Show 9 Volume 76 Gunnison Utah 84634 Number 24 Wednesday June 18 1997 50 cents Hospital proposes no cost increases for new year Gunnison City employees took time to raise the flag on Flag Day Saturday June 14 The flags along Main Street in Gunnison really gives the town a hometown feel ' Wrestlers raising funds for program In an effort to raise funds for the wrestling program at Gunnison Valley High School the wrestlers are selling a ticket package This consists of several 2 for specials at the Star Theater Lotsa Motsa Pizza Subway sandwich S&S Video and Oasis Sports Park There is also a grand prize ticket included There will be a drawing on July 4 for a CD player These tickets can be purchased from any wrestler for $500 The savings to you totals $1300 The Wrestling Booster Club would like to thank the businesses for their support in this fund raiser If anyone would be interested in buying one of these tickets they can contact Coach or Booster Club President Ledingham by Anita Lyons Staff Writer “We’re proposing we can go another fiscal increases year without any and still stay in good financial shape” said CFO Virgel Blackham during the Hospital Board’s budget meeting June Blackham Administrator Greg Rosenvall and Hospital Department Heads prepared the budget for the board’s review “Department by department we tried to keep increases under three percent” reported Blackham Overall the budget expenses increased by that other businesses in order to remain profitable have cut back on the health care proHe gave an example: vided for employees workers are given a five percent increase for the year The employee then decides where to take the increase in wages or benefits The worker can take all five percent in wages two percent in wages and three percent in benefits and so forth “That’s a nasty thing for employees I understand” said Blackham “but at some point we’ve got to say ‘no’” The crease in insurance benefits “needs to be mon every year” he continued “eleven perpercent The board reviewed increases in various cent is a pretty good increase” three was over One area Adjustments represent the biggest impact percent departments increase with a on the budget The hospital has to budget maintenance funds based on the actual amount of reimBlackham explained that it was due to equipment maintenance contracts for newly pur- bursement it will receive from Medicare and lab such as the insurance companies For example a Medichased machines in the care patient will be billed $500 for hospital cat scan The projected increase of Employee ben- rare but Medicare will only pay $250 The efits (health and retirement plans) is perhospital has to make an “adjustment” AdminNo changes have been made in istrator Rosenvall said “We try to forecast cent what we’re going to actually receive from employee’s benefits this year Board Member Bruce Blackham commented Medicare and Insurance Companies” At this point in fiscal year 997 the hospital has netted $91 1995 In fiscal year 1998 the CFO proposed net income is $793264 Blackham recommended that the board continue the practice of placing money ($5 10000 last year in a Capital Improvement Fund “so we’re always able to replace the assets as they lie continued “You want to depreciate" maintain the needs in three areas: operating costs keep three month’s worth in the bank capital reserve and funds to service our debt besides bonds the hospital owes on recently the board that newsletters wou Id be sent “ When we have something significant we want to share” which he said would be “maybe twice a year” Home Health Director David Workman presented the revised Home Health Policy Manual for the board (o review “By law it’s intact and correct” he reported Although the number of visits made by home health nurses dropped in April the number is steadily 1164 visits were made in April creasing “We’ve seen more utilization per patient and we’ve seen an increase in patients” explained Workman He reported that he is also working to “bring the staff up to good levels so they are not burned out” Before the recent addition of nurses some staff members were working hours a week The board approved a switch of auditor to Tanner and Company from Salt Lake City equipment” purchased The board approved a budget just over nine million for fiscal year 1998 Administrator Also at the meeting Rosenvall asked the board ifthe hospital newsletter was “worth the time and effort” ($3000 to send to all the PO boxes in the valley) Chief of Staff Von Pratt commented “I don’t think it’s a bad expense at all” Rosenvall told v fS'Shfil J - Centerfield approves new nuisance ordinance Stephanie Young ff nnrcm jeq u ires parti ci patiorr Legal notices of interest to Gunnison Valley readers today are located In various places in today's newspaper! Notice of County Sales & Use Tax Public Hearing on Page 2 Position open on Gunnison Police Force published on Page 8 utr Notice to Contractors from DOT published on Page 8 by Anita Lyons Staff Writer Centerfield Town Council Members unani- mously approved anuisance ordinance in their meeting June 9 The ordinance details what He reported that in Richfield 75 percent of the people cited complied with the ordinance within 25 days “It was amazing how clean will be defined as a nuisance property and sets fines for violators ($200 per day for commercial owners and $50 a day for residential things got” he said Also at the meeting Joyce Lange met with the town council about a piece of property next to her house on the comer of owners) Paul Lyman lawyer and mayorofRichfield reviewed the ordinance (which Richfield has already adopted) with the council He sug- First South and Highway 89 According to county records the land is Centerfield’s Lange reported that when she bought the property from Ina Sorenson she was told the land had gested that a hearing officer or a hearing committee be designated to list violators and pass off clean up efforts Lyman said “Elected officials ought to be above all this” been purchased from the town and belonged to the home There are no records in town minutes of the transaction although former mayor Val Jean Hansen and town clerk Lyman advised the council to take their cases to small claims court because they will have an answer within one month He said Mardell Jensen believe the land was sold The council believing the land transaction had taken place but hadn’t been recorded Richfield set the fines high to “get attention fast” Within one week a commercial owner voted to deed the piece will have $1000 in fines Of course if the property is cleaned up within 25 days the fine The ultimate goal of the may be lowered ordinance is to “get the place cleaned up” commented Lyman of land to Lange Generally against apartments being in the master plan for Centerfield the council approved the idea of allowing one “assessable Assessable housing unit” per town block housing is an apartment included within a residential home £L Gunnison Valley Firefighters responded to a fire at the Laddie Pruett home on West Center on Sunday afternoon According to Pruett the fire was started and contained in a storage room Damage was primarily smoke related No one was injured Mayfield meeting busy with continuing business by Olivia Cornell The regular city Council meeting for Mayfield was called early and held at 5 pm instead of the regularly scheduled 8 pm June Garth Vest reported that the town springs are llow ing good The new chainlink fence for the cemetery ’ 1th has been completed on the North side and Van Minutes from the last regular meeting were Malmgren reported that the west side will be’’ read by Catherine Bartholomew and approved started any day The bill for $3300 was submitted for payment by the City Council Bills were presented and approved for payJohn Hutchinson reported that a work party ment has been scheduled for June 20th and 2 st for Miss Panoramaland readys for Pageant Dawn Dahlsrud the present Miss Panoramaland will compete in the Miss Utah at Mountain View High pageant June School in Orem Dahlsrud’s community service went along with her platform “Love of Literacy” where she assisted and encouraged elementary and middle school students to not shared only read but to enjoy reading She stories experiences and classic literature selections with the young students to enhance their love of the written word Dahlsrud’s talent is piano selection entitled from songs of Spain com“Prelude Op232 honor posed by Albeniz She has chosen to Kim Robinson during the pageant week as her theme is the which “hero” pageant community Dahlsrud just finished her freshman year at Snow College where she is on academic scholShe was a arship and majoring in member of the Miss Snow Royalty and Phi Theta Kappa Dahlsrud is a graduate of North Sevier High School where she was valedictorian senior class treasurer and head cheer- Clean Shot! Area archers participated in an Qualifying shoot at the Lost Canyon Archery range recently More than 50 participants came from Sevier Sanpete Emery Utah and Salt Lake county as well as from out of state The event can be used for national ranking Lost Canyon Archery is just east of Centerfield Sponsors included Juan and Vickie Larson and Freedom Ford Wasatch Technologies Valley Builders and Charles and Carolyn Peterson Kirk and Sandra Neilson operate Lost Canyon Archery ASA leader daughter Dahlsrud is the Andrew and Bonny Dahlsrud of Salina Dawn wishes to thank the sponsors in the for community and those who donated glasses Mexico which was part of the group service of project 1 the Mayfield Lions Club and volunteers to paint the cabin New plumbing has been ordered for the cabin Post will be installed in the gates at the City Park tokeep recreational vehicles off the grass and Kirk Anderson plans to finish the chain link fence this year The animal control officer has been giving tickets for violations and it was reported that the dog problems in town are improving Gene Bartholomew will order a road sign and port for 600 North see that road repair is done where cuts have been made across the streets for new water meters will look into getting an additional city employee to mow the edges of the streets and do a field check on the hill above the park in regards to a possible guardrail to protect children who use the hill for sleds in the winter The resolution was passed to lower the water usage from 20000 gallons to 500 gallons of water and to charge $100 for every 0 to 1000 gallons of water used over 15000 gallons Also passed was the resolution to lower the connection fee from $100000 to $60000 per connection to the Mayfield Town water system plus any additional cost if any occur above this basic fee Mayor Ace Robertson read a letter to the city counsel from the Gunnison Valley High School requesting funds of donations to help the football and track projects for 19971998 The Mayfield City Counsel was in favor of the project but is unable to donate at this time The city council hopes to see individual citizens donate to this worth while project and if circumstances change in the future the council will reconsider this project Meeting adjourned |