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Show SOUTHERN UTAH NEWS Opinion Letters Continued from Page 4 Jesus Christ and the thoughts and prayers of all our friends and neighbors can make us all better people because of Pats passing. Gods blessings to each and every one of you. The Lane Burrows family Set a good example - buckle up. Dear Editor: How would you be affected if a member ofyour family particularly a child was permanently disabled, or even killed, because heshe was not properly re- strained in a safety belt, child safety seat or booster seat when a crash occurred? Taking the extra second to make sure that everyone in the car is buckled up increases your familys chance of surviving a crash. Child safety seats reduce the risk of death by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for children ages one to four. But sadly, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages four to 14, and 56 percent of all children under the age of 15 that were killed in crashes in 2000 were unre- strained. . ' . and families, we must do more to raise adult safety belt use. When a To protect children driver is buckled up, children are buckled up 94 percent of the time. However, when a driver is not buckled up, children are restrained only 30 percent of the time. As adults, we cannot compromise a childs safety by allowing them to ride unrestrained. Crashes are devastating to an unbuckled child. The crash forces impacting an unrestrained child in a 30 crash are equivalent to dropping him or her from a third mile-per-ho- ur story window. Adults who dont buckle up are sending a deadly message to their children that its okay to not wear a safety belt. But are these good behaviors to demonstrate to youth when every 15 seconds someone is injured in a traffic crash, and every 13 minutes someone is killed in a traffic crash? In an instant a familys fife can change. So instead of taking a chance by riding unrestrained, buckle every family member and passenger, every trip, every time. WEDNESDAY MARCH 26, 2003 Sincerely, ates under statutory Ph.D. Louis R. DeCarolis, writers diatribe against the the previous board of county com- People for USA (PFUSA) and its membership. The reference to these Commissioners. ..wore black armbands is untrue and patently improper. PFUSA members participated in the public process. I encourage the writer to do the same. The writers reference to tax money to oppose the monument is unclear. Several counties and the Utah Association ofCounties are using legislative designated funding to legally challenge the designation of the monument. That lawsuit was in place prior to the PFUSA. Kane County, like all other entities, consists of residents with differing interests and opinions. It is proper that we try to prevail regarding our point of view. Our system provides for open participation. I encourage the writer to present and in fact, fight for, his interests. However, I also suggest that we stay and avoid personal attacks and demeaning personal references. I encourage all residents to participate in public meetings. The County Commission has been, and will continue to fairly listen and consider your issues. issue- -oriented Mark W. Habbeshaw, Commissioner, Kane County Thanks for the support Dear Editor: We ! at the Volunteer Center would like to thank the Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop, Honeys Jubilee, Turn Program, Washington County Volunteer Center, Kanab City Library, Commissioners Spencer, Hulet and Habbeshaw and all of our individual supporters who have given donations and support in our opening office facilities so that we can better serve the community. Everything that we have in our office has been a generous donation. We hope to have all of you come in to see the programs that we have available, YOU can help in volunteering and its a lot of fun. Thank You, Commissioners as provided in Utah Code Annotated Section in- stances, the commissioners 17 helped with funding. Some of the newer on-goi- projects, ng i.e. Duck Creek Village and the Hydroplant, were not only fully reviewed with the past commissioners but they have also been reported to the new commissioners and reviewed on the ground. All projects were evaluated and approved for implementation in some form in the KCWCD July 1997 Master Plan (see Iden- tified Needs Chap. 7 & Alternatives (projects) Chap. 8). This 15 year plan received full public participation and input over a two year, period and is available for review at the KCWCD office and the Kanab City Library. Other pertinent planning documents, i.e. Kane y County Regional Water Capital Facilities Reports and site specific environmental documentation, also identify the four projects. Special public meetings were held to discuss the Johnson Canyon WID and Duck Creek WID, in addition to the monthly noticed KCWCD board meeting. KCWCD has reserved the necessary ROWS to construct the Cove Hydro Generation facility, which is 60 complete. KCWCD Board Appoint-ments-Modem Civic Lesson: The (KCWCD) was organized as a political subdivision of the State of Utah and a body corporate with all the powers of a public or municipal corporation on October 15, 1992. Members Plan-Culinar- -'- Call , Our city and county have been the beneficiaries of these important funds on a need basis rather than a two or four year political cycle. Additional oversight-th- e KCWCD is required to provide a comprehensive financial audit to the state for approval each year (see County Clerk or KCWCD to review). I hope the citizens of Kane County recognize the great job that the appointed volunteer KCWCD Board does and the tremendous asset the Conservancy District is to all of us. If you have any questions on any of these matters, please con7 6 tact me at or or write the KCWCD at P.O. Box 122, Kanab, Utah 84741. 644-399- 644-399- Sincerely, Michael Noel, Executive Director KCWCD A ;::;?We thinkk islil us at 644-290- 0 ' today to sign up! Title & Pawn Loans Post-Date- d Checks Loans on anything of value. Car, Boat, ATV, Trailer Titles. Guns, Jewelry & Electronics. Reply to Thompson Dear Editor: The March 19 letter to the editor posing questions about the Kane County Water Conservancy District (KCWCD) requires a response. ' ' Briefly, all of the identified1 Water Conservancy District and Water Board in the State of Utah including the State Division of Water Resources and the State Division of Drinking Water Boards who are appointed by the Governor in similar fashion. These appointed boards disperse millions of dollars in taxpayers funds throughout the state of Utah each year. The Cedar Post Trading Co. . Mr. For the past 10 years all commissions have fully complied with the state law and the KCWCD Articles of Incorporation in appointing the Board of Trustees to the conservancy district. This process parallels every Isn't it about time you subscribed to the award winning Southern Utah News'! Terra Sue Robinson (Volunteer Center) Kay Birmingham (Turn Program) Laura Bowler Service (Senior Corps) non-complian- ce - missioners and in several A require- ments and guidance and is quasiindependent from the County Commission Commission. The writer is welcome to present responsibility factual issues to the WCD Board and fairness and then to the Commission afDear Editor: ter getting on the agenda if he so ' A recent letter to the editor desires in the future; - N I would be remiss if I did not projects in the letter were fully of the Board of Trustees are apoffer another perspective to the and appropriately reviewed with pointed by the Kane County strongly complained about the writers treatment before the County Commission. It is important to correct the letter writers errors in perception and fact, both regarding his treatment by the Commission and about his concerns about Commission responsibility regarding the operation of the Water Conservancy District (WCD). The writer requested to make an extempore presentation to the Commission during a Commission meeting. He was allowed to do so although he was not on the agenda for the meeting. The writer complained that WCD Director Mike Noel ran the WCD rather than the WCD Board or the County Commission. I advised him that he was stating his personal opinion and that he should present facts related to an issue that the Commission could consider. As he was presenting his prepared questions, Mike Noel, who is also a State Representative, called to see if the Commission was still available to hear the rest of his legislative update from earlier in the day. Noel arrived and answered the writers WCD project questions in great detail and in a way that the Commission believed was more than satisfactory. After approximately 30 minutes ofdebate regarding his first couple of questions, ! advised the writer that we were not there to debate and needed to move on to his other questions. At that point the writer stated that we were not interested in his questions and stood up to leave. Comr missioner Spencer advised the writer that he and Mike Noel could discuss the matter further in the hallway in an effort to provide further clarification to the writer. The Commission has allowed full discussion of all issues and rather than being arrogant or rude,, we allowed the writer more time to discuss his unscheduled concerns than most scheduled agenda subjects receive in Commission Meetings. It is important to realize that all 6100 or so county residents are not going to agree on all issues. I encourage residents to participate in the public process, but we need to accept that our view of an issue may not be consistent with the majority of county residents or in the best interest of the county as a whole. In this case the decisions that the writer was complaining about were made by the previous Commission after proper consideration. The WCD oper- Locally Owned 644-523I - - k..l. 9 1 -- A - L . 91 W. i & Operated Center, Kanab I I I . J t |