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Show r T .V, CRRT UTAH : EXP: 0 ASSOCIATION PRESS CR19 W. 200 SALT LAKE S. 307 UT CITY, P (1) Your temper 84101 ITS TIME TO COUNTIES: is one of your more valuable possessions. Don't lose it. GET ON WITH LIFE Ute Reservation boundary dispute of litigation ends after rs 23-yea- pass close lo 4 million acres in Duchesne County and west Uintah County Commissioners have no plans to continue any further with litigation , and with the latest court verdict in hand they hope to resume negotiations with the Ute Tribe Business Committee. By Lezlee E. Whiting The Ute reservation boundary conflict that began in 1975 in U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City and then bounced among various courts of law on and off over the next 23 years, presumably ended last week. On Monday, Feb. 23 the UJS. Supreme Court denied an attempt by Duchesne and Uintah counties to have the high court revisit their 1994 decision in Hagen v. Utah. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals determined the high court ruling left the original boundaries of the Uintah Valley Reservation intact, the two counties disagreed saying the Supreme Court intended to dissolve and Scout age boys, along with their dads and GOOD, COLD FUN-Bla- zer Scout leaders spent last weekend in Bacon Park participating in the annual Klondike Scouting event. Scouts from Duchesne and west Uintah counties tested theirskills in lashing, knot tying. First Aid, fire buildingand of course, sled racing. ' County. A complex mapping process is underway to precisely pinpoint where the Ute Tribe has jurisdictional authority within the two counties. The maps look like a colorful patchwork the reservation boundaries. The Supreme Courts denial means the Appeals Court decision handed down May 8, 1997, will stand. The rulingremoved land from the reservation which was opened by Congress in 1902 and 1903 to homesteaders, but left the exterior boundaries in place. In accordance with the Appeals Court ruling the Ute Tribe "retains the authority to regulate and adjudi-- : cate Indians conduct on all lands within the original boundaries, except those lands settled under federal homestead or townsite laws. The largest piece of homestead land is Roosevelt City and the outlying area. The reservation boundaries encom marking different laud categories which include former Indian allotments, federal, and state land, tribal trust land, Indian Coi mt ry, homestead land and townsites Many lands which fall under t rihal jurisdict ion are owned hy s. Ute Tribe Attorney Robert Thompson said the tribe doesnt have plans tochangeanvtliiiigon the heels of the court ruling, noting that the tribe has had the authority toexercise their j u risd id ion on t hose lands since 1983, but has never dmu so. Duchesne County Commissioners say they huve no plans to cent inue any further with litigation, and with the latest court verdict in hand they hope to resume negotiations with the Ute Tribe Business Committee. Talks broke off last summer when the Duchesne and Uintah County Commissions opted to appeal the 10th Cimiit Court ruling to the Supreme Court. Tribal leaders said they could not continue negot iations in good faith due while county officials continued to litigate the exterior boundaries. "I think we have done what the taxpayers expected us to do in pursuing the appeal and protecting their rights, stated Duchesne County Commissioner John Swascy. "I think all we ran do now is accept the decision of t lie lOt hCircuit Court and geton with life." Comm issioners hope to get back to the negotiation table and continue to hammerout the fine pointsofaMemo-randuof Understanding signed between the counties and tribe in 1994. The document dealt with rights-of-wataxation, planning and zoning, business regulation, water issues and y, SEE LITIGATION on page 3 Serving the residents of Duchesne and Western Uintah Counties Girls State Tourney -- see page Tuesday March 3, 1993 Roosevelt, Utah 85th Year No. 9 18 Pages Filing dates approaching for those who want ot run for office Uintah Basin Union Girls take 2nd at TAN 14 50 nijnsERfu-- see page 2 Rill limits federal power in rural Utah see page 3 FUNDS CUT FOR UNIONS ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM l Shortage forces end to program that turns kids lives around Iilias definitely helped kids who probably would have been lost , were going to have to try to regroup and focus our concern on these kids. -- By Cheryl Mecham Purrnt rave that Union Highs in- school alternative class has turned their kids around. In fact one says her child - who was failing high school before being enrolled in the alternative ciess, - is so enthusiastic about learning lie wants to go to college. So why has Duchesne County School District decided to terminate it? Superintendent John Aland Bays that the program will end because of MAKING THE GRADE-Mi- ke Royall works with his alternative students who are now making the grade, but were failing in the traditional class room. The program, which has saved lives according to school administrators will be dissolved for lack of funds. a significant drop in student enrollment at Union. Weve lost $250,000 in WPU (Weighted Pupil Unit) money, he explained. The alternative program was originally funded through a grant, when that ran out Aland said the district used state money allocated for students at risk, and took the remainder FURNITURE REFURBISHING BUSINESS Old jail to house prisoners & pTfwoidjaU is being remodeled to house 30' state prison inmates who will be employed by Utah Corrections Industry. By Dixie R. Brown Duchesne County Sheriff Ralph Stansfield is hopeful that Utah Correctional Industries will have set up a furniture refurbishing shop in Duchesne no later than May 1. The new business venture will be housed in the garage behind the old county jail. The old jail is being remodeled to house the 30 state prison inmates who will be employed by UCI while serving the remainder of their prison terms. UCI will be bringing a furniture refurbishing business into the county, Stansfield explained. "We will not be doingany business with any individu-alsjuhelping UCI fulfill their work contracts with other state and local governments. Inmates who will work in the shop will be paid an hourly wage ofbetween 25 cents to 50 cents. All workers will be required to remain "write up free, said Stansfield, adding that the inmates allowed to work in the facility are claseifiedasveiylow-riskbecaus- e their parole dates are close at hand. "These inmates will be at least classified as level 5 within the prison system and they must stay out of trouble or they will lose the opportunity to work in the program. st funds the district cannot operate the program. The school district receives $1,791 per student in WPU funds from the state. Enrollment at Union peaked at 1,140 two years ago, but is now down to 1,015. The worth ofthe program has been great, Alund says, adding I feel badly, it has definitely helped kids who prob- ably would have been lost, were goin g to haveto try toregroupand focus our concern on these kids. Deanne Alternbcrn says the alternative program has made all the difference for her son, Jason, who began to struggle academically in junior high school. She requested that he receive testing to detect any learning problems, buttesting wasn't done according to Deanne. "The library aid tutored him, and he made it through, she said. Shortly after beginninghigh school, oid freshman Jason, now a became so frustrated wit h high school that he stopped going altogether. 15-ye- business self-estee- around. Itsan opportunity for them to feel successful, that is the belief system I operate goesup-thatsthetu- m on. Royall says his classroom can successfully operate with 15 students, above that the programs 60 - 85 percent success rate fell, so enrollment SEE ALTERNATIVE on page 3 24 APPLICANTS FOR 7 SPOTS The state recently advertised for a shopforemantooversee the new prison industry in Duchesne. According to UCI officials, 12 local residents have applied for the position. The shop foreman will be selected by UCI. He will not have to be certified by Peace Officer Standards and Trainingcerti-fie-d as a law enforcement officer must be, but he will receive trainingon how to work wit h inmates. All workers will be supervised by a Corrections officer. Duchesne County has hired eight new jailers to staff the remodeled jail and prison industry operation in back of the jail. County commissioners approved $30,000 for thejail renovation project in the 1998 budget Inmate labor is being utilized to compete the renovation project at the jail. Inmates are supervised by the sheriff. "We are pretty confident that we can do most of the general labor cleaning, knocking out walls - by ourselves," Stansfield stated. The new Duchesne Countyjail and the remodeled jail are expected to bring in over $400,000 annually in revenue to county coffers through a -- contract with the state for inmate housing Stansfield says hes not looking at bringing the prison industries program into the county merely as s way to make more money, he wants the Duchesne County jail tobe the benchmark for other county jails in the state. " If we have programs here and the opportunity for. the inmates to stay busy we are more likely to insure that we will have a good relationship with the prison. POOR COPY from the district's general operation fond. Now, the students-at-ris-k money has been pulled, and without WPU "I wasnt showihg up to do my work, Jason said. An English teacher offered to do a reading test, which showed that while Jason can read he had difficulty with comprehension. He was placed in the alternative program and Jasons whole perspective changed. "He hit a frustration level, his attitude was - why go to school at all? I cant get this Im a failure, now he calls and says, ' Guesswhat mom? I got the second highest score on my biology test! and hes talking college. There is such a difference in such a short amount of time, its amazing! The difference, she says is the tutoring and counsel her son receives through the programs advisor, Mike Royall. How does Royall turn the direction of troubled youth into academic success stories with a "can do attitude?" "I give the kids two or three good educational experiences, its not easy, but when they can do their school work successfully their Commission names new water board V,' x. x jj.i - The board ofdirectors must now hire a manager to oversee daily opera- tions of the new Water Conservancy District. By Lezlee E. Whiting 1998 Eugene & Eunice Utah Family The Utah Taxpayers Association is pleased to announce the completion of "The Eugene & Eunice Utah Family pamphlet for 1998, a copy of which will be included with next month's newsletter. We believe you will find this guide useful in determining your own tax burden. Eugene and Eunice, with their children Ulysses, Utawna, and Ursala, are a statistical family of five designed to help illustrate the annual tax burden of the Utah family. The data used in calculating the Utah tax burden was taken from the US. Census Bureau and several publications by the Utah State Tax Commission. According to the analysis, an average family of five in Utah pays $15,350 in taxes, or just over 35 cents of every dollar earned. This means that the average taxpayer must work 2 hours and 43 minutes every day to pay hisher tax bill. Of their total tax bill, the Utah family pays $11,284 in household taxes includingproperty, state and federal income, social security, and sales and use taxes. In addition to these household taxes, Eugenes and Eunice's employers must also pay employment tans of $4,066 including social security, unemployment compensation insurance, and workers compen- SEE EUGENE on page 3 Duchesne County Commissioners spent a portion oflast week interview-ing2- 4 candidates who applied to serve on the board ofdi rectors ofthe county s newly organized Water Conservancy District. After the interviews concluded seven men were named to serve on the board. The Moon Lake Division will be represented by Dwayne Stevenson in seat A for a term. Keith Mortensen will occupy seat Band serve term. a The DuchesneStrawberry Division will be represented by Ed Bench in seat A for a term. Kent Peatross will occupy seat B and serve term. a The Uintah Division will be represented by Randy Crazier. Crazier will term. serve a The Combined Cities Division will be represented by Art Taylor in seat A fora term, and Braid Hancock in term. seat B for a All seats will be reviewed when the ar terms of the respective representatives expire. The incumbent may be or others may be considered. All appointments are made by the County Commission. There was no shortage of interest in the positions on the newly created Water Conservancy Discounty-wid- e trict. Nine applications were submitted by residents living within the DuchesneStrawberry Division; six candidates submitted resumes in both the Moon Lake and municipal divisions; and two applicants from the Uintah Division submitted resumes. The board of directors must now hire a manager to oversee daily operations of the new Water Conservancy District. They must also adopt bylaws and policies. Their first meeting was held yesterday (March 2). With the formation of the Water Conservancy District comes a new tax. Commissioners have established the lowest tax rate for the first year of operation and expect to generate about $55,000 in 1998 to pay administrative costs. Water district proponents say the formation ofthe district is long overdue. Acounty-wid- e water conservancy district would give the county a voice in water issues ranging from flow levels in rivers and streams to the distribution of county water in other areas of the state, and make them eligible for federal and state water-relate- d grants. |