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Show Candidates respond The following questions were asked to each of the six candidates for Mayoral and city council positions in this week's election. All responses are printed exactly as they were written by the various candidates. Prospective voters should acquaint themselves with various individuals and the platforms they are forming. The questions are: I. Several issues have surfaced as important ones, not only to the public, but to the candidates, in this campaign, i.e., power, city building, need for public imput, water resources. What in your opinion is the most crying need or problem? 2) How do you view the relationship between city and county and city-schools? city-schools? 3) How do you view the relationship between St. George and Cedar City? Should it be competitive or cooperative? (continue on page five) -r Canadidates respond H. NO! 9. There should be some continuity to our planning and zoning as a city and county. We have problems now in annexing county sub-divisions into the city and finding that the sub-divisions don't fit into our zoning ordinances. With cooperative city and county planning and zoning, particularly in areas just outside the city limits, there would be a more fluid transition at the time of annexation. 10. The possibilities for the future include: Development of recreation programs and facilities. Shared use of physical facilities, specifically school facilities. . i (continued from frontpage) ,i I) VVhat advantages does a business 1 have 'n Cedar over our neighbor to the i 1 south? , j 5) I low do you feel the average Cedar Citizen views the "power feasibility study" question? How do you view that possibility? : 1 (!) Would you (do you) plan to ac tively promote another bond election to construct a city administration building in the immediate future? 7) Do the advantages of "Kolob water" really outweigh the costs involved? in-volved? What other possibilities are open to the city relative to water i resources? 8) Was the sewage treatment plant a mistake? !)) Discuss briefly city-county planning and zoning. Discuss also planning to meet our growth potential. ; 10) What are some projects that a ! '' cooperative city-county or city-school I attitude could aid? The swimming j complex is an example in the past, I ) what are some possibilities for the I future? 9. Cedar now has 12.5(H) residents and our city limits run to the North Interchange. In-terchange. Realistically, we need to look at what those figures will be in 15-20 15-20 years. And those limits will be moved many times to accomodate our inevitable growth. There must be close planning and zoning between Cedar City and Iron County. Our codes must be compatible because areas in the county today will be in Cedar in a few years. When we annex the property from the county, we also annex their problems. Up until this point, there has been very little or no joint planning. We need it NOW. 10. There is an excellent working relationship between the city and the schools. For instance, jointly they are now completing 2 new footballfields which will be used by the city league football as well as for school district use. We need more ball parks and tennis courts to accomodate our rapidly growing numbers. Why not build them adjacent to schools so both city and schools could benefit? The fences between the city and the county aren't in as good repair. While we cooperate pretty good on fire protection and law enforcement, there could be that same high quality cooperation in recreation. The county no longer participates with the city for summer recreation although their residents enjoy the benefits of the best small-city recreation department in the state. Perhaps even more important to both in the long run would be the joint development of the land fill. It would be senseless for both to have separate facilities. One joint land fill would eliminate duplication of both equipment equip-ment and men. It would save money for taxpayers. The Kolob water project will be expensive, ex-pensive, but we must have water to grow and develop. We will pay higher prices later or we may even lose this water to other areas if we don't go ahead. The city should be alert to locate and budget to purchase as much water as possible whenever it becomes available. 8. The sewage treatment plant was definitely not a mistake. There are obviously problems with the plant. We need to finally push the physical plant through to completion. The engineers responsible for this should be pressured to give us a completion date and they must be held to these deadlines. The potential is there for the best possible utilization of the water from this plant and we must be creative in dealing with the problems involved. Mixing the hard water from the cemetery well with the recycled sewage treatment water is probably one of the best alternatives open to us to enable us to use this water and still meet health standards. b. As Cedar City continues to grow we will be called upon to annex more land into city boundaries. The city has real problems when this occurs if areas have been zoned in a substandard way. Our zoning challenges don't stop at the end of one jurisdiction and the beginning begin-ning of another. Problems overlap and planning needs to overlap also. 10. As I have previously stated, the possibilities for cooperation between city and county and city and school are paractically limitless. Some that might be explored include: recreation programs, acquiring property for parks and recreation lands, sharing equipment costs and upkeep, more effective mental health programs, ambulance service, upgradintg the jails, and zoning updating and planning. plan-ning. Not all these areas may prove to be practical for coordination, but our city, county and school officials should continually be exploring creative new ways for getting the most from our tax dollars by working together. 3. Last year on non-resident construction con-struction spending, Cedar City spent one-half million dollars. St. George spent six million dollars. St. George's Convention Center netted Three million dollars last year. We need to take a long look at the tourist dollars and evaluate the services we want and need to provide so that in years ahead these figures are not so widespread. 4. No response. 5. In a recent poll, 75 65 percent of the people felt that it was necessary to conduct a feasibility study. Mayor Jones has been consistant and honest about his position against the feasibility study. I am equally as honest in telling you that I am in favor of the study and that I know something can be done! When you consider the fact that we pay 50 percent more now than the surrounding towns, and the rates are going up again-soon, we know that there are cheaper sources available. In the short time that I have become involved in city government, I have found some exciting possibilities to this problem-ask me. 6. With the renting of the old Jr. High Building on a five-year, non-renewable lease, the City Council has pretty well eliminated the city's choice as to whether this bond election will come about and instead inserted a "when" clause-now or later. I feel we should not make any attempts at-tempts in this direction until our economy is stabilized-utility rates and assessed evaluations. 7. Our policy should be to buy water from every available source and not let projects such as the Spilsbury Estate slip through our fingers. We had the opportunity to buy one fifth of the water in Kolob for around three million dollars and then sell the land for dry land wheat farming purposes, thereby reclaiming most of the money we had originally invested. We have two projects under consideration at this lime that shouldn't be allowed to slip through our fingers as the Spilsbury Estate did-let's not let it happen again. We need to continue to develop Kolob as our budget and our demands recommend. 8. The sewage plant is one of the finest things that has happened to Cedar City in a long time both in terms of conservation of water and beautification. The criticism that I have is the utilization of this plant both in terms of untrained labor and the completion of this project. In other words, it's been mismanaged by our City Council. 9. Up until now there has been very little city-county planning and if this continues both the city and county will suffer. 10. Let's cooperate on the growth of SUSC, the planned Convention Center, public parks and recreationaol areas, hospital improvements, law enforcement, en-forcement, improved zoning, and private recreation. City : A good 4 year College program to provide trained personnel for business is a great help. Cedar City has the railroad and a greater air transportation tran-sportation system. It is also the business center for Southwestern Utah and Southeastern Nevada. We have plenty of room for growth and expansion ex-pansion in our valley. We have an expanding economy. 5. The public opinion poll survey taken indicated that a majority of the people interviewed were in favor of the Cedar City Corporation funding and implementing a power feasibility study. Therefore, I would vote for the study. (j. Last year the citizens of Cedar City defeated a bonding program to fund the construction of a new city administration ad-ministration building. In keeping with their desires 1 would not vote to have a bond election for this purpose this next year. However, I do believe that at some future date the citizens should be asked to consider this problem again. 7. During this past year the Cedar City Council hired an engineering company to study the water supply, water right, delivery system, storage capacity and projected needs for Cedar City for the present and for the future years. This study indicated that the underground water reservoir and spring flow water rights were the most feasible source of water to look to for our immediate needs. That the Kolob water source should be studied as a long term project to meet the cities long range needs. Projections prepared indicated water usage in Cedar City would equal the city's presently owned water rights about 1998. 8. Cedar City had in operation an old, run down, out dated sewage treatment plant that was designed and constructed con-structed to care for a population the size Cedar City had ten or fifteen years ago. It was a necessity to build a new, modern, updated sewage treatment plant to meet the needs of our city . The plant we constructed was built to provide for a population of 20,000 people. This allows us room for considerable con-siderable growth. 9. The Cedar City Council has attempted at-tempted to plan wisely and thoroughly for the future. We employed a professional company to gather data, evaluate it, assemble public imput and to help prepare a master plan for Cedar City's present needs and for future growth. I feel that it is important that we continually re-evaluate our master plan and update it. It is also my belief that the City and the County should work together as they plan to meet the needs of our citizens. 10. During the past four years the city council and school board have started a positive move forward by learning to plan and work together to a greater extend. In Cedar City a greater cooperative city - school district program could do an even better job of meeting the M educational and recreational needs of our citizens. We have a good beginning ' and are offering some good programs now, but our Community School Programs can be expanded to better provide for all age groups and for many more areas of interest. Some places where we might expand are: Wider use of school shops and labs for hobby and special interest classes, greater participation par-ticipation in the dance and exercise programs in our gyms, greater use of the city golf pro to teach golf to more of our population, : continued sharing of parks and ball fields for school and city activities, more cooperation in planning plan-ning for library facilities and their services, an expanded evening school programs for adults and more sharing in the planning of playgrounds and recreational areas. II Kerry Jones II KEUHY JONES (Republican for i Mayor) j 1. The most critical need is to keep I financial capacity of Cedar City Cor- f ' poration healthy. When we need to bond I for water development and im- provements, bonding capacity should j be there to use. i 2. Present relationship between City, ! Schools and County Government is I Good. Most conflicts have been or are tj in the process of being resolved. To my knowledge, there are no personality fights between any elected City, County or School officials. 3. Relationship between Cedar City and St. George should be one of cooperative competition. Either of us could cooperate ourselves right out of positions of mutual advantage . Competition is necessary to keep us both alive and healthy. 4. A Cedar City business has the advantage of being served by a crossroads of major highways with good winter recreation close at hand. Citizens in St. George have larger property taxes to pay than Cedar City people. 1977 St. George assessed valuation is $20,744,482.00. 1977 Cedar City assessed valuation is $22,643,759.00. Cedar City collects city property taxes of $294,368.00 on a 13 mill levy St. George colle collects city property taxes of $373,400.00 on an 18 mill levy City, Coutny & School taxes in Cedar are $1,493,129.00 City, County and School taxes in St. , George are $1,629,479 5. 1 feel there has been so much name calling, mis information put out that most citizens don't really know what to think about the power situation. I think we ought to support Cal-Pac in getting new policy developed in the Bureau of Reclamation and eliminate "preferential- customer" status and give "all citizens" a break when it comes to federal power distribution, prices and advantages. 6. New City offices are a must. I would suggest calling for another bond election within a year to see if citizens will support that need. 7. Kolob water will be expensive water but I feel we have no choice but to pursue it. The alternative is to buy out a farm at a time as Cedar needs more water. Kolob will triple present water supplies! 8. The sewer plant was not a mistake. It is still in construction stages, has some problems to be worked out and they will be worked out. 9. The County is now having "city-type" "city-type" problems and pressures beginning to develop. Natural growth will make the county develop ordinances or-dinances which will conform to and gradually eliminate problems and conflicts which now exist between City and County planning and ordinances. 10. Projects which need and require City and County cooperation are: Raod building, flood control on Coal Creek, Water Development. Robert Stratton ROBERT L. STRATTON (Republican Candidate for Cedar City Councilman) 1. I believe that Cedar City is a very desirable place to live. That other people are learning about the good life our citizens enjoy here and are moving into our community to share in those blessings. This new growth requires careful planning to provide for today and tomorrow. One of the things we must plan to do is to secure and develop new and additional water rights, drill new wells, build new storage tanks and install new lines. I also believe that a power feasibility study should be conducted. Our growing community must be assured of an adequate, and affordable power supply. It is my belief ., that public officials should be available ' for usggestions and questions from the public. 2. I suggest that the cooperative hiring of a community school recreation director and the cooperative construction of a new swimming complex by our administration and the school district are two good examples of local government agencys working together for the good of the people. It is my belief elected officials should work together for the betterment of the people they represent. 3. Cedar City and St. George are located fifty miles apart. That distance provides plenty of room for both communities to grow and to florish. 4. The following advantages are some that are provided to business in Cedar Harold Shirley HAROLD SHIRLEY (Democrat for City Council) 1. In talking personally with several hundred Cedar City residents, almost 50 percent expressed strong concern about the power issue. A strong attitude of distrust, suspicion, and even hostility seems to pervade their conversations. We need our city unified to face even more serious problems as we approach the year 2000. 1 think a feasibility sutdy by a disinterested third party is needed to allay people's fears and suspicions on this important issue. 2. It is an absolute must to have an amicable relationship between the city and county, between city and schools. When differing governmental units service the same areas, close cooperation prevents overlap and needless duplication. At the same time, more service can be provided. Cooperation maximizes use of people's tax dollars. 3. One of the first lessons of history teaches us that life is a competition-whether competition-whether it be in Little League Baseball, high school athletics, or in competing for industries for our respective towns. Where communities in Southern Utah have several interests and problems in common, we have to cooperate. For instance, we are losing our youth to Waatch Front towns because they have many jobs. To compete with those northern Utah towns, we almost have to cooperate. However, cooperation, while sounding good on paper, is seldom altruistic. I haven't seen St. George Chamber of Commerce trying to induce business to settle in Cedar City. As a councilman, my interests and my loyalty would lie 100 percent with Cedar City. 4. No response. 5. Poeple need assurance that what they're doing is right. Many of us don't really understand why, but we see our light bill going up and up. One group says that the rate increase is inevitable; another group charges that we're being "ripped off." WHO CAN YOU BELIEVE? We need a disinterested third party-a party-a qualified consulting engineering firm-to look at the power issue without all its emotionalism and give us some black and white answers to some dark grey questions. We need someone to give us some answers about municipal power: What are its advantages? What are its disadvantages? How much will it cost? Will our power bills drop if we go to municipal power? At the same time, we need this disinterested third party to look at Cal-Pac. Cal-Pac. What are the advantages of Cal-Pac? Cal-Pac? What are the disadvantages? Too many of us see only one small part of a large picture. We need someone who can stand back and look at the whole picture and then make recommenda tions. The people I've talked to aren't necessarily anti Cal-Pac. They simply feel that the situation is out of hand, beyond their ability to control or understand. un-derstand. They seem to want a feasibility study for much the same reason as when we go to a specialist in Salt Lake to confirm or reject the diagnosis of a local doctor. We either want to be told that all is well, or that something must be done. 6. Cedar City needs permanent city building. The old bastille was hopelessly outdated and underspaced. The old junior high is a temporary solution only. Whether we build (which I favor) or rennovate some other building, we have to begin concrete plans within a year. While never a popular subject, bonding to provide services and buildings is a necessity. The timing on the last bond killed it. But if we fail to act now on this issue, we're backing into the future. 7. In Cedar City, water is liquid gold and the key to our future. We must explore every possible angle in getting as many sources of water as possible. Today the city is buying up all the water it can. The Kolob water might seem impractical in 1977 since we can get along nicely w ithout it. But looking to the future, we'll be needing more and more water, no matter the costs. When we have to have it. the money w hich we spend to get it will seem minimal. 8. The sewage treatment plant was definitely not a mistake. As soon as it gets totally operational, the water it w ill save us w ill be worth it. We have simply had a few unforseen problems which are now well on their way to being corrected. SUSC uses 30.000.000 gallons of water in the summer to make it the most beautiful campus in the state. The college expended $30,000 to use this Class C water. The savings to the college for using this water will be almost $7,000 per year. But more important, im-portant, if they use the effluent, that w ill save 150.000.000 gallons in our other systems over the next 5 years. We will also have corresponding savings as the high school and other places begin using this reclaimed water. f Don Marchant DON MARCHANT (Republican for City Council) 1. The most vocal area of concern is power. Something needs to be done to resolve the questions that are being asked. I feel the logical first step is the initiation of a feasibility study. This study should be conducted by an independent in-dependent third party and should provide us with the answers we need to make an intelligent decision. 2. The relationship between city and county, and city and schools should be one of cooperation. Each entity has specific areas of their own expertise. There are, however, areas of mutual concern, i.e., recreation, that could be developed on common ground. The example of our swimming pool complex, com-plex, which is a cooperative effort of the city and school district, shows us how things can and should be done together. Barbara Starr BARBARA STARR (Democrat for City Council) 1. The most crying need we have here in Cedar City is to get on with the feasability sutdy that 65 percent of Cedar City people have asked for and determine what, if any alternatives, we have to frightfully high power rates we have here in Cedar City. 2. I think there should be as much cooperation as possible between city, county and schools. The city and school district have a good record of cooperation in such things as the recreation programs, the new swimming swim-ming pool and relocation of the city offices. The past few years the county seems less and less interested in cooperation. Every time it will save the taxpayers money, get us better facilities or more effective programs, our city, county and school officials should feel obligated to cooperate with each other. We continually hear from .our county officials that people should not receive something for nothing. Yet, since the county is no longer wiljing to contribute, the city residents are paying the counties share of the recreation program. The possibilities for cooperation are immense and should be continually explored. 3. The relationship between St. George and Cedar City should be both cooperative and competitive. There are occasions where our communities are both striving for the same ends, when, if we attack common problems or goals together we can probably accomplish more. It is also a good thing for each community to be competitive in being as progressive, attractive and economically healthy as possible. Having these two fine communities here in Southern Utah enhances the entire area and makes it a better place to live and raise families. 4. I believe that Cedar City has several main advantages over our neighbor to the South. First, our geographic location is naturally centralized cen-tralized so we are the logical choice for location of area wide offices, industry, shopping facilities and tourist accomodations. ac-comodations. We have the railroad spur which helps us attract industry. Our population does not tend to be heavily weighted with retired people. We have a good diverse cross section of residents in Cedar City. Our fine 4 year college brings many benefits to this community, economically, culturally and intellectually. All these factors tend to make this community a desirable spot in which to locate new businesses. 5. I believe that most Cedar City residents believe that the possibilities for cheaper power are very limited since the past adminstrations have failed to move in time to obtain the less expensive power available to us earlier. But with the high rates we now have, not to mention the increase that California Pacific Utilities is presently requesting, we at least deserve to have all possible alternatives scientifically explored. 65 percent of Cedar City residents have expressed the desire to have this feasibility study. Thursday Oct. 27 Mayor Kerry Jones publically stated that he would oppose this study. I believe that when the people speak as they have on this issue we should listen to the voice of the people. 6. I plan to actively promote another bond election to construct a city building. The relocation to the old junior high building is a good temporary tem-porary solution, but only temporary. When the 5 year lease is up the city needs an adequate permanent facility. Since the voters determined that the original plan wasn't satisfactory, work should be done to modify the plan and make it more acceptable. We need to start construction on a new facility as soon as possible because inflation causes us to be able to build less of a building w ith our tax dollars every day. 7. Water is such a precious resource to us in arid Southern Utah that we do well to develop all the water we can. 3. I fail to see the relevancy of this question to the campaign. 4. Location - Cedar is more centrally located. Transportation - all major forms of transportation are found in Cedar as well as a major highway system. Winter sports - This can mean increased dollars in a normally off season for a lot of businesses. 5. The recent survey indicated the average citizen considers the "feasibility study" to be a necessary next step in resolving questions about our electrical power. I think the study is not only possible, but necessary, and as a city councilman I would support such a move. 6. 1 believe most people will admit we need a new city building. The recent move to the old Jr. High School building is a temporary move at best. At such time as we resolve our questions as to w hat is necessary in a new building and what is wanted, taking into consideration con-sideration future needs, then I would actively promote another bond election. elec-tion. 7. I don't feel there is a definite answer an-swer to this question. First of all. the costs that are estimated today are likely to be vastly different than those actual costs at the time of implementation. im-plementation. Secondly, I don't think we can really know right now w hat the advantages might be. As we review our water situation and try to reasonably establish our future needs, the probability is that we will be very glad to have the Kolob water. As far as other water resources are concerned, there is the possibility of purchasing substantial water rights both in the valley and in the Quitchapau area Jack Sawyers JACK SAWYERS (Democrat for Mayor) 1 . The high cost of electrical power. It affects every aspect of our lives; the fanner, the industrial worker, the general citizen, and the businessman are all affected with this problem. This high cost is passed on to the consumer, w hich makes us one of the highest cost-of-living cities and areas in Utah. In a recent poll, 65 percent of the people who were asked, felt that it was necessary to have a feasibility study taken concerning the pow er situation in our area. Our present Mayor was against this feasibility study even after he was made aware of the fact that a majority of people were in favor of taking it. ' 2. Cedar City represents 75 percent of i all resident tax dollars in Iron County. I Yet. we fight for cooperative dollars on such things as the jail, garbage dump, amublance service and mental health programs. SUSC could have had a Masters program last year if the City Council. Mayor, and the Iron County Commission Com-mission as well as the local State Representative would ha'e pushed the issue. This would have increased the size of the school by bringing additional students as well as their money) into Cedar City and Iron County. We need to realize that the College is a very vital industry-it represents $11 million per year. |