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Show SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH Beaut May Upset All The Citys Established Contract Procedures Salt Lake City, which this week filed its final brief in the Main Street Beautification Project suit, argues that if a contract with Gibbons and Reed Construction Company is invalidated all established contracting procedures' could be upset. The brief, along with many other legal papers filed by the construction company attorneys and a post-trimemorandum filed earlier by attorney for plaintiff Richard Schubach, could set the stage for a final court ruling in two weeks. The legality of the contract with the city has been the only unsettled issue in the suit since Third District Court Judge Bryant Croft dismisssed a variety of other complaints August 22. In its brief the city argues it has no obligation to call for new bids after it scaled down the original Main Street proposal to reduce the project cost. The city has the authority to make changes in plans, specifi al h). ... The study recommendation was in substance to early identify cases that were proper subjects for early disposition . . . based upon a plea of guilty to a reduced charge, a dismissal or other appropriate diversion. Another abandoned goal of the projects was that of designating priority cases which would be disposed of within 30 days for felonies and 15 days for misdemeanors. This was meant to handle such cases as the large murder cases where everybody wants swift but certain justice. The new procedures have also helped eliminate overlapping and conflicting hearings. Under a grant for $49,000, solutions have been found to all problems identified under the grant from the Utah Law Enforcement Planning Agency, according to the office's report to the planning agency. Part of the problems were the Aid Urges Plugging filing of complaints in a different manner. The new program Traffic Court Loophole produces more uniformity in Utah Public Safety Commis filing complaints and disposition sioner Raymond A. Jackson of cases. wants to amend a 1973 Utah from The report the Salt Lake law which permits Utahns to go County Attorneys Office also through court and have serious states that numerous changes moving violations expunged are aimed at improving relation- from their record within one ship with law enforcement of- year. ficers. These include daily visits Jackson said expungement, by an attorney to their offices under a loophole in the present to provide needed services and law, makes it impossible for perincreased efforts not to call wit- sons in the judicial system to nesses unnecessarily and to noti- determine if they are working fy witnesses of canceled trials. with first or repeat offenders. He held a meeting Tuesday Not all of the goals of the comwith attorneys, public safety ofprojects, however, were pleted as stated. A goal of re- ficials, a city judge and others to discuss the current trend of ducing the number of was cases abandoned, motorists petitioning the court based on the results of a study to have their serious driving by the Case Western Reserve violations removed from the recLaw School and with the agree ords. Jackson said legislation will ment of the planning agency. plea-bargain- ed The idea of adding 10 to 30 cents to the price of each gallon (D-Uta- County Attorney Office Aids Attorneys With Master Calendar preparation. Owens Says Gas Surcharge Outrageous of gasoline is outrageous it cations and amounts of quanti- (hurts the people most who can ties of materials . . . without re- afford it the least, said Rep. Owens bidding, as long as no fraud or Wayne Owens was commenting on the adminis-- I collusion are involved. The brief continues that it tration proposal to impose a hike would create untold confusion in the price of gasoline as one for the city if every time a sub- measure to help stop inflation. Such a measure would inflict contractor gave a new price estimate for a modification in his the pain on the people who are contribution to a project, the en- already being hardest hit by intire project had to be delayed flation, while the undertaxed, and rebid. (giant oil corporations continue The construction company to make record profits, comsaid that the competitive bidding mented Owens. The American taxpayercon- statutes must be construed and sumer is seeing his wages eaten to further, applied fairly rather than defeat, legislative up by inflation. It is hard to believe that the administration is goals. Richard Schubach, who is serious in asking for more suffighting the contract, said that fering from that same group, when the city signed with Gib- he remarked. I dont think the American bons and Reed June 12 that the contract amount of $2.83 million (people mind sacrificing, and in was inaccurate. The amount did fact I think they are willing to not reflect, their memorandum jin order to stop inflation, but contends, that substantial and we must make the sacrifice necessary additions had to be equitable, said Owens. You made to the downtown improve- cant just pick on one income ment projects. group all the time. S.L. The Salt Lake County Attorney's office said this week that a new master calendar and improved scheduling procedures have given prosecuting attorneys more time for pretrial FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1974 Vandals Cost Public $30,000 In S.L. Parks An estimated $30,000 has come out of John Q. Public's pocketbook so far this year as a result of vandalism in County New Approach To The Political Aspect Of Chief Of Police Sought Salt Lake Citys Public Safety Commissioner Glen N. Greener said this week that the chief of police position remains open, but he favors a new approach to hiring and firing the chief. Salt Lake City Police Department Chief J. Earl Jones this week submitted his resignation which was accepted by the commission. The resignation came at the request of Commissioner Greener who said he wanted a more aggressive police chief to deal with the increasing crime rate. The focal point of this weeks action in the resignation of the chief stems around the way the commissioner handled the matter. The main point of criticism for the commissioner comes from his lack of dialogue with other officials before asking for the resignation. Commissioner Greener said that the position of chief of police has become a very unstable one, and also agrees with the mayor and Commissioner Phillips that this opportunity to add stability to the position must be one of the main concerns. Commissioner Jennings Phillips Jr. said that the whole commission hired a new chief under procedures established when the city hired the equal employment officer This woul.d mean that all applicants for the position would be screened by all commissioners and the final three would then face the selection of the Public Safety Commissioner. Commissioner Greener refused to specify where a new chief would come from but added that Glea N. 6vmmt Public Safety Cammfagdouer he would like applications from everywhere. Mayor Garn suggested that the commissioner act to give a new chief contract thus stabilizing the post Greener said this may be one way but said the approach may not work because the present commission should not commit future ones to a policy. The mayor agreed, but added that if this commission acts unanimously in hiring a new ehief under new procedures including concommissioners future tract, might follow suit. It now appears that the decision on a new police chief will involve all five commissioners. parks. This figure, released by Recreation and Parks Superintendent Gary C. Swensen, reflects a marked upsurge of destruction to parks scattered throughout the Valley. The public and the taxpayer is being slapped in the face almost nightly by persons coming into the parks and raising all kinds of hell, said Mr. Swensen. It's becoming a full-tim- e job just going from park to park each day repairing and cleaning up the messes and destruction that is taking place, he said. Restrooms are a favorite target for vandals. Doors are battered down, fixtures shattered, mirrors and linen vending machines are torn from the walls. Sprinkler heads are stolen, bowery lights are broken out, elec- V trical wiring is torn out, picnic tables are being chopped up and Is set afire, fences are being cut. Even the shingles are being torn off the roofs of the facilities at nights. Windows are constantly being replaced and numerous trees have been cut down or Dramatic results in channeling peak energy from a destroyed. Drinking fountains chemical explosion into laser power, giving a powerful are damaged and vandals are stealing shrubs from the plant- chemical laser with clear potential to trigger fusion power, ing beds. were described at a recent meeting of the American The Recreation Department Chemical Society. will take steps to try to curb New design has converted the hydrogen fluoride the vandalism by seeking funds to have a night security patrol laserin to ah igh-pow- er chemical laser that achieves a 250 the Mr. Swenson police parks. met with the Recreation Board percent conversion of electrical energy into laser energy, October 10th and recommended and this will make it possible to provide laser pulses near that an 11:00 p.m. curfew be imI Continued on page 4) posed upon most of the parks. TODAY'S EDITORIAL 4 Fusion Power Reported Chemical Trigger For |