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Show Cyan Magenta Yellow Black A2 Sanpete Messenger/Gunnison Valley Edition Wednesday, November 30, 2005 Audit gives Centerfield clean bill of health By C.R. Truitt Staff writer CENTERFIELD—The city of Centerfield received a clean audit report for the last year. Rick Roberts, the city’s auditor from Kimball and Roberts, an accounting firm located in Richfield, reported no findings in the city’s audit report, meaning Centerfield City held to the state’s laws governing city budKAREN PRISBREY / MESSENGER PHOTO Nancy Jensen shows off quilts, afghans and other gift items that will help raise funds for Sub for Santa. Auxiliary raffle to raise funds for Sub for Santa By Karen Prisbrey Staff writer GUNNISON—In an effort to raise money for the Sub for Santa, the Centerfield American Legion Auxiliary, Oliver Russell Post 105, is having a raffle for several quilts, afghans, Christmas decorations, a hand made knife and other items. Members of the auxiliary will be at Thriftway Market this week selling raffle tickets, and will have items to be drawn for on display at that location. They are $1 each or 6 for $5. The drawing will be held on Monday evening, Dec. 5 at the annual American Legion Christmas dinner. Winners will be notified. For additional information about the drawing contact the Post’s Commander Oliver Russell or Auxiliary President Chris Madrid. ONE MORE WEEK! Casino Star Theatre Rated PG 78 S. Main, Gunnison 528-STAR casinostartheatre.org Prices: Adults $5 Children under 12 and Seniors $3 Theater Listings Dec. 2-8 7:00 p.m. Weekdays Bargain Night: Tuesday All seats $3.00 Two showings Friday & Saturday 6 pm and 9 pm Video/DVD Rentals Movie Deals Do You Like Movies? To find out what’s PLAYING & COMING SOON visit http://SanpeteMovies.com Sanpete News Company, Inc., publishing the GUNNISON VALLEY EDITION Member Utah Press Association Deadlines, Post Office & Contact Information UPS# 232-020 Copyright, Sanpete News Company, Inc.©2004. All rights reserved. Reproduction, re-use, or transmittal of all matter herein is prohibited without prior written permission of the publisher. Published each Wednesday for 75¢ each, $24.00 inside Sanpete County, $27.00 outside Sanpete County, by Sanpete News Company, Inc., 35 S. Main, Manti, Utah 84642 Phone 1-866-620-1935, 435-835-4241, fax 435-835-1493 suzanne@sanpetemessenger.com E-mail publisher at: E-mail sports to: sports@sanpetemessenger.com school@sanpetemessenger.com E-mail school items to: news@sanpetemessenger.com E-mail news to: E-mail ads to: ads@sanpetemessenger.com Deadline: Thursday, 5 p.m. Manti: 35 S. Main, Hours: M-F, 9 am to 6 pm Periodicals Postage Paid at Manti, Utah 84642, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Sanpete Messenger, 35 S. Main, Manti, Utah 84642 Publisher ............................................................................... Suzanne Dean Associate Publisher ..................................................................... Lloyd Call Associate Editor ......................................................................... Sean Hales Senior Editor .............................................................................. John Hales Copy Editor .................................................................................. Lori Smith Office Manager ...................................................................... Jacque Marsh Administrative Assistant ................................................... Shirley Randazzo Webmasters ..................................... Dave Armstrong and Jessica Prisbrey Gunnison Distribution ................................................... Jodi Anderson, 528-3072 Ombudswoman ............................................... Karen Buchanan (835-5711) Staff Political correspondent ............................................ C. R. Truitt (445-3326) Education Editors .................................. Julia H. Boge and Kathy Eggleston Manti ..................................................................... Judy Chantry (835-8010) Gunnison ............................................................ Karen Prisbrey (528-7710) Centerfield ............................................................. Elva Jensen (528-3382) Axtell .................................................................... Audrey Boore (528-3309) Sports Writers ............................................ Doug Johnson, Mitch Peterson Photographers ................................... Bruce Van Der Riet, Vern Buchanan, Gene Chantry, Peter Goss, Russ Beck Columnists ................................................ Roger Baker, Corrie Lynn Player gets. Common findings in small cities within the county are being late with deposits and problems with separation of duties. Small cities have limited resources and people and generally have a difficult time holding to these common accounting violations. But Centerfield completed a full year of business following all state accounting laws. In other news at the Oct. 17 city council meeting, the council officially named bathrooms and the kitchen for the Old Rock Church (ORC) project as the first choice for any Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. Second on the list were bathrooms for the park. Even though council members Earlene Christensen and Leslie Gregerson will not be on the council next year, the MBA board voted to retain them as of- ficers on the board. The council accepted another new home business. Resident Brandon Olsen has a business making videos on his computer. He makes videos for weddings, family outings and even football, says Mayor Darwin Jensen. In other business, the council accepted the election canvass, and Christensen said she has purchased banners for the holidays for $4,507. Deborah Dahl is scheduled to work 20 hours per week, which makes her pay rate $14.21 per hour. But at the moment, she’s doing the recorder’s and the treasurer’s jobs. That translates to a 40-hour week with no increase in pay, she says. Maureen Lund, city recorder and court clerk in Fountain Green, makes about $12.88 per hour if pay from both jobs is considered, and if one assumes she works a 40hour work. But Lund says she often puts in 40 hours per week on city duties alone, and does much of her court clerk work at home. If her city pay is divided by 40 hours per week, her pay rate for that job is $9.42 per hour. The Messenger was not able to gather enough information to calculate pay rates for part-time staff in the county’s smallest cities—Sterling, Wales, Mayfield and Fayette. But staff who were interviewed said they earn every cent of their pay. “It’s amazing how many people come to the house asking for something, or asking you to go to their [house] because they need a notary or something else,” says Mayfield Town Clerk-Recorder Catherine Bartholomew, who makes $900 per month working part-time. Tracie Mellor, clerk-recorder in Fayette, says she spends at least 10 hours per week deal- ing with people who call her at home to complain about water service, ask for water to be turned on, complain about a bill or ask to have their meter read, among other requests. She makes $436 per month. Based on a 10 hour week, that comes to just over $10 per hour. But she says she generally puts in 20 hours per week on the job. If so, she’s making $5.03 per hour, which is below minimum wage. As for Fayette’s elected officials—they essentially work for free. They are paid $1 per month, but they put all of their pay into an annual Christmas party. Pay (Continued from A1) has observed mayors and council members, says the city can’t pay the officials enough for the hassles they go through. “They get phone calls, and they get approached on the street or in the store by citizens,” she says. In terms of staff salaries, Anderson, the Ephraim city manager, is one of the highest paid local government employees in the county. He makes about $74,000 per year. Pay levels for other top Ephraim employees appear to be a little above pay for similar positions in other larger cities in the county. In Mt. Pleasant, mayor and council member pay hasn’t changed since Chesley Christensen took office in 1990. Pay for elected officials is a little higher in Mt. Pleasant than in Manti. But Mt. Pleasant’s pay is a little lower than Gunnison’s. Christensen, who is retired, is the only mayor in the county who works full-time for his part-time salary. Sally East, who left her job as county economic development director about a year ago to become Mt. Pleasant city recorder, appears to be the highest paid city recorder in the county. But her job includes acting as the administrative arm for the city council, cemetery, and planning and zoning. Recently, human resources was added to her portfolio at no additional pay. The city is looking at a change of title for her, which could eventually lead to a change in pay. In smaller cities and towns, elected and appointed officials describe their job as spanning a wide array of issues and creating significant disruptions in their personal lives. Spring City Recorder Paychecks in Sanpete County Municipalities (continued) Medium-Size Cities (Population 890-1980) (Councils usually meet once per month) Elected Officials, Monthly Salaries Fairview Spring City Centerfield Mayor $500 $100 $250 Council member $100 $75 $50 Moroni $83.33 $66.66 Fountain Green $20 $20 Centerfield Moroni $11.00 $14.25 $16.00 $15.21 N/A N/A Fountain Green $12.88 $22.43 N/A Staff, Hourly Compensation2 City recorder Public works director4 Power director Fairview $13.67 $17.21 $24.72 Spring City $14.21 $18.77 $27.27 Small Towns (Population 315-525) (Councils usually meet once per month) Elected Officials, Monthly Salaries Mayor Council member 1 2 3 4 Wales $50 + $6/hr. $50 + $6/hr. Sterling $25 $18.75 Mayfield $25 $15 Fayette $1 $1 The Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget lists Gunnison’s 2003 population as 2,262, which includes more than 700 inmates at the Central Utah Correctional Facility. Without CUCF, city officials say Gunnison’s population is less than 1,600. Where employees are salaried, monthly or annual salaries were divided by the number of hours worked per week, and by 52 weeks per year, to determine hourly compensation. In Ephraim and Manti, the city manager or administrator also serves as city recorder. Pay rates shown are for the senior clerical employee. Where no one has the title “public works director,” or where a municipality has more than one public works employee, salary shown is for the senior employee. |