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Show The San Juan Record HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER FOR SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH SINCE 1915 : Vol 79 Aii 30 cents No 36 1 995 Blanding Council discusses Mexican Spotted Owl Nearly 200,000 acres of land on Elk Ridge could be designated as protected habitat for four pair of endangered Mexican spotted owls. Representatives of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service met with the Blanding City Council on April 12 to discuss the possible impacts of such a critical habitat designation. According to Susan Linner of the Fish and Wildlife Service, Elk Ridge is the only area in Utah known to be a home for spotted owls. For this reason, approximately 200,000 acres are proposed to ensure the safety of the four pair of breeding birds. The activities limited by Blanding medical center, which is expected to have a clinic, urgent care facility, and birthing center, as well as a possible ambulatory surgery center in the future. Barnett dismissed the idea of the clinic replacing the San Juan Hospital, sayfaing that new cilities are only built in booming areas. foam roof The three-inc- h on the San Juan Hospital will be replaced with a rubber roof. The new roof should last for more than 20 years. In addition, an upin-patie- nt dated ventilation system will be installed to comply with regulations. Asphalt from the parking lot will be replaced with concrete. In other business, the the possible designation will depend on the degree of council approved the purenvironmental impact. chase of 4.25 acres for the Old Grayson Park. They could include reThe 4.25 acres includes stricted livestock grazing, d vehicle use, minthe home of early settler R. Lyman. The site, Albert and eral development, recreational activities. located on East Center The Mexican spotted owl, Street, is expected to be renocharacterized by brown eyes vated. When combined on its with land already owned by and a a has feathers, youth fatality the city, the area will total rate of 80 percent. eight acres. The purchase In other business, Dana price for the homes and Barnett, executive director acreage is $50,000. In other matters, repreof San Juan Health Care counto the of the Senior sentatives Services, spoke excil about plans to repair Citizens from Blanding in facilities medical asked that a storage shed be isting Monticello and construct built to house paper products, replacement facilities in lawn equipment, and decooff-roa- spot-patter- Travis Redd, a fifth grader at Monticello Elementary School, demonstrates his fast boot warmer. The school sponsored an invention fair last week, with students showing off some of the latest innovations. See page 8 for more pictures. Staff photo n Blanding. A funding request will be Monticello raises water rates, proposes motel tax hike Financial concerns related to culinary water are resulting in increased fees and a possible tax hike in Monticello. At the April 12 council meeting, the Monticello City Council approved an increase in secondary water rates. The annual fee for using the secondary system increased from $68 to $72. The annual fee translates to $6 per month. City utility bills on April 30 will reflect the change, which is the first increase in secondary water rates Funeral notice Funeral services for longtime Blanding resident Kline Black are scheduled for Thursday, April 20, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Saints Stake Latter-da- y Center, 100 W. 900 N. Black passed away Sunday, April 16. A viewing at the San Juan Mortuary is scheduled for Wednesday from 9 p.m. and Thursday from 1 a.m. 7-- 9-1- since the system opened more than 10 years ago. The increase will make water system revenues consistent with bond obligations. The city will have a more favorable standing when seeking funding for a replacement water treatment plant. City Manager Trent Schafer said, We are still practically giving water away. The council spent consid- erable time discussing water rates and usage. Because water meters are not connected to city systems, it is impossible to monitor which residents are wasting water and which are conserving. The council is concerned that watering restrictions often cause a hoarding mentality among city residents. Water use often in- creases rather than decreases during water restrictions. The council entertained a e proposal to ban watering. No action was taken. In another matter related day-tim- to culinary water projects, the council is considering raising the overnight lodging tax by two percent. Overnight guests in Monticello currently pay nine percent. The tax revenues would be used to fund capital improvement projects, including the water treatment pro- ject. Moab recently raised the overnight lodging tax de- spite opposition from local business and motel-owner- s. Raising the tax would generate approximately $28,000 per year, using 1994 figures. Joel Berwick, the Department of Energy official in charge of the Monticello mill , tailings showed the council a model of the proposed tailing cell. The cell will be built southeast of the city on farmland east of US-19It will be covered with clean-up- 3-- D 1. natural shrubs. grasses and Berwick stated that within four or five years of comple-pleas- e turn to page 4 submited to the Community Impact Board to repair the roof and parking lot at the San Juan Hospital, and develop preliminary plans for a Blanding medical facil- ity. Barnett presented a preliminary sketch of the new rations. The Senior Citizens feel they will have better use of their facility if they can store bulky items in another location. The matter was postponed to allow more specific data to be gathered regarding dimensions, materials, and cost. |