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Show Page 4 The Gunnison Valley Gazette Thursday, July 21, 2011 Council dicusses nuisance issue By John Hales rich ar unnison va ey azette Scouts strip bark from logs for forest service as part of the Varsity All-Stars service project. Sixty scouts attend BSA All-star Camp by CHRISTI GARFF Despite cold mornings, lightening, thunder and torrential down pours almost 60 scouts, and 30 youth and adult leaders spent July 1 1 th thru July 16th climbing, repelling, biking, boating and hiking their way across the Sanpete Valley for the annual BSA Varsity All-Star Course (formally known as Varsity on Belay). Monday morning found almost 60 scouts from around the state converging at the base of Maple Canyon near Fountain Green. Here the boys were welcomed and assigned to squads. These squads were lead by youth leaders, boys who had previously participated in the high adventure course. After the initial shakedown the participants were instructed in the basic skills needed for the week long adventure. Things like; communication, leave no trace camping, backcountry navigation, backpacking, first aid and outdoor safety were taught. The boys then biked up Maple Canyon where they spent Monday rappelling, rock climbing, bouldering, enjoying a zip line, and participating in a trust fall. Each activity designed to help each squad learn to trust and work together in becoming a united force. Tuesday morning the adventurous scouts moved camp across the Sanpete Valley to the top of Skyline Drive. Once here, the scouts made brake checks on each bike and made sure each boy was wearing his bike helmet and had the necessary water before beginning the long bike ride into Potters Pond. Once at Skyline Drive the boys participated in activities throughout the week including; a wilderness hike, where the boys used maps, compasses, and GPS units. The boys were instructed in edible plants, how to find directions in the wilderness, what to do if they are ever lost, how to purify water and were introduced in the use of signaling mirrors. The boys also biked to Joes Valley and then to Huntington Reservoir, made target mirrors to be used on the final hike out Saturday morning and participated in a challenge course. The challenge course placed the scout in different scenarios and each boy was evaluated on the leadership skills they had acquired to that point. Friday was the Chief Sanpitch Gauntlet. The gauntlet is similar to the Sanpete Challenge. This year the Gauntlet included; "A-Frame." A-Frame required three boys working together to rotate a log 90° across a creek bed with only one boy on the log and the other two boys using ropes. Next the boys faced "Spider Web." In the Spider Web twine is strung throughout the trees and the boys must maneuver through the holes in the twine without touching it. The third obstacle on the course was called "Over the Log." Over the Log required each squad of 6 boys to climb up and over a log, standing on its end, without the use of their forearm or hands. The boys continued the strenuous course shooting 22's, throwing Frisbees into a target, racing canoes, competing in archery and even a log saw competition along the way. The squad with the best time was declared the winner. Each year the Varsity All-Stars also complete a service project as a way of giving back. This year the scouts stripped bark from downed trees for the U.S. Forest Service to use at various locations in the area. This amazing week also included the boys building their own shelters each night with tarps provided by the leaders, great food, workshops, patriotic firesides, a cardboard boat regatta, campfire programs, special ceremonies and lots of fun for the entire group, despite the weather. The Varsity All-Star program is quickly becoming known as the Boy Scout camp to attend for Varsity Scouts. If you are interested in attending next year contact Curtis Anderson or Dr. Dwight Inoyue for more details. MAYFIELD—No sooner did Mayfield Town officials begin to get ahead of one nuisance problem that has plagued the town for quite some time, than another one was brought to their attention. At the same time, during a meeting of the town council last week, council members discussed raising rental fees for the town building and approved a measure giving themselves a pay raise. Town officials at a meeting on July 13 indicated they had recently seen some success in dealing with loose and unlicensed dogs, a problem they have tried dealing with for months. But town Councilman Richard Bjerregaard said he had noticed something else that now needed attention. "We have a car problem," he said. He said there were several yards around Mayfield containing "junk" cars, which violated town ordinances. "Multiple cars that don't run, junk cars sitting in yards—I think we have an ordinance that says if it doesn't run, it needs to be garaged or out of sight, or it needs to be gone." Indeed, there is an ordinance that addresses the "unsheltered storage of old, unused, stripped and junked machinery, implements, equipment or personal property of any kind." Such property that remains "unsheltered" for a period of 30 days or more is declared a nuisance, according to the ordinance. A separate ordinance in checklist the town could provide to renters. Again, there was general agreement among council members, but the item will be formally addressed and a vote taken to implement a new fee structure at the council's next meeting in August. Finally, the council voted to double the yearly salaries for council members and the town mayor. It duplicated an action the council took last month, but which at that time did not follow legal procedures of proper public notice. The vote was to raise the mayor's salary from $300 to $600 dollars each year, paid in quarterly installments, and council members' salaries from $180 to $360, also in quarterly installments. There was some awareness among council members of how the pay raise might be perceived by the public, though the vote was unanimous by council members present. Councilman Bjerregaard said, "At some point, someone's going to take the time to read this, and realize that we've given ourselves a raise, and then it's going to hit the fan," despite the fact that Mayor Christensen said the proposal had been posted for some time without negative feedback. Town Recorder Catherine Bartholomew noted that officials had not had a pay raise for nearly a decade. But during that time, stated the payincrease resolution, the duties and obligations—and therefore the personal expenses— of the mayor and town council members had increased significantly. ourtesy oto Dance Works Studio traveled to California where they performed at Disneyland's California Adventure and Las Vegas' Circus Circus. They spent 2 days at Disneyland, one day at Knottsberry Farm, the beach, and a day in Vegas. There were 27 dancers and 53 people total. It was a great time. Dancers include Danielle Boore, Mekesha Wanner, Hanna Christensen, Kelsey Nieslon, Heather Davis, Nicolle Watters, Austin Sorensen, Haylie Johnson, Dillon Sorensen, Jasmin Rico, Morgan Allred, Jennie Otten, Sharlene Otten, Lynzee Bartholomew, Nicole Anderson, Kyler Nielson, Kayla Bartholomew, Hannah Childs, Brandee Watters, Nicole Mulder, Paisley Neal, Gabrielle Malmgren, Chad Boore, Damian Otten, JoDee Hartley, Macady Anderson, and Markel! Caldwell. Enter to win! Kymco 250 CO-ED Softball Tournament Friday August 1r9 th color may vary) Special Thanks to Gunnison Motor Sports Saturday August 20th Ephraim Ball Park Golf Balls $5.00 each Contact Mike Bennett 435-851-7107. Contact your local Fairboard member for more information or to purchase a ball. Fundraiser for much needed improvements @ your Sanpete County Fair! Balls will be dropped the last night of the rodeo, August 27 th All proceeds go to much needed improvements @ your Sanpete County Fairgrounds! the town code states that such a nuisance must be "promptly removed," either off the property or into some enclosed space, such as a garage. Mayor John Christensen defined "promptly" as being within 30 days of the town declaring the nuisance. Bjerregaard's suggestion was for the town's dog catcher, Kelly Piep, to make a note of properties where junk-car nuisances existed as he continued to go around the town dealing with the dog problem. "And letters go out" telling property owners to either remove the nuisance or else the town will take care of it for them, Bjerregaard said. There seemed to be general agreement among other town council members. In other town business, the council will consider changing the fees charged by the town for rental of the town building. Cleaning the building, especially the carpets, has been discussed several times in recent months. But the issue took a different tone at last week's meeting after significant damage to the building's carpets was done by a rental party shortly after the town had gone to the expense of getting the carpets thoroughly cleaned. The current rental fee is $35. Councilman Bjerregaard said the fee needed to be bolstered at least by a $50 cleaning deposit, "Because that's ridiculous to walk away from $150 worth of damage for $35 bucks," he said. He suggested the $50 deposit could be returned if the building was "spic and span" according to a cleaning A Register your team by August 8th! |
