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Show V mT ffbi,rfv' - w- '. JIAN COUNTY,f UTAH ySOgnte f SINCE 1915 June20,2oqi HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER FOR SAN r',VohimaB5 Number85grs sma i mil.1 Monticello to proceed with purchase of electric system by Logan Dowell deadline for golf course The Monticello City Coundl has voted to proceed with its previous decision to purchase the dty electrical system from construction nearing rapidly. Coundlman Doug Allen said that all of the problems could be avoided if the four dty residents pressing charges would drop thdr lawsuit. Pete Steele, one Empire Electric. The decision came after a series of meetings in the past week. With a 2 vote of the Coundl, the City dedded to pay Empire $125,763 for electric work at the new 18 hole golf course rather than pay a $70,000 lower price in exchange for extending a 20 year franchise to the Cortez-base- d electrical cooperative. As a result, the City will continue to pursue the purchase of the electrical system. An earlier motion to buy the system has been tied up in courts after four Monticello residents sued the City, claiming that the Coundl subverted the public 3-- Elk Ranch at a recent bendinner for Chad Hymas. Hymas was injured in a freak accident at his elk ranch near Tooele. He is the of Joe and Carol Barton of Monticello. Organizers served 425 meals and raised several thousnd dollars to benefit Hymas, who has no health insurance. Joe Fellmeth enjoys the elk at Horsehead efit son-in-la- w Staff photo process while making the decision to buy the system. A District Court ruling in favor of the City was appealed and the lawsuit is now awaiting review by the Utah Supreme Court The vote to proceed with the purchase passed by a 2 vote in a special meeting on June 15. Councilman Kim Burtenshaw moved from supporting the purchase to opposing it. Burtenshaw explained, The margins are just too tight. We had a great window when we voted for this in March, 2000, but it has long since dosed. It was a great opportunity, but not . 3-- Blanding City approves new budget that tops The Blanding City Council approved a new budget which totals more than $7 million at the June 13 City Council meeting. The Budget includes $3.3 million in the general fund and more than $2.2 million in enterprise funds. Enterprise funds include the citys electric, natu- ral gas, water, sewer, solid waste, golf and visitors center. Capital outlays in the enterprise fund total more than $1 million, dominated by $650,000 for the new visitors center. The Council awarded contracts for the visitors center to Tri-Hur- st Construction, with an anticipated deadline before the 2002 Olympics begin. Capital outlays in the enterprise fund also include $163,000 for various elec- tric system maintenance and upgrade projects. Capital expenditures in the general fund include $225,000 for a new little league baseball complex. The complex, the majority of which' is paid with a $200,000 grant, will be built just west of San Juan Building Supply in south Blanding. The dty is handling construction of the project. When complete, it will be operated by the San Juan County Central Rec $7 million reation District In addition to the little league field, capital outlays in the general fund include nearly $1.2 million to complete a new hanger at the airport. The significant changes in energy markets have trickled down to the City of Blanding. Electrical system purchases will increase from $780,000 to $831,000 over the two year period. The modest increase in the electrical system purchases pale in comparison to significant changes in natural gas anymore. The special meeting was held on June 15 after hours of discussion at the June 13 coundl meeting failed to bring a solution. At the earlier meeting, the councils frustration was evident over Empires delayed response to a previous offer and with a of the four residents, was present and replied that if the city would hold a vote to see what the residents want, they would drop the charges. Mayor Dale Black told the coundl, It all boils down to this: You are either committed to 'Wtetass Commission brief - 30 years of Hoods in the Woods - and the motion died. Chairwoman Julie Bronson explained, Given their past dealings, I don't trust them in meeting the deadlines. Councilman Evan Lowry then moved to hold a special meeting on June 15 to make the decision, because he had a few questions that needed to be asked before he could make his decision. Councilman Clyde Christensen said, I still stand where Ive always stood on this issue (opposed to purchase of the electric system) but the motion for a special meeting was unanimously approved. Mayor Black asked each councilman to study and ask all the questions before the special meeting so they could arrive prepared to make a vote. Lowry said that he was able to speak with the citys electrical system consultant to make sure some things were in place and could be done with the electric See page 5 Monticello may get sport track after 'all - See page 11 Fathers Day dream - See Cave Guy, pg 15 ns8tfifr a motion to approve the $125,000 golf course bid from Empire. No second was made See page 2 Economic indica- See page 3 tors buying the system or you are not. With that in mind, Allen made a, understand that the program 1 is good and we are all happy... but then you run over the rai and get sued because its an endangered species. - Commissioner Bill Redd he wants to explaining why check a HUD agreement between Grand and San Juan counties. 'foe I girl Cameron Marie & Stan Schafer June 1 Laurel boy Tanner Gam Melissa & Philip Hughes June 4 girl system. He added that this discussion helped him make his decision to vote in favor of the Autumn Cole Allen Becky Taylor & Jeffery Allen JuneQ motion. 1 purchases. Monticello May Hi Lo Pr 11 84 48 12 83 48 13 76 39 .05 14 65 28 15 77 32 16 84 44 17 87 43 In the just completed fiscal year, the budget for natural gas was $152,000. That more than doubles to $338,000 in the upcoming fiscal year. The City Council has adjusted natural gas rates in order to break even from operations. However, the city continues to service the debt for the relatively new system at over $375,000 a year. The debt less depreciation results in $122,000 impact on cash flow for purchase ofthe natural gas system. The dty continues to make glacial progress on paying the 25 year note that was used to fund construction of the system. I j Blanding Lo Pr Hi 91 55 87 55 65 43 .02 72 36 83 45 90 54 93 56 Monticello had a trace of snow on June 13 i News Roundup Letters Society Sports Deanna Dalton checks Grant Bronson's blood pressure at one of two health fairs sponsored by San Juan Health Services, staff photo 1rs (I) Community News Legals Real Estate Classified 2 6 8 10 ...12 16 17 18 . i |