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Show Wat. ' Sentinel Guardian of Your Community News WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2009 • A7 Salem ATV ordinance Mapleton plans to passes unanimously seek trails grant Lindsay B. Wolsey STAFF WRITER ATVs to be used in Salem. To be considered street legal ATVs must be registered as With only a couple of street legal, in some cases items on the agenda that re- owners will be required to quired discussion, the Salem have a dual registration if City Council flew through they want to use the ATV the meeting on Wednesday, off road as well. AdditionSept. 16 and finished right ally, ATVs will need to have before 8 p.m. The first item turn signals, head lights for discussion was a request and tail lights, and either a from Mike and Jan Daley windshield or the rider must to change a subdivision or- use a helmet. Certain roads dinance limiting the use of will be off-limits to ATV septic tanks to houses locat- use. The proposal passed ed 2,000 feet from the sewer unanimously. lines. The Daleys have been "That was quite a strong trying to work this issue out yes," remarked Mayor Lane for years. Henderson. "It's not fair that people "And I don't even own have land and they can't put an ATV" joked Council houses on it," Daley said. Member Stanley Green. After some discussion, Michael Richins apincluding possible Fire Code proached the City Council issues, the Council voted to to request approval for his send the proposal to Planning Eagle Scout Project. Richand Zoning to determine the ins plans to replace a strip impact of changing the ordi- of dirt on the east side of the nance to allow two houses ball park with curbing and rather than five to utilize a plants. septic tank. "That will stop vehicles City Attorney S. Junior from going into the fence," Baker presented an ordi- remarked Gordon. nance allowing street-legal "I plan to plant peren- nials, shrubs that don't require much water," Richins explained. The Council approved the project, and Council Member Todd Gordon will oversee the project. "We've had some great Eagle Projects," Henderson said. Public Works Director Bruce Ward explained the water meter testing that is currently going on in the city. "We have received some meters from the state and we are randomly installing them throughout the city," Ward said. The meters are being tested solely to see how they hold up with use. Dirty water ruins the meters, and the State has requested that Salem test the mechanics of the meters. "Let's tell each of the citizens who get one installed what we are doing," Council Brent Hanks recommended, adding that he had a couple of citizens stop by his house to ask about the project. -;-<->•• V J ; V^M Salem primary results |^ Salem City announced the unofficial results of the primary election for city council held Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009. Of the six city council candidates the top four vote-getters are continuing on to the general election in November Brent • Black received the most votes, at 246; other winners are Sidney M. Jorgensen, 235; Brent V. Hanks, 195; and Sterling M. Rees, 192. Charles T. Wixom and David P. Grant were eliminated. A total of 507 voters completed ballots, which is approximately 15 percent of total registered voters in Salem. Annual pet fair held ' Christy Hardman STAFF WRITER The Mapleton City Council met on Wednesday, Sept. 16, to discuss the items on the agenda, including the ordinance governing condominiums, the agreement regarding community development block grant applications and a proposal for a Mapleton trail along the canal. They authorized the purchase of a new dump truck to be used as a spreader and back up plow. The new financial controller, Dave Allen, discussed the budget report prepared for the audit, which brought awareness to the deficit in the sewer budget, resulting in a likely sewer fee hike for residents. Some adjustments were made in the wording of the ordinance for building condominiums, and attention was given to keeping the standards in line with national building codes. The community development block grants application procedure will be adjusted for the benefit of the city receiving funds more regularly from year to year. The city currently works in an arrangement with .the county that puts them in competition for those funds. "Right now it's an unwritten agreement that every other year the application for funds goes to the county. This removes us from that arrangement, so that every year we can apply'for the grant money," Mayor Brady said. . Brady also reiterated the importance of every person in the city participating in the census. "Especially those who have people living in their basement that are lower income people. That really helps the amount of money we can get," she said. The council discussed the proposal for a Mapleton city public trail along the canal,' running north and south through the city. Mayor Brady said there is a "very glaring gap" in the trail that runs between Spanish Fork and Springville because Mapleton doesn't have one. The cost to the city if they can secure a grant, w6uld be $74,000, which would most likely come from the parks and recreation fund. Cory Branch, Community Development Director said that he thinks Mapleton city has a good chance of getting a grant. The decision to move forward on the application process does not commit the funds. Bob Bradshaw, CityAdministrator,assured the council and citizens that they won't proceed unless they know they can secure the rest of the funding. The city should hear back on the grant by early summer 2010. Bradshaw said there has been a much greater portion of grant money going to the northern portion of the county, leaving south county areas neglected. He said due to that, he thinks it more likely that Mapleton will be able to receive the needed funds for the trail. Bradshaw explained that, if approved, it will be a six-year project with four phases, and many things have to happen before it can be put into motion. Mayor Brady said the different sections of the trail will need different attention due to their location in conjunction with property owners. Bradshaw assured there will be a two week public hearing before any decisions will be make so that property owners can have a say. He said he is not trying to steamroll a decision, only to start moving the process forward so the city can begin to allocate fundingThe dump truck approved for purchase is a 1996 GM Autocar with 93,534 thousand miles, which they will purchase from the UDOT state surplus for $16,200. The city financial controller, Dave Allen, presented the budget for the year-end auditor report. The general fund had a surplus of $342,000, which goes into the reserve funds, and Mayor Brady praised the department heads and the city employees for their work and sacrifices to keep the budget down. The main concern was the sewer budget is running at a deficit which will likely mean a rate increase for residents in the next few months. Christy Hardman' STAFF WRITER The annual Pet Fair took place at the Salem Pond Knoll Park on S aturday, Sept. 19 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. It started out with a pet walk at 10 a.m., and immediately following, Patty Richards, a wildlife rehabilitator talked about her work with hawks, eagles and other animals, explaining how she works with them until she can release them back into the wild. At 11 a.m. the Utah County canine officers gave a demonstration in the bite suits and showed how their dogs locate drugs. The Search and Rescue demonstrated the skills of their trained dogs at 12 p.m. and a veterinarian did a demonstration at 1 p.m. on animal husbandry on larger animals. At 1:30 pjn. Officer Blair Kerby conducted the wedding of the state's smallest heifer to her bull of choice. The miniature cows belong to Pat Sorenson of Spanish Fork, and they are only about two feet high full grown. "People really like the weddings," Kerby said. "They're kind of fun, maybe a little corny, and people give me a bad time around town for being the pet minister, but it's all fun." From 2-4 p.m. there were pet games and contests, including best costume, biggest and smallest competitions, the best trick, owner look alike contests and the treat game, which Kerby said was a favorite. He said the gist of the game is for owners to throw a treat into the arena and then have their pet try to find it. Both the south county and the north county animal shelters were there with pets that could be adopted into homes, and Kerby said he's pleased that they are SF City Council meeting for their hard work and will be given at a later date dedication to the city. to discuss what kinds of The council then talked structure will be applied to City council was start- about the the proposed neighborhood meetings. ed off this week by two amendment to Title 15 in The council then heard special young men. Na- regard to the Preliminary a request for waiver from than and Matthew Ander- Plat approval Process. Pub- Steve Maddox for the Bella son, who recently received lic hearing meetings will Vista properties. Maddox their Eagle Scout and no longer be necessary for was asking for the waiver have earned all of the 121 plat approval since elected from minimum lot size and badges available through officials can hear what the width requirements so that the Boy Scouts of America public has to say but can- he could build single family program, lead the Pledge not change the status of ap- detached dwellings instead Of Allegiance. Then, the proval at that point in time. of multi-family dwellings Mayor and council award- If plats meet the necessary which the property previed the twins with a special requirements, the council ously qualified under. Afaward from the city for is bound to approve them. ter the presentation from not only being a good ex- Instead, the council sug- Maddox, who showed that ample of working through gested that more empha- there would be adequate the program but also con- sis and structure be put in street and private parking, gratulated them as they place of the neighborhood the council debated his were the first twins to win meetings, which allow proposal to dedicate a porthe distinction in the BSA developers to have more tion of land to the city for contact with the surroundprogram. a public use park. Although During the council ing neighbors. The counmost members were clearly comments section, coun- cil agreed that this would concerned, they quickly cil members commented be the more appropriate on their appreciation to setting for neighbors to were able to find their conthe staff employees. Last voice their concerns and cerns adequately addressed week the city held a dinner try to see change from the by Maddox and granted the to thank those on the staff developer. A presentation waiver. Jen Allen STAFF WRITER Steve Hardman / The Sentinel ALL DRESSED UP: Pet games included the best costume and owner-look-alike contests. finally getting representation from the north county animal shelter as well as the south county. Kerby said the schedule for the fair wasn't "as packed" as it has been other years, but they really tried to focus on the things that were most popular in the past, and it has been growing in popularityfromyear to year. One of the things Kerby started pushing this year was donations to help supplement the animal shelters and other programs. He and some others are working to organize a "Give me Shelter" motorcycle benefit ride to help bring funds to local shelters and to implement programs to promote education assemblies in schools. He said other donation programs are good, but the money goes back east, and the local shelters and programs don't see it. "There's only so much money to spread around, and the shelters are funded by tax dollars, which means they get the bare minimum. There are a lot of things we could do to improve them if we had more to work with," he said. In years past, Kerby has seen success going into schools to help educate children on how to choose a pet and the responsibility of caring for it afterward. "We try to give the kids an idea of what it entails to be a pet owner, and teach them a little about handling and different types of restraints so they are better prepared to care for a pet," he said. Kerby said he's seen these programs work, but they need funding to be able to function, and he hopes to see some of these things happen in the next few years. CAMPAIGN WAGOlfrRAm w.wayneformayor.com |