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Show THE ZEPHYR APRIL 1990 PAGE 9 be given serious consideration. I guess what Im trying to say In all this Is that we should act, not Just react We shouldn't be making decisions Just because the seller wants to sell, the state wants us to do this, s group wants us to do that If our time schedule doesn't fit the program, I cant do anything about that I like the project, I wish It well, but I cant change the rules of the budget I think people need to be patient and not so quick to look for fault Zephyr: The Mlllcreek prelect has been talked about In one form or another for decades. And the City Council has been discussing the parkway and flood control project for a few years now. But It wasnt until the cltv hired David Olsen as a planning coordinator that the application for Community Development Block Grant funds for a feasibility study will was actually completed. Whaf a going on with It? Dave: Volunteerism, through elected officials, or others, can only do so much for the community. We lose consistency, professionalism, and accountability. The problem we have with the CDBG people, they want to see a direct result of their money. If s kind of a chicken before the egg situation. At one time they told us we couldnt get any money until we had all the engineering done. Well, we needed money to do the engineering. So to meet their criteria can be tough. A lot of work went Into the grant, but city council members are not professional writers. That's why I lobbied for and we now have on staff a planning coordinator. We grant need a professional who can sit down and go through the process. There are so many things that need to be done, right now. The plaza, the golf course development, Mill Creek, redevelopment, zoning, all those things where weve had or volunteer people trying to write, enforce, and planning commissions and part-tiunderstand the process. ed land near the oolf course has been a hot Zephyr: Development of the topic for more than a year now. What has been the progress? Dave: There has been some concern on the council that we need to get the value of our land out there appraised. I contend that we need to coordinate an effort between the city and nearby property owners out there to establish a zone, a master plan. The area should be under certain rules and covenants to protect the city's Investment Right now were talking about raw land, with little or no zoning or rules governing It An Investor Is less likely to get Involved If they dont know that zoning will protect their me cltv-own- Investment We have to get together with the other land ownera out there. Then as a group we have to get the county to zone and protect the area. If s been said that the city council Is holding things up. Ive talked to the county commissioners, and they keep saying, youve got to come up with a plan. Were Just property owners out there. We can provide our expertise, our planning coordinator to help, even develop a plan In cooperation with the other land owners. But the governing body Is the county, and It has to set the rules. You don't sell 126 acres to any developer and all of a sudden have condominiums. It doesn't work that way. I hope all the people who have Influence, who care about what happens out there, like publisher of the Times Independent Sam Taylor, would listen. How can they put In editorials, "Just go and do It?" They know the planning process, and If s not magic. No one Is going to spend millions of dollars on a development without assurances that It will be protected. Zephyr: What do you know about stories going around town that different Individuals are calling for financial Investigations of cltv programs? There are always audtts, people questioning things like grants, and there have been comments I've heard If youre talking about serious Investigations, with the Attorney General or grand uries, theres nothing to that There are people who raise questions, Its part of politics. Opponents always perceive the present administrations way of doing things as not In the best Interest of the community. Weve had a problem with expense accounts, not turning them In on time. The auditors told us we were sloppy, but nothing that could be considered a criminal offense. If you look at our audtts, and the Investigations people talk about for grants and things, the rumors that have gone around town, you'll find that weve come through fine. Youre not going to find embezzlement, youre not going to find misappropriation of funds. What youre going to find Is that procedures weren't always stuck to 100 percent Things like the Manuel case. Professionalism eliminates a lot of those complaints. Zephyr: Where do you see Moab going In the next 5 years? Dave: I see the town growing economically. Some people say that we may become a Park City, or Aspen, a tourist trap, and thats a bad thing. If you owned Grand County, you would see an Increasing value. There will be some difficulties for some people who live here. Some wont be able to live here any longer. The town Is going to get more popular, more successful. Were going to grow, and I'd like to see that controlled. I haves fear that because of our Infighting, the county against the city, the committee against the committee, the volunteer group turf battles, the fights around events, If we dont overcome that pettiness, those problems, we aint going to be driving the car. It's going to come to town, and well be In the back seat letting someone else drive, someone who knew how to develop Park City. City Councilman Dave Bierschled was Interviewed by Ken Davey. edited for clarity and length. It JIM DAVIS TREE AND LANDSCAPING CO. 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