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Show ee eR Oe a Da ST aie eR crt te tre em ge iis 1999 WASATCH COUNTY COURIER cmt ey EDITORIAL » Need Accountibility future citizens of the county. | | county by United Park City Mines (UPCM) but it wasn’t. Instead, the county will have to pay UPCM rent for have learned that that was all a bunch it, of hogwash. responsible for the construction of the Also, the contractors who are fire station, have cost-plus contracts There was no plan to make the developers pay for the fire station or if their “Commissioner that give them no incentive to minimize the cost of the project. was, it didn’t work. Based upon the presentation that Derek Pullan, the County Attorney, made at last. week’s county commission meeting, the residents in Jordanelle will pay all the municipal’ water ‘not. county attorney and current head of the ments, they will pay the fee. But as _ even though he didn’t have the authority to do so. Other county officials Contrary to popular belief, this fire sta- knew the deal wasn’t kosher yet allowed construction to continue. tion will not only soak the rich. It will also hurt those residents who will be living in the county’s affordable hous- Someone needs to be held responsible for this fiasco. If all the county person- ing in the Jordanelie Basin. And since ~ nel that were complicit in this scheme other fire stations for the basin are already on the master plan, the costs for residents in the basin will most likely increase in the future. lic, but now that part of the truth is out, we may as well have all of it. document in, it must The sooner we can get this troublesome event fully explained, the sooner we can put it behind us. Otherwise, it will continue to fester in the minds of every citizen as another example of unresolved corruption in Wasatch County. % . mean bucks a year at current rates. 2 5 & Z 3 I respect Commissioner Kohler because Commission mkohler@co.wasatch.ut.us The only way to restore His faith is by will be a travesty. The residents of this coming so. far, none Chairman i :i Mike Kohler 4 f Commissioner Ralph Duke tduke@co. wae uL.US.. to lose faith | | get away without any consequences, it | clean and i ; he gave me a straight answer when | asked him a direct question, but it is tancy is what causes ee in their elected officials." v 5 very disturbing when he does one thing and says another. This kind of inconsis- Commissioner LaRen Provost *. ~ [provost@co.wasatch.ut.us of the county cones have been willing to say, “we screwed up, here’s why, and - we wonit do it again.” I would like a full explanation of the events that culmi- county have a right to know that when policies are violated, those responsible will be held accountable. Residents of the county no matter how in, he said he could taken care of in an illegal closed meeting. That CUP water is worth a million LaRen Provost signed these documents soon as they sell their lots to residents, the residents will get stuck with the bill. ] am sure that part of the motivation for conducting this piece of hidden business was to take care of someone else’s mistake without embarrassing them in pub- last _week’s there wasn’t a meeting or that this significant piece of county business was the county’s prohibition of cost-plus purchasing arrangements. Commissioner in their develop- in If Commissioner Kohler cannot tell me in which meeting he signed that water | giveaway Jordanelle Special Service District, ‘negotiated the contracts that violated It is true that as long as the developers Kohler — The citizens of Wasatch County deserve to know the whole truth. And while it may be hard to come clean, a lot of people will show a lot of respect for some- — one who is willing to expose the hidden business of the county. identify the public meeting in which he signed away all the county’s CUP secretive, misguided management by © the county’s personnel. The former through a new bond and special fire assessment fee. _ nated ‘in the signing away of all the county’s CUP municipal water. _ Corner, commission meeting whether he could We feel the cost overruns for this $2.5 million. project are a direct result of costs associated with the fire station Coritolishsters Mike Kohler .gave a brief overview of how the “Utah Open Meetings Act” applies to county business. While I agree with his analysis of the law, I also believe his column was misleading when it stated. “the County Commission is committed to doing its work in open and public meetings.” When I asked We feel the ground under the fire station should have been gifted to the tion itself, but for the specialized fire engine and other equipment to be housed in the station, and for the — staffing costs associated with the operations of the station.” This week we. County Commission Office ‘ | (435) 654-3211 gtk tha In last bec encanta in the Jordanelle Basin will pay, not only for the entire cost of the fire sta- the property By Sam Allen, Columnist ers are benefiting at the expense of — Commissioners wrote in the Courier that the prior commission had implemented a plan “whereby the developers own Commissioners rich or poor have an equal right to a responsible and cost effective government. But in this deal it seems like oth- On August 3, 1999 the Wasatch County Clean, Come a jh a SIS aaa ICI EER Ee HL fa bid We have all heard os violence in other schools, but how many of us know that in our own little town we had not one but two bomb threats last year. The kid nee now back at school. for the threats is | _ As a parent | am very angry that he should be allowed back in school. Are we waiting for him to be able to go through | Reese with his threats before it. serious? It was through a younger child that I heard about the bomb threats last year, and talking to teachers and parents no one was told about it. What about the safety of students, faculty and staff. Why weren't aney ~ informed? If you hae questions and concerns about this I suggest you call your principle, Mr. Harvey Horner, some answers! Name Withheld by Request and demand | 40, Loren and Phyllis Jensen have been quietly salvaging remnants of Heber Valley’s past. | Just beyond the Vista Grande Motel the Mill Fort is rising. Driven by a love of the past and its values, Loren, with the support of his wife Phyllis, has been rescuing and restoring buildings used as dwellings by the early 19th Century inhabitants of the area. I’m from Massachusetts and we have seen simlar efforts in our state resulting in Plymouth Plantation, Plymouth and -Starbridge Village in western Massachusetts. Both of these historic restorations are assets for our state in the sense of their historic and tourist value. ‘This particular enterpise is unique in that it springs from the dream of two individuals who, up to this point, have provided the energy and money to bring the project to its present state of near completion. Loren has been searching the valley for restoration has personal Cabin” where his Lundin, was born. grandfather, _ done here to give us all a look at life the John way it once was. “Life had a richness ‘and depth that’s often lacking in our busy modern lives today,” she says. One of the “timber -_cabins” was Loren’s seasonal home when his father, Newell, was cutting timber. Loren’s mother, Lucinda Jensen, says the — | Loren and Phyllis are grateful to those who have donated structures now on the tiny cabins were cozy and warm. She Mill Fort site, among them Tom feels that the time spent living in these Horrocks, Herb Burnett, Betty and Jack cabins nutured Loren’s love of the outAnderson, Lacy Fitzgerald, Bill Baum, doors and his desire to preserve some Bob and Glenna Azlin and Mr. And part of those good times. Mrs. Dale Olsen. They hope for continued community interest and support. Loren is looking into the possibility of obtaining grant support from the state and federal governments. It was a happening to see the latest addition to the “Mill Fort”. The Sheriff's department led the way down Highway 40 Friday morning. The parade also included Brent Davis and Shane Carlson from Heber Light and Power, several vehicles from the telephone company and the star of the parade, ~ As Heber City moves relentlessly into Dave Valgardson’s flat bed moving truck | hauling the small wooden cabin similar ae and Loren. As the house was jacked up and moved onto it’s new footings, Lucinda watched the proceedings with obvious interest. the future, the Jensen’s hope to contribute to the maintenance of our connection to the past, hoping that the strength and values of those hearty pio- neers can be retained and brought with | to the Lundin cabin. To me, it is really remarkable that adding this cabin to the ‘site was planned and paid for by gO Out on Highway The Mae aman interesting past. in the High School. ins”. meaning for Loren, as well, since one of the cabins on the site is the “Lundin daughter-in-law were preof her heritage as well as Lucinda feels that one day appreciate what has been APO I In the midst of a visit to friends: in the : bucolic Heber Valley, I witnessed an effort to preserve a part of the Valley’s Attention Parents! I am writing this article as a concerned parent of children her son an serving part their own. people will aN i MIs Editor: Editor: She told me how delighted she was that samples of small wooden structures used as homes and seasonal dwellings for the timber workers, so called, “timber cab- | -us as we move ahead. I hope that when I next visit this beautiful valley I will see — and enjoy a completed “Mill Fort”. Sincerely, Joe Leary (Boston, MA) wh Fort Mill Restoration Bomb Threats in High School Lee ODPL te 9 A eM UL LJ Bi lb LETTERS TO THE EDITOR |