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Show Page 20 THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Volume III, Issue I November 1, 2000 Parties Hope for Final Ruling on Powder Mountain Gregg Chambers, Weber County Land Deal After over a year of failed attempts Fuller, and Roger E. Cannon have ers have to make some kind of arguCommissioner of negotiations with Weber County, a fought doggedly, spending thousands ment to justify their actions to the pubgroup of county residents took their of dollars from personal funds and lic. It’s a shame that they can’t just Candidate, case to Second Judicial District Court, donations from Weber County resi- swallow their pride and restore the claiming that public property at the dents in an effort to restore the proper- property to the rightful owner—the Answers base of Powder Mountain had been ty back to the general public. public. This could have all been avoidsold illegally without going through the According to Plaintiffs, at issue is a ed. During the election, Burton is tryQuestions Posed Constitutional provisions of Due grave situation where government ran ing to get voters to believe that he’s the Process. The County sold the property amuck, acting outside its legal bound- victim. Don’t believe it. The public is in March of 1977 to Rulon Jones of aries. the victim.” by the Weber Liberty for $200 an acre. When asked about allegations from Plaintiffs had hoped for a final deciIn previous court hearings, Defendants that the Plaintiffs are only a sion on the case at the hands of Judge County League of Defendants acknowledged that the way small soured local and vocal group Michael D. Lyons on October 19, but the sale was handled may have been who are unhappy about their favorite Plaintiffs had the hearing postponed Women Voters illegal, but claim that the issue is moot hunting area being sold, Kent Fuller until November 9, two days after the because Plaintiffs did not file a legal complaint within thirty days of the sale under the state statute of limitations guidelines. Judge Michael D. Lyon denied Defendants’ petition for dismissal of the case under statute of limitations guidelines, because of constitutional issues involved in the case. Plaintiffs Ben P. Toone, Kent D. Fuller, Robert J. Fuller, Haynes R. responded that the claims are a smokescreen from Defendants. “Ben Toone is legally blind and doesn’t hunt, I have previously only hunted in the referenced area maybe once—over ten years ago, and my sons have never hunted in that area. As far as I know, Haynes no longer hunts, and when he did, his hunting party always used other areas also. The claims are strictly unfounded. Burton and his follow- election. Defendants named in the case are Weber County; Weber County Commissioners Glen Burton, Ken Bischoff, and Camille Cain; Weber County Attorney Mack DeCaria; and Rulon Jones. The hearing on the referenced land sale will be held November 9, at 10:30 a.m. in Second District Court, 2525 Grant Avenue in Ogden. Hearings are open to the general public. Question 1: What ideas do you have for using our property tax dollars more efficiently and effectively? We need to better budget each department, then we would have a better picture of what money we would have left then put it to good use like getting out of debt and pay off the long-term loans the county has. Gregg Chambers Question 2: How would you change property management practices in the County to prevent a recurrence of the Rulon Jones land situation? It should have never happened if there were responsibility and honesty in the county. I think that the three commissioners should be held accountable for their actions. They should pay for the attorneys’ fees that have been racked up, then they would learn responsibility and honesty, and it would show the citizens of Weber County that they were not betrayed. Question 3: Do you feel our county government is most effective and efficient in its present three full-time commissioner form? Yes, three is the number—if they are responsible and honest for their actions. See, that’s why you need to study the truth to what they say. As citizens, you are the people that are to blame when you vote the wrong person in. Question 4: How do you perceive the role of county government in interacting with federal, state and local government in the areas of planning, self-image, and services (police, fire, etc.)? This is good because you have a wider range to different opportunities. You have more input to different ideas, and you all work together to make more efficient planning. |