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Show TheEmeryCountyReview.com Field Day Celebrating the Arts Cleveland Elementary students take a ‘creative’ trip to the forest From art to drama, a calendar of upcoming events C1 A4 REVIEW Emery County The Commissioner Sitterud sentenced to 6 days in jail James L. Davis Emery County Commissioner Drew Sitterud was ordered to serve six days in jail and placed on two years probation on Sept. 30 as he appeared in 7th District Court for sentencing following his Sept. 2 guilty plea to Tuesday, October 7, 2008 Local News, Local Voice, Locally Owned Volume 2, Issue 41. two misdemeanor counts of wrongful appropriation. Judge Douglas Thomas also ordered Sitterud to pay a $2,500 fine, complete a class on criminal thinking errors and write a letter of apology to the citizens of Emery County. He also received a one year suspended prison sentence term. The class A misdemeanor charges the commissioner pled guilty to could have each carried a one year prison sentence. Sitterud was not ordered to pay restitution because he had already done so to the county. If the funds are determined to belong to the state instead of the county, then Judge Thomas indicated that was an issue for the county and state to resolve. The audience of mostly family, friends and the curious were visibly surprised at the sentencing by Judge Continued on Page A3. Applicant questions pool hiring procedures Josie Luke The controversy resulting from the hiring process of an aquatic manager for the new swimming pool facility has surged through the county, especially with those involved with the operations of the previous pool. When it was announced during the Aug. 19 meeting of the Emery County Commission that the manager position had been filled, many took the news in stride, but there were some, two in particular who had serious doubts about the hiring process involved. They had doubts because they had never Photo by James L. Davis Cindy Draper takes time to “relax” with her children, Whitney, 16, Kaden, 9, and Madison, 7. Motivating Forces Like most single parents, Cindy Draper often finds herself in a whirlwind of activity to try and be everywhere, and everyone, for her children James L. Davis C indy Draper was surfing the internet one day when she came across a website advertising that Oprah Winfrey was looking for overstressed, overwhelmed and overworked single moms. So on a whim she thought she would apply. In the end it came down to her and one other mom to make up a panel of moms that would take part in a segment on the Oprah Winfrey show. She didn’t make the show, and if you were to ask her why Cindy just might say she was overqualified. But being runner-up isn’t half bad. Cindy was happy to be considered. “I think the kicker, what got me noticed was that I said I wanted to be a nicer mom. And I do,” she said with a laugh, but behind the laugh you can see that it is something she thinks about, something she even feels guilty about. Of course, in the life of most single parents, guilt is a primary motivating force. It is what keeps you moving when sometimes all you really want to do is curl up and got to sleep, or watch Continued on Page A6. Justice Center a cooperative effort in caring Josie Luke Editor’s Note: Because the development new Emery County Children’s Justice Center has involves so many entities in the planning, design and construction, this will be the first in a two-part series. Part two will feature the Emery High construction students who are building the new center. When the home being used as the Emery County Children’s Justice Center was sold by the owner, the operators were faced with the need to immediately begin looking for other options. The result of that process is a cooperation involving the staff of the CJC, Emery County, Castle Dale City, the Emery County School District, Emery High, local subcontractors and students, who like those who will be served by the facility, are still kids. CJCs are used to provide a safe, comfortable and home-like environment for abused children to receive services during investigations. These centers are also funded through community donations, which necessitates that they be affordable. As such there are many variables involved in selecting an appropriate facility. So, when faced with the loss of their facility, the staff began immediately weighing their options. There was the opportunity to simply Photo by Josie Luke Jime Keele and his assistant Jennifer Jorgensen. find another rental property, but considering the need for it to meet ADA accessibility guidelines, it made finding Continued on Page A3. 75 Cents even been called for an interview. Marilyn and Chris Collard had been co-managers at the Castle Dale pool, had been involved in the process of getting the pool project approved and had been on the new pool committee. “We really felt like we’d be part of the new pool,” Chris related. They had both turned in applications for the position and were frustrated and confused when they learned the position had been filled, particularly that Marilyn had not been interviewed. She explained that she believed that with her Continued on Page A3. State budget cuts hurt CEU College of Eastern Utah Interim President Mike King announced that the recent budget cuts by the state legislature would reduce CEU’s budget by four percent – an amount totaling $763,200. “The legislature and governor needed to find $272 million and looked to higher education for $65 million of that. While CEU’s share of the total may seem small in comparison, this will have serious impacts on budgets both this year and next,” King said. King added that the current year’s cuts would likely be funded from the Price Campus line item, where the college maintains funds from prior years that can be used to fill the shortfall. “Next year (Fiscal Year 2010), all of our line items will be facing a four percent base reduction,” King said. The College of Eastern Utah has four line items: Price Campus, San Juan Campus, CEU Prehistoric Museum and the Educationally Disadvantaged Program. Guy Denton, Associate Provost and director of the San Juan Campus noted the impact of holding harmless the campus in Blanding from current year cuts. “To have the Price Campus help us this year is critical – our smaller budget reduces flexibility to make such large adjustments without advanced notice.” CEU began the year with $19 million in tax funds, including a one-time appropriation of $600,000 that will not be part of the fiscal year 2010 base, which means when the legislature convenes in January the college will be facing a budget $1.3 million below current year levels. The college’s proportion of tax funds to tuition places it in a more volatile position than other schools. Less than 20 percent of the college’s budget comes from tuition, compared to other schools that collect 30 or even 40 percent of their funds from students. When the college receives increases for salaries, the legislature uses a ratio of tax funds to tuition, meaning CEU students pay less for compensation than students at other institutions. When cuts are made, the legislature does not seek to directly cut tuition funds, focusing only on general tax funds for a reduction. “That means CEU is seeing a 4 percent reduction on 85 percent of its budget where other schools see a 4 percent reduction on only 60 or 70 percent,” said Robyn Sheriff, CEU’s budget director. Vice President for Finance and Administration Kevin Walthers found a silver lining in the budget cutting process: “The irony is that we have worked so hard to get CEU in a position to have flexibility in the budget and as soon as we do, we lose it. The positive is that for the first time in many years, CEU is in a position to deal with the cuts without needing special help from the legislature or other institutions.” College Administrators will begin preparing for the FY 2010 budget this month through meetings with the College Senate, a group comprised of representatives of campus faculty, staff and administration. |
