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Show Public Olf 3 tV 355-' hearings have place Col- u frul! ' t! ,J fj, R I w X:- H u - ? e . i 1 Ai a journalist I have covered hundreds of public hearings hrtj by various y 3 10 jut Hubbard ai it!;-- ,. ,J Jean Eden gns gei involved jlfhy OQt I filiwuct whose outcome will ifi. i'tatia ca!!i: jit 1 a residents have been div--I senes of public bearings handful bearmps : of residents alien JcJ a 'J fc , s t 1 n 1 Dclort 1 street talk led they can make 4 big d.iiercncc. it seems to me that the decisions have been nude by the higher-up- s and I don't think people could make a differ cnee if they went. I think they just get in solved in their own lives and get busy. Mjvhe they meant to go and slipped . their minds at the moment. That's how I am anwa, LaDean Stettler, Kaysvilte J did go to the corridor meeting in Kassvillc, but to the boundary change meeting, that is not coming up for me until (Mas) 22nJ at taston High and I plan to go io that. Number one. I'm right on Highway 89 and number two. I'm right on the boundary change so it's really affecting me. And. I finally decided that if I wanted some changes made and I want it to be to my bcnelit. I should be to those meetings. dy earlier this month on of sa iw ) propolis. Decisions concerning a j i of the h'ghway will affect cash jblishirj j ,",ho Jr.ses n that rtuJ. nce civ I tha'C Ken attending the meetings I )Cif. for the new f propped boundaries t err.:-I avion. The outcome of in oi. nd. The t I :;,Win will affect thousands of stu- Jcroc,4 Das is County. 8 ; lure. leave ftl rf.irmjl interviews, the Lakeside e will b 4 I asked several residents if they rxt three tt I any of the hearings, and e count of 1 I .') tv! eve more of the populace T me tn-- j 1 attend these mectmrs. ance its-- , i Sonderegger, Farmington 1 d.dn'i know about it (the public tu ifiwmcr prd I don't think people really motion Paul Twitched Sondcregger LaDean EteWer , . t second Kim 11 in public I think people feel that these decisions are already made and that this is just a hearing because its mandatory, so they don't go. After going to the corridor meeting. I do think that my opinion made a difference and I'm now seeing it in a new light. As far as the boundary meeting, wc had formed a committee for 89 to try and at least state our feelings of what wc thought issues? high school yet so I should happen or what could possibly happen right away for safety measures. And I think they listened. Paul Twitchell, Clearfield: "I didn't go to the meetings. Right now Im coaching Kirt Hubbard, Layton No. In the fist place. I didn't know they were having one (a meeting). The school is a block away from us. the new high school. I work for the Das is County School District. but I didn't know they were having a meeting. W'crc from Bountiful and dont plan on staying here til the kids arc in high school. I don't have any kids in and ball practice, so my schedule is reallv jammed as far as doing things, so I didnt attend. Typically, people are just too complacent. They feel someone else will take care of it so they don't need to get involved, someone else will do it for them and it's wrong. People really should get involved and take an interest in I base soccer practice and baseball games whats going on. I: 1 raised fe cd to U; ate to 1::, med to S n denial; A Here arc some general observations: Nine out of 10 public hearings have r.o public. I or the most part, no one shows up for the bulk of the public hearings our public bodies hold. The group involved usually opens and closes the public hearing in a matter of minutes. Nine out of 0 public officials have determined how they arc going to sote on a given issue before the hearing is held. Minds are usually not swayed by input from the public. Nine out of 10 people who speak at a public hearing will find some way that any decision the government entity is about to make will adversely effect "the children." arThis is probably the most often-usegument against anything that is planned that people oppose. For instance; "If you approve the commercial zoning for this building the children who walk to school in the area will be in grave danger because of the increased traffic." If you approve a permit for this rehabilitation center the children in the neighborhood will be in grave danger from the drug addicts and rapists who will be receiving counseling there." If you widen that street the children who play in the park nearby will be in grave danger." Public hearings that get the most attendance from the public are those that impact the least amount of people. In other words, a zoning issue that effects one block in a city of 200.000 will have every resident on that block turn out. Public hearings that involve tax increases are often poorly attended. But'thc first meeting following a public hearingjn which a tax increase was approved is equ1 - the city t te staff, r orked r.:; iVctiveo; sources, r I was I Id do ard heed ' in point ,rK ( .1 d stay, ested View wasn't really interest- ed in attending. Thats the way wc are. isn't it? Wc wait until the decision has already been made and then we squawk." Jean Eden, Kaytville: "No, I didnt go. Either they're too busy or tired when they get home or government's become so big you feci you, as one person, can't do anything. Little League baseball and soccer, so govern- ment entities, including city councils, panning commiv.iont. county commissions, redevelopment agencies, industrial development agencies, committees, subcommittees and subcommittees of subcommittees. I found that there arc a number of routines many of these public hearings follow-no matter what government body or agency is holding the hearing. n should c 7 for me: ications i ally overflowing. Most people think a governing body is bound by law to vote which ever way the majority of opinions expressed at a public hearing reflect. The more people that turn out for a public hearing, the better the chance the hearing will be run in a disorganized manner. ings in e Lakesid i Layton, if your in; lease inc'a-phon- f c the to short. space ebuilding al ill be pu THURGOOD rASlM yJG ?HfOr GUEST COLUMNIST f i There are those who think it an unwise use of public money because they believe LCt 0N- - action by the Utah State Legisla-- j funds to begin rccon-.- .. " f the Syracuse Causeway to Island state was a move park ia many Davis County resi- t authorized ?)val wasnt easy and finally came cral years of determined efforts by r,rer of Persistent people and only the Davis J County commissioned to accept ownership of the and the responsibility for re- - M 0 It, l that access to the island 'n June 1983 when rising Great Salt Lake covered the reca'! the ? !J'n- the island has been closed to 4! ."Public and has limited tourists 3 istant vew wat to beCaS - causeway fthouc11'-1- lif1 as not joyees unselfish act JVS faith in mankind Bill Gibby recently found the parking lot where he .T ' iih'11 Cycle in Layton. Inin checkpaPcrwork was an insurance for a large sum of money. as n name of a amt 11 was signed and ready to I yt rip of causeway to reap benefits lc !lnsucccssfully to contact Mr. .J"cn sent the check to the to handle. ,lTn rcturncd the check to Bill ai ,e check was negotiable and to and the stated benefits are exaggerated. Others believe the money would be better spent on education or social service programs. There are still others who think it a waste of money because no one wants to d stinking swamp, visit that and there are those who dont oppose rebuilding the causeway, but think it should be reconstructed at a level that would never again be endangered by the rising waters of the lake. Accordingly, a decision had to be made using best judgement applied to known factors, tempered by assessment of expected future changes. The decision was made to pursue reconstruction of the causeway at a level of 4 208 feet above mean sea level with three major objectives in mind: 1) encourage "bug-infeste- owner and the insurance company sent thankMr Gibby a letter of appreciation and returning the ing him for being honest check Mr David R. Wayment, owner of Twin Wheel Cycle, said he appreciated Bill's such honesty.' An employee of s. high integricome by hard to is ty Such an unselfish act renews our faith in our fellow man. Kathy Halkcr Layton now-a-day- He cash it. 'lLrclurncd the check to the explaining in full detail tle cheek and it did not 0 hiiflUn in-l- ad CC "as returned in ils riehtful economic development through tourist attraction: 2) enhance potential for activity for residents; 3) rebuild the causeway at a level that is affordable yet not overly risky. Factors that influenced the decision include: (a) the large number of people visiting the park when the causeway was open recre-ationleisu- re wondering The people of the world how one man such as Saddam Hussein could deceive so many Like many previous dictators. Hussein has become a master of deceit one-da- y stay); (g) the fact that water of the lake had not risen above 4,205 feet AMSL for almost 100 years prior to level the rise in the when it peaked at just under 4,212 feet AMSL: After weighing the many benefits that could result from reopening Antelope Island state park, Davis County officials, consisting of legislators, commissioners, (3.2 million between 1969 and 1983 with an average of 427,000 per year during the mayors, tourism board members and othlast four full years of operation); (b) the exers, went to work to obtain state funding cellent mix of visitors during that time (44 to rebuild the causeway. The jury is still out on realization of the and 56 percent resipercent dent); (c) the fact that about 80 percent of anticipated benefits, but there is no quesUtah's population reside within 50 miles tion in my mind the benefits will come; and when they do Davis County residents of the island; (d) the uniqueness and wonders of the Great Salt Lake that can best be will be the benefactors. The Utah Legislature recently appropriatexperienced from the island; (e) the fact ed S3.5 million to state Parks and Recrethat Antelope Island has one of the few rebuffalo herds in the ation for several proposed projects; part of maining world that may be seen and photographed that funding will go toward the causeway. The Lakeside Review contacted Thurgood by visitors; (0 calculated estimations of significant contributions to the states and asked him to write a column on the reeconomy based on the last four full years building of the causeway, a cause he has of operation (almost $12 million annually championed for years. mid-198- 0s Lakeside letter policy outlined free-roami- A proverb says. "No one becomes wicked or wise all at once. It is the nature of almost all men, we are told, including dictators, that as soon as they obtain a little power, to exercise un- righteous dominion over others, to main- tain that power. Hussein, a modern-da- y Judas, has be- trayed his nation. He has taken free,agency from people under him by ignoring the Golden Rule, the sacredness of life, and "the perfect law of liberty, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Homer the Greek poet said, You will never have a greater or lessor dominion than that over yourself. The Prophet Samuel to Ed Solomon said. He that ruleth his spirit is greater than he that taketh a city. Domestic or world problems have been settled and will be settled by either of three things- righteousness, catrn'HeliWrr-.t- ; r v - arbitration. Stuart Chase, the great domestic and international negotiator, an advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt when he met at Yalta with Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill, said in a speech at Utah University Feb. 23, 1953. When reasonable men sit down and reason together they usually solve their differences. He said that General George Armstrong Custer failed to shed his egotism, sit down and smoke the pipe of peace with the nine Indians in 1868. As a result he and 145 men under his command were killed by the Indians defending their hunting grounds in The Battle of Little Bighorn in Wyoming. Since 1868 about 50 million people have been killed or wounded who could have been saved had reasonable leaders sat down and reasoned together. E.L. Clark Fnn'im cion : The Lakeside Review encourages readers to submit letters to the editor. ? The content of letters should address issues of interest to our reader-shi- p throughout non-reside- nt Christ. Saddam master of deceit like previous dictators are for a Half the people speaking at a public hearing will repeat the same argument. ' Only during election years will a government body be swayed by public opinion expressed at a hearing and vote against a recommendation made by city staff. But regardless of how disorganized .or ineffective some public hearings are, thy are still an integral part of our democratic process, and I wouldn't trade them for any other governmental procedure. north Davis : County. Due to the Memorial Day holiday May 27, deadline to submit letters this week is Thursday, May 23, at noon. Letters received by that time should appear in the May 28 edition of the Lakeside. All letters should be typed, double-s- and must include the name and telephone number of the writer for verification purposes. Shorter letters are more likely to paced, be published. Long letters will be subject to editing at the discretion of Lakeside Review editorial staff. Letters will also be edited, if necessary, to meet journalistic standards of good taste. Libelous material will be deleted. With few exceptions, letters must be accompanied by the writers name when published. Send all letters to the Lakeside Review, 2146 N. Main, Layton, Ut., 84041. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Letters can also be faxed at 773- 7284. |