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Show SPANISH FORK Covering what matters most A8 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2009 ^ ^ ^ ' " ' I ^ O "|| Demonstration zip line has city officials talking Namon Bills EDITOR City officials from Spanish Fork, Salem and other nearby communities had the chance to try out a zip line Monday, June 8 at the Spanish Fork Gun Club. The 1,000 ft. line runs from the top of Red Knoll down to the field at the gun club. Spanish Fork's Troy Richardson runs Zip Traveler, a DBA of AA Machining and Welding, which set up the zip line. "Why go to Costa Rica when you've got all these great knolls?" Richardson said. Richardson approached the city council in November with a proposal to set up a zip line in the foothills above Spanish Fork. The council approved the demo, and will now look at whether or not to approve Zip Traveler to establish permanent lines. Richardson said he has six potential sites selected and would like to install three lines this year and three more next year. He's already, built zip lines in Park City and Logan. In the proposed agreement with Spanish Fork City, the city would lease the land to Richardson for a percentage of the profits. "We would take all liability and provide employees/' said Richardson. Spanish Fork Mayor Joe Thomas said the arrangement would bring additional funds to city coffers, which could help offset costs of the nearby reservoir, which has" free access. "We have people coming up here every day, many of whom are not Spanish Fork residents," said Thomas. "This helps offset [reservoir costs] and those people visiting will hopefblly spend some money and ride." The mayor took his second ride down the zip line Monday. "It's really smooth," he said. "You think you're going to be scared — the only scary part is at first when your feet don't touch the ground." His 12-year-old daughter, Jade, came along for a ride. She described the experience as "pretty cool," and said it's something she'd be interested in doing again. While exhilarating, Richardson said the zip line is completely safe. The cable itself is made to hold up to 50,000 lbs. and each of the harnesses is equipped with three cables, each of which can hold up to 6,000 lbs. The first is used by the rider to actively control their speed. The other two are safety measures in case the first one were to break. A large system of springs at the end of the ride creates a cushion for those coming in fast and Richardson said there will also be a large mat at the end of each of the permanent lines. Richardson explained that there are 20 U.S. patents in his zip line system. Some of these provide automatic braking according to a person's weight, so that everyone comes down at about the same speed. Richardson, who also owns a gym in Payson, said the impetus for the zip lines was to get kids out of the house. He said kids don't play outside as much as they used to, and he hopes that this would provide a reason for them to get out. His plan is for most participants to get some exercise walking up the steep hill before taking the ride down. He would provide handicap accessibility as well. Richardson would like to run the zip lines weekday afternoons and all day Saturdays — possibly throughout the year. "It could be a yearround thing," he said. "I've been up here during winter; it's not out of the question." Thomas is excited about the possibilities and said if it were up to him he'd like to see permanent zip lines go up as soon as possible. Richardson said he could have permanent lines set up in as little as two weeks'. The final decision will be up to the city council. Namon Bills / Spanish Fork News DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES: Above, the view from the top of Red Knoll shows the zip line's descent. It ends at the furthest truck in the field below. Mayor Thomas, below, takes his second ride down the zip line. Council discusses budget issues for fiscal year 2010 Christy Hardman STAFF WRITER The main item of business covered in the city council meeting held on June 2, 2009 was the public hearing on the budget for thefiscalyear 2010. The fiscal year starts July 10, and runs through June. Kent Clark explained that the city government funds are divided into three parts, the general fund, the enterprise funds and the mi sce'I laneous funds. The total budget is $58,000,000, and that is accumulated from sales tax, energy tax, property tax and building tax (impact fees etc.). Sales tax is the main source of revenue, and the numbers show a ten percent drop since 2007. "With the economy being what it is, the sales tax portion has suffered a little, due to lessened spending, and that has impacted our general fund," Clark said. The city gets one percent of the six percent sales tax from stores, and three percent from restaurants. Also due to the slumping economy, the city has run into some difficulty on collecting property tax, and the number of building permits has also declined. All of these factors contribute to lessened resources for the city to draw from.to fund the various departments. "Department heads, the city manager, etc., have all had to maintain their ser- in years past to maintain garbage and storm drainage vices with declining rev- the city departments, which rates, and the culinary and enues," Clark said. include the public safety PI water rates will go down. To cover the differences, department, parks and rec- There will be a four percent the city has had to draw reation, the library and oth- increase in the electric rates due to higher demands on from the electric fund. The ers. electric fund has been a Clark aid they have cut fuel, and the decline in sursource of surplus that usu- their budgets rather than plus electric sales. Said the ally kicks savings back to have property taxes in- actual increase was closer to nine percent, but past the people. Spanish Fork is crease. a member of UMPA, an asThe city also supple- city councils acquired a sociation of cities that come ments the golf course, the rate stabilization membertogether and purchased a swimming pool, the senior ship through UMPA, which power plant. The power citizen center, and other has cushioned the residents' generated from the plant is programs to offer a quality actual money out of pocket for use by the residents of lifestyle to the residents. for electric rate hikes. the cities, and the rest of The North Park project is Mayor Joe Thomas said the power is sold to other lumped into the miscella- that if they keep the electric sources, which has gener- neous funds category. rates the same, the city will ated a surplus profit in years In spite of the decline in have a deficit, and they'll past. Now less people are revenue, most of the rate have to raise the property purchasing that extra pow- will not change for the fis- tax. One of the strategies er, and the city has to draw cal year 2010. There will the city uses to help spread from reserves accumulated be no change in tjbe sewer, the expense is by tacking a 15 percent mandatory donation onto the utility bill. This money goes directly back to the city. "It's not a tax, it's better than a tax," Mayor Thomas said. "If we called it a tax, we would have schools, hospitals, churches, etc. that are exempt. This way, everyone pays it, so in the end, everyone saves." "I'd like to remind everyone that most of the utility rates are decreasing. We realize that this is a tough economy. In Spanish Fork we've managed very well, where other cities are having short falls. We have a rainy day fund so we don't have to scramble. We've really cut this to bare bones," Councilman Leifson said. t |