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Show 128,000 attend 1986 Mormon Miracle Pageant but the Mormon Miracle Pageant, first, and Lagoon, second. BY BRUCE JENNINGS There were 41 young people in the group from the Buhl Third Ward. They camped in the park, had barbecued turkey at the cultural hall, breakfast in the park and then headed for Lagoon. And what of the pageant? "I loved it, Pauline Patheal said. It was the third annual Siler Stake a state youth group visit to Utah the teenagers will apparently remember best for the pageant at Temple Hill and the rides at Lagoon. And now for more on those two dimensions the statistics and the people: Statistics They came 128,000 of them, according to Don Olsens estimates y from places like Brazil and Turkey and Japan; from Missouri, Oklahoma, California, Oregon and New Mexico; from towns as close by as Chester and Centerfield. far-awa- They came by bus and van and truck and bike. They came in luxurious motor homes and in jalopies. Some came on cycles and some came on foot. By consensus the youth group from Buhl, Siler and Jerome, in neighboring Idaho, agreed on Utahs not Bryces, not top attraction Zionss, not the Wayne Wonderland Crowds bogln to ossomblo In Pagoont sooting Friday night. An ostimatod crowd of 25,000 attondod that night. Total attondanco for tho olght nights topped 128,000. The attendance didnt quite (Continued on Page 4) Sanpete County Natural Gas Hearings Dated for September Home of the Mormon Miracle Pageant 1986 July 10,11,12, 15-1- Volums tK - 101 Numbsrl . 30 pr copy 4 MANTI. UTAH 14642, THURSDAY. JULY 24. 1916 Glimmer of hope on horizon for restoration of railroad 'l I BY PAT MELLOR A glimmer of hope still appears on the horizon for Sanpete and Sevier Counties chances to restore rail v. . 4 i - (C) s iI I I f J J ' As Manti City council meetings go, last Wednesdays wasn't long, but the council covered a wide range from committees to skunks. remember anything about this picture? Ploaso writ to tho of subjects Manti Mossongor if you do. got any response. A follow-u- p article will bo written If wo The council commended Elaine Mortensen for her work on the Fourth of July committee, and Budget meeting postponed, bonding proposal reviewed BY PAT MELLOR The Manti City Councils budget hearing for the upcoming fiscal year was scheduled to take place during the regular council meeting of July 16 but was postponed at the request of Sanpete County, which cited a glitch in its computer for the countys inability to compute certain statistics needed for the budget. The Citys budget hearing has for August 6, been 1986 during the regular meeting of the Manti City Council. There were no citizens present at the July 16 meeting except council and city staff members. most recent contact with Governor Norm Bangerter and the governors administrative assistant, Ruth Ann necessary financing to purchase the Marysvale lineofthe Denvcrand Rio Grande. Storey, he was advised that the prospects look good for the state's current lone bidder to obtain the e The long Marysv.ile Branch served Sanpete and Sewer counties with their only rail serwee until the line was severely damaged The by floods and slides in 1983-84- . Interstate Commerce Commission issued a ruling allowing the Denver and Rio Grande to abandon the line, but the State of Utah protested that ruling and the court gave the Stale the option of purchasing the line itself forSl. 3 million before June 30. Short meeting, many topics discussed ) , service, says State Rep. Ray Nielsen, despite rumors apparently being spread by unsuccessful bidders that the rail Une is being purchased solely for salvage. Nielsen said Tuesday that in his Manli council meeting BY PAT MELLOR Do you See Page 9, provements. According to the Taxpayers Association, 133 cities and special taxing districts throughout Utah are involved in the municipal pool. The Association also estimates that 23 of the states 40 school districts will join in a similar pool. Originally, the municipal pool was formed under the guidance of a Salt Lake brokerage house, Boettcher and Company, with the idea that the pool would enable taxing entities to combine their resources and bond to help pay for capital improvements. The Utah League of Cities and Towns endorsed the municipal pool, saying the proposed bonding program would provide better interest rates for loans needed by small towns and cities in Utah. The bond pool questioned Monlclpal League has been attempting to put City councilmen were somewhat the package bond program into place from taken aback to receive a report before September, to be able to take Councilman Max Call citing the Utah of the status advantage Taxpayers Associations objections of bonds prior to that date. municipal to the municipal pool system (The Reagan Administration is recently approved by Manti City. A legislation to cut off the sponsoring similar pooling arrangement has status of municipal been approved by the Sanpete bonds after that date). 26 of the of one County Commission, Under the program proposed by States 29 counties to enter into a (Continued on Page 8) bond pool to finance capital im regretfully accepted the resignation of T.K. Plant as head of the beautification committee. Councilman Max Call was provided with a list of possible candidates for slots on the Planning Commission and the Board of Adjustment and said he would contact those suggested and report back to the council at the next meeting on August 6. Mayor May Peterson noted that it had been suggested that the city develop a Holiday and Celebrations Committee, and the council agreed to this suggestion. The Mayor also noted that Brad Bradley will now be serving on the Christmas Decorations Committee. First South is planning to fund its own operation and not waiting for the Special Improvement District. Councilman Cox also advised that the Canyon Circle request for a special improvement district requested that the city establish a loan fund so the street can be completed this year. Councilman Cox said the bid on both these areas would be slated for August 6. Councilman Cox also noted that he had been advised that about S9.000 has been raised toward the estimated SI 6,000 needed to light the ballfield. Councilman Galen Christiansen said when these lights consideration for are installed, payment for power for operating these lights should be made, and it may be necessary to establish meters on these lights. The council agreed with this proposal. The watering situation at the cemetery has apparently been resolved and the watering is now progressing in a satisfactory Lee J. manner, Councilmen Anderson and Galen Christiansen The council approved the hiring of .advised the council. City Recorder Mrs. Marjorie Saunders as assistant Bill Mickelson said if the watering was now satisfactory, the water librarian. assessment for 1985 would not be Councilman Jim Petersen will only released to the irrigation company. be able to attend the council Councilman Anderson said the SO meetings about percent of the transplanting of trees to the area of time in the next year due to other the new portion of the cemetery is career commitments, it was noted. delayed pending arrangebeing The council, at Mr. Petersens ments for rental or use of a tree suggestion, discussed various options, after which Councilman Galen Christiansen stated that he felt the other council members could shoulder Councilman Petersen's individual responsibilities on the council until he is able to resume his duties. The other council members agreed. Improvement districts Councilman Larry Cox reported that he had met with representatives of Zions Bank in regard to the special improvement district and as the matter currently stood, the street from First West to Second West on transplanting machine. The city recorder noted that he had been approached by local citizens who desired to donate a tree to the city in memory of the late Jackie Lowry, which the city council and mayor indicated would be gratefully' accepted. Intermountain Health Care is proceeding with their plans to construct a medical clinic on Main Street, Councilman Larry Cox reported, and the engineering firm is completing the survey work. Councilman Cox said the architect for the project will forward a copy of plans for the clinic when they are completed, for review by the major and council. Mayor Peterson requested that a meeting be set up w ith all employees to discuss the citys retirement program. A copy of an agreement for the purchase and fencing of a county sanitary landfill in conjunction with the community development block grant awarded to the county was reviewed briefly and forwarded to city attorney Paul Frischknecht for review and comment. Mayor Peterson noted that the changes the city attorney had made in the Mountain Fuel natural gas franchise had apparently not been accepted by that company. The changes dealt mainly with restoration of the streets to the conditions specified in the city code following excavation for the pipeline, and it was the decision of the mayor and council that the changes made by Manti City were in Manti's best interests and the agreement with Mountain Fuel would not be executed unless the company conformed to those changes. Some intersections should be checked in town, Mayor Peterson observed, to be sure they are properly free of visual obstructions. Those the mayor specifically cited were the comer of Third East and Third South, the comer of First East and Union Street, and Third South and Second West. Skunks again The city recorder noted that the number of complaints related to the intrusion of skunks into the city is increasing. The city animal control officer, Jim Casto, has begun trapping them, but, noted the recorder, no rate had been set to compensate the officer for the skunks. The council pondered the problem and decided it had to be worth at least $5 per skunk to have the animals trapped and disposed of by the animal control officer. t. 180-mil- 1986. The State of Utah, not desiring to get into the railroad business, actively solicited bids for the purchase of the line, but was disap pointed when only three bids were received, none of which demon strated adequate financing to even repay the State for its SI. 3 million outlay, much less cover the costs of construction to repair the litu estimated at possibly $30 million additional. Nielsen said when the original bids were called for. W'cstcm Railways of Ogden submitted a brochure outlining its operation and a letter stating that the firm was interested in purchasing the line but could not get its financing together in time to meet the June 30 deadline When the state rejected all the bids received on June 30 the Ogden firm again contacted the governor and reiterated their interest in the line. Governor Bangerter asked for a written proposal, and based on the written proposal, asked for and received an additional 30 dav extension from the Denver and Rio Grande. The State now has until .1 uly 30 to find a purchaser for the line. If anyone had had the necessary financing and a viable plan (on June 30), they would have had the line," Nielsen insisted, refuting rumors apparently spread by one of the unsuccessful bidders that their firm was discriminated against when the bids were reviewed. Nobody had the money. Nielsen said he and the other members of the task force rail established to try to service are "cautiously optimistic" about the chances the train w ill run through Sanpete and Sevier again. Im getting two different signals in Sanpete, the representative acknowledged. "People on the south end of the county want to see the rail line restored, but they almost unanimously voice cautions about accepting bids. They want us to be very careful that we dont end up with another business that cant obtain enough financing to deliver the promised service and restore traffic. People on the north end of (Continued on Page 4) |