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Show TFE SAN JUAN RECORD, V Tv i i i Letters to the editor The Record welcomes letters from its readers on any subject of public interest. The publisher at all times reserves the righbto edit, condense or reject any contributions in the interest of brevity andor good taste. , nies whom he felt would do an for E.F.N. adequate job Within several weeks E.F.N. officials again contacted Dr. to do the work as Madsen the Antiquities Section could do the work cheaper than any of the groups E.F.N. contacted. This time the Section took on the work and completed full excavations of 12 sites, and tested at least 8 more. This work was completed To the Editor: Mr. Calvin Blacks initial news release concerning the significance of archaeological sites which have and are being excavated and rip - offs of taxpayers by state archaeologists has generated interesting responses by local citizens. What shocks me is much Mr. Black has how around telling the hegged complete story along with his in 1979. alleged statements ofwrong-doing- s. Because of this misleading approach I have felt the need to state the rest of the Early in 1980, the Antiquities Section submitted a budget to complete the required archaeology under the assumption that business arrangements and E.F.N, philosophies had not changed. nor the earThis budget lier one even reached the astronomical levels that Mr. Black has stated but rather were hundreds of thousands of dollars less. In short, the second budget did not exceed the first by more than story. Black summarizes Mr. what he has called taxpayer by state archrip - offs in his letter to aeologists the editor of June 5, 1980. In the first of these he alleges a price of about four that times to do a job was submitted to Energy Fuels Nuclear (E. F.N.). He then states that the state archaeologists cut their original proposal in half only to still be double that of the proposal of the which also took into con- 10 sideration several uncontrol-ab- le factors (i.e. inflation 12 - 14 annually, 11 cost of living pay increase, more winning contractor. To clarify this statement, which is extremely misleading, I must refer to events which have occured for the past few years. In 1978, E.,F.N. officials approached the state archaeologist (Dr. D.B, Madsen) and asked him to complete the re- than one years budget to complete the necessary analysis yand work, and publication costs). In other words, even the price to do archaeology went up over the past year. Both of these budgets were for the minimum excavation of 12 quired archaeological salvage of sites impacted by the ore plant. At White Mesa that time Dr. Madsen refused to do the work and gave names of institutions and compa sites. Between the time this second budget was submitted and its final rejection by E.F.N. ...(E.F.N.) felt that they SPECIALS!! could get by with the salvage of only 2 more sites. By this time 27 people in the Antiquities Section who were working for the White Mesa project and who had been hired for the 1980 field season were fired. Only after this had occured did the section learn of in policy and shift E.F.N,s three separate proposals, for 12 sites, 5 sites, and 2 sites were submitted for competi- tive Out of 5 con- bidding. the Antiquities section turned in the 2nd lowest bid. The contract was awarded to Northern Arizona University whom Mr. Nlack says under bid the section by. half. He never mentioned the fact that there were 5 bidders. Nor does he relate that the N.A.U. bid did not include the final costs for completing all of the required laboratory analysis. In other words the sections bid was undoubtedly higher because it was a complete budget not to be added onto at a later date ! Mr. Blacks picture of the (Butler Wash - Cow Canyon) highway project is tractors, 4 U-1- 63 also very at CAUSEWAY TEXACO!!! SPECIALS on DUAL EXHAUST SYSTEMS Your Choice: Glasspacks-Tuito- r Mufflers or Standard Mufflers! Get a I TUNE-U- P NOW!! For Better Mileage. I ALL MAKES & MODELS CARS & TRUCKS Points, Plugs, Carburetor Adjustment, etc. CAUSEWAY TEXACO Kerry Black, Mgr. 4 N. Hwy. 163 Michelin t l J I , 15 Hercules Tires B.F. Goodrich t r 678-27- Blanding irresponsible public statements. Mr. Black well (or should so) the proper channels for formal complaints within the state government. I strongly urge Mr. Black and any other concerned individuals to follow any legal recourse against the state archaeologists and then and with complete truthfulness tell the people knows pub-lica- results the more politics. Lets tell is how it is. The Antiquities Section and its employees have acted within prescribed means and bounds set by the state in all projects in San Juan County. Let them do their job. They are more than happy to give the residents back their artifacts, as they have for the past two years, and encourage locals to come out and see what is being done and to help! They are only doing the job law requires them to do and we all must live by laws. Michael P. Benson Box 177, Bluff, Ut. eral uncontrolable factors (i.e., inflation, additional most significantly, but work), the addition of a third by field crew. Mr. Black also has failed to mention that crews, ware ready to go out into tha field over one month before they were allowed to. This delay was caused by Federal Highway and Department of Transportation officials dragging their feet in issuing the contract! Legally, the archaeology must be done by the 30th of this month (June). To date, all but one site has been cleared and the road work not been impeeded, has physically in any other way by the archaeologists! The third and final charge I will address deals with the allegations of use of state vehicles for private purposes. Mr. Blacks sworn written statements and pictures come from an incident which happened nearly a year ago. At that time Mr. Black was personally contacted by White Mesa field directors and told of the incident and given names and numbers of several state officials he could contact concerning any misuse of state vehicles. It was also explained to Mr. Black at that time that even though the state owned the vehicles, they had been rented by the Antiquities Section and were paid for by E.F.N,, and no state or federal tax monies were ever spent on any phase of White Mesa project. Mr. Blacks response to the incident was that he was not the least bit concerned about the matter, considering the individuals who were involved. Nor did Mr. Black contact any of the proper state officials! Why then has nearly a year gone by before P.O. Box 782 Monticello, UT 84535 To the Editor: Trie continual misunder- standing between pro - cultural individuals and pro -factions again development surfaces in San Juan County. Screaming tactics using the editor of The San Juan Record as a podium are again churning up the highcontroversial problem. ly What has happened to learning, understanding and compromise? I am extremely frustrated continual tactics being promdrawing oted by Calvin Black and Dan Shumway as well as others in the local communcare little about ity who own culture let alone their a 1000 - year - old people even write. who couldnt Where have you all been for the Hole - in - the - Rock Centennial, the Living History Demonstrations, the trail rides, the Cultural Seminars, and the writing contests? Why didnt you find time to attend? All events were poorly attended for the numbers of descendants. Why? Winston Hurst should be adthe with line- mired for his stand against such formidable opponents. He has risked accusations, accusing ers, cold shouldand worse of all, being stares, one of those - Por-tale- heart is in Blanding. Possibly, Winston is learning more more about how to help you appreciate the cultures that surround you. He will and be back and I assure you change many of your minds. What are the causes of vandalism in San Juan County? Vandalism to buildings, signs, rock art panels, heavy machinery and on and on. Fundamentals of greed, immatur- ity, irresponsibility, revenge and yes, even genuine interest. Frustrations are continually vented towards BLM, governing agencies, caterpillars, Calvin Black, rangers, archetc. Land and aeologists. suffer the conseculture quences. Mining, new roads, farming, cattle timbering, resources can and cultural co - exist, each in the place it best occupies, if greed and misunderstanding do not enter the spectrum. San Juan County is feeling the threats of change. Change in culture, numbers of people, uses of the land. San Juan County does not need look far to see the results. Durango, Telluride, Moab, Aspen. Consideration for economic welfare and open space are both needed. The question is how much? Enough for all of us to be millionaires or enough to survive happily with some struggle. Government in all aspects, County, City, State, and - Federal must set the example and adhere to their regulations most explicitly. Overto regulation or misregulation should be fought. Personal enacted legisgain through or should also mandates lation be controlled and watched for all. by will not cure the ills affecting the inner beauty and culture of this county. Only a personal committment to listen, compromise and avoid the temptations of greed. cultural sites Meanwhile, to continue disappear in bean Law fields, washes, chainings, excavation by the amateur, professional archaeologist, as wall as commercial pothunting. Do more wrongs make a right? Where to we stop drawing lines? When does someone us the convince through line has been drawn and we shooting at each other? More important, when do we start listening and learning what all this fuss is about? You tell me; Im just a new- start comer. Sincerely, sFred archaeolo-gist- s. Fred Why? Possibly because he cares not only for past cultures, but that culture which saw him born and raised in San Juan County. I have a deep admiration for Winston, as well as for his deceased brother, Mike. They were different because they cared about something that was unusual to care M, M, Blackburn Blackburn WEATHER about. Culture. Winston has constantly reassured me that there is hope for cultural appreciaSan Juan County. constantly refers to the good in those Blanding families and his hope for their future. Winston may have ad in tion He 4 I vT. their labors. Please, no more half -- truths, no more emotionalism, no - I.. of lly states that budget increases from $124,000 up to $180,000 is a taxpayer rip-o- ff and intimates that the completion of the project has been held up by archaeologists. Again Mr. B?ack has not presented all of the facts. Cost increases resulted from sev- the COMPLETE BRAKE SERVICE!! now makes misleading. He le-ga- Hy, ALL THIS MONTH!! he June 12, 1980 Page 15 s, dressed his letter from New Mexico, but his Thursia, I I Without advertising, you wouldn't know. r. a- Tj . t |