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Show 2 Thursday, January THE GREEN SHEET 14, 1988 WflMfQ)Mp)ft - Library Board Must Take Decisive Action, Not Simply React There's clanger when a public body is content to react instead of taking the bull by the horns and acting aggressively on behalf of those it has been elected or appointed to serve. Recent action by the Salt Lake County Library Board would seem to indicate that body is, at best, a reactive one. We have concerns over two recent decisions, made by that board: the continued delay in announcing site selection for a library in Magna and the decision to finally build another library in Sandy. In the Sandy case officials have been lobbying the county for several years about insufficient library services. One relatively small facility is not sufficient to serve the comneeds of that large and ever-growi- ng munity. Not until the Sandy City Council made it clear that they were going to pull out of the County System and take with them more than $1 million per year in revenue did the board devised a plan whereby Sandy will finally receive upgraded services. West Valley City is in a similar situation. There have been rumblings in West Valley about pulling out and if the Library Board's track record is any indication, push may have to come to shove before any action is taken. In Magna, has community The decision. issue the library helped delay is one of several that led to formation of a new community council. It is doubtful that " "GdiffotrilF the two factions in Magna are ever going to .reach an agreement concerning site selection. It should be the charge of the County Library System to determine where the library will be located, keeping in mind the best interests of that community as well as the financial status of the entire system. If action were to be taken, Magna should accept the site and the important issue of providing adequate library services would be solved. Most citizens probably don't really care where the library is located as long as it is of sufficient size and scope to meet the needs of the community. is unfair to dump the responsibility for lack of action in the lap of a volunteer citizen board. All county boards, including school boards, are only as strong as the person wearing the administrator's cloak. The County Library System has a new administrator and the Green Sheet hopes she has the strength and resolve to steer the board into making timely decisions based on proven need. It will benefit everyone concerned if Library Board decisions are not based solely on exterior pressures from people who cannot possibly have the entire picture. People who would no doubt still see only their own narrow view if they did have all of the facts. Perhaps it Is Proper Goal For State Welfare Plan Self-sufficien- cy disadvantage as taxpayers. Utah's new plan seeks to assist clients to attain their individual maximum potential ' for while recognizing that small of the population a segment Now that's good news for have ' : may disabilitisJioth ? welfare and everyone, taxpayer mental and physical, that require recipient alike. long-tersupport and assistance. "Can the 'welfare mess' also seeks to help The program be improved by using public circumstances. in people marginal short-terwelfare crisis as does discontinue not It support for intervention rather than as a ' e who have those dole?" That was the long-terwelfare While question posed by the Foundation employment. grants are reduced in time, it is in light of Utah's latest welfare ' not to the point of destroying the proposal and the general concern to work. incentive with welfare programs across the nation. Do I hear the sound of According to the Foundation, Utah is in the process of applause out there? Well, Vm implementing a project entitled going to join you. "Welfare and the Individual Potential Working Together For f Utah Welfare Program Aims announced at a headline on a release from the Utah Foundation. y, j m m part-tim- m Change." and would contain realistic and achievable goals. It's easy for you and me to sit in our comfortable homes and offices and criticize welfare recipients and welfare plans. And there have, been sojjne problems with both, However never having had to "walk a mile in their shoes," I wouldn't be too quick to criticize people who need help. I find the older I get the less quick I am to judge others. Maybe if s because I draw daily closer to the ultimate judgement. I think it is a tragedy that there are so many people in this country who are homeless. Far too many children are suffering from circumstances beyond their control. Beyond the control ot r tv The Foundation says the newly piloted plan provides a basis for optimism despite the fact that full implementation might require substantial additional resources in money and staff. does The proposal not suggest that poverty can be made to disappear. It Epiphany Explained Dear Editor: I enjoy reading the "Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down" column. However, this last issue was a bit erroneous. The Christian custom of candles and lights during the Christmas season dates back hundreds of years, lights or candles are lit during the Christmas season which is from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6. The date of Jan. commemorates the Feast of the Epiphany arid the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child. Commercialism dictates that . the ' Christmas How season should begin on Thanksgiving. unfortunate! This period of time prior to Christmas is the Season of Advent which Christian Faiths observe as a time of penance and preparation for the Feast of Christmas. , Please do not "Thumbs Down" those of us who maintain this ancient Christian custom. There are some of us who will not be subjected to the commercialism of Christmas. After all, Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ the Savior of the world. ' " Sincerely yours in Christ, - Father Anthony S. Spinosa Saint Jude Maronite Catholic Church 1 2- JudyMetz Murray , , Predictions Dear Editor Now that you have made your predictions for 1988 " and have saved us the trouble of voting for governor and president by declaring the winners of the of elections, let me make a few predictions my own: be soon carried will at the View 1 The West Valley reliable other weeklies the with checkout counter which print their unreliable and trashy yearly predictions. 2. The West Valley View will have a lot of egg on its front page next November for printing such unsellable gossip. 3 Astrology will be exposed as having the same reliability as Gary Hart's fidelity. 4 The West Valley View will be lining my parrot's and my parrot won't even cage every week in 1988 ' read it. , .. , f Sincerely, 2 Days Of Christmas Bonnie Linton West Valley Dear Editor: their Thumbs Down - To people Christmas lights on past Jan. 1." Why? What is wrong with celebrating Christmas all through the twelve days of Christmas, which have traditionally begun on 25 December and gone through 5 January? Of course, if you have succumbed to the siren call of the merchants who begin celebrating Christmas before Thanksgiving, you are tired of Christmas before it properly begins and are ready to end it when it should just be starting. But if you are looking at the original meaning of Christmas and are celebrating the coming of the Son of God to earth, you may well want to keep the Christmas lights burning throughout the Christmas season, and not turn them off on 26 December or 1 January, season has just because the Christmas-shoppin- g ended. wlio-leav- Sincerely, Protest Registered Dear Editor I am writing this letter in protest of your "Thumbs Down" on people who leave their Christmas lights on after Jan. 1. For the Gentile Christian, the coming of the Wise Men to worship the Babe of Bethlehem is part of the Christmas season. This celebration occurs at Epiphany which falls on Jan.. 6. In my opinion, the Christmas lights should burn brightly through this festival as a part of the Christmas celebration. Sincerely, Mildred Zafft Murray JohnB. Degges Valley Wants.To Be. Robert Rules Heard " Dear Editor: I have been 'following 'the reports on the annexation proposal with interest as I live in the Keams area. Wondering if my area was included I called the West Valley City Hall to ask. The woman I spoke with told me our area was not, so I relaxed. However, a recent article I read had a map that showed our area was indeed included. This concerns me in that I feel our community is not being allowed to voice its opinions or objections, nor have we been given enough information on what the area included truly is and how it will affect those families included in the area. We purchased our home in the Kearns area because this is where we wanted to be. If we had wanted a house in West Valley we would have bought it there. I feel this proposal should have been given more examination by those it will affect. Somehow I had thought the people had a voice in their own government or doesn't that include the people here in Kearns. . Dear Editor: I appreciated the article on parliamentary procedure in the Jan. 7 Green Sheet. It is true that many people have no knowledge of the procedures that can speed parliamentary debate and clarify the results. There was, however, a discordant note in the article: the author of the standard manual for parliamentary procedure was named not Roberts, but Robert, and the name of his book is Robert' Rules of Order. A small point, perhaps, but one of accuracy in naming. Incidentally, if a body that engages in debate has not formally adopted Robert's Rules of Order as its standard, no one is compelled to follow those rules, and confusion may freely reign (unless another set of rules is adopted, as is done by - some bodies). Sincerely, JohnB. Degges West Valley . ; The Green Sheet welcomes contribution to both "Utters to the Editor" and "As I See It." "Letters" should be confined to a length of 25$ words or less and not contain libelous comments. They must be signed, but the writer's name will be withheld for adequate cause. j'v'--- " We welcome lengthier correspondence tor possible USe as "As I Set It" Mnmirarl sideration wUI be given to those submitted by people in we topic aooui wuch write. A brief description ot that expertise shouldthey accompany the submission. All submissions are subject to editing for space and clarity. They may be addressed to: The Green Sheet, P.O. Box 7187. Murray, Utah 84107. Kearns by ,l . Sincerely, ; Melissa Hanson - - one w "v, our Christmas lights are prpp(!rly on through Jan. 5. Just thought you'd like to know. Season Therefore Christian Celebration M., irf ie the operate Dear Editor: assumption that most individuals Regarding your "Thumbs Down in today's Green can be assisted to become Sheet: many Christian (Roman, Catholic, Episcopal For years many of and Lutheran) religions celebrate the Christmas ! I welfare criticized have us Season from midnight Dec. 24 to Jan. 6 (Epiphany). programs because the recipients s The prior to Dec. 25th is the Advent I can't .help but wonder what their parents in many cases. tend to become wholly dependent. ' In fact, in many states they are took them so long to devise such a Fd like to shake my ringer at plan. discouraged from helping themOne of the innovative aspects is them and say "get a job." selves because they lose benefits. Many people are Unable to make a proposal to make individual But I don't know what brought it totally on their own, but when contracts between the welfare their to the them and State of present Dept. recipient lose some income, they they get all welfare assistance and it's to Social Services. The contracts circumstances. I do know it is, their advantage to stay on would be responsive to individual according to the Good Book, our THUMBS UP- To those residents who Which welfare. is to our circumstances and capabilities responsibility to provide some clear a man whether he be delivering by motorifed vehicle or path for the pos form of assistance. walking the route. They want you to know that they I personally will be much appreciate it. By the same happier if that assistance is not a ) simple dole. It's quite possible LATEST SKI that will also make the recipient To to? wh0 faU to c,ear e area in front of their happier. Many of these people TFJVfBS,RN We ma box. do all but considerable have 'recognize that some residents could use some pride, assistance from their neighbors. The postal service Is dedicated to too often programs rob them of delivering the mail despite the conditions encountered But it doesn't ; that. take too many snowbanks to slow down service for everyone out The Foundation report points that Utah's new plan will cost more at the onset and that it can't be implemented all at once. Once THUMBS DOWN To the Green Sheet editor for suggesting too hasit is implemented, however, it is ty an end to the Christmas season celebration without reeoanizina the religious significance of Jan. 6. Would it be o k. to sugget that those that there will anticipated shouldbe turned off by now? lights cost be considerable actually savings. In addition to that, there should be a savings in terms of human values and pride. If you ask me, PIO&0WAV: ' THUMBS DOWN To those people who still do not believe Vj? V. thafs a big huge plus. that HerM I2OCT K0 . cules wasis serious about pulling out of the Salt Lake vaUev if the Consider this a'pat on the back overpressure zone issue is not resolved. We recognize the concerns of Magna and Kearns, but do not believe the ltaiitedxatkm for those who finally woke up and is damaging to either area. Losing Hercules Sowto created what ' looks like a the entire county. "COULD YOU WAIT FOR YOUR FRIEND A FEW FEET workable plan. Now if only the DOWN THE STREET.. PLEASE?" legislature is on its toes does on self-sufficie- r four-week- Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down - rl . , 1 ..V.v - - INC .... |