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Show I I Page 2 - May 28. 1996 c Editoriat Uintah Basin Standard Skip the Courts and Head for Congress? were created and carried out by a large group of supportive individuals. Even the stoplight at 6th East in Roosevelt is there because enough citizens cared and participated in getting it installed. There is no end to the good that can be accomplished when people set aside their differences and work towards a common We have said it before. The attorneys are making all the money, and we are dealing with all the problems. Its tribal jurisdiction were talking about, and the problems will stay unsolved as long as the issue stays in court. Is there a better way? Well, Fred Payne sure thinks so, and we agree. Lets get our best heads together (from black hair to white and all shades in between-ev- en a few bald ones will probabe useful) and come up with valid, bly workable solutions that we can all live with, draft these into legislation, and present the bill to Congress. Look what incredible things have been goal. Some key elements will be essential to see a successful effort before the largest governing body in the world: cooperation, resolution. information, and a locally-base- d Some compromise will also be important, and a lot of time will be required to achieve the appropriate document and see it through. But we have everything to gain from a solution that meets the needs of Uintah Basin residents, not the fleeting fancy of th accomplished by utilizing small, local forums. The Uintah Basin Revitalization Act was dreamed up, drafted and delivered to Utah legislators by a group of concerned citizens possessing the ability to analyze the details and throw out the clutter. Bills that enhanced the workover oil industry high-power- ed lawyers. Lets get organized. Its not a lost cause until we decide the answer lies in endless court cycles. point of interest. Last night at the ball park, I passed out new shirts and hats to my team. Every tag was ripped off and thrown on the ground. Didnt look to bad, though. There were so many paper cups and candy wrappers already on the ground that the tags blended EDITOR'S NOTE: The Uintah Basin Standard welcomes and encourages opinions from readers int he form of letters to the editor. Letters may be utilized to express opinions or comments, to highlight outstanding of service individual an or organization, or any other worthwhile purpose. Letters may not be used to replace Cards of flunks, or to list sponsors, participants or contributors to a particular event or purpose. LETTERS MUST CONTAIN 400 WORDS OR LESS. BE TYPED OR WRITTEN LEGIBLY, SIGNED, AND INCLUDE NAME, ADDRESS AND NUMBER PHONE OF THE AUTHOR. Letters will be published unless they contain libelous or defamatory statements. We reserve the right to withould a name by request if the nature of the letter is positive, and to edit letters. Letters may be submitted to the Standard office at 268 S. 200 E, 84066 by the Roosevelt, Utah, deadline (normally published Thursdays at 5:00 p.m.) All letters become property of the Uintah Basin Standard. Pike addresses numerous issues of concern Dear Editor I wanted to comment on a few concerns that I have involving the Ute Business Committee, their attorneys, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and also the Head Start program. Let me begin with the Head Start, it seems as though the director is striking out blindly against certain employees, be it I have members or learned in the last few days that certain employees and their families who testified on behalf of Linda Skinner have been targeted for termination. I recently read a letter addressed to Linda Skinner from Head Start director Lippert which in part reads, you are no longer welcome on this reservation and on the properties of the Ute Indian tribe. - Why is the park always trashed? Why are our roads and recreation sites always dirty? Probably because trash isnt properly labeled with instructions regarding appropriate methods of disposal. How many trash cans come with instructions? WARNING: This can will not function properly unless the lid is removed before throwing trash in the general vicinity of the can. Well get legislation passed and take care of that problem. Or maybe litterers are just pigs on two legs, waiting for mom to come along and pick up after them. Ive got news. Porky, your mother aint coming. Clean up your own mess. If you see someone littering, follow them home. See where they live. Then call me. Well get a dozen of those orange bags off the road and dump the contents in their yard. Maybe if they have to clean up everybody elses mess, theyll be a little more careful where they put their own. Guest Editorial By Dave Holmes - According to the letter this was by the advice of tribal attorneys Hansen and Robert Sandy Thompson. While the tribal council and their attorneys have repeatedly accused myself of dictatorship, It seems as though this very same group of individuals are now the tribe and its showing membership the true meaning of the word. Threats are being made against employees regardless of whether they are tribal members or members. I would recommend that the employees and their families fight for what they believe is right, lets remember that this is a federally funded program that goes to benefit our children and should not be used by the business committee or their attorneys to promote discrimination or misunderstanding between the tribal members and who have lived here for decades, let's not cause anymore ill feelings. non-trib- al rs Concerning By Lezlee right in. rs the Business Committee, tribal attorneys and the BIA it seems as though they have decided to go ahead and utilize the water settlement funds without the full consent of the tribal membership. I have checked at the tribal office for a resolution which indicates the tribes approval for use of these funds, but as of yet I have not been able to attain a copy of this document, I doubt that one exists. I have heard that the tribal attorneys advised the Business Committee not to pass such a resolution because of the possibility that such a resolution would be challenged by the membership through a referendum vote. What we need to do as members of the tribe is to formulate an ordinance which establishes a board of directors and a new department that would be charged with the of the water administering settlement funds for the benefit of all tribal members (Economically). The Bureau of Indian Affairs is denying tribal members who have allotments and tribal members who have assignments the use of irrigation water if their OAM has not been paid up from. While on the other hand it waits to utilize some S28 million of your water Is Congressional action what it will take to solve jurisdiction questions? Your Mother Aint Coming Groups of dedicated cleaner-uppedutifully purge the highways of bag after bag of litter every spring, for which we thank them wholeheartedly. But gazing down a road lined with more orange spots than a good ridge on the opening day of deer season, brings up a nagging question; Just who are the pigs that throw the stuff out? Its not just on the road, either. Take a look around any lake, ball park, camp ground, school or sidewalk. Trash is everywhere. While photographing petroglyphs recently, I decided the best way to find them was to get on a high spot and look for beer cans shining in the sun. Almost every site was marked with cans or broken bottles. If nocans were flashing, the white of a dispos- able diaper was another good indicator of a One Mans Answer To Litigation settlement money to rehab ditches and the canal system for secondary water users. Finally, let me say that we need to conduct a referendum vote on the issues I have mentioned, 1) Do we want to utilize the water settlement money for all tribal members instead of just a select few? 2) Do we want storages built on our reservation? Keep in mind that the state (CUP.) will get control of our water. 3) A referendum vote on Robert Thompson and Sandy Hansens attorney contract because of their failure to protect our jurisdiction (tribal members). Stewart Pike Memorial Day observance, a rich tradition Dear Editor The observance of Memorial Day is one of our richest and most American of traditions, because it reminds us of the most basic of the beliefs on which our nation was founded--th- e belief that liberty is more precious than any gilt and, sometimes, even more precious than the gilt of life itself. Every generation of Americans has grown up understanding that our nation and our democratic ideals were founded and have been preserved by men and women g of our willing to put the country ahead of their personal well-bein- lives. In this "year of the Olympics", the men and women who serve our nation on active duty, or through the reserve and guard components, who train just Tike the Olympic athletes -ever on guard arid ready to move out in a minutes notice. These individuals are "Olympians" in their own right, training daily to become the best they can be in their duties. During the Olympic torch run that traveled through Utah this month on its way to Atlanta, one of the persons carrying the torch in were reminded of EL to go away, and its not going to be fixed by the court" old Payne, an The independent land man who serves as a consultant for oil companies, may live in Salt Lake City, but he spends the better share of most weeks in the Basin and has a great deal at stake in the local economy as he works to promote the area to everyone from oil companies to golfers looking for a good place to "going Whiting Fred Payne has an answer he believes would stop the "wheel spinning" and move all residents of die Uintah Basin to a final resolution on the issue of just who has jurisdiction in Duchesne and western Uintah Counties: Come lip with a compromise, draw up legislation, and take it to Congress for their approval. At a time when it seems that even after of courtroom haranguing, a standing date in federal court is necessary to address constant questions that arise when it comes to numerous jurisdiction issues, Payne submits that those questions aren't ever 62-ye- ar 20-yea- rs BOR Offers County $1 K Whiting In a year or so you may be going to a building other than the courthouse to conduct business with Duchesne County. County commissioners are doing some number crunching to determine if they should leave their present location and move into the former Bureau of Reclamation building on Blue Bench. BOR officials nave offered to lease the building to the county for $1 a year for 99 years. The county is in the process of to putting figures together and determine maintenance operation costs of staying in the courthouse, versus moving to the forma Bureau building, says Commission Chairman Larry Ross. The figures will give an estimation five-yer, of M&O costs on a and ten-yebasis, he said. Actual moving expenses will also be considered. When the countys new Public Safety Complex is completed next year, the attorneys office and courts will be moving out of the courthouse into the new facility, and Ross says the commission has "very positive feelings" that it would be in the countys best interest to relocate all other offices into the former Bureau building about the same time. The countys aging program might also be one-yea- ar ar the Ogden area was George E. Wahlcn. A true hero, George Wahlcn is Utahs only living congressional Medal of Honor recipient Mr. Wahlcn is one of for Utahs leading advocates veterans and veterans issues in Utah. We have always been blessed with countrymen like George Wahlcn, willing to pul their personal concerns aside, and give their all for America. We arc blessed to have people like that for without them we would have nothing at all. America's veterans are heroes; champions for a great nation. And so it is that we must always take care to honor and preserve the memory of their sacrifices. On this Memorial Day, let us not forget our nation's veterans and those who are still serving their country. We can pay no higher tribute to our dead nor render greater service to our nation this day than to instill in others, who seemingly have no special reason fa remembering,Thisthe truein spirit ofa is, truth, Memorial Day. day for all Americans. Doug Wadsworth people." Not only would it take and unity, any compromise proposed legislation would also take extensive research, he noted. "You need an accurate definition of play and then in detail say is the time for the problem, He says now how it can be fixed...lhis is heres county commissioners, city leaders, what we need you to do. state government the Ute Tribe have a problem we clear "Its Business Committee, and BIA to is arguing work together and "fix what's and all were doing it fixed. not and it about getting brake." and information best the need We "We need to find a way to get die best minds we have. We need to put our personal issues aside and A go ahead to Congress." Year Lease County contemplates move into former Bureau building By Lezlee new legislation to correct the problem," he stated. "When you get on art people working on something you can generally find a resolution, but youre not going to get Congress to move until they see some sot of unity among the included in that move. The aging program office is currently located m the Micklcson building at the fairgrounds. Ross says although the exact costs wont be known for about a month, right now it appears a move would be positive for county government in the long run. "What it comes down to is which building will be cheaper to maintain," Ross stated. "The old Bureau building is also out of the flood plain and the present building is not Im not saying the dam is going to break, but thats one of the wings we have to consider. Our records would be safer than they are now." The Central Utah Water Conservancy District uses a portion of the office space at the old Bureau building, but the majority of the facility is vacanL Should the county decide to occupy the building, the conservancy district has said it would consider building a smaller office for their staff in Duchesne. The former Bureau building is old, compared to the just current courthouse which was built in the early 1950s. If they decide to relocate, Ross said the courthouse would be put up for sale. rs TM Naturallyi-'ftvne-realize- the s process; of wiping - away the confusion created by Congress over 90 years ago when they established the Uintah Valley Reservation, and for the land then opened homesteading by white settlers isn't going to be easy, but if you're going to spend money on lawyers and spend time waiting for court dates, he reasons that energy could be better spent finding a permanent solution. "Id like to go into retirement knowing Out all this wheel spinning has finally moved us," he stated. 1 hate lost causes." June5 Two counties tribe to meet on Union issue A meeting between the Uintah and Duchesne school districts, and the Ute Tribe, concerning the Union High contract has been scheduled for June 5. The draft letter from the state attorney generals office will be included in the discussions as each district and the tribe decide the future of union and the students who attend the school. The closed meeting will lake place at the tribal administration office in Fort Duchesne. Uintah Basin Standard Inc. Second Class postage paid at Roosevelt ind Duchesne, Utih (USPS 646-90Published weekly at 268 S. 200 E. Roosevelt. Utah 84066-310- 9 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Uintah Basin Standard 26S S. 200 E, Roosevelt, Utah 84066-310- 9 OFFICE HOURS: 8:00 a.m. to 1 :00 p.m. Monday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday thru Friday. Phone Fax: 722-41DEADLINES: For all News, Legal Notices, Classifieds A Advertising, the Deadline is Thutiday at 5 p.m. PUBLISHER: Craig Ashby EDITOR: Lezlee E Whiting ADVERTISING: Ctaig Ashby OFFICE MANAGER: Tracy Womack PRODUCTION: Writers; Karla Cox, Aldon Rachele, and Cheryl Mecham. 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