determination helped Miss Utah work her way to state title By RUSS DALY City Editor When her father told her she could not enter the Miss Pleasant Grove Pageant, Nanette Pearson was more determined than ever to prove him wrong. The next few years would change the whole family's precon- ception that such competitions were the stereotypical "beauty pageant," as she won local and county pageants, then the coveted Miss Utah title and a chance to represent the state at Miss America. had no idea what the system was about," she pageant said. " Now I realize that it's a breeding ground for "We After winning the title of Miss Pleasant Grove, she went on to represent her community at Miss Utah the following June. A classical ballerina, she danced to Rodeo by Aaron Copland, a piece she choreographed herself and patterned loosely after the famous original choreography by Agnes de Mille. She was named to the Top 10 list of contestants, but said she was humbled by the caliber of girls and their talents presented on the state level. Scholarships from the Miss Pleasant Grove Pageant and from being named to the Top 10 at Miss Utah paid for her continued education at Utah Valley State College, where she had matriculated while a junior in high school. The funds were especially nice because as an upper classman, she was not eligible for funding and because she was not holding down a part time job due to her ballet studies. The following August, she went back to the syspageant tem, where she was named as Miss Utah County. As part of her duties, she lobbied the Utah County Commissioners to keep the county fair; she also worked with the Rape Crisis Center in prevention and helped together put the Croatia-Bosni- a Refugee Fund. The next summer at the Miss Utah Pageant, she performed Tarantella Espaniole all talent winner and a preliminary talent competition winner. From that pageant, she took home nearly $1,300 in cash and $200 in savings bonds. Her county title also made her eligible to enter the pageant at the State Utah Fair, which she Miss Utah to speak at Lehi workshop The Miss Lehi Scholarship Pageant Committee will hold a special workshop for potential contestants and their mothers to introduce them to the local pageant. Miss Utah, Nanette Pearson, will be the keynote speaker at the workshop on Saturday, March 8 from 10 a.m. until noon at the Lehi Senior Center, 120 N. Center St., Lehi. The current Miss Lehi, Cyd Revill, will also address the girls. Anyone interested in attending the event should make reservations for the workshop and luncheon by calling Kami Schiess, 7681821 by Monday, March 3. The Miss Lehi Pageant will be held Saturday, June 14. by Rossini and she was named as first runner up. Because of her title, she represented the state of Utah at the National Sweetheart Pageant in Hoopeston, 111., where she was named second runner-up- , the over entered the day after she returned from Hoopeston. "It was important for me to get back to she Utah," said of her quest for the Miss Utah title. She won more that pageant and started preparing again for Miss Utah; at the same time, she was using her scholarship money to attend the University of Utah, where she had a double major in classical ballet and psychology. The next June, she was again to Miss named first runner-uUtah and returned to Hoopeston. Although she dropped two in the rankings, she still brought home p $300 in cash and another $200 in savings bonds. Winning the title of Miss Utah Valley in October, she again advanced to the state competition, but dropped to third place. Determined to win the Miss Utah title, she entered the Salt Lake Valley Pageant in December, which placed her in the pageant that she would win the following $ f, June. In preparation for the Miss America Pageant, she worked on her service project, "Starving for Attention," in which she addresses eating disorders and positive body image. Pearson's experience in the pageant system has not only provided valuable financial assistance she said she for her education has never had to write a check for tuition but has prepared her for ' l' life. "I don't know at this point in my life what could have taught me more about time management and service to others, all while preparing for pageants, going to school full time, working part time, and dancing," she said. "There was a lot I learned about prioritizing." As Miss Utah, she has spoken at many different V-- ; & ' functions, including firesides, which she said has been personally gratifying to her. "I think there are more young women who would benefit from it," Pearson, offering a simple piece of advice to those who want to learn more about themselves: "Do it." I Photo by Russ Daly Nanette Pearson, the current Miss Utah, will speak to potential Miss Lehi candidates in a special workshop and Mother's Tea on Saturday, March 8. |