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Show NEW AMBULANCE PHONE NUMBER JVol. 58 No. Thursday, October 4, 16 Emergency Help Is LDC North Sevier area residents now have to dial a new number to get am bulance service. Dispatching of the ambulance, effective Monday, is through the Central Utah Emergency Center (CEM-CO- ) in the Sevier County Sheriffs Office in Richfield. The new number is toll-fre- e, Previously, the ambulance has been dispatched by Joe Springer, who operates the Peterson Mortuary in Salina. Local residents have been calling the mortuary for ambulance service . . . for over 35 years, Springer, an EMT with the North Sevier corps, said. Joes father has been an owner of the Salina mortuary for 35 years, and Joe took over the operation 20 years ago. When the North Sevier EMT corps was formed five years ago, dispatching of the units was done by radio from the mortuary. Russ Bateman, director of emergency services for Sevier CounComty, and Also for the missioners organization, said he was directed to change over the Salina dispatching system by the Sevier County Commissioners. Both Monroe and Richfield ambulances are dispatched through CEMCO. The emergency assistance number serves residents not only in Sevier, but in Sanpete, Wayne, Piute, Juab, Millard and Garfield counties, Bateman said. A dispatcher on duty at the Sevier Sheriffs Office answers the emergency call and pushes a button which automatically dials an automatic answering machine in the Salina City y Hall. When answered, the dispatcher is tied to the new radio base station at city hall, and then can talk directly to the ambulance crews, who are paged on individual beepers. The radio unit at the mortuary was put into the Salina ambulance Monday, because the previous radio was not operating as it should. Its real sick, Bateman said, explaining that it would be repaired when needed parts were obtained. The Salina system isnt completely finished yet, and the countys backup transponder is being used until telephone lines are moved by Moun; tain Bell from the mortuary to city hall. The transponder, Bateman said, provides a backup when telephone lines arent working. It is a portable' unit and can be used to dispatch am bulance crews, but does not permit voice contact. EMTs would be alerted, then would have to use the ambulance radio to communicate with the dispatcher. Joe Springer has done a good job, Bateman said, adding that the central dispatch centers were a standard trend throughout the country. By using a central dispatch point for medical, police, and fire, considerable savings are possible in labor and equipment costs. North Sevier residents may find it takes longer to reach the CEMCO dispatcher. An experiment Monday at the Salina Sun showed it takes 34 seconds to dial the 800 number, give the operator the number from which one is calling, and be connected with the dispatcher. In contrast, it took 9 seconds to dial the Peterson Mortuary, a local num- ber (529-3821- ). Bateman said that time could be shortened if Mountain Bell would provide an automatic identification system in Salina as it has in Monroe and Richfield. That system eliminates the necessity of the operator obtaining the callers telephone number. With the CEMCO number serving residents in seven counties, what happens when you need an ambulance, call, and get a busy signal? There are two revolving lines to the CEMCO number, Bateman explained, and in four years time, it has been in service, Ive seen both numbers busy very seldom. He estimated both lines might be busy a minute a day our of 24 hours. Eventually, he predicted, the CEMCO system will be replaced by the 911 emergency number being installed across the nation. To install that in the seven counties presently being served by CEMCO would be prohibitively expensive, he said, although it could be done fairly cheaply for just Sevier County. Consultants who reviewed the CEMCO system pronounced it one of the best systems they had seen in a rural area, Bateman said. Bateman is presently involved in stalling a repeater at Acord Lakes which would serve the Salina Canyon area. The new repeater, which relays radio signals, is powered by solar cells and will improve the radio communications in the canyon, which are a problem for everybody, according to Bateman. The unit may be operational later this week, he predicted. "... nSfflspDndl TT Responding to over 1,000 requests at for property equalization hearings and a petition containing some 360 signatures of Richfield citizens, the Sevier County Commission met Friday with representatives of the Utah State Tax Commission to protest methods used in this years countywide property tax During a sometimes-heate- d discussion, Commissioner Ted Sorensen, Salina, cited as an example of inequity the fact that downtown Main Street properties in Salina were valued at over $5 per square foot, while similar businesses in Richfield, which has over twice the retail sales volume, were assessed at $6. He said from the complaints he has received, he felt similar inequities were also prevalent in the rural and residential areas of the county and described several cases brought to his attention. State assessors explained that an experiment using data collectors in Sevier and Sanpete Counties this year windows of Salina businesses. Yesterday, judging was completed on hall sign competition and class window competition. Winners will be announced next week. On Thursday, Oct. 4, (today), a snake dance will begin immediately after school, followed by a pep rally and bonfire at the rodeo grounds. Friday, an assembly will begin at had proven unsuccessful, but promised any inequities discovered would be corrected. As to the 1,000 complaints, they said perhaps half of them were valid, but they constituted only a small percentage of the thousands of properties Commissioner Sorensen countered that he suspected there were many citizens who, though they felt their valuations were inequitable, did not attend the equalization hearings and that the thousand were just the tip of an iceberg. Commissioner Ivan Mills suggested the data collectors failure was due to a lack of training and experience. The state assessors agreed, citing the difficulty in aligning 30 persons to judge property as one. Commissioner Elmo Herring stated considerable inequity was caused by valuing property at its highest potential, rather than its actual use, but was reminded by the state tax men that the law required them to value property at its highest and best use. He admonished them to be aware of d. . of an inquiry into annexation of land east of Salina, in the vicinity of the city dump, was ordered Monday night by the Salina City Council. Further study Markay Johnson inquired about the feasibility of annexation of the property. Council members indicated that further study of the area should be made, since it is a possible site for the new high school. Connection of the local police telephone number with the Utah Highway Patrol dispatcher from 5 after-houp.m. until 8 a.m., for discussed. was emergency calls, Councilmen agreed that the additional cost for installation and monthly charges was prohibitive. rs 11:30 a.m. A parade will be held at 1 p.m. down Salina Main Street. This will be followed by a Powder Puff football game. The Homecoming football game will be played at 7:30 p.m. against Parowan., At 10 p.m., a formal dance will be held. Everyone is invited to attend. WHIKBEfS Cmmtoy HcBaurnmiags City Council Studies Annexation And Etc. Events , Football And Parade Larsen of Salina was chosen to represent North Sevier as their Homecoming Queen and will reign over homecoming activities taking place this week. Her attendants are Jackie Johnson, 1st Attendant, and Dalene Torgersen, 2nd Attendant, both of Aurora. The classes have been busy decorating halls at the school and IPffdDPErtto UflDdD No. Sevier Plans Homecoming Miss Brenda Fifteen Cents 1979 A lease will be made up for the Nor- th Sevier Jeep Posse for a new building south of the rodeo grounds. The Posse will furnish pipe for the sewer and water lines and will be allowed to hook onto the electric meter at the city sheds nearby. In case of disbanding, the ground will revert to the City and the building to Sevier County. A motion by Wes Cherry to donate about half the cost of a new radio, to the local EMTs for the ambulance, was unanimously approved. The Citys share for half the cost of repairing the roof on the Salina Senior Citizens building is $782. The city also will spend another $400 for repairs to the roof of the Salina Medical Clinic. $600, Satisfactory progress is being made on plans for the new pressurized irrigation system, Don Naser, city engineer, told the council. Council members also unanimously approved a motion by Cherry to well in protest the drilling of a h the Gooseberry area to serve the domestic purposes of 33 seasonal cabins. The application for the well was filed by Gooseberry Estates, a partnership in which Markay Johnson is involved. six-inc- all local conditions which limit its use, such as zoning ordinances and natural restrictions. The assessors replied that they would take such limitations into consideration. When the meeting ended, the Sevier County Commissioners set the final three days of county tax equalization hearings for Oct. 16, 17, and 18, for consideration of both written and personal requests for County Assessor Stan Fillmore complained that state personnel sent to assist his office during Candidates For Council Nominated were replaced so frequently, their training became a burden to his people. He also cited several glaring inequities in local Three candidates from each of the two political parties were nominated for the three seats on the Salina City Council at the mass meetings held last Thursday. None of the three incumbents whose terms expired chose to seek another Deputy State Tax Commissioner Sonntag offered to try to correct the personnel problems remainder of the during the project. When County Clerk DeVon Poulson lamented that state delays were preventing his office from meeting deadlines imposed by the state, Sonntag said he would try to resolve those problems next week in term. They are Robert Jensen Richard Criswell, and McKay Roberts. Nominated for council seats are : Republican Party: Redge Hansen, Lynn Reynolds, and Ted Shepherd. Democratic Party: Kay J. Nielsen, and Richard A. White. Since there are no contested races m either party, there will be no primary election. Councilmen will be elected by voters at the Nov. 6 general Salt Lake City. Later, County Attorney Don Brown advanced his legal opinion that the local board of equalization had authority to adjust all inequities detected, no matter how widespread, not just those involving individual properties. He referred to several passages from state law and said his opinion would stand until refuted in election. Salina will be divided into court. Sonntag said the question had never been fully explored, but he believed the State Tax Commission decisions had primacy in such matters during years of Commissioner Sorensen concluded he believed he was elected to serve all county citizens, not just those with specific complaints and would continue to do so until convinced School Board Selects Architects For North Sevier High School million bond Preliminary steps toward a new North Sevier High School are being taken, with the selection last week of Salina Man Sentenced To 05 Years For Stabbing & Associates, a Salt p Lake City firm, as architects for the Silver-Allso- new building. The Sevier School District Board of Education, at its meeting Sept. 27, unanimously approved the selection of the firm to design the new high school, which will replace the present structure. architect for the addition to Pahvant Elementary School in Rich- Gar W. ,Mattson, Salina, charged with the stabbing of Larry Edwards, also of Salina, after leaving the B&G Bar early Saturday morning last July 7, was convicted of aggravated assault in Sevier County Court and sentenced to years in the Utah State Penitentiary by Judge Don V. Tibbs. Mattsson received the sentence Monday, Oct. 1, and was later transported to the Utah State Prison. 0-- 5 also is the field. They were selected after interviews by the school board with a number of firms, as well as visits to various schools. No time schedule for design and construction of the new facility has yet been set up, Supt. Darrell K. White explained, since specifications for the building have not been formulated, nor has a specific site been UDOT chosen. Work will begin votes Plans Six-Coun- ty . Nebo School District. Other items included in last The Utah Department of Transportation is having its annual State Transportation Planning meeting in Richfield Wednesday, Oct. 17. The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Richfield High School Little Theatre (510 West 100 South). Plans for Garfield, Kane, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier, and Wayne counties will be discussed. These meetings are part of the UDOT planning process in order to obtain local input for solving imminent problems and providing for e needs, said Richard B. Roberts, UDOT Fiscal Planning and Programming Engineer. Citizens will be able to question, discuss and comment on the plans for highway, air and rail transportation. The UDOT District Director will discuss current projects under construction, and citizens will be asked to make suggestions on projects they ! feel are needed. long-rang- weeks school board meeting, held at Kcosharem Elementary School, were an official canvass of the bond elec- tion, financing expenses for attendance at the national FFA convention, and purchasing of two used trucks. The official canvass showed no change from the unofficial results of the election: 1,244 votes for the $9.8 512 For Public Meet next week with various groups from the high school, and possibly some community residents, to draw up a set of specifications for the new schools educational program. This phase may take two months, the superintendent estimated. In addition, a committee to select a site will meet Oct. 9 to develop criteria for a new school site, as well as listing possible site in the area. The architect will meet with this committee. This phase could also be some two months in the doing, Supt. White said. Silver-Allso- p is the architect for the new Fairview Elementary School, and has done extensive work in the issue, and against. members voted The board unanimously to continue the policy of providing expense money for two students from each of the three district high schools to attend the National FFA convention in Kansas City, Mo. The allowance was increased to $100 per student. Alan Gurney, a North Sevier High School graduate, also was granted the $100 expense allowance to attend the convention to receive the prestigious American Farmer Award. Needs of the district maintenance department were discussed, and approval given to obtain two used trucks. Next regular meeting of the board will be at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, in the Monroe Elementary School. Silver-Allso- p The well, council members felt, might affect the water table and the water supply in the valley, including Redmond, Aurora, and the Salina emergency well. Four business licenses were approved and one was rejected. Approved were licenses for Dean Wilson, rental; Jos Hobby Shop, handcrafted items; Union Circulation Co., magazine sales; and Bud Shepherd, rental. Rejected was an application from Fashion Design, High Point, N.C., a traveling furniture sales firm. three voting districts for the election: 14, 15, and 25. The new district, 25, resulted from the division of District 14. District 14 encompasses that portion of Salina which lies west of North State Street and north of West Main Street. Polling place is the City Hall. District 15 is that portion of Salina south of Main Street. Polling place is the American Legion Hall. District 25 is that portion of the city east of North State Street and north of East Main Street. Polling place is the ' Salina Fire Station. . i |