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Show The Payson Chronicle, October 15, 1997, Page 8 Letters To The Editor What is your opinion? This newspaper welcomes opinions from its readers concerning any subject pertinent to the Parson area. We request that letters use good judgment and arc concise. Anything of a ubelous nature, or defamation of character, will not be considered for publication. Letters must be signed with the writers name, address, and telephone number. Answers To Questions Dear Editor, (From: Payson City Council and Administration) The Letter to the Editor from Mr. and Mrs. Whitelock, published October 8th, poses several good questions which are often asked of Payson City leaders. The following information is not new or private and has been given to anyone making inquiries about these issues for several months. In the interest of saving space, the questions have been shortened and paraphrased: 1. Question: Why was the grandstand burned? Answer It had deteriorated to an unsafe, unsightly condition. City insurance carriers had declined to cover the facility and ' restoration was not judged to be cost effective. 2. Question: Why has there been no development plan for the racetrack since? Answer There has been. Two citizen committees have reviewed the issue and made recommendations. The groups inrecreational development volved have agreed upon multi-usplans and further ideas are welcome. 3. Question: Who determined that the structure should be condemned? Answer The structure was condemned by the Payson City building official. 4. Question: What were the prices of the sale of the Bon-To- n property and curbgutter improvements and RDA involvement? n Answer The basic price for the block was based on an estimated value of $35,000 per acre on 4.8 acres which at the time was an average of prices being paid for property zones residential. This yielded a sales price of $168, 000. Professional evaluations of the property by a reputable engineer and another by a prominent architect both declared that renovation of the building would not be a cost effective alternative and that it would be cheaper to raze the building and rebuild it than it would be to restore it Because of these evaluations, a demolition allowance ($67,000 - an average of three estimates) was included in the contract The sales agreement restricts the buyer from developing the ground for residential purposes nor could they sell it without council approval. The agreement also requires that the buyer retain the significant features of Constitution Park, add improvements such as landscaping features and keep the park open as a public park. The agreement allows for the development of a structure and operation conforming to the research park zone. A participation agreement was also designed which would allow for some off site improvements (curbguttcrsidewalk) to be reimbursed to the developer from the property tax revenues which were paid by the developer. This is a common development agreement procedure very similar to two other RDA curbgutter agreements requested by Payson Market and Dr. Gordon Taylor for street improvements in their respective neighborhoods. 5. Question: Explain the purchase of the property for Centennial Park (Pioneer Plaza) at 100 North & Main. Answer. The development of Pioneer Plaza has been under the direction of the Payson Area Chamber of Commerce. Purchase of the property was made with RDA funds with the intent of removing blight and stimulating wider improvements in the Historic Downtown RDA area. The purchase price was the price asked by the property owner and was comparable to prices paid for prime commercial properties at other locations in Payson. The RDA board felt that the purchase of the property would eliminate the blighted lot, avoid an unsightly development and provide a basis for citizens to carry out the development of the monumentpark through donated labor, materials and funds. There has been an effort to eliminate blighted, unsightly properties in the RDA area by relying on cooperative efforts rather than resort to condemnation via eminent domain laws. 6. Question: Was the Research & Development zone adopted n for the legal appropriate? Answer The zoning adopted by the Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council was the result of their efforts to zone the property in the most fair and appropriate manner for all residents. It was done according to applicable codes and ordinances. 7. Question: Why did the RDA buy the Middle School and sell it to Young Living for the same price? Answer The RDA acted as agent for Young Livings purchase offer in buying the property from Nebo School District as advised by legal counsel. Attorneys for both Payson and Nebo District supervised the transaction. (The property was scheduled for demolition in June 1996). e, Bon-To- high-traff- ic Bon-To- 8. Question: Was the Bon-To- n and put up for public bid? property advertised as surplus Answer The city had entertained several offers for the property - all of which called for the property to be developed residentially or to be used as a storage unitware house in its existing condition. A survey conducted by a citizens committee indicated that the community did not favor residential development of the city properties in the area. No other serious offers had been received, it had not been declared surplus and legal counsel advised that it was not necessary to do so. Young Living approached the city with the idea of developing the property as an officeresearch park. 9. Question: Have the provisions of the purchase agreement contract been honored by Young Living? Answer The city council reviewed the case in city council meeting and voted to allow Young living a time extension on the development schedule in the contract Young Living is currently meeting with city officials and staff on a regular, frequent basis as they undergo the required approval processes. n intended to 10. Question: Was the sale of the the building? preserve Answer The sales agreement with Young Living was judged to be the only serious offer which had any hope for preservation of the all or part of the building without prolonging the existing eyesore. It was clearly understood at the time of the sale that preservation of the facility was not a likely or Bon-To- cost-effecti- approach. Question: What about the herbal garden on the site? Answer This is part of the development agreement and will be built as part of the project so as not to be destroyed by construction activity. 12. Question: Is the new Young Living building larger than the original plan? Answer No site plans or dimensions were specified at the time of sale although the current proposal is very similar to the architects rendition displayed at the time of sale. The buyer was allowed by the agreement to construct a "compatible two or three story" structure which conforms to "applicable building codes, ordinances and approval procedures." 13. Question: What activities arc planned and permitted? Answer The anticipated business activities approved for the site included normal cmployeecustomer traffic, an estimate of two trucks per day and frequent expresscourier employeecus-tome- r traffic, an estimate of two trucks per day and frequent expresscourier traffic. The anticipated processing activity was the filling of small bottles with plant oil and accompanying distribution. All of the above activities were observed and monitored by city personnel at Young Livings previous facility. They were deemed to be less disruptive than those of the former use at the site. The new facility was judged to generate less traffic than neighboring secondary schools and would not generate traffic which would pass the schools. n 14. Question: Why didn't the city repossess the property one year after the closing date? Answer. The city council granted a time extension (see Question 9). 1 1. Bon-To- Questions Unanswered Dear Editor, I attended Meet Your Candidate Night last Thursday and a few questions still go unanswered. Two years ago we began a project of getting "all" the neighbors on "both" sides of the street to do curb ami gutter. Everyone agreed, plus a few people around the comer. We were so happy and excited to have such an improvement! WOW! Talk about a nightmare. First, the contractor could not start until someone shot the grades. They never came and never came until we threw a fit Next, the job was so shoddy it should have never been passed the , inspector. by Next, we called the Mayor and he hung up on us. Next, we called the City Administrator to try to work things out, but we werent satisfied with what he told us. Next, we got on the City Council Agenda and a couple of days before council meeting we received a call from the City Administrator, Keith Morty, telling us he had removed us from the agenda because he had heard all he needed to hear from us. In the middle of all this, we tried to call Bob Provstgaard, (called 3 or 4 times), to see if he might have any input to help us out, but all we got was an answering machine saying he would call us back. We never did receive a call back. First: Why do we elect people to city office if they do not represent us? Second: Why not just hire a City Administrator to run the city instead of going through all the election jazz if he is the only one that is running the city? Third: Why does the incumbent council member claim to be involved with the citizens when he does not even have the courtesy to return their calls? It took over two years to complete the curb and road project that we started to help improve one small area of Payson. There is a very nice lady who is a widow who had to do three lots. They tore her lot up so badly, and Im sure the vacant lot she paid for was cut away against code. It will be sluffing away any day now. The drain at the bottom of the hill never works and is always just like a lake. If this is the kind of representation we get from the City Council and the Mayor, or should I say the City Administrator, then I feel we are sadly represented and something needs to change. Jill Sullivan Mayor Lauded For Leadership NOTE: The following letter was sent to Payson Mayor Russell Hillman. Dear Mayor Hillman: I certainly appreciate being able to work with you in the formation of the South Utah Valley Municipal Water Association. Without your diligence and concentrated efforts, this project would have been virtually impossible. When you took command in unifying the ten cities in South Utah County it showed great leadership and political prowess w hich is so necessary in making any worthwhile projects successful. Your involvement in helping establish the guidelines for the conversion from agriculture to municipal and industrial water was one giant step in resolving the critical needs of the people in south Utah County. Without your leadership and foresight we would still be trying to resolve many of the small problems that you were able to iron out very quickly. By establishing one of the first industrial parks in Payson, you showed the community what could be done through quality leadership with the interest of the people at heart Once again, I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for all your help and support Sincerely, sDon A. Christiansen Don A. Christiansen General Manager "Bob For Answers October 30th Dear Editor, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the special friends and people who helped in our successful primary campaign for mayor. The main theme of our campaign has been Community Unity through government by consensus and public input This is not just a slogan but rather a vital lifeline for local government Public input needs to be orderly but accountability should have priority for the citizens. In two previous meetings more than 100 citizens have made their input to me about their priorities. They have expressed concerns about the suppression of public input, the roads, economic development and recent evolution of government control. In the spirit of the season, and as a last opportunity for the undecided votes to get and make input before the election, we invite you to a Halloween "Bobbing for Answers" Party in the Zions Bank basement on Thursday, October 30, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. I would like to explain my vision of the Community Improvement Board to be utilized for the development of meaningful consensus and the encouragement of volunteers and public input If you think Halloween and local government have the potential to be "Scary," come join our party and "bob for answers as well as apples. We recommend as contrasts: the DESTRUCTION of the Bon-To- n and its heritage to the CONSTRUCTION of the beautiful garden at the Academy. May we assist Payson to blossom like a garden into the 2 1 st Century. You get out of local government exactly what you put into it. Come be a part of the team and part of the future. If you cant make the party, please feel free to contact me at my home, 5 1 North 1 00 West, or call me at 465-225- 3. Either way, remember to vote Tuesday, November 4. Community Unity through consensus is not just words, but a commitment and reality. Thank you for your vote, trust, your fu- ture. Sincerely, Gordon Taylor your |
