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Show Visit us on Tuesday, December 10, 2002 Home Grown News Since 1900 the World Wide Web httpVwww ecprogress.com Castle Dale, Utah Volume 102 Governor Leavitt sends letter to the President By PATSY STODDARD Editor Governor Leavitt has responded to the recent defeat of the monument initiative by sending a letter to President Bush asking him to discontinue any monument planning process for the San Rafael Swell. The letter reads: Dear President Bush: wrote to you last April invitingyou I to consider creating a national monument in the San Rafael Swell, a choice expanse of land in Emery County, Utah, loved and used by many. As part of my request, I indicated the importance to Utah of engaging in a thorough public process before any monument designation is considered. You graciously responded by asking Secretary Norton to begin just such a process. You stated that an open and public information gathering process was personally important to you. Further, you stated your desire to consider carefully all of the information before making any decision. I am sorry to report to you that the citizens of Emery County recently voted by ballot referendum to end the process. Because of my commitment to the local citizens, I now respectfully request that you terminate the process. While outcome, am disappointed with this I am grateful for your personal attention to our state and the goodwill you have shown by your willingness to foster public participation in land management decisions. Sincerely, Michael 0. Leavitt I Governor Governor Leavitts spokeswoman, Natalie Gochnour expressed the governors disappointment with the outcome of the election. He initially invited the people to be part of the process that gave locals a big seat at the table and he has experienced a sense Number 50 50t INSIDE of disappointment at the turn of events. His letter to President Bush coincides with his promise to abide by the wishes of the Emery County people. Gochnour emphasized that Governor Leavitt realizes that the federal agencies and the outside environmentalist groups will be heavily involved in the planning for management of these public lands. The governor will continue to be productive in dealing with public lands issues. Currently the information for the 7 roads is legal work for the being compiled and the governor is actively involved in this fight for for roads. RS-247- right-of-wa- Turkey Trot Runners hit the road Agency Receives Federal Dollars to Help Resolve Public Land Use 5A. BRIEFLY CIB awards grant and loan money Conflicts Emery Water Conservancy District, headquartered in Castle Dale, is the recipient of a $369,600 federal matching grant from the U.S. Department of Commerces Technology Opportunities Program (TOP). The grant funds a three-yeproject that will develop a telecommunications network to help resolve conflicts related to resource management in Emery County and will improve security and public safety at 6ome of the countys critical infrastructure sites. The project aims to build a communications network that will link the Museum of the San Rafael in Castle Dale, and the district, with kiosks in key remote locations of the county. e These kiosks will dispense weather and water flow data and information about land and trail use. Also, the project will enhance displays at the More than $11 million has been awarded to 17 rural entities in Utah for local improve- ar , ment projects. The Utah Immanent Community Impact Fund Board on Dec. 4 approved $11.2 million in grants and loans for projects that include a new county jail, the expansion of a municipal park, and various water and sewer system improvements. The Community Impact Board is a program of the Utah Division of Community Development. It helps state and local agencies and entities that are, or may be, real-tim- directly or indirectly impacted Museum of the San Rafael with audiovisual and Internet technologies. Jay Humphrey, manager of the dis- by mineral resource development on nearby federal lands and the exclusion of those lands from trict, states, There are varied issues and interests connected to the users of public lands in Emery County. We hope that this project will provide timely information to the various land users that will encourage better utilization of our natural resources and minimize the impacts to the public lands. Participants in the project include The Museum of the San Rafael, Emery Telcom, StoneFly Technology from St. George, Utah State University, the U.S. Bureaus of Land Management and Reclamation, U.S. Forest Service and Utah Department of Natural Resources. StoneFly Technology, the systems integrator for the project, will provide design and deployment services for the fommunications network. See on the Web: . EWCD: www'pwod.org " TOP: WW'w.ntia. doc.govotiahome iosL Museum of the San Rafael: low-intere- st Local Choir Entertains at Zions Bank Lights On Ceremony Zions Bank continued its tradition, inviting elementary students from throughout the state to decorate a Christmas tree with homemade ornaments in the lobby of each Zions Bank branch. The bank provided the lighted tree and students contributed year. Huntington Elementary School students decorated a tree inside Zions Banks Huntington office on Dec. 4. At 4.30 p.m., students, teachers, parents and Zions Bank employees gathered in the lobby for the Lights On ceremony. Zions Bank presented a contribution of 35 cents per ornament to the school, and long-hel- d ornaments they made themselves. In return for the colorful decorations, bank branches made monetary contributions to each participating school. This participants sang Christmas carols, met Santa and had refreshments. The tree will be on display in the lobby through the holidays.We have been hosting Lights On for nearly 6 1 years now, said Ed Christianson, manager at Zions Bank Huntington and Castle Dale offices. Its always been a great opportunity to bring school children and their parents together in celebration of the holiday spirit." Ferron Elementary students also made decorations for display on the tree in the Castle Dale branch of the bank w hich the student council decorated. wm www.co.emery.ut.usMuseum . SanRafaeLhtml StoneFly the local tax base. The board provides assistance through loans for grants and the planning, construction, and maintenance of public facilities. The funds also help community agencies provide public services. The Community Impact Board's next funding meeting is scheduled for Apr. 3. The following projects were approved for grants andor loans in Emery and Carbon counties. Carbon County Municipal Building Authority - $750,000 grant, $750,000 loan to build an indoor shooting range at the county fairgrounds in Price. Castle Valley Special Service District - $750,000 grant, $1 million loan for street, storm drain, curb, gutter, and water and sewer system improvements in the Emery County communities of Castle Dale, Cleveland, Elmo, Emery, Ferron, Huntington and Technology: Cleveland Orangeville. www.stoneflyt ech.com Contact Jay Humphrey, Jan Pbtersen and Bret Berger for more information. -- $109,970 grant to install sprinklers and fencing, pave roads, and purchase an vehicle for the cemetery Emery County Municipal Building Authority - $163,000 grant, $162,000 loan to cover unexpected costs for the conof a 26,430 struction in Commission Discusses Animal Control 1 f By PATSY STODDARD Editor r f square-foo- f t, 80-be- d county jail in Castle Dale. A loan of $2.5 million for the project was awarded by the Community Impact Board in 2001. Price River Water Improvement District - $500,000 grant, $600,000 loan to install sewage collection lines, man- holes, lift stations, and road repairs within the district that serves Carbon County. The Emery County Commissioners met in their regularly scheduled meeting on Dec. 3 at 4 p.m. in the commis- sion chambers. Those present were Commissioners Drew Sitterud, Ira Hatch and Randy Johnson. Also present was Sheriff Lamar Guymon. - The first item on the agenda was Dr. Glen Jensen from Emery Animal Cleveland Health with his concerns about the fees for animal control. He said he didnt know when the fees for animal control had last been addressed. The main issue in animal control is dealing with human safety, which is why dogs and Cats are required to have rabies vaccinations. Another aspect of animal control deals with the humanitarian part of animals. In veterinary school Community Christmas The Cleveland Community Christmas Party will be Dec. 2 1 At 5 p.m. there will be caroling and hay rides, meet at Tbwn Hall, 5.30 p.m. will be the lighting of the Christmas tree by the Mayor; 5:45 p m. will be the Christmas party and dinner at the Wetland church. There is a rumor that Santa Claus may show up. . w-- e J Continued on PAGE 2A. OR COPY ,A' . |