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Show 50 CENTS Wednesday, August 18, 1993 VOLUME 72 Number 33 Attend tonight's meeting; help form final decision on CUP A meeting this evening (Wednesday) August 18, at 8 p.m. will help Sevier County Commission make the right decision on whether to stay with - or pull out of the Central Utah Project The public meeting will be held at Richfield High Schools auditorium. The commission hassetareferendum vote for August 31 to allow voters in Sevier County the opportunity to voice their opinion about CUPs future in this area, and if more money should be poured into the project So far, Sevier County has put $1.8 million in tax money into the project However, the fact that more money will likely be needed, in addition to the four mill tax levy now being carried by Sevier County residents, the commission decided to let the people decide if support for the CUP should continue. Currently, Sevier County provides $170,000 each year to CUP from tax monies. Commissioners said that most of the $ 1 .8 million already paid into the CUP might be returned to the county if it does leave CUP. One big concern of the county commissioners is that in addition to pouring $ 1 70,000 into the CUP each year as in the past, counties might have to provide up to 35 percent of the total anticipated remaining cost of the project of $85 million. They say, too, that it could be about 1 3 years before any water in the project could be utilized by Sevier River water users. Plan to attend the meeting tonight, atRHS at 8 p.m., lear t all about the CUP, ask questions, and be ready to make an educated vote as to whether the county should continue or drop the Central Utah Project MARKET BEEF RESERVE CHAMPION: The market beef shown by Kristin Gurney, of Lost Creek, was named Reserve Grand Champion in its field, at the Southern Utah Jr. Livestock Show, held during the Sevier County Fair. Kristin is the daughter of Alan and Vicki Gurney. your turn to run for your city or town office Is it of Zions First NEW JOB FOR SUSAN TUFT: Recently, Rex Christensen, It National Bank, announced his upcoming retirement. was then announced that Susan Tuft, a 1 5 year employee at Zions' would be named to fill his spot. Susan says it is her intent to work to serve the community in her new assignment at Zions. Susan is the wife of Alan Tuft. They have one son, and two grandchildren. vice-preside- nt Proposed hike in grazing fees spells doom for ranchers A proposed increase in grazing fees announced recently by U.S. Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt will eliminate many public lands ranchers in Utah, and place enormous hardship on the rural economy of the state, according to the Utah Farm Bureau Federation. UFB President, Ken Ashby, Delta, said Sec. Babbitt has proposed increasing the fee by almost 25 times to $4.28 per animal unit month (AUM) by 1996. The current fee charged ranchers to graze cattle and sheep on public lands is $1.86 per AUM. For more than a year, the ranching community has worked with respected economists and others to develop a new fee proposal that would charge ranchers for the actual value of the forage consumed by livestock on That new formula was public lands, Ashby said. group of recently introduced in Congress by a Senators on August 6. The proposed new fee formula will meet the Clinton Administrations goal to raise an additional $35 million a year from grazing fees, while the Babbitt proposal goes far beyond that goal, Ashby said. At hearings held earlier this summer, ranchers and agricultural economics repeatedly told Babbitt that significant increases in grazing fees would wreak economic havoc on livestock producers as well as the rural economies that depend on the public lands grazing industry. Sec. Babbitt has ignored the testimony from these public hearings, and has proposed a fee level that will sound the death knell for many Utah ranchers, Ashby an said. Babbitt also proposed to eliminate grazing advisory boards as presently constituted; take private water rights away from ranchers on public lands; and take federal possession of any new improvements ranchers have made on their federal lands grazing allotments. Other changes recommended by Babbitt include: Replacing grazing advisory boards with resource advisory council. Current grazing boards are dominated by ranchers. The new resource council would include ranchers, environmentalists, wildlife managers and business owners. Establish national standards for rangelands. Managers of areas not meeting those standards would be required to take steps to improve range conditions. This could include reduced levels of grazing. Allow federal agencies to reduce the length of a grazing lease if the rancher has not managed the land property. Leases now last for 10 years. Allow a higher grazing fee to be charged to ranchers who sublease their grazing permits to someone else. There have been cases in which ranchers have made a substantial profit by leasing their grazing privileges to someone else. Brent Tanner, executive vice president of the Utah Cattlemens Association, said the proposed regulations would create more problems and higher costs for ranchers using public lands. It will be hard on our industry , "he said. Congress needs to enact laws governing grazing terms and conditions as the Babbitt proposal is an attempt to bypass Congressional oversight in this area, Ashby added. We will work with Congress in an effort to adopt a legislated, equitable grazing fee formula for grazing fees, as well as other terms and conditions for the wise use of public lands, he said. Its getting close to cut off date for those wishing to volunteer their services to their community by running for public office. Deadline for signup for Redmond, is August24, 1993. If there are enough candidates, a primary will have to be held to narrow the field. However, if there are no excess candidates, the voting will be done during the general election in November. Serving as Redmond Mayor has been Gene Honeycutt - who has refiled. The four member board consists of two members who will serve a four-yeterm, and two members who serve two-yeterms. Signing up for board member positions so far are ar ar Marie Hawkins, incumbent; Pryce Hales, incumbent, and Lori Rawlinson. No primary is held in Salina. According to Betty Cowley, city recorder, there have been no filings for city council seats or for the position of Mayor. The current City Council includes: Nyals Andreason, Mayor, Karren Glover, Kim Robinson.Ron Crane, Nancy Frame, Dwaine Burr. At press time, Karren Glover was the only one to have signed up for office. Aurora City residents have just a week or so to file for the position of Mayor or town board. According to KentFreeman, clerk, the following have filed: Raymond Heagle, for Mayor, Lawrence Mason, for Mayor. Salina Chamber hears pros and cons of CUP project funds Just because the people of Sevier County vote to get out of the Central Utah Project, CUP, the final decision may be up to the Utah State Court, Representative Bradley Jensen told members of the Salina Chamber of Commerce at recent meeting. Jensen, along with Thad Wasden, president of the Willowbend Water Association, visited with chamber members about the pros and cons of pulling out of the CUP. I think this is one of the few times that new water will be introduced to the area, and we should consider taking advantage of the opportunity, said Jensen. He said that despite the controversy, some of the projects that would help the community will never be possible without the CUP funds. Wasden said that many individuals have stated that CUP funds would never help the area, but cited several examples of how CUP funds have already been spent in the area. When the Piute reservoir was in need of repair several years back CUP funds helped in the renovation. The Vermillian dam was also renovated with assistance from CUP funds. There is storage area enough for the water that would come here, as well as grant money from CUP to build new reservoirs, said Jensen. Jensen admitted that he did not know how Gov. Mike Leavitt would pay the necessary $225 million that Utah needs to contribute, but he guessed that it would be a state wide tax of some sort. I think we will have to pay for the water, the CUP and all the projects, whether we pull out of it or not I we pull out, then we will be paying for something we will never ' get,-- ne said. Jensen and Wasden were asked about the cost of the water to the agriculture user, and both predicted that the cost will be within reason, but were unable to substantiate any rumors of $30 an acre foot for water. They both agreed that the cost will be closer to $ 10 or $ 1 5 per foot. But nobody knows at the moment I do think we are into the project too far to really be considering pulling out,said Jensen. I think we will have to pay for it one way or another, and that although we may not see the benefit, our children will be able to benefit Watch for kids opening day Only a few days remain before school begins for the school year. Tension has been growing among the youngsters as they shop for new school clothes and get ready to get back to school or to go to school for the first time. Especially during the opening days of the school year, Salina Police Chief Gordon Kiesel warns all motorists to be on the alert for the children coming or going to school. Most will have been taught about looking both ways and 1993-9- 4 safe ways to cross streets, but in the excitement many will forget. Remember that the speed in a school zone with the lights flashing is 20 miles per hour. Even that can be too fast sometimes, said Chief Kiesel. Children can dart out or ride their bikes into the lane of oncoming traffic back-to-scho- ol very quickly. Lets all take a little extra time and be a little more careful as we drive wherever children may be present, said Kiesel. LAST WEEK'S SALINA STAKE HOE DOWN was well attended. Over 1 200 enjoyed a great barbecued dinner, then most stayed around for Line Dance Instruction, followed by a western style dance. t |