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Show Preas Assn. Utah Sta 467 E. 3rd Salt Lake City Ut. Hill Problems for Recapture recreational development agSSS e by Carl Eisemann Problems relating to the recreational use of ground at Recapture Dam Project surfaced in a Tuesday night meeting called by the San Juan Water Conservancy District and county missioners. &. and God the soul" Alexander Pope , Essay on 1 camping areas, boat ramps, swimming and picnic areas as a . .., Nature is j. Noxon photo Man After Tom Redd, secretary of the Conservancy District, outthe lined project progress leading to a June dam construction date, Norman Nielson, president of the Conservancy District, identified the problems. Nielson stated that San Juan had an opportunity to capitalize on a unique attraction if they proceed with planning now. He visualized JuaBD HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER FOR SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH 65 No. 7 20 cents . March 4, 1982 possibility. However, said Nielson, the Water Conservancy District feels the development of the area is up to the county. He added that Brigham Young University was preparing a proposal for ation of the Indian ruins in the area which university archaeologists feel would be a chance for Utah to develop an archaeological display in conjunction with anat-traci- Land and its uses focal point at Commission by Carl Eisemann , j. i Land and its use was the focal point of county business at the regular Monday meeting of county ; cbmmls$fo discussed a proposed land transfer with the LDS Church, a possible nuclear waste repository, new county roads on the Navajo reservation and the frustrations of property tax rebates. Larry Bailey, representing the court-order- ed Monticello LDS! Church, presented a proposal for land transfer of the northeast quarter-bloc- k of the church parking lot, which is directly east of the courthouse, for a site for a scout hut on county-ownland north of the courthouse. Commissioner Black suggested that the county purchase the parking area and give the scouts a renewable, on the other lease property. ed . ear Bailey stated that he would seek authority for the sale and voiced his appreciation for the scout hut site lease. " ;.V Commissioner Black requested a commission letter be sent to Utah Senator Bunnell supporting continued exploration on the Gibson Dome proposed nuclear waste vsiteVH Black said there appears to be a move by environmentalists to cancel the project If without further exploration. we are to keep the project alive," said Black, "all civic groups in this area need to contact the Governor's Task Force voicing support for the Gibson Dome , Bailey presented a copy of a letter addressed to Hay Hot Oil Company requesting that the company exercise greater caution in the Use of oil and salt water on roads in the Montezuma Creek area. Earlier this year residents in that area had indicated concern that their cattle were being affected by improper road treatment. Marion Bayles, county treasurer, asked the commissioners site." for ways to expedite the refunding Commissioner Bailey reported 1979 property tax rebates, of that ' he was meeting with Utah indicating that checks were being Division of Indian Affairs on the returned, in some cases property Creek road and ownership had been transferred Mountain road. the Oljato-Nava- jo and the cost of refunding was Bailey estimated the cost of the frequently in excess of the amount Bluff road at approximately $3 of the refund. Commissioners of cost a million and the prelimsympathized with Bayles but Oljato-Nava- jo Mountain dirt inary stated they felt there were no lf at road approximately options under the court directive million dollars. Bailey hopes to ordering the rebate. have bids ready in two months. Commissioner Low presented a Costs for the Oljato-Nava- jo , request from Empire Electric for Mountain road will be shared by a power line easement at Circle the Navajo Nation, Tribal ChapDrive Park in Monticello. In the ters, Bureau of Indian Affairs and ensuing discussion, the commis. San Juan County. sion suggested the county explore the possibility of turning the park over to the city or trading them for other land. Approval for the easement was granted. Association. He has devoted many The commission discussed the hours of service to the Church of Saints county audit procedure and costs. Jesus Christ of Latter-da- y Clytie Barber, county clerk, and and has worked closely with busWilliam Francom, county audiinessmen and community leaders tor, were authorized to advertise on dozens of community projects bid proposals. Proposals will for and fund raising campaigns. ar A resident of Utah be due April 5. Representatives of the MontCounty, he claims first-haicello Lions Club and the Chamber experience with issues that are of Commerce met with the expected to affect the lives of Southern Utah voters for the rest commission to discuss scheduling problems for MonticeUo Pioneer of this century energy, mining Day activities. They sought and farming. county support in minimizing conStating that he is a conservative Beckham says, "I flicts which existed last year Republican, between the rodeo and softball think the House of RepresentaThe commission felt should tives go back to its tourney. was a this problem of the city of constitutional base of being the not a county problem. watchdog of government spending? Monticello, Bluff-Montezu- ma one-ha- . Beckham will visit San Juan Ray Beckham, who announced his candidacy for Utah's new ! Third Congressional ' morning District at the Wednesday Marriott Hotel in Salt Lake City will be in San Juan this Friday where he will speak at a st breakfast in the San Juan High School cafeteria at 7 a.m. and at a 9 a.m. meeting in the Monticello no-ho- Library. A professor of communications it Brigham Young University, Beckham has been active in BYU sports programs, the BYU alumni issociation, Provo civic associa- tions, the Boy Scouts of America md he sits as a board member on Deseret Federal Savings and Loan . 30-ye- nd ; ve recreation area. Nielson pointed out that Utah is the only Four Corners state without a restoration project. Commissioner K.R. Bailey responded to Nielson stating that, at the moment, the county program calls only for connecting existing Highway 163 to the new road, thus providing access to both sides of the lake. There are no plans for parking areas or other amenities, Bailey said. Bailey expressed the opinion that development of the area might be better carried out by other agencies or private parties. At this point, Nielson reminded Bailey that the county commission had officially endorsed a recreation program concept when the Recapture project was first proposed. Representatives of the Bureau of Land Management present at the meeting stated that their for construction agreements on the Recapture project placed control of the area under the Conservancy District. They also stated the BLM was not adverse to the county, or some other agency, managing a recreation project at the dam site. In response to a question by Hardy Redd about a concessionaire plan, such as the one at Halls Crossing, the BLM stated that such a plan would be acceptable providing it met all State codes and was under the control of a county agency. A major problem which kept emerging was finance. No single agency seemed willing to comm it necessary funds for construction and supervision of recreational facilities. There were, however, indications that some planning funds might be available. Nielson stated that the ConserDistrict could match vancy county money for planning and some services for architectural landscaping could come from construction funds. Bill Howell of the Association of Local Governments stated that the Division of Water ReState sources had allocated some right-of-wa- ys money for recreational develop- " .' v ' V ment. ; After numerous suggestions, it was generally agreed that planning must begin now. Commissioner Bailey asked the County Recreation Council, the Water Conservancy District and Economic Development Council to work together in developing recreational programs. Area citizens are asked to contact these group with ideas they feel need consideration. Gibbons is Citizen of the Year A was resident of Blanding honored last Thursday, as 16-y- ear Blanding's Citizen of the Year. Dr. DeLamar Gibbons, physician and past mayor, received the title at the Blanding Chamber of Commerce annual banquet. Gibbons came to Blanding as its only physician in 1966, practicing alone until recently. His practice included Blanding, Bluff, and, for some time, areas on the Navajo Reservation. This left him on constant call seven days a week with the necessity to commute each day to the "I'll probably be back in ten years," he said. "It's been a great satisfaction to serve here." of Sam Taylor, owner-edit- or the Moab Times Independent, was keynote speaker for the banquet. Taylor, a past Utah Senator and long-timember of the State me Commission, Transportation of the spoke advantages and disadvantages of living in Southeast (Please turn to Page 2) San Juan Hospital in Monticello, 26 miles one way, to do surgery. Gibbons has written novels, dabbled In inventions, and Is cur- rently writing a musical. "My only drawback," he says, "is I dont know how to play the piano." He and his wife, Alberta, have .. sponsored the building of two sets of apartment complexes in Blanding through government grants. They have five children. Doctor , Gibbons told the Chamber he would be relocating to Alexandria, Virginia, this spring to join a medical group. DeLamar Gibbons, M.D, Blanding Citizen of the Year ' M. Keele photo |