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Show Commissioners disband Health Service Board i by Carl Eisemann The San Juan Health Care Services Board was disbanded Monday by action of county commissioners. After a long discussion on Health Board problems, which began with a discussion of contracts for the county Physicians Group and covered, the whole gamut of deficits and responsibilities of the county com mission, Commissioner Bailey made the following statement: An aerial view of. Blanding looking ' HOMETOWN east ' . - by Carl Eisemann Willie Grayeyes, Utah Navajo Council (UNDC) Development chairman, presented an alternative voter districtingplan Monday to county commissioners and protested the districting opinion poll conducted by county com missioned in conjunction with the August primary election. ; The latest UNDC plan would place Oljato and Monument Valley in a district with the northern parts of the county, put Mexican Hat and Bluff with the remainder of the reservation, and setup a comprised of Blanding and territory south and east of Blanding. Grayeyes said most of the Navajos favor a plan that would put all of the reser- third September 12, 1984 ' chairman presents alternative plan for voter districts .4 r!- photographer Alvin Reiner. cents 25 a UNDC by NEWSPAPER FOR SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH Vol. 66 No, 30 i. district vation in one district, adding that the U. S. Department of Justice would not approve such a plan because it creates wide population discrepancies, Commissioners accepted the new plan stating that they will consult with people in Mexican Hat, Bluff, Oljato and Navajo Mountain for their opinions. They rejected UNDC allegations that the districting opinion poH was , unwarranted, Iti other business, aproposalby Commissioner Calvin Black that San Juan County join with other southeastern Utah countie s in protecting Utahs unused Colorado River water , rights was accepted. According to Black, an editorial in the Times Independent .warned that Wasatch Front interests may be considering selling Utahs birthright by leasing unused 'Colorado River water to California for 40 years. Black said that such a plan could produce revenue for the Wasatch Front but would remove any possibility for southeastern Utah - ; Police looking for suspect in assault The San Juan County sheriff and the Navajo police are looking for a suspect in a case of alleged aggravated assault last Wednes- - MPD reports statistics July and August court sta- tistics released by the Mon-ticel- lo Police Department show the following: Traffic violations in July: four driving under the influence; four other traffic violations; 30 moving violations; six violations, of which two were dismissed; and one parking vionon-movi- ng lation.. Criminal misdemeanors: four assaults; six cases of theft; four cases of public intoxication; one other liquor violation; and one controlled substance. Traffic violations dispensed with in August; two driving under the influence,, one of which was referred to juvenile court; one violation related to a drivers license; and 23 m oving violations. Criminal misdemeanors; six cases of public intoxication and two misdemeanor infractions. ; Intermountain Health our Health Care Care left, Service Board members were confronted with overwhelming problems and they have made a super human effort to cope with ever increasing problems of health care in the county. It is not fair to ask this appointed board to negotiate and work out solutions to problems and then have the commissioners second guess themu With the magnitude of the deficits and the other serious problems, it is necessary for the commissioners to become more closely involved, because the bottom line is that it is their responsibility in the end. hi all fairness to the present members of the Health Care Services Board and because of the responsibility that the commissioners have for health care, I prepose that the county commissioners amend the resolution the Health Care establishing Services Board to allow the three county commissioners to serve as the Health Care Services Board; that the present Health Care Services Board be released from their duties putting the When " day in Montezuma Creek. In addition to the victim, two other woman reported contact with the suspect. One of the women said a man knocked on her door- - asking for help but she turned him away. Another said she gave the roan a ride and he told her that he was returning from Salt Lake City. The victim reported that a m an who gave his name as Robert knocked on her door and asked for help in getting his car started. She said she referred him to ,her neighbor, a San Juan County deputy. The man returned shortly and when she answered the door the second time he tried to force his She said way into her home. he threatened her with a knife and she slammed the door on his arm. The suspect is described as approximately tail, slim, short black 5-f- well-dressed, eet with hair and glasses. It is believed dark-rimm- ed that he may have lived in the Kayenta area at one time. ' to expand its economy. The commission also approved a suggestion by Black that the evalLegislature do an economic uation of the benefits in-de- pth to the state and to school districts of state retention of state lands as compared tothebenefits if state land is sold to private Black contends that parties. the4 Utah Land Review Com mis- -' siori ' is releasing inaccurate data to support retention of land by ; the state when, in fact, it costs the state more than the $2 miUion in revalue it receives to administer surface land revenue funds. The com missioners reiterated their position that any fringe benefits for county employees could not exceed the 3.35 percent reduction in contributions to the State Retirement System unless the employees contribute more. Health and public safety employees are not eligible as they do not belong to the State Retirement System, The commissioners signed contracts reimbursing the office of the county clerk $20,000 for the courts administrative services and went on record opposing the constitutional amendment up" for vote in November that would separate the courts from the county clerks services. The commissioners also set October 24 from 1 to 5 p.m. to hear appeals on property taxes; tabled a request by the sheriff for two new cars; heard that the San Juan Water Conservancy District, is submitting; a $168,000 grant- request to the State Parks Board to help fund a recreation area at the Recapture Dam site; appointed Com m issioner Black to represent the county at the 20th Amniversary Celebration on September 15 of Canyonlands Park at Squaw Flat campgrounds; , and heard a report that the county road department is still waiting approval of archaeological inventories that would clear the way to a September 15 deadline for a for the Navajo tribal Montezuma Creek bridge. - - right-of-w- ay in position to commissioners make the final decisions. the decisions are difficult and unpopular, the commissioners will be fulfilling their ultimate responsibilities. Cleal Bradford, who acted as chairman of the Health Services Board, responded to the resolution by stating that the current Health Board is as competent as any board on which he has served, adding that he appreciates the responsiblity of the commission that prompted the resolution. Bradford said that the county should consider establishing a health district with taxing authority and elected board members if it plans to continue offering quality health service in San Juan. Rayburn Jack, health services administrator, said, My job is to administer health services. ' I can understand the problems and if the commission wishes to oversee health operations, that is their right. Jack asked for time to make the transition and set up operating Even-thou- gh procedures. The Health motion to disband the Care Services Board carried unanimously and Health Board duties now fall to the commissioners. thanked the Commissioners Health Services Board members for their ' selfless service and made arrangements to meet with Administrator Jack this week to implement the administrative transfer. Letters of appreciation will be sent to all persons who have served on the Health Service Board. Third grade students report attempted abduction policeman was assigned to special duty patrol last Thursday at MonticeUo Elementary School after two third grade students reported that a man tried to lure them into his pickip after school on Wednesday. The girls said that a man in a small green pickup offered them candy as they were walking in the vicinity of the high school. They said that as one of them approached the car, a man with a beard tried to pull her into the vehicle. She reportedly screamed and beat on his arm and was able to free herself. The girls said they sought help at a nearby home where thehome owner notified the police of the incident. Police Chief Everett Johnson said that although no strange vehicles or untoward incidents were observed at or near the school on Thursday or Friday of last week, an officer will be assigned to patrol at the school for an undetermined period. He said investigation of the incident is continuing and asked persons with any information to contact the Monticdlo Police Department at He reminded to caution their children parents against taking candy from or accepting rides from strangers. " A rumor of another attempted A 587-22- 73. abduction in Monticello turned out to be a case of two children over reacting to an offer for a ride from a neighbor. A rumor of an attempted child abduction in Blanding was apparently related to a case of protective custody for a ward of the court whose parents had taken him without permission from protective custody in Oregon. The Blanding Police Department said early this week that no attempted child abductions have been reported to them. Navajos make plans for chapter office Jack Jackson, assistant to Chairman Tribal Peterson Zah, is meeting with chapter and agency councils to discuss the possible establishment of an Office of Chapter Affairs in Window Rock. Agency councils in Tuba City and Chinle have passed resolutions sipporting th e idea, J ackson said, and he is optimistic the remaining agencies will endorse it. Although discussing the idea with chapter members lengthens Navajo the develqpmenlprocess,amajor plank in the Zah --Begay administration platform is to involve the people. I v?3y.i7. 7 ' -- f- - 6.' TtH rmn(- 1 s'- |