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Show Region Legislators Unite In Reapportionment Battle State legislators will meet Friday in Salt Lake City to try to settle the state's controversial reapportionment issue. With the governor's veto of the previous decision, the legislature has still been unable to come to an agreement on the direction to go. A group of southern Utah leaders met together in Cedar City to unite their protests almost solidly against the legislature's redisricting, siding with the state's Democratic governor on this issue. In a meeting called by John Williams, executive director of the Five County Associaton of Governments, and at the urging of Sen. Ivan Matheson, (It-Cedar City) approximately 25 senators, representatives, county commissioners and city managers met together responding to Williams' letter of invitation. The unoffical and informal meeting was identified as a "common forum to identify, discuss and study and to bring into focus statewide concerns with regard to functioning of local government." Present in addition to Sen. Matheson and Williams, who chaired the meeting, were Sen. Carey Peterson, Rep. Hays Hunter (Iron and Kane Counties), and Rep. Ray Schmutz (Washington County). Also present were county commissioners George Middleton, Dell LeFevre and Guy Thompson (Garfield); Bob Rusesll and Esther Heaton (Kane); John Whitney (Washington); Dee Cowan (Iron); and Howard Pryor and Chad Johnson (Beaver). City managers were present from Panguitch, Cedar City, St. George and Washington City. The group generally opposed the redisricting decision of earlier in the month and sided with Gov. Matheson to oppose it largely because of the territory assigned to District 73 which took in parts of six counties and all of Kane County, with Kanab being the only county seat in the district. The counties objected to the splitting of their counties to from the 300 mile-long district. Only Beaver county appeared satisfied with its assigned area under the plan. Legislators appear unable to agree on any one plan, with several still under consideration at press time. If they override the Governor's veto, the issue seems to be headed for court. ( 1-Mm MIMIIHW MWIWB Panguitch Chapter of the Future Farmers of America 'crowned this season's sweethearts and reigning queen, Jeanette Matthews, First attendant is Beth Brinkerhoff and second is Wendy Harris. |