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Show 3? SvV'V '"s 0 ' County law enforcement emerges as hot topic j 3 , , ' V''? , X A ' X s In Cirl Eiscr. .um Responsibility was shifted and questioned in a disc ussion Monday by county oifieials about the effectiveness of county law en- ' force ir. out v,I & O&fefaiiBb&P Vegetation aloiif Blandins Second Reservoir is lit with a rav of sunshine as a winter storm departs. Alvin Reiner photo San Joan Record Tlh HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER FOR SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH Vol. 66 No. 48 25 cenls January 16, 1685 Secondary Monticello water system cost estimate $60,000 to $114,000 by Carl Eisemann The Arix Corporation presented the Monticello City Council with the results of the study water on a secondary Arix listed several system. non-treat- ed alternatives with costs of installation ranging from slightly under $1 million to about $2 million. Operational costs for the water systems could range from $60,000 to $114,000 per year. Three of the alternatives call for the installation of untreated water irrigational pipelines to users. The other, most expensive alternative, calls for increasing the size of the present potable water treatment plant. The Council pointed out that the expense of using treated water for irrigation purposes is becoming excessive and some mitigation strategy is needed. The Council will meet with potential large scale irrigation users and seek funding assis Drug tance. aid, Without outside funding the project may not be feasible. discussed the problem ofproperty owners along US 666 and 191 pushing snow into the street which is in violation of a city ordinance. There was agree mait that in view of the heavy snows, the Council would not enforce the ordinance at this time if the snow was pushed to the windrows before they are hauled away, and if the snow is not pushed into plowed traffic The Council lanes. On another snow related problem, the Council instructed the police department to cite persons who park on the street and thus obstruct snow plowing operations. Rick Terry, city adminithe Council that advised strator, the firehouse bid would have to be let shortly in order to meet the deadlines of the $50,000 Com- - trafficker gets 8 years, $10,000 fine U. S. Attorney Brent D. Ward announced last Friday that David Bruce Taylor was sentenced to eight years imprisonment plus a three-ye- ar special parole term and fined $10,000 for his possession with intent to distribute approximately three kilograms (about 6.5 pounds) of nearly pure cocaine. The sentence was imposed by Senior Judge Eldon J, Anderson, who had found the defendant guilty of the drug charge in a court trial in late November. Taylor had been in custody since that time. Judge Anderson denied the defendant's request to be refrom custody pending leased appeal. Taylor was arrested in San Juan County on January 28, 1984, following the discovery of the large quantity of cocaine by an Deputy alert deputy sheriff. Rudy Cook of the San Juan County sheriffs department had initially stopped Taylor for minor traffic violations, but further investigation ultimately uncovered the cocaine hidden in the defendant's motor home. was prosecuted in Taylor court federal by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne T. Dance of the Utah Federal Drug Task Force, Dance informed the court that the cocaine was of street value exceeding $1 million and was believed to be the largest seizure of the drug in Utah history. Following the sentencing, Ward San Juan County commended Sheriff Rigby Wright and his staff, particularly Deputy Cook, for their professional investigation and full cooperation with the drug enforcement administration and the United States attorney's office. Ward said, This case should again make it clear to everyone that drug trafficking is considered a most serious crime, and those engaging in it deserve and will receive substantial punishment." Grant funding. Terry also reported that the City Park pavillion restoration plans are in the hopper. This project is also funded by a Block Grant. Deborah Marcus presented a proposal for a cultural heritage school course of study which would involve the setting up of cultural replica stations in City Park. The Council expressed interest in the project and asked Marcus to present more detailed plans so that the Council might assist her in finding out side fundmunity Block ing. Councilman Bill Christensen reported that the old cars at the airport were removed and that the state might help finance surfacing, marking and lighting at the airport. He also received approval for the purchase of a compressor to fill fire fighting tanks if the county and Blanding City each contribute. Terry presented a number of unpaid curb and gutter assessment bills. Most of these involve unlocalable parties, errors in installing the curb and gutter, or absence of agreements with the property owners. The Council voted to write off several of the bills and to try to arrange compromise payments on the others. Terry announced that the Utah of Transportation Department at the courthouse on will be February 20. Residents who feel they have justifiable complaints on the recent state highway work in Monticello may attend this meeting. The Council will send a letter of protest to the Social Security Administration regarding disof social continuance security services in Monticello, Mayor Keith Redd asked other groups to send letters, pointing out that the county seat is entitled to at least one day per month ser- vice. The next meeting of the City Council is scheduled for January 23 at 7:30 p.m. County Clerk Gail Johnson advised the commissioners to look at the county attoniev office as an integral tart of law enforcement, and Commissioner Calvin Black accepted an offer by Commissioner Ken Bailey to take over supervision of all county law operations. Bailey will continue to supervise the new jail program. The discussion was prompted by a report from the Justice of Peace Court that showed a total of 201 citationsinPecemberl984, and listed arresting officers. Commissioner Black said that he had had little response from the sheriff's office to several requests he has made on officer activity. Johnson advised the commissioners not to stop at the sheriff's office but to look also at the Circuit Court operations. She said she feels that part of the problem may be plea bargaining and lack of preparation by attorneys in the court process. Johnson said this creates a climate that is unfair to the accused and to arresting officers. Black asked for commission support in his new role, stating that he intends to crackdown. In other business. Black stated that he received assurance in a meeting with the governor's staff that the governor will meet with southeastern Utah county commissioners before setting policy on Project BOLD. Black said that in the same meeting he received assurance that new personnel will head the policv hardship that will be created if a percent factoring formula is applied to county property, as reportedly planned by the Utah 24 Tax Commission. : ; grot;;.-.- efik-.-Str- f e Nuclear Review Com Black feel that Sail Juan County will have at least aie mer ber on each nuclear study group. He said he feels that if San Juan submits an application for binds to evaluate the Environ of Davis Canyon, Assessment such funds will be granted. Commissioners told Sue Cook, assistant to Senator Jake Gam and Congressman Nielson, that they are requesting an extension of time from the Department of Energy to respond to the Davis Canyon Environmental Assess-- m ent. Cook agreed to convey this and others from the message commissioners to Girn and m-nh- Nielson. The other messages include objections by the San Juan County Commission to discontinuance of Social Security service in Monticello; objections to an increase from 25 cents to 75 cents per cubic yard for Bureau of Land Management gravel in southern San Juan County; and, opposition to the Canyonlands Back Country M;inagement Plan, which the commissioners termed A1 Haskins, highly restrictive. to aide the commissioners, and Carl Eisemann will prepare a commission response to the management plan. San Juan and Grand county commissioners met at lunch to discuss Canyonlands Park, economic development, and a joint request to state government for funding a joint response by the two counties to the Environmental Assessment of the Davis Canyon nuclear repository site. The San Juan and Grand county boards of commission, who meet quarterly, will meet with Governor Bangerter at 10 a.m. on January 23. County may experience 24 San Juan County commissioners stated Monday that property owners should ask their legislators to examine closely the u-a- tax factoring erties such as utilities, railroads and public lands are assessed at a lower rate by the tax commission than properties assessed by the county, adding that state assessed properties while enjoy high depreciation, private properties are carried at inflated values even though county Commissioner Calvin Black pointed out that a 24 percent factor would be particularly hard on home owners and the small businesses that make up only a small portion of county property. Black noted that state assessed prop- - real estate is depressed. Commissioners from rural counties with depressed values are challenging the valuations employed by the Utah Tax Commission and San Juan County is scheduled for a hearing on January 29. Bouquets to Congressman Hansen on savings Congressman Jim Hansen announced today that, for the fourth year in a row, he is returning a substantial amount ($51,000) of his Congressional staff budget to the U.S. Treasury. Congressman Hansen said he was able to return $51,000 in 1984 by reducing the size of his staff and by reducing official expenses for travel and the purchase ofof-fi- ce supplies, Hansen returned $71,000 in 1981, $30,000 in 1982, and $37,000 in 1983, During the 1980 campaign, I promised I would try to apply my commitment to cut government spending to my own activities and duties in Congress, Hansen said. Since 1980, I have tried to keep thaipromise.' the next few months. gress with call upon many In ConAm- ericans who receive federal aid to tighten their belts in order to reduce the massive federal budget Hansen deficit, continued. Daring this time of budget cutting, I think we in Congress should set an example by tightening our own belts. |