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Show Utah Stato Press Assn. 467 E. 3rd S. - . Sait Lake 4111 City Ut. UmoMEnimn ttsinlliiiraggs cfleaim-im- p dnscimssed by Carl Eisemann Focus of the county commissioners Monday meeting was a discussion of a report by the Utah Department of Energy and the State Department of Health oh plans for clean-u- p of uranium tailings at the abandoned uranium south of mill processing o '' ft Kv 4ik N N' jJ ZjLr $? MMVM 2 r TrtT' .jife riPlS i- .lTr Winter in San Juan . Photo by Alvin Reiner TCi HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER FOR SAN JUAN COUNTY. UTAH Vol . 65 No. 1 . 20 cents January 21, 1982 Governors budget request esceeds 1.8 billion Supporting a 10,5 percent wage Increase for public employees, grants for education, a minerals tax and repeal severance HB 164, Governor Scott Matheson presented a fiscal year ; for,; government services, meet- ing the needs of Utah citizens and ; providing the flexibility necessary to deliver those services as Efficiently as possible. The governor called for the repeal or modification of HB 164 enacted by the 1981 legislature which reduced the fair market value of residential and commercial properties by 20 percent, or the removal of the freeze, or both. He recommended seven block grants for educational programs that would allovr iocal officials flexibility to meet community needs. Block grants for state institutions of higher education will be based on enrollments and growth and enable the college or university president to decide where he wants to spend the money. "Flex- -. ibility is essential for both higher 1982-- 83 budget of one billion, 852 million dollars to the Utah State Legislature. It represents a 10.3 percent increase over the current years rateofinfla- - budget, roughly the tion the governor said. "I believe it is reasonable, by any definition, R calls for ho general tax increase and no increase in state employment. Matheson noted in his budget address that federal revenues as a percentage of the total state budget had declined from 25 to 20 percent in the last three years. . t , governors budget recommendations were drawn, he said, to comply with setting priorities The FCCB awarded Four Corners Community Broadcasters (FCCB), a volorganization, untary, received a $20,000 grant this month from the Federal Government. The grant, directly from grant $20,000 the station could incorgrams porate until they are ready to do their own programming. Smith . non-pro- fit seemed to feel the grant was for purchase of an sufficient antenna and building of a small station. FCCB has sold memberships in Grand and San Juan County. R is endorsed by UNDC, Monticello and Blanding City Councils and the Community College, Navajo The Arizona. organiTsaile, zation hopes to feature educational programs as well as the arts in their programming. - the Public Telecommunications Division of the Commerce Department, will help establish a Juan public FM station in San County. The organization, which began in 1979, has already been assigned two channels and is licensed by the Federal Communications ComThe board met last mission. Tuesday, to plan for use of the grant and selection of a radio station site. Shelby Smith, KUTA owner, offered advise on initiating the station. He mentioned there is an abundance of free radio pro- - . teacher at Eddie Toledo, Montezuma Creek Elementary, is serving as chairman of the board with other members as follows: Arlene Dennison, David Dennison, Rosalie Goldman, Dave Montree, Mary Jane Yazzie, Jerry Gresh and Barbara Morris. , and public education to meet their growing needs,, Matheson said. Noting that studies indicate that 70 percent of all new jobs in Utah by 1983 will require less than a bachelors degree, the governor called on legislators toad-dre- ss changes in vocational education governance during the special budget session. R is tempting to ignore capital investments in difficult economic times, said Matheson referring to state capital expenditures, the third largest item in the states budget. "While benign neglect may achieve short-ter- m savings, it will ultimately produce longterm costs. I am hopeful the Legislature will establish a separate capital facilities committee to responsibly address burgeoning capital needs. The Governor indicated his support for the severance tax bill sponsored by Senator Charles Bullen Rich) stating that funds generated by a severance tax could be used to develop public infrastructure for state and community needs that will replace the wealth lost by the taking of Utah coal, oil and gas resourc. (R-cac- he, Monticello. John Themilis of the Department of Energy briefly outlined the mill clean-u- p history, Indicating that budget cuts had moved the timetable for completion of the site study to 1983 rather than 1982. Themilis said that if the site study shows the existence of a pollution problem, there are four possible ways to alleviate such pollution: 1) enchanced stabilization of tailings at the present site, 2) processing existing tailings at the mill site, 3) processing at a remote site and 4) removal and burial at a remote site. Present uranium prices make options two and three unlikely. Option four will cost over $30 million and would not be completed until 1992. Bill Lund indicated that removal to a site within a 10 mile was dependent on the radius presence of appropriate shale layers to prevent water pollution. There is concern that the thickness of Mancos shale at the present site may not be adequate to prevent water contamination. Commissioner Black challenged the presenters to furnish evidence that radon was really a health hazard; Black stated that reports of possible contamination creates a fear mentality in public mind when no real evidence exists to support such fears. He went on to say that moving existing tailings would create a greater health hazard than continued storage at the present site. Themilis and A1 Rickers, State Health Board representative, stressed that radon pollution was not the major concern. Acid and heavy mineral pollution of water is of greater concern. They pointed out that Phase I of the site analysis was the most important stage. "We need to know if there is a problem before deciding on remedial action. The commission agreed that an analysis of conditions was important, particularly analysis water conditions. Rickers of indicated that the commission be invited to a meeting after site data was accumulated. In other action, the commissioners signed contracts with: the Bureau of Indian Affairs for a shared road maintainence prothe reservation, xi gram Construction of Chamberlain Blanding for work on the Blanding municipal swimming pool and Social Services for a detoxification center at the San Juan Hospital. Robert Furlow of the Southeast Utah Health Department asked for a clarification on the handling of building permit funds and indicated a number of problems had developed In the new phone would services. The commissioners stated that there was no change in handling permits and the county clerk would still account for such funds. They also authorized to Furlow explore solutions to the phone problem. A1 Haskins reported that all county appeals for exclusion of San Juan land in Bureau of Land Management wilderness projects had been denied excepting the Rogue River area. Monticello cable TV delayed Cable television, originally scheduled by Blue Mountain Cable to be available in Television Monticello in will be delayed until sometime in February; Exact date will depend on negotiations for make ready pole work with Empire Electric and Continental Telephone, said Paul Pena of Blue Mountain Cable Company, who holds cable franchises granted by the communities of Blanding, Monticello, Dolores and Mancos. Pena said that most of the mid-Decem- ber, necessary lines have been Installed in Monticello but legal the requirements governing proximity of power lines, telelines and cable lines phone sharing one pole mean the repositioning of these lines in some sections of Monticello. Cable lines must be 40 inches away from power lines and 12 inches removed from telephone lines, Pena explained. Cable television has been available in Blanding since late faU of 1981. es. In recommending a 10.5 percent wage increase for public employees, Matheson said, "Public employment in Utah is no longer attractive. "The turnover among state employees in the past two years has reached an alarming rate of 40 percent. The reason is appar- ent: salary increases have not kept pace with inflation or the increase in wages in the private sector. The cost of hiring and about 50 percent of re-traini- ng, an individuals first year salary, is an expense we cannot afford. Lynn Klupers, San , Juan High senior and Century HI Stacy Leadership winner, receives congratulations from Principal Turk and Pat Seltzer, chairman of the Language Arts Department. See related articles on pages 2 and 4. |