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Show Our Wishes for a Happy and Safe New Year that dents, some fatal, others could have been avoided with simple caution and consideration for others. No newspaper is privi leged to write only good news, but life in the Basin is, by any measure, more peaceful and safe than any given metropolitan area. We view that as a blessing to be enjoyed and safeguarded. We encourage everyone to show genuine concern for his fellow citizens. In our cold climate, warmth comes from human kindness, and thats another aspect we should never take too ightly or fai to continue. Enjoy the holidays in your chosen way; enjoy friends and fami ly; give yourself the opportunity to give to someone else a source Messages of peace, happiness and good will continue to ring in nearly every home at the close of tli i s hoi iday season . We too. are ofier-- i ng our sincere greetings and best wishes to the residents ofthc Uintah Basin. We wr u Id also I ike to extend the additional wishes for safety and caution that attend every year's end. We may bear the responsibility of reporting the unpleasant incidents that happen when carelessness, drunkenness or lack of discretion take over, but we live and work among the same people, and we arc saddened as well when those heartbreaking tragedies occur. Statistics indicate that holiday weekends may be the most unsa fc time to be on the road. Travelers shou Id be wary ol'thosc who dare to drink and drive. To those ofyou who will be 1 1 ofhuppincssnomaltcrwhatyourlifestylemight be. T rite but never tiresome, our best wishes for a happy New Year. partakingofalcoholthisholidaysca.son.plca.se remember to designate adriver a sober one. Local pol ice reports arc replete with acci mwarryseartoonsxom Questar Gas requests rate decrease to begin Jan. 1 Duar Editor, With the Ute Tribal voters voting n verwhul m i ugly to accept the Jurrius financial plan via Ordinance it is time to call another meeting to refresh the tribe's mind about hie plan. We need to receive a complete, detailed plan from the Jurrius Group of how our tribe is going to prosper under his financial advice. I, personally, would like to know who all is involved in the Jurrius Group, what they huve done over the post year, what will be their deadlines for this plan, where are the investments going to be made, what are the risks involved with the investments, when will the puyouts begin, from whut budget will he be paid? These are some of thequestions I would like answers to. Im sure thut there are other questions that enquiring minds would want answered. I lave a happy New Year. Curtis R. Cesspooch 01-00- EDITORS NOTE: The Uintah Basin Standard welcomes and encourages onnions from readers in the form of letters to the editor. Letters may he utilized to espress opinions or comments, to highlight outstanding sendee of an individual or organization, or any other worthwhile purpose. Letters may not Ik used to replace L 'ards of Thanks, or to list sponsors, participants or contributors to a particular crnt ormrmse. I.fiTTliRS MUST CONTAIN 4(H) WORDS OR LESS. BE TYI'EI) DR U'RIITEN J.EUIBLY. SKiNED, AND INCLUDE NAME. ADDRESS AND PHONE SUMBER (IE THE AUTHOR. Utters will Ik published unless they contain libelous or dejamatory statements, lie rvscnv the right to edit letters and to nithholda name by nyucst if the nature of the letter is wsitiw. Utters nuty be submitted to the Standard offitv at 261 S 2110 E. Roosewlt, Utah. B4066hythe puhJished deadline . ( normally Thursdays at 5:0(1 p.m I All letters become pioKily of the Uintah Basin Standard. 1 orders increase on all cooperative telephone bills effective Jan. 1 FCC Questar Gas last month asked the Utah Public Service Commission (PSC) to approve a $66.9 million, or 11.2 percent, decrease in its Utah natural gas rates. This change is requested to go into effect Jan. 1. This is the third rate decrease Questar Gas has requested this year for its Utah customers. This decrease is the result of tower purchased-ga- s prices. Questar purchases about half of the gas it provides customers from outside suppliers. The rest comes from d wells and is delivQuestar ered to customers at supplies pricing. The company-owne- d are considerably less expensive and more stable than gas purchased from outside suppliers. "We are pleased to pass on lower gas costs to our customers, said Questar Gas PresidentandCEONick Rose. However, fluctuating gas prices either high or low do not provide the kind of cost stability customers need to budget properly. To help, we have begun usingsome financial tools including different types of contracts to reduce the impact of peaks and valleys in the natural gas market. But more needs to be done to stabilize supply and demand. Thats one of the reasons Questar Gas and the American Gas Association are supportive of a national energy policy that will provide more price stability to customers." Such a policy was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in August and is now waiting action by the Senate. If this request is approved by the PSC, it will decrease the annual bill fur the typical residential customer using 115 decatherms per year from $767.02 to $681.02. This is a decrease of $86 per year. The decrease request is part of h Questar Gass filing. Such filings enable the company to reduce rates immediately to reflect and changes in costs. This also includes a for the PSC to allow recovery of 5.8 million of C02 processing costs. Gas-owne- e" The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently issued a d decision that will affect residential and businfesa customers of long-awaite- Roosevelt-base- UBTAUBET and d other independent, community-baae- d since their inception due to customer affordabilityconcerns. To spur competition in services, the FCC has sought to reduce the level of "access charges carriers for paid by the their use ofthe local network. In June 2000, the FCC adopted a plan proposed by a coalition of national longdistance carriers and large local companies to reform the interstate access system. To align the interstate rate structure more closely with the manner in which costs are incurred, the FCC capped federal subscriber line charges for the large local companies at $5 for business residential and single-lin- e customers and $9.20 per-lin- e for multi-lin- e businesses. The FCCs recent action bringB the subscriber line long-distan- long-distan- telecom providers. As a result of the FCCs order, federal subscriber line charges for subscribers of independent local companies and cooperatives will increase, effective Jan. 1 from $3.50 to $5 monthly for residential and ungle-lin- e business customers, and from $6 to as much as $9.20 per month for multi-lin- e businesses. In addition, pending the outcome of the FCCs review of the subscriber line charge levels assessed by the regional Bell companies and other large, urban-base- d companies, the subscriber line charges of independent local companies could increase to $6 on July 1 and $6.50 on July 1, 2003. For qualified customers, the FCC directed that support for the federal Lifeline service program will match any increases in the subscriber line charges. The federal subscriber line charge is a flat monthly charge, established fay the FCC, assessed directly to end-uscustomers to help local telephone companies recover some of the costs they incur in constructing and local networks. The FCC has capped the subscriber line charge low-inco- er main-tainingth- and limited economies of scale. Independent companies and coop- eratives also rely more heavily on revinterstate acenues from carcess charges paid by riers and federal universal service support than the larger, urban-base- d telephone companies. The FCCs action allows community- - based compae nies to continue charging as not but for access, companies much. per-minu- te long-distan- long-distanc- Matheson urges stimulus package to help economy Rep. Jim Matheson has called for a bipartisan effort in January to produce a targeted, temporary stimulus proposal that helps increase employment and investment, adequately charge rates of community-base- d telecom providers in line.wi.josp assists displaced workers and doesnt drown the federal government in long-charged fay urban companies. The FCC said the recent order term red ink. Matheson opposed the stimulus "completes its campaign to reform the interstate access and universal package voted on by the House early this morning, saying it would harm service systems that support community-based providers, such as UBTA, the governments ability to win the that serve predominantly rural, high-co- war on terrorism, take care of homeland defense, and it would likely proareas across the nation. According to the FCC, these inde- long the federal deficits that are now pendent companies are typically small, projected to last at least the next four rural carriers that have higher operat- years. "With increased unemployment d ing and equipment costs than and working families feeling the pain companies due to lower subscriber density, smaller calling areas, of the slowing economy, we need to give the economy a jolt, said st urban-base- Matheson. pass-throug- gas-supp- ly re-ue- st t j vijr U Impact Board nominations announced "Cluck! Cluck! CluckL.Ha IHa! Hal... Very funny!" Duringa recent Uintah Baain Association ofGovernments' (AOG) meeting in December, the board nominated three candidates for the Community Impact Board (CIB) with one to replace N aples City mayor and CIB member, John Mathis. He will retire when his term as mayor ends in January 2002. Uintah Basin Standard Inc. Th IVnKtk;il pni.i)!v paid at Roosevelt and Duchesne. Utah nl .X S. (HI ; . Roosevelt. Utah POVIM MT.K: Send adilicss chaii.vs Id tin-- Uintah It.isin Slanduid at S :MH . Koovevell. Dlali X4(IM-3I(oi i n t: iku ks: X (Hi a hi In I (HI p m Monday, V III) a m In 5 00 p m I uewlnv iluu t inlay. I I'hnne lav 7 4140 DLXM.INHS: oi all New v .cmI Nl ici-- ( lassilii'ils Adiciiisin);. ilia V.iillnn- is I Imrsitiy ai 5 p in X 11)1 l()K: l.elee I PI'RI.IMIFK: Craic shhy hinny! MIX MCI ISI VC: kyla Allred (II I 1(1 MAN XCI.K: Honine Parrish (I SI'S Inl'listal weekly I Nominated were: Duchesne County Commissioner, Guy Thayne; Vernal City Mayor Bill Kremin; and Daggett County Commissioner, PROIIl (1ION: Writi'is, Aldnn Kailii'lc. rherenu Mnnili PrislucliDn; L'oletle A .lihy. Andica Harper. Valeric Winn, Is via Allied and Huns llcrtoch CORRHSPdMlI.MS: L - Shana Tciesa ll.inusiiin AITAMdNT - : 111. 1 I.APOINT Ice I iKMlsihcr 4X4 017(1. HANNA - IrasS Ratals MX TON - : Muilcne MsMuic :47.MX. MOMWI l.L - Vila Nelson IKIIII IL; MOL A - Mnn.li laslor lilTX!. UHITI ROCKS: III T'llLSM: Onnda Lire 71X-1- 4 KOOSIVII I - Subscription Kates: . Chi tiiul Send In. Uintah Basin Standard I 268 S. 200 In the Uintah Basin I Yr. S24 2 Yr. S37 - 84066-310- 9 I I Name I Address Cily . 1 Out of the Uintah Basin I 1 Yr. S36 2 Yr. $56 1'.. Kooscxclt. Utah I I .. . m k iwi.Y . S(r ip4 I Sharon Walters. Names will be forwarded to Utah Governor Mike Leavitt, who will make the final decision on the Board appointment. Nominees are required to be elected officials, and the one selected will serve on the Community Impact Board, which awards loans and grants to rural Utah areas, which are impacted by mineral resource development on federal lands not subject to tax roll of counties and communities. The money is paid to the state in the form of royalties by energy and mining companies. An application to be made to the CIB for a loan grant to allow Vernal City to replace 25,000 feet of water linos in the Vernal area water system was approved by AOG. Back on Dec. 5, the CIB awarded a $691,000 grant and a loan for the same amount for improvementsand repairs ofthe Vernal water system. Recently a $2 million loan was awarded by CIB to assist with the construction of a new buildingfor the Uintah Basin Applied Technology Center and Utah State University. Golf course provides numerous benefits to community I am writing this to all citizens of Roosevelt and surrounding areas hopefully to get you to think care- about our recreation facilities in the city. They are all indeed a card to the people and I feel they arenecessary for a life in thiB fine community. This city has been made into a nice place to live because of your friendliness and be- ingao helpful in many Ways to bring- ing to us the means for all ages to have great recreational and educa- tional facilities. It hasbecome a great place to build homes and live here in relative safety. We all know and have different levels of support or non- for the many facilities. This is written to encourage you to think carefolly about the part our beautiful golf course plays in recre- ation and economic value. First, people of all ages can play golf on it and during ofThours can use it for a place to take a walk (during golf time they may be hit with an errant ball). There are many senior citizens who enjoy playing on it daily and find a lot of fun doing it. many times when families can get ofTtogether they are seen with dad, mom, and children of all ages playing. People from other local cities and towns are known to play here often and some have bought season passes and golf nearly every day. I hope no one would dream of tak- ing it away from us. Many people who are elderly, and perhaps even some- what crippled can still play this great game. It is also the fastest growing sport in the world as reported some time back on a sports network, espe- daily since Tiger Woods came on the well-round- The beautiful homes that hare been built and are still being built at writing with two new ones under construction have added greatly to the tax base of Roosevelt. Many of those that were built along side the fairways would in al 1 likelihood hare been built out in the county west of city or elsewhere to have open space near their homes. The income from the Golf Course is shown to be substantial including all fringe benefits outside the actual golfing fees, cart rentals, etc. The following shows the main income for' the city: 1. Sales Tax 29.87 or $730,000 2. Property Tax 15.09 or $345,000 3. Utility Excise Tax 8.56 or $210,000 7.73 or 4. Golf Course Revenue $188,000 Then with taxes from the side ben- efits of new homes, sales tax, etc., the golf course actually is shown to con- tribute about $18,000 rather than being a facility that only costs the taxpayer. I believe this is conserva- tive when we look at all the people who come in for tournaments and do a little spending with the businesses here. Another thing that I believe is most important for us all to look at is how it was built. Local people de-signed it, local contractors from here and surrounding areas from as far away as Vernal, and Duchesne and donated their heavy equipment to level and haul soil from place to place to build it into a nice plant-abl- e and playable surface, in- - cludingbuildingfivepondsonthel8- hole course. Many individuals from many walks of life put in countless hours also with pick and shovel, wrench, welding torches, land Icvelers, back- hoes, bull dozers, huge land scrapers, etc. The many tong trenches built to bury the sprinkling system. I remember at one point a few of us wore standing where 15 T box i and I mentioned to a and owner that I had been told it would take about three weeks tobuild a road up from to the Id green. He said nothing, but jumped aboard his cat and had that road to grade in one hour and 20 minutes. It was scary watching him. I have thought and discussed with many people that with that kind of voluntecrism we could do anything we want to do as far as building facilities of any kind for any purpose here. I personally saw donations that I er believe would be in the millions of dollars if we had been required to pay for it all. The fiiel to run the equip-full- y ment was all donated by a local dis-hetributer. Some actual cash was nated also along with drill pipe or stem from the oil field contributors tobuildfencesandotherthingB.Maiiy things were donated, The golf tournament sponsored fay several local men and women for the American Petroleum Institute (API) brinra 360 golfers to Roosevelt each year. Many of them have family and friends come also. They spend money with the local merchants and other businesses. They donate eral thousand dollars to worthy cauaes from this one. The Uintah Basin Medical Center also sponsors a real fine tournament from which they buy equipment for the hospital and give out scholar ships that greatly help our commu-grenjty. The local college, and high school also sponsor and have tournaments, as well as Moon Tj1w Electric, the Children's Justice Center, Con Amore School, golfprofessionals from around the state, and others, I cant think of any other thing that brings so many people in to visit us with the exception ofthe schools, The UBIC brings many along with other celebrations to our parks and they also sponsor a golf tournament, This is to be a plea for the elected officials to look carefully at what our recreation facilities do for us before makingany decisions on cutting back on them. In talking with several people in Roosevelt I was encouraged to write this letter, and before I menced this writing I did a little re- search to be as authentic as I could, Let us keep them ail in the best con-thi- s dition we can. it would be another miracle if we could get the volunteers needed to build the proposed recreation center and that would make it much easier to get building grants and other do-th- e nations to help construct and ftirnish it. Leonard Ferguson, your friend and fellow citizen in this community. re sev-aupp- -- at coin-scen- e. |