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Show ydrouncl the CiountSf The Summit County Bee Page A4 September 21, 2001 Residents Hear From Coalville City Candidates In a effort to let residents know who is running for city council positions in the upcoming election process, while showing his students how the voting process works, North Summit High School history teacher, Russell Judd and his Government and law class sponsored a "meet the candidates night." Held in the school auditorium Monday evening. Sept. 17, the evening began with a Hag ceremony presented by Scout Troop 161 under the direction of their leader, Mark Marsh. Through a random drawing, the mayoral candidates presented a three minute presentation on why they chose to run for office and issues they considered important. Gwen D. Henley told the audience there was no particular reason why she was running, hut as a business owner and resident she was interested in Coalville City. I love the community and I think it is great. I'd like to preserve the historical aspect of the town. I believe we need to encourage the right types of businesses that will hcnclit our town and the community by providing jobs. Our children can't build here because they can't afford the housing costs. I also believe the city council should he the voice of the community and represent what the residents want. There needs to he more community involvement and better communication. We need to teach the residents some of the processes that have to he gone through. The city is going to grow and we need a planned community instead of looking back and wondering if it should have gone another direction. I also believe in an open door policy." I was horn, raised and educated here" staled Warren Dwayne Robinson. I have been involved with several businesses and brought several into the community. I believe the council has been traveling a little loo fast, adding too many laxey, and needs to slow down a hit, People say they like living in the community hut are concerned about affording higher rates on issues sueh as the secondary water plan that only benefit a few. There are some inconsistent ideas for growing and a slow deliberate pace would he better. I would public opinion is against a project it shdbld be looked at closer. I am concerned about the senior citizens who are living on a fixed income. I have noticed that often questions have been asked without receiving an answer. No decisions should he made until those questions are like to discuss issues such as placement of more or belter sidewalks or tuih and gutter. On the business end, I believe business here can be regenerated. Ive helped businesses get started and am still doing so. We need to ensure that businesses locating answered. within the community bring in a tax base and employment for students and adults currently living hcic. Next was Steven B. Riehins, who stated as someone who was born and raised in Coalville, he had a great interest in the city concerning it. Riehins stated his former four years spent on the city council was a "great learning experience." "I believe the voting; people of Coalville need to have I believe residents deserve those answers. We need to protect the city citizens." City council member candidates took the stage next. Ron Boyer said he believes there are four important issues. city should be responsible for and-issue- s providing basic services, and should he an anchor to local schools. We should help to educate young people. 2- - There should not be added fees. Homeowners wanti- ng to add onto (heir homes should not have to pay high costs to do it. Impact fees need to he readdressed. 3- Encourage economic growth, but city residents should get behind local merchants. We should not take on excessive growth by having projects we can't pay for. 4- - Listen to public opinion. Incumbent RaNae Crittenden began her comments by slating she would like to see this many people come out to our council meetings." Stating reasons for seeking another term in office Crittenden said she was a person who likes to finish a joh once started on it. I have worked hard on trying to get the cemetery looking belter by working on one area at a time and the older more difficult one is upcoming, and I'd like to see it through to completion. Five years ago an economic study was done to determine what could be done to help improve the city. Since the freeway was built Coalville has started to turn into a ghost town. more input instead of holding meetings as just a formality with decisions already made. We need to take care of the needs of the residents here now." Current Mayor Merlyn W. Johnson, said I am very proud of the projects that have been done. The planning commission has done a great joh. We are now the first city to receive the 21st Century honor. I know there are many who are not happy with the current jobs taking place. There seems to be a lot of apathy in the community. I would like to have the opportunity to follow through with the projects being worked on in the city, but if not elected I would fully support and get behind the person who wins the election. The planned business park was designed to give needed jobs to local residents, with a decent living wage so that housing can he available for them. I would appreciate your vote on October 2." D. Howard Madsen was the her of things have to happen. It all must go through due process. I also want to work to see the proposed miners plaza in place." In the past three months I have learned that the council position is a 'thankless' joh, said councilman Sheldon Smith, who has been filling in the position vacated by Carston Mortensen when he moved. I have never considered myself a politician," said Smith, who then went on to make promis- The city needs police protection and since the law enforcement is based in the Justice Center response time can take up to 30 minutes or longer. Is there anything that can be done to help in this area? Gwen Henley Years ago I was on the police force and there are a number of things you can do to make things safer including community involvement. We need to es that contradicted one another sit down with the Sheriffs such as promising growth to those who wanted it and no growth to those who did not want it. "In reality I cannot promise everything to everyone, but I can say that before making any decisions, I will get all the facts and weigh them before voting. Decisions affect everyone and my vote will he based on that fact. I have no axe to grind and no personal agenda and will do my best to analyze, inform and make the best decision." Albert Clark has been a resident of Coalville for three years and said he would like to "give something back to the community that he loves." While a resident in Atlanta, he worked on a neighborhood community planning committee and feels that would help him make decisions if elected. I have a concern that some citizens are not informed about issues facing the city or that they might not understand what is taking place. I believe public notices need to be written to he more specific so that people can respond to those affecting them. Clark also said that since council meetings often last into long nights Department and found out the average response time. I believe the department would be willing to work with the city. We also need to address the concern of giving teens something to do. Mayor Johnson - As a council we have discussed this issue many it all comes down to doltimes lars. We have talked to Kamas about their officers, duties etc. and it would cost approximately $100,000 yearly to have a community officer in place. We would have one if we could. Yes, there are a number of kids with time on their hands but school functions help to keep them busy. We have discussed teen centers on various occasions but there are a lot of hidden issues facing such a plan, such as having adult supervision at all times, insurance etc. If we had the dollars we could work toward it, perhaps economic growth would add to such a venture. Howard Madsen - I have to agree with the mayor. Even though we may need full time security, the cost of having full time officers for the city is very expensive. There is a lot of things that would be needed, including training, vehicles, etc. The town would have to vote and be a part of any decision concerning such a program. RaNae Crittenden - As a council we did try to get a neighborhood watch started and talked with a county officer extensively. We and early morning hours, two monthly meetings should be looked into as a possible solution and more citizen input. Two seeking council positions not in attendance were: Ray B. Black and John Beresford. Time was turned over to the audience to ask specific questions People need to realize that final mayoral race candidate to offer comments. I have been a added growth will not be fast in coming but could take up to IS years after a project begins. It takes a lot of planning. Business dollars are going to Kimball's junction and elsewhere. People .are concerned . about the RDA (redevelopment area) being worked on. The reason it was started is because the area is located at the entry corridor to the city. A restaurant would serve local motels by serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Before it can proceed, a num- - Coalville resident for 23 years and raised six children who graduated while attending school here. I have been employed by the Ul If lor 23 years, the past fpur as with budgets and federal grants. I am very concerned about the city and how our tax dollars are being spent. I believe public opinion should count. Residents want to he treated with respect. The mayor should represent the town and not individual ideas. When g to any candidate they wanted. Linda Vernon - need to try to get it going again, but it would require citizen support because it would involve residents going out at night and drive around neighborhoods to report anything they observed that was suspicious. I believe it would be important to review the program and try to get it going. Jim Blonquist stated he thought the cemetery looked good and wondered about the possibility of having a cemetery committee and separate fund and take it out of the council to be done independently. Resident June Toole wanted to know what was next for the cemetery adding concern about the old graves that had "Iambs" or other types of designs on them, with no family around. RaNae Crittenden - We have never looked into the possibility of having a separate or independent committee. We certainly could look into that and weigh the pros and cons. The next project will be to fix up the oldest part of the cemetery and it will be the hardest. Copings and foot stones will be removed and not replaced. Mayor Johnson - echoed the response of Crittenden adding the replacement of stones is the responsibility of the city only when the city is responsible for damage done, not due to weather related causes. Perpetual care does not include replacement of headstones but is used for grass, copings, roads. We are trying to make things nice for the living. Resident Dick Hansen questioned the placement of having only one road leading into new subdivisions. Additional issues addressed were: secondary water and roads through new subdivisions. Residents only have a few weeks to talk with the candidates before the November 2 Primary election, and most are more than willing to listen to your concents. I ) ; ' ! , A M m k r f'r Buzz Back The Pony Express BY: KARRI DKIJ. IIAYS Summit County HimiukjI Sourt) The Pony Express rides again in the town of Echo. This Saturday, Sept. 22. at 10 a.m., the Pony Express Trail Association will honor the Bromley Station site, the third station with the I'tah borders, with a granite Pony Express Station marker. The Pony Express was masterminded by a freight Firm owner named William II. Russell. At the objection of his business partners of Russell. Majors and Waddell, Russell felt that mail service should continue on to the western United Stacs from where the railroad tracks ended in the east. It was spring of 1 860 and the onset of the Civil War was hindering the connections between the thousands of pioneers who were migrating westward and their counterparts in the east. The Pony Express would hire young, swift riders and fast horses that could carry mail 1,860 miles in only ten days, less than half the time it took for a letter to reach California by the Butterfield Stage Line. The Pony, as it was called, started in St. Joseph, Missouri. The route traveled through the heartland, the nigged plains of Wyoming, down through Utah and on through Nevada to Sacramento. California. The business was successful for only 18 months however, as the Transcontinental Telegraph was installed in 1861 making the Pony obsolete. The Pony Express Trail entered Utah through what was called the Head of Echo Canyon' near Castle Rock, Wyoming. Riders would travel anywhere between ten to fifteen miles between stops as their horses sprinted at full speed with no rests. The second station was called Hanging Rock located halfway down Echo Canyon. From there, riders went to the Weber Station, or Bromley's Station in the town of Echo. James Bromley is a prominent figure in the town of Echo. In fact, he owned most of it and eventually sold all his land to one of Brigham Young's sons for a mere $200 Bromley ran the Pony Express division from the Head of Echo all the way into Salt Lake City. For the first six months of operation, the route had to travel up three-mil- e Canyon and down Parley's IMFMOGO Summit, which at the time was charging a toll to use the newly cut road. When spring snows finally melted and stations could be installed along a faster route the trail went through East Canyon, Big Mountain, Emigration Canyon and down into the center of Salt Lake City. The building that housed Bromley's Station was built in 1833. It was said to have stone walls that were 26 inches thick, most likely to keep rampant thieves from the U.S. Mail. When the building was tom down in 1931 the demolition crew found a five dollar gold d piece dated 1847, a pair of glasses, a case and an old piece of Rider's Pony Express gun parchment paper containing a love letter from a girl in the east to her sweetheart who was riding the Pony. A granite monument that includes a partial history of the site will be put in place at Old Highway 30 South, Echo. The ceremony will include Summit County Commissioner, Pat Cone. Summit County Historian, Sandra Morrison and an entertaining historical presentation given by National Executive Director of the Pony Express Trail Association. Joe Nardone. gold-rimme- COUNTY. 1 320 South 50 West Heber City 10 am SOCIETY 336-550- 1 am Imports Wine Coolers 15 Demestic Beers Sunday & Monday Football Specials 6 Drafts Got a Mem Tip ? Call us today1. -- 1 |