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Show Page A2 CThc (Timrs-3nhfpnibc- December 20,2001 nt County makes appointment to boards Lia Church staff writer .ririgM riJa's nut tir.fj, McLeod opposed the board appointment Mark Horvutz was appointed to the Grand County Board of Adjustments Horwiiz, w ho w as appointed to the board as an alternate earlier this year, fdls a seat now held by Mathew Gniss, who also applied for the position Council Member Jim Lewis opposed the appointment While Gross w as not reappointed to the board of adjustments, he did get a unanimous nod from council members to fill a seat on the Grand County Airport Board Larry Van Slvke and Travel Council Di ht r by I) t.- ir - rn i.lt- if County C.iuncil ii i fi fjuintiTit-t.t- tmard-- ( ' ' t le Va h u It-- der wd' ,ippiiinti to Imrid County Planning t.- - Zoning 1'.. t at ,it utod h N i Conirni-Mon- till . thi Will d D iltun at hr " mn C irpMih tel ii I tom-r- n Judy r rt d p pointed anithr cri f it- - t, ( . d-- ears tint Curr r.t planning to . , lot' lorn in i to a i the on f term All inning tom-- i huarii are ar t nn nt- - Count d four-yea- r i ,i Mem- - A1 rector Marian DeLay were also appointed to fill openings on the airport board By a 5--2 vote, longtime local citizen watchdog Barb Morra, who has frequently criticized the countys handling of water and develop- ment issues, w as appointed to serve on the Spanish Valley Water and Sewer Service Distinct board. Council Member A1 McLeod w as reappointed to the board. Council members Jerry McNtely and Bart Leavitt voted against the appointments. Gary Wilson was reappointed to his seat on the Kec. board wrestles with growing cash surplus by' Fran U in Seal staff writer the money is going People in the public don't have a clue what were spending this The Gr.ir.d County RecreDistrict ation S (i,d found in the spotlight Wednesday - it met to consider adoption of its 2002 bud- mont y on, she said Mayberry asked District Treasurer Diana Carroll to redraft the it-u- a- get that rtfleits a growing cash surplus Flush with swelling revenues from Bay merit in Lieu of Taxes ilII.T) and Mineral Lease funds from state and federal toilers, the district the next year to ex-fiet- ts fa-gi- with more than $614,000 available to spend on capital projects But based on com-m- i nts made by various board memliers, the district appears div ided over how much of that bounty should lie spent to expand facilities on county-owneproperty surrounding the Spanish Trad Arena and fiow much should go to support existing recreation programs in the community The District Board had intended to adopt a final bud- d get at their meeting last Wednesday night but postponed that vote due to questions about whether they had posted their agenda in accordant e with state law, and significant changes made to budget allocations. After a lengthy discussion, the lioard tentatively agreed to cut hv more than half the amount earmarked for transfer to the Capital Projects Fund, from $331,931 to 11 1.754 The remainder 217,177- - was redirected to aii expense line item called "otributions to other agen- " ies though it too will likely lie sjsmt on capital projects That decision followed a presentation by Moab City Council Memfier Rob Sweeten in which he argued that the city foots the lions share of the cost for recreation in Grand County, even though, by his count, 41 percent of participants live outside city limits He said the Recreation District has been contributing $35,000, or Is fercent of the citys program costs, per year The school district contributes seven percent Both entities contributions are even smaller if city capital project spending on recreation is included in the calculation, he added. We need to consider on an annual basis how this board can contribute more, Sweeten said. Make this more proporlast-minut- e ( tionate " Sweeten also criticized the presentation of the board's budget, claiming it was not itemized. He asked them to spell out exactly what projects were to be funded by the capital projects fund and to make those line items subject to a public hearing. He also said the board had not followed proper procedure with respect to approving development plans for the countys 57 acres surrounding the arena. Board Member Susanne Mayberry, who also sits on the Grand County Council, argued that the budget filled out on form-do- es a not present a clear explanation to the public about where state-require- d budget to include line items. She also asked that the new budget tie advertised pnor to a final public hearing. Other board mem tiers echoed Sweeten, questioning whether the board had formally adopted the development plan, and if they hadnt, was it proper to set aside all of the capital fund for it. Sweeten urged the board not to vote on the budget as it stood, saying, if they did, they would be approving the arena-sit- e development project by default. to reThe board voted of the capiallocate $217,177 tal funds and to meet again at noon on Dec. 28 at the Spanish Trail Arena in a second public hearing to approve the final budget. Carroll and Board Member Kalynn Fail, of Elgin, voted against the motion, saying they felt the board had already agreed to set aside the entire $331,731 to fund developments planned for the property surrounding the 4-- 2 57-ac- re arena. Central to the controversy were questions about the district's mission specifically, whether the district is charged with funding community re,, reation broadly throughout the county or whether its primary duty is to develop the arena and the property surrounding it. The board has always understood that the money was to take care of the countys property, to develop it into a multi-us- e recreation area, Fail said. That's what this board does, Carroll added, what we do Thats Board Member Jim Salmon highlighted the districts history for the other board members. ferent op mons about what this board is about. We need to change our ways. When Mayberry asked that the budget be presented in more detail, Carroll suggested that as treasurer, she might not have enough time. Mayberry suggested the group should allocate e emmoney to hire a ployee for the purpose and the board passed a motion to allocate up to $15,000 from the general fund to pay for the work and to advertise for applicants for the job. The board also split along the same lines over a motion to allocate $52,000 for part-tim- 4-- 2 lighting the Grand County High School tennis courts out of the $217,177 capital projects money being diverted to the contnbutions for other agencies" item in the general fund. In the same motion, the board approved $25,000 in each of two years to go toward a park in Castle Valley. In a separate vote, the board approved $15,000 to be contributed to the City of Green River for Elgin recreation activities, pending the signing of an inter-locagreement. Last Thursday, following the meeting, Till said she thought the board was going through changes that followed from a general change in the tenor of the county council. But she hoped the differences of opinion on the board about its mission could be ironed out with a resolution from the county council following a by a newly formed joint citycounty subcommittee. However it happens, she added, I think it will be painful." On Friday, Carroll said there was no dispute over the mission of the board. Its definitely a broader mission," she said. The dispute is over the capital projects fund. We have that complex and thats what al have jurisdiction over that 57 acres. Weve had a goal to save that money for it. But at the same Grand County formed she time, See Related the district in 1988, he added, she has said. Two years later Story, PageA6 no problem were given a resowith some of lution by the county to conthat money going toward struct a things other than the 57 acres, arena and to pay for it, he I dont think theres a disadded He dug out a copy of the agreement, she said. district's mission statement The next phase of developand read it aloud to the board. ment on the county's property The mission of the Grand was supposed to focus on a Recreation of baseball fields, she County Special Service District No. 1 is to proadded. Duplicating the funcvide comprehensive recretion of the existing baseball ational opportunities to the owned by Moab City residents of Grand County, on Center Street was an issue, she agreed, but not if theres including, but not limited to, we w-- e 43,000-square-fo- ot four-ple- x four-ple- x parks, facilities and programs for all citizens..." the statement began. I dont see any change in our purposes," Salmon concluded. Just to help you understand, added Marcy Till, board member and Moab City Recreation Coordinator, until the last few years, this board didnt have much money to deal with. Perhaps we did not follow legal protocol that might, or might not be true. But now, we have some board members with dif-- a need for it the new four-ple- x at the arena. If theres not a need for it if its not broken, dont fix it." The first step in the process was to conduct a recreational needs assessment to measure the need for it, she said. We need to get the numbers together." But Bhe was confident an assessment would show that little league use of the citys baseball field was causing scheduling problems during the summer. I know they struggle for places to practice," she said. Grand County Water Conservancy District Board, and local business owner Rex Tanner will fill the second open Dohrenw end - also a member of the City Planning and Zonwill fill a ing Commission board. the on second vacancy w Both ere appointed by unanimous vote. Susanne Mayberry opposed the appointments. Wilson was also tapped to f.ll an opening on the Grand County Weed Board. Local County tables Cloudrock vote Continued from Page A1 not adversely impact the water supplies of surrounding property owners in Spanish Valley Council members Bart Leavitt, Jerry McNeely and Kimberly Schappert opposed postponing the vote. But Council Member Joette Langianese, who offered the motion, said the county should have all the information before voting on the preliminary plan. I just feel it should not be approved, she said. We need to w ait until we get the transfer of water rights and are certain that will hav e no impact on existing wells." Last month, the council voted to approve a request to annex the Johnsons Up On Top mesa property owned by the states School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) into the Spanish Valley Water and Sewer Improvement District. SITLA will lease the property to Moab Mesa Land Co., L.L.C. for the Johnsons Up On Top development. However, the ordinance approved by the council allows annexation to occur only if the County. "This does not mean they cannot go ahead with the development," Hoftiine said. Its in the county's interest to have water and sewer services provided by us so we can better monitor them. B at we cant deny them the right to develop the property if the county is unable or willing to provide those services." On Monday, Hofhine told the council that the preliminary plan is an initial review that gives the developer the okay to move ahead to the final plat process." Most developers wait for approval of the preliminary plan before hiring professionals to conduct engineering studies and other initial design work. Those studies are required before the pro- posal is submitted to the Hofhine said Tuesday that the county council had essentially already approved the preliminary plan by Moab Mesa Land Co. when council members last month approved a development agreement between Moab Mesa, SITLA and Grand County. Hofhine said the development agreement contains most of the design and development stipulations included in the preliminary plan, and by approving the agreement, the council also gave consent to the provisions of the preliminary plan. The development agreement specifically says that Grand County has elected to approve the use density and general configuration of the project pursuant to the pre- project plan," Hofhine said, quoting the signed development agreement. I Its much more binding, think, than the preliminary plat," Hofhine said. A Look Back in Time Historic pictures of Moab and Grand County Have a picture you would like to share? Submit it to The Times-lndepende- that the districts new well will provide sufficient water to serve Spanish Valley and Johnsons Up On Top. unlikely, because the state wa- & liminary county for final review. But Johnsons Up On Top developer Michael Liss may already have the approval he needs to go ahead with the state water engineer finds That guarantee may be Kara owner business seat on the board Council members A1 McLeod and nt rK ' MK-- ' v A, ter engineer never issues guarantees that municipal or private water sources will be sufficient to meet future buildout projections, said Spanish Valley resident Bill Love at M4rt' Monday's meeting. Love said he has spoken with the state engineer and was told that the office does approve the transfer of water rights when wells are found and verified. But he said the wording of the councils annexation agreement could mean a delay of several years for any development at Johnsons Up On Top. But County Planning Secretary Mary Hofhine said Tuesday that if Moab Mesa Land Co. is not allowed to annex into the county, the development has the option of drilling separate wells on the property and building a self-contain- sewage treatment plant on the site. Both must meet state standards and o, , Showing off the 90s in the '60 Mrs. Leona Christensen shows off her "Gay 908 costume worn in the parade and fashion show in Provo at the Utah Federation of Womens Club State Convention in 1963. would be monitored by Grand UDOT pushes ahead on Moab Canyon project Continued from Page A 1 the scores, Sibul admitted that the process was subjective. But then most things are," he said. It was UDOT that made the determination in the end." He said the written and verbal input received during the the section of the highserves as the norththat way ern gateway into town. Matt Sibul, project manfic in ager for UDOT consulting firm confirmed on Monday that UDOT had chosen Alternative 4 as its preferred plan. He said the decision was based on a weighted screening matrix (see advertisements on pages B10 and Bll in this weeks issue). ASear-Brow- n, lternative 4 had the highest overall score on the matrix (77.66 out of a possible 100), only slightly ahead of Alternative 3 (72.68). UDOT is proceeding with a cost analysis of both alternatives and says the final decision is still to come. According to Sibul, the scores were averages of scores given by 12 individuals. Seven people representing UDOT n met on Dec. 3 with four consultants and one representative from the engineering firm Horox . Each was given a matrix to fill out, assigning values from 5 for Sear-Brow- 1-- each alternative in each of seven categories: Safety, Access, Envircnmental, Uphill Delays, Public Support, Cost, Downhill Delays. The categories were weighted differently to reflect their relative impor fall open house and afterwards was taken into account during the scoring by way of a general discussion. Asked whether the scoring process involved a mathematical relationship between the quality or quantity of the comn Public Inments, volvement Coordinator Eileen Ringnalda acknowledged they did not. No, I dont think so," she said. What we found overall in the comments was a real mixed bag." Later she added that the public comments did contribute to how the criteria were weighted. Sear-Brow- tance to UDOT, Sibul said. Safety counted for 30 percent of the score while a category called Access, Constructability, Maintenance" accounted for 20 cent. per- EnvironmentalAes-theti- c considerations were given a weight of 15 percent and Public Support, 10 percent. There was a lot of discussion as people were filling out their individual sheets," Sibul said. "Then we put them together on a spreadsheet on a laptop and averaged them." Despite the semblance of a mathematical formula for Moab City Manager Donna Metzler on Monday said she had been notified of UDOT s choice but noted that Alternative 4 was the most expensive and exceeded the $17 million the state has budgeted for the project. Id be curious to know where the additional funding is going to come from given that the selected alternative is well above the established budget for this project," she said. |