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Show Sanpete officials on hand to greet Sanpete County Fire Districts two new engines which arrived Saturday in Moroni are from left, front: Moroni Mayor David Crosland, Paul Anderson, Commissioner Robert Bessey, Commissioner Keller Christensen, Mt. Pleasant Police Chief Kay Larsen, Senator Leonard Black-- 3 ham, Commissioner Eddie Cox, Manti Fire Chief John Jensen, Manti Assistant Fire Chief Rick Christensen, Sanpete Economic Development Director Joe Blain, and back: Mark Coombs, Fountain Green Fire Chief Lester Anderson, and Moroni Fire , Chief Dean Jensen. k - c . , v X I-- ' : t 1 V m rr f A 1- ' i- i - ' ' ' ' .W. v- -' - - i'f , I , af 4 v. r ' , 4, I. fc Kn 4 ' f - V ' '4 x 'V' P- a . & I'' - -- ' - $ i' MT. PLEASANT. UTAH Volume 102 84647 - 1. I V' February 2, 1994 '1S , ' '' . ,r ' 's v fS Number Five Price $.50 NS Middle School addition gets district axe Rising building costs; $1 million shortfall ($1,658,223), add classrooms to Mt. Pleasant Elementary ($421,606) and North Sanpete high and middle schools and multi-purpobuild additional rooms at the high school in Mt. Pleasant and the middle school in Moroni. Total high school project se multi-purpo- three-to-on- by Hollee Anderson FOUNTAIN GREEN The Sanpete County Special Service District 2 (Fire Districts two new fire engines are the forerunners of a major Sanpete County fire protection improvement program. Ordered last August, the base price for each unit was $145,000, which will rise to between $165,000 and $170,000 after they are frilly outfitted. Fountain Green Fire Chief Lester Anderson said, "We were on a hype to go to Casper and bring our truck back. He said their flight was delayed because of weather, so they were "anxious and ready to run to the building to catch the first glimpse of their beauty" when they arrived. Credit was given to Senator Leonard Blackham and Sanpete County Commissioner Eddie Cox for putting forth a tremendous effort to get the projects underway. Together they said they are pleased with seeing die impact board, all the elected officials and all the fire departments pull together. The new trucks are evidence of the great work which can be accomplished when our communities and citizens work toward a common goal. "I cant say enough about the impact board and their work," stated Commissioner Cox. Senator Blackham reflected on the Districts first meeting and how, "From the beginning, through three long years this group has perservered to reach their goal of providing safety for their communities. It took a lot of time and dedication. This group is to be congratulated for their efforts and their success." He also assured the small group, "Well see more success in the near future. This is only the beginning." The fire chiefs pointed out that all Sanpete fire fighters are paid fire fighters. volunteers; there are no full-tim- e, estimated at the bond, according to District Architect Dale Allsop. Allsop contends that recent storms in Florida accelerated prices for wood and other building materials. $1,861,947; middle school costs were $860,293. Moroni Elementary School is the only project currently under Sixth graders se New fire equipment, engines exciting, fire chief reports were construction. the final decision including: sending the sixth and ninth grades back to the elementary and middle schools; sending only the sixth grade back to the elementary schools; eliminating the high school room; eliminating classrooms at the high school; and reducing the size of excess of $1 million. both high school projects. As a result, one of the proThe board adopted the revised posed projects, an addition to e North Sanpete Middle School has building plan in a had to be eliminated; two other vote with Ann Deuel opposing. projects, the high school and Mt. Mrs. Deuel commented that she Pleasant Elementary additions are could not support eliminating the being scaled back; and Fountain middle school project and scaling Green Elementary School site back other projects because it negotiations have caused a con- was not what she had promised siderable delay and are still not voters. The $5.5 million bond apfinalized. The board reaffirmed that it proved by voters, on Aug. 31, 1993 was the second attempt by has always considered a commuNorth Sanpete School District to nity elementary school in Founobtain funds which would uptain Green to be a priority. The board made the project grade and enlarge its school cuts at their Jan. 27 meeting, the facilities. The first bond election failed. third of three special board meetVoters were given a plan ings called to address the anticiwhich would construct new elepated shortfall. Boardmembers discussed a mentary schools in Moroni number of options before making ($1,459,941) and Fountain Green MT. PLEASAN- T- The North Sanpete School Board has had a difficult time determining which projects outlined in its $5.5 million building bond will be completed. Rising construction costs have created an impending shortfall in costs A proposed 12,692 sq. ft. addition to North Sanpete Middle School will not be built following action taken at the Jan. 27 school board meeting. Rising construction costs have created a $1 million shortfall in the districts $5.5 million building plan. Eliminated are the middle schools proposed conference or multi purpose room, eight classrooms, restrooms, a janitors closet, corridors and lockers. The building crisis has necessitated some modifications in proposed additions to Mt. Pleasant Elementary and North Sanpete High School, also. Along with eliminating the middle school project are plans to return sixth graders to their schools. respective elementary Portable units will be located at schools where another grade will impact limited classroom space. As of the 1993-9- 4 school year there were 176 fifth graders (next years sixth graders): 55 in Mt. Pleasant; 43 in each Moroni and Fairview; 21 in Fountain Green, and 14 in Spring City. The high school project will be scaled down by cutting out proposed locker rooms, mezzanine, and two classrooms. The proposed high school addition was originally designed in two phases, a 12,292 sq. ft. classroom addition which was to include eight classrooms, restrooms and a corridor with lockers ($761 ,520) and the PE facility and lunch room which would include a new gym with three rows of bleachers on each side and either two small locker rooms or one large locker room with storage, a total of 11,822 sq. ft. ($886,650). Only two classrooms will be built at Mt. Pleasant Elementary. The original 6,220 sq. ft. plan called for two classrooms, a kindergarten room, a room, and new restroom facilities. Construction costs increased from $60 per square foot to $75 per square foot since passage of pre-scho- ol Construction companies have gone to Nevada, Arizona, and other places where work was abundant. The recent earthquake in Los Angeles has taken more of them. Allsop explained that a wood framer, for example, gets $10 to $12 per hour in Utah; California is paying $40 per hour. With a warm winter, construction has not slowed down and contractors have all the work they need. The school district can no longer afford to do all five of the promised building projects, Allsop said, noting that it would be to the districts advantage to do the larger projects because smaller projects drive costs up. The possibility was also discussed that another bond could be needed to expand classroom space in five years. agreed it would be easier to bond for elementary classroom space than a multi purpose room for the high school should another bond be necessary. Even though North Sanpete has scaled down its original building plans Allsop will need to be paid 80 percent of projected costs for all five projects because the board authorized him to proceed with all five proposals last year even though he forewarned that construction costs could be prohibitive. Board-membe- rs Sanpete Fire District gets new engines by Bruce Jennings MORONI Two new fire $160,000 engines came rolling into Sanpete County last Saturday. One is now stationed in Fountain Green and the other in Manti. They were manufactured by the Becker Fire Equipment Company plant in Casper, WY, and have cabins, four jump seats and foam capacity. Each has 1,700 feet of three-inc- h hose and 600 feet of one and inch hose, enough to reach well past a city block. Sterling and Wales will receive $43,000 fire stations and Gunnison a $26,000 addition to its station this summer. Sanpete Economic Development Director Joe Blain says funding is cautiously optimistic next year for a a $1 ft), 000 truck for Moroni, a $60,000 station for Spring City and a $375,000 state-of-the-- six-pers- on three-four- th ladder truck for Ephraim, where college dormitories are a main concern. This years $495,000 is coming from Community Impact Board funding and a Community Development Block Grant program. Theyll apparently be the sources for next years funding, also. The idea for the North Sanpete Fire District began several years ago when mayors and commissioners concluded that county residents' security and safety should have top priority. Many times, cities were competing for funding from the same sources and it was clear no real planning had been done on how to deal with the countys overall welfare. Senator Leonard Blackham, then a county commissioner, was assigned to head a task force. One of the results is the establish ment of the enhanced 911 emergency system and another is a highly improved fire fighting program now in the works. A impact board of directors was appointed with Ephraim Fire Chief Jack Steck as chairman. Other board members and active participants included: Sanpete County Commissioner Eddie Cox; Phill Murray, Lester Anderson, Fountain Green; Mark Coombs, Fountain Green; Tom Davis, Wales; Paul Anderson, Moroni; Dean Jensen, Moroni; Kay Larsen, Mt. Pleasant; Roy Rostrom, Spring City; Ronde Larsen, Ephraim; Rick Christensen, Manti; John Jensen, Manti; Kirk Ludwigson, Sterling; and Keith Peterson, Gunnison. Fountain Green, Manti, Gunnison, Sterling and Wales were placed high on the first years agenda because of their inadequate equipment and their fire Fair-vie- w; fighting assignments. Their volunteer firefighters will hold training exercises with their new equipment and fire stations in the near future. Weather news MT. PLEASAN- T- The Weather Station reported that for the period of Jan. 24 through Jan. 30, the high temperature was 51 degrees on Monday, with a low of 18 degrees on Sunday. Winds were generally northerly with a southwesterly wind on Thursday, and varied from zero on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to 20 miles per hour on Monday. Snowfall ranged from inches on Wednesday, with flurries on Thursday and Sunday. Total precipitation was .36 of an inch. Ur-senba- ch 2-- 14 |