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Show By GARY R. BLODGETT HOOPER This small farming community weM of Roy is often referred to as Lapland" because it lies partially in Weber County and partially in Davis County. AND THIS, alone, creates problems. But what to do about the situation also creates problems. Its like the old adage. You cant satisfy all the people all of the time. BUT RECENTLY, about 40 of the 60 families that live on the Davis County side of the border have petitioned the Weber County Commission for annexation First, however, the residents must get the permission of Davis County's voters-- a majority vote from all registered voters-t- o from Davis County be able to and be eligible to annex into Weber County, according to Davis County Clerk-Audito- Rodney Walker. r THEN IT will take a majority vote of the Weber County voters in the Nov. 7 election to accept these Davis County residents, he said. Families who live in the Lapland" area of Davis County told the Davis County Commission in their petition for that they have their religious, political and social ties in It was back to the books for more than 36,000 Davis County youngsters Monday. But it wasnt all work and no play as these youngsters at Layton Elementary School DACK TO SCHOOL Weber County. ALL OF the families attend church in the Weber County section of Hooper, their children attend Weber County schools, and they have their recreation and shop primarily in Weber County communities. Davis County Commissioner Glen Flint said the commission wants to go on record as 100 per cent against any found out during their lunch break. WE HAVE the smallest county, propertywise county, in the state and now there is talk of some 3,000 acres and joining Weber County, he said. I don't think thats fair and we as a commission want to go on record as being against the proposal. By TOM BUSSELBERG LAYTON - The price of ground beef has soared to the $1 a pound mark but people are still eating it. -- AND THE cost of a new home inches upward every month, but people are still buying land and trying to build that dream home. While everyone isnt involved in such projects, enough people are that the real estate market along the Wasatch Front and in Davis County is far from letting up, in the opinion of two Layton bankers. PEOPLE are continuing to buy, says First National Bank of Layton President George Wilcox because, They know their money is worth more today than it will be next week. Because of that feeling, the demand for money is extreme, says Ralph Firth, a bank vice president. Loans are wanted for much more than the amount of deposits to cover them and the banks are in a tight situation. Right now a tight money situation pushes up the cost of borrowing to where it almost becomes prohibitive for building. THE INTEREST rate on a mortgage has climbed to 10 percent and higher in this area, he says. People are still qualifying and still building and still buying lots. One force triggering high interest rates is the Federal Reserve Board, which can pull money off or pour money into the market in an effort to influence the market. And in spite of the high cost of borrowing money to build, and spiraling construction costs, Mr. Firth is optimistic about the future. THE FUTURE looks good. There seems to be a lot of growth and a lot of dollars in ieal estate for a lot of people. ' Inflation has pushed the price of homes bought five or ten years ago for $20,000 up to where they can now sell for double that. People sell and get into a bigger home with a bigger mortgage." But, he adds, Inflation has done that, not equity. People are really no further ahead. A lot can step up in their standard to a lot higher home. But homes arent really any more valuable than before. ONE THING that keeps going is that people want to move out into the suburbs and own their own home. There are quite a few apartments going in but I dont see a real change in the near future. Mr. Firth says he sees the MR. FIRTH ties the areas growth to government spend- Were dependent on than it takes in. That helps tighten the money supply. Theyre in competition for our economy is diversifying but where it is the largest employer it has quite an im- by selling savings bonds and notes. If it goes to Washington, the moneys not in this area. IF THEY would get on a ing. government spending with Hill Air Force Base. The pact. Bank president Wilcox comments on federal spending in another way as he looks at the inflationary spiral and economic growth. I think the whole problem comes with the federal government getting the idea it can spend billion more a year $60-$9- 0 savings stable basis and make the money worth something it would be better, he says. Nobody has any faith in us anymore. We thought maybe the high interest rate would slow buying but it hasnt to any extent. There is still a terrific demand for money and we need local savings here. Were in trouble all the arent way for sure-thin- gs getting any better. Both Mr. Wilcox and Mr. Firth agree, however, that a depression such as hit the nation in 1929 would be We have means of unlikely. softening over what happened in 1929, Mr. Wilcox says. IN ANY event, it looks as though carpenters and contractors might as well stay around Davis County as it continues to mushroom with homes being built where crops once grew. desire for individual homes especially strong in Utah where there is a stress for gardens, for instance, and state loans have helped many build that first If CONSTRUCTION isnt limited to new home building with the Layton Hills shopping complex an example of commercial continued development. The new $20 million facility scheduled to open in 1980 will have major impact on the area, Mr. Firth says. 1 think the new shopping center will draw a lot of people. I dont feel it will hurt the smaller businesses. Many people coming into the area to shop may check out other businesses. But if it grows as large as they say it will, it will have to attract people from the whole North Davis area. County-exce- pt higher taxes. study shows. THE STUDY has been con- ducted to determine areas where financial assistance might be possible through a federal Department of Housing and Urban Development rehabilitation assistance program. The study showed that Clearfield has overall a really good housing situation with a substantial amount of new construction, says Dave Luscher, a federal HUD of- ficial. But he said, "A concentration of houses needing minor repairs has been identified on Villa Street and Ross Drive. Ross Drive is located near South and State Street and Villa Drive is located at about 550 North and Main Street. 1000 SOME REPAIRS have been done in that area with funding totaling $242,000, Mr. Luscher says. The repairs have largely included painting and general fixup. The agency is applying for $125,000 in funds to complete repairs in Clearfield, he says. Housing in the city was divided into four categories listing housing conditions: standard, with no repairs needed; minor repair, major repair and demolition. Of slightly more than 3,000 housing structures, 2,694 were listed as needing no repairs while 503 needed minor or major repair and ,c showing a definite need for major repair, he said. All those needing major repair are older housing in farming areas. 'UNLIKE many cities such as Ogden and Salt Lake City where theyre trying to get people to get their houses back into the condition they should be in, Clearfield should try to get its people to maintain the houses as they are now. Mr. Luscher said. Eligibility for housing repair assistance is determined by income and grants loans can be and arranged, he said. Contractors then bid on projects. ABOUT 300 people in Clearfield have been low-inco- given assistance and expect will probably get assistance, he says, tb another 50-6- 0 THE COMMISSIONER also struck out at reports that West Point would incorporate that area of Hooper in Davis ( ounty if the residents did not seek annexation into Weber County. How can this be when it takes a petition from the residents to seek annexation? he asked. "West Point nor any other city can reach out and annex an unincorporated area without the citizens t.if ig the initiative for annexation. THEY HAVE nothing to gain through annexation to Weber County, and we have a lot to lose, including taxes, if they deannex from Davis County. We are cer- tainly against any such proposal, the commissioner emphasized. Davis School District Superintendent Bernell Wrigley said it is his understanding that children in this small portion of Davis County have attended Weber County schools for many years. IT HAS been customary for these students to attend school m the same d.s-trias their neighbors in the same community, the superintendent said. Hooper residents told commissioners they usually shop in Roy or Ogden. Social activities also are connected to these two Weber County cities. ADVISED THAT their taxes would be if they are annexed to Weber County, most residents said that they still preferred to be annexed. higher County Clerk Walker said 56 persons from the area voted in the last general election. Of this number, 39 signed the from Davis petition for County. WEBER COUNTY Commissioners have spoken freely about annexation of the Lapland area. One politician, County Commission Chairman Douglas Hunt says he believes that if voters knew the problems these people in Lapland have, they would vote for annexation into Weber County. BUT ITS going to take an educational campaign because Im not so sure Davis County voters will be in favor of letting them go, he said. Services provided to the area come both from Davis and Weber Counties, it was explained. Deputies Did Mot Get Pay Haise; Davis Sheriff Considering Court Suit - - offer all THE DAVIS County commissioner also challenged a report that if Hooper incorporated into a city that those residents of Davis FARMINGTON County deputy sheriffs didnt get their August pay raises. The CLEARFIELD majority of housing in Clear-hel- d is in good condition but there are two areas where some repairs might be warranted to a large percentage of the homes, a d federally-financehousing We the services Weber County can offer and for less. He then explained that Davis Countys general mill levy is 8.05 compared to 15.95 in Weber County. By GARY R, BLODGETT home. With the continued surge in homebuilding, farm ground is becoming more scarce and land prices are climbing, he says. Theres not a lot of farm ground and the farmers are holding on for a high price and then selling out. The area is moving from one of farms to a metropolitan area. I know, some farmers who are leaving and moving to Idaho to farm because its not practical here. COMMISSIONER Flint added: I cant see what they think they are gaining by being annexed into Weber Ibioper living in Davis County would be left out of the incorporation. This is not true," said Commissioner Fl.r.t. A new state law provides a city to incorporate across county lines and the ent.ie area known as Hooper today could be incorporated.'' THE COUNTY Commission instructed County Clerk Rodney Walker to pay deputies at us a $50 a the July month blanket raise given other county employees retroactive to July 1. The commission took the action because of confusion concerning pay raises for the deputies. rate-min- DAVIS COUNTY commis- sioners agreed July 27 to give all county employees a $50 a month blanket pay raise, retroactive to Juiy 1, but there was some confusion about the pay raises covering sheriff deputies because the deputies have a separate policy for raises offered on the anniversary of the date which they began working for' the sheriff's office. Sheriff William (Dub) Lawrence said he is considering filing a discrimination suit against the commission in both federal and district courts. HE ADDED that he has structed tape recordings of discussions with the County Commission and Mr. Walker indicating that all deputies would receive the $50 per month raise and those eligible would receive an additional 3.6 per cent increase. Those raises have been frozen by the commission since last January. But commissioners say they have never authorized both a $50 blanket raise and an additional 3.6 per cent increase for deputies with anniversaries. COMMISSIONER Glen W. Flint commented: We have given the deputies their choice of either a $50 per month raise like the other county employees or the step increase of 3.6 per cent, but (Mr. vouchers. AT THE same time, two of the commissioners-Fli- nt and C. E. Moss-rejec- a motion ted by Commissioner Wendell Zaugg to have the sheriff meet with the commission to discuss the matter face to face." Commissioner Zaugg did, however, join the other two commissioners in their action to hold up on the pay raises until the matter is solved. THE WEEKLY REFLEX 197 "B" North Main St., Layton Phone 378-91- Published Weekly by j not both. CLIPPER PUBLISHING CO. be more dicriminatory to give the deputies the combined pay increases than it would be to deprive them (deputies) of the increases. He added that the 3.6 per cent increase would be retroactive to Jan. 1 and that the . has in commission IT payroll Walker) to hold up payment of the August WOULD ' John Stable. Jr.. Publisher Second Class Postage Paid At Layton, Utah SUBSCRIPTION : $4.50 per year Out at Stats Subscription SS.M Overseas Subscribe SIVM (Payable In Advanca) |