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Show Davis County Clipper Tuesday October 29, 1996 page 3 Residents debate need for ambulance, fire protection Measure would increase taxes , decrease response time miles back with the right equipment to handle a call that was only a few houses from his on a two-yeold who was having trouble breathing Were volunteers because we love the city. This proposal is only going to cost the homeowner three or four large pizzas a FARMINGTON Farmington City officials are looking for direction on whether residents favor a property tax increase to fund a new ambulance service and additional fire coverage. In a public hearing, prior to the November balloting, the city council heard from residents favoring and opposing the proposed increase which would bring in $106,000 in property tax revenues. Mayor Gregory Bell told residents, We have placed the fire department as a high priority, but we have not made a decision to raise taxes. Because of state statute, this proposal is an opinion poll and is not binding. We want people to get out and vote and give us direction. city-base- on-du- ty rs 35-ye- ar BOUNTIFUL seeks Davis School Board seat Diversity ot per- spective and business expenence are the qualities that Davis County School Board candidate, Bruce L. Dibb, desires to bung to the school board, if elected in the November 5 general School Activities Association Having made plans to move liom Munay, Dibb did not seek teelec-tioto the Muiray School Boaid because he did not want to stall a n second term and move at election Dibb is a candidate in Precinct No. 2 which Bountiful north ot 400 North Street and the northern half of Bountiful. Dibb is a 46 year old attorney living in Bountiful. He and his term in otfice he actively participatof the ed m the hiring of two-thir- principals of the Murray School District and of the currently serving superintendent. He has also served as a member of the Utah High time that would interrupt that leim Dibb said he has an abiding interest in the young people ot oui state. He believes that they aie the stales most valuable resource His involvement m the com mutiny has been contin uously with young peo2 tor ple in grades ot all includes West Centerville, wife, Colleen, have BRUCE seven children; two who have graduated from a Davis District high school, and five who are currently attending Davis County schools. Dibb has lived with his family in Bounlitul for eight years. Prior to that time, they lived in Murray, Utah. While living in Murray, Dibb served as an elected member of the Murray School Board for the years 1982 through 1986 For calendar year 1986, he served as the president of the school board. During his a L. DIBB the past 19 years. In addition to his prior school board expen- ence, Dibb has coached athletes on a yearly basts in a variety ot sports, participated as an attorney coach in several secondary school mock tnal competitions, recently completed a three year stmt as the scoutmaster of a Bountiful hoop ot more than twenty scouts, and has been involved in scouting at all age levels m adult leadership capacities Dibb graduated in 1976 in the chaiter class ot the J Reuben Clark Law School. Since that time, he has practiced law in Salt Lake City. The focus ot his practice is in corporate and secunlies law, where he is principally involved in cotporalc mergers and acquisitions He is also a member of the board of directors of T fid jnjWul L. HULmj tei m m i In the former WEST VALLEY Granger area stands a stately, house with a somewhat spooky reputation. 24-ho- ur iTkjprj :lub FIRST TIME EVER! the Granite Furniture Company. It is from drawing on this business and legal experience that Dibb believes that he can expand the perspective with which important poli- cy issues aie addressed by the school board. Because a substantial poition of his professional work involves the evaluation of the business and legal aspect of budgets, financial statements and personnel issues, he believes that his work on the school board will compliment the background of other members serving on the board. Dibb said the role of the school hoard is to establish policy for the public schools, and to represent the interests of parents and students in the school system. This can best be accomplished by a board whose membership reflects the broad diversity of the business and professional experience of the community. Dibb believes that key issues to be addressed in this policy making function of the school board are: planning for the significant growth anticipated in the Davis County School population; ongoing improvement in the quality of education, enhancing student use and understanding of emerging tech- nologies; allocation of limited financial resources; and maintaining the quality of the school learning atmosphere by assuring that stu- dents and teachers are free from threats and acts of violence, and other illegal behavior , The Hawarden House, at 4396 South 3200 West in West Valley, is one of the areas oldest and best known homes, dating back to 1906 when Ira Bennion had the home built for his family. Three of his children are still living, including June Bennion Smith, almost in her nineties, who lives in West Valley. Ira Bennion named the home Hawarden after an area in Wales, England, where his father was from, Nowadays, the home is owned by LaMar and Gundi Jones, who live there with two of their children. Gundi Jones said Smith occasionally comes by to visit the home where she grew up, and relates stones about her childhixxi. The home red-bric- k, n. attempted, with varying degrees ot success, by previous owners Some unfortunately, had let the house fall into disrepair. But now the home stands as a memorial to the bygone days, each room featuring furniture and decoraUons faithful to die period. The home has been on the Nauonal Register of Histone Places since 1980. Meantime, thanks to all the hard work (and money) die Jones family has put into die home, the buildings value has appreciated considerably. Last year, the Jones family was reportedly offered four times what they paid for the home in 1992, but according to Gundi, Were here to stay Still, many people stop by to look home. at die meticulously well-keGundi said, Total strangers stop and say, We want to see the house. and I say, come on in.' She and her famdy give newcomers the complete guided tour. Ghosts arent mentioned unless the visitor brings up the topic. Contrary to rumor, Gundi said, Weve never had a body in die atUc However, when ground was dug up for a swimming pool by previous owners in the mid 3970s, two skeletons were reportedly found in the m tumors, legends and scary stones for years, and, as it turns out, some of those stories may actually be true. The home, according to its current occu- pants, has more than its share of ghosts and spints. Jeremy Jones, 15, now a ninth grader at Valley Junior High, recalled the first such experience lie had after moving in the home about four years ago. The first year we moved in, 1 was in fifth grade, he said. That year, he said, when he was the only one at home, he got up to get himself ready for schooL It was near Christmas time. An electric train was going in the front room, and when he went in there, he said, he saw this guy on the couch. He was just sitting there, he said. Jeremy said he then ran out of tire house and locked the door behind him. He left everything running the train, the TV, and went to school. When he returned later, he let himself in with the key, and everything Id left on, was off, he said. All other family members were still at work or yard. That was really strange, because, according to June Smith, all her family is accounted for, Gundi said, A total of four human bodies have reportedly been found on die property, and one more may be located thereon, in the remnants of some family burial plot of unknown name ot date, Gundi f out of town when the incident : I saw the same guy standing in my bedroom, added Jeremy, 1 thought it looked like the pictures Fd seen of the first owner, Ira Bennion. Gundi said site had another actual sighting of an apparition one night when she looked into an old minor in the front room. She said she saw a mysterious woman standing behind her when she looked in the mirror. She looked a little like me, but with dark hair, Gundi said. I turned around and she was gone. It was Later, another time, spooky. TRAVELERS! $AVE MONEY MAKE MONEY We are looking for additional people to become independent travel agents working in their own home-base- d business Travel agent benefits and income opportunities We will tram Find out more at our free 45 minute seminar. Enter to win a free cruise! October 30, 1996 at 7:30 pm Snelgrove Travel Center 688 said Another Hawarden occupant, t Jeremys older sister, Jenny, who N Main, Layton, Utah But the ghosts arent even restoration efforts that had been has been the topic of numerous occurred, Jeremy said. Mill h said die only two rooms he really avoids at night are the front room and the adjacent dining room, both of which have had more than then share ol encounters Gundi said that fresh flowers will keep m eidiei of die two rooms for weeks at a time Those rooms do get kind of spook at night Mitch said Even patnaich LaMar, who claims to be unafraid ol die unexplained phenomena, wont sleep anywhere but die IV room (a l.ttei addition at die back ol die original home) when everyone else in die family is gone, and he is alone in die house no longer lives in die home, said she was alwas one of die more skepucal of the famdy members. That is, unld one day she had to leave her bedroom upstairs with an armful of laundry. The door inexplicably opened tor her and closed again after she stepped through the doorway, prompung her to yell, Mom Jenny also reported heanng strange noises like splashing and laughing coining from the swimming pool al tunes, only to kxik out the window and see nothing, and die pool undisturbed. According to Gundi, the Jounces always had wanted to live there, even knowing about its haunted reputa-uoWed dnve past the house and Id say, I want to buy diat house. The Joneses got dieir chance in 1992, when they bought it and moved in. Since then, theyve added to the Contnbuting Writer other services or equipment, they may have to raise your rate again. There are other taxing entities that can raise tax rates next year and that doesn't count the 10 percent rise in your property values that will occur as it has done annually for several years. You could be looking at a substantial property tax hike, she oil- Dibb Jeff Richards year. But Allison Hill believes this hike may only be the first of many. According to the Farmington newsletter, she said, there are no other financing alternatives because this administration has spent to its maximum limits. It must now turn to property tax to raise money. If the mayor and city council decides to buy warned. Resident Paul Hayword told council members Bell said a few Taxes are to pay for . . , . years ago, the city had emergency services This proposal is only going to cost the six policemen and did such as fire and covI not have police. think the homeowner or a year. large council The should pizzas Davis erage. city Sheriffs County just have the courage to vote the property Department went out on most night calls in tax increase in and the Bell said this and councils felt the kinds do it right of and city. previous things buy right pay taxes for it." improved police service should be a priority. About two years ago, the city council focused on the fire d The city is proposing a ambulance service. In addition, they are proposing department, upgrading equipment, We and previous administrations have endeavfire station expansion of the present limited coverage to 24 hours. This is a new service, the city ored to run the city without tax increases, Bell said. has never provided before. It's up to the public to Farmington has not had a general property tax increase since 1982, he said, warning, We are decide. If its a benefit to the public, then the public ought to pay for it. There aint no free lunch, said stretched to the limit by growth. Many people assume we have firemen here a day. We dont. We City Manager Max Forbush. Volunteer Firefighter Mark Thomas agrees the city have 27 volunteers, paid a minimum wage to put their lives on the line. Most of these volunteers work needs to provide the additional service. 1 cant underand Chief (Larry) Gregory wonders who or if stand people who dont want improved services to someone will answer a call. protect their little kids. Ive spent hundreds and hunAnd Volunteer Firefighter Joe Wilcox, a dreds of hours each year and we cant keep running on veteran of the department, said, The only reason Im a shoe string. When your lawn mower breaks, you dont put bailing wire around it and keep it going. Its staying here is because you people need help. Im not time we spent money on ourselves and our families. doing it for the money. We need a vote here to increase the department by a couple of guys. We Most firefighters present wanted the tax increase. Gary McCloy told about getting a call at home and dont have our firemen in town anymore and we need somebody to be here, having to go two miles to the station and then two city-operat- MMI(S ar Mitchell Jones, 18, a senior at Granger High School, said at the beginning of August, he heard a knock on the door, and went downstairs to find nobody there. After going back upstairs, he hard another sound and this time came down to find the water running into the bathtub. He was the only one home at the time. strangers to that room, either, according to die Joneses. Gundi saw another of ihe ghosts favorite tricks is to switch off and on the television, or to flip through die channels rapidly while die remote control lies on the couch untouched. About three weeks ago, we were watching that Hugh Grant movie, Sirens, said Gundi There was some nudity in it, and my husband says, Mavbe we shouldn't be watching dus and just dien, the TV turned oft. Gundi says the ghosts are never malicious. Theyre more protective than anydung, she said. Still, die houses reputadon appar-end- y doesnt sit too well with some of the younger kids in the area, who avoid coming too close to the building, esXcully at night Gundi related the story of a group ol youngsters who were trick or treating a couple of Halloweens ago. Said Gundi. I dressed up as a vampire and waited on the porch by the dour, with the candy. Apparendy, however, the ellect was too much test die who made it as far as the birdbath near the front steps liefore turning and fleeing down the sheet I had to run after them and say, Wait! Heres your candy, recalled Gundi with a laugh. That same birdbath (Mice contained a statue of a headless female, which did nothing to diminish the eerie effect. The statue, which was later found to have been stolen, was later , removed The Hawarden House also features such other unusual things as: numerous pigeons (live and dead) up in the attic, a mysterious chute that leads from a closet to the cellar, ceilings that were part of the original ZCMI department store, a blind dog, and a solitary doll in die dark stairwell that bears more than a passing resemblance to die Chucky of horror films. All in all, it makes for a singularly chilling October expenence. As the Gundi put it, with just a hint of a cackle in her voice, Come by and see us on Halloween. good-natur- NOVEMBER 7TH, 8TH, 9TH VIEWMONT HIGH SCHOOL 7:00 P.M. 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