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Show HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER Vol 70 No 3 FOR SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH 25 cents February 24, 1988 Gome say hello to the governor San Juan residents have a chance to meet and talk with Governor Norm Bangerter this weekend. The governor will be at the Blanding city office on Sat- urday, February 27 for a visit beginning at 9:30 a.m. He is making the stop as part of a swing through southern Utah. Inside sources say he will announce his intention to file for during his Blanding stop. Francine Giana of the governors public relations staff says the governor is interested in answering questions about on his administration andor questions people may have about problems and issues related to San Juan County. The governor touched on some of these problems and issues in a telephone interview with the Record last week. On the subject of wilderness designation, he said, We should not have one acre go into wilderness that is not judged to be necessary. However, he seemed to think that land identified for wilderness would automatically be returned to multiple use. According to San Juan Commissioner Calvin Black the return of land from wilderness study status to multiple use status will require an act of Congress. There are those who hope Bangerter will ask the Utah Congressional delegation to attempt to get the Federal Wilderness Act changed so return of wilderness study areas not designated wilderness by Congress will automatically be returned to multiple use status with no special Congressional act required. In the interview, Bangerter expressed his disapproval of the BLM San Juan Resource Area Management Plan. He said the state is working on the - Alvin Reiner photo County wants and will maintain certain Forest Service roads The county wants responsibility for as many roads in the Annexation planned The City of Blanding wants to expand. Phillip Palmer, Blanding city engineer, told county commissioners the city intends to annex county land west of the city and adjacent to the College of Eastern Utah campus. Several alternatives are be-ing considered; annexing one- third city block, four, and one- half blocks, or as much as 80 annexation An e would include some BLM land. 80-acr- national forest as possible if the roads are used regularly by county residents, says County Commissioner Ken Bailey. Bailey made the statement in a meeting last week with U.S. Forest Service officials. In the meeting, called to discuss road maintenance and Nause on the Manti-LaSa- l tional Forest, Bailey suggested transference of certain Forest Service schedule A roads to the county system. Schedule A roads are roads used and maintained under a cooperative agreement between the Forest Service and the county, The county can take full maintenance responsibility only for roads to which it holds a deeded right-of-wa- y. Forest Service policy prohibits grant- y unless a road ing a serves county, priprimarily vate or commercial interests. Forest Service roads that connect two sections of county roads would automatically qualify for transference to the county. Other roads would have to be looked at individually. Roads used before the Blue and LaSal mountains were designated national forest qualify for the county system. At the meeting, officials defined Forest Service vehicle policy. All areas not specifically designated as open to ORVs are closed, Forest plan and also that he intends to work with the congressional delegation to see that not too much land is locked up. He said the state has given southeastern Utah good play in the area of tourism development. Lake Powell was the focal point of the Utah Tourism Councils 1987 brochure. He d of the councils said budget goes for promoting skiing, with the other used for other tourist promotions. Bangerter is enthusiastic about a proposed land exchange that would trade state land for federal land adjacent to Lake Powell. He said, however, that it will take much hard work to get the National Park Service to accept the plan. The project is being handled by the State Land Board of which Cal Black is a member. It is my feeling that San Juan is in the thick of this. He referred to a document titled A Management Plan for the Boat Carrying Capacity of Lake Powell recently released by the National Park Service. The lake can accomodate more boats, Bangerter said. The shortage is a shortage of one-thir- two-thir- ds facilities. That is why we want the land exchange to happen. In another area affecting Lake Powell, Bangerter said he is unfamiliar with the details of a proposed replacement airport at Halls Crossing and the part the state would play in such a project. Persons who would like information of any of the foregoing topics and persons who would like to broach additional subjects with the governor have a chance to do so Saturday morning at the The Blanding city office. will be there at 9:30 governor a.m. in-dep- th right-of-wa- off-roa-d Service officials said. Fun, food and declamation Good food, good fun, and a good speech marked the Chamber of Commerce Mon-ticell- o banquet Thursday evening. Making a plug for a traditional work ethic, speaker Calvin Black San Juan County Commission chairman, said, Lets examine our attitudes and make a commitment. We can make our communities and San Juan County work. Reminding the 100 plus in attendance that the county needs all segments of its economy mining, oil, agriculture, ranching, recreation, government and education he said tourism holds great promise for San Juan. He said, however, the county should not give away other economic assets for tourism. There are many opportunities waiting for the person willing to work hard and take a risk, Black said. He gave as an example, services for tourists. We have the scenery, but we (Please turn to page 5) |