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Show Page Two The Pyramid - May 1, 1985 Pyramid Editorials OPINION letters Comments, Open Water users need to voice views on flow plan in-strea- THE VIEW FROM HERE m Dear Editor; This letter is written for the benefit of anyone who diverts water from Utahs streams for their beneficial use, or for the beneficial use of the general public. For the past few years, legislation With a lack of funds to build the Gooseberry Narrows Pro- has been introduced in the Utah Legislature that would change ject already staring Sanpete Water Users in the face, another State time-teste- d laws regarding our the of a claim by problem has reared its ugly head in the form water appropriation. Present laws if the US Forest Service that the ecosystem will be damaged require that anyone wanting to present agreement is carried out. appropriate water from our streams After over 60 years of delays everyone thought at long last must first divert it from the stream it to beneficial use. the final hurdle to getting the water into the valley had been and second, put flow is not recognized cleared and only funding stood between Sanpete and water the by Utahs Water laws as beneficial court says rightfully belongs to Sanpete Water Users. use of water. Recently, the Division of Wildlife But now the Forest Service, under a law passed during the some obtained Resources Jimmy Carter presidency maintains it has a right to an agricultural water rights through amount of water it believes must be kept in the streams to some land acquisitions. When they tried to leave this water in the preserve the forest ecosystem. The agreement for Sanpete to leave one second foot of stream for aquatic wildlife, they that this could not be water in the streams would do that, according to Dee Hansen discovered flow is done because Director of the Division of Natural Resources and former not recognized by Utahs water laws state Engineer, but the Forest Service says not. as beneficial use of water. Since the suit to then, they (with the help of almost file Left with a choice of raising money against organized environmental every the Forest Service or negotiating with them to convince them have attempted to get the group) original agreement is in line with federal reserved rights, laws changed. Sanpete Water Users really havent much of a choice. Under I have been successful, with the present conditions it looks like negotiation will be the only help of others in defeating the Flow Amendment as the alternative. This problem over the water and the forest ecosystem proposed law is called. We have been successful because should not become a fight between two antagonists, anyway, the proposed law, as written, was too but rather a settlement between two parties with the same broad. It made no provision for concerns. existing water rights, neither did it the in of whether has concern a resident place any limitation on the amounts Sanpete Every be converted forest ecosystems are maintained, and likewise the Forest ofin water that could flows. One enService should be concerned with what happens to the people vironmental group stated that their who need water. objective was to leave 20 to 50 to and the pro- percent of the existing water in a Raising money fight a government agency drawn-outhe move court fight wont t spects of a possible long Fight Feds, too? Koleen flow stream to ratify requirements. Space does not allow me to give a full discussion on the ramifications of the bill if it were to pass in its present form. It would have, however, a very adverse impact; not only on agriculture, but every other industrial development as well. For example, one of the high priority targets is hydro-powe- r plant. Because of my strong objections to the proposed legislation, an "ad committee was formed to hoc study the problem this summer. The objective will be to draft a bill that environmentalists and present water users would accept. The committee consists of representatives from the Division of Wildlife Resources, the Utah Farm Bureau, the Utah Water Users Association; and, I believe, the office of the Attorney General. This committee has met once as of this writing. am convinced that an will pass in the very near future. I just dont see how we can defeat it much longer, especially if the ad hoc committee is able to draft a compromise bill. Therefore, I strongly recommend that every interested water user or group of water users contact this ad hoc committee and express their views. The future of your water rights could depend upon the actions of this committee. I Flow Bill Rep. Ray Nielsen Utah House of Representatives project along, and with projected population growth, the need for the water is sure to increase in the years ahead. Hopefully negotiation can bring a solution to the problem and get the Narrows Project moving again. mobile Single-wid- e riff-raf- d f; Is being a slob a condition of only mobile home owners? Hardly. So, if laws to prevent them from living as they please as long as they dont infrinde on my rights? No, it would be ridiculous. So are the attitudes behind this ordinance. counties and along averages hoover around 17 The view along Highway 89 from Thistle to Kanab is a mixture of and progress 7,000 Kennecott jobs hurts Utah, but is barely noticed in Salt Lake County with its half million or so people. But losing 100 Sperry jobs in Sanpete with a population of 16,000 people ago-year- cripples. There is a way to create 100 jobs in Sanpete County-b- y shopping and doing business in There is really no contest as to or the which route, US-8Freeway is the most scenic route through Utah. With the fields turning an emerald green and the mountains against wins a brilliant blue sky, US-8hands down. But most tourists today want more than scenery. People are going the other way, looking for a faster way to get to places like St. George and Las Vegas where there is something else to do other than look at Utahs beautiful scenery and quiet countryside; thus many tourist-typ- e are businesses along US-8out of business or having a hard time making it. When any business closes, somebody loses a job. That lost job can affect five other people who count on his dollar circulating through the community. Dwindling farm income along with lost jobs at the coal mines and in area manufacturing firms add to the ripple effect creating the loss of more support jobs. Communities which once bustled with activity, not only on Main Street but with active civic clubs, schools and churchs also begin to whither. Creating more jobs is a challenge facing all communities The along US-8highest unemployment in the state is in 9 snow-cappe- US-8- 9 percent. Losing Travelers will see new schools, churches and a few new homes and businesses laced among the rustic farms and s. reminders of the area's long quaintness. Sanpete. For example, if 25 people who do their grocery shopping outside the county each week shopped at a Sanpete store each week instead, at least one new job would be created. Increased sales in clothing stores, auto dealerships, d 9 service stations, cafes, hardware stores and other businesses would also make it possible to create more jobs. The leadership in increasing those sales needs to be taken by the businessmen themselves. By being more creative in their 9 merchandising, improving service and prices and by buying locally themselves, sales volume can be increased. Kennecott and Geneva, once the states largest employers are succumbing because steel and copper are being purchased from foreign countries from companies often owned and operated by Americans. The nations economists call it the dollar drain. Idled workers call it unemployment. the dreams of Along US-8- 9 many people who want to work and live here may be slipping away. Its time for SALT LAKE MT. PLEASANT Babies born in the Sanpete Valley Hospital since March 30, 1985 include: March 30, boy to William and Alesia Heaps, Spring City ; March 31, girl to Robert and Annette McCaul, Ephraim; April 2, boy to Manuel and Korinne MANTI Nancy Rees Jensen, of Centerfield, was elected Sanpete County Republican Chairman at the County Convention held April 26 in the County Courthouse. Manti Mayor Bob Bessey, was elected and Robert Allen, Ephraim, was elected vice-chairm- treasurer. Keynote speaker Cary Peterson, told County Republicans the greatest problem facing people today was an overindulgent overspent public budget and the problem needed to be corrected for our own security. While the State budget is balanced, and the State Legislature feels local government is in good hands, in three years about half of all income tax collected in this county will be needed just to pay interest on the overindulged federal debt. The high concern of the legislature, he said, is keeping the cost of living in line with productivity. We dont take unless we produce and we dont spend unless production allows the spending capacity. Senator Peterson explained that education was one of Governor Norman Bangerters prime ob- jectives and noted that $25 million new dollars this year was appropriated to increase growth. There are a lot of incentives local districts can pursue to achieve excellence. In addition strong concerned people need to stay involved to stay close to what legislature and the county officials are doing. As a member of the State legislature he said priorities are education, budget, constituent CIT- Y- Central Utah a revival. com- munications, and close attention to county government requests. Greg McDonough, of the Central Republican Committee reported that Sanpete Republicans carried 81 percent of the county at the last general elections, with 77 percent of Republicans voting. Sanpete Republicans voting percentages for government officials were 81 percent for President Ronald Reagan; 63 percent for Governor Norman Bangerter; 81 percent for U.S. Congressman Howard Nielson, and 72 percent for Representative Joe Moody. Senator Cary Peterson and Representative ran Ray Nielsen, unopposed. application for a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity has been denied by a Utah Public Service Commission administrative law judge. t This apparently means that Central Utah Gas has lost its bid to establish a natural gas distribution system in the Sanpete area. The company has proposed to obtain natural gas in the southeastern Utah area, bring it down Salina Canyon, and distribute it throughout several central and southern Utah counties. The firm had obtained franchises from Sanpete County and several of the countys towns and said it had Radiothon to raise funds GUNNISO- N- A ten-ho- radiothon will be held Wednesday, May 8 to help raise money to send Special Olympics athletes from Sevier and Sanpete Counties to the spring games on Mary 24, 25. According to Patty Sorensen, the radiothon will begin at 8 a.m. and run until 6 p.m. on KSVC-Aand KKWZ-Fin Richfield. e She said there will be a number for people making pledges who are calling from outside the VFW to meet MT. PLEASANT New officers of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post will be installed on May 7. Commander John McCune has asked all members to attend the meeting along with their wives or partners. He added he had enjoyed serving in his position this year and making the post one of the top units in the state. toll-fre- Richfield area. The Special Olympics games will be at held Brigham Young "It's Just Plain McDonough praised the performance of Governor Bangerter, the first Republican governor in 20 years, and his administrative goals, the three Es education, economic development and efficiency adaquate financial backing. Law Administrative Judge Peter Grundfossen ruled that not enough evidence had been submitted as to the feasibility of the project to justify public hearing or turning the matter over to the full Public Service Commission for a decision. The Utah Division of Public Utilities and Petrolane, Inc. opposed the granting of the application. Gas Companys Crib Corner Fuentes, Manti; April 3, boy to Matthew and Gayla Berlin, Mt. Pleasant; April 4, boy to Kevin and Leslee Lusk, Mt. Pleasant; April 5, girl to Kelly and Loralee Holden, Mt. Pleasant; April 6, girl to Kenneth and Laura DeMille, Mt. Pleasant; April li, girl to Francisco and Toni Lemus, Moroni; April 13, girl to Timothy and Cindy Blackham, Moroni; April 14, girl to Lee and Tamela Broadhead, Ephraim; quaintness for natural gas here (Nancy Rees Jensen, center, was named Sanpete County Republican Chairman at the County Convention held April 26 in Manti. Manti Bob Bessey was elected vice chairman and Robert Allen, Ephraim was elected treasurer. Nancy Jensen elected GOP county chairman Modrae Maddox Mt. Pleasant Mixture of progress, PSC denies application home law discriminates Dear Editor: In response to the editorial opinion in the April 17, issue of The Pyramid and in answer to the whole issue, I am the owner of a single-wid- e mobile home in Mt. Pleasant, and as one of the silent majority, Im sick and tired of being treated like a second-clas- s citizen because of it; tired of being referred to as tired of being compared with having to live next door to a pig pen, and attitudes other such narrow-mindereflected through this publication. Certainly there are rules and laws that have to be followed, but in all this time I've never heard one good reason why the mobile home orexists. dinance banning single-wid- e In my opinion it is a descriminatory law which dictates what size and type of housing youre allowed to have on your own property. This is a rural town full of old and new, and if an old falling-dow- n dilapidated home 50 years old is considered affordable and an approved family dwelling, why isnt a new single-wid- e manufactured home? How is that fair? Of course not everyone is going to choose this type of housing but why do people feel so threatened by those w ho do? No one can pick their neighbors or how those neighbors are going to keep up their homes and property, no matter what kind of house they live in. Peterson SMART to shop at in IFA" during our government. He announced the Republican State Convention would be held June 22. Other State and local officials attending the convention were Sam FERTILIZERS Am Sulfate US Clem, representing Howard Nielson, Congressman Janet Lund, Sanpete County recorder, and Sanpete County $4.95 $7.55 $8.35 $7.95 30-- 1 1 6-- 50 lbs. 1 Commissioner, Keller Christenson. Weed & Feed 20 40 $9.95 19.80 LAWN MOWERS $119.95 Side Discharge 3j hp 20 $199.95 Rear Discharge 3Va hp 22"SP $319.95 Rear Discharge HELP WANTED 3 hp 20 Ephraim City will be accepting applications for the position of police officer. Please submit applications by May 24, 1985 to: TANK SPRAYBtfSN I I r Plastic 2 gal or 3 gal y your choice $19.95 hp Swing Handle Rear Tyne Tiller 5 (All Ephraim City Hall 5 South Main power equipment is serviced & running) Prices effective thru May 11, 1985 a Come see us NOW ! EVERYONE is WELCOME OZ !!! INTERMOUNTAIN FARMERS STORES Ephraim 84627 Della 498 West Mam Ephraim South Hyw 89 Salina South Hwy 89 7 I Richfield Loa 448 East 1st So 80 South Mam 1 4 |