OCR Text |
Show Page A7 Thursday, August 10, 2000 The (Times Let voters decide if the form of government should be changed Letters to the Editors Chamber offices should stay put Dear Editor, I am w nung this letter in support of Moab's Chamber of Commerce. I want to express my belief that the issue of the Chamber Building was settled when I was President of the Chamber Myself and Jim Sartea, the current TVavel Council Chairman requested Moab City to clarify and reiterate the history of the building, its ownership and proper use. The council in the minutes of the Feb. 21, 1984 meeting voted UNANIMOUSLY that the Travel Council could lease the building from Moab City and that 1984-19S- the Moab Chamber of Commerce will ALWAYS BE GIVEN SPACE IN THE BUILDING! My clear understanding from that meeting was that no matter who that building the Chamber is to be there for no charges whatsoever and could not be denied office space in the building. This building is not a liability to the taxpayers of Moab, it is our best asset. It is absolutely imperative that the Chamber continue the fine services they are providing our community, not just the business community from that building. They plan and coordinate almost every parade and special event in Moab and numerous other services. The land was donated to the city for the Chamber of Commerce, the grant funds were obtained by the city to sub-leas- build the Chamber a home, and hundreds and thousands of hours of Chamber members are in vob ed in maintaining and building it. 1 am requesting that you direct all parties involved to never consider it otherwise. I request that you take it one step further, that any land donated to the city for specific purposes can never be sold at the sole discretion of any public officials, but must receive voter approval for such action. If the Chamber building is sold today, what can future councils do? Sell City Park, Rotary Park, the Baseball Park? You know that your good conscious dictates to do the right thing, and that right thing is to leave to you all properties in these categories for their intended purposes. That is why citizens donate funds and properties to municipalities, to preserve them for all future gen- non-partisa- John Fogg Chamber President Two-tim- e Five-tim- e Mce-Preside- TreasurerSecretary 18 years of service to the Chamber Directors Chairman and chief fund raiser to build Moabs two Two-tim- e Times-lndepende- Didnt they know that school spirit might lead to Dear Editor, ots!! the Moab area some years ago and recently started getting The to see what was happening in and around Moab. Over the past few weeks I have been reading about the controversy over the painting over of the Big G. Well, all I can say is congratulations to whoever was brave enough to paint over it. What was a group of graduating seniors from Old Grand High thinking when they painted it up there to begin with, school spirit? What a bunch of idi- - something worse like community spirit? Who needs it? Let this be the first step in eliminating something that has infected the Moab community for over 34 of a century. I hope the point is well taken. Put the G and the spirit in which it was placed on the face of the rock all those years ago back where it belongs! D.J. Harris Class of 84, Grand County High School via Times-lndepende- er 2. All Sincerely, Don Oblak Moab P.S. By the end of the council meeting, the majority of the 60 to 70 people in attendance clearly let the council know that changes to our form of government should be placed on the ballot by voter initiative, not by county council decree. Welcome to Moab signs. Put the 'G' where it belongs I moved away from system. current council members were elected under the old council requirements. Do we kick out all of the existing council members and start over? 3. If we reduce the council sue from seven to five, which districts in the county would lose representation Or if the districts are reassigned, which new candidates or incumbents will lose or gam these voters Tell your county council representatives to leave these questions to the voters through a voter initiative promotion of these changes is petition. Their short-cut- " a conflict of interest. antiquated roll-bac- erations. Truly yours, I think Grand County has been on the nght track for over eight years If changes are needed, let the citizens bring them forward via a voters initiative no! by a county council decree Here are some important questions to consider w hen contemplating these changes promoted by our county council. 1. The current council form of government is relatively new in Utah. It has been allowed" by state law A large number of new changes could invalidate our council form of government and send us nght back to the Dear Sara and Adnen, I've just returned from the Grand County Council meeting Monday night. I attended the meeting to voice my opinion on the councils decision to promote changing five areas of our county government w hich effect their positions eliminate term limits, eliminate recall, eliminate council representation by district; eliminate two n form council seats; eliminate our current of county government When the council was asked why they had planned it necessary to consider placing these changes on this year's ballot instead of responding to a voters initiative w ith the required signatures, several council members said they had been stopped here and there and well . . . a lot of people had asked them about one or two or more of these changes Instead of encouraging these constituents to start a citizens petition to place these changes on the ballot, several, not all, members of the and council decided to speak for us by taking a short-cu- t placing these changes on the ballot by council decree. Gee, a lot of us" county property taxpayers would k of county lax rates Let's ask the like to see a council to put that idea on the ballot! Seriously, in 1992, county voters took a quantum leap by changing our county government from three comcouncil. Only Cache missioners to a seven-membCounty, up north, had made a similar change before us Last year. Salt Lake County (Utah's major metropolitan center) saw the wisdom of changing their government to a council form. submitted by the Childrens Justice Center Recently, we as a society have been horrified by the amount of violence occurring in schools around the country The children who commit acts of violence toward other students have been described as loners and have often been the subject of bullying or peer abuse. Research information provided by Prevent Child Abuse Utah shows that most bullying occurs between the ages of nine and thirteen, but the effects of this abuse carry on (information based on a study conducted by Hoover and Oliver, and a book by Fried and Fried ) It is important to realize that bullying has existed for as long as there have been children but that the reactions, or should we say ac- - The Big G stands for graffiti Dear Sam and Adrien; The Big G on the rim is a topic that stirs a great sense of community pride for many Moab residents, and raises some important issues. The G is an important symbol that represents a great tradition, like the Ameridebate from a can flag. You remember the few years ago: Should the flag be protected from harm as the sacred symbol of the United States, or should people have the right to burn it as part of their right to freedom of expression? The debate raised tempers on both sides and shut the ears of many - something we flag-burnin- g would do well to avoid. This year in Moab a sacred symbol that has united many people over the years was desecrated" by an unknown person who took matters into hisher own hands - much like burning the flag of Grand County. This event gets to the heart of defining who we are as citizens. Im completely in favor of a symbol for community pride, something that lasts longer than any of us will. But I can't support the G as that symbol, even if its a longstanding tradition, and heres why: Imagine one night some local young people got carried away and decided to leave a message, in big spray-painte- d letters, on the side of a downtown building. How would Moab residents respond? We would quickly throw the graffiti artists into jail, slap a big fine on them and remove the paint What ifthe same young people painted a huge smiley-fac- e on the rim, or put up some offensive symbol? They would probably receive some kind of punishment and their handiwork would be quickly removed. When I first saw the G on the rim in 1975, 1 didnt think community pride," 1 thought vandalism." Now Tm learning that the young graffiti artists first did the deed in 1924, and since then it has become a tradition to maintain that original piece of graffiti. For me the G doesnt stand for Grand County, it stands for graffiti. I dont think the mark of man improves the spec- long-standi- tacular backdrop of our town. In fact, I think it desecrates the natural splendor of the valley. Are we as a commut a big letter on wall nity saying that, if you made by man it's a crime called vandalism, but if you spray-pain- spray-pu- nt it on a far more beautiful wall, made by God, well, thats okay? If so, I cant agree with it. I have a strong opinion about the G because I feel like someone burned my flag in 1924 when they decided to desecrate a pristine valley wall. And then again last week when they put the Big G back up. Did we vote on this? No, of course not. Both times it was a spontaneous act by a few passionate individuals who decided for the rest of us what kind of art and beauty we can and cant see from the valley floor. There is an old saying that familiarity breeds contempt. Have Moab citizens gotten so familiar with the fantastic red rock walls of this valley that we no longer really see them or value them? Have we lost our will to protect our amazing scenery from the desecrating acts of a few human polluters people who would scar them with lights, development and paint? I hope not. I would like to see the people of Grand County come together to create a new and better symbol of community pride. I vote for a natural symbol, like Delicate Arch has become for the state of Utah. My favorite candidate is the incredible cliffs at the portal. When you stop and stare at them for a while, they can give you a great sense of majesty and awe. Im very proud to be a citizen of Grand County. I have taught in the schools here, and I support our fine athletic traditions. I like the people here, and I love the land. This is where I belong. And when I look up at the cliffs above the valley, I remember these things. I dont need a big ugly G to remind me. Lets take it down permanently. Best regards, Damian Nash Moab If we ignore the G again, it will be the ugliest feature around Letter to the Editor: If our community pride was as strong as we preach that it is, we wouldnt have let 14 years go by before we repainted that G. If we cared so much about what that letter symbolized, we wouldve taken care of it, and we wouldve noticed when it disappeared in the first place. We STILL dont know when that happened exactly. WHY??... because we never looked up there. If our community pride was really that strong, we wouldnt have let somebody build a tram to nowhere and then sit and wonder how we ended up with such an eyesore. We wouldve been more interested and vocal about our concerns in the first place. We oit back and dont take notice or action until something like the G disappearance reminds us of our shortcomings - our obliviousness. Then some people get mad as blue blazes and lash back with confrontational words. If people dont like looking at the G, then look somewhere else. And if youre having trouble doing so, move." "Mind your own business If we stay inactive and silent as long as we have in the past, we have little leverage when it comes to criticism. Weve lost our power, and we dont regain it by making knee-jer- k statements like that. If we want to profess that the return of the G represents community pride, then I say it stands as 8 constant reminder of those things we say are important to us. If not, then it will represent insincerity, reticence, and pointless anger. If we ignore the G again, it will be the ugliest feature around. Laurie Collins Moab Search efforts restored faith in humanity Dear Sam, Tm writing this letter concerning the tragic death of the boy. I know there have been others lost, but for some reason I had such a special feeling. I cried and prayed for this boy when I was finally told they had found him only a mile from the command station. I shed tears right in City Market. It restored my faith in humanity by the way all the people came together to find him. I know many of them personally and how compassionate and caring they are. One of my sons was only able to help a couple of days. I have maiy grandand I know how I would feel sons and grendsons-in-law- , of if it had been one them. All of our red rocks are beautiful, as is all of Gods creation. However, they can be very dangerous if you dont know what to do. Our God in heaven created everything for mankind to enjoy and its sad there are those Letters to the editor policy, who think it all just for them. I felt impressed by God to speak with the father or mother of the boy. I did talk with the father and he seemed very appreciative to have some stranger care enough to call him. He told me they were heading out for Illinois and wanted to try to raise money. He expressed a lot of thankfulness for the people of Moab. I told him I would be praying for a safe trip and that they could receive some measure of peace and comfort that only God can give. There are Borne thoughts and ideas out there that could maybe prevent some of these things. I pray they can be put into practice soon. Thank you for allowing me to share this with you and the community Evelyn E. Hasetine Moab , , welcomes opinions from its readers concerning any subject pertinent to Southeastern The Utah. Letters should be to the point and must include the writer's name, address and telephone number. Letters may not be used to replace advertisements, or to list and thank sponsors cr participants to a particular event Letters to the editor will be not be accepted from any candidate who has filed for political office or from anyone wribng in support of a filed candidate. Anything unsigned, cf a libelous nature, or containing defamatory statements will not be considered for publication. All lette'S must be typed or legibly written, and be 800 word3 or less. Letters are subject to editing. M&ii to "Letter to the Editor" P.O. Box 129, Moab, Utah, 84532. Deadline is Monday, 5 p.m. Letters to editormoabtimes.com. The may not accept letters from permay also be sent via sons who write more frequently than once every four weeks. Times-lndepende- nt Times-lndepende- nt guest editorial nt tions, of the victims have changed drastically. Intervention programs have the ability to prevent and even stop such occurrences. The Giand County Childrens Justice Center is currently recruiting volunteers to facilitate an educational program to tne children of Grand County In the upcoming year, the organization will be focusing on educating children in two areas. First, with the execution of DUCK Caring (Doing and Understanding Kids), they intend to address the issue of peer abuse and bullying. Once this goal is accomplished, the plan is to build on this knowledge and teach children how to deal with different types of abusive relationships. DUCK is an intervention program designed to address bullying and peer ' " " And the award goes to From a cyclists perspective, it was hard to tell who should have been getting the community service award from the Local Interagency Council (LIC) last week. Kevin Hines, a case worker for Four Corners Mental Health, has been quietly working to get bikes to people who need them in Grand County. A longtime cycling enthusiast, Hines is sharing his love of cycling through his professional position. Since bikes dont grow on trees, he turned to Kevin Dwyer, Rim Cyclery Manager, host of KZMUs Bike Talk, and bicycle advocate Dwyer has used his connections in the bike industry to funnel bikes, frames, parts and supplies to Hines. The LIC is a group of people from various organizations, which work with kids and families to ensure healthy social development. 3y coordinating their efforts, the agencies can better serve individuals while tracking trends throughout the region. This is the first time the LIC has recognized someone in the community for contributing to their efforts. Accepting the award, Dwyer recognized the value of reaching out to the community for support. I hope this helps set a standard. There are six bike shops in town, and this helps focus on local kids instead of just people who are coming in to town for a visit," Dwyer said. When people are in touch with whats going on with kids, you dont have such a segmented society." Dwyer also suggested the LIC could find similar support from other local industries. Th.s is not a terribly difficult thing for me to do; Im basically just a conduit. I can go to people and say, youve got to come up with this," he said. the web page with DUCK teach it talked to her, I remembered a recent article in the Salt Lake Tribune The feature story was by a reporter who'd participated in a number of adventures with an outfitter. At one point As news and views by Ron Georg Programs such as children how to handle any bullying situation in a positive, respectful and effective manner By encouraging children to identify their own as well as their peers' feelings, the community has the ability to empower every child to put an end to the bullying they may see or experience themselves With the onset of this program, CJC hopes to create an environment in which the children of the community feel safe and secure in not only their schools but also their daily lives presents pedaling periodical bicycle-relate- d positive interaction between children by teaching them to view their differences as strengths instead of weaknesses DUCK uses a variety of educational techniques such as discussion, art acto ensure the tivities, and role-plamessage is clear Porcupine Kim irail and the danger On Two Wheels A of . abuse The program promotes I the frightened writer reports that someone dies on Porcupine Rim every year. We all know thats not true Every time someone dies in the backcountry here, we are all aware of it. We bring up the incidents in hushed tones in the coffee shops and bars. Not many people blithely dismiss death as part of the game. If nding Porcupine Rim were an act of Id stay home and waten it on the tube. Contrary to so many published reports, cheating death isnt a big part of most mountain bikers plans. We prefer the confidence of knowing that, even if the circumstances become adverse, we can deal with it We learn the routes, we pack tools, first aid and maps, and, above all else, we carry too much water. A photo of the young man who died is still taped up at Poison Spider Bicycles. I'll remember his face for a long time, so he won't be reduced to a statistic in my mind. Still, it's important to consider the number of people who safely complete Porcupine every year. The trail is very well marked, especially following a similar incident a few years ago, when two young men died after getting lest up there It probably would have taken street lights and barricades to prevent this tragedy Porcupine Rim Trail holds no malice. To a prepared rider, it is one of the most inviting places in the world. As the questions come in, if there's one thing we need to stress it's that isnt just something you wake up and decide to try. You need skills, equipment and knowledge more than bravado to nde a trail like Porcupine, and it you make the mistake of thinking you can just buy a ticket like you're visiting Disneyland, you'll get your ticket punched. death-defianc- Kevin Dwyer (left) receives a community service award from Kevin Hines. Photo by Ron Georg You could target other businesses. Figure out what your needs are, and contact key business people. Of course, for each attempt to get kids involved in our community, the LIC will also need someone like Hines for motivation and inspiration. Cyclists tend to believe their avocation is as good for society as it is for the soul, and Hines exemplifies this ideal Yet another moment of silence Since you've read the front page of the paper already, you know more than me about exactly what happened to the young man who died after getting lest on Porcupine Rim. We've all been following the tragedy from bits and pieces brought back from the search by the heroic volunteers who scoured the desert looking for him. I got goosebumps when they found his tracks led to water, inspiring some late-hohope. Now that hope is past, there will be questions. I have already been contacted by a reporter from the Chicago Tribune who wanted to know about the most e compi-ehensiv- e, thrill-seeki- news about the Moab area To The Hi, Sam, I was in the process of looking up phone numbers of people to call to get news of the council s decision regarding the Workforce Services Building when I remembered that at least some of the news is ON LINE! I was delighted to find your site again this time marking it for easy return and even more delighted to read that the council had elected not to favor the rezone, for assorted reasons...none of which were my primary issue, but largely in the same category as many of my concerns. Thanks for going ON LINE so us ex patriates can follow the new news rather than strictly depend on the US Mail to keep us informed.... Don Marquardt Times-lndepende- nt (vat iiltjtftiWriWfiret |