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Show Page 12—THE HERALD, Provo, Utah, Tuesday, January 8, 1980 Utah-Regional: The latest happenings from in and around the BeehiveState in Court's Action Likely to Bring New Wexpro Hearings SALT LAKE CITY (UPI) — The Utah Public Service Commission can look forward to another long round of hearingson the status of Wexpro — the exploration subsidiary of Mountain Fuel Supply Co. — now that the U.S Supreme Court has refused to hear the case. The nation’s highest court Monday turned down without comment an appeal by Mountain Fuelof a state court ruling that natural gas customers must benefit from oil wells held by the utility's exploration subsidiary, Wexpro. “unconstitutional confiscation of investor property” resulting from a Utah Mountain Fuel said it was disappointed in the ruling “While the failure to hear the matter is not a decision on the merits. it does mean that oil properties previously transferred to Wexpro must now be subject to further hearings before the Utah Public Service Commission relative to their disposition as between the utility and Wexpro,’’ said the comA company spokesman Supreme Court decision that natural gas customers had an interest in oil wells transferred to Wexpro when it wascreated in 1977. The Utah court ruled last Maythat the PSC must rexamine Wexpro and decide to what extent properties transferred to the non-utility subsidiary were developed at the expense of natural gas customers Mountain Fuel created Wexpro to separate its oil and gas exploration operation from its utility operation. predicted those hearings would be lenghty. Mountain Fuel had appealed to the Supreme Court whatit claimed was an The company took the action in effort to attract investors and quell $150 million in property transferred to the oil properties to customers on the the new subsidiary had been developed mistaken notion that the customers with money collected from gas provided risk capital because a small customers. State lawyers said portion of the exploration expense was enoughattention tooil exploration. The customerscould realize millionsof dol- Tecovered in the rates '’ Mountain Fuel new subsidiary was formed shortly lars in reduced rates over the next 15 President B.Z. Kastler said when the after a group of disgruntled years if they are credited for the company appealed to the U.S. Supreme stockholders attempted to oust the cur- amount of money they contributed to Court the oil exploration program. rent management. Kastler argued that natural gas Mountain Fuel argued that the state customers would benefit more in the The PSC spent more than a year looking at Wexpro. The commission con- high court was reversing 40 years of long run through the separate operation cluded that it had no jurisdiction over history 2nd taking the unprecedented of Wexpro because Mountain Fuel the new subsidiary. But the state step of equating the company's could moreeasily attract investors and customers with its investors. supremecourt overruled the PSC conduct a more aggressive program of “The Utah decision. in effect, gives exploration for both oil and gas. The state argued that some of the stockholder complaints that Mountain Fuel management wasn't paying NewState Pay Pian Viewed by Official SALT LAKE CITY (UPI) — A new payplan for state employees which is slated to comebefore the Utah Legislature could be psychologically lemoralizing for the workers but actually be better financially both for Utah and the individual, says the state personnel director. Under the plan, as proposed by Gov. Scott Matheson,there would be 20 grades with 10 oar in each grade. The pay raises between steps would be about 5 percent with a 10 percent increase between grades, Presently there are 40 job grades with 12 steps each. An employee gets a 3.5 salary boost for each step and between 4.5 and 7 percent for each move up in grade. Personnel Director Roger Black said the new plan would also give supervisors moreflexibility in giving merit . But, he said, the new plan means that some employees would change grades which could upset the workers although it would not effect their salary. Council-Mayor Plan Takes Over in S.L. SALT LAKE CITY (UPI) — A new erais Salt Lake City government en Monday when a new council: system officially replaced the old city ission. Seven new city council members and Mayor Ted Wilson took their oaths of office in a ceremony which began at noon. It was the start of Wilson's second term of office. The council was scheduled to holdits first public meetingdet but delayed debate over the issue of how council members will be paid until Jan. 15. Council members will consider wage proposals ranging from $8,000 to $10,000 per year. Council members earlier decided to hold two me per week — a formalsession each Tues: day an informal gathering each Thursday. — Cooking set with meat, candy and hot-fat thermometers. baster and poultry pin in General Electric portable AM/FMradio. convenient storage rack Heat-proof glass oat dish in a woven basket server Convenient, stick-resistant 10" fry pan. : GeneralElectric steam iron. Fleeing Robbery Suspect Wounded canisterset. Better Homes and Gardens Family Medical Guide. SALT LAKE CITY (UPI) — A robber, who shot himself in the hand then was shotin the back as he tried to flee a wholesale jewelery store, was being held under guard in LDS Hospital. . Salt Lake City Police Lt. Gene Young said the suspect, Dennis Ray Birtch, 27, apparently got flustered Monday as he allegedly started to pull a gun on the jeweler at BostonTaylor Jewelry Manufacturing Co. The gun wentoff striking the GeneralElectric’ asbestos-tree hair dryer. Queen size machine washable Extra-thick machine-washable comforter with a cheerful floral design the answers. Wewill go soe Wilson said the commission formof government, used by Salt Lake City since 1911, was bei “retired with pride.” He said, ‘It gave usfinancial security. We now reach for something better.”” electric blanket with dual controls. Battery booster cables for emergencystarting suspect in the hand. Magnavox black and white portable television. The police officer said the jeweler, Matt DeSanto,62, fired four times atthe fleeing suspect hitting him oncein the back. : Police said Birtch was taken to LDS Hospital where he waslisted in serious condition and was scheduled to undergo surgery. MX-Missile Study Funds Are Sought Gov. Scott Matheson ‘would try to shake some moneyloose”’ this week from the White House for a study on the possible impacts of locating the MXmissile system in the twostates. 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