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Show During local visit Budget review Legislative sessions eyed by state rep. Progress Editor Seeking input from Emery residents, state County Tom Christensen spent Monday, Dec. 6, in Huntington, Castle Dale, and Ferron, meeting informally with citizens in the district. The state legislator is currently making preparations for the Dec. 15 special session as well is the general session to begin adding Cfunty, Christensen listened to the public at Senior Citizen centers in each community. Although the response to the legislators visit was minimal, he was still confronted by several citizens with questions and suggestions regarding state government. In an exclusive interview with the Emery County Progress, Chriitensen, who lives near Richfield in Sevier County, responded to questions about the upcoming sessions. He said that the biggest problem the state is facing presently is a lack of money. Were really having some money problems, he said, pointing to decreases in money received from property taxes and sales taxes. He said Resource the asked about development. Christensen is also a member of the Revenue and Taxation Committee in the House of Representatives. In reference to the special session called for by Governor Matheson on Dec. 15, Christensen said that while the governors proposal to bond for $136 million for state building construction, water projects, and construction of interstate highways will provide jobs, he isnt sure if borrowing money for funding is wise. Im pretty much a pay as you go type of The he said. legislator, on private The legislator, as well property. as Emery County officials, are hoping for an increase in mine taxes and a reduction in property taxes locally, and Christensen said that such a Change in assessment may come directly from the State Tax Commission or by means of legislation. When Committee, water possibility of a severance tax bill surfacing during the said that a Christensen session, bill might be introduced, but added that he does not believe to presented proposal legislators has been all positive. All that weve been given has been the positive. We need to consider the other side of borrowing this much money at the special session and then make the decision. Also, Christensen has some complaints about the priority list of building projects as proposed by the Building Board. its time has yet come. Christensen, who voted against a. severance tax in the last session, said that the tax proposal in the past has not provided enough return to the impacted areas. fV $ Students from Huntington Elementary second grades had a special opportunity Mon., Dec. 6, to decorate the Christmas tree at the Huntington First Security Bank. Decoration were designed by the students and included gingerbread men, bells, and lollipops. The students from Mrs. Powell, Mrs. Martines, and Mrs. Emery County Fire Administrator Don Almond has issued a call for volunteers to apply for membership in local fire departments in the county to alleviate a critical shortage of manpower. Almond said that several of the departments have fallen below manpower levels needed to adequately provide fire protection. Castle Dale and Huntington are the two departments with the greatest need for volunteers, Almond Castle Dale said. normally has a crew of 20 but is down to just 10 men and two trainees, he said, adding that while Huntington has a full crew, not enough men are j4 v X ft Chapman's classes all had an opportunity to return to the bank that afternoon for Christmas caroling and a visit with Santa courtesy of the First Security Bank. Julie Downard got a sneak preview of the tree, above, by peeking window. available during the day. Also, he said that Ferron is about five short of a full staff. One of the problems we are facing is lack of firemen who work white collar jobs and are able to leave those jobs during the day to fight a fire. We have plenty of blue collar workers, but too often those men are the unavailable for service, We fire administrator said. who need are the really people already in the towns. Among those whom the administrator is hoping to recruit are school teachers and housewives. He said that the Emery County School Board has flu - . ' - Fifteen-month-ol- thjbw 1 L d much i - t'- - Warren Lucas didn't appreciation for his im- munization shot given Monday at the ' Is bard uf Health office in Castle Dale given by R.N. Kathi Kearney, left, but his mother Vivian, right, knows the benefits of the bank the program. Warren's brother William who is looking on has also participated in the program which provides immunization against measles, mumps, rubella, and MMR. Photo by Larry W Davit I been very cooperative in allowing teachers to leave school during the day to fight fires while women are also encouraged to volunteer. The county currently has 10 women volunteers of its 150, and Almond would like to see more. Women can do the same things do on fires, he said. men Each department in the county averages one fire per month and also meets for training sessions each week. Other training for fire fighters comes through Utah Technical College. Almond said that the county has the best equipment rural county in Utah which is also an incentive to prospective fire volunteers. The county administrator emphasized that the departments are not attempting to exclude anyone from membership. We have been accused of being cliquish, he said, but thats simply not true. He pointed out that many of the firemen have been together for some time, but the departments are willing to add members in of any the best interest fire of protection. Almond said that anyone interested in volunteering for fire duty may call him or any of the local fire chiefs. off- - eaon arrives soon has not yet proportions, the State Health Department is advising citizens that the influenza season is expected at any time. There have been isolated reports of cases of flu in Emery County over the past few weeks. According to Craig R. Nichols, director of the Bureau of Communicable Disease Control, influenza outbreaks usually begin in Utah between and the end of January and continue for six to eight weeks. Influenza vaccine is recommended each year for individuals at high risk of influenza complications, Nichols said. High risk individuals are people over age 65, and those patients with heart, lung, or kidney disease, diabetes, severe anemia and those receiving medications that compromise the immune mechanism. Because it takes ap er V , will Department receive a budget of over $1 million as well. Emery County Attorney Scott Johansen said that should the commissioners fail to complete the budget Dec. 8, a special session will be called for its completion. Dont put vaccine Although influenza ' through Sheriffs Photo by Angie Fillmore reached Utah in great :' biggest share of the countys revenue comes from property taxes totaling over $3 million. Additional money comes to the county from sales tax, licenses and fees, Federal revenue sharing, law enforcement fees, Forest Service fees, fines and forfeitures, and the state liquor fund. There are over 60 departments in the county seeking funding for the fiscal year with the biggest budget going to the road fund. It is expected that about $1.2 million will go toward class B road funding while another $1 million should go toward highway funding. The County seeks fire volunteers 4 T Com- County budget shows that the Christensen expects committee action on license fee increases, severance tax proposals, oil and gas regulation, impact fees, and to opposed higher Presently, Utah execution. looking to ways of obtaining more money for the state coffers in the legislative session in January and suggested that increases in special taxes and fees will be considered. concern to Of primary Christensen are adjustments to the tax assessments of coal as with allows execution by firing squad. However, Christensens bill allows condemned criminals a choice of firing squad or lethal injection. If no choice is made, lethal injection would take precedence. I dont believe it is necessary to mutilate in order to kill, he said. As chairman of the Natural that the legislators will be assessments that education included, that figure reaches nearly 50 percent. He said that education has always been a high priority for Utah legislators, but loss of Federal money coupled with decreases in state money have made it difficult to meet educational demands. Christensen said that the Utah Education Association will be presenting a package calling for a 10 percent increase in the Weighted Pupil Unit funding. That percentage figure traditionally applies to teacher salary increases as well. Representative Christensen will introduce a bill of his own in January calling for a change in the states code for legal Jan. 10. During his visit to Emery mines Emery missioners met on Wednesday, Dec. 8, for a public hearing on the 1983 operating budget for the county beginning at 8 a.m. and were expected to hammer out a final decision during that same meeting. The commissioners have been dealing with funds of over $7 million for the upcoming fiscal year. While the budget has been in the works for several weeks, the commissioners called on all county department heads to give input regarding the budget during the commission meeting held Dec. 1. Those heads also had the opportunity for additional input during the Dec. 8 hearing. A review of the proposed Education will be a dominant issue in the 1983 session, according to Christensen. Nearly 35 percent of all state funding he said, goes to education, by Larry W. Davis Representative underway proximately four weeks for the body to develop protective antibodies after the vaccine is given, all high risk individuals should be immunized before influenza arrives, he said. According to Kathi Kearney, a registered nurse with the Emery County division of the State Health Department, most influenza shots have already been administered. She said that several clinics were held for senior citizens as well as school teachers in Emery County. However, she added that the local facility has an adequate supply of the vaccine although anyone seeking a dose should set up an appointment. The cost in Emery County is $3 per shot. Nurse Kearney said that while the influenza vaccine is good for a one year period, the department also has a pneumo vaccine available good for a five year period. This vaccine is for high risk pneumo patients who may i have lung black lung. ailments such as Kearney also notes that by getting a flu vaccine, one is still capable of getting the flu since the vaccine curbs just three strains of the ailment while many exist. She recommends that anyone who suffers from common flu symptoms should see a doctor. Vaccine supplies throughout the state are adequate this year and immunizations are being offered by physicians as well as Health Department clinics. Predicting the severity of influenza outbreaks is difficult, said Nichols. However it is known that thousands of people become ill each year, and deaths related to pneumonia and influenza increase during the influenza season. Influenza vaccine for this year will provide protection against and strains. |
