FRONT PAGE A1 www.tooeletranscript.com THURSDAY TOOELETRANSCRIPT Cowgirls still undefeated in region play See A10 BULLETIN January 10, 2008 SERVING TOOELE COUNTY SINCE 1894 VOL. 114 NO. 68 50¢ Public salaries rising as government grows by Doug Radunich raise for all county employees, way this year. age increase — according Tooele County’s general employees. County Attorney STAFF WRITER while last summer Grantsville In fact, local public-sec- to a survey conducted by fund budget includes a 4 Doug Hogan, received a City gave employees a 6 per- tor salary increases are out- global professional services percent cost-of-living adjust- $4,754 raise, while County Local government is grow- cent raise and Tooele City pacing the rate of increases firm Towers Perrin. Federal ment for all employees, as well Health Director Myron ing rapidly — and so is pay increased salaries by up to across the nation. Private- employee salaries will rise as a 1 percent pay increase, Bateman received a $4,586 for public-sector employees. 7 percent. Tooele County sector base salaries across an average of 3.5 percent in which will be awarded on raise, and Judge William Pitt The Tooele County School District employees the United States are expect- 2008. employee review dates. The received a raise of $3,900. Commission recently saw raises between 4.6 per- ed to increase 3.9 percent on The increases in local pub- 5 percent raise amounted Tooele County Auditor approved a 2008 budget that cent and 8 percent last year, average in 2008 — roughly lic-sector salaries are across to a significant increase for established a 5 percent pay with more raises likely on the equivalent to the 2007 aver- the board. the county’s highest-paid SEE SALARIES ON A5 ➤ PLEDGING TO SERVE County will no longer audit mitigation fees by Doug Radunich need.” STAFF WRITER The largest of the com- panies audited was Tooele County commis- EnergySolutions, which pays sioners agreed Tuesday to the county 5 percent of its repeal a 2006 law requiring locally generated revenues an annual audit of mitigation annually in mitigation fees. fees paid by hazardous waste Those fees amounted to $12.1 companies operating in the million in 2005. county. EnergySolutions became a All three commissioners publicly traded company last voted to repeal the law on the month, meaning it must file grounds that it was expen- detailed financial reports with sive and unnecessary, claim- the Securities and Exchange ing the audits would cost the Commission. The commis- county around $25,000 each sioners cited this as another year. reason why an independent “We feel the audit was audit would be redundant. redundant because the state Joyce Hogan, commu- can already conduct an nity relations manager for audit, and to spend close to EnergySolutions, said the $25,000 would be a waste of company had no problem taxpayer dollars and unnec- cooperating with the audits. essary,” said Tooele County “We’ve always been sup- Commissioner Jerry Hurst. portive of Tooele County “County Auditor Mike Jensen and their county commis- feels confident that things sioners, and we have always photography / Maegan Burr are being taken care of, and been supportive of any audit Tooele County Sheriff Frank Park swears in the members of the Tooele County Search and Rescue team Tuesday at the organization’s 50th anni- there’s no reason why we decision they have wanted to versary dinner at the Eagles Nest. See story on A7. should spend taxpayer dol- lars on something we don’t SEE AUDIT ON A5 ➤ Broadway redevelopment on schedule State board approves tax- Heritage Hotel, after the state end of a long tunnel,” said Karen approved a variety of tax incentives Kuipers, director of Tooele County exempt bonds for project for the project last week. Relief Services. “We already have 500 The state’s Private Activity Bond families on a waiting list for afford- by Tim Gillie Board approved $5.28 million in tax able housing, so this project would STAFF WRITER exempt bonds at its Jan. 2 meeting to take a chunk out of that.” help fund the conversion of the old The total cost of the project is $10 Hope for Newtown’s resurrection hotel into apartments for low- and million. hinges on a Salt Lake developer’s moderate-income housing. The redevelopment is being ability to line up financing for the “There is hope. The Broadway restoration of the old Broadway project is a glimmering light at the SEE BROADWAY ON A6 ➤ photography / Troy Boman Tranquil skies and fresh snow on the Great Salt Lake Wednesday offer a deceptive peace; an outbreak of avian cholera has left 1,500 dead birds on the lake’s southern shoreline. Avian cholera killing off Great Salt Lake waterfowl by Sarah Miley the domestic ducks and geese on STAFF WRITER Stansbury Lake — which encourages them to stick around — because of the An outbreak of avian cholera on potential for disease. the Great Salt Lake has left 1,500 The outbreak on the Great Salt Lake birds dead on the southern shoreline started back in November, when brine stretching from Saltair east for about shrimpers began noticing dead eared a half mile. And there’s a possibility grebes on the salty (west) side of the birds on Stansbury Lake could con- lake, said Tom Aldrich, migratory tract the disease as well. gamebird coordinator for the DWR. “Being that close to the Great Salt Then, several weeks ago, ducks, such Lake, Stansbury Lake can potentially as shovelers and green-winged teal, have a problemW,” said Tom Becker, moved from the frozen fresh water county wildlife biologist for the side to the salty side, after which they Division of Wildlife Resources. “There’s started to die because they co-mingled always an opportunity for diseased with the infected grebes. Gulls are also birds to fly in and infect some of the among the birds infected with the dis- photography / Troy Boman other ducks and geese in that area.” Becker said people shouldn’t feed SEE AVIAN ON A8 ➤ Jeff Guymon steps out of Manny’s Deli on Broadway Avenue in Tooele Thursday morning. Recently approved tax exemptions offer several incentives for redevelopment of the area. WEATHER OBITUARIES A6 ANNOUNCEMENTS B3 INSIDE Snow showers expected SPORTS A10 TV LISTINGS B4 Mountain West ER doctor through Friday with highs HOMETOWN B1 KIDS PAGE C1 treks across Europe in the mid-20s to mid-30s. See B1 Complete Forecast: A2 BULLETIN BOARD B2 CLASSIFIEDS C2 A2 A2 TOOELE TRANSCRIPT-BULLETIN THURSDAY January 10, 2008 Utah & The West Valley Weather Forecast Survivor recalls terror of bus crash in SE Utah Local Weather by Paul Foy Authorities were trying to figure out ASSOCIATED PRESS why the Arrow Stage Lines driver had Fri 36/25 1/11 chosen to take twisting state Route Snow showers. Highs in the mid SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Richard 163 through Monument Valley en 30s and lows in the mid 20s. Scarborough was watching a movie route to Phoenix. on his laptop. The next moment, he The bus plunged 41 feet and rolled felt the tour bus skid off a curve and several times near Mexican Hat in roll over in southeastern Utah and the Four Corners area, where Utah, Sat 34/25 1/12 heard the windows explode. Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 30s The 45-year-old information-tech- meet. and lows in the mid 20s. nology manager from Phoenix slow- Investigators planned to interview ly regained consciousness thinking driver Welland Lotan, 71, of Gladwin, he was inside the mangled bus and Mich., who suffered minor injuries. needed to get out Sunday night. Then Lotan also has a residence in Sun 35/18 1/13 he discovered he had been thrown 30 Apache Junction, Ariz., records show. Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the feet after the roof peeled off. A woman answering the phone there mid 30s and lows in the upper “I got up on one knee and could declined to comment. teens. hear people screaming,” Scarborough Lotan has a clean driving record said Tuesday from a Blanding, Utah, in Michigan and is licensed for com- motel, recalling the horrific crash mercial vehicles, according to the Mon 35/24 that killed nine Phoenix-area skiers Secretary of State. 1/14 and injured 20 others returning from “The two main factors we’re look- Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the Telluride, Colo. ing at is driver error and speed,” mid 30s and lows in the mid 20s. “I could hardly move in the pitch AP photo / via Utah Dept. of Public Safety Sgt. Ted Tingey of the Utah Highway darkness. I just couldn’t focus on where In this photo released by the Utah Department of Public Safety on Monday, Jan. 7, a charter bus Patrol said Tuesday. “We don’t believe people were at. I took a best guess and carrying people from a Colorado ski resort sits upright after running off a wet road and rolling weather played much of a factor.” Tue 34/19 moved toward my first friend and put several times down an embankment in far southeastern Utah Sunday, Jan. 6, killing nine pas- At least three people remained in 1/15 my hands on his neck looking for a sengers and injuring about 20 others north of Medicine Hat. critical condition: a man and woman Times of sun and clouds. Highs in pulse,” Scarborough said. at University of Utah Hospital in Salt the mid 30s and lows in the upper His ski buddy, Jeffrey Rivera, 32, of Scarborough, who had broken a col- people up because they’re going into Lake City and a man at Intermountain teens.