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Show THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17. 1981 28 )LIME SE ETA PAGES SIX DUMBER FORTY ONE mm By MARK D. MICKELSEN CLEARFIELD Gov. Scott Matheson had upheld a decision by state and county tax administrators favoring lo- wered tax assessments for Clearfields Freeport Center. the tax commission at the follow-up hearing last summer. AS A RESULT of what the Mayor Townley called shoddy treatment we received at the appeal hearing, the city council voted to take the matter to the governors office. The mayor, who steps down in January as a result of a November election defeat, told council members, "I hope this doesn't become buned in file 13. THE (CLEARFIELD) appraiser did a super job. he said, and has even agreed to back up his findings on the Freeport Center in court. he There's no question. that the figuies concluded, that were put together by the State lax Commission will stand. A DISAPPOINTED Mayor Donal Townley blasted the decision last week, saying the governor has "invited a cover-u- p whitewash job that results in the residential and commercial taxpayers of Davis County having to pay more. The governors response came several KAYSX 1LLE Kay sville's Dow mow n Redevelopment Plan came undei attack at a public hearing Dec. 10, at the kavsville hlem. School Opposition to the plan w.is in the foim of a signed petition signed bv landowners in the redevelopment aiea who want to see the plan placed before cit voters after Mayor Townley to the chief executives office, a series of complaints regarding lowered tax assessments at the Freeport Center. hand-carrie- JAMIS BROUGH, a local businessman. piesented the petition that carried signatures of more than 50 percent of the landowners in the redevelopment aiea. They asked that ihe redevelopment plan be placed on a ballot. The petition stalled fuither action on the plan tempot artly until signatuies can be checked out and verified and the peicen-tagof the landowneis who opposed the plan, tabulated. Agency officals then recessed the hearing. It will continue Dec. 15 at the Kaysville Flem School. letter. Mayor Town-le- y said he pointed out that the independent appraisal obtained by Clearfield city inIN HIS e dicated that the minimum appraised value of the (Freeport) Center was $100 million, not $26 million as claimed by the Freeport Center. Secondly, the mayor PROPONENTS 01 the plan had hoped that the public hearing would clear up questions residents and businessmen might have before tthe adoption and implementation of the plan Mi Biough stated he was in agieement with the redevelopment agency on the problems encountered, but he was convinced there were difleient solutions He said Redevelopment is a false stimulant the redevelopment is a new taxing unit which gets first priority over private industry in the area. He also protested the power of eminent domain and leaied gieatei control in the hands of the redevelopment agency. I HUNK we aie giving up freedoms All we are asking is that we back up and let people take another look at this Let s give this full exposure and full opportunity to be heard, suggested Mr. Brough Support came from many residents who want to see Kaysvilles Main Street revitalized under a comprehensive plan rather than an occasional piecemeal etloit. business by business ex- plained that at the same time the Freeport Center was telling the (Utah) Tax Commission that the value was less than $26 million, they applied for and obtained insurance for buildings alone, citing a replacement value of $84 million. THIRDLY, THE mayors letter indicated that the fact that the Freeport Center industrial property is substantially under assessed at $1,000 per acre was highlighted by both Clearfield City and the independent appraiser. The correct figure for ground is more than three times that figure. The governor, in his reply, made no mention of any of the mayors complaints. IN ADDITION, the chief ex- ecutive sent Clearfield's letter to the state tax commission for review, the very same organization the city asked him to investigate in the first place. In his letter. Gov. Matheson told Mayor Townley that he sent the city's complaints onto DOIG RUSSELL stated Kaysville is going to dry up commercially unless the tax base can be increased. If our town is to survive commercially we must move ahead on this (redevelopment) piogram and do it in such a way that Kaysville is no longer a loser, but a winner Don't let a lew land barons line their pockets at the expense of the rest of us. the State Tax Commission where a review of the Freeport Center issue was completed. Lyle Barnes asked the audience to look behind w hat is being said by those in oppo I FIND it a very thorough and professional analysis of the issue, the governor said, adding that the information upholds the validity of the assessment that presently is on record with Davis County." Mayor Townley told city night that when the governor elected to send our report to the tax commission he invited whitewash job. a cover-uI BELIEVE it to be natural for the tax commission to try and justify their earlier decision (for a lower tax assessment at the Freeport Center), the mayor said. Who will But, he added, stick up for the Davis County taxpayers? this year when officials at the industrial complex were able to con vice the State Tax Commission to low er the appraised value of buildings and grounds from 27 to $25.3 million. The city appealed the decision, but was turned away by DAVIS NEWS JOURNAL 197 'B' North Main St., Layton, Utah 84041 1 Phone PuMshed Weekly by 451-295- CUPPER PUBUSHING CO. JOHN STAHLE, JR. PUBLISHER Second Clasa Postaae Paid at Layton, Utah SUBSCRIPTION $4.50 per year Out Of State $5.50 per year Overseas Subscription $15.00 Payable In Advance , ANOTHI R PROP! KIN ow tier expressed that this may be Kavsville s last chance to hrmga cooidmated comptehuisive plan for Kav sx tile's downtown area and uiged. don't lose it, we may never get it back again." The ledev elopment stall' has spent months woiking on identilving the maiket. targeting the aiea. outlining and latering then proposals at meetings on businessmen and propettv owners concerned, listening to suggestions and noting obtections I11E HRS I concern of the icdev elopment plan ts the need for light industry to locate west of to foi m a stable tax base loi the community 01 equal concern aie the two areas considered to be blight aieas. the central business distnct and the unfinished shopping center on Noith Mam St According to Gene Jacobs, stall consultant, Kaysville has the potential for attractive neighborhood shopping centers that will provide the goods and services for Kavsville residents and redevelopment has the tools to make this possible. MR. JAIOBS answered questions ol those in attendance concerning lax the use of eminent domain in redevelopment. but prime concei not those in opposition appeared to be the size ol the boundaries of the redevelopment district which they considered too large. Mr. Jacobs explained that this was in order to make the plan more flexible, also to pinpoint the area of concern, and that these boundaries could be altered, but not increased Redevelopment officials and staff will look at these boundaries based on opinions expressed at the Dec. D meeting np Reinstatement Of Tavern Permit p controversy erupted earlier Ul A NILI.SEN. theater ow net stated the kav sville's Main Stieet is in the vvoi't condition he has ever seen it and uiged suppoit ot the piogram to get kavsvilles Mon Stieet back on its feet I ocal businessman. Robert Bovei. uiged those present to support the redevelopment plan which is a tesult of long studv hv the redevelopment ageiicv and citv officials as ail atiswei to pioblems within the downtown aiea He said, "kavsville has a downtown business pattern that must be changed to alti act new investors " Council Orders council members Tuesday THE FREEPORT Center sition and to question vv hv and uige them to tell the council what thev want lot Kavs- ville By MARK D. MICKELSEN Clearfield officials signed a resolution last Tuesday night supporting establishment of a countywide program for solid waste management. CLEARFIELD interTHE local agreement guarantees Clearfield a seat on the countys solid waste management board and voting power to decide whether or not Davis cities should help fund a $40 million resource recovery plant-targete- d for construction near Hill AFB. After all of the cities have signed the agreement, discussions will begin on a tentative location site for the plant, which will be capable of converting garbage into useable steam heat energy. CLEARFIELD attorney Alf VanWagenen said he reviewed the interlocal agreement carefully and told council members that some policies and procedures governing resource recovery will have to be worked out by the solid waste management board. The contract allows Clearfield to participate in the planning stages of the School Architects Named FARMINGTON Enrollment in Davis County schools just keeps growing, and with that comes a need for additional space. TO THAT end, the district has named five architectural firms to prepare drawings for various additions to elementary and secondary schools. Projects approved by the board of education include: . TEN classrooms and a media center for Sunset Junior High School to be designed by Richardson Associates of Salt Lake City. Nine classrooms will be added along with a media center at Syracuse Elementary School by Scott. Louie and Browning of Salt Lake. A SIX classroom addition at Centerville Elementary School will be designed by Robert T. Dewey of Bountiful. A media center and some resource rooms will be added to E.M. Whitesides Elementary School in Layton with design work to be completed by Thomas, Peterson & Hammond of Salt Lake. THE NEW Oak Forest Elementary School in Kaysvil-l- e will see architectural work by Carpenter and Stnngham, also of Salt Lake, to "AOU CAN withdraw from the (overall) program, Atty. Van Wagenen told city officials. prior to the time when bonds are issued for construction of the plant. Councilman Neldon Hamblin said any "legal problems" in the contract will have to be corrected prior to the issuance of any bonds. THERE WAS some concern by council members over possible location sites for the plant, one of which is near Clearfield. Mayor Donal Townley said the resource recovery plants he has seen are not poor appearing buildings. ITS JUST an industrial he assured council members. It has a better appearance than some of the buildings in this town. Councilman Hamblin noted that if the city has some representation on the county board, they will have some sayso as to where the facility will be building, By MARK D. MICKELSEN dice and money changing hands" between customers The CLEARFIELD Clearfield ordered City Council has a local tav ern reopened and the owners' beer license reinstated just weeks after a bar tender and several customers were caught gambling on the premises POLICE CHIEI Daren Green told city council bers Tuesday that a mem- beer license held by the Sportsman's Cafe, 23 South State, was revoked shortly after Thanksgiving when police officers found gambling dice and money being passed between an employee of the bar and several customers. City ordinance prohibits any type of gambling inside the city limits. CITY ATTORNEY Alf VanWagenen said the incident occurred Dec. 5 at 11.30 p m Police officers received a tip on an ordinance violation and. upon entering the tavern, found evidence of gambling and bar personnel The individuals admitted they had been gambling, the attorney said, "and that is the basts why the (been license was revoked HE SAID it is illegal for any licensee to operate or store any gambling devices on the premises In the Sportsman's Cafe, he said, the dice were there and were being used ON THE night of the incident. Chief Green said several attempts were made to contact the owners of the bar about the violation W hen efforts proved futile, Chief Green said the facility was shut down. Kay Miles, one of several owners of the bar, told the city council that as soon as he and the others found out what was going on the bar tender was fired WE E 1 RIED to cooperate, Mr. Mt'es said We re basical! doing what the police officers have recommended." He said most establishments" have a cup of dice and some peas on hand that are used to determine who in the bar has to pay for the music. WE CERT AINEA don't want to establish a gambling operation over there, he said, adding. We need to get back into business as quickly as we can." Councilman H. Kay Chandler asked the police chief how serious the problem at the bar Do we need to reinstate is. them'' he asked. The councilman said he doesn't see any reason why the city should have to cut any local businesses out. WHILE THE city council went along with a motion to reinstate the Sportsman's beer license. Chief Green pointed out that officers on the scene acted properly in revoking the license According to city ordinance. the chief said, there's no altemat'vr |