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Show Columnist Recounts Election Night Drama - City Status Approved By Slim Margin (Editors Note: The of a reprint following Heres A Point, a column written the day after the Feb. 26, 1980 West Valley City election by Jim Cornwell, who was publisher of the Green Sheet Newspapers at the time.) is TT Midwifery isnt among our talents, so we cant compare the birth of a city to the birth of a baby. There are obvious differences. A baby arrives in this world breathing life and crying mightily. A city arrives a lifeless thing, and, in this case, rather quietly. Those whod struggled to make West Valley City a reality were jubilant, of course. Theyd seen the voters, by a scant margin, vindicate their judgment that the area was ready to chart its own destiny. But they were realistic enough to know a plurality of only 80 out of 10,300 votes cast was by no means a landslide decision. Obviously, West Valley City (or, for heavens sake, a better name than that) would have critics as it began its existence, as life was breathed into the hollow shell that is the governmental structure and as actual people replace the blank boxes on the organizational charts. Therell be some black moments ahead for Mayor Hank Price and his coleaders. Times, no doubt, when theyll wonder if convincing their fellow citizens to vote yes was wise. But if they can emerge from these times without dimmed enthusiasm, therell be rewards ahead. Rewards in the form of being part of a government thats close to home, with officials who are neighbors and friends. Rewards of and pride in the achievement of carving out of a burgeoning, sprawling, unincorporated area a future city. All those thoughts passed through our mind Tuesday night as we awaited, with other members of a mostly a audience, the voters decision. Television had taken over the election headquarters with its wires, lights, cameras, chattering people and the shining faces that peer out at us from behind the screen. Those faces, we noted with a smile, arent as casual as they appear to be when they pop into view from some remote place with an news-breaOr whatever TV in its showmanship terms it. They news-medi- ot rehearse endlessly, awaiting the moment the studio signals, Youre on! Then they endeavor to appear casual, relaxed and in command of the situation. This night, Channel 5s duo of Don Olsen and Jack Ford would learn a lesson about bond issues and incorporation votes. They cant be forecast like those computerized geniuses calculate national political cam- paigns. Fords pontifical pronouncement with only a n districts in, laid to rest forever the hopes of inhalf-doze- proponents. corporation Then, while those who saw what happened after his venture into political forecasting chuckled, he endeavored for the remainder of the evening to wipe the egg off his face. Meanwhile, our huddled group - candidates Walt Ewell and Hiland Kent, the Green Sheets editor, Don Robinson and staffer Mike Gorrell - were drawing no premature conclusions. Bill Barton heard the first return - a setback from District 8 and forced a tight smile. Hed tabbed that a losing district, but not so decisively. Districts 6 and 12 were k in favor, but Continued on page 6 ill-fat- 140-vo- - ... The second time Honk Price was elected mayor (Feb. ELECTION NIGHT 26, 1980), his expression reflected that city status proposal also passed. back-to-bac- Recycling Newspaper Helps Keep Utah Clean And Is A Great Way To Earn Extra Money Debby Christiansen and her daughter Angie of Sandy, Utah Open Mon-Fr- i 8-- 5, ' v.v.v.v.V.v. . sjjt yyyj .. ... .va-v- , w. v. w. |