OCR Text |
Show Guardian of Your Community News WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009 • A9 Youth Council sworn in Elk Ridge: Jen Allen STAPF WRITER Spanish Fork City Council last week was full to the brim with citizens. The highlight of the night came when Richard Davis announced that the City's Youth Council was being sworn into office. Mayor Pro Tern Wayne Andersen swore in the Youth Mayor and her council. The city council introduced themselves as well and described their duties to the youth council. The youth council also introduced themselves and told the city council what responsibilities they hold. The youth council will work in concert with city council this year as they learn what it means to serve their community through a political office. The council held a lengthy debate about the proposition to raise salary scales for city employees. Seth Perrins made it clear to the council that if they approved the raise in ranges, there were no funds available for raises to be given to employees. The council then questioned why even adjust the ranges if there From ELK RIDGE • A7 Jen Allen / The Sentinel YOUTH COUNCIL: The Youth Mayor and her council will be working with the Spanish Fork City Council in order to learn the importance of serving the community and debating on matters concerning the public. was no money in the fund wash can even help keep to be given to employees. people from getting the Perrins explained that the swine flu. Thomas said the raise in ranges would keep flu season is starting a much the integrity of the pay- higher rate this year than it scale intact. Several years usually does. He stressed ago, the city switched sys- that everyone needs to tems and this range change be careful while they are would keep the system up- out using public facilities. dated, even though employ- Since so many people have ees would not receive any caught it already, it is cerraises. tain that there are germs Don Thomas gave a pre- out there, and they can live sentation on the H1N1 vi- for up to three days on surrus. While Thomas spoke, faces. Continual vigilance several containers of hand in keeping hands washed sanitizer were passed and common objects such around as he explained as door knobs, phones and the importance of wash- countertops sanitized can ing hands regularly, keep- help reduce your chance ing contact with others to of catching the flu. More a minimum and other im- information on the H1N1 portant safe guards. Simple virus are available through things like using a mouth- the city website. Plat F approved in Salem Lindsay B. Wolsey STAFF WRITER It was business as usual at the Salem City Council meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 21, with one notable exception. For the first time that tyayor Lane Henderson can rejmember, the council was unable to come to an agreement to take any action on one of the agenda items. The problem ordinance is one amending and clarifying permitted uses in the C-l and C-2 commercial zones. Basically, the ordinance change would allow for fitness centers, gyms, and funeral homes to operate in the C-l and C-2 zones. "This is good because you could die at the fitness center and then go right to the funeral home," quipped Council Member Brent Hanks. Council Member Terry Ficklin had concerns about the broadness of the language, and the recommendation from the planning commission to strike language preventing spectator sports in connection with the fitness center. "This is the first time I can remember this happening ," Henderson said, after the motion to pass the change failed to receive a second. In the end, it was decided to revisit this issue at the next council meeting, after members have time to think about the wording of the ordinance. . ,t Tlie council gave" preliminary approval for PlatF in the Autumn Hills development. Public Works Director Bruce Ward explained the requirements for the LeRay McCallister Critical Land Conservation Fund. CW Management has applied for the grant, in order to pay for some improvements to Salem Park. "The grant is for $75,000, and CW Management will be matching the $75,000 in labor, equipment and materials," Ward said. "If the improvements are not completed by January 31,2010, the agreement expires." Ficklin reported on the South Utah Valley Waste District (SUVWD) status. SUVWD has just asked for bids for a new liner in a new waste cell. "We have a very sophisticated system. Waste goes to a station and gets compacted, and then goes to the other side of the lake, gets put in a big hole, covered with plastic. Nothing we do hits Mother Earth. In a few years we'll start on our first gas to energy building, and take methane gas, burn it and use it as electricity." SUVW has opened and . closed Cell One and is now opening Cell Two. Each cell is the size of" three football fields. The current waste area was supposed to last for 100 years, but with the current waste rate is anticipated to last for 70 years. The District is looking into the possibility of purchasing more land. "This city is really taking a good stand as far as recycling goes," Ficklin said. "One ton of cardboard is equal to 14 trees that are 30 feet high." Council Member Stan Green reported that the pressurized water system has been turned off. "It's draining off, but we're not refilling it. It will take a few more days to drain, and then it will be off," explained Ward. Mayor Henderson asked how the city water usage stacked up against the goal. "We did use more than we planned, and more than was needed," Ward said. "We need to do more education," Green said. Scouts at The Sentinel to be like, and I'd like to follow those ideas, or even send out another survey if needed to help build up Elk Ridge's General Plan," Squires says. The third and fourth parts of Squires' goals as a council member will be saving wildlife browsing corridors and ridge lines, and being an advocate for personal property rights. "I believe strongly in personal property rights, but I also know that when that detracts from the value of others* property, enforcement action must be taken. That happens at the city council level," Squires says. Having been a member of a Civil Engineering Squadron in the Air Force, Squires feels that he has a lot of experience to offer on the city council. "Being in charge of infrastructure and facilities for a military base is basically like running a city, and I really enjoyed doing that," Squires says. "Now that I'm re- r Namon Bills / Tlie Sentinel SCOUTING IT OUT: Bears and Webelos from Pack 1522 of the Crosswinds 2nd Ward visited the Sentinel on Thursday, Oct. 22. They learned about what goes into making and printing a newspaper. Pictured, front row, left to right, are Jackson Lewis, Mark Smiley, Kristen Lewis and Kelly Lewis; back row, Julie Hardy, Quincy Millett, Ben Hardy, Garrett Ward, Stone Harding, Jared Christianson, Tanner Lewis, Carter Sea He and Jonna Lewis. • Weston Youd Woodland Hills: From WH • A7 can't see where things stand. She has done research on the city's water resources, so she understands the real needs. "It can seem really scary because we can't see the pipes, and we hear they are in bad shape," she said. 'They are old, but they are functioning pretty well." She said the goal is to upgrade and maintain, and not panic. Pray said she would like to see communication improve between the city and the residents through improved communication through the website, as well as more town meetings. She thinks the city needs to be "more conciliatory in our tone, and willing to listen." She said she's found most people are fairly agreeable if they feel they are heard. Pray said she "passionately loves" the unique flavor of Woodland Hills. "That's what attracted people here, and we need to maintain that, to be, faithful to it and preserve it for the future," she said. She and her husband, Rick, have six children ages 8-20, and she has lived in Woodland Hills for 16 years. She has worked on the planning commission for eight years, and has a history degree from BYU. Milan Malkovich Milan Malkovich is running for mayor of Woodland Hills. He said one of the concerns the city is facing is that it is currently spending more in expenditures than it is taking in revenues. "Our reserves have been depleted at an average of $100,000 a year. We need to balance our budget to our current revenue," he said. "We need to do a better job at budgeting and to stick to it, not add in frills and pet projects." Malkovich said in order to alleviate some of the water concerns, the city needs to purchase spare parts for the wells and pumping system so in case the system goes down, it can be repaired quickly. Malkovich said the most important thing a mayor does is to enforce and maintain peace in the city. He said he would like to see more volunteers for the fire department. He is trained to be a wild-land and interface fire fighter, which he said doesn't take a lot of training and would be ideal for fires that could possibly flare up in the underbrush of Woodland Hills. The second most important thing the mayor does, according to Malkovich, is managing the city's operational budget. Malkovicb , manages millions of dol- ; lars of projects every year, ' so he said he is well qualified to see that happen. Malkovich would like to see more communication between the city and the residents. "I want the city government to be more open, and the budget to be more simple," he said. "I want residents in the city to feel the government is there to serve them instead of the other way around." Malkovich has been a property owner in Woodland Hills for 20 years, and has lived there for 15 years. He and his wife, Kari, have six children. He is a licensed architect, and for the last 31 years has been a project manager for the Corporation of the Presiding Bishopric for the LDS Church. Editor's note: We did not receive a photo from Milan Malkovich. Spanish Fork: proud parents of six children and grandparents to three grandsons. As foster parents for fourteen years, change. "Once you have the the Leifson's have contintraffic flow taken care ued to make Spanish Fork of, there's another issue home. The grandson of getting south. It doesn't Icelandic settlers, Leifson end at the ball fields," he is proud to be a part of the city built and shaped by said. Huff's vision for the his predecessors. Currently a city councity includes a cultural arts center. While he cil member, Leifson is knows the economy isn't running for a second at its best, he believes that term. "Probably the greatit's important because of est qualification I have to the contributions from the offer as a city councilman many talented individuals is my experience. I am are a part of what makes currently serving on the our community so unique. following boards: Utah Municipal Power Agency, South Utah Valley Power Steve Leifson was bom System and the Park and at the Hughes Memorial Recreation Committee." He has also served Hospital that used to be here in town. Leifson and on the airport board, the his wife Cheryl are the Fiesta Days committee, From SF • A7 ,-• to ensure that the operations of the city run as efficiently as possible. He also sees water efficiency as an important issue, since we Weston Youd is running live in a desert and our wafor Elk Ridge City Coun- ter is limited. "We're one cil. He grew up in Lake of the few communities in Shore and attended Span- Utah County that still has ish Fork High School, and to use culinary water for has degrees in Business non-culinary use: we don't from UVU and Economics have any secondary wafrom BYU. He is also the ter," Youd says. "I'd like to Vice Chair of the Planning take a good look at options Commission. for secondary water to see Youd says he is primar- if they are viable options ily miming for city council for Elk Ridge." because he sees it as an opIn his vision for Elk portunity to help out in the Ridge, Youd has the imcommunity. "I feel I can mediate goals of "learning play a role in helping the lessons now while revenue city go down the right path is tight." He says, "We now," Youd says. "Our need to make good.decicity is at a critical point sions now to set the preceright now and there are dent for later." Youd's othtough decisions to be made er goals include protecting because we have no com- Elk Ridge's water supply mercial base and no com- by developing more ways mercial tax revenue. That to conserve water, and means we're beholden to exploring alternate water the citizens' tax dollars, sources such as secondary so we really need to spend water. them as efficiently as we can." Editor's note: Elk Ridge Youd feels that the city candidate Lucretia Thayne government must be very did not get back with our fiscally disciplined so as writer before deadline. tired, I'd like to continue serving in that way for Elk Ridge." Steve Leifson Wind Fest and been a sports youth coach for 10 years. "My greatest desire is to see Spanish Fork as a hometown full of fun family activities and services." Leifson has also worked in concert with legislators to help promote the North Main Street interchange. "My vision — Families working together, playing together and helping each other in a beautiful and safe community! We should have sufficient job opportunities for our youth as well as our adults... I believe that we are working diligently towards accomplishing many of the goals I have for Spanish Fork. Imagine what we could do if every citizen got involved!" |