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Show See Opinion and Editorial PAGE 10° COUNTY COURIER JULy 7, 1999 | Sn WASATCH Lu ALICE CO Jail Lu alla | | LOST IN THE NEWS As a publication, The Wasatch County Courier will take a voice of advocacy concerning the issues that face and affect our lives. While the news will be Commission would reconvene the public meeting and vote on the raises. All of which is fine and well. Matters relating to personnel performance, discipline and even pay are reported in a fair and unbiased manner, the editorial Three weeks ago the County Commission dissolved the Wasatch County Fire Board with almost no explanation. While it would have been nice if there was a sexy scandal behind this development for the inaugural edition of this paper, we think the real explanation is actually quite boring. We think that with tensions running so high between the County Commission and the Wasatch County Fire Board, the County Commissioners decided to streamline the decision making process and management of the Wasatch County Fire Protection District by dissolving the Board. Right or wrong, it was easier just to dissolve the Board than fight them. However all is not well as far as fire protection goes in the county. Bob Lucking and other members of the Fire Board are understandably upset with the unilateral decision of the County Commissioners. sensitive and deserve to be protected by closed exec- stance taken by The Courier will be found week-in and week-out in this same spot. Those editorial _ stands are made based on the information gathered utive sessions. The problem is that state law requires that all items voted on must be listed as agenda items. If pay raises aren’t listed as agenda items citizens who may wish to object have no notification pay raises are being discussed. In fact state law provides that citizens may challenge any votes that were not listed on the agenda for up to 90 days from the day of the vote. Attorneys fees may even be awarded to a successful plaintiff. We applaud Commissioner Duke for his decision that from now on all votes on pay raises for county employees will be listed on the and the focus of the publisher and staff with the good of Wasatch County in mind. oe The Courier realizes that not all the good citizens of Wasatch County think alike. Diversity. brings added spice to life and a wide range of voices have been gathered to form the foundation of this publication. The individual opinions of these people can be found each week in the form of columns. The columns are forms of resource for you, the reader to gain a more in-depth view of our perspectives. Should you find your own views in opposition County Commission Meeting Agenda. with those expressed by The Courier and its staff, What Do You Want? _ please feel free to voice those opinions in the form of Letters to the Editor. Adding the voices of local resi- dents brings that much more depth to The Courier. The cities no longer have any representation in how their fire services are administered. There appears to _ be no agreement on how to provide long range planning for fire protection services. The County Commissioners are capable of resolving this mess. However they must be willing to make it a front burner issue and involve the community, friend and foe, in their deliberations. Those voices are welcomed with open arms. Together, The Courier with the residents of Wasatch County, will forge a path into the new millennium as we protect what is ours, and fight to preserve what is best for Wasatch County. What Is An Editorial? -HEBER- Last week County Commissioner Ralph Duke took the initiative to change, a long standing County Commission tradition. In the past Dear readers and Wasatch County residents, welcome to a new era of news. As the century draws to a close, a clear focus on the present problems, issues and news is needed to help guide us into the future. The Wasatch County Courier will be that guide for the residents of Wasatch County. pay raises for county employees appeared on the agenda only as “executive session” and “personnel matters.”” When the time came, the Commissioners We at The Courier are soliciting input on how we ‘should cover the criminal justice system in Wasatch County. There are the conflicting questions of personal privacy and the public’s right to know. It is not unheard of for innocent people to be arrested and indicted. Is it fair to drag people that have not yet been convicted through the public spectacle of the newspaper? On the other hand doesn’t the public — have the right to know what is going on in their legal system? Should The Courier print convictions only and leave out arrests, indictments and dismissals? _ Should we print everything and chalk it up to the public’s right to know? Frankly, we don’t know the answer. So we are seeking your opinion. Please write or call us and let us know how you feel. We will » would go into Executive Session, clearing the public from the chamber. After discussion in private the print whatever you, our readers want to see. Letters to the Editor TooIa LU ae i a emcee continued from page 8 Midway does not have a S.A.O. though it is defined by the extent of its sensitive land. The Master Plan ts pretty well written by someone who demonstrates they had done it before. It goes on at length to paint a landscape of a region dominated by wetlands, potrock and shallow ground water that is a dangerous unknown quantity for developers and the city to deal with. There are certain that have had their problems but have somehow gotten by, probably with the help of benevolent homeowners. Why doesn’t Midway have a Sensitive Area Ordinance? I hope somebody informs -me. Possibly they look at it as a threat to property rights. S.A.O.’s do not seek to eliminate development, merely to guide placement and amount of unit density in a fashion that the terrain and wisdom dictates The Master Plan | admonishes us, “The failure of a project under construction has many more long range nega- tive effects on a city than on a developer”. After developers are gone it’s the people of Midway that will get stuck with the check. Twice in the past I’ve supplied the members of the Midway City Council and the Planning Commission with the Master Plan’s pertinent excerpts, Wasatch County’s brief but potent S.A.O. and material dealing with the crucial aspects of wetlands, wildlife habitats and high water table. | These are basically decent people in City Hall and I’m sure they care about Midway and its affairs. Yet somehow there was a political - miscalculation about how strongly people felt about the Town Hall’s trees. I’m not saying that I don’t accept their explanation but it’s clear a portion of the citizens had their “sense of place” shaken and they would’ve like to be included and informed before the act. I sincerely hope our leaders take seriously the need for a S.A.O. to deal with present and future proposals. Miscalculation in this matter could eventually cost the people dearly. Besides, it’s » time. Joe Morgan Rumor has it that this building will be 47 feet tall when complete. Midway City codes allow a maximum ee of 35 feet. Is someone sleeping at City Hall? — atti i |