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Show OUR TOWNS Dailys Herald SECTION “TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2005 METRO EDITOR | Joe Fyrah - 344-2586 - jpyrah@ heraldextra.com Short on funds, housing program cuts 39 families another wayto pay their rent next month, instead of having Se ee pee eee On Friday, Gene Carly’s office sent out 39 notices, telling poor people in Utah County they're being trimmed from a eis: ee program. The people who receive the notices are low-incomefamilies, who generally earn below 50 percentof the area median income. They'll haveto find the Provo Housing Authority or if there's space in a Housing Authority of Utah County- owned unit. “The reality is that there isn't sufficient funding, and some of our Section 8 voucher holders will be terminated from the program,” said Carly, execueeee ‘ive ‘or of lousing Authority of Utah County, which serves the entire county, except Provo. The office chose to crop people who'd been receiving help the longest, he = The elderly, disabled, le participating in the family self-sufficiency program,and families with three or more children were excluded from the cuts. Be nee ee ae the r fions, or t authority would be $70,000 short at the end of the year. “We always want to have hope,but it doesn't look good for us,” he said. “We had to make the decision now, based onthe level of funding now and the level of expenditures." The federal government used to fund the voucher program based on a static number of units for each local agency — 952 for Utah County — but has changedtoadollarbased system in the last few years, Carly said. That change has meant fewer people can receive help when rent prices rise. “What has happened is the value of the cost per unit has gone up from $450 per month to $484 per month,”he said, “That's something the housing authority has no control over. That's the reason we began running into funding shortages.” There may be some help available for the people who are being cut from the program, though. Doug Carlson, executive director of the Provo Housing Authority,said he’s talking to Carly about waysto help the See RENT, D3 ‘Fewerthan expected sign to search for wupGarrett Bardsley Heidi ith RALD Fewervolunteers have signed upto search for Garrett Bardsley than expected,but therewill be at least a few searchers no matter what. “I will definitely be there,” Kevin Bardsley, Garrett's father said of himself and his family. “They will all be up there.In fact, we'll probably start on Wednesday and gostraight through Saturday night.” Garrett disappeared on Aug. 20, 2004, near Cuberant Lakewhenhe left the trail to changeclothes after getting wet. Summit County Sheriff Dave Edmunds called off the official search on Aug.29 as the weather got increasingly worse in the mountains.This could be the last search unless something conclusiveis found, Kevin Bardsley said when this week’s search was announced in July. BRIAN WAGNER/Dally Herald it was Utah County Deputy Cory Wride's turn to wearthebite suit for the K-9 demonstration during Springville Department of Public Safety's “Night Out Against Crime” Mondaynight. Familiesfilled Springville Arts Park for a chance to check out ambulances,fire trucks,police cars, finger painting and, of course, the free snow cones and cotton candy, Fair teachesfamilies about safety eee 600 and 700 people have signed up at www. findgarrett.org, although organizers are preparing. for about twice that number. “The problemis logistically, we want to makesure we have food and everything prepared for the number of people up there,” Kevin Bardsley said. Hesaid many people maynot sign up but will decide to help, which could be a problem if there is not enough food, water afid other supplies to dealwith the search:Toavoid this, the search coordinators are planning for about 1,500 volunteers each day. He also encouraged peopleto sign up before comingif possible. Emergency personnel demonstrate safety techniques in hopes of making a disasterless scary for children Heidi Toth “We wanted it to be more than walk DAILY HERALD around andlook,” Finlayson said. “We lashing lights and earsplitting sirens sliced through a peaceful Mondayevening in Springville. The commotion was not because ofa crisis, though. The Springville Public Safety Departmentheld “a night outagainst crime,” and gavechildren the chanceto play in the fire trucks, police cars and ambulances,learn about safety and watch K-9 unitsin action. want them to do.” TheSpringville police, fire ard EMS “We wanted to makeit an opportunity for families to comeandget involved with public safety,” Police Chief Scott Finlayson Said. The activity, which was scheduled in conjunction with a National Night Out, included discussions onprotecting families from property crime,Internet danger and substance abuse; demonstrations onseat belt usage,the drug dogs, howfire hoses work and other safety-oriented activities. Child identification kits also were available. departments, Utah HighwayPatrol, YouthNet, the Utah County Sheriff's Office and the Community Emergency Response Team all wereat the event, answering questions, helping the eager children dem- onstratingvarious safety techniques. The Springville Youth City Council also was on hand,sticky with the spun sugar flying aroundthe tent, handing out cotton candy and snow conesto participants. Elisha Hutchings, a volunteer emergency medicaltechnician, was manning the ambulance, answering questions and handing out bandagestovisitors. “Everything to kids is totally less scary whenthey see it before in a non-emergency situation than when confronted withit ina crisis,” she said, watching as twolittle girls learned thattheinside of an ambulance wasn't quite as scary as they'd thought. Anothergoal of the night was to introduce children to police,firefighters and _other emergency personnelso they would not be afraid oftheofficials in an emergency, shesaid. That was working pretty well for Frank Daybell's children, who madethe safety fair part of a birthday celebration. “They wanttobe firefighters,” Daybell said, holding his 1-year-old son and watching Utah CountySheriff's officers demonstrate how the K-9 units work. Hebroughthis family to teach them about safety, but he also came for another reason. “I'ma teacher, and I wantto be able to talk to my kids aboutit,”he said. “I'll talk aboutit at schoolfor sure.” The Harrington family was making the rounds Mondaynight. Before getting to the bleachers to watch the K-9 demonstration, they stoppedto playin thefire trucks, which both MaKayla,7, and Haley,/4, declared was “fun.” “Shegotto talk to the police station,” Heather Harrington said of MaKayla. They came to makesure the children See SAFETY, D3 Signing up on the Website also provides a databaseof searchers with experienceif others getlost. Bardsley said these searchers can be contacted and mobilized quickly. Garrett Bardsley Severalareas will be covered Thursday through Saturday bythe volunteers and membersoflocal search and rescue groups. Searchers whoare going up for the day can meet at Zions Peak campgroundin the High Uintas east of Heber. Searchers who are camping can meet at the Cuberant Lake, Meadow Lake or Weber Basin campgrounds andhikeinto the areas to be searched. Kevin Bardsleysaid searchers should bring sunscreen, insect repellent, a poncho and dress appropri- ately. Searchers whoare camping should bringtheir camping equipmentandbe prepared for below-freezing temperaturesat night Searchers going up Thursdaycanfollowthe Harley Owners Groupontheir “Ride for Garrett,” which leavesat 6 a.m. from Monarch Honda Harley Davidson at 350 W. 800 Northin Orem. Bikers who wantto participate cancall (801) 224-4070. Anyoneinterested in the search can go to www. findgarrett.org. The Websitealso has information on what Garrett was wearing when he disappeared and what to lookfor, as well as mapsofthe area and opportunities to donate moneyor epee D Heidi Toth can c an be reac!hed¢at34 2543 or htoth@heraldextra.com. Mapleton City Council meets to discusscivil rights lawsuit City gives few details on its responseto suit that names mayor, council members Heidi Toth DAILY HERALD The only decision reached at a closed Mapleton City Council meeting Monday was to answer a civil rights lawsuit filed by landowner Dr, Wendell Gibby. “Atthe of a lawsuit like this,it’s really very hard to discuss the details, the merits, be- bes . aR rat cause very little is even known,” city attorney Andrew Norse said. Hedeclined to commenton anydiscussion regarding the purchase of Gibby’s land, which has caused dispute between Gibby and the city for several years, resulting in five lawsuits thus far. The lawsuits originated in 2002 when Gibby plowed over a trail that ran Uvough the 120- acre property on the Mapleton bench.City officials said the fare and one to condemn the thoroughfare both for recreation andto provide access for emergency vehiclesin case of a fire on Maple Mountain. Thecity filed criminal charges against Gibbyin fall 2002, and he was convicted in February of three countsofillegally upgrading or excavating the land. The city also has filed two civil suits, one to declare the trail a historic public thorough- for $8 million, although he contendsit is worth much more, considering the development possibilities it holds. Thecity, however, cannot pay more trail had alwaysbeena public land so thecity can buyit Gibby offered to sell the land than whatthe land is worth in its present condition and pres- ent zoning, City Manager Bob Bradshawhassaid. State code prohibits the city from paying morethan fair market value as determined by an independent auditor. The sides spentthe last two weeks negotiating. Gibby said whenhehad not heard from any Mapletonofficials by noon Thursday, the deadline,his attorneyfiled the 10-countcivil rights lawsuit in U.S. District Court. The suit allegesfalse arrest, lack of due process and encour- aging and aiding in trespassing and vandalism on Gibby’s property, in addition to other charges. It names MayorDean Allan, Bradshaw, twocity council mem- bers, but not the otherthree, and various cityofficials. Gibbyis asking forinjunctive relief, attorney's fees, $8 million in actual damagesandpunitive damages. Thepreliminaryhearing for Gibby’s appealon his conviction is Thursdayin 4th District Court in Provo. » Heidi Toth can ca n be reached at 344-2543or htoth@heraldextra.com. Acy| WWW.HERALDEXTRA.COM — CALL 375-5103 TO SUBSCRIBE aa WEEKNIGHTS AT 10PM Te MENUS TOOL TU Get Gephardt! art AUT OCU UR NMAC AC TNe UI ULB |