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Show M ANTI N ESSIMG B Volume 91 Number MANTI, UTAH 84642, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 1977 40 IPht to Defliro i Manti users will soon begin to pay substantially more for the electricity that lights their homes, powers their appliances and in some instances heats their houses. Increased rates - possibly as much as 25 to 50 per cent above the present schedules - must be imposed soon, according to city officials. They are now giving the matter careful study and will then have a public meeting to discuss the situation before new rates are finally adopted. Manti users havent had an increase in 20 years, Mayor Frank Wanlass and Bob Bes- -- -- sey, city councilman assigned to the power and light committee, said. One reason for their good fortune, the city officials state, is because the city has been producing low-copower at the two hydroelectric plants in Manti Canyon. But the situation has now changed drastically, they pointed out, necessitating a rate increase if the city is to remain solvent. Why has the situation changed? One reason is the drought. In normal water years, the city produces at the two hydro plants about 600 to 700 InDl - kilowatts of power 500 to 600 at the upper plant, 125 at the lower. But because of this years water shortage, the lower plant has not been in operation since October and the upper plant has been producing only 125 kilowatts. That means the city has been forced to purchase, sometimes at extremely high rates, the power it would get in normal years from its municipal plants. Another reason for the problem is the increased price which the city is now paying and further increases the city will soon pay for the power it At Lowest Point in History each in Ephraim, Manti, and Salina Canyon, have a snow pack that is 62 of average. The low elevation courses in the same canyons have a 76 snow pack. . . Well below average snow pack and very dry mountain soils indicate one of the poorest water years on record. The snow course at Goose- berry Reservoir has been measured since 1925 and this year is the lowest April 1st measurement on record. Seely Creek and Huntington Horseshoe have been measured since 1930 and this year is the lowest April 1st measurement. There has been one lower year at Mammoth Ranger Station and GBRC Meadows and that was in 1931. Middle Fork and Mt. have the poorest . spow- . Baldy pack ever measured on these 5' a copy investigate Careers ded Manti High School students took a day off from their regular class schedules last week for Career Day. as 'l!9lbsilllnlfilll Most Snow Course Measurements The Soil Conservation Service has completed the April 1st snow survey. The water content of the of snow pack ranges from 48 Reserat Gooseberry average of voir above Fairview to 84 average at Beaver Dams on Creek. The four high elevation snow courses, one 1 courses. The rest of the courses have one or two to several years on record that are as dry as this year. Everyone should make plans to conserve and efficiently use our water. The Soil Conservation Service has four leaflets entitled Tips for Stretching Water for; 1. Yards and Gardens, 2. Crops and Soils, 3. Irrigation Water, and 4. Pasture and Range. The Soil Conservation Service will work with all the people in our area and provide technical assistance to stretch our limited supply of water. . purchases. The city has a contract with the Bureau of Reclamation for 1620 kilowatts during the winter months and 1320 kilo- watts during the summer months. The price of that power soon be increased substantially. The city also has a contract for power for peaking power used during the periods of peak with consumption each day Utah and Power and Light. That power comes at a very high price. Manti has this winter been paying the Bureau of Reclamation around $6000 a month for power and Utah Power & Light Co. as much as $10,000 a month for peak power, during the months of very heavy usage. The city has for some months been selling power to its users for less than it has been costing us, Mr. Wanlass Oband Mr. Bessey said. viously, this cannot continue. We have had to eliminate some very desirable programs from the budget in order to get by thus far without an increase. In addition to the effect of the will drought and the increased prices the city is having to pay for the power it buys, a third factor compounds the problem. That factor is the increasing demand for electricity in the Most new homes are city. heating with electricity, Mr. Wanlass and Mr. Bessey said. And more and more people are putting electrical appliances in their homes. Consumption e Twenty-fiv- costs? Practice conservation by lowering thermostats, turning off lights, using less hot water, espe- cially during periods of peak 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. -usage - when the city has to pay premium prices for the electricity it purchases. Consider using alternate in stoves and sources of fuel fireplaces - at least on a basis. A considerable increase in what the city has to charge for electricity will especially hurt two kinds of citizens, Mayor Wanlass said, those on fixed incomes and the heavy users of power, including home owners who use it for heating. But we have to face the realities of the situation: the city cannot continue to sell electricity for less than it costs. -- part-tim- in perience e the fields they discussed. We thought of the day as an opportunity day, said Rodney Cox, MHS counselor, who We planned the activity. wanted to give our students opportunities to meet people in various career areas, ask questions, and learn something of the preparation required, the nature of the wotk, the compensation. the opportunities for employment and so on." Judge Don V. Tibbs was the guest speaker at an orientation program that opened the day's activities. Brigham Young University presented a variety show later in the day. "Students seemed to think Career Day was worthwhile, Mr. Cox said. We had very good attendance and they agreed that it should be continued each year. One of the chief values was probably in bringing in outside people. The students were able to rub shoulders with them and information. It get realize that students helped first-han- preparation, beginis high school, ning necessary for most careers. thought Career Day was Matthew Nielson, a great, senior, said. I learned something about what I want to do. long-tim- e in 1 career areas were offered in the days schedule and each student attended the explorations in the four areas of his choice. lhose explorations were conducted by people with broad backgrounds and practical ex- has been increasing by several percentage points each year." Even with the return to normal water years, they pointed out. Manti will have to purchase most of the power that its residents consume. And so a major increase in electricity rates is in the offing. The average rate is now about 20 mills, Mr. Bessey said. It will apparently need to go to 25 or even 30 mills if the city is going to provide the services the people are accustomed to. In the meantime what can the average citizen do to soften the impact of mounting power fixing dripping faucets. Reduce consumption Students fiflanti d Im especially interested in agriculture and one of the classes I attended was Ag. Business. Mr. Bingham, the county extension agent, gave us a good overview of the future of agriculture. It was an encouraging presentation for those of us who are seriously considering spending our lives producing food and fiber. Shawn Guthrie, a junior, also found Career Day very worthI learned a while. great many things that have helped me gain an understanding of the world she said. 1 think of work, Career Day should be an annual affair. The response of the students was very good. It helps to be confronted with the realities - like taking the right classes and getting good grades. Most of the career specialists were local people, but some came from considerable distances. These are the career fields that were explored and the representatives who Mrs. Tami Cox, Manti beauty shop operator; drafting, Lyman Tolrnan, Snow College; airline stewardess, Carolyn Christensen, Ephraim; nursing, Lyman Ephraim, head nurse, Sanpete Valley Hospital; modeling, Mrs. Barbara Barton, Manti; forestry, Ben Black, National Manti, Manti-LaSa- l Forest district ranger; wildlife management, Kenneth Tuttle, Manti, conservation officer; Also, art, Carl Purcell, Snow College; professional athletics, Ron Abegglen, Snow College coach; special education, Mrs. Jan Giunta, Snow College; business, Michael Watson, Bountiful, secretary to the Council of the Twelve Apostles; ag, business, Mark Bingham, Ephraim, Sanpete County ex- tension agent; government, Lvnn Nielson, Manti, Sanpete County ASCS; electronics, Phil Swogger, Phoenix Institute of Technology; Also, FBI, Joseph Brooks, Provo, special agent; science. Dr. Jim Luster, Snow College; homemaking, Mrs. Karen Bliss, Snow College; Kent Spangler, Ephraim, police chief; veterinary medicine. Dr. Tom Anderson, Gunnison veterinarian; Glen mechanics, Foote, Ephraim, and Dean Killpack, Provo Trade Tech; Also physical therapy, David Highani, Mt. Pleasant; banking, Vernon Kunz, Manti, First State Bank officer; college and university. Brad McGarry, Manti, Brigham Young University student; social work, Jim Mental Manti, Peterson, Health Clinic; military, Kenneth Howell, National Guard. w t k,WW fM lift ttsf Town Meeting Feature Gunn McKay April 1st Snow Survey Utah Congressman Gunn McKay will travel to Sanpete County Monday, April 11 for a series of meetings to be capped with a town meeting Monday Mo. Mo. evening in the courtroom of the Sanpete County Courthouse in Manti. At 7 p.m. Monday Congressman McKay will meet with Sanpete city, town and county officials to discuss federal drought relief measures and federal payments in lieu of taxes. Following his prepared presentation, LAW ENFORCEMENT points are noted by Ephraim Police Chief Kent Spangler to MHS students at one of the Career Day discussions. Congressman McKay will entertain questions from the general public. ResiGUNNISON RESERVOIR 3900 dents of Sanpete County are invited to attend. The congress acft. man suggested, What better to a family way spend night, learning about the American system of government? McKay will begin the day with short stops in Ftn. Green at 10 a.m. and Moroni at 10:30, followed by a visit to Wasatch Academy in Mt. Pleasant. The congressman will then address the Ephraim Rotary Club and their w ives at their regular noon meeting. He w ill then appear at Manti High School with Ephraim Mayor Clair Erickson. HOMEMAKING is a popular topic at MHS Career Day. Here Karen Bliss of Snow College talks to an interested audience. Manti Utah Stake y Conference JUWkJJ,u..JiiiiwywH?wy i., ,5, - , v, v Scheduled Saturday evening, April 16 at 7:00 p.m. will be the first session of stake conference. All adults in the stake are invited to this special meeting. Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. will be the general session for all members and their friends. HOURS 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. o CLOSED SATURDAYS ' O 8.. Messenger-Enterpris- JUNIOR PROM ROYALTY pose for their picture at the annual Junior Prom. From left: Sandra Stevenson, Brad Beazer, 1st attendants; queen Natalie Birch and king Ronny Nielson; Kerri Cox and Steve Lund, 2nd attendants. I e Printing Co. J I Vi, t ; rc '' , , ; VETERINARY MEDICINE is discussed by Tom Anderson, DVM, with students High School during Career Day. at Manti i |