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Show Page 22 The OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Volume II, Issue V February 2000 Soil Conservation District and Election Information A soil conservation district (SCD) is a governmental subdivision classified in state law as a dependent service district of the state. Its purpose is to enhance and protect land and water on Utah’s private lands. A five-member board of elected citizens who are called SCD Supervisors governs an SCD. This board gives local direction, priority, and support to governmental (district, county, state, or federal) land and water conservation programs. The board decisions are made in advertised meetings, which are open to the public. Candidates for SCD elections are chosen by a local nominating committee and, in some cases, by a citizen petition. The nominating committee includes a representative from the SCD Board, the County Commission or Council, the USDA Farm Service Agency County Committee, and the County Agricultural Extension Agent. Each candidate has an understanding of the duties of the position and has signed a Commitment To Serve form. At least three of the five Supervisors must be private agricultural land operators. Biennial elections are conducted for each SCD by mail. The elections are directed by the Utah Soil Conservation Commission (SCC) and carried out by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDA&F). Ballots are mailed to principal land managers listed with the SCC. Principal land managers are defined as person(s) who make the final decisions on a farm or ranchoperating unit. A farm/ranch unit is defined using criteria of the US Ag Census or Utah Green Belt law. A principal land manager may vote in any district in which he/she operates land. If land is operated in more than one district he/she may vote in all districts in which the land is located. Others, including principal land managers who are not on the SCC list, may vote in this election by submitting a ballot Request Form. Non-principal land managers must be a resident of the SCD in which the election is held, and a registered voter for Utah general elections. Ballot Request Forms may be obtained from a local County Cooperative Extension Service office, an USDA Service Center, a Chair of an SCD, and/or by writing the USDA office, by calling 801-538-7120, or E-Mailing to agmain.cgriffin@state.ut.us. Voting ballots must be received by February 18, 2000. A person must vote in one of two consecutive SCD elections to remain on the voter mailing list. The positions being filled by this election are for four years starting March 15, 2000 through March 14, 2004. Candidates currently on the ballot for the Weber Soil Conservation District are Eugene H. Bailey from Liberty, P. LaMar DeFries from West Haven, John Degiorgio of Ogden, and Joe Taylor of Hooper. Please contact the USDA office for further details on the election or if you are interested in being a candidate. Ogden Valley Pathways Update Ogden Valley Pathways (OVP) met on January 26, 2000. The focus of the meeting was planning the development and implementation of the Master Pathways Plan. The group participated in the first of two detailed planning sessions. The objective of the first session was to develop a detailed work plan identifying tasks that will need to be completed. The preliminary draft of the task list will be distributed to the group for comment. The second planning session is scheduled for Feb. 23, 2000 at 7:00 p.m. in the Huntsville Library. At that time, the updated draft of the task list will be reviewed in detail, a schedule will be prepared and responsibilities for task completion will be allocated. The plan will then be formally adopted. OVP Chair Suzanne Bazin announced that she and her husband would be leaving the Ogden Valley area, possibly as early as April. The group will vote on two Vice Chair positions at the next meeting with one of the two designated to take the Chair position on Suzanne’s departure. Other business: Suzanne Bazin reported that presentations had been made to all four planning commissions in the Valley. One additional presentation to the Eden Planning Committee will be made in March. Each planning commission designated an official liaison board member to work with OVP. Those assigned are as follows: Nordic/Liberty- Dennis Smith East Huntsville - Kim Wheatley Weber County - Sharon Holmstrom Huntsville - Ron Gault S a m Bellarosa reported that the Outreach Calendars Committee is ORDER NOW! Year 2000 Ogden Valley The Ogden Valley Calendars, featuring Pictures of the Month, are now available. Order your full-color glossy year 2000 calendars today. For $9.95, they are available at the Valley Market, Eden General Store, Ace Hardware, Chevron and Planet Rainbow’s Utah Book Nooks. Call Jeannie at 745-2879, or Shanna at 745-2688 to place your order by mail. Send a check for $9.95 plus $1.00 for shipping and handling ($10.95) to OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Calendars, P O BOX 130 EDEN UT 84310. working with teachers in the area to sponsor a student essay contest on the benefits of trails in the community. Local businesses will be approached to contribute prizes. Outreach will also be working on an event for National Trails Day scheduled for June 3. Susan Summers reported that she and Geoff Ellis are working on a resource listing of grants available, which will be presented to the group in a future meeting. The public is invited to attend meetings and become involved in this valley wide effort. For more information call Geoff Ellis at 393-2304. -Public NoticeThe Bureau of Reclamation, Provo Area Office, will hold two public meetings to solicit comments on the Pineview Dam Draft Environmental Assessment (EA). The EA document addresses different alternatives for the Safety of Dams (SOD) work that will occur on Pineview Dam. The first meeting will be held Thursday, February 10, between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m., Weber County North Branch Public Library, 475 E. 2600 N., North Ogden, UT. The second meeting will be held Wednesday, February 23, between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m., at Snowcrest Junior High School, 2755 North Highway 162, Eden, UT. Copies of the draft EA are available upon request. To receive a copy, contact Russ Findlay, Bureau of Reclamation, Provo Area Office, (801) 379-1084. The closing date for public comment will be March 10. For further information, please contact Bruce Barrett at (801) 3791100 or Don Merrill at (801) 3791074, or send comments to Bureau of Reclamation, Provo Area Office, 302 E. 1860 S., Provo UT 84606-7317. EDEN 745-4663 2595 NORTH HIGHWAY 162, EDEN UT FOR ALL YOUR Dick Dixon Branch Broker OGDEN VALLEY REAL ESTATE NEEDS 745-3119 DICKD@WBHG.COM WE MAKE IT HAPPEN! |