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Show THE ZEPHYRAPRIL 1991 PAGE 4 an interview with David Knutson grand county commissioner On March 25, 1991, Jim Stiles conducted an Interview with Grand County Commission Chairman David Knutson. The Interview has been edited for clarity and length. THE HOSPITAL I've Zephyr: When do vou think you're going to appoint a hospital board, and avoid to want board because you heard the Commission has hesitated In creating a new Is accurate? on It that Cltv bv the representation I dont know when. What I want to do Is, we David: We'll appoint a board haven't had the Interaction we want yet to find out exactly where our hospital stands time according to our new administrator. When he gets on his feet and when we feel the Is right well appoint a new board. The Board Is a Special Service District that takes In the entire county, municipalities Included. On any board that board has the right to appoint a board member. We could set up a board of seven people and If the City felt It didn't have adequate I representation, It could appoint, In addition to those seven, so could Castle Valley, and suppose even Elgin. Zephyr: Do vou see a problem with Sam Cunningham as commissioner being on the board of the hospital, while being a hospital employee? David: Yes. Its a conflict of Interest Zephyr: You and former hospital board member John West got Into a discussion about the hospital at a Rotary meeting last week. Whats vour perception of that exchange with John? David: My sense of It was John was making some accusations which are basically true. We did not go and talk to LHS. We did not enter Into a conversation with John Johnson personally. That what we did was kind of arbitrary. All that Is exactly right What we did could be conceived as arbitrary. We knew what we were doing and we accept the I responsibility for those actions. The things he was saying were true; wasnt offended by It, because they were true. Zephyr: If what he said was true, does that mean vou made the wrong decision? David: No. Not at all. It just means that what we did was arbitrary. We sat down and made a decision and accept the consequences. His comment was - you did this and now you have to pay the consequences and my answer was - absolutely. Zephyr: was told that at the time of their dismissal. LHS was In the process of trying to hire a physical therapist which they believed could generate an extra $120.000 a year for the hospital. They also had planned to purchase a laser tool for surgery that would have been shared with the LHS hospital In San Juan County. With LHS out the laser protect Is down the tubes, but Is the board pursuing things like the physical therapist position? David: I dont know If they were pursuing It or If we are pursuing It Thats Information I was unaware of and had I been aware of It, It wouldn't have changed my feelings about our decision. administrator In place, how much longer will Merv Zephyr: With a new full-tiLawton stay on as financial director? David: Merv Is temporary. I need to talk to the administrator about that When on his feet that'll be It It was always understood that Merv would be temporary. hes I me COUNTY ATTORNEY SALARY Zephyr: Last November. Elaine Coates was fairly soundly defeated In a vesno vote of the citizens of Grand County. A major point of contention was that In her four years as county attorney, her budget Increased dramatically, and voters assumed they'd see a rollback In the budget. Instead, youve hired the firm of Lvle Anderson at S5.000 a month. Does that reflect what the voters want? David: I couldnt address that because I wasnt sure what that vote meant I was painfully aware that If the county voted "no on Elaine Coates, they were, In essence, signing a blank check, forcing us to get another attorney, regardless of the cost Weve done excellent In getting a tremendous attorney at a cost that Is equitable to what we budgeted. So we didn't really Increase the budget Zephyr: So the total budget has not Increased? David: Thats right THE SCHOOL week, which Zephyr: Last week, the school board voted to return to a five-dthey say will regulre more money. At the same time, the Commission approached the school board about reducing Its share of State PILT monies that come to the county. How much are we talking about and could this leopardlze the school boards plans regarding the five-dweek? David: Let me correct the question. What we did was approach the school district and said, there Is a possibility that our hospital could be In some serious financial trouble. If that turns out to be the case, could we expect some help from the school district, pointing specifically at those State PILT payments? Zephyr: How much does the school district receive? David: They get 52 of what comes to the county, which Is about $90,000.00 Zephyr: So about $45 to $50.000? David: Around there. Zephyr: Lets sav that becomes a real possibility. You have a hospital In trouble, an educational system that can lust now afford to return to a five-dweek, and a road Cliffs road. Book to wants district that build the David: What youre about to say Is we could take some of that mineral lease money for the Book Cliffs road and give ft to the hospital. Zephyr: And education wouldnt be jeopardized at all. David: That Is correct Weve gone to the road district and asked for help, and they said yes. Zephyr: How much? David: We didnt give a number. Were Just looking, In case something has to happen. av ay ay Youve been accused of having a conflict of Interest on several levels. You appointed vour dad and cousin to the road board David: My uncle's the sheriff. Zephyr: Ok. What about vour grandfather? Amel Holvoak Is on the county payroll as the animal control officer. David: His Job Is to see to It that when livestock gets on the roads that they're all the time. rounded up. Zephyr: Is he actually doing the work? David: He sees that ft Is done. Zephyr: Does he do the work himself? David: He oversees It He Is not physically able to go out there and grab a horse and drag It In. He usually goes out and rounds up one of the grandklds and drags him out -there, and says get that horse -- - grab on to ft - and takes It up to his corrals and sees that the Job Is done. Zephyr: Are the grandklds on the payroll? David: No. Zephyr: If hes physically unable to do a lob that regulres him to be physical, whv doesnt the county hire someone who can? For Instance. If vour grandfather has one of the grandklds out rounding up a horse, and the grandchild gets kicked In the head, the countv would be liable for the Inlurv. David: No. Well I suppose that's true, but I dont get your point Let me go back and say, the Job says keep the animals off the streets; ft doesnt say you have to physically mount the animal and ride ft Into a corral. He does the Job the way ft says. As far as the county being liable, If a person physically gets thrown off, theyd be liable. Zephyr: But thats like saving.... David: What Is the question exactly? Get right down to ft. Zephyr: Mv Question Is. Is Arnel Holvoak being paid to do the lob he was originally.... David: To do nothing? He Is being paid to do the Job he was originally hired to do and that Job Is being done now under his Instruction. Look, this Is a part-tiJob that I think I understand what a benefits. and what the $300 month, plus pays youre saying a concerns are. They are that theres county commissioner who has a grandfather whos old and decrepit whos being kept on the county payroll so that he can have benefits and a little bit of money, and I understand that I dont agree because, number one, the Job gets done. That's the commission's and the citizens' main concern. And Its being done at a tremendous savings to the county. When my grandfather can finally no longer do the Job, es Increase In the budget, because absolutely no one Is willing to do that well see a me five-tim- for that amount of money. And let me say that whether or not he was my grandfather, I would never, ever take a person off that Job If It was being done. When John Brown was sick and he was the building Inspector, he was not only Incapable physically of doing the Job, ft really wasnt getting done very well, and there was no way I was going to take him off the payroll after he worked all those years for the county. You dont Just discard human beings when they cant do something after a long time. Zephyr: How old Is vour grandfather? David: He's 83. Zephyr: Don't most government lobs have a mandatory retirement age? David: No, that Is not correct Thats Illegal. Zephyr: Then I stand corrected. But there Is a precedent where If a person Is physically unable to do a lob David: Well, maybe. But the Job Is being done under his supervision. Zephyr: But by private citizens, not bv employees of the countv. David: Sure. But he doesnt Just sit In his house. I got up at 2 a.m. the other and he was out rounding up horses that had been brought In. He's not totally night disabled. Zephyr: Is It a conflict of Interest for vou to actively participate In a decision regarding your grandfather In that position? For Instance. If the commission decided to vote pn terminating Arnel In that lob, would vou abstain from voting because he's vour grandfather? David: No. I'd feel that was ok. For the record, let me say that when my grandfather no longer feels he can do the Job, he will come and tell us. He Is a man of Integrity and he will resign. And It has nothing to do with the fact that he Is my grandfather; It has to do with the fact that he has tremendous Integrity. CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS Zephyr: What Is the status of Sam's appeal to the Attorney General regarding the of legality your appointing vour father and cousin to the road district board? Pvld: We re waiting. Let me give you a brief update. Lyle Anderson sent a letter up to the AG. They said, you make the determination first, and If we want, well rule on what decide. So Lyle gave the opinion that, yes, fts OK. Sam said, fine, now Id like the Attorney General to rule on that and Lyle said,probably I dont blame you, I think thats a good move, so now were waiting to see If Lyles opinion Is accurate. Zcphyr: jp. yur wind, do you see anv conflict of Interest thara? ut heres a conflict of Interest In . everything. This Is a small .a or the po nt but we've the mayor with two sisters working for the th br0,"er IStor ,S dePU'y Parate9al- town te rtf. ju J:1hyah' JES52EST 9t "d Zephyr; How do vou define conflict of Interest? th abl,lty to better yurself through decisions you as a oublleloffidSfreyiU P m grandfather on, and I foot SSL' !cgood boons. I'm tha confflct of Interest If Sams working at the hospital and helDlno term d0' drt,mln how and whal sh h sh. Is h a position toeonfHctonnterest" 1 would 1 bau b. think It hmte anwhfte llnfl? 11 -p- lcked - Vwn'a con,lct of Interest, but ypu donl NEPOTISM? Zephyr: Ok. Id like to clear thealron an Issue thatlheardlscussedjiroundjgwn Zeph.Whateshat6 there VU haV8 dr3W ,,ne' |