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Show I Brigham City, Utah 84302, Thursday Morning, Volume 68, Number 29 July 17, 1975 26 PAGES Assessor makes report t MEMBERS OF Brigham City contingent in downtown Twin Falls, one of the observe fountain features of that citys central business district mall. Before improvement project there were 27 vacancies in the business district and now there reportedly is a waiting list, With eye to local downtown plan This years assessed valuation of Box Elder county is up $3.2 million from last year, County Assessor Clifton G.M. Kerr told county commissioners during their Tuesday meeting. The valuations are about the same as last year, but there has been a lot of building, he said. Utilities accounted for about half the increase, Kerr explained. They went from $22.8 million to $24.5 million in the evaluation for 1975. Railroads were down slightly in the assessment. The total assessed valuation for this year was $94,169,152 as compared with $90,956,813 for last year, Thiokol corporation has passed Southern Pacific Railroad as the biggest taxpayer in the county. Top Ten Twin Falls, Idaho came under the scrutiny of a contingent from Brigham City this week, particularly its central business district development which has converted a three-blocarea into an artfully landscaped mall. Some 19 city and business leaders, property owners and Greater Brigham City Area Chamber of Commerce representatives made the trip. Their goal was to see what the southern Idaho city had done to vitalize its downtown area, how it was accomplished and perhaps to import some ideas that might help move Brigham Citys downtown plan off dead center. The group flew to the Idaho city, toured the mall and after lunch, were briefed on the history of Twin Falls central business district project. On hand to serve as hosts were Mayor Winston Jones and Ray Rostron, chamber of commerce executive secretary. Two men who played major roles in pushing through the downtown development Rudy Ashenbrener and Joe Cilek k long-stalle- d traced its historv There were some points of similiarity with Brigham City. Ashenbrener said about 18 years ago, a group from the business community agreed there was a need to create more parking downtown. They formed an parking corporation. After five or six years, it was decided something more should be done and a California research firm was hired to determine what might be done to revitalize the downtown area; also, to explore the availability of urban renewal funds. Both are steps similar to those experienced in Brigham City. And then it was explained how an improvement district was created and with cooperation from the city administration, federal government, parking corporation and utility companies, the downtown improvement became a reality in 1970-7- This is the part that differs Brigham City. Cilek said a matter of from was the reason we got involved. We were concerned about investments and the city where we live. Downtown was deteriorating and there was no confidence in it. Were 27 Vacancies Before the downtown project there were 27 vacancies in the three-bloc- k area. Now there is a waiting list. The cost figures included $1.4 from the Department of Housing and Urban Renewal, $255,000 from assessments on downtown district property, $281,000 from the city and a $350,000 credit for the parking property. Mayor Jones said the city participation included $100,000 cash and the remainder in services such as engineering, street work and storm sewer installation which the city would normally perform anyway. Cilek said the total community has benefitted through a strengthened tax base and an increase of pride. Its even helped a nearby shopping center. assessed at $10,432,010; Southern Pacific Railroad, $9,407,710; Utah Power and Light, $4,227,365; American Telephone and Telegraph, $3,526,512; Oregon Short Line Railroad, $1,512,806; Mountain States Telephone, $1,079,894; U & I Sugar, $873,752; Continental Telephone, $809,752; and Mountain Fuel Supply, Co., $783,513. Two individuals ranked eighth and ninth in the valuation, and Hughes Air West ranked tenth. Hughes was evaluated at $240,047 because of the air space the airline uses when its planes fly over the county, the .county assessor explained. Percentages the Broken down into percentages, valuation stacks up this way. Utilities accounted for 25.08 percent and commercial and industrial for 18.97 percent for a total business valuation of 44.05 percent. Residential valuations totaled Twin Falls a better place in which to live, he stated. Rostron said the design of their downtown mall was gleaned from visits to other communities, the same as Brigham City group was doing in Twin Falls. It features thousands of trees and shrubs, plus shelters, concrete monolithes that serve as sitting places, rockwork benches, a decorative fountain and lights and a winding roadway which accomodates vehicular traffic at low speeds. The area is geared for leisurely shopping in a relaxed and attractive atmosphere. J Landscaping Behind Stores is landscaping behind the stores and to a greater degree, more parking. Ashenbrener said the mall design was a compromise. Some wanted to open it up more to vehicular traffic while others wanted to close it altogether. Access to stores in the three-blocarea was kept open all during the construction. First, the Main street mall was done and shoppers entered through the rear. The second-yea- r phase was to develop the rear, leaving the mall open to shoppers. Members of the Brigham City contingent included Mayor Harold B. Felt, City Councilman A1 Cazier, Chamber President Wayne Jones, Executive Vice President Richard MacFarlane and directors Norm Thompson, Dale Bess and Bruce Keyes and downtown businessmen and property owners Keith Garoutee, Lyle Hamilton, J. C. Knudson, Robert Favero, DeVon Breitenbeker, Cliff Graham, Scott Hess, Fred Udy, Tuff Claybaugh, Gene Henderson, Boyd Newman and Vernon Drewes. The trip was sponsored and arranged by the chamber of commerce with participants paying their own way. (See additional photo on Page 15.) To a newly-complete- Area Chamber of Commerce President Wayne Dale Bess study model of Twin Falls downtown Jones, right, and director development during visit to the Idaho city Tuesday. BRIGHAM CITY Brigham City merchants annual Sidewalk Sale will be staged this Friday and Saturday, July with stores offering typical for event. sales the bargains yearly This is the annual promotion when downtown stores display and sell many of their goods on the sidewalk outside. Helping to spice this years Sidewalk Sale is a free movie for the kids on Friday giving Mom the time to go shopping. It will be seen starting at 12 noon in the Roxy theatre. The film is True Grit. Chairman Bob Dixon of the sponsoring merchants committee, issued an invitation for area shoppers to take advantage of the sales event. Box Elder residents named to jury roster Other Action In other action, the commission took under advisement a proposal to create a board the Division of Social Services says it is required to have. Judie Barrus, district director for social services, said the board would collect feedback from the community concerning her office and would also serve to help explain the functions of her office to the community. The member board would consist of at least one woman, one consumer, one minority representative and one county First District court, Brigham City, has released its jury list for the July (third) term of court. Included are the names of 35 Box Elder county residents who include the following: Grant Nelson, 246 Poplar; John F. Stoller, 404 West Third North; Erling R. Quortrup, 326 West Fifth South; Mary Lou L. Young, 612 North Main; William Krueger, 813 Holiday; Karen West, 89 South Third East. Also, Joyce F. Lewis, 444 North Third West; Marsha Lynne Rogers, 342 Hawthorne; Frances Nelson, 54 South Fourth East; John E. Hunsaker, 899 Kentwood; Robert W. Forrest, 239 North Sixth East. Robert Paul Keller. 660 South Fifth For police officers Tremonton okays bullet-proo- f vests d A snipers recent attempt Tremonton police officer West; Horace W. Littlewood, 340 South First West; Ken Wiggins, 931 Beecher; Leora Humpage, 170 North First East: Lee E. Clement, 79 South Second East; Ruby B. John, 234 West Fourth North; Fern H. Kotter, 336 South Second East, and Edwin Lee Peterson, 1026 Belmont, all of Brigham City. David O. Garfield, Wayne Weidman, Don G. Hess, Sherri P. Kinney, Cleon G. Summers and LaPrele Hill, Tremonton; Elvin Christensen, Alvin F. Wells and Ira N. Archibald, Willard. Chester H. Christensen, Bear River City; Ray Rhodes, RFD Garland; Elery Hall, 993 South Main, Garland; Ray M. Wagstaff, Perry; Bryce Herman Jeppsen, Mantua; James S. Parkinson, Collinston, and Harold Oman, Yost. Local form lesser degree there k GREATER Annual Sidewalk Sale set Friday, Saturday 28.04 percent and agricultural land, buildings and livestock added up to 21.43 percent. Motor vehicles accounted for 5.70 percent of the total. The remaining .78 percent pertains to miscellaneous valuations such as cemetery districts. 9 "It made Under Advisement Commissioner Don Chase moved to take the matter under advisement. He told Director Barrus that if they decided the board would be appropriate, a commissioner would be assigned to help her set up the board. The commission also heard a report from County Extension Agent Harold Lindsay. 18-1- 9, As of April 1, 1975, the 10 largest taxpayers in Box Elder county were Thiokol, Brigham City continigent inspects Twin Falls mall commissioner in order to meet federal requirements. The state said the board would exist at the individual county perogative, Director Barrus said. to shoot a Tuesday prompted city officials to authorize purchase of two bullet-proo- f vests for the police force. This action came during a regular biweekly city council meeting which also focused on a businessmans offer to take down old lights and poles at North park and heard a key employe say he is leaving for a better paying job. The approval to acquire bullet-proovests came after councilmen heard Police Chief Ron Ogborn report that a sniper who on July 5 fired at Patrolman A1 Lyons is still unknown. Investigation is continuing. Chief Ogborn said the vests are needed especially by officers on night patrol. He placed the cost at about $97 each. f Take Down Poles Councilman Russ Webb said that Jay Dee Harris, implement dealer, has the equipment to take down old poles and lights on the North Park ball field. Its planned to remove them to make way for installation of new lights and poles by the Kiwanis club which is spearheading total improvements at the park this summer. The council agreed to let Harris handle the job. It was suggested that he may make some use of the old material. Vernal Bronson who has been acting public works director for Gary Carter while the latter concentrates his efforts on construction of the new fire station, said he has been offered a better paying job. He gave the council after which he plans ployment and take up Councilmen asked one weeks notice to leave city emthe new work. if he had any recommendations about a successor. Bronson said that Carter would know better who would best fill the post. The matter was left undecided. Other Business In other business, Councilman Reese Mason asked for help in ridding the city cemetery of weeds which he said were getting higher than young trees recently planted there. Bronson said he would assign some men to help on this task. Phil and Lowells service was named the low bidder to furnish the city with eight new tires for police cars. The price was $28.78 each. Ms low on irocadl job A new section of 4 between Collinston and Riverside in Box Elder county will be surfaced under a project opened for bid July 8 by the State Transporation commission. Fife Rock Products of Brigham City was the apparent low bidder with a $595,326 bid. The official engineers estimate was $588,464. This project represents the final stages e section of the construction on the of 3.29-mil- U-8- A bridge at the Malad River has been completed and two other bridges along the new section of highway are near completion. When this project is completed, the section of 4 between Collinston and the will become a county intersection of road. Access from the east to the old will be from a point east of the railroad tracks near Collinston. This project will be completed by Dec. , 1975, but the highway should be opened to traffic in the first week of October, a spokesman said. U-8- U-8- 1 U-8- 4 1 J |