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Show i fym Bit i i J f H I I. HI ,j Hi Hi' .H 1 J 'll ' ' . f -- ! . IV - n i' i "I ' ) SI J I Progress editor DALE Although election day was Tuesday, Nov. 6, it wasnt until yesterday, Monday, Nov. 19, that the race for Emery County treasurer was decided. Four election judges from the county spent Monday morning recounting the votes JoAnn Behling Treasurer-elec- t f ' By LARRY W. DAVIS CASTLE hling is treasurer-elec- t J te in that race as candidates Janet Petersen and JoAnn Behling waited for the results. When the final votes were counted, Mrs. Behling won the election by just three votes 1,483 to 1,480. The race couldnt have been much tighter. After the Nov. 6 election and the subsequent counting of absentee ballots, Mrs. lead Behling had an over Mrs. Petersen. Write-i- n candidate Elaine Wilson, the incumbent, was a distant third with 717 votes. Because the difference in the apparent votes from win- ner and the next highest candidate was less than 12, a recount was approved. That took place on Monday, and with the margin, Mrs. te Behling becomes Emery treasurer-elect- Countys . Each of the local candidates winning the election will be sworn in in January. For totals in the election, see separate story in todays Progress. Counting the votes in the treasurers race Monday were Eileen Lofthouse, Marianne Day, Zora Peacock and M. Elaine Beard all of Castle Dale. The recount took place in the small conference room of the courthouse. Three votes shy Emery County i 50 Cents Tuesday, November 20, 1990 Volume 91 - No. 47 Bangerter responds to IPP coal plans nia with out Utah coal no By LAYNE MILLER Staff writer way. Gov. Norm Bangerter has threatened to take legal action and economic sanctions against the Intermountain Power Plant ifIPP officials fail to honor the gentlemens agreement to buy only Utah coal to fuel the power plants two units. 800-megaw- Members of the Utah Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Coal Mine Institute were told last week by Stephen P. Crouch, fuel supply engineer for the Los Angeles City Department of Water and Power, that the utitility would soon test southern Wyoming and western Colorado coal. In a press release issued by the governors office, Bangerter said he was told by IPP that Wyoming and Colorado coal was being considered for testing at the power plant. This move by IPP, in my opinion, is a breach of a commitment and in violation of an agreement that was made 10 years ago, Bangerter is quoted as saying. I will be asking the Utah State Tax Commission to explore potential tax alternatives to ensure that IPP is living up to its responsibility as a corporate citizen in Utah, he further states. During his speech in Price, Crouch called the gentlemens agreement to burn only Utah coal supposed promises. However following Banger-ter- s swift response to the statement, IPP general manager Reed Searle said the possicoal h bility of testing was merely an impression created by a miscommunica-tio- n and is not the policy of the Intermountain Power Agency or the Los Angeles utility that is its main customer. Utah Mining Association president Jack Christensen said he is not aware of any existing written agreement to require the use of Utah coal. As far as I know, it is just a handshake agreement, he explained. The Legislature took great pains to put a package together that gives tax benefits to the utility with the understanding it would bum non-Uta- ' Utah coal. Christensen said he was pleased with Bangerters quick response to the threat. I think its a burr under the governors saddle just like it was with (late governor) Scott Matheson , he said. Christensen summed up the problem when he said, I dont think anyone would be satisfied if the smoke coming out of the stacks stays here and the power goes to Califor A Bangerter has asked Utah Attorney General Paul Van Dam to review legal options available to enforce IPPs commitments. I will do all I can to make sure that Utah does not end up with the worst of all worlds Wyoming and Colorado low quality coal being burned to produce power for California consumers, leaving nothing but pollution and broken promises in Utah, Bangerter says. The following is a statement issued by Governor Norman H. Bangerter regarding the IPP decision to test coal in Wyoming and Colorado. I have been informed that the Intermountain Power Project may begin test burning coal from southern Wyoming and western Colorado. If, in fact, IPP decides to pursue this plan to use out of state coal much of the economic benefit promised to Utah when the plant was initially approved will be lost. But the damage caused to Utah by IPPs use of out of state low quality coal is not just economic, there are environmental concerns as well. The out of state coal that IPP is considering for use in its boilers in Utah place of the coal it has traditionally used will undoubtedly increase air pollution in Utah. Several months ago, I met with IPP officials and was told that testing of Wyoming and Colorado coal was being considered. I indicated that I would strenuously oppose this decision. This move by IPP, in my opinion, is a breach of a commitment and in violation of an agreement that was made 10 years ago. At that time, IPP came to Utah and low-sulph- negotiated with Governor Matheson and other governmental leaders that all coal would be purchased from Utah coal mines for this pro- ject. We exepct all agreements, written and verbal, to be kept. I will be asking the Utah State Tax Commission to explore potential tax alternatives to ensure that IPP is living up to its responsibility as a corporate citizen in Utah. In addition, I have asked Attorney General Paul Van Dam to review legal options available to enforce IPPs commitments. I will do all I can to make sure that Utah does not end up with the worst of all worlds Wyoming and Colorado low quality coal being burned to produce power for California consumers, leaving nothing but pollution and broken promises in Utah. Hoisting the holly Its that time of year again. The week before Thanksgiving is traditionally the time for local firemen to get the Christmas decorations out of storage and onto the city streets in communities throughout Emery County. Above, Castle Dale firemen use the ladder truck to help get the decorations onto lines above Main Street. Report shows teacher salary rate The increases in teacher salaries this year represent the largest gains made in Utah since the 1982-8- 3 school year. This was pointed out by Utah Foundation, the private tax research organization in its annual analysis of teacher salary schedules in the state. According to the study, Emery School District raised its salary schedule by an average of $1,334, or 6.08 percent this year. In addition, most teachers who are not at the top of the salary scale also received a normal experience increment averaging $836 per year. Thus, the total pay increase for most teachers in Emery School District during 1990-9- 1 averaged $2,170, or 9.88 percent. tricts were able to substantially exceed this legislatively-mandate- d minimum increase. In several of the districts, however, the increase in the salary schedules without the experience increment was less than $1,000 at some of the steps. The beginning salary for a teacher with a bachelors degree in the Emery School District this yearwas $18,530. The salary schedules provide for regular increases based on experience and added academic training. Thus, an experienced teacher with a masters degree in the Emery Sqhool District will receive a maximum salary of $31,260, or 169 percent of that paid to teacher with an entry-levonly a bachelors degree. A teacher with a bachelors degree who began teaching in the Emery School District school during the 1985-8- 6 a received starting salary year this of $17,140. In 1990-9same teacher with five years experience would receive a basic salary of $22,320. Thus, el Legislation adopted by the 1990 Utah Legislature pro- vided that each professional employee of a school district who is under contract with the district shall receive a $1,000 increase on his or her salary The schedule for FY 1990-9foundation report indicates that most Utah school dis 1. 1, the total increase over the past years would amount to $5,180, or 30.2 percent. Approximately $1,680 of this gain represents increases in the basic salary schedules and $3,500 is a total of the annual experience increments. Over the past five years, the cost of living, as measured by the consumer price index, rose by 22.5 percent. was about 15.5 percent below the U.S. average. The foundation notes, however, that this comparison does not take into consideration a number of factors peculiar to Utah. 1. Because Utah has a growing school system, more new teachers are employed each year, and these tend to be at the lower end of the salary Foundation analysts point out that the above amounts and percentages were calculated from the approved salary schedules of the Emery School District. The 1990 Utah Legislature also appropriated $34.3 million for a career-laddprogram, which supplemented the basic salary of teachers throughout the state by an average of approximately $1,900 per teacher. Despite the increases provided this year, teacher salaries in Utah still will lag behind those of most other states. The average salary paid to Utah teachers last year (after adjustment for Three years ago, an option encouraged many of Utahs older teachers to retire. For the most part, these were teachers at the upper end of the salary scale. 3. The state paid most, if not all, of the employees share of school retirement costs as a special fringe benefit. This adds about 5 percent to 6 percent to the take home pay of Utah teachers. 4. The average salary of all workers in Utah is approximately 14 percent below the average of all workers in the United States. 5. Living costs in Utah communities are 8 percent to 12 percent lower than that of the nation as a whole. scale. 2. er career-ladde- r supplement) i early-retireme- nt |