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Show Water users upset over Ute compact Public hearing were held in Ducheane and Roosevelt Tuesday, Jan. 16, attended by 40 to SO people, according to Jerry Olds, hydrologic engineer with the Division of Water Rights. The meetings, originally scheduled for Jan. 10, but rescheduled after bad weather caused cancellation of the meetings, were for the purpose of presenting to local residents the status of agreements between the state and the Ute Indian Tribe regarding water rights. Documents to be considered were the Ute Indian Water Compact and the Ute Indian Water Rights Supplement. A major source of dissatisfaction Fugitive apprehended A report to the Utah Highway Patrol regarding a speeding automo- resulted in the this through. v Thomas also said that' he believes people on the upper Duchesne River have unique problems that are not adequately addressed in the compact. Dee Hansen, state engineer, said repeatedly during the meetings that under the compact Indians and will get the same treatment, and that the compact was formulated in an effort to consider the rights and priorities of' everyone involved. Leo Haueter, president of the Moon Lake Water Users Association and of the Associated Water Users of Uintah and Lake Fork Rivers, and Lynn Winterton, manager of the Moon Lake Association, were in attendance at the meeting, and presented to the state non-India- 'nearloka bile among area residents was the short notice with which the meetings were held. Although the hearings were described by state officials as "public media notification was meetings, inadequate and lead time insufficient for all interested parties to attend. According to Duchesne County Commissioner Ray Thomas, "very few were notified of the meetings, and the turn-ou- t was disappointing. Thomas said he feels "they are trying to hurry apprehension Thursday, Jan. 17, of an escapee from the Utah State Prison. Ken Richens, Myton, observed the on, being operated in nd notified A1 Christensen. Christensen caught up with the vehicle near the Ioka junction, and arrested the driver for driving under the influence. It was later learned that the driver, Fred Johnson, 89, was operating a stolen vehicle, and was also a fugitive from the state prison, where he was. serving a sentence for theft. Christiansen said he was backed up by Roosevelt City Patrolmen Tom Reynolds. Johnson was held in the Duchesne County jail for prison authorities,, who returned him to Point of the Mountain. - document Hansen said he could appreciate their concern and would take the information back to the governor for further discussion. Subsequently, Haueter and Winter-ton consulted an attorney, who expressed the opinion that the compact as it stands "leaves too much . . -- ' open, is "not binding," and contains vague wording." Sen. Glade Sowards has reportedly introduced s bill into the state legislature to accept the compact as it stands. Haueter told the STANDARD Tuesday evening that he and Winter-towould meet with Sen. Sowards Wednesday in an effort to "slow thin down until they can be more examined and considered. Haueter also expressed concern that the "public hearings were held with almost no "public notice," and that in his opinion there has been insufficient consideration for the opinions of area ranchers and water users in this "most critical matter. n Firemen sift through the rubble that remains of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Glen Mecham. Local trucking companies responded to the call for more GRIM DUTY No county help for The Duchesne County Commission has reportedly declined Roosevelt 'City's request for assistance , La improving facilities at, the Roosevelt Snow play area at Elkhom loop A cooperative effort between agencies has resulted in the establishment of a new winter recreational a facility in the Roosevelt area snowmobile and snow play area north of Whiterocks. According to Terry Larsen, park superintendent for the Utah Parks and Recreation Department, and Bill Sims, U.S. Forest range conservationist, Service, the area may be reached by taking the road north from the Elkhorn Guard Station. Groomed snowmobile trails reach approximately twelve miles into the Pole Creek Lake area, and nowmobil-er-s may travel as far as Bennion Park and Chipeta Lake. In addition to a parking area for six stipulations, which, they aid, clarified certain provisions of the , compact, and asked that these stipulations be made a part of the , engineer vehicles and trailers chemical toilets are provided and garbage collection stations have been established. country skiers and families seeking a place to play in the snow are welcome to use the parking area, as welL The Elkhorn Loop Road is closed to four-whedrive vehicles, with a gate at the cattle guard, to allow access for snowmobiling and snow play only. The two agencies plan to keep the trails groaned for the rest of the season. As roads open higher up, trailers will be allowed to go on up as far as Hominy Creek. The county has opened roads in the past for recreational purposes, but Continued on page 3 airport City Airport Roosevelt City had recently request- ed $28,000 to install tanks for jet fuel. at the facility. The substantial cost-of- ; jet fuel storage is due to the fact that a type of algae grows in jet fuel, the use of special necessitating filtering systems and periodic "scrubbing of the tanks. Several companies that use the airport regularly operate jet aircraft, aid airport operator Charles Gibbs, and the only facility in the area that can refuel this type aircraft is in VernaL Gibbs indicated that more jet traffic would come into the area if fuel were more readily available. The issue was brought to the Jan. 15 meeting of the Commission, but, according to County Clerk Janet Cowan, no motion was ever made on the matter. She said there was "discussion only, and there is no official refusal of the request in the minutes of , only regular user that could be called a "Roosevelt City customer is the air girvice that . comes in five times a week to bring the bank mail. Even the air ambulances, they say, are serving the county hospital. Even though Duchesne County realises a substantial amount of tax revenue from companies that use the airport, Roosevelt City officials maintain that the county has contributed nothing toward the building or the maintenance of the airport. County spokesmen counter by citing the road that leads from U.S. Hwy. 40 to the airport, but Roosevelt City spokesmen say that the county road Continued on page 3 the meeting. Roosevelt City officials have long felt that Ducheane County should contribute to the maintenance and equipment of the airport, since the primary users, Le, the oil companies, generate tax money that goes to the county. According to airport personnel, the January January January January January January January 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 water, but were unable fo reach the scene in time for the double wide trailer home to be saved. Sunday fire destroys home near Duchesne The Ducheane City Fire Department responded to an alarm Sunday, Jan. 20, when fire engulfed a mobile home belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Glen Mecham, Duchesne. When firemen arrived, the rear of the home, located north of the city on the Altamont highway near the power was involved. According to Fire Chief Dave Baum, the blaze was nearly under control when the fire fighters ran out of water. Baum said another 300 gallons probably would have enabled firemen to halt the spread of flames through the sud-statio- n, structure. Local transport companies responded with tankers of water, but arrived too late. Responding were Duane Hall Trucking Co., and Liquid Transport, Inc. A cistern of water was located near the trailer, but firemen were unaware of this source. A number of automobiles, camp trailers, and a boat were parked near the home, threatened by the intense heat and flames. Kim Hamlin, Duchesne, used his truck to move the items away from the fire. The home, placed on the property only two to three weeks ago, was totally destroyed. The home-ownewere in Duchesne City when the fire broke out, and causes of the fire are still under investigation. rs Roosevelt police report 1979 activity A report of Roosevelt Police Department activities for 1979 was released this week. According to the report, the total number of complaints investigated last year was 1632, up from 1312 the year before, a 24 percent increase. Felonies were up 23 percent, from to 156; misdemeanors were up 83 percent, from 989 to 1316, and there matters was a decrease in investigated, from 196 to 178, or 10 127 al percent. Sex offenses, both felonious and misdemeanor, increased more than . three-fol- d, as did misdemeanor as- saults. Disorderly conduct investigations were up from 223 to 843, from 1978 to 1979. Controlled substances investigations were down, from 7 to 2 in the felony category, but up from 11 24 in the misdemeanor category. Bad check investigation! increased from 29 in 1978 to 48 in 1979, and misdemeanor thefts were up from 135 to to 172. Of the 156 felonies investigated, 63 verdicts were rendered, with "guilt 30 cases still pending, the 1316 misdemeanor investigations resulted in 1178 "guilty" verdicts with 206 cases pending. Of the 178 matters investigated, 137 involved accidents. Roosevelt City Police Chief Cedi Gurr said that the apparent increases are in many instances due to increases in reported crimes and arrests. He said that the ratio of police to population is now more favorable, and that the men are better trained in investigative skills. al New Indian clinic for Ft. Duchesne Planning is well underway for the establishment of a new Indian Health Service clinic to serve area Indian people. TRAILHEAQ Terry Larsen, left, Park Utah Parks and Recreation, and Bill Sims, Superintendent, Forest Service conservationist, look over the winter recreaSNOWMOBILE tion' area being developed and opened through cooperative efforts by the two agencies. Parking for snowmobilers and skiers, a snow play area for all rest are room families, facilities, provided within an easy drive of Roosevelt. cross-count- ry The facility, to be located at Ft Duchesne, wifi be funded through a special appropriation, which is, according to one source, in the final stages of approval. Don Peters, service unit director of the present clinic in Roosevelt, said that three sites are undrfr consideration: a location behind the old Bureau of Indian Affairs building; a location across from the Pow Wow grounds on U.S. Hwy. 40; and yet another location near the new Tribal Administration building. Peters said that other sites could be considered as welL The facility is expected to cost about $2.2 million, and would take nearly two years to complete. It would be dink, and it is strictly an possible that the space in the out-patie- Duchesne County hospital building presently leased by the Indian Health Service would be devoted to hospital beds for Indian patients. The Ute Tribe is looking at a number of options with reference 'to construction of the dink. Under Public Law 638, which is concerned with Indian the Tribe could build the facility, contracting out the architectural and engineering andor construction; the Indian Health Service could build the clinic, with input from Tribal authorities; the Tribe could undertake the project in its entirety, with supervision by the Health Indian or any Service; combination of the above approaches. is Peters said that expected to take place this summer. It k estimated that a staff of at least 54 will be required to operate the ground-breakin- clink. g |