One of the first things students learn in driver education is the idea of the right of way. Examples of the right of way include “first come, first serve” at a four-way stop, or how the car on the left goes last when crossing paths with someone coming the other way. Another right of way…
I would like to address some of the opinions that appeared in your editorial on Sept. 7, 2022. For context, I have 35 years of federal and state government working experience and over 20 years of supervisory experience. I agree that Mt Pleasant should have someone who oversees the daily operations of the city. That…
Question: The Inflation Reduction Act, which just passed Congress without a single Republican vote, includes three provisions the Biden administration, and nonpartisan experts, say have the potential to reduce the deficit by more than $300 billion. First, the bill includes $80 billion in additional funding for the IRS over the next 10 years, including an…
MANTI— Having a victim advocate isn’t something new in the county, but something that is making a big difference, according to Sanpete County Attorney Kevin Daniels. Stephanie Sorensen started working in the County Attorney’s Office as the victim advocate in No- vember of 2019, the third person to hold the job. Of the three advocates,…
The Lynn Beeley situation in Mt. Pleasant could have been handled sooner, more effectively and more confidentially if the city had a city manager. Mt. Pleasant is certainly large enough and has enough employees to justify following the lead of Fairview, Ephraim, Manti and Gunnison and bringing aboard a trained, experienced top-level manager. The airing…
After stumbling through my 2022 Notice of Property Valuation & Tax Change notice, I sent the following e-mail to County Commissioner Edwin Sunderland concerning the Central Utah Water Conservancy (CUWC) District. “What benefits are accruing to Sanpete County as a result of membership in the CUWC District? How much water has found its way into…
Human resource issues are always sensitive, all the more so when they involve public employees who perform important work for a county or community. The two terminations in Mt. Pleasant, where issues have spilled into city council meetings and into this newspaper, illustrate why local governments must have crystal clear policies and ordinances to handle…
Editor’s Note: Phillip B. Gottfredson in a volunteer historian for the Timpanogas nation. He is the author of “Black Hawk’s Mission of Peace,” published in 2019. He lives in Arizona but spends summers in Utah. Contrary to statements when the Sanpitch monument was unveiled and the report on the unveiling in the Sanpete Messenger, Sanpitch was not Ute!…
I appreciate the informative articles regarding water issues in Sanpete County: “Wales imposes moratorium on water connections,” “Incorporation, conservation easements may be solutions to development pressures,” (The Sanpete Mes- senger, June 15, 2022.) “Spring City looks at water connection issues, police will enforce nuisances,” (The Sanpete Messenger, April 13, 2022.) and “BYU tapped as major lead in…
Question: The hearings of the January 6th committee have exposed problematical behavior by President Donald Trump following the 2020 election. Donald Trump was aware of meetings in a Washington, D.C. hotel during which legal advisers Rudy Giuliani and James Eastman worked on a plan to replace legitimate Dem- ocratic electors with “fake” Republican electors at the…
Despite what you may have read recently, Gunnison City hired its first city manager in January of 1992. His name was Ray Limb. He was selected from a wide range of candidates and voted on by the city council after a lot of discussion and collaboration. Ray built a home and raised his family in…
Each year Manti City transfers $75,000.00 and $250,000.00 from the sewer and electricity funds respectively to the general fund for the purpose of helping to financing all of the items on the city budget. These funds transferred represent a profit gained by the city from the sewer and electricity services rendered to the citizens. The…
With the primary and general election coming our way, there is a question I would like to ask all our candidates for Sanpete County Commissioner: “Where do you stand in regards to the Central Utah Water Conservancy District (CUWCD)?” In my opinion, Sanpete County should withdraw from the CUWCD. Sanpete County has been a member…
In Utah no Democrat has been elected to the Senate since 1972, so the actual contest for the Senate occurs in the Republican primary election. Unaffiliated voters who would like their votes to count may make a difference this year, if they are willing to register as Republicans and vote in the Republican primary. I…
It’s awful that Snow College gave Utah Senate President Stuart Adams and Utah Sen. Evan Vickers honorary degrees. Adams has done several terrible things as an elected official. He lied about not having COVID-19 during this past Utah Legislative session despite having tested positive twice. As a member of committees overseeing Utah’s transportation budget and…