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Show THE GREEN SHEET 2 Thursday, January 14, 1988 Letters Library Board Must Take Season - one of preparation, not celebratio... Therefore our Christmas lights are properly on through Jan. 5. Just thought youd like to know. -- Decisive Action, Not Simply React Theres danger when a public body is content to react instead of taking the bull by the horns and acting aggressively on behalf of those it has been elected or appointed Editorial e. Recent action by the Salt Lake County Lseem to indicate that at reactive one. a is; best, body We have concerns over two recent decisions made by that board: the continued deibrary Board would lay in announcing site selection for a library Magna and the decision to finally build another library in Sandy. In the Sandy case officials have been lobbying the county for several years about insufficient library services. One relatively small facility is not sufficient to serve the g comneeds of that large and munity. Not until the Sandy City Council made it clear that they were going to pull out of the County System and take with them more than $1 million per year in revenue did the board devised a plan whereby Sandy will finally receive upgraded services. West Valley City is in a similar situation. in ever-growin- There have been rumblings in West Valley about pulling out and if the Library Boards track record is any indication, push may have to come to shove before any action is taken. In has Magna, community The the decision. issue library helped delay is one of several that led to formation of a new community council. It is doubtful that the two factions in Magna are ever going to reach an agreement concerning site selection. It should be the charge of the County Library System to determine where the library will be located, keeping in mind the best interests of that community as well as the financial status of the entire system. If action were to be taken, Magna should accept the site and the important issue of providing adequate library services would be solved. Most citizens probably dont really care where the library is located as long as it is of sufficient size and scope to meet the needs of the community. Perhaps it is unfair to dump the responsibility for lack of action in the lap of a volunteer citizen board. All county boards, including school boards, are only as strong as the person wearing the administrators cloak. The County Library System has a new administrator and the Green Sheet hopes she has the strength and resolve to steer the board into making timely decisions based on proven need. It will benefit everyone concerned if Library Board decisions are not based solely on exterior pressures from people who cannot possibly have the entire picture. People who would no doubt still see only their own narrow view if they did have all of the facts. Is Proper Goal For State Welfare Plan Self-sufficien- cy disadvantage as taxpayers. Utahs new plan seeks to assist clients to attain their individual maximum potential for Utah Welfare Program Aims at announced a headline on a release from the Utah Foundation. Now thats good news for everyone, taxpayer and 'welfare' recipient alike. "Can the welfare be improved by using welfare as short-terintervention rather than m mess public crisis as a dole?" That was the question posed by the Foundation in light of Utahs latest welfare proposal and the general concern with welfare programs across the long-ter- nation. According to the Foundation, Utah is in the process of implementing a project entitled "Welfare and the Individual Potential Working Together For -- Dear Editor: I enjoy reading the "Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down", column. However, this last issue was a bit Sincerely, erroneous. Judy Metz The Christian custom of candles and lights during Murray the Christmas season dates back hundreds of years. Lights or candles are lit during the Christmas season which is from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6. The date of Jan. 6 commemorates the Feast of the Epiphany and the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child. Commercialism dictates that the Christmas season should begin on Thanksgiving. How unfortunate! This period of time prior to Christmas is the Season of Advent which Christian Faiths observe as a time of penance and preparation for the Feast of Christmas. Please do not "Thumbs Down" those of us who maintain this ancient Christian custom. There are some of us who will not be subjected to the commercialism of Christmas. After all, Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ the Savior of the world. ' Sincerely yours in Christ, Father Anthony S. Spinosa Saint Jude Maronite Catholic Church 12 Days Of Dear Editor: "Thumbs Down - Predictions Dear Editor: Now that you have made your predictions for 1988 and have saved us the trouble of voting for governor and president by declaring the winners of the elections, let me make a few predictions of my own: 1. The West Valley View will soon be carried at the checkout counter with the other reliable weeklies which print their unreliable and trashy yearly predictions. 2. The West Valley View will have a lot of egg on its iront page next November for printing such unsellable gossip. 3. Astrology will be exposed as having the same reliability as Gary Harts fidelity. 4. The West Valley View will be lining my parrots cage eveiy week in 1988 and rhy parrot wont even Sincerely, Bonnie Linton West Valley Christmas - To people who leave their Christmas lights on past Jan. 1. Why? What is wrong with celebrating Christmas all through the twelve days of Christmas, which have traditionally begun on 25 December and gone through 5 January? Of course, if you have succumbed to the siren call of the merchants who begin celebrating Christmas before Thanksgiving, you are tired of Christmas before it properly begins and are ready to end it when it should just be starting. But if you are looking at the original meaning of Christmas and are celebrating the coming of the Son of God to earth, you may well want to keep the Christmas lights burning throughout the Christmas season, and not turn them off on 26 December or 1 January, season has just because the Christmas-shoppin- Protest Registered Dear Editor: I am writing this letter in protest of your "Thumbs Down" on people who leave their Christmas lights on after Jan. 1. For the Gentile Christian, the coming of the Wise Men to worship the Babe of Bethlehem is part of the Christmas season. This celebration occurs at Epiphany which falls on Jan.. 6. In my opinion, the Christmas lights should burn brightly through this festival as a part of the Christmas celebration. g ended. and would contain realistic and achievable goals. Its easy for you and me to sit in our comfortable homes and offices while recognizing that and criticize welfare recipients a small segment of thdjxit4tioif ' jm4T, welfare plans. And there have disabilities jbC'th have- been some problems with maymental and physical, that require ' both: However, never having had long-tersupport and assistance. to "walk a mile in their shoes, I The program also seeks to help wouldnt be too quick to criticize people in marginal circumstances. people who need help. I find the It does not discontinue support for older I get the less quick I am to part-tim- e have who those judge others. Maybe its because I draw daily closer to the ultimate While welfare employment. Sincerely, Mildred Zafft Murray Sincerely, B. Degges West Valley John Wants To Be Heard 1 - grants are reduced in time, it is judgement. I think it is a tragedy that there not to the point of destroying the so many people in this are to work. incentive country who are homeless. Far Do I hear the sound of too many children are suffering applause out there? Well, Fm from circumstances beyond their control. Beyond the control ot going to join you. Change." The Foundation says the newly piloted plan provides a basis for optimism despite the fact that full implementation might require substantial additional resources in money and staff. Robert Rules- ; v . Dear Editor: I have been following the reports on the annexation proposal with interest as I live in the Kearns area. Wondering if my area was included I called the West Valley City Hall to ask. The woman I spoke with told me our area was not, so I relaxed. However, a recent article I read had a map that showed our area was indeed included. This concerns me in that I feel our community is not being allowed to voice its opinions or objections, nor have we been given enough information on what the area included truly is and how it will affect those families included in the area. We purchased our home in the Kearns area because this is where we wanted to be. If we had wanted a house in West Valley we would have bought it there. I feel this proposal should have been given more examination by those it will affect. Somehow I had thought the people had a voice in their own government or doesnt that include the people here in Kearns. . ''( 4obIc 'VfUX iV , L. !'". ti , v J .. - i. , A Uil ' Dear Editor: I appreciated the article on parliamentary procedure in the Jan. 7 Green Sheet. It is true that many people have no knowledge of the procedures that can speed parliamentary debate and clarify the results. There was, however, a discordant note in the article: the author of the standard manual for parliamentary procedure was named not Roberts, but Robert, and the name of his book is Roberts Rules of Order. A small point, perhaps, but one of accuracy in naming. Incidentally, if a body that engages in debate has not formally adopted Roberts Rules of Order as its standard, no one is compelled to follow those rules, and confusion may freely reign (unless another set of rules is adopted, as is done by some bodies). Sincerely, John B. Degges West Valley The Green Sheet welcomes contributions to both Letters to the Editor" and 4s I See It." Letters " not contain libelous comments. They must be signed, but the writers name will be withheld for adequate Kearns proposal does not suggest that poverty can be made to disappear. - should be confined to a length of 250 words or less and Melissa Hanson The It does on the operate most that individuals assumption can be assisted to become For years many of criticized us have welfare because the programs recipients tend to become wholly dependent. In fact, in many states they are discouraged from helping themselves because they lose benefits. Many people are unable to make it totally on their own, but when they get some income, they lose all welfare assistance and its to their advantage to stay on welfare. Which is to our Epiphany Explained cause. Christian Celebration Dear Editor: I cant help but wonder what took them so long to devise such a plan. One of the innovative aspects is a proposal to make individual contracts between the welfare recipient and the State Dept, ot Social Services. The contracts would be responsive to individual circumstances and capabilities their parents in many cases. Id like to shake my finger at them and say "ge't a job." But I dont know what brought to their present circumstances. I do know it is, according to the Good Book, our responsibility to provide some form of assistance. I personally will be much happier if that assistance is not a simple dole. Its quite possible that will also make the recipient happier. Many of these people have considerable pride, but all too often programs rob them of that. The Foundation report points out that Utahs new plan will cost more at the onset and that it cant be implemented all at once. Once it is implemented, however, it is that there will anticipated cost actually be considerable them savings. In addition to that, there should be a savings in terms of human values and pride. If you ask me, thats a big huge plus. Consider this a'pat on the back for those who finally woke up and' created what looks like a workable plan. Now if only the legislature is on its toes .... Regarding your "Thumbs Down" in todays Green Sheet: many Christian (Roman, Catholic, Episcopal and Lutheran) religions celebrate the Christmas Season from midnight Dec. 24 to Jan. 6 (Epiphany).. The prior to Dec. 25th is the Advent four-week- tfe welcome lengthier correspondence for possible use as "As I See It" commentaries. Primary consideration will be given to those submitted by people with expertise in the topic about which they write. A brief description of that expertise should accompany the submission. All submissions are subject to editing for space and clarity. They may be addressed to: The Green Sheet, P.O. Box 7187, Murray, Utah 84107. s Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down THUMBS UP To those residents who diligently clear a path for the postman whether he be delivering by motorized vehicle or walking the route. They want you to know that they appreciate it. By the same. lOKvIi THUMBS DOWN - To those who fail to clear the area in front of their mail box. We do recognize that some residents could use some assistance from their neighbors. The postal service is dedicated to delivering the mail despite the conditions encountered But it doesnt take too many snowbanks to slow down service for everyone. - THUMBS DOWN To the Green Sheet editor for suggesting too hasty an end to the Christmas season celebration without recognizing the religious significance of Jan. 6. Would it be o.k. to sugget that those lights should be turned off by now? THUMBS DOWN cules - To those people who still do not believe that Her- wasis serious about pulling out of the Salt Lake if the valley overpressure zone issue is not resolved. We recognize the concerns of not and do but believe the limited annexation Kearns, Magna is damaging to either area. Losing Hercules would be a severeproposal blow to the entire county. I j |