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Show Page 4 December 3, 1971 The UTAH INDEPENDENT Citizen Denied Access to Public Records Continued from Page keep the records in order also is the firm that prepares the annual 1 favored a West Jordan bond election to be held October 4, only four days away. The bond was to pay for such things as the coming general election, bleachers already delivered and in use at a boxing arena west of the town park, and lighting for report submitted to the state auditor. CARL J. NEMELKA OPPOSES JACOBSON'S RIGHTS Because of continued resistance to his efforts to examine city records, Jacobson filed suit against the city officials in the arena. Furthermore, the bonds were to pay for notes some private citizens had signed in order to purchase 14 acres of additional land West of the town park and some private notes to pay a prize fighter named Bob Baker. Some private individuals had obligated themselves for the sum of 15 thousand dollars for a prize fight, that had been held between Bob Baker and Rex Layne. Gate receipts had paid Baker $8,000 but the private citizens were still obligated for the remaining $7,000. The bond was to be for $44,600. The letter stated that the passage of the bond would not increase taxes or indebtedness. In reality, the bond was to raise money to pay the obligations of private citizens. This bold raid on the tax money of West Jordan citizens would put the combusimunity in the prize-figness, complete with 14 acres of ground, a boxing arena, and bleachers to seat thousands of boxing fans. ht MARVIN JENSON'S BOXERS Alarmed at this sudden bond election, Jacobson got in touch with Burt Bigler who had just moved into the community. Together they worked fast to oppose the bond, the bond election, and the use of taxes to promote Marvin Jensons boxers. Jenson at that time was town and was a board chairman r of some West promoter-manageJordan boxers, including Rex Layne and Gene Fullmer. Bigler and Jacobson printed up a West Jordan Citizens Committee" handbill and got a number of citizens to add their names. The handbill urged the people to vote no on the bond, it stated that the town should not be in the prize fight business, and it advocated an audit of town records and then a town meeting. December of 1969. The city attorney at the time was Carl J. Nemelka, who is now Salt Lake County Attorney. Nemelka and the city officials fought Jacobsons right to sec the records, but finally did agree that a citizen has the right to inspect all public records of the city. Nemelka contended that Bleachers that were purchased for the community. When the election was held, the bond passed. An attorney was then employed by many West Jordan citizens and by the sugar company (which possessed 32V percent of the communitys assessed valuation). They succeeded in getting court approval which allowed many citizens and the sugar factory to secede their land from the incorporated town of West Jordan. Two series of sewer bonds were sold by West Jordan, making a sewer bond indebtedness of $518,000. tax-support- ed boxing events but are now used for the annual rodeo. taken by the recorder to her home again. RECORDS WITHHELD? Jacobson then hired a certified public accountant firm to audit the 1954 and 1955 town records on the microfilm, but they were unable to make a satisfactory, audit because, said the firm, pertinent invoices, contracts, and other supporting documents had not been filmed. Jacobson stated to the Utah Independent, I think that they actually withheld records from me. the tax funds was paid to Holiday On Ice. In 1957, the Utah State Fair w'as paid another $45 for Holiday On Ice. The $45 each year was the amount that would have been needed from the tax funds to buy admission tickets for the members of the town board, the recorder, and their partners. restrictions. NO MEANINGFUL" AUDIT IN 18 YEARS In spite of Jacobsons efforts to have the town records examined, he claims that in 18 years there has not been COURT ORDER AGAINST TAXES GO TO BOXERS WEST JORDAN When Willis Jacobson attempted to examine West Jordan records he met resistance from town officials. Jacobson hired attorney Robert B. Hansen who obtained a court order forcing West Jordan officials to permit Jacobson to have the city records AND ICE SHOWS microfilmed. Jacobson then hired a microfilm company and paid them to film the records. Records were brought to the fire station for only about two hours a day for microfilming, and were then From the records that were on the microfilm, Jacobson found some interesting West Jordan checks signed by town officials Marvin Jenson and VaLois Chipman. He has shown a Utah Independent reporter some copies of checks to boxers and checks totaling managers $17,625.75. According to one record of West Jordan "Park Fund expenditures for the year 1955, the town paid boxing con-testant- sa total of $51,272.88. In 1956, a check for $45 from Jacobsons insistence on seeing the records was unduly burdensome to the city, so the judge put some restrictions on Jacobsons rights. He is required by the court to ask with reasonable particularity for the documents he wishes to examine, he must deal only with the mayor or the recorder, and he must make all requests in writing at least two days before inspecting the records. If he w'ants to see a record that he has previously examined, there are additional a meaningful audit. There is no elected auditor responsible to the people. The auditing firm hired by the city to C. REQUESTED INFORMATION NOT FURNISHED BY CITY Because the judge required requests to be made in writing and with reasonable partic- Jacobsons CPA, ularity, Cloyd E. Wangsgard, wrote in the summer of 1970 to West Jordan Continued on Page 5 Kay Cummings ultimate fine candies in the Get Your Christmas Candy Now 1959 South Eleventh East Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84106 Telephone 487 1031 Area Code: 801 BOND PASSES The Citizens Committee handbill was too little too late. The bond was passed at the election. Some time later another bond election was announced to raise $750,000 for a sewer system. Literature promoting the sewer bond claimed that 80 percent of the sewer construction o cost would be paid ) the Sugar factory and public rcent of utilities, because 80 the assessed, valuation .n Jordan consisted of sugar factory and public utilities buildings and properties. Willis Jacobson thought he smelled a skunk," so he checked with the county assessors office and discovered that the sugar factor) and the public utilities possessed only 39V4 percent of the assessed valuation property in West Jordan. It was soon discovered also that the proposed sewer lines would provide service to only a portion of Utah-Idah- Brower's Motor timo m, . VV i & Sheet Metal Co. Inc. Mechanical Body, Fender & Automotive Repairs Pointing Jtlk. iEio VW & & Painting All Kinds and All Makes Body Work Corvair Specialists 3310 W. 3500 S. Salt Lake City, Utah Ph. Mr. 298-091- 0 |