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Show Ephraim city limits being extended again? - see on "Legals" VOLUME 113 NUMBER 6 50 CENTS All doubts put to writing one of the letters to the editor, because he lives in Ephraim only seven months out of the year. 1 love Ephraim and look forward to the day when 1 can live here permanently. This is my home, regardless of where my career to takes me. ByTriciaCall rural Two years ago, a rumor' started around the business com- that Wal-Ma- rt was look- in for ing Sanpete property County, which had not been rt substantiated by the name on any documentation until now. On Thursday, August 20, Wal-MaCorporation out of Arkansas announced plans to build a 109,000 square foot store at 700 North Main in Ephraim. In addition to the new construction and service jobs being created construction starts in the Fall of 1999, the company Ephraim and Sanpete County, Other people have been support-munit- y ive of the idea of communities similar Wal-Mar- ts variety of discount goods keeping more people shopping at home, The official announcement is considered by Ephraim City Councilman Cliff Birrell to be somewhat There is still a public hearing process to go through before annexation can be approved. That is at least a six week process, and there are no guarantees, so an official nouncement at this point is a little early. However, it does tell the anticipates creating and filling community exactly who were 200 positions including depart- - dealing with something which ment managers, receiving clerks, has not been confirmed before. cashiers and sales associates when A DIVISIVE SUBJECT the store is completed. "Wal-Malooks forward to The issue has been so relations with versial, that as rumors moved good customers and merchants to make closer to fact, with survey stakes Ephraim a strong retail trade going up on the property north of center," explained David Glass, Ephraim, letters to the editor president and chief executive began raising the temperature of officer for Wal-ma- rt Stores, Inc. neighbor-relation- s throughout the Wal-Ma- rt Stores, Inc., operates 14 county. The issue has spilled over Wal-Ma- rt stores and employs from editorial comments and city in Utah. The councilplanning and zoning associates 4,S00 has created over 46,000 ings, to church foyers and living jobs in 1997 and invested more rooms. While I hate to see Wal-tha- n $102 million in charitable Mart move in because of the and educational organizations damage to the heritage-historicacross the nation throughout the feel we have worked so hard to Wal-Ma- rt Foundation. preserve, I am decidedly more The rumor, now substantiated unhappy with how people are has been a divisive issue in the treating each other because of the community, with some people possibility of change. What can either we do to bring this community siding against Wal-Mar- t, because of the location, or because together and create a better of the economic impact Wal-Mapossibility? asked Larry Nielsen, Nielsen has had has taken some heat for other on small, typically Wal-Ma- pre-matu- an-wh- cn rt contro-developi- meet-compa- al ng ny cessions, says both Mayor Anderson and Councilman Birrell. city council member. suggested that comand peting thriving with a Wal-Ma- rt COMMUNITY VIEWPOINT store in the community is ECONOMIC ISSUES Most of the letters to the editor possible. According to Brent Studies done on Sanpete have objected to the location. Jensen of Valley Builders, Knowresidents shoppingbuying habits Some have objected to bringing in ing what your niche is and show that out of every $100 a store which markets cheap focusing on that; responding to the dollars spent by Sanpete residents imports made in countries where immediate needs of the customer, on food, clothing, cars, hardware human rights are regularly vio- being flexible, meeting the speCITY COUNCIL VIEW POLNT and other commodities, $60 of it is lated. Yet rumblings in the cialty needs and staying very Ephraim city fathers have spent outside Sanpete County. business community for two years strong in those items make a been in a dilemma since a With this in mind, Sanpete County have sounded overwhelmingly company very competitive against t. Educate the customer developer representing an un- can estimate this years sales tax with the question of Can we named client bought a 180-da- y losses revenue ofalmost $500,000 survive a Statistithat you carry full-linat comlease with option to buy ground through July, according to county cally, businesses with low debt petitive rates. north of the Ephraim Cemetery. auditor revenue tallies. Ephraim load, who enjoy Another business consultant community No one in Sanpete County has City stands to benefit from people loyalty are able to survive, some claims, It takes a positive attitude Wal-Ma- rt wanted to who are currently driving to other even thrive. Others, who antici- and a good relationship with the really come; there are a lot of small counties for the type of merchanpate the coming change and community. A good ad campaign ofbusinesses who could be finan- dise Wal-Ma- rt traditionally expand are able to position and public relations program also those are things that Wal-Ma- rt cially ruined and put out of fers. Theres an odd perception themselves to compete as equals helps business. However, if they are that things cost less outside of with t. While there are will use at first, but tends to several books out reporting the ease off once they are established going to come to Sanpete County, Sanpete County; yet several studwe want them in our town, where ies, including one done by the evils of t, one used by a just be consistently in front of with the increased sales tax Ephraim Enterprise and Manti national retail hardware associathe customer be service revenues, we can relieve the tax Messenger that even printed the tion, Going with oriented. burden on our residents in other cash register receipts, proved that ways. If they were to build in to be a myth, said one business another town, it would be a worse owner. Another business owner situation, says one Ephraim pointed out that the participation With Ephraim City projectmany letters stating what not to resident. The other cities ap- in community and local school substanboundaries do concerning the Wal-Ma- rt ing moving peared to be unwilling to take a events by businesses owned by tially southward over the next issue. stand and state that they abso- local people is higher than ten years, growth is obvious and Wed like to see some t; businesses owned by state-- ide or lutely would not welcome solutions-oriente- d letbe inevitable. to creative, change appears there was too much at stake national retailers. Cecil Cutler, The has which would the ters address been, always question for Ephraim City to outright turn owner of Ben Franklin Ace HardHow do the retail sales rural we other to leakage preserve them over to another city. ware has been very involved in the feel and quality of life in counties, the concerns about in Anderthe and Chamber Ephraim City Mayor Gary community, new retailers moving in, and the Sanpete County, while accomson pointed out that other community concerns we and modating growth providing preservation of the heritage housing is just one of several cant afford to lose people like How would you solve culture. Most of all, we encourjobs? pivot-poinwhere Ephraim bears that; yet every day people spend in this problem a positive way age people to remember that we a large burden in Sanpete County. dollars at a competitor especially which addresses these con- have to live with each other after In years past, many rural an competitor, they The has received all the dust settles. cerns? editor communities welcomed Wal-Ma- rt vote him out of business, said one with tax waivers, discounts on water, sewer, power and more, just to get them in. However, according to author Bill Quinn, those cities lost in the long run. Ephraim City will not cater to Wal-Ma- rt there will be no waivers, discounts or other con- Wal-Ma- rt Wal-Mar- Wal-Mar- t? Wal-Mar- Wal-Mar- Toe-to-T- What do YOU think? Wal-Mar- w low-inco- ts Even with abuse of 911 service Sheriffs report optimistic with crime down and participation up Crank 911 calls cost valuable time for officers By Karen II. Buchanan Sanpete Sheriff Stan Anderson reported to the Manti City Council at their meeting August 19, regarding his departments service to the people of Manti. He voiced concern that children are still playing around with the emergency number 911. He said, We have given them many warnings, but they dont seem to realize that we have to respond to every call and that their crank calls use an officers valuable time. The 9 service in our county to a national network which informs the dispatcher of the location of the call. When a call comes through that is not completed (the party hangs up), the dispatcher calls the location and, if the call is answered, the problem can be discerned. If a busy signal or no answer is received, the dispatcher sends a deputy to the location. This is necessary because there may be a genuine emergency, but if there isnt, an officers time is used when he could be of service else1 1 is tied Manti City utility crews were busy this week trimming trees along Main Street and repairing water leaks just like their furry beaver friends. Considering how much work was accomplished, it makes one wonder how much a beaver could do with access to a gas-power- chainsaw. AUGUST 27, 1998 to soon Ephraim coming Speculation about stores impact on the community is divisive subject for many rt THURSDAY, rest Wal-Ma- rt rt MANTI, UTAH page 6 .. A ed where. Children playing with the service are usually home alone and the deputy tries to educate them. But, said Sheriff Anderson, often the parents are the ones who need to be taught so they can discipline the youngsters. Sheriff Andersons report to the Council was optimistic. He said that, statistically, crime appears to be down in Manti from last year at this time. He feels that the Sheriffs contract with Manti City is working well. He was asked about the COP (Citizens on Patrol) program and stated that it has had a positive effect but that interest may be fading with some of the members because there has not been a lot of action. He encouraged the Council to continue with the program and they agreed to do so. The Girl Scout Coordinator for Sanpete County, Uletta Westland, asked the Council for permission to use the Youth Club building by the old city tennis courts for Girl Scout meetings. Manti now has 36 Girl Scouts in three separate troops, and they are very much in need of a regular meeting place. Ms. Westland said that the girls and their leaders would clean the facility and have any necessary repairs made so that the building would be usable. She said that they 1 would need help from the city to pay utilities. The City Council agreed to inspect the building and give the Girl Scouts a response as soon as possible. All things being acceptable, they seemed to be amenable to the proposition. The Manti City Youth Council has offered to spearhead the citys efforts to obtain new Christmas decorations. Chantry Clark and Jamie Peterson, representing the Youth Council, explained that they would contact other cities and towns to see if they would be trading out their Christmas decora- tions. They proposed that this might be a good way to obtain decorations at a reasonable cost. This suggestion was met with enthusiasm and the young people will begin the project immediately. City Recorder Bill Mickelson reported that the city crew has been involved with several water leaks and service installations and some street patching. The trees on Main Street were trimmed last week and as soon as the road patching is complete this week, the crew will move to the Jets Ditch water line repair. Manti City was a supporter of the Car Show as part of the Sanpete County Fair. The City Council presented the Manti City Trophy to the entry they judged best. |