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Show WEEKLY Rf LEXDAVIS NEWS JOURNAL, JANUARY 19. 1978 1976 Financial Statement Is Okayed By Auditors By ROSELYN KIRK utitu-nmfur the year an auditing firm told Davi County Commissioner, County Clerk Rodney Walker and fepu(y County Auditor Ludeen Gibbons that financial statements for 1978 were in conformity with generally accepted accounting prin- In a final auditing u 1978 S' i ciples. ROBERT Goldsberry, representing Goldsberry and Associates, Salt Lake City, recommended that 12.25 million currently being held in a capital improvement fund to pay off bonds, be transferred to a debt retirement fund. County Attorney Milton J. Hess is currently drafting a resolution to resolve the matter. f f r 1. According to Mr. Goldsberry's report the county ended the 1976 fiscal year with a balance of 1228,017, an amount In excess of the balance in 1975 which was 1208,201. "The main thing is that we ended the year in the black, Commissioner Glen Hint said. THE CAPITAL improvement fund fur hospital nmsirui turn shows lhu during 1976 the county retired shout $1,445 million due on hospital bunds, leaving $225 million yet to Ik paid in 2i1 The report shows that the bunds will earn enough Interest to pay off the interest when the bonds mature. Commissioner I lint said that the county is not bomb'd for anything except the hospital bonds which they sold to build hospitals in the north and souih end of the county. When private corporations agreed to build the hospitals, the county used the money being held in a capital improvement m count to try to buy hai k the bonds but were not able to locate all the bonds. That $2225 million along with the accumulated interest will be placed in the bond retirement fund to pay off the bonds In 25 years. If the bonds could be liquidated now, the county could earn almost $2!)0,0(j9 on the bonds, but that money could be eaien up with interest rates by the time the bonds are retired MR. WALKER said the $5.7 million gamed from bond issues in 968 and 1972 has txs n placed at one time or the other When the In every bank in Davis County. $3,445 million in bonds were repurchased In 1976, money was rermned from those banks where the smallest amounts were 1 IN CONNECTION with the general fund budget, Commissioner Flint said the state road grants showed an excess of 1241,518 since the West Valley Highway fund will accumulate until the county will eventually receive the money from Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) to for the road. buy the The statement showed that the county increased the general fund budget in 1976 to $5.4 million, which was an Increase over the 14.6 million dollar budget in 1975. There was an eight percent difference in the estimated and actual budget in 1976. t, - right-of-wa- y THE AUDIT report showed that in 1976 departments were under their budgets although Mr. Walker said that departmental budgets have been opened at various times during the year for adjustment. During 1976, the bulk of the expenditure was for salaries, wages and benefits for county employees with $3.29 million being expended for that expense. are being displayed in three areas in Paintings by Alvin Davis County: the Bountiful Art Center, and libraries north and south. Helping with the paintings are Tony Rasmussen, left, and Jeanne Layton, right. and traits over the years of many of brought together for this involved with teaching administration as well as exhibit. Utah's most distinguished ci- invested. He said that when the bond retirement fund is set up that money may either be? transferred to Zlons Bank or First Security Bank, which were involved in the original sale of the bonds. MR. WALKER said the county has shopped around for banks where they can get the highest interest rate. The county could have invested the muney with the state treasurer, but found they could get a higher return with local banks, he said. The auditing statement shows that the county collected $15.16 million in taxes Mr. Goldsberry said that three-fifthof that money went to the Davis County Schools to finance education in the county. during $9. 16 1976. million or s GitJ-'-.- QITTIHS SHOVJiriG Beginning Tuesday, Jan. 24, an exhibit of paintings and drawings by Alvin Gittins, professor of art at the University of Utah and noted portrait painter will be displayed concurrently at the Bountiful Art Center, the Davis County Library South Branch in Bountiful, and the Davis County Library North Branch in Clearfield. ANTON Rasmussen, director of the Bountiful Art Center, and Jeanne Layton, director of Davis County Libraries, have scheduled the exhibit in these three locations in a combined effort to give more citizens of Utah the opportunity to see Professor Gittins work. Since joining the faculty at the University of Utah Professor Gittins has painted por church leaders, political professors, figures, philanthropists, and those tive in the arts. ac- OVER 70of his paintings are displayed in different locations throughout the campus. Many of those paintings will be sp ufj GITTINS' career has been '1 Eryp.T jT ,r painting. His tremendous co- ntribution to teaching was recognized when he received the "Distinguished Teaching Award from students at the UniversityofUtah. He has also served as chairman of the Art Department at the University. The exhibit, which will con- tinue through March 3rd at all three locations, may be seen during regular library hours in Bountiful and Clearfield. Gallery hours at the Bountiful Art Center are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday, 2p.m. to 5p.m., closed Mondays. - . The demand for his work has also taken him to many interesting places such as Ethiopia where he did a portrait of Haile Selassie and has put him in contact with many noted and interesting people throughout the country. tizens, including governors, K-- r:. V Board Hears Update On Competency Testing A?,, V txi.'M, V r By ROSELYN KIRK ' ii M BfL - w ' y7,ivfw" r ify.i'..Srf vu,-V:i- basic meet students requirements in five areas S- specified by the Utah State Board of Education. I 1 Vi Competency based tests are currently being developed by the Davis County School District to determine whether 1 A v. . J&rX rf VV2 V ASSISTANT Superintendent Gayle Stevenson told the Davis School Board that the tests will establish basic minimum levels of performance and the schools will work on a remediation process to bring students who fail up to standard. High school diplomas will only be granted to students who successfully pass the tests in reading, writing, speaking, listening, math, democratic government consumer processes, knowledge and problem solving. This requirement will be effective no later than the 1980 1 through Feb. 4 at Memorial Theatre in e City. JOY of working on is e derived from the script leaves the md the director. It everyone's tes ition and thus each ends up being a ir event, which could ur bv combining the ion ir people involved in has OConnor six sly directed ions of A Funny appened On The Way NNOR is home idiana but has over the country ms. He is artistic Purdue Univer-- r Theatre in In diana and has produced numerous shows there. He has also been production stage manager for several shows around the country. CHRISTOPHER Hewett, who plays Pseudolus the slave in this production is no stranger to Utah audiences. He has directed Kiss Me, Kate, "South Pacific, and The Patriots for Pioneer Memorial Theatre, although this will be his first performance here as an actor. Since his stage debut at the age of seven, Mr. Hewett has appeared in many shows throughout the world, as well as on television and films. He is well known for both his directing and acting credits. FUNNY Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum has been called Americas funniest musical. It is a zany, racy comedy based on the plays of Plautus. As with most of his surviving works, the result here Is a world where everything is' turned upside down. A Confusion and buffoonery are the norm, the pursuit of of pleasure is the end-al- l everyones existence. Pseudolus, the slave, will do almost anything to gain his freedom, and his zany strategies and tactics com- bine with rampant confusion to create an amusing and witty comedy that has tickled the funny bones of many Americans. FEATURED are such songs as Comedy Tonight, "Love Hear, "Pretty Little Picture, and "Everybody Ought I .to Have A Maid. This production features: H.E.D. Redford, Max Robin- son, Stan Russon, Elaine , Vertterli-BrownGene Pack, Craig Clyde, and The PMT Company. THE CAST also includes V.L. Clark, Cynthia Fadel, Helen Laura Frank, Becky Gonzalez, Michael Gray, Cheryl Henoch, Art William Prudich, Lauri Mark Roselius, Maria and Thompson Tirabassi. Choreography and musical staging are by Tom Kelly, who makes his home in New York City. Mr. Kelly was a construction worker until the age of 24, when he was trained in the Michael Fokine method by his friend and mentor Orest Sergievsky. He has off performed both on and on two been has Broadway, national tours, and numerous stock productions. THE musical director is Evelyn Bartholomew; set design is by William S. Barber, with sculptures created by Peter Cole; lighting is by David Deike; and costumes by Carol Wells Day. "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum will be presented at Pioneer Memorial Theatre Jan. 4. A matinee perfor2 p m. mance will be held at on Jan. 28. FOR information and reservations call the PMT box office. education bill since it will have more chance of passing than if introduced as a separate bill. Representative Irvine sponsored the plan at the commit- According to school district 300 Davis County students are attending Utah Technical College in Salt Lake City and 14 are attending argue that three area THIS IS the first step in a legislative process which will require that the funding be approved by the executive SENATOR Barlow had called a meeting earlier with Davis School District officials who met with Senator Warren Pugh, a member on the education appreciations committee, to plead their case. School District officials told members of the education before it is finally included in the education bill which must that they had spent $2 million on the 84 acres of land for the By ROSELYN KIRK An to appropriation of $457,000 fund building and maintenance needs at the Vocational Davis County Center in Kaysville was passed by the Public Education Appropriations Committee of the Utah State Legislature late last week. MR. Stevenson said the district is considering using the Stanford Task test as a vehicle to test competency in and English reading, mathematics. In addition, the district worked through a program with secondary social studies department heads to develop a test which will reveal competency in the area of democratic government. consumer on TESTS knowledge and problem solv- ing have not yet been developed, Mr. Stevenson said. These competency testing programs must be approved so that students who will graduate in 1980 can demonstrate their competency in the five areas as outlined. Mr. Stevenson said the plan is to the give the test during sophomore year. If a student passes the five testheareas will while a sophomore, not be required to take the examination again. THE TASK test could meet the competency requirements tee session. appropriations committee appropriations committee receive approval from both houses of the legislature. Senator Haven Barlow of. Layton and Representative Dave Irvine of Bountiful are members of the education site and on improvements which include curbs and gut- ter, sidewalks, roads, parking, water, and electrical hookups. appropriations committee, which will probably spend CONSTRUCTION on that site includes an automotive during special budget session of the Utah State Legislature. at the cost of $420,000 and a building trades building about 40 percent of the money ACCORDING to Senator Barlow, Davis County legislators met earlier last week with some of the 15 members of the education committee to gain leverage with those committee members prior to the formal presentation to that committee on Thursday. The proposal to include the Davis County vocational measure for funding In the education package came when three out of the five senators and seven out of the eleven house members voted to include the appropriation in the bill. Senator Barlow said the strategy worked out by Davis County legislators, especially by him and Representative Irvine, was to have the measure included in the extensive graduating class. fl FUriflY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM the musicals have i associated with, OnA rhing Happened to The Forum hap- my favorite, stated innor, director of this comedy which plays Funds Are Approved For Davis Vocational School if the district sets a cut-oscore to determine minimum functional areas in reading, English and math, Mr. Stevenson said. Of the 27,000 students who took the TASK test, 8.6 percent fell below the basic minimum levels set for the eighth grade students. These students will need remedial work in the English and math areas to meet ti graduation requirements if the test is adopted, Mr. Stevenson said. DETERMINING , compe- tency has been left to the local school districts. By not reaching the specified level on the test, the student is judged not competent in that area. Some of the students have tested below in several areas, but others are deficient in only one area. Test scores may not be averaged, but the student must prove competency In each area. AFTER remedial programs have been provided through the school, the student will be tested again. building which has been built which is presently under construction at the cost of about $390,000. According to the report, most of the funding for these two buildings has been provided by the Slate Board of Education. Four more buildings are planned. District officials argued that the state money was needed since little money is available to provide skill education for adults. They requested $280,000 for maintenance and operation for the coming year and $177,000 for equipment needs which include masonry, plumbing, painting and automotive equipment. SENATOR Barlow said he had met with a Davis County citizens group prior to the opening of the legislature which questioned why skill training for adults is not available to citizens in Davis County. Under the present educational setup, Davis County Vocational School is one of three vocational schools designated in 1972 as district area vocational centers. to Senator According Barlow, the school district is limited in obtaining money to fund adult programs. Some money is available through federal programs through the Board of Education if adults are learning skills and are not attempting to pick up a high school diploma. ACCORDING to school dis- trict officials, the vocational center has increased from 14 to 420 adults since 1972 and includes 305 high school students. They say projections show this number could increase to between 2000 and 2,500 students by 1980. At present the center provides training to adults who are seeking skill training and or school high diplomas, dropouts, 16 years or older, who are also seeking skill training, and 1 1th and 12th grade high school students who desire skill training not offered by the high school. statistics, over the federally funded skill center in North Ogden. They voca- tional centers Bridgerland in Cache County, Uintah in Roosevelt and Sevier in Richare funded by the State field Board of Education and yet do not provide vocational education to as many students as are requesting that service in Davis County. SENATOR Barlow said that some members of the legislative education committee felt a study of the vocational program in Davis County should have been made prior to approval, but the majority overruled this opinion. According to Superinten- dent Bernell Wrigley, the school district "feels fortunate that the funding measure has made it through the committee the first time. HE SAID the overall appropriations committee will need to look at the recommen- dations of the other sectional committee such as the education committee to see if all appropriations are in balance. This will be done prior to submitting the education package to each house of the legislature. Superintendent Wrigley said that, like Senator Barlow, he felt if the vocational proposal made it into the total education appropriation bill, it is doubtful the proposal will be interferred with. It isnt easy to get as far as we have. We just hope that the members of the education committee will hold firm under pressure from their constituents and from other sources." SENATOR Barlow said the funding for the Davis vocational school has about a chance of passing with 50-5- the total educational bill. But even if it doesnt pass, at least we have our foot in the door. Even if we lose, we can come back next year and ask again. Superintendent Wrigley said he is in contact with the Davis County legislators daily especially Representative Irvine and Senator Barlow, to keep his finger on the progress of the funding measure. Both men said they anticipated the final bill would be completed by Friday or early next week. SENATOR Barlow said the plan to include the funding measure in the education appropriations bill since some checking around had shown him that similar funding has never been approved when the bill stood alone. Last legislative session Davis County legislators filed a bill requesting over $1 million for building at the vocational center, but the bill did not pass. |