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Show PAGES THE ZEPHYRJULY 1991 I public as a public service duty or someone from the mosquito board sleep out on Power House Ln for a night I don't know how many mosquitos are out there on Power House Ln. And if there are only 25, and nobody out there minds, but one tourist goes up there who's allergic to mosquito bites and dies, that is an extreme Issue. But I think this Issue of mosquito abatement has become extreme here. Many towns have mosquito abatement boards, and I dare say a large number of them use malathion. In any single health Issue, you will find a million people who will whitewash something horrible and flatten all pros and cons, or will say candlewax is horrible. You're going to have the whole spectrum and the same is true of Moab. Zephyr: You don't think there Is a health concern associated with malathion? Sam: I'm sure there Is. I don't know of what dimension It is. I've talked to an entymologlst who Is moving back to Moab and who I hope Is getting Involved In this. There's no question that what we're doing right now is legal. Beyond legality there's a clear problem with a neighborhood not wanting iL Zephyr: If you didn't spray power Houae Ln. do you really think that jeopardizes the health and safety of the rest of Moab? Sam: It seems unlikely to me. But not being a mosquito expert, I don't know. But we have to come up with a compromise on this. SOME PAST QUOTES TO REMEMBER... Zephyr interview, July 1990 Tour Tax Zephyr: Would you support a tour tax that Is a tax on tourists who take river trios and jeep tours and the like to generate more tax moneV for the countv? Merv: Im In favor of It Zephyr: Do you think Ifs lust a good Idea, or something the county would seriously pursue? Dave: In my opinion, I could support It, but I think there are other things Id rather The burden still falls on the local business person. Collecting another tax Is first pursue a tremendous problem-mo- re forms. I hate to put another regulation on the small business people. But If tourism Is going to be our mainstay, we have to find a way to make It pay. THE FOOD TAX Bulldozer D--8 Zephyr: Where do you stand on the 1 Food tax? Sam: We all have to admit It's a flawed bill. Since the counties are taxing entitles that have little latitude, It opened the door. Is the 1 food tax, will It impact locals more than two more wells will Impact the land? Zephyr: But there are two points of contention: one, that nobody wants to pay more taxes, two, the taxes are going to hire a manager for the Equestrian Center. Sam: What do you perceive as being a problem there? Zephyr: The problem Is, the Commission assured us that the Equestrian Center would not be a burden on the taxpayers of Grand County. Now, they've barely dedicated the building and you're already Imposing a tax. Supposedly, h should generate ha own revenue and take of Itself. Sam: Very few business make a profit in the first year or two. But I do think they need a person to run It. Someone needs to be delineated to book it and to advertise It Zephyr: You think it needs to be a separate position. But why la all this coming up now? When they proposed building it. why wasn't this Included In the cost? Sam: I can't answer that, because I wasn't in the playing field. Zephyr: To make it work you have to use the building. Do you know what percentage of the next year the center Is booked? Sam: I don't know that There are people delegated by the Travel Council, I think, to handle that I think there does need to be knowledge In order to advertise a place to Its full potential. Zephyr: But to give an example, when Denver wanted a malor league baseball team. It found out If the public support was there. If the financial support was there. But it didnt start spending the money to build the stadium until It got the franchise. Here. It seems like we've built the equestrian center; now we're going to see If anyone wants to use It It seems a little I concur. That's something that I think should have Sam: That's a great wrap-ubeen attended to. We'll see. It does seem like throwing the baby in Lake Michigan and saying, if she's meant to swim, shell swim. bass-ackwar- tractor Zephyr: What was the cost of the D- -8 dozer the county and low bov that went with It? Merv: I believe the total cost was about $260,000. Dave: What does that have to do with the dump? Zephyr: Isn't It being used for the dump? Merv: Sure, because we have some heavy ripping to do there. Dave: But It wasnt bought for the dump. Zephyr: You have a D- -6 and a D- -7 dozer now. And the county, according to you. Is pretty strapped for money. Was It conceivable that we could have gotten bv with what we had? Feme: I dont think we couldve spent that money on anything else. Dave: Some of It Is general fund. Zephyr: How much? Dave: Im not sure. Ifs a good question and Im going to answer with a question. What Is It that we spend money on that Is OK to spend money on? People always say -couldn't that money be spent better elsewhere? Well, where? There are needs In every department and we have to prioritize those needs. Merv: On this 8, the D- -6 and D- -7 were worn out D-- A1 McLeod electrical contractor ds. p. 259-709- 0 FO Box 1423 KEYSTONE PIT Zephyr: Where do we stand on the purchase of the Keystone Pit? Sam: Don't want to talk about It. I can't even speculate except to say that there are two pieces of property under the same ownership. One Is, among other things, a uranium tailings pond. This is the one that the present Keystone Pit Is on, plus part of It goes on BLM land. We've got three parcels of land, the second of which we wish to purchase. The whole decision depends on the Idea that we accept no liability except on that second piece. So It's idle to speculate, but personally, I would like to make a condition of purchase be that we test for contents of the pond, rather than groundwater. Zephyr: Thanks Sam. bought as well as the 2M -- 1UB OinIlV you youK Ptw O' THE Nt Moab "outlet" Tor Au lcfgl CAL JET)5- - |