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Show C r' . X K M . c k 0 8 A K ! Interpretative Report bv Midge C2B & We want all of our faithful readers to know Utah schools are saving money in the hot lunch program through co- operative That important purchasing. morsel of information comes from the lS Department of Agricultures food and nutrition service. Now wed like to more detail to each of our readers. But the press release was six pages long. Now thats about three times the length of the Strawberry Water Users Association electric rate increase hearing report. We just dont have that kind of space. All students who enjoy hot lunch--weleally not poking fun at them because we think the meals die great--an- d want more detail can write the information staff of the region in Dallas. provide re west-centr- al -- c- We doubt most of the deep breathers we know could have seen the beauty in what we witnessed early Tuesday morning just below the high line canal. It was like hundreds of big fireflies swoojiing low in an effort to help protect Paysons economy. Those smoking smudge pots actually were working to make certain we have plenty of fruit next summer as well as a plentiful surplus to feed thousands outside the Payson area. f, j Cl. k n jt . P , J At 84!oi . Flood Payson to Irrigate Farms? The Salt Lake City office of the Bureau of Reclamation apparently would prefer another flood in dow ntown Payson to inteiruption of irrigation water deto agriculturalists along the livery Strawberry High Line Canal southeast of its confluence with the canyon high water ditch. At least that is the gist of a letter written by bureau regional director D L Crandall to Utah County commissioners. dispute stems front the 1973 Payson flood caused by tne May 21 rupture of the Box Reservoir dam high in Payson Canyon. For a few days prior to the actual flood, as workers battled to control Peteetneet Creek swollen by a neai record Canyon snow pack, considerable water flowed down the high Water ditch and into the canal because the restricted siphon under it was unable to accommodate the excess flow. Afterward, an employe of Strawberry High Line Canal Co. asked Payson to reimburse the irrigation firm tor part of the cost of clearing gravel from the The canal bed Payson declined on grounds the flood had cost the city far more than was exjiende bv Strawberry High Line. However, high line directors and city officials amicably agreed to cooperate this spiing in an effort to handle the which will surge coming high run-odown Peteetneet Creek as suoti as the canyon snow melt begins. that Now, the bureau has decided is not justified because coopera'iuh mither Payson City mr Utah County have the authority to divert flood water into the Strawberry Highline (sic) Canal r as it did in 1373. We ill tec m.iider this ulti-ot- iv to work ut some ptace- U W Official to ails that will : Pav m a C it a s i coiu-- a i St, no w r ae v Hat t 1 a ff m !' 'o ' i at elf, v u w a: conviction that the canal un'iiial di Jin.tgf and the: t -cai a! i.mpaiiv iesjuiisille ext eat t i the e Hi ct s i t 'l' C . r,o in i s; ull n j lie B.'fau 1 in a lettei d ited In Febiuaiy, Mr. Crandall warned Pa son rmt to dump excess water into the canal Pav n officials chose to igm te his Pet). 18 communication. Veil D Stone of Spanish Fork, chairman. arm his fellow count) commissions i s decided to question the buteaus ultimatum. We join Pav son Cit) c sincil in their concern ljecause of the haz ,rd of potential floods without arm jlacetogo, except in small streams r down through r i v i a o iw p, ! m the emu! would itc a1 that tlood Walt is could 1! o C'i et k u Peteetneet 1 ,t i nt.i an iVtPi tuet t un; i v ( a t Hr Mine (sic' Can.il Comj any ' t 'o;e:at( with Pay son City and C ..t wl.i n er jxvssil'le to avoid 'on, fro, a Peteitneit Creek. i'( .a igret mem that ajerinment i a ft lot an! iif Reclamation folk R.Vtl It would tike Six ft the change m d'ursnns u'o : , diet d le Ho, Is dem msti ated t Ci.'tk as bv into the Stiavberry Highline (sic)Canal. With respect to the reference in voui letter that the Strawberry Highline (sic) Canal interrupted the 'original draiiage, it should be pointed out that t tie natuial flood channel uf Peteetneet Cnek passes through Payson City. The n ligation channel you refer to as being interrupted' was constiucted in about 1897 to coiive) irngation water to the laii !s south and west of Pa) son City. V, hen tlie Sti aw lie i ry Highline (sic) Canal w as const ett d in 1916, a stiucturew is pi o' l led to adequately convey under the canal all w itet diverted fiom Peteetneet C its k at ti at tune. It is not the obligation ot the I lull'd States or Strawberry H.ghhiu (sic Canal Company to acorni- - ' ' et is to lie madetothispri Mem v. is a 4 m eveiywav possible. M iiibi, however, be aware of the r aad perai nal limitations of Vm 'suA Canal. It is lmp'ssille .amputate diversions at the head of c.a.al ti safelv accotu n 'd He fl '.id s fr pi lotiotneot Cnek and at the '! -- c- If we think were dismayed with the must be the poor weather conditions--s- o seagulls. We couldnt help but feel sorry for one old fellow Monday as he circled over out house squealing frantically for a warm, diy place to land. We couldnt offer much help because it was snowing as though Mother Nature thought it was January. Weathermen, too, must Ire pulling their hair hoping to offer some enTheir reports lately are couragement beginning to sound like a broken record, and no doubt they've taken plenty of verbal abuse for something they can do nothing about. The weather has been so bad here in our area we heard that one Payson" resident went out and bought a palm tree. We dont know if thats being From day pessimistic or optimistic. to day its anybodys guess what the climatic conditions are going to be, but if April showers bring May flowers--th- is month should be a bloomin relief for dampened dispositions. -- A -- c- all the rukus develojiing over the issue of smoking in public places, weve placed an order for signs designed to inform one and all smoking perNow that isnt to contend we mitted. think the habit is a great one even if we don't adhere strictly to the word We do not want anyone in of wisdom. our "store to be arrested if he should walk in carrying a cigarette or inadvertently light up a cigar while hes here. Goodness, we get little enough foot traffic as it is. And, we long since learned to live with stinking cigarette smoke. We dont think its any worse than someone spitting a gob in his kisser created by the chaw on the sidewalk or in an ash tray. Neither do we think it is any worse than the litter we pick up almost every day in the vicinity of our store. Theres a law against littering in public, too, in but we've yet to dee it enforced Payson. With -- c- Quite some time ago we noted what would haipen to all of us when a four-ro- ll package of toilet tissue hit a dollar. Well, were only about 15? away from finding out. Grocery shoppers should be convinced that inflation with its price of pajer products is not only a rip off it s a wipe out! -- m- Pay son's city administration is about and every to take a giant stride forward councilman, the mayor, all department superintendents and each city worker should be delighted with the decision. Payson is about to adopt a job and salary classification system. While it is possible there might be some kinks in the system and a few disgruntled workers for the first few months, we feel certain the decision will benefit o long run. The everyone in the employes, we believe, will accept and support the program with gusto once they learn how it works. Superintendents will be more aware of their responsibility and the workers will be more certain of their duties and the compensation they can expect for performing them. not-to- -- c- Publishing Payson, Utah 84651 Volume 87 Co, Inc) Thursday, May Phene 1, 19 16 7- - 1231 Number 18 SWUA Rate Hike Decision Expected Within 3 Months Electrical customers of Strawbeiry Water Users Association (SWUA) should know within three months how much their power costs are going up or if the monthly bills will remain the same. m- Regulatory agency hearings such as that last week on Strawberry W at e r for Users Associations application permission to baost power bills paid by its customers often are exceedingly dry and boring They are a necessary evil, however, both to protect the public from excessive costs charged by a utility which has a monopoly and to make certain the utility is permitted to earn a fair return on its investment. Sometimes the thoioughness of such hearings is based on the amount of money involved. If that were the case, Wednesdays hearing would have been brief. Fortunately for Strawberry customers that was not the case. We thought the Public Service Commission was just as concerned about the $121,000 in additional revenue sought by Strawberry as it would be if a statewide utility were seeking millions of additional dollars from its customers. We also thought there were a couple of items of testimony which went far to break up the solemnity of the hearing. When Monte Taylor, power department superintendent, was asked who has the deed to the irrigation projects land and works, he replied "they own it without title. Testifying as to the need for the rate boost, a Salt Lake City certified public accountant offered An $82,000 deficit this explanation in electric has been made up by other divisions which indicates there is a cash flow problem. cf DB&B Division That w'as the pledge of Olof E Zundel, one of two Utah Public Service who presided at a daylong hearing last week on SWUAs application for a 40 per cent electrical rate boost which would produce an estimated $121,000 a year in added revenue fur the association's power department. There is a good possibility he told The Chronicle at the conclusion of the hearing, the Public Service Commission (PSC) will make its decision befuie three months have elapsed Nelson Taylor of Salem, association i er, testified SATA has sec ret a been trying tu upgrade the system, but due to increased costs we must The have more income to continue. he said, "we have last two eais, been supjAementmg the power deymit-mewith income from other sources. Under by G. Blaine Davis, chief assistant attorney general, Mr. Taylor said about 1,200 persons own sonm 65,000 shares in the association. He told the commission about 40 pier cent of SWUA power customers are not stockholders in the association. Monte Taylor of Payson, SWT A power superintendent, testified at length regarding the system, its service area and improvements planned for the future. Chief among the latter is a proposal to build a substation near the Spanish Fork power plant so it could take elec- - tricity at a higher voltage and then tiansform it down before districting it to the association's direct customers Salem and to the cities of Payson, and Spanish Tui k. one repiesentative of Only geneial ltiblic appeared to offer mony at the hearing. Edward Blair Thomas, a Palmyra dan y farmer, questioned the logic of SWUA seeking a rate Bulletin Sen. Frank E Moss late Tuesday informed The n Chrnmclp he has great over the developing flood control dispute involving Payson and the Bureau of Reclam ation. om-cir- Checking a turner at Riley Fruit Farms early Tuesday were Gregg Loader, left, Roland Lindsay. W. Howard Riley and Lester Robbins heated their orchards until a little before 3 a.m. It was the second time they had heated in three days. The temperature dipped to 26 degrees, but heating boosted the mercury to 30 before cloud cover made the burners unnecessary. Mr. Riley said he didnt think the fruit crop was damaged. Chronicle Photo Canyon Snow, W ater About Same as '74 Soil Conservation Service snow surveyors have found plenty of water in Payson Canyon, but barring a sudden extremely hot spell it still appears the Peteetneet Creek channel will be able to handle it without serious flooding. Surveyors discovered water content in the snow on the Payson ranger station course of 179 per cent of the average and 388 per cent along the lower elevation Rock Bridge course. Average snow depth at the ranger station was 54 inches holding 22 and a half inches of water. That compares to 51 inches of snow with a water content of 21 inches at the same time a year ar ago. Snow depth at Rock Bridge last week was 22 inches holding 12.8 inches of water. Comparable figures a year ago are 28 and 12.1 inches. The storm early this week occurred after surveys dated May 1 were made, Scout-O-Ram- a Set May 10 At Stake Center Nebo Districts first is set for May 10 at Payson Stake Center. Scouting units in Nebo District will participate with display booths, scouting activities and a Pinewood Derby for Cub Scouts from 4 to 6:30 p.m. All Scout troops have tickets available at $1 each and ticket holders must be present to win door prizes at drawings during the Big Show from 7 to 8 p.m. First Security Bank of Utah and Zions National Bank will award a $25 savings bond to the Scout in each of the Payson stakes who sells the most tickets. Dior prizes are donated by local merchants. Deadline for purchasing tickets is next Thursday at 6 p.m. Scouting officials reported they are hopeful the general public, as well as those in the Scouting program, will support the districts first I Therefore, I have re- director quested regional David L Crandall to assign a representative to meet with me and the Payson City council members and the Utah County Commission Thursday at 3:30 pm at my office in the federal building in Provo. The daily temjerature range and precipitation during the week ended Monday as measured by A.Z. Robbins and Bob has paid K income taxes He said his total monthly electric bill now is a little less than $100, compared o dairy expenses of ubnit $6,000 a month. Considerable testimony regarding actual ownership of association property went into the record. Rex A. Hiatt, SWUA president, said we've fought and paid for it, but title still is in the name of the United States He said the association government. anticipates getting title tc the project and its wotks and lias filed suit in federal court in an effort to accomplish that goal. He added farmers who benefit from the project mortgaged their property at the inception, but those mortgages have not been returned even though the project cost has been repaid in its entirety. He was tecalled later and questioned extensively b Mr. Davis as to why the rate hike was needed in view of the fact the increased electrical revenue sought is about the same amount being lost by the irrigation department. Sixty per cent who own shares (in the association) are getting a substantial benefit, the assistant attorney general The law prohibits said. preferential treatment. Richard Goode, a Salt Lake City certified public accountant who audited association books and helped set up the proposed new rate schedule, testified granting the application would boost SWUAs return on investment from 2 per cent to 9,34 per cent. On however, he admitted the records showed the association had a net profit of $29,000 in the power department during the year ended Oct. 31. an It is my hope that agreement can be worked nut which will respect the duties and obligations of the respective parties and protect the includes: hit the increase in the canyon snowpack and its water content is not expected to be significant. The city has accomplished several channel improvements early this spring and canyon reservoirs are being watched closely. Payson is expected to begin piecautionary drawdowns of major canyon reservoirs once it becomes apparent of a need to make more storage space available for the snow melt. have been m toucli with County and Payson City with regard to the potential flood area in and around Payson Canyon. The possible flood hazard there and the problems between the Bureau of Reclamation properties andtheCit) of Payson give me great concern. Weatlier Word Phelps, respectively, .fotiual The senati statement; nt and S. the testi- increase when it alreail) huge amounts to the Regarding the loss sufferedtheirriga-tio- n its not department, he stressed really related to the increase sought for the power department. Association attorney Elliott Lee Pratt of Salt Lake City successfully objected citizenry. (continued on page 6) 1.8 inches. April average: Water year to date: 10.21 inches. Water year average through April: 10.07 inches. Entire water year average: inches. 13.94 Chamber Told of Fierce Competition for Industry Fierce comp-itioacross the nation to attract industry was described Monday at a Payson Chamber of Commerce general membership luncheon in the Old Firehouse Restaurant. Winston Crawford of Orem, president of the Utah Valley Indust ml Development Association (UVIDA) said a number of large industries are looking at the Utah County area. We hopt we landsomeofthem. Mr. Crawford was pinchhitting for the announced speaker, UVIDA director Robert Karpowitz, who was called aw a) at the last minute on an industrial pilgrimage to Phoenix, Artz. The speaker disclosed Utah Count) is meeting stiff competition in its eff rt to lure industry from Weber Count, which boasts an industnd 800-ac- re site. The whole county js hurting foi industrial sites, lie said are negotiating with Brigham University to obtain the old ii Co. Carolina Furniture and Fixture After lunch, chambei1 directors accepted the offer of Mount ainlands Council of Governments Travel Council tomatch $100 for radio advertising promoting chamlers second annual OT Fashun Fourth of July'' celebration. The Payson Racing Association plans to conti ibute to the chamber share of the matching money. the Hill Happenings Scout-O-Ra- brief at activities involving Payson High School through the next period includes: Springville at Payson, baseball, Payson at Springville, 4 p.m.; golf, Springville at Payson, 3 p.m.; soccer, Spanish Fork at Payson, 4 p m. A look 10-d- Today--Tenm- s, 3pm; Wt Tomorrow--Ne- Young at Ironton vs plant site between Springville and Prov as a potential industrial location. He said industry is interested in learning if a piece of land can be quoted at a price where municipal services are immediately available. Mr. Crawford detailed the cooperative efforts of UVIDA and Payson to interest a subsidiary id AmeiitiM Greetings Corp. to locate a furmtuie manufacturing plant here. D .pite the delay, he expressed strong confidence the plant will be constructed later on the site which was obtained for North ftiCifffi'folhwITriTi Royce Hermansen, left, shows Russell Smith some of the trophies which will be May 10 in the Payson Stake Center. awarded at the first annual Nebo Photo Payson, Wasatch 4pm b 3 aiea men were among .jplisl the coveted Silver at the annual fellowship ,av by the Utah Parks Council, Boy Scouts of n District track nipot pin; soccer, Payson cademy at Mb Pleasant, on-ored BYU Saturday at BYT, 9 a in. Invitation track meet Pay son vs. Carbon, s. Cat bon; golf, Payson Payson vs. Carbon, all 3 p.m. at Price. Wednesday--Latg- e gtonp band festiv al at Carbon of Price. Next Thursday -- - Baseball, Spanish Fork at Payson, 3 p.m.; Region Six tennis tournament at Springville, 9 a.m. May 9 Region Six tennis tournament at Springville, 9 a.m.; Region Six track meet at Payson, 10 a.m. TuesdayTenms, baseball, Silver Beaver Awards Won By Payson, Genola Men National America. They aie Scmiting district chairman Santa-qm- n Royce Herm insen of Pa) soil and ill st net Russell Smith adv anci 'h nt of Genola. ehaiiman w s cited isaleader He for out 27 years. sened as Scoutmaster in Elko, Nev., and a member of several unit has committees Hus main gial is to see voting men develop in character and Mr in Herman'-e- Scouting Urtllita rfl Q rt ri become outstanding leaders. Currently sen ing as district chairman of theNebo District, Royces dedication and diligence make him a worthy Silver Beaver recipient. Mr. Smith was credited for many years of being one of the leaders of ftstrict. Scouting in the Santaquin-Tinti- c He is always thete when help is needed and no job is too big. As district commissioner for eight years, he took a personal interest in each unit and left no stone unturned to better their program. As Advancement Chairman, Russell is concerned with all boys and has made a real effort to encourage each boy along the trail to Eagle. |