RURAL UTAHNS FOR LOCAL SOLUTIONS: NEW DEVELOPMENTS - HERITAGE
AREAS
KANE COUNTY: Commissioners question heritage area bill, ask
for option to withdraw, then strike a new deal
After RUFLS volunteers kept questioning the National Mormon Pioneer
Heritage Area bill (S 916) and demanding public hearings, a Kane
County commissioner finally decided to read the bill, and he was
alarmed. The bill gives a tourism, arts, and preservation organization,
the Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance, a federal appointment as
management entity for the heritage area.
Fearing loss of local control and rights, and favoritism to arts
and travel interests, Commissioner Mark Habbeshaw convinced Commissioner
Dan Hewlet to sign a letter with him to Senator Bennett asking
for changes to break the “unilateral authority” of the
Heritage Alliance, and include ranchers, farmers, miners, and
loggers in the definition of heritage in addition to crafters,
artisans, and tourism outfitters.
Heritage Alliance executive director Monte Bona made some damage
control visits to Kane and Garfield Counties, and instead worked
out a different deal. Bennett’s office encouraged an agreement
without changing the bill because he wants it to pass this year.
Bona wanted to resolve the issue with a “memorandum of understanding”
between the counties and the Alliance that would promise local
officials would be on the board of directors. Habbeshaw insisted
on a contract instead, signed by the Kane and Garfield Counties
and the Alliance. The contract would put six elected county officials,
six municipal officials, six representatives elected from the
Alliance, and a governor appointee on the Board of Directors of
the Alliance.
Property Rights of America president Carol LaGrasse said this
arrangement may be worse in the long run because when you put
elected officials in a non-government entity like the Alliance,
they can often be hidden from freedom of information and open
government laws. They then become “quasi-government.”
She also said that in such a position, elected officials begin
to act like appointed ones.
I spoke with Mr. Habbeshaw today. He disagreed with LaGrasse,
believing that the elected officials can always be voted out if
you don’t agree with them. He felt that, given the momentum
behind the bill, the contract is the best option available for
maintaining local sovereignty and protecting property rights.
I thanked Mr. Habbeshaw for his efforts, but discussed the above
concerns, also warning that the heritage area legislation is not
sound economic development, nor does it have public support. I
also told him that with so many of these new government programs
being created, it will be impossible for the public to monitor
all of them.
Mr. Habbeshaw made some good points. For one, if we can’t
show more numbers on our side, we don’t stand a chance of
anyone listening to our concerns. The Heritage Alliance people
are prepared, intelligent, and not afraid to participate. People
opposed to more government boondoggle generally won’t stick
their necks out, attend public meetings, write or call senators,
commissioners, or city officials. Mr. Habbeshaw talked of meetings
where 500 people showed up, all vocal, to protest federal road
takeovers in Kane County. That’s the kind of support you
need, he said.
WE NEED REAL COMMITMENT AND COURAGE
Reading an e-mail or criticizing over coffee ain’t going
to change anything, folks. Les Matthews of Mt. Pleasant says that
around here, you may go to the battle front and find your troops
have turned tail on you and ran and left you alone. But perhaps
we haven’t tried hard enough to get commitments. We need
people to call Bennett and their county commissioners and let
them know what we think. Call me at 435-462-4575 and I’ll
get you the phone numbers, or get them yourself. Call and commit
several others to do the same every day. We also need letters
to the newspaper editors every week.
TWO NEVADA COUNTIES JUST SAY NO
Eureka and Lander Counties in Nevada just said “no”
to the Great Basin National Heritage Area or Route, but Millard
(Utah) and White Pine (Nevada) Counties are still on board. Why
can’t we have the guts to say “no” like the two
first counties?
Call your commissioners, mayors, and senators, please.
Good night!
Brad Van Dyke, representative
Rural Utahns For Local Solutions
P.O. Box 3
Spring City, Utah 84662
(435)462-4575
fedsoff89@yahoo.com
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