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Show y MOAB, UTAH Volume 111 500 WEATHER www.moabtimes.com Number 52 Thursday, December 30, 2004 Here's what the first half of 2004 looks like in review FORECAST Thursday 4 January 8 Mostly Cloudy High 42 Low 28 Changes to land use code approved . . . Friday 'Tv" Mostly Cloudy High 43 Low 28 Cj.' Mostly Cloudy High 41 Low 23 Sunday Partly Cloudy High 41 Low 21 Weather forecast courtesy National Weather Service Grand Junction office. The Grand County Council on Tuesday approved changes to the countys existing land use code, altering appointment terms for two boards, and implementing a new policy aimed at controlling noxious weeds on larger construction sites. The council also passed an ordinance aimed at speeding up the process for developers requesting the release of collateral held by the county for subdivision improvements. In the past, developers were required to apply to the Grand County Council for the release of bond monies and collateral, a requirement that sometimes meant developers must wait several weeks for the request to be placed on the councils regular agenda. The group brings together hiking, biking and equestrian trail users to prioritize and undertake trail development on primarily public lands. Established in 2001 with an annual county allocation of $10,000, Trail Mix has produced a Trails Master Plan, organized the creation or repair of area trails, worked on signage for the Competency hearing set . . . In Seventh District Court Tuesday, a competency hearing was set for Wendy Bullock of Salt Lake City. Bullock was arrested Friday morning, Jan. 2 for the notified the year-ol- d daughter after a motorist on suspected murder of her 2 Grand County Sheriffs Dept, of a woman and child in need of medical assistance. Responding officers found that the child was deceased. ld 1-- Lou Alcorn Honored by her students. January 15 Landwater swap declined. .. At a Grand Water Sewer Service Agency (GWSSA) meeting last Thursday night, Doug McElhaney, realtor for the 120 acre George White property that was purchased by Grand County Water Conservancy District (GCWCD) in Spring 2003 for $2.4 million, informed the GWSSA operating committee that the property has received little interest from buyers. Last year GCWCD seized the opportunity to buy a pair of the George White wells and the majority of its water rights. The purchase agreement included that thel20 acres of land adjacent to the wells be purchased in addition. GCWCD agreed to the purchase of the property with the intention of selling the acreage to pay the debt from the purchase. Currently the land is divided into an 80 acre parcel and a 40 acre parcel. Water content of snow reported Blue Ribbon Task Force on home lighting reports findings. B7 See ... After several years of drought, a consistent series of storms throughout Utah during the last two months have skiers and irrigators alike breathing a sigh of relief. According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), as of January 8 the La Sal mountains are boasting 143 percent of normal snow water content and 103 percent of normal precipitation. The data for the La Sals is recorded at an elevation of 9,400 feet at the NRCS SNOTEL site. Economic Development group plans . . . The Moab Area Economic Development Committee agreed in the first of two 2004 strategic planning sessions to keep focusing on local business expansion and retention, with outside recruitment as a secondary goal. The committees rationale is that 85 percent of all business comes from repeat or referral customers, rather than strangers, and the group - made up of city, county, state, small business, utility and banking representatives - wants to use its limited resources to train and support people committed to the area. January 22 Trail Mix makes plans for 2004 .. . Trail Mix, Grand Countys multi-us- e trails, advisory committee for some with started the year housekeeping, a declaration of principles, and a proposal to help fund the Colorado River pedestrian bridge. non-motoriz- ed Inside The Times Classifieds: 66 Editorials, Letters: Historic Photo: B1 Region Review: B1 Sports: 62 TV Guide: 62-- by 3 Switzer staff writer Board appointments were anything but simple during the Grand County Council's final meeting of the year. A tie- LAST WEEK'S WEATHER Date High Low Precip. Dec. 22 40 20 Dec. 23 33 17 Dec. 24 36 14 Dec. 25 40 -.06 -- --- 11 Dec. 26 40 11 Dec. 27 41 25 Dec. 28 50 25 Tr, First in the Nation EPA Grwn Power Community ? First Place V jf In Four Categories ;j4 To - Group H ThTiro- hKtapMtdMrt ' - subscribe to The Times-Independe- nt call subscribemoabtimes.com The TimesTndependent This news-papis T home-cooke- Density increase would more than double housing for employees at Sorrel River by Carrie Switzer staff writer County board appointments polite,Carriebut opinions divided 5 er X) printed on recycled paper and is recyclable. breaker was needed on several votes, even when recommendation letters had been submitted to the council by board and commission members. Of the nine boards and commissions memrequiring new and bers, county council member Nate Knight moved to table six. Council member Jim Lewis said that because three of those came with recommendation letters, I dont see why we have to table so many. The council ultimately voted to table decisions on three boards: Planning and Zoning, Airport, and Travel Council. Seven people have applied for two vacancies on the Planning and Zoning Commission, including incumbent Marcus LeFrance. Planning Commissioner Tom Rees will step down from the commission, but agreed to stay on until the appointments are made. The county council was asked to make the Planning and Zoning appointments, but a majority of the council declined, sending it back to the commission for interviews and recommendations. Weve talked about the importance of the interview process, said county council member Rex Tanner. Are we in a case where were appointing people we havent even had a chance to talk to? In addition to LeFrance, applicants include Jean Bickers, Mark Horowitz, Jack Beeson, Charlie Every, Phil Kopell, and Bill Love. The Airport Board had only two applicants for two positions, but an appointment was tabled along with the Planning and Zoning because the board hadnt met or interviewed the applicants. Council member Nate Knight, who serves on the Airport Board, said he thought there was a third person interested in applying. The Travel Council has six applicants for one position, including incumbent Preston Paxton and former Chamber of Commerce represtative on the Travel Council Hertha Wakefield. New applicants include Stacey Dezelsky, Tony Lema; Sr., Sandy Bastian, and Steve Lawry. A vote on the Travel Council appointment will be taken in January, after the Travel Council meets and makes a recommendation. A1 McLeod was appointed to the Library board by a 2 vote, with council members Judy Carmichael and Nate Knight opposing. Four were made to the Council on Aging. They are Norma Stocks, Judy Pratt, Rob Sweeten and Verlyn Westwood. The county council deadlocked 3 against the Hospital Service District recommendation to appoint Kyle Bailey, but did not vote to appoint the only other applicant, Carrie Noorlander. In effect, no appointment was made to the Hospital Special Service District. Bruce Nelson of Green River was reappointed to the Cemetery District. In the most visibly contentious, and ultimately confusing vote, the Recreation District Boards recommendation to Arlan Lazere and Tim Smith failed when council members Jim Lewis and A1 4-- 3-- McLeods yes votes were outnumbered by Rex Tanner, Nate Knight and Jerry McNeely. Council Chair Judy Carmichael didnt vote at all, which became a yes vote by default, as a point of order emphasized Athird by McLeod. Stiff, the vote failed applicant, Jean Bickers, was offered up in a separate motion for appointment with Tim Smith, and again Carmichael didnt vote. In this case, the abstention resulted 3 vote, affirming Bickers and Smith's appointments. The county council will meet on JanuJerry ary 4, where incumbent-elect- s McNeely and Joette Langianese will be sworn in with new council member Audrey Graham, who replaces outgoing, two-tercouncil member A1 Mcleod. 4-- 3. 4-- m . . M. Knight Intermediate students, staff and parents celebrated the beginning of the winter holiday break by participating in the schools first annual Posada, a traditional Latino holiday celebration. HMK Latino parents and community members prepared a delicious Mexican feast. Students in HMKs fall session Pinata Club spent October and November constructing pinatas for the celebration. After the feast, community children were actively engaged in bringing the pinatas down for the candy hidden inside. The Posada ended with group Latino dancing or for many, lessons in Latino dancing. A big thanks to our Laino community for sharing this festive holiday tradition with all involved. Pictured here are parents, staff and students filling their plates and d bowls with tamales, tingas, mole, posole and many more dishes. 46-- 7 Notices: Obituaries: A4 83-4-- HMKs Posada lightens up the holidays . Helen School on expanding. Sorrel River Ranch developer Robbie Levin will increase employee housing at his Colorado River resort by 12 units if the Grand County Council follows the recommendation of the planning commission. The commission voted in favor ofa density increase last week to allow for more housing, where Levin said 60 percent of his workforce lives. There are currently eight units at Sorrel River Ranch; the increase will bring the total number of employee housing units to 20. Its difficult to get people to drive out the River Road five days a week, Levin told planning commission members last Wednesday. Levin said he employs 55 to 60 people during the peak tourist season, and more He than 20 people during the pointed out that even without the long drive, housing is scarce in Moab. A lot of these staff are permanent," he said. Planning commissioner Tom Rees said he has a general problem with things like this, referring to amendments of previoff-seaso-n. ously approved Planned Unit Developments. We see this with Colin Fryers project. Seems like they take on a life of their own. Once you say yes, they just keep In general, I have a problem with more buildings. Levin said this is the first request he has made for an increase in density, and hes asking for employee housing, not more rental units for his lodging business. He then quoted from the general plan a section on affordable housing that he thought applies to his request. This is free housing, he said. I have never charged anybody for housing. Levin also noted that many resort communities require the developer to provide housing in order to take the transient housing strain off of the local community. If the community had adequate housing, I wouldnt need this, he said. Two of the units were proposed to be 250 to 275 feet from the highway, which commissioner Suzie Harrington said was contrary to the initial plan to keep build8 corridor. ings out of view of the Levin said that although he preferred his design, moving the units off the roadway would be no problem. Levin was given a density increase that will allow for 1,250 square feet per unit, or the equivalent; which allows him to design some one, two and three bedroom homes. SR-12- The race is on: Who will be the new little Mr. or Miss New Year? Everybody is wondering who little Mr. or Miss Grand County 2005 will be. Officials at Allen Memorial Hospital report that the race is, indeed, on. Several expectant mothers are are waiting in the anwings, as The nual New Year's Baby Contest gets unTimes-Independen- t's derway. Many gifts of goods and services await the new baby and his or her family. Among the gifts are: lunch for two from the Stagecoach Grill; a CD of children's lullabies from Main Street Music Video; a $15 gift certificate from from Walker Drug; a personalized Four Corners Design; an oil change for the family car from Moab Chevrolet; a irt subscription from The a $15 children's book from Arches Book Company and Back of Beyond Books; and a digital thermometer from Family Drug. Other gifts include: a case of diapers from Allen Memorial Hospital; a free front-en- d alignment from Chip's Grand Tire; a membership for Mom to get into shape from Moab Fitness Center; a $15 gift' certificate from Arches Trading Post; a haircut from Parriott's Hair Salon; a $15 gift certificate from Knowles Home Furnishings; a cake for baby's first birthday from Red Rock Bakeiy; and a new style hair cut Times-Independe- one-ye- ar one-mon- th for mom from Magic Mirror. Continued on Page A2 , |