Show Trr? t t 4 f PWfCWiigl rr-- r I Land Swap Paves Wii for New U Sports Center 1 By Dawn Tracy Tribune Staff Writer University of Utah officials have approved trading undeveloped land valued at about $2 million for a site near the Special Events Center to build a $55 million indoor sports complex 20-ac- re The facility named the George S Eccles Sports Center will include a intercollegiate competition tennis building an indoor athletic practice facility and three outdoor football fields The six-cou- rt ‘ center will be built entirely by private donations pledged for a sports complex according to university officials property The latter parcel is located at the southwest corner of Guardsman Way and 500 South near the Special Events Center So far the university has collected $27 million toward the project including a pledge from the George S and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation of $15 million The Utah National Guard plans to relocate part of its operations to a newly acquired site in Draper The Legislature must approve the trade in order for the land exchange to become final At the university’s Institutional Council Monday officials approved trading trust lands at an undetermined site in southern Utah for Utah National Guard The trade will affect less than 5 percent of the 25000 acres of trust lands earmarked for the university said Walter P Gnemi vice -I j J j ! k 4 A Faulty Transmitter Took KTVX Off Air By Paul Roily Tribune Staff Writer The day after a Salt Lake City television station ran a news story last week that questioned the activities of Daggett County officials that station went off in the county’s biggest town and it has been off ever since - But the sudden disappearance of KTVX Channel 4 from the television screens of Manila Utah was just an unfortunate coincidence officials said Monday “Of all the units that had to go out it had to be that one” said Warren Angwin of Mountain Home Wyo who is in charge of maintaining transmitters in the Uinta Mountains to bring television service to the which can be used for storage and plant operations he said Currently there are no indoor facilities for the university football team The track team practices at East High School and there are no adequate facilities for the tennis team according to Mr Gnemi “Money for a sports complex opened many new areas of donations we wouldn't otherwise have received" said Mike Mattsson vice president for development “People perceived a need and Local alt fake $fibune Critical Story Didn’t Quiet TVs in Manila president of Academic Services The federal government made trust lands available nearly a century ago when Utah became a state to support public activities The State Division of Lands holds the lands in trust Mr Gnemi said the State Division of Lands is willing to consider trading the National Guard property for trust lands of equal value Market value of the Guardsman Way parcel is estimated to be $2 million to $25 million Three buildings are located on the property pledged money specially for a sports center" The National Guard property is adjacent to the campus and is an ideal site for central storage a hazardous waste processing facility as well as a sports complex said university officials The Institutional Council authorized the university in conjunction with the State Division of Facilities Construction and Management to select an architect and to award a contract as funding becomes available Tuesday Morning— January 13 1987 Section B o o Page 1 DePaulis Warns of $2 Million City Shortfall By Conrad Walters Tribune Staff Writer Salt Lake City purportedly took extreme measures to budget conservatively last year but Mayor Palmer DePaulis told department heads Monday to brace for a $2 million shortfall The fiscal hole is attributable to revenues from sales tax and parking meter tickets coming in under budget expectations Chief of Staff Mike Zuhl said After last year’s extraordinary efforts to rid the city budget of dwindling federal money and to prepare a conservative budget the city hoped to avoid what seems to be a perennial shortfall “I think everyone is disappointed about it” Mr Zuhl said About $15 million of the gap is attributable to low sales-ta- x revenues Manufacturing wholesale trade and mining elements of the economy were worse than anticipated Mr Zuhl said The sales-ta- x figures were based on conservative state projections of 3 percent growth The state has continually lowered those figures until now it projects a slight decline Since December the city has had indications that sales-ta- x revenue might be skimpy but action was postponed until this week with the hope that other revenues might compensate They did not The other major shortfall came from the city’s new parking meter tickets In July the city raised rates for parking violations and made it a civil offense instead of a criminal city didn't pick up the ball” City Attorney Roger Cutler said After six months however the city has agreed to front postage and paperwork expenses to get the state to go after parking violators “We’re going to vigorously pursue and collect the old Hckets” Mr Zuhl said The new system also got off to a slow start with fewer tickets being written and fewer being paid perhaps because of higher fines and becivil accoming a one Part of the problem on the parking ticket revenues is that neither the state nor the city has followed through on collecting the old criminal fines Mr Zuhl said the state was reluctant to expend the effort and money to collect the revenues it shares with the city “The state quit doing it and the tion A solution has not been formulated for the shortfall yet but city services appear safe from cuts Mr Zuhl said department heads were asked Monday to examine their budgets for areas to trim Other cuts are likely to be taken from capital projects One probable cut is the city’s reserve fund The city budgeted $500000 to augment the fund which is far below the recommended level but Mr Zuhl said the additional money will probably be sacrificed to overcome the shortfall A hiring freeze has also been discussed but has not been finalized sparsely populated communities there “I’m aware of all the rumors" he said "But there was no other reason than that the unit went out and we are trying as best we can to get it repaired and get the station back on the air” Rumors spread around the tiny eastern Utah town of Manila over the weekend that the station was taken off the air because it ran a story embarrassing the county commissioners The county pays for the installation and maintenance of transmitters to bring the three main Salt Lake City television stations — KTVX KSL and KUTV — to Manila and the other small towns nestled between the mountains in this rural recreational area The commission hires Mr Angwin to maintain the transmitters and a small portion of residents’ property taxes go toward maintaining that service KTVX ran a story last Wednesday night and again Thursday about the commissions suspension of County Assessor Marie Beckstead during an See B-- 2 Column Slate Wins a Round A Cancer Cure Or a Danger? Sales Blocked The Utah Attorney General’s Of- 1 Hike Planned Officials Expect Hostile Crowd At Tax Hearing A hearing Wednesday on a proposto raise taxes in Salt Lake County is expected to draw a large crowd to the county commission’s new quarters at 2001 S State St But commission Chairman Bart Barker is certain the crowds won’t be there to “pat us on the backs” “Everybody who goes to the hearing has an interest that is special for them” Mr Barker says “People who go to those hearings aren’t there to pat us on the backs In years past we’ve proposed cutting services and it’s drawn huge crowds Now we’re proposing a tax increase It will draw a huge crowd” The hearing which begins at 5:30 pm is required by the Truth in Taxation law before commissioners can taxes enough to generate raise $500000 for the County Fire Department and $750000 for the sheriffs budget Approval of the supplement would add an estimated $964 to taxes on a $70000 house in the unincorporated county and push the bill for county services to $39556 Nearly a month ago commissioners approved this year’s spending package of $2296 million down $42 million from 1986 and $38 million less than elected officials and top administrators believe is needed this year The truth in taxation hearing was scheduled after public safety backers — many of them county workers — packed a Dec 12 hearing to oppose budget cuts that would have forced layoff of 55 deputies and 23 firefighters Since then administrators have made other cuts to save jobs Sheriff Pete Hayward will trim uniform allowances and overtime pay and eliminate education incentives — decisions that when coupled with higher insurance premiums will cost deputies So even without the budget supplement layoffs should be reduced to 25 At the fire department Chief Shirl Maxfield believes that even if the supplement is cut economies from restricting vehicle use to abandoning some programs would save seven or eight firefighters from the termination list Still the loss of 15 or 16 firefighters could reduce the size of some engine crews from four to three That would make firefighting more dangerous and could boost fire insurance premiums While it seems logical that commissioners should reduce lesser-priorit-y items and forget the tax increase Mr Barker stresses that can’t be done because other funds in the municipal services’ budget that finances those services are too tight For example the highway department will get $83 million this year down $350000 from 1986 and far below a $103 million request This year’s spending levels contemplate an end to d highway expansion And snow will linger on some subdivision streets because overtime is betfig reduced al ? first of three giant natural gas engines crosses the Southern Pacific causeway Monday morning on last leg of The —Tribune Staff Photo by i I Al Hartmann trip to Hogup Ridge Box Elder County where it will pump water out of Great Salt Lake 4000-mil- e cross-countr- y First Engine Reaches Desert Pump Site By Mike Gorrell Tribune Staff Writer HOGUP RIDGE Box Elder County — Without much fanfare the first engine for the west desert pumping project reached its destination Monday The final leg of the y shipment from New York was completed without a hitch early Monday afternoon when Fred Putnam drove his rig carrying the natural-ga- s engine up to the pump plant site on Hogup Ridge He had just crossed the Southern Pacific railroad causeway from Lakeside the only delay arising when Mr Putnam had to raise the g trailer bed several inches so that it wouldn’t catch on the railroad tracks or any irregular features on the adjoining road on the earthen causeway cross-countr- fice Monday obtained a temporary restraining order against a Washington corporation that is allegedly attempting to sell a miracle cure for AIDS and cancer in Utah through a pyramid scheme : A lawsuit filed Monday in 3rd District Court alleged United Network Marketing its representatives Bob and Kay Holker and "Does were attempting to recruit salespeople in Utah to sell a product called “Germanium” which they claim is a cure of cancer AIDS diabetes high blood pressure migraine headaches epilepsy leukemia “and other diseases" "False representations that a cure exists for these diseases in the form of a medicine called Germanium constitute a health hazard for those relying on such representations and could result in their premature By Rodd G Wagner Tribune Staff Writer deaths” the lawsuit claims Assistant Utah Attorney General Orem City will not try to keep the James L Barker Jr said Judge terms of a police brutality lawsuit Frank G Noel granted a restraining settlement secret and will disclose order and scheduled a hearing Jan 21 them if the other parties in the suit at 10 am at which the defendants consent the city attorney said Monwill be required to show why the temday “To be very honest I’d love to disporary restraining order should not be made permanent close that to you” said City Attorney Paul Johnson Mr Johnson said the The Holkers held a rally at the city would consult with the plaintiffs’ Rodeway Inn in Salt Lake City Jan 7 in which they purportedly were “reattorney and Utah Risk Management Association which represents the cruiting salespersons to sell defendants’ product in the State of Utah city to reveal the settlement and a pyramid scheme” ac"put the whole thing to rest” offering The attorney's comments followed cording to an affidavit filed by Division of Consumer Affairs Investigaa Tribune story Saturday in which tor Phyllis Frankel two local media lawyers questioned whether the secrecy was legal beAlso attached to the lawsuit is an cause it involved a government entitaffidavit by Salt Lake City County yHealth Director Dr Harry Gibbons Also Monday notice was placed which states that there is no known cure for cancer or AIDS and that anyamong papers for news media review one making unfounded representaat US District Court for Utah of antions about a cure “constitutes a hazother similar settlement also with a ard to the health of the people of the secrecy clause made on behalf of state of Utah" several Murray police officers There t low-lyin- The Layton Construction Co crews building the pump plant that will house the engine paid scant attention to its arrival and the only state official on hand was Division of Water Resources spokesman Ron Ollis who recorded the event on videotape Now Mr Putnam just has to re4000-mil- e peat the three-wee- k journey two more times The engine’s arrival will help facilitate the projected start-u- p of the first of three pumps designed to lower the level of the rising Great Salt Lake The pump plant is taking shape rapidly Crews were working Monday on the floor of the engine room which sits atop six bays through which the salty water will flow to the pumps On the opposite side of the plant other construction workers were g criss-crossin- steel reinforcement bars to establish the features of the outlet structure over which the water will be pumped into a canal that will carry it five miles to the west desert Scattered around the area are components of the first pump which will be combined and installed once the plant reaches the appropriate stage of comple50-fo- tion Brad Dickson a sales manager for Ingersoll-Ranwhich is building the three pumps and engines said the impeller (the pump's internal propeller) that lifts the water from the bays to the canal arrived at the site Friday Once the engine is slid into position and the pump and all auxiliary systems are installed a team of Ingersoll-Ran- d technical service engineers will be transported to Hogup Ridge to conduct a variety d of test procedures “to make sure the engine will run smoothly in the field” Mr Dickson said He doesn’t expect any problems since the engine was tested in the factory and while large it is quite similar to other units in the company’s latest generation of engines The specialists will examine fuel consumption and bearings and will monitor cylinder temperatures and pressures “to ensure there isn’t anything that indicates a problem with the engine It’s just a normal checkout of the engine and controls” including the and cooling systems Mr Dickson said fuel-supp- Meanwhile Southern Pacific crews continue to deposit and stack large boulders along the north side of the causeway City Wants Consent of Plaintiffs Before Disclosing Terms Orem: We’re Not Keeping Settlement Secret are indications such confidential settlements may be widely used by the insurance carriers of Utah cities News of the confidential lawsuit settlements has opened a debate among the press attorneys and state officials as to whether such payments can be kept secret under Utah open records laws tnd Utah case law Key to the debate is whether an insurance agency or municipal association acting on behalf of a city being sued is also under the requirement of those laws While indicating a willingness to see the Orem lawsuit opened to public scrutiny Mr Johnson does not believe the city or the URMA is under obligation to do so “It’s not public money they don't have to tell anyone” Mr Johnson said Monday “You get that step removed from direct tax money payment and you’ve lost the duty of public disclosure "You’ll get the information I’m confident but not because there's an obligate to do so” he said "I disagree with that When you have 39 cities banding together to accomplish something the URMA that’s still public money” said a state records official who asked not to be identified rather than be confused as speaking for state policy which is not explicit on the issue In late December a private insurance company representing Murray City paid Jurgen Karl Benglan a reportedly small settlement to drop his suit against several Murray officers he accused of wrongful arrest That case is also under a secrecy agreement but Murray City Attorney Craig Hall said he believes most municipal lawsuits including the current case should be made public "Because it concerns tax money most of it should be open to the public” he said However the city attorneys also point out that they often have no choice on how the settlements are made because many insurance contracts give he insurer the right to settle the case without the city's sent con- “The city doesn’t have the ultimate G Gilchrist who represented Murray's insurance carrier in the Benglan case “It's different if the city had said ‘No way’ then it would be more in the public say” said lawyer Robert realm” But payments on behalf of a city and made because of tax dollars paid in premiums still would stand the argument for public disclosure said media attorney Pat Shea In the Orem case the URMA was standing behind its decision Friday not to release details of the settlement But early Monday URMA Executive Director Byrce McEuen said the association’s position might change by late this week Walter Parcell one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit said he would not protest disclosure of the settlement if his attorney did not object His attorney was not available for comment i $20O-a-mon-th county-finance- pi M 1 m m f |