OCR Text |
Show y- (Thr PageAlO Trust Lmds Adm.nistration MTLA' ha- - laird in the pa-- t that they do not have to abide by county zoning or planning regulations Irani County has the personal pledge of Mr McBrier, an employee ill of SITLA that this development follow county regulations When asked if SITLA, as a legal entity, would sign an agreement pledging to follow county regulations, Mr Ml Brier merely reiterated his personal commitment This is not sufficient The board could override this employee promise at any time and proceed with the Cloudrock Letters to the Editors USGS needs to do more studies Dtar Sam and Adrien The Times Indt prndent is current in saving that Moab and Grand County cannot s a v N ) to the Cloudrmk development on John-o- n s I'p On Tup School and Institutional w development Thursday, October 12, 2000 nt Moab City, (Irani County and the Grand Water and bewer Service Agency must require SITLA and M oab Mesa Land Company to agree to legally commit them-elvto following Grand County regulations es Johnsons Up on Top is classified as a Zone 2 watershed protec- tion area for both the (Tty of Moab and the Grand Water and Sewer Both USGS Service Agency groundwater maps and Brigham Young University studies show the drinking water is flow of our itt.out irand County participation -- Continued from previrus page imrs-3nbrpnti'r- through faults under Johnson s I p on Top to tf e city wells on the golf course The LbGS investigator believes that the cracks in the sandstone through which the water travels also penetrate Johnson's Up on Top to the top of the mesa Any contaminants on the surface of Johnson's Up on Top could flow through these cracks into our culinary water almost as fast as if poured into a drain pipe Our drinking w ater system could be destroyed by an equestrian center, with its associated manure and from landscaping unr.e, run-of- f pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers or a break in a sewage system Moab City, Grand County, and the Grand Water and Sewer Service Agency must immediately ask for more USGS studies verifying the cracks in the sandstone on Johnsons L'p on Top If SITLA and Moab Mesa Land Company refuse to protect our drinking water, we will have some data to use in preparation for a court injunction to stop the development. Sincerely, Bill Love Moab, via email The Complete Beginners Guide to Satellite TU Group provides valuable service This Utter uas one of numerous letters Sheriff Syland sent to those u ho assisted in the search for Jeff F irak. To Red Rock I want to take this opportunity to than you for assisting in the 2000. search for Jeff Firak Aug The assistance your club provided was nothing bu. professional and efficient, even with the long hours, extreme temperatures and difficult terrain. The dedication of the members of the Red Rock is an invaluable service to our community and its visitors I am very proud to be associated with such a fine organization. Although the outcome was not what we all hoped for, thanks to everyone involved, the family can now begin the healing process. Very truly yours, James D. Nyland, Sr. Grand County Sheriff Blasting SITLA Editor's note: Due to the excessive length of this letter, it has been edited. Dear Editor, Recent events concerning development of School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) lands on Johnsons Up On Top and in Castle Valley have generated fierce interest and concern on the part of the Grand County community. SITLA is an agency that in the words of its Director David Terry had in the recent past an image of mis- management and bureaucracy. Directors Message, and as Pegasus has made it hassle-fre- e to have satellite television easy as installed in your home. One phone call or a visit to your local Pegasus dealer ond you're well on your don't have to buy the equipment -we'll provide all you need to be up and parental locks ond limits, multiple set copobilifies, on interactive System for you. set up fee of 549f, o professional will come to your Your TV home ond set up the entire system. d. cable lines! DIRECTV System. Your poy per view Think that satellite only obout movies, sports ond your favorite programming? Think again! Pegasus also offers you 31 TV is music channels. t. ine commitment to openness and From billing questions to programming changes to answering your DIRECTV System every day. o universal andor programming will be highly reliable No worries obout downed program remote control that con be programmed to operate the TV, VCR, surround sound system ond your guide ond DIRECTV turn-arou- equipment replocement. year-roun- one year ond poy your monthly bill automatically with o credit or debit card. e 100 coverage on parts ond labor ond unlimited repairs or replacements. Quick service about the some monthly fee os cable Not only do you get hundreds of channels, you also get lots of additional features: running in no time. Just enjoy one of our Total Choice programming pcckaaes for one-tim- to service seriously. (monthly fees storting of 534.98) you get occess to so much more. You For o small, offers more than 200 channels. There are even as many as 55 pay per view choices a night. With Pegasus you get For doesn't get any easier than that! We'll install your Pegasus takes its commitment quantity and quality! way to enjoying the benefits of satellite TV! It DIRECTV1' from Pegasus Satellite Television www utahtrustlands.com. Mr. Terry would have us believe that SITLA now has built for itself the reputation of a successful, can-d- o real estate partner working for Utahs school children and other beneficiaries. What SITLA has built for itself, at least among many Grand County residents, is a reputation for secrecy and '.rrogance. The plans for the development of the Cloudrock Desert Lodge were basis for pursued on a hush-hus- h two years before the public became aware of it. The week of a public meeting in Castle Valley SITLA placed an ad that clearly implied their interest in selling two parcels at the base of the Castleton Tower. SITLA had publicly agreed to withdraw lands in Castle Valley from sale until the conclusion of an extensive planning process. While SITLA representative Ric McBrier apologized for the ad after the fact, the first the community knew of it was when we read it in The Either SITLA lacks a genu- questions, Pegasus is here for you oil day, One bill includes service ond programming. selections con also be ordered automatically if you maintain o continuous phone connection to your receivers. Trained technicians available 24 hours a day, 7 days o week to help over the phone. community input or they have a political tin ear. Mr. McBriers comments to the effect that Moab cant say no to the Goudrock development gives me a hint as to which to believe. As for a political tin ear, SITLA is the agency that was politically astute and powerful enough to per- suade the State Legislature to remove all legal obstacles to listing state lands with real estate brokerages. The overwhelming majority have strong ties to the real estate industry. Maybe this is the way to maximize money for Utahs but it also smells of foxes guarding the hen house. Lets follow the maximized money. On the SITLAs website you can find the Fourth Annual Report covering July 1997 to June ,1998. This is the most recent report available online. Leaving aside the question of whether youd buy stock in a company that takes over two years to publish its financial results, the SITLA consolidated balance sheet makes for interesting reading. It shows their assets increasing from about $140 million to $170 million during the reporting period. Commendable you might think. Look further. During the reporting year total revenue dropped $2.1 million and net revenue dropped $2.5 million. And their operating expenses rose nearly $500,000. They spent more'to bring in less. And what of the school children? The net Balance to Distribute or Transfer to the public schools was $ 10. Thats negative ten dollars. Some caveats: I'm not a CPA, so maybe Fm misinterpreting the balance sheet. The statement also makes reference to Note 6 and Note 7. Maybe Notes 6 and 7 add some light to the situation, but if they are available online I couldnt find them. Balance sheet evidence aside, what do schools see? In the words of Doug Cannon, Grand County School District financial officer, "We havent gotten anything yet. ( The Aug. school-childre- Sign up for DIRECTV from Pegasus Satellite Television today, and we'll give you one month of Total Choice STARZ!1 PRii m 71 100 THE WORKS jtwnME fil CKM Call us today toll-fre- e 877-289-74- 88 n, -- www.pegsattv.com PEGASUS SATELLITE TELEVISION 'WikdMa fc Mm Own directv. t, 24, 2000). SITLA can, when they are pressured by community organizations, be creative in exercising their fiduciary responsibilities to the educa- sw Uni onl w FeewW R eseeriw tion trusts. I never thought Id agree with Nancy Reagan, but folks "Just say NO! Sincerely, Richard Schwartz Castleton poor |