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Show &- J i .u. - m l( ASS(K!1 FKI-S- J '' 'J 20) S H41U1 )'i )( day forecast See page A7 f Wad. night Thursday What a O parade. W" Plenty ot sunshine Mainly clear See page All Sunny and hot Single Copy 50$ fmmi v - '' Wednesday, July 9, 2003 Vernal, Utah 84078 111th Year No. 28 20 Pages Vi DW . ' SUPPORT OUR TROOPS Express online: www.vernal.com wti u 'kK ; Diesel program builds careers. 'Si - . .v' e;- M vr . iW: By Virginia Harrington Express Writer c iil'r'f r. 4 "V ti ' 'S' ' $ t- -- t. 4 - 1 'Si t 'i, mm VSP77s 'Sf 1 r &a4v' ' u dfoC r-.-. I r ?"? '. --'V Q I 1 i 'f. ( &? hf The Statue of Liberty looks on as fjss Uintah County, Raquel Kremin, and her court member, Rachel Pipher wave to the crowds along Vernal's Main Street during the July 4 parade. Uintah County Commissioners Jim Abegglen and Mike McKee voted to donate $25,000 to the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo, matching the donation made by Vernal City. Commissioner Dave Haslem was absent from the meeting as he was in Salt Lake City with the tax commission. Abegglen stated that the money donated by the county will go specifically toward the prize purses that draw the top cowboys in the nation to the local rodeo. He emphasized that the county does not condone the controversial bikini contest that will be held during the over age 21 dance on Saturday night. He explained that the commission has obtained assurances from the Rodeo Committee and the Western Park Board that this type of contest will not happen again in the future. The Western Park Board is looking into requiring dress criteria in future applications for use of the facility to help prevent this type of activity. Additional Uintah County Sheriff deputies will be in attendance at the dance to ensure the local laws are upheld. County Attorney Wes Baden emphasized that thi countys sponsorship of $25,000 is strictly to ensure an adequate cowboy purse. Commissioner Mike McKee said its his understanding that the dance subcommittee of the Rodeo Committee made the plans for the Warden warns of fire danger By Virginia Harrington Vernal Express Writer Lincoln Brown, County Fire Warden for Uintah and Daggett Counties, and his assistant Bryon J. Mullins, attended the July 3 meeting of the Vernal Rotary Club to explain the fire practices and potential fire hazards faced by the area this season. Brown said there have been a few small fires this summer, including one that consumed approximately 60 acres in the Browns Park area. He explained that as high pressure systems move into the area they increase the wind and heat and decrease the humidity, increasing the chance of fire. For that reason, no bum permits were issued during the past week. The expectation for this summer is an average or slightly above average fire season. The moisture received earlier in June helped to decrease the danger and has pre vented many of the fire closures experienced last year. Brown cautioned that this is subject to change depending on the weather. In the past few decades, the general policy of all land management agencies has been to suppress all wildfires as quickly as possible. Brown said this has led to an accumulation of fuels that feed fires and often send them out of control, burning thousands of acres and hundreds of homes and costing millions of dollars. The new policies will involve more controlled bums to decrease the accumulated fuel. They will also be more concerned with fire fighter safety. AH fires eventually go out, stated Brown. Were going to concentrate on fire fighter safety. We dont want anyone else getting killed. We dont want anyone else getting hurt. Brown also emphasized that the costly fires of recent years have made land management agencies more cautious about the expense of putting out wildfires. The equipment and suppressants used are very costly and will not be used unnecessarily. Brown said fires can be used as a tool not only to clean out the dead wood in a forest, but also to create a diverse habitat for wildlife. The heat of a fire is necessary for the opening of some pine cones for development into seedlings. That doesnt mean caution should not be used in all cases of fire. Fires can smolder for months or even years underground or in trees, warned Brown. That happens when fire reaches the roots of plants, receives enough oxygen to stay alive, and travel underground along the complex paths of tangled roots. Fires should never be left unattended and should be out completely before being abandoned. Its a lot easier to prevent a fire than it is to put one out, said Brown. yjs ''f , COPY ,O " 6 p.; o O Gene Nyberg, Troy Ostler, Mike Slaugh, Jim Abegglen, Merlin Sinfield, Paul Feltch, Cheri McCurdy, Lane Scott, Wade Slaugh, bary Kendall and Clark Hall inspect the completed refurbishment overseen by thd Special Services District on 1 500 W. controversial activity without the knowledge of the full committee or its officers. He added that no one on the county commission knew about the activity until the advertisements appeared in the local media. This will not be the huge extravaganza that some people think it will be, added Abegglen, and it will not come about next year. Richard Harrington, the current executive director for the Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce was the introduced to County Commission. Harrington told them his vision for the chamber is to continue the good work it has done in the past and to help make it the most visible organization in the with enthusiastic community involvement in all areas of community life. Commissioners Abegglen and McKee told Harrington they look forward to developing a new and improved relationship between the commission and the Chamber. Harrington emphasized that commission members and city council members are always welcome to any chamber meeting. The commission gave its final approval for the renewal of 500 W. overseen by the Special Service District. The section of road between 2100 S. and 4200 S. has been jokingly referred to as Uintah because of the outCountys on the road, done work standing which came in under budget by $9,000. Mike McKee stated that the commission is working on a moratorium that would protect all new roads or newly refurbished roads from being cut for utility work for a specified period of time. This moratorium would force the county and the utility companies to plan ahead and to coordinate their work. The Special Service District has completed chip and seal in the areas of Randlett, Ouray, Seep Ridge, Lapoint and Ballard. Chip and seal will resume on the east side of the county later in July. Plans and design engineering are moving forward for the road from Lapoint to Gusher. The district estimates that project will cost $2.7 million. Commission members also signed a renewal of the agreement with the Natural Intermountain History Association, which is in charge of 1 educational signs along the Scenic Byways between Vernal and the Wyoming border, going through Manila and Dutch John. Richard Millet told the commission the construction is complete and the last 20 signs will be installed soon. Work continues on children's activities, wildlife viewing and enticements to tourists on things such as paper place mats in restaurants. In its final business, the commission approved a deed to transfer ownership of seven parcels of land to four property owners on the west side of the western parking lot at Western Park. An error was made when the fence was erected around the park, giving small portions of land to the neighbors. Wes Baden told the commissioners the largest piece of land is .(XM)8 of an acre. Baden also said it would he more expensive to move the fence than to simply deed the pieces of land. In addition, state law declares that if a fence line is accepted as the property line for a number of years then that fence line becomes the property line. the Candidates prepare for council and districts elections November 4 elections will he held for Vernal Naples and Ballard city council positions this year, requiring a variety of preparations for those interested in candidacy. Also included with municipal elections are positions on several special water district boards. Four Vernal City Council posts will be available in this years November 4 city election, according to Vernal City Manager Ken Bassett. Bassett says the seat occupied by John Parkers appointment to fill the seat vacated by Jim Abegglen will be available in this election as a two-yeposition. The seats held by JoAnn Cowan, Cal Dee Reynolds and Allen Mashbum will he on the ballot as four-yea- r positions. Vemal holds partisan elections for these positions, requiring notices of candidacy to be filed from a candidates party. Vemal has no primary election. Party meetings which would name ar Cowboy ropes a calf during Mondays slack portion of the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo. The Rodeo began Wednesday. For complete events see page B6. n candidate must be held by September 22, and candidates must file by September 23. Vemal city municipal elections will be using the punch card method of balloting this year which will enable faster and more accurate if counting and faster necessary. Bassett says forms to he used for filing the required notice of candidacy will he available the latter part of July. The forms are available at the Vemal City Office, 447 East Main, during normal business hours. Naples city elections will include the four-yea- r scats held by Dan Olsen, Everett Coon and Lowell Long. Declaration of Candidacy forms will be available at the Naples City office building after July 15. They must be filed by 5 p m. August 15. No primary will he held if no more than six candidates file. No party nomination is necessary. The Naples City offices are open a from 9 a m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday- . The four-yea- r scats of Deloy Squire and Marlene Rasmussen will he part of the Ballard city election Candidates must file their declaration of candidacy between July 15 and August 15. Deadline will be 4 p m. August 15. No primary is held in Ballard and candidacy does nol require a party hacking. Ballard Water Improvement District will have three four-yea- i posts in the November election The filing process is the same as foi city council candidates. County Clerk Auditor Mike Wilkens says special district elections will he held in the Jensen. Park. Ouray Maeser, Ashley Valley and Johnson water and sewer improvement districts. Wilkens may he reached al 781 5361 for further filing Tndcll-Lapoin- t, |