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Show January 14,2003 Authorities investigate fatal shooting incident By LYNNDA JOHNSON Sun Advocate editor The Price City Police Depart- ment continues to conduct the official investigation into the Jan. 10 shooting incident that resulted in the death of a male subject. At approximately 2:21 p.m. last Friday, the Utah Department of Corrections requested assistance from the Carbon County Sheriffs Office and Price city police in an effort to contact and control an individual under the jurisdiction of the local adult probation and patrol office, indicated Chief Aleck Shilaos. Due to the reportedly violent behavior exhibited by the subject in question, probation and parole officials had contacted Tony Lee Taylor earlier Friday morning at a different location, explained Shilaos. The individual had received treatment from a mental health agency at 11:48 a.m. on Friday, but the young mans violent be- havior apparently persisted and family members called the parole officers for assistance in controlling the subject. After law enforcement personnel arrived at a private residence in northeast Price last Friday afternoon, Taylor purportedly fled through the apartment into the kitchen area, continued Shilaos. Price Policeman Dave Cartwright, Carbon Deputy Tory Christiansen and state corrections agent Jeff Wood followed Price City Council members vote to save downtown tree By KEN LARSON Sun Advocate publisher in pursuit and the individual allegedly attacked the law enforcement officers with a kitchen knife. The authorities attempts to restrain the subject failed and Taylor managed to obtain a larger knife. After the subject reportedly started slashing at the officers with the knife, Christiansen fired his service weapon once to prevent Taylor from seriously injuring the law enforcement authorities, confirmed the Price police chief. County ambulance and Price fire department emergency crews responded to the scene and trans-porte- d the injured man to Castleview Hospital for medical treatment. The subject later died from a single gunshot wound to the stomach, added the Price police chief. The Price City Police Department is continuing to conduct the formal investigation into the fatal shooting incident, indicated Shilaos. During a separate interview Monday morning, Carbon Sher- iff James Cordova confirmed that the deputy will remain on paid administrative leave until the county attorneys office reviews the chain of events leading to the shooting and screens the evidence collected in connection with the incident. Christiansens future status at the sheriffs office will be determined based on the results of the shooting board review, con- cluded Cordova. Sign repair takes place high in the air Young Electric Sign Company employee endeavors to repair a damaged marquee at a local fast food restaurant last Thursday The work requires at least two people, one in the basket to repair or replace the sign and one on A the ground to control the equipment and watch for safety problems At the last two city council meetings, the issue of trees vs. business in dow ntow n Price v as a hot topic of discussion. In December. Robert Finn appeared before Price city officials w ith a request to trim or cut dow n a tree that blocks his business sign. Apparently, Finn purchased the former Century Cafe and Cork's Club and is currently remodeling the business. Finn plans on opening the business as a restaurant and sports bar. How ever, he explained to the council that a tree is grow ing too close to the sign and marquee at the site. Finn agreed to cover the expense of removing the tree. He also agreed to pay the Price Shade Tree Commission enough money to plant six additional trees in other spots in the city'. On Jan. 8, city officials were faced w ith an unrelated request to remove a tree at 100 East Main Street in front of the former Chelsys Manor, purchased by Dan and Christy Decker. The couples bike shop will move around the corner. The tree in question is healthy, with a trunk that is more than nine inches in diameter and about 15 years old. It is located on the east side of the main entrance. Decker told the council that the tree would block the sign he plans to erect above a canopy that runs the entire length of the business. Not only will the tree block a portion of the business, but it will make it difficult to erect the sign, contended Decker. Mayor Jiie Piccolo assured the Deckers that it is the desire of the council to keep downtown Price a v iable part ot the community. We w ant to do ev ery thing w e can to support the downtow n businesses in their efforts to grow, commented the mayor. Councilwoman Liz Kourianos presented the shade tree panels opinion on how the matter should be handled. During the last 15 years, Koui ianos and prior council members have strived to create an attractiv e dow ntown. "We feel that, in order for our downtown to be successful, we need to plan, design and install streetseape improvements, w hich include trees. Dow ntown has a character and its our intent to enhance the district through a comprehensive business plan which includes landscape architecture. noted Kourianos. In the discussion, the council w restled to balance an attractive downtown and the need for businesses to succeed, w hich includes sufficient space to display signs and merchandise. In a three to two vote, the council decided that the tree w ill stay, but be trimmed to accommodate at least a portion of the sign. Cemetery manager Lyle Bauer supervised the tree trimming pioject Thursday morning. The ordinance for the shade tree commission states that the city reserves the right to plant, prune, maintain and remove trees, plants, shrubs within the boundaries of all streets. Members gathered Friday at the commission's regular monthly (Continued on page 2) Shooting range takes major step toward becoming reality By RICHARD SHAW Staff reporter The Carbon County Commission conducted two meetings last Wednesday. One short session involved a Carbon County Municipal Building Authority grant contract and the longer meeting was to conduct regular commission business. In the five minute session, the commission approved the contract for a grant from the Utah Community Impact Board for $750,000 toward covering the costs of the new indoor gun target range the county plans to build near the fairgrounds. This grant along with a loan for the same amount will help us to build this facility, pointed out Commissioner Mike Milovich Once we have established the exact site, we should be able to break ground sometime in Mayor June of this year. The inside gun range will act not only as a place for local shooters to practice, but may become a draw for state and regional competitions. It could tie in with specu CIB lation that the Helper Gun Club may close. It appears the state may withdraw its lease to the gun club to develop the property in the hills above Helper. If that happens, there could be a move to develop an outside shooting range near Pinnacle Peak. That could work well for competitions, noted Commissioner Bill Krompel. The two ranges would be close to each other and could make it a good place to hold all kinds of competitions that use both kinds of facilities. Following the approval, the lawmakers convened the regular meeting of the commission with a property tax concern being the subject of the most discussion. I own a number of lots in the Scofield area which I have not been able to sell because, after I bought them, we discovered that they were not of minimum size, Ron Spears told the commission. Over half the lots were undersized and, so far, the survey that the county was helping with has not been finished. I am asking you to allow my taxes to be changed on these lots because I have no recourse right now 1 lansen has established the corners for the survey, but winter ment between the town and the countv for the building permit ser- weather had moved in and halted the work. have tax notices for each of the lots, indicated Spears. A few of them are being completely changed and I cant even show potential buyers what the boundaries are. These are not legal lots so I shouldnt be taxed for them that vices. 1 way. I thought this lot problem had been solved, replied Milovich. The problem with your request is that you should have come in Commissioners Steve Burge, Mike Milovich and Bill Krompel approve a contract to build an indoor shooting range at the county fairgrounds. but to hold onto them. A discussion then ensued about what involvement the county has had in the situation. Building and zoning director Dave Levanger said, due to problems in the plats, the county had agreed in some telephone negotiations to do the surveying to get the CIB grant lots up to proper sizes. Some of those lots were out quite substantially, noted Levanger. The negotiation was done by George Harmond (deputy county attorney), but I have no documentation on it. Commissioner Steven Burge said he talked with Evan Hansen. before taxes were due. You should have met with the board of equalization. I dont think we can do anything to help on this now. County Attorney Gene Strate pointed out that the statutes prevent the commission from doing anything after taxes are due. Well, we need Evan up there to finish it, commented Milovich. The commissioners indicated the county would work with Spears to resolve the situation. In another area of business concerning the Scofield area, Levanger brought an interlocal agree This is the same agreement we have had for years with Scofield, Levanger told the commission. But Burge had a concern regarding the fact that the county is a contractor in the agreement. I wonder if this agreement makes it so that your department doesnt have government immunity if something happens, said Burge. Levanger pointed out that Carbon government has the same type of agreement with almost all the towns in the county, with the exception of East Carbon and Price. The commission decided to approve the agreement, but asked the county attorney to check into the concern. In unrelated actions, the commission approved a zoning change for property owned by John Wimmeron the Coal Creek Uxip from C-- l to R R-- 1 for a small subdivision. The officials also approved Sam Chiara to act as the public defender conflict attorney for two years. awards grant for Price's purchase o f boiler for pool Last September, Price city was faced with a dilemma when the boiler at the community swimming pool failed and purchasing a new one would cost substantially more than what was budgeted toward related repairs. However, the majority of the Price officials felt that the city needed to replace the boiler at the pool. Price officials banked on obtaining a grant from the Utah Permanent Community Impact Board to cover the costs of purchasing the boiler. The council members voted to replace the boiler and the officials have received word that Price was one of two rural cities awarded grants by the CIB funding board. Price city will be getting a check for $100,000 from the CIB to purchase and install the new boiler for the municipal swimming pool. The Roosevelt City Municipal Building Authority was also awarded a $ 1 00,000 interest-fre- e loan to construct an addition to the building housing the Uintah Basin Association of Governments. The community impact board is a program of the Utah Division of Community Development. The CIB provides financial assistance to agencies and public entities impacted directly or indirectly by mineral resource development on nearby federal lands excluded from the local tax base. The board provides assistance through grants and low-intere- st loans for the planning, construction and maintenance of public facilities. The community impact board funds are also earmarked to help community agencies provide public services. The monies for the CIB grants come from mineral lease royalties paid to the state by ing and energy companies. min- The boards next funding meeting is set for April 3. Vehicle-trai- n collision appears to involve odd circumstances, chain of events Rescue crews and law enforcement authorities responded to the scene of n accident Jan. 9 across the highway from Old Wellington Road. Kevin Fox, 21 of Wellington, told Carbon County deputies that the last thing he remembered before waking up in an ambulance Thursday was leaving for work. But the vehicle driven by Fox was on the railroad tracks near U.S. into the car. Highway 6 when a Union Pacific freight train collided head-o- n an auto-trai- According to the sheriffs office, the impact point of the collision was 116 feet east of the road that crosses the tracks It appeared that the car was on the tracks facing the train when the two collided. Fox was purportedly not wearing seat belt restraints at the time of the accident, but the airbags in the vehicle inflated. The vehicle driver was transported to Castleview Hospital with head injuries. V b K |