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Show Voluma 98 Number 30 MANTI, UTAH 84642, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1983 17 par copy Attempt to get Marysvale Branch MR back in service Whose's been working on the railroad? State and local officials have been working on the Denver & Rio Grand Western Railroad in an attempt to get the Marysvale Branch, import- ant to the economies of Sanpete and Sevier counties, back in service. The Commissioners of the two counties and the Utah Department of Varied patterns mark Tuesday election The process of electing municipal officers will take several different forms in Sanpete County Tuesday. That's because the State Legislature has given cities and towns several options in the way they can conduct local elections. The principal options are to have elections, partisan or but other available options also include having primaries to eliminate all but one party candidate for each office or not having a primary and possibly having several candidates listed on the ballot for each office. n Most of those electoral patterns will be in evidence Tuesday. For example, Mt. Pleasant's voters will have to choose among 1 1 in a candidates, election, to choose three new members of the city council. n is also having a election, with three candidates vying for two town board seats. Sterling n are only two candidates whose names appear on the official ballot, with four city council vacancies available. That means Moroni voters are going to have to do a considerable amount if they fill the four of writing-ioffices. In Moroni there n n Ephraim opted to return this year to the partisan method of choosing three members of the council after election two holding a years ago. "We are making the change, Mayor Hal Jensen said, "because the people wanted it. have assembled Transportation material on the effect the closure ts having on the economy of the cent! al Utah area and on the potential for increased railroad revenue in the area and submitted it to the D&RGWs headquarters in Denver. in' c'sied a large amount in heavy trui ks and in rehabilitating a spur line in Centerfield in order to irapspnit ioa! out of Salma Canyon to the Marysvale Branch, from whence it would he moved bv rail to the mam line in Thistle. Utah Third District Congressman Howard Nielson is also lending his located in and engaged in the manufacture of jntdreee, has had to curtail operations to about a third of its normal level because of the closure. support to the effort. In the meantime, the D&RGW lias also been working on the railroad. Fifty of the 234 cars stranded on the Marysvale Branch because of the Thistle slide have been returned to service on the main line. n He thinks the partisan method has several advantages. "It stirs up he said. "And the activity, competition is probably good." Mayor Jensen pointed out that in a partisan election, programs, issues and the qualifications of candidates are probably more thoroughly discussed. In the material sent to the D&RGW main office, the Sanpete and Sevier County commissions pointed out that the closure of the Marysvale had adversely affected numerous businesses the in area. two-count- y The loss of Moroni Feed Company to the county would be devastating. " One of the businesses, they said, is Moroni Feed Co., Sanpete County's largest tax payer and biggest employer. The added cost of shipping feed by truck, they explained, "could mean the difference in whether ? luY'fy grower will be able to stay in business or not. hard-hi- t addition, in a partisan election, party officers are likely to recruit candidates who are possible winners and would make good officeholders. In Although given a choice by the State Legislature, Manti has continued with the traditional partisan method of electing city officers, and more Sanpete cities and towns seem likely to return to that procedure. "We need two strong parties in America," one candidate said, even if the lines separating them are not very distinct. When a party sponsors a candidate, it takes some responsibility for his actions. Feed loss of Moroni Company to the county would be the statement devasting continued. "The ..." Another Sanpete business ser- iously hurt because of the closure, according to the commissioners, is Cox Transport Company, engaged primarily in coal hauling, which had Diaycutt Corp., Milburn Leaving for Washington, D.C. this week are, back: Melanie Larsen, Clair Ericksen, Sandy Thatcher, Front row: Melanie Birch, April Daniels, Wendy Orton, Dee Ann Bean. And Hunt Energy. Texas, which Close-uhas taken coal leases on land in Sanpete County in anticipation of a major development and was counting on moving the coal by rail, is now holding up its developmental program awaiting a decision on the of the branch. MHS students leave for Washington, D.C. visit The statement listed three Sevier County firms as also being major v ic tuns of the closure: Ideal Cement Co.. Western (lav and Southern I tali Fuel. by six-da- p He said the railroad has a great potential lor additional revenue in proposed coal developments in theta , euitn's 'hat would involve using i .til tiaiisportation. Accordme to Bob Nance. DA.RGW general manager, no decision will be made on the restoration of the branch line until Thistle Lake has been drained and a determination can be made mi restoration costs. "We are a private business." he pointed out in a public meeting, "and the operation of the Marysvale Branch must be cost effective." Bruce Jennings Six Manti Hi gli School students and faculty member Clair Erickson will board a United fliuht this weekend for a visit in Washington D C. as participants in the Close-uProgram. Six ( ounty l.conomtc Development Pistuct director Allen Fawcett estimated that about 1.200 jobs in the two counties w ould be eliminated if the Marc scale Branch is not reestablish' d within a year. , Program p They'll attend 12 to 15 seminars, workshops. Congressional sc sim-s, goon tours, have a theatre mel t, a pizza night and wind up their activities with a dinner and dance. daughter of Darlene Orton; Sandy Thatcher, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Thatcher; Melanie Larsen, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kent Larsen; DeeAnn Bean, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wendell Codings: Melanie Birch, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Birch, and April Daniels, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Daniels. Cost of the Close-uProgram is per student. Manti and phraim cities have each contributed S5)Qin support the program and Ephraim Lions Club $100. A high school dance raised $364 and sales of goodies at the school, $72.00 p S15 1 One thing t!u v won't ha is much lice time. The i Tails activities begin at 7 a.m. and continue to 9 30 p.m. Program has a caicfuily planned curriculum that covers these subjects: executive blanch, legislative branch, judicial branch, foteign police, defense policy, lobbying media and local issues. Miss Daniels was awarded a $501 one of three given scholarship Central Utah Educational by Serv ices. The other five students will divide the funds that were contributed and raised by activities. Representing Manti High this year will be Wendv Orton, a make up the balance. The Close-L- The parents and students will Voters to mark ballots nest Tuesday by Bruce Jennings by the "Democracy: government people, either directly or through elected representatives." oters w ill go to the polls Sanpete Count elect to the men and women who Tuesday will represent them in local government for the next two years. v The polls will open Tuesday morning at 7 and close that evening at 8. Promptly at 8 election judges will begin to count the ballot. Within two or three hours, the results will be available at city halls. to registration agents, few names have been added to their lists of or eligible voters and because no state-wid- e national contests are involved turnout at the polls is expected to be smaller than usual. According new i , Mantis six City Council candidates w ere chosen at party conventions. Their parties have been campaigning on radio and in the press. The Democratic candidates are Lee J. Anderson, an Ephraim Middle School science and math teacher; Larry Cox. of a major secretary and Larry Cox part-own- S ' D ' 4 i Co GoUn ChrWtlantftn ) ' li Rood Syndargaard revenue "Our tax base is so low that we cant pay for sonic of the improvements we need," Kent Larsen said. "We need industry that is suitable to our wav of life, but industry i hat w ill provide jobs for our young people. In the long run. the future of our town depends on them and the opportunities they see for a good life here." We have spent a lot of money on worthwhile projects," DavidCox said. "We must be conservative in what we undertake in the future. Developing our hydro-powe- r seems a good avenue for us to pursue. We need to bring in industry, but it should be industry that is compatible with our life style." "We need to use foresight and planning as we undertake further improvements," Galen Christiansen said. "Many of our residents are carrying a heavy financial burden and I want to see that as taxpayers they get their e moneys worth." "I think we are overextended financially." Reed Syndergaard said. I think we need to actively solicit industry. We need to enlarge our tax base. I favor upgrading our power plants to produce more revenue. Manti residents who live in voting will mark their ballots in District No. Legion Hall. Election judges are Lois Brow n. John Peacock and LcOra McArthur. District 2 will vote in the basement of the public library. The judges are Helen Braithwaite, Beverly Squire and Bill Funk. District 3 will vote in City Hall with Lynn Cox. Ruth J. Peterson and Gary Towne the judges. "Our biggest problem is insufficient revenue," Larry Cox said. "We should make every effort to increase our tax base. 1 think we should look to improvements, like c the project, that would provide more revenue and keep more of our money at home. 1 favor utilizing the old Manti High School building as a civic center. I think this would not onlv be an improvement over the present city hall Sterling voters will elect two members of the Town Board Tuesday in voting Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Town Hall. The election is and three candidates will appear on the ballot. They hydro-electri- v. also be a construction firm, and Kent Larsen, personnel manager of Sperry Computer Systems Ephraim plant. The Republican candidates are David Cox, a farmer and businessman; Galen Christiansen, a teacher and farmer, and Reed Syndergaard, who is employed in a family-owneplumbing and electrical business. contracting The candidates made the following brief campaign statements that reflect their interests and goals: d I could producer." long-rang- Manti j but set-u- t 1 Sterling (Continued on Page 2) |