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Show HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER FOR SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH Volume 90 Number 24 &'&. ' SINCE 1915 50 cents 'vv w.v .. .. Monticello considering two options for Visitor Center by Anna Thayn Plans for a new visitors center in Monticello are a major topic of discussion for the Monticello City Council. In a lengthy discussion on March 9, the council heard opposition from the Monticello Community Foundation to a plan to use the San Juan County library building in Monticello as a center. George Jurrasic, member of the Monticello Community Foundation, asked the city to move forward with plans to build a visitors center near the Barn Museum. The council said the City has plans for a new building near the barn ready to bid. City Manager Trent Schafer said that when the County Commission offered another plan, it is intriguing enough that we have to stop and take a look at it. Schafer pointed out that the library is a great building and that they would love to see the city get a new library. The City currently has $350,000 in grants and funding for the visi- tors center. Schafer estimates that by using the existing building, the cost of the project could be cut in half. The council is taking the time to look at the new option presented by the County, but have not shut the door on the old plan, in the event that funding is not found or a new library not built. The council received a report from Assistant City Manager Greg Martin on a $20,000 grant from the Southeastern Utah Department of Health to rehabili- - Despite challenges, local students may be doing well with No Child Left Behind tests Students in the San Juan However, only four of 49 BIA schools met AYP status. This may be due in part to the fact that BIA schools include reading scores in AYP reports, while most public schools do not. Martinez work as a consultIn other news at the March 9 ant for the San Juan School District focuses on Native American meeting, students in the San students. She recently com- Juan School District will completed an analysis of the schools plete surveys designed to meain the Four Corners area that sure risk behavior. Approval for serve large Navajo populations. the surveys was delayed for a The study shows that eight of month after it was determined nine schools (78 percent) servthat surveys administered by in San students the the State of Utah and the Naing Navajo Juan School District met the vajo Nation were nearly identiAnnual Yearly Progress (AYP) cal, in effect doubling the time criteria as mandated by No students fill out survey instead Child Left Behind. By compari- of having classroom instruction. After conversations between son, 42 percent of schools met AYP in the Four Corners states. the State and Tribe, the school The San Juan School District board gave approval for the had a higher percentage of suc- youth risk behavior survey to be cess than all but two of the 24 administered. The survey is administered every three years. districts in the study. Martinez reported to the San Special Education Director Juan School Board on March 9 Tony Done reported on efforts to of that she is pleased with the re- eliminate sults, even though it is hard to Native students receiving Speget comparable data. Schools in cial Education services. While 12 percent of students different states have different nationwide receive special edureporting criteria for AYP status, and as a result, it was hard cation services, roughly 15 perto make a completely thorough cent of Native Americans in the analysis. However, the big pic- school district received special education services in 1999. ture trend is positive. The percent has dropped to Public schools did significantly better than Bureau of roughly 13 percent since then. Indian Affair schools. Of 155 Done said that the goal is to public schools in the test 81, or eliminate this School District do well on standardized tests compared to their peers, according to a study completed by Dr. Clara Martinez. over-representati- 52 percent, met AYP status. tate walking trails at the millsite property. The City intends to plant trees and put in a parking lot off highway 191. A trail from the new parking area would connect to the millsite walking trail. The Monticello City Council passed a motion, with a 2 vote, 3-- to make the Recreation Director position a full time job. Previously, Eddie Allred has worked part time teaching physical education at Monticello Elementary School. The Council hopes the change will free up crucial time in the spring and fall for Allred to work on city recreation. Allred told the council he can have bigger and higher quality programs with the full time status. The change will go into effect at the end of the school year. The city will need to adjust the upcoming budget to make up for the $11,500 in salary paid by the school district. Allred has already made a list of things that he hopes to add to the recreation program. The council will revisit his job description and evaluate how the change is working throughout the year. The council approved an increase in course fees at The Hideout. The changes were rec- ommended by Superintendent Jim Robison and the golf committee. The annual passes are raised by $25 to $375 for golf pass and $275 for cart. The punch pass is eliminated and the price on a punch pass is raised to $160 from $140. The daily walk-orate is raised to $20. In an effort to increase play by juniors, the annual pass for youth is cut to $50 and the pass for year olds is $75. There were 14,000 rounds played in 2004 and the city feels that raising the fee a few dollars will help the course break even. The council held a closed session to discuss the electrical situation. In open session, they reported that they would begin negotiations for an Empire Electric franchise agreement. March 16, 2005 .... ... Felony court report - See page 2 Meet the Sterling Scholar candidates - See d Blanding? - See page 5 Old Bluff Fort to be dedicated n 13-1- 7 3 Are you from 10-rou- 20-roun- page - See page 7 Remebering Art Burtenshaw: a great coach and great man" - See page 8 le Venting, Part 3 - See Caveman, page 9 On the Honacker Trail -- See page 12 Signs of the season in La Sal See Northern News, page 14 1 rv? New health board encourages cooperation between entities Juan Hart added that he would like Health Service board applauded a recent meeting between San Juan Hospital CEO Jon Hart and Ahmad Razaghi, CEO of the proposed Blue Mountain Hospi- to review the budget and basic A newly constituted San tal. assumptions of the proposed facility, stating that it is time to precede with caution, and make sure we are dealing with the facts. Hart reported to the health care board on March 14 that he He added that Razaghi said he wanted the groups to work to- had an open discussion with Razaghi about the proposed new hospital in Blanding. Hart said gether, Razaghi estimates that construction could begin on the facility by the end of the year. Hart said he was told that the proposed facility would include two surgical suites, 11 beds (in- cluding three labordelivery rooms) a 247 emergency room, lab and radiology. Unique services the proposed hospital would provide include a renal dialysis facility. It would not have an intensive care unit, as does San Juan Hospital. The hospital seeks a funding package that includes loan guar- antees through Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Ownership of the facility would be roughly one third Utah Navajo Health Systems, one third Ute Mountain Tribe, and one third private investors, including Razaghi, Jon Reeves and Recapture Metals. not ostracize Monticello and accept the fact that Blue Mountain Hospital is coming. The board directed Hart to continue communication with Razaghi. A possible meeting with Razaghi was discussed to include Hart, district financial officer Lyman Duncan and board members. There has been plenty of hyperbole, but not a lot of facts, said Hart of the limited interaction between the two entities. When I saw things of a factual basis, I had severe questions. It is refreshing that we are at least talking, said new board member Steve Burtenshaw. Nettie Prack was elected as chairman of the health care board. Prack is joined by vice chairman Sarah Newmeyer and secretary Lucy Keller. Other new members of the health care board include Burtenshaw and Doug Allen, joining Grant Imel. March 1 4 snow report 31 .3' of water in 67 of snow 14.4" is multi-yea- r average 31 .3" in 93 was multi-yehigh low 3.7" in 1996 is multi-yea- r Current snow is 217 of normal of normal La Sal snow is 109 ar News Roundup Letters to Editor Society Sports Community news Legals Classified Real Estate 2 4 6 8 10 13 14 15 |