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Show 400 attend ceremonies to dedicate UNI plant by Stan Byrd Over 400 people attended a ribbon-cuttiat ceremony Montezuma Creek on January 28 to officiaUy open the Utah Navajo Industries (UNO sewing plant. The plant wiU employ 125 Navajos in sewing gloves and apparel for major contracts in the U. S., including Columbia Sportswear, the largest manufacturer of outer wear in the U. S., and DanGuard, a producer of rescue and emergency medical technician apparel. According to UNI President Francis Lyman, another contract calls for production of 600,000 dozen pair of gloves. The UNI sewing operation has been producing for several years, but according to Lyman, new contracts made it necessary to expand existing facilities. The new facility is a renovated elementary school building with approximately 14,000 square feet of working space. Lyman said the success of the sewing operation and the realization of a new sewing plant was the result of hard work and commitment among Utah Navajos. Lyman singled out Robert BUly Whitehorse, UNI Chairman of the Board, as the person responsible for expansion of UNI operations. A lot of our success comes from the enthusiasm and support of Mr. Whitehorse. He has been very instrumental in bringing this new development to Montezuma Creek, saidLyman. Whitehorse acted as master of ceremonies as he welcomed guests that included Utah Lieutenant Governor Val Oveson Roger Boyd, assistant to Navajo Tribal Chairman Peterson Zah, and David Adams, Utah State Representative. Lieutenant Val Governor ng Ribbon cutting honors to open UNI sewing plant were performed by Utahs Lieutenant (1 to r) UNI Chairman Robert Billy Whitehorse, Governor Val Oveson and Roger Boyd, assistant to Peterson Zah, Stan Byrd photo Navajo Tribal Chairman. Tte Sami Juami Record HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER FOR SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH County jail given first priority in development grant proposals by Carl Eisemann Land acquisition and planning for a county jail rem ained number one as final priorities were established by county commissioners Monday for proposals to be submitted to the Southeastern Utah Assoc, of Governments for consideration in the process of allocating a $90,000 federal Community Development Block Grant. Other proposals that will be submitted are: (2) aMontezuma Creek Public safety building; (3) land preparation for a Utah Navajo Industries printing plant on the drawing boards for Blandand, (4) a Mexican Hat ing; community building and recreation area. Mexican Hat representatives stated that if a proposal by the San Juan Board of Education to move the elementary school from Mexican Hat to Monument Valley materializes, the resultant economic loss could be the death of their community unless ways can be found to compensate. In other business, and after reviewing a paper on lack of progress and equipment and fur- nishings needed to complete the remodeling of the Senior Citizen Center in MonticeUo, Commissioners Ken Bailey and Jerry Mexican Hat revises grant proposal by Doris Valle Baum reported at a MexJerry town ican Hat meeting last Wednesday that plans for a senior citizen building would be substituted for plans for a community recreation colter in an attempt to qualify Mexican Hat for Community Block Grant Development funds. VIOLATORS WARNED Citations will be issued to who fail to observe parking regulations at San Juan High School. Violators drivers jeopardize pedestrian safety and block fire lanes, said Blanding Police Chief Bevan Wright, in making his second plea for driver cooperation. explained that the recreation center plan, which included a swimming pool, met all established criteria for the grant, but was rejected by county commissioners and could not, therefore, be considered by the Association of county governments. Major objection of the commisBaum sioners was based on the pos- sibility that county funds would be expended for pool upkeep, as is the case in other communities of the county. Residents of Mexican Hat state that the pool was viewed as a safety measure for local children, especially those of Navajo families from Halchita. Thepro-pos- al stated that life guards and ( Please turn to Page 3 ) Holliday agreed to meet with the project contractor. It was agreed that the county would hire Gary Sandquist, apro-fessio- nal Utah geologist, to prea pare response to the Davis Canyon nuclear repository siting environmental assessment. The funds will come from a $15,000 Department of Energy (DOE) grant approved by the state of Utah for preparing the response. Commissioner Calvin Black will testify for the county at the DOE public hearing scheduled for Febin MonticeUo. Wayne BaU, county building in- ruary 19 spector, presented figures show- ing that the county had collected $2,000 less in building permits and fees than was expended on inspections. The commissioners agreed that an increase in fees would be unacceptable at this time. The commissioners authorized a letter to Empire Electric and the city of Blanding advising them that building permits are required for power hookips, adding that it is the responsibility of contractors and property owners to secure permits and schedule inspections. Rick Terry, MonticeUo city administrator, was advised to mount a campaign to get rural cities to oppose legislation to change the B and C road funding The commissioners formulae. told Terry that passage of the legislation wiU mean a 70 percent cut in road funding for smaU cities. Oveson briefly spoke to the overflow crowd as a representative of Governor Bangerter. Oveson reaffirmed the governors commitment to a tri-sta- te agreement made in Salt Lake City between the governors of Utah, NewMex-ic- o The agreeand Arizona. ment calls for greater cooperation between the states bordering the Navajo Nation in the ...development of education, economic growth and social services for the Navajo people. Roger Boyd read a prepared statement from Tribal Chairman Zah that lauded the efforts of the Montezuma Creek community and UNI in bringing industry to the This dedication reservation. shows what can be accomplished through initiative and hard work. This is certainly an example of what can be done by a local Navajo community to further economic establish long-ter- m for the people.. Others in attendance at the ceremonies included UNI board members, representatives from the Utah Navajo Development Council, the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, local chapters, state and tribal agencies. Representatives from manufacturers who have contracted with UNI include Don Saterufo of Columbia Sportswear and Dan Hare of DanGuard, Inc. UNI Project Manager Ozzie Lalla commended UNI employees at the sewing plant, citing them ...as the reason we can compete with the best apparel manuself-sufficien- cy facturers the U. S. Following a traditional blessing of the building by George Etsitty, and a formal ribbon-cutticeremony, visitors toured the facilities and were treated to a traditional mutton and in ng fry-bre- ad dinner sponsored by the Aneth Chapter and UNL Commissioner and sheriff disagree on policy A letter from San Juan County Commissioner Calvin Black to Sheriff Rigby Wright outlining alleged deficiencies in the operation of the sheriffs department sparked considerable discussion between Black and W right at the January 28 meeting of county commissioners. written as a lh the letter response to Wrights letter objecting to Black taking over the function of overseer of law enBlack forcement in the county said that the sheriff sdepartm ait has foiled to provide the com-- m is sion with detailed deputy logs; has failed to institute night duty hours; has maintained spotty records on law enforcement; and is generally unresponsive to suggestions by the county Board of Commission. Wright stated that he was not prepared to respond to the allegations at that moment since he had just received the letter. How- ever, Wright expressed the opinion that the Commission was not in charge of administering his department. Following the intense discussion, the commissioners voted unanimously to defer Wrights five percent pay increase until they receive a satisfactory response to the allegations. Sheriff Wright feels that the Commission may have exceeded its authority in rescinding his raise after granting all elected officials a five percent pay in- crease. Wright indicated he would meet his staff to evaluate Blacks allegations and then determine a with course of action. MARKETS Wheat Beans $ 4.75 $15.00 |