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Show ? V Hancock Cove man survives 7200-vo-lt Jolt from power line ee a-.- Area Chamber moves to monthly evening meetings , Page 9 ' ; itof&WghfefrrfiiblinaiV sfcri rihiin ''ifii liV V ' ... -- See page 9 : TtTh& 80th Year Tuesday, March 30, 1993 No. 13 Roosevelt, Utah 16 Pages 50 Cents Duchesne. Uintah at maximum tax rate CUWCD directors give okay to state, federal agencies By Mike their evaluation information available, the CUP would have a chance that of accessing an equal rate-b- ut has never happened," said Mr. Vanier. In other CUP related news, Central Utah Water Conservancy District Board of Directors reenforced relationships with four important agencies which helped the passage of the CUP tail. Directors extended consultation contracts Wednesday, March 17, for another year with the UB. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and the Utah Outdoor Interests Coordinating Council to assist in the planning and construction of all CUP projects. "These agencies have previously been involved and need to be involved every step of the way in the planning and construction phases of all CUP projects," said Don A. Christiansen, CUWCD general manager. Mr. Christianson also painted out that representatives from the four agencies be accessible and stay at CUP headquarters where be involved in the decision can they making processes. Ratification of these contracts reversed a negative Board vote in February when several members voiced concern that the agencies in Continued on page 8 Rot At their March 17 Board of Directors meeting, officials released information under the 1992 Tax A. Christiensen (standing), speaks to directors about the progress CUP WATER BOARD--Do- n of CUP projects and headway being made through cooperation with involved entities. The Board voted unanimously to include and provide funding for four different involved agencies March 17. Will Basin farmers plant larger crops due to winter snow fall? By Mindy Duncan the irrigation water they will be This past winter has definitely brought moisture into the Uintah Basin, moisture that has been needed for quite a few years now. How do farmers feel about it, what are their plans for planting crops and what are their concerns? Most farmers in the Basin have expressed the feelings of deep gratitude for the extensive snow fell that the Basin and surrounding areas have received this winter. "The moisture the Basin has received is wonderful and I dont think you could find a farmer around who would say different," stated Keith Mortensen a local fanner. Mortensen was right, there aren't very many farmers in the area that are complaining about . Ute Tribe receiving this spring. However there are a few concerns farmers are facing due to the abundance of water coming into the Basin. "Because of the late spring we are going to have to work extra hard in order to get our crops in in time for the first irrigation which will be received on April 1st," stated John Swasey, a Duchesne farmer and the water commissioner over the Duchesne and Strawberry rivers. Another concern farmers are facing is the possibility of floods this spring. Nick Lunds trom at the Soil Conservation Service here in Roosevelt stated that many individuals have made attempts and even ordered sand bags for this spring because of their fear of floods. "I . County. "The CUP Board cant tell you if it is going to flood this spring but I can tell you that the potential is definitely there," stated Lundstrom. ' "I dont believe I would go out and purchase sand bags at thif point in time but I would suggest that you keep informed and watch far the warnings, said Lundstrom. Because some formers will be receiving around 50 percent more irrigation water than was received last year, the question has been. Are farmers planning on planting larger crops? A few formers in the area have stated that they hope to be able to take advantage of the irrigation waters and plant a larger crop this year. Other formers such as John Swasey have decided to be safe and plant the same size of crops as they planted last spring. schedules nomination election for Tuesday, April 13 By Aldan Rachele Nomination Elections will be held Tuesday, April IS to fill seats on the Uintah and Ouray Business Committee to represent the White-rive- r, Uintah and Uncompaghra Bands. The election format will be a "Write-In- " nomination where the top two nominees with the most votes will be the candidates in the General Election, April 26. Nomination Election voting places will be located in Ft Duchesne, Randlett, Whiterocks and Myton. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 ' p.m. In 1991 the Nomination Election format was tried for the first time, and went quite well, according to Pollyanna Parks, who is the Uncompaghra representative on the Election Committee. She said, "This year will be the second time this has been done with the nomination process." In the past primary elections have been held. Time change slated Sunday The State of Utah will change over to Daylight Savings Time, Sunday, April 4. Clocks should be set one hour ahead, Saturday night before a person goes to bed. Other members of the Election Committee, which was selected by the Business Committee to run the General Election for the Tribal Council, are Ruby At wine, Whiter-ive- r Band and Jaqueline Martinez, Uintah Band. Voters must be an enrolled member of the Ute Indian Tribe, 21 years of age or alder on the day of the election, and maintained a residence within the exterior boundaries of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation for at least one year preceding the election. Each eligible voter can write in the name of one eligible nominee that he or she would like to have represent his or her Band on the Business Committee from A write-i- n nominee must be an enrolled member of the Ute Indian Tribe, 21 years of age or older on April IS and maintained a residence on the Uintah and Ouray . Reservation for at least one year prior to the election date. The election will fill the expiring terms of Stewart Pike, Uncompag-hr- e Band; Luke Duncan, Whiter-ive- r Band and Curtis Cesspooch, Uintah Band. 1993-199- 7. Charges filed against Sheriff, Altamont man By Mike Ron Duchesne County Sheriff Rick Harrison, as well as an Altamont resident, have been charged with falsifying records in connection with a purchase of three assault rifles back in October of 1992. UB. attorney David Jordan filed the misdemeanor charge against Harrison and Altamont resident Gil Mitchell last Monday, March 22 in UB. District Court. The misdemeanor charge foils under violation of Act 18 USC 922M, an act which prohibits misleading or false statements in the filing of federal forms and documents. Harrison and Mitchell pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge Tuesday, March 23 before UB. District Judge Bruce Jenkins. The misdemeanor charge carries a maximum penalty of one year jail and fines. Sentencing is scheduled in approximately 60 days. Controversy arose late last year and in early January when Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) officers confronted Harrison and informed him that he was under investigation of violating the law in the purchase of three semi-automat- ic assault rifles. Information filed alleges that Harrisons statement to Heckler and Koch, a firearms manufacturer out of Germany with its U.S. office in Virginia, was misleading in that it led Heckler and Koch to believe the rifles were destined for use by the Duchesne County Sheriffs Department and not to a private collector, Gil Mitchell. "I thought they were an Revenue Status Report revealing property tax rates being assessed to each of the 12 counties involved in the Central Utah Project (CUP). Out of the 12 taxable counties, only three, Duchesne, Uintah, and .Millard Counties were being assessed the maximum rate (.0004) on their county property evaluations. Other county rates ranged from Juab County at .000391 to Garfield County at .000280. Why the different rates when all 12 counties are part of the CUP? According to Dave Vanier, assistant director for property taxes at the State Tax Commissi on, tax rates are treated individually by unre-Continu- ed on page 3 allocates a portion of its property tax budget to each of the counties. The formula that derives the currant county tax rates consists of taking the assigned budget, and dividing that figure by the individual county evaluation base, with other variables involved." Some counties an assigned a small budget with a high rate (Piute). Others an given a larger assignment with a. smaller rate (see table). "If all 12 counties could have CUP MANAGER-Cent- ral Utah Water Conservancy District general manager Don A. Christiansen tells board members and reporters of the importance of all CUP Project entities working together for the continued success of the project's funding on-si- te and completion. Professional survey Most local residents approve of area schools, poll indicates The survey, conducted by Insight Research, asked telephone responDuchesne County residents are dents to answer some general generally pleased with the schools demographic questions: male or in the area, and are probably female, registered voter or not, willing to pay more taxes for children attending county schools, primary occupation, years of improvements. These assumptions are part of education, income, and length of information derived from the time in the community. Respondents were then asked professional public opinion survey conducted by the Duchesne School questions regarding the quality of District recently. The survey schools, elementary through high school, as well as the school board accomplished two main objectives, said Superintendent John Aland: and central administration and the "It provided a small report card on quality of schools in general. (See how people fed about the schools, graph.) The "grades" were designed to and it gave us information relevant to tiie voted leeway." An election give an indication of public opinion for a voted leeway is planned for about present quality. The information will also help determine where May 11. Pollsters called 543 households dissatisfaction lies. Elementary in the county; phone numbers were schools ranked the highest throughout, the district; public appicked randomly. Twenty-fiv- e proval of the school board was also percent of all households in and Duchesne High Schools relatively high. The majority of service areas were contacted (122 respondents gave a B to all of the and 127 respectively); 42 percent of schools and administration. Residents were asked to rank as Tabionas households (62) responded. Of the Union High service area, very important, important, not approximately 6.5 percent of the important, or not at all important: households (232) were contacted. A class size, improving curriculum, sample group of 400 was used to paying teachers more money, compile the results. attracting better teachers, paying By Karla Cox Alta-mo- nt better teachers more money, and improving schools generally. (See graph.) This information will help school board members determine where the greatest emphasis should be in improvement efforts. Funds gained in a voted leeway, said Supt. Aland, will focus on what is important to the survey sample of residents. Respondents were also asked if they would support (definitely, probably, probably not, and definitely not) financial effort if it meant an increase in personal taxes, for the following: class size, improved curriculum, pay teachers more money, attract better teachers, pay better teachers more money, and improve school generally. (See graph.) This information indicates that greater percentages of residents polled are willing to pay more to attract better teachers and pay better teachers more money. A high percentage is willing to pay more to improve schools in general. Thera was less support for an increase in teacher salaries across the board. Two open questions were placed in the telephone calls: 1) If you could Continued on page 14 What grade from A to F would you give the in your Community? School ? Schools in Central General Administration 10A 9A- - 8B 7B 5C 4C 3C- - 2D 6.0 6.0 6B- - - - - 'i . ' !. , M f t. W.'AMjfr: v? i .. Ji;. - . 1" 1D MAKING THE GRADE-T-his graph illustrates the letter grade offered by those surveyed for their specific schools, die school board, schools in general, and district administration. While several respondents gave an A to each category, those dont show due to averaging. ( |