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Show Surplus Makes It Possible One Year Early - City To Pay Off Major Debt On Aug I WEST VALLEY. On the first of August, city officials will do something which at one time seemed at the very least unlikely, and at the worst impossible. They will pay off the $2.4 million debt for City Hall one year ahead of schedule. A $900,000 budget surplus for the fiscal year ending today (Thursday) will allow city officials to walk into Zions First National Bank on Aug. 1 and hand over a check for $2,460,690. Theyll walk out of the bank with complete ownership of City Hall, all of its furnishings, the 6400 West fire station and sundry items. That night, the City Council is planning to go out to dinner - at the and own expense members celebrate one of the red letter days in this citys short history. For the decision rendered here Thursday by the council - to pay off the debt a year early - seemed incomprehensible to the newly-electe- d councilmen when they were first advised 18 months ago of the citys financial standing. As Councilman Pete Winder noted, he felt ill when he learned that a $2.4 million payment was due on - -- OUT OF THE HOLE . . : City Finance Director Russ Sanderson explains figures which have a dramatic message for West Valley City: $1.2 million budget surplus In 1982-8will allow the city to pay off its major debt one year early. 3 Two Sections - 26 1, 1984. That was of the total city budget, an amount over and above what had to be spent to provide basic services. Winder, like the other councilmen, had a smile on his face Thursday as City Finance Director Russ Sanderson, the architect behind the financial success, outlined a program for relieving the city of a debt which he admitted has given him many sleepless nights. Basically, Sanderson said, West Valley had to come up with $2.46 million - $2,380,000 for the original debt, $88,000 interest and a bond redemption fee of $2,400. The city had $664,921 on hand from its budget surplus in 1981-8Only the day before, upon learning that the citys sales tax check for the fourth quarter (retail sales between January and March) would slightly exceed projections, Sanderson realized the 1982-8would be - $545,000surplus from unan$900,000 ticipated revenue, $355,000 from savings in department budgets, Sanderson said. Added to that was $256,000 which the city had budgeted for its building payment this year and $15,000 in2 terest from the surplus. That added up to $1.8 million. The former City Commission had purchased City Hall through a legal device known as a Building Authority. The Building Authority' budget still had $54,000 which had been set aside to finish work on City Hall. Plus, $284,000 in interest would be available from the annual amount of interest ($360,000) which city officials had to pay Zions Bank each year on the $2.4 million debt, the finance director pointed out. That brought the amount of available funds up to $2,172,213. In the period prior to Aug. 1, that sum would yield an additional $20,000 in interest. City officials also could add in the $256,000 building 4 payment included in the budget. Together, those revenue sources would provide $2,438,213. To pay off the debt on Aug. 1, city officials would have to come up with another $22,477 in the budget. Aug. one-quart- . 3 81-8- Pages We&tValWey THE VOICE OF WEST VALLEY CITY UTAH one-mont- h USPS 656 380 83-8- Published weekly at 155 E. 4905 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84107. Second class postage paid at Salt Lake City, UT 84119. Subscription rate $12.00 per year. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Wes! Valley View, Box 7187, Salt Lake City, UT 84107. Volume 29, Number 24 Thursday, June All 30, 1983 departments 262 6682 83-8- 4 In Travel, Uniform Expenses - School Board Aims At Cutting Costs study by a committee of administrators, teachers, patrons and students. In some areas, especially student travel, some sweeping changes are being recommended.. ' The committee wasappoined at' the boards request as a result of parental concerns that had been ex GRANITE PARK. Policies aimed at getting a handle on costs of participation in extracurricular high school activities will be recommended to the Granite Board of Education ' here Tuesday night. Y' - The recommendations culiminate will about nine months of Recommendations On Student Expenses No! (Travl j Performing Groups here's a point This remarkable country of ours will reach Us 207th birthday next Monday and though a trifle battered, its still on course. - Not physically battered menby tally and morally beaten-upo- n critics within and without. Yet still the ex- greatest periment in human freedom and dignity ever by man. Too often we lose sight of that. We hear so much' of criticism our government, its activities in other countries, its spendthrift ways and diplomatic failures that we forget the wondrous things the United States has meant to millions living and dead -citizens of both this land and V. 1 'Y, included) V ' the district. There has been a great divergence in cost from one school to another, admitted Dr. Loren Burton, an assistant superintendent who headed the committee. The report that will be given to the board was compiled as a result of committees representing each of the districts eight high schools reporting to a central committee. What is being recommended is a set of uniform student cost guidelines. It will also be recommended that the costs be reviewed on a district-wid- e basis annually to keep up with inflation and other concerns. The scope of the report includes the general areas of performing groups and competitive groups. Travel was considered separately, as was a miscellaneous area. In some instances, it appeared that the costs of outfitting performing groups was out of hand, Dr. Burton admitted. For instance, one high school drill team reportedly spent $1,400 for costumes and other expenses, not including travel. That led to a suggestion that the cost be limited to $350. Cheerleaders and songleaders will be limited to expenditures of $300, if the board approves the recommendation. In the area of travel, it is being recommended that trips of any national competigroup for tion, i. e. national drill team, national cheerleading competition, etc. sponsored by commercial or noncommercial high school activity groups be denied. It will also be recommended that approved group trips be confined to the western portion of the United States and to western Canada and Mexico. Dr. Burton said that many national competitions are for the sponmerely money-maker- s sors. The only programs that will be acceptable will be those which have been scrutinized and approved by the High School Activities Assn, in the state where the competition is being held. In the area of leadership camps, the district is planning to investigate the feasibility of conducting such events at a reduced cost to replace those being sponsored by universities. Candidates File For Seats 2 On City Council WEST VALLEY. There isnt a rush anymore to file for city offices, but two candidates have already entered the race. Leland DeLange, 2585 W. 3935 South, became the first candidate to file for office last Wednesday when he submitted his statement for the . District 1 seat. That position is held by Mike Embley (see related story). DeLange was a candidate in the first council election. Ray Heidt, 3494 Meadowbrook Dr., became the second candidate for public office later in the week when he filed for the two-yepost currently held by Larry Bunkail. He has previously run for a State Senate seat. Both candidates beat the June 30 filing deadline which City Recorder Kathy Kaumans had been working under in the face of conflicting laws passed by the State Legislature last winter. But in its special session Thursday, the legislature cleared up the discrepancy, specifying that Aug. 23 - not June 30 - will be the filing deadline. Nothing else changes. They (candidates) just have more time, Mrs. Kaumans said. The primary election will be held Oct. 4. From Council - Embley To Take Leave Of Absence WEST VALLEY. For at least one month, Mike Embley will take an unpaid leave of absence from the City Council. Embley, who represents District One in the eastern portion of the city, requested and received the unpaid leave from the council here Thursday. The leave of absence will be effective through July 28, at which time a decision on your future status (will be) rendered, Mayor Jerry Maloney said. Two weeks ago, Embley was appointed acting County Treasurer after charges were filed against County Treasurer Art Monson, alleging that he used that office for a personal business. Embley will fill the county post until the courts rule on the charges against Monson. In a brief statement to the council, Embley said he didnt have sufficient time to evaluate the overall ramifications of his decision to take the interim treasurers post. He said he needed more time to make a decision about how that job will affect his role as a city councilman. Embley said he did not feel he was doing a disservice to his district since residents of that area were still councilmen represented by Brent Anderson and Larry Bunkail. And, he added, the council as a whole represents the area. The decision to take an unpaid leave of absence, during which time he will not participate in discussions of city policy, was the course of action recommended several days earlier by City Attorney Ron Greenhalgh. The leave of absence was generally supported by the council because it leaves the door open for Embleys return. If Monson is found innocent of the charges and returns to his job, Embley would be free to return to the council. If Embley had resigned, however, the council would have been required to appoint a replacement, a course of action which most preferred to avoid. As one councilman said of Embley: Hes too good to lose. 4th Annual WEST VALLEY. Garbage collection will proceed as usual on Monday, even though it is the Fourth of July. Residents whose garbage usually is collected on Monday will have to put it out Sunday night or early Monday morning because trucks will continue to roll as usual, holiday or not, said City Public Works Director Glenn Weaver. - Talent Is Drawn To Fair, Fest GRANGER. The talents of area residents skilled in the visual and performing arts will be on display three days next week during the fourth annual West Valley Area Fair and Arts Festival. Sponsoring organizations were still reservations at making midweek for those wishing to participate in the event, scheduled for July 7, 8 and 9 at Granger Community park, 3600 W. 3500 South. Aimed at providing entertainment for the entire family, the celebration will feature such attractions as carnival rides, food booths, children's art yard, helicopter rides, firefighting demonstration, auto show, pony rides, fine arts booths and crafts displays, games of skill and fireworks on the final night (Saturday). Starting off each days activities will be the West Valley Explorers serving breakfast in the park pavilion. A wide variety of entertainers dancers, instrumentalists scheduled to perform each afternoon and evening. Young women who have won top honors in local pageants, including Miss West Valley and Miss Salt Lake Valley, are on the Friday evening agenda. Other entertainment groups range from a bluegrass band and an accordion group, to youthful dancers and a group of instrumentalists playing songs of the Beatles. The event is being sponsored by the West Valley Area Arts and Sciences Council and the West Valley Area Chamber of Commerce. Inquiries regarding availability of booth space and other participation in the event may be obtained by calling the Chamber office, during office hours. After 6 o'clock, those wishing additional information on specific segments of the celebration may call: Brent Frederickson, arts and crafts; Bill Cannon, Virginia Wasescha, entertainment. 974-534- 250-050- 968-676- If you fail to receive your Sheet on Thursday morning, please call the Green at-lar- Garbage Collection To Proceed On July 4th 4t4! oi Circulation 262 6682, 'I before Department, 10:30 a.m. Was Amazed! Will a Green Sheet classified ad sell an outboard motor? You bet! Ask Mrs. Ferris Sainsbury, 869 E. Three Fountains Dr., what happened when she used an ad for that purpose. I was amazed at the response, shell tell you. The motor was sold to the first caller on the morning the ad came out and there were many other calls. SEARS 1977 7 HP outboard motor with remote tank. Classified ads in Utahs scheme proposed by our forefathers seemed. was really what it Its said, youve no doubt d of heard, that only the people in the Colonies wanted freedom from British rule. one-thir- Which, if the creation of the United States was indeed a mistake, would mean the other of the populace were right and the rebels who clamored for freedom were wrong. Common sense tells us they, certainly werent wrong. All we need do is compare what we have with the lot of other people anywhere on the face of the globe and its obvious the plan dictated by events on July 4, 1776 was the right course. most widely circulated weekly mid- newspapers reach over 57,000 valley homes every Thursday morning. Theyre surrounded by news and pictures about you and your And neighbors, so theyre well-reait takes readership to deliver results. Green Sheet classifieds are a bargain, too - more readers for your dollar than any other want ad media you can buy! 2 to place your ad. Dial Save $1 by paying before it runs. Ask us how. Youll get results! 262-668- A by Jim Cornwell foreign ones. Many pause now and then to consider the origins we celebrate on the Fourth of July and wonder if the heretofore unheard of two-thir- pressed universally across I think we can scrape that up somewhere, said Sanderson, who could not contain a wide grin as he completed the explanation. Sandersons explanation was delivered before a small crowd, one of whom was Ed Felsing of Zions Bank. He was attending the meeting on another matter. (Hearing the presentation were the council, seven city employes, the city constable, three bank representatives, four residents and one reporter). Asked what he thought of the report, Felsing, who has worked with the city on financial matters since its start-up- , said Im just glad to get our $2.3 million back. I can tell you there were times when I never thought wed see much of that money back. He was not alone in holding that pessimistic outlook. By the time City Manager John Newman was hired 18 months ago, the financial situation had improved, but still was less than desirable. As Newman told the council after the necessary legal steps were taken to allow the debt payment to be made, When I first came into this city, I have to be honest with you, and was advised about the financial thing that was ahead of us, I didnt think wed ever reach this date. Things have come a long way, baby, since 18 months ago. Interestingly, researchers are now finding evidence that far more than a third of the Colonists wanted to be free. Historian Bernard Bailyn of Harvard, for ex- ample, has gone through painstaking studies of pamphlets, newspapers, sermons, speeches and letters of the Colonial period. His objective was to learn what people of that day really thought. And his determination is, There can be no question that a large proportion of the people were deeply interested in freedom. They read eagerly about these new concepts challenging the traditional ideas about mens relationship to government. There were 38 Colonial newspapers in 1775. Bailyns research confirms they were filled with articles and letters debating current issues. In addition, beginning in the late 1600s d pamphlets were a method of disseminating ideas and thousands of them were read and quoted in the Colonies, the professor observes. widely-circulate- In short, he believes the American revolution had no parallel in mans struggle over thousands of years to be free and responsible. It just happened that all the ingredients were present in the Colonies for men to seize an opportunity and throw off the shackles of authoritarian government. Those whod come to this shore were removed from the surveillance of British rule. They began to enjoy, although they didnt actually possess it, a measure of freedom. For the most part they came and went as they pleased and did pretty much what they wanted - so long as it didnt irritate the Kings appointed governor. They werent disloyal people. They respected the British flag. But they resented billeting of soldiers in their homes; the autocratic rule of men appointed to govern them and the imposition of burdensome taxes which seemed only a means of replenishing the Kings coffers. Theyd become accustomed to acting like free men; had developed the mental attitude of freedom. Therein lay the ingredients for Patrick Henrys defiant, Give me liberty or give me death and If this be treason, then make the most of it. Some undoubtedly shrunk from Henrys challenge; they didnt want to be traitors. But many more formed ranks behind the goal of complete independence and the die was cast. Wrote Governor Francis FauThe Flame is spread quier, thru all the Continent, and one Colony supports another in Disobedience to superior powers. As conflict usually develops, the King retaliated and the Colonists, in return, took rebellious action. The Crown placed duties on glass, paint, lead, paper and tea. The Colonists made it so un- - comfortable that the Kings agents were forced by threats and harassment to resign. And Bostonians, only vaguely disguised as Indians, dumped a shipload of tea into the harbor, our history books rather proudly affirm. The seeds of rebellion ripened, resentment of the King turned to a determination to be free. Unlikely as it seemed, the Coland poorly-arme- d onists embarked on a war that eventually proved more than Britain could handle - thanks, in part, to other pressing problems in Europe. But contrary to the theory that only a third of the Colonists made it happen, Bailyn and others conclude most of the people wanted to oust the King - some were just cautiously quiet about it. Monday, if you do nothing else, take time to reflect on the momentous events of 1776 and how they changed the course of history, not only for Americans then and now but for the entire world. J |