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The Pahvant Post Volume 2014, Issue 5
WEDNESDAY, June 18, 2014
Primary Elections
Another Poem Don't Miss Your It has been brought to our attention Chance to Vote
that there is yet another poem that has been written about zoning, building and land-use in Millard County. This one is a 50 page book-length poem, with full illustrations called "The Three Little Pigs Build in America," written and illustrated by people who have close connections to Millard County and experience dealing with land-use, zoning, and trying to build something in the county. The book is written by Charles DeGraffenried, and illustrated by his brother-in-law Stoyan Kolev. It is available on www.amazon.com. It's a great read about the realities of land2014 is an odd political year for elections. It is what is referred to as a "mid-term election," which means there is no presidential election, and very use in Millard County. few high-profile state or national races. U.S. congressmen, like Christ Stewart, who only serve two-year terms, will be on the ballot. Otherwise, the only state-wide election is the special election for Utah Attorney General. 2014, however, is also a "county" election year, which means that county offices will be on the ballot. This is of utmost importance at the local level. The upcoming election on June 24th is a Primary Election. General Elections happen in November, but the upcoming primary election is very important at the local level because it, and not the general election, will decide most county elected offices. Only two races -- one county commission race and the county sheriff's race -- have challengers from other parties. The school board races will also be narrowed to two contestants in November. But if you want a chance to vote for a majority of your county elected leaders, the upcoming primary election will be your only opportunity this year. The Pahvant Post offered all Primary election candidates the opportunity for free exposure and advertising in the Pahvant Post, with circulation to all households in Millard County. But only three candidates took us up on the offer. Consequently, it wasn't necessary to spread the allocated space across as many candidates, so in this issue we are giving each of those candidates a full page. We also covered the Meet the Candidates events in Delta and Fillmore, and have provided a summary report from those meetings.
Changes Coming to the Pahvant Post
First of all, we would like to thank the Chronicle Progress for making mention of the Pahvant Post, even if in disdain. It is true that Todd Macfarlane is legal counsel for the Post, and if anyone would like to make inquiries to Mr. Macfarlane please feel free to do so. Beyond that, we would like to announce that starting in July, there will be significant changes to The Pahvant Post, in its structure, format, and distribution. In addition to the work the Post has been already doing, one of the primary functions of the Post going forward will be the promotion of new business ventures in Millard County.
If you are starting a new business, please contact the Post about our promotion package. We can help, not only with advertising, but also website design, and other important promotion efforts. One of the first new business ventures we will help promote is a new Farmers Market and outdoor trading post that will be starting this summer, offering unique marketing opportunities to local farmers, producers and vendors. If you have products that you would like to offer to a broader market (think tourists and travelers through
Headline News -- Page 1 Opinion/Editiorial -- Page 3 Public Forum -- Page 4 Pahvant Country Cand. -- Page 8 Paper & ePaper Edition
Millard County), and would like to participate in this weekly event, please contact the Post. The market will be looking for vendors. So if you have unique arts, crafts, baked products, home preserves and farm products that would qualify to sell at a farmers market, please contact us for more information about how to get involved in this great new opportunity. For those who don't have anything to sell, it will be a great opportunity to buy homegrown local products.
Much has been said this year about Utah's closed Republican Primary. The "Count My Vote" Initiative brought the whole system into the spotlight several months ago. Under what has been described as "The Grand Compromise," HB 54 preserved the Republican Caucus System, but there will be changes starting in 2015, and even more in 2016. But for now, here in Millard County it is clear that the Republican Primary will decide the vast majority of local races. Thus, in most cases, the June 24th Republican primary will be the only really meaningful opportunity to vote this year. This is particularly important because the Republican Primary is a closed primary, which means that you have to be a registered Republican in order to be able to vote in the primary election. Consequently, everyone from Peter Greathouse, the Millard County Republican Party Chairman to diehard Democrats like former county sheriff, Ed Phillips have been encouraging people to register as Republicans at least long enough to vote, even if they change their registration status immediately afterwards. For people who are registered with other political parties, unfortunately it's too late to change your affiliation, but people who are unaffiliated, may register as Republicans right at the polls, and vote in the Primary. Registration is as easy as filling out a simple form, and returning it to the county clerk. People who have not yet registered may also vote if they register first. We encourage people to contact the county clerk's office for further direction.
MEET THE CANDIDATES REPORT Last Wednesday, June 11th, with sponsorship from the Chambers of Commerce of Delta and Fillmore, county residents had the opportunity to meet the candidates for the upcoming primary elections and interact with them one-on-one. Delta's “Meet the Candidates” event took place in the new Delta City Community Center at noon. Fillmore's was held later that evening at the Territorial Statehouse. Under the chosen format each of the candidates had five minutes to speak. There was no formal, public question and answer period from the mike, but one hour was set aside afterward for candidates to mix and answer questions informally. Commissioner Daron Smith drew the first five minute speaking slot. He said that one of his commission assignments is planning and zoning, and that as far as he is concerned Millard County has very good land use ordinances. He said he feels like they balance all relative interests. When asked if he had actually read the new ordinances, he insisted that he had, and that he reads all proposed legislation. While he fully supports the current laws, Commissioner Smith affirmed they can be amended if necessary. Given that no concerned citizens attended a recent planning commission meeting that no one seemed to know about, he has questioned just how concerned the public really is about the ordinances. He said he stands by the new ordinances and they have his full support.
Commissioner Smith said that as far as he is concerned, Millard County is in a “great position financially," pointing out that the county's current tax rate is lower than it was a decade ago. He also sought to defend the commissioners' compensation package. He described the process whereby the county retained an outside consultant to help develop the current pay plan. Although he said he thinks the commissioners should all be paid the same amount, he voted for a step and grade pay system that treats the commissioners like other county employees and gives them automatic pay raises, based on their time in office. County Commission candidate Dean Draper took a different position on the county's financial situation. According to Draper, counties are the basic unit of the American system of government. Draper asserted that Millard County has the proverbial "tiger by the tail," economically. He said that if the county continues to depend on a high property tax rate for all property in the county in order to take advantage of the county's high proportion of centrally accessed properties, as the centrally assessed properties depreciate, that tiger is going to swallow us. Commissioner Jim Withers joked that with a daughter soon to begin a school teaching job in Fillmore, he could no longer be accused of being biased in favor of the West side of the county. He then stated that it is the commissioners' job to "take the money that is given to us by the tax payers and decide what to do with it." Commissioner Withers described the new public health building in Fillmore as an example of the good work he as done. Stressing the importance of water in the county, he related his experience working to protect water rights, particularly in the county's successful fight against the Snake Valley Water Project. When asked in the informal question and answer period if he had actually read the new land-use ordinances before voting for them, he said: "They are over 250 pages long. No I didn't read the whole thing. I don't know anyone who did. And what I did look at I couldn't understand." When asked why, then, he voted for it, he emphasized his trust in the the other people involved, including the appointed members of the county planning commission, consultants and the other commissioners.
Commissioner Jim Withers Commission Candidate Jim Dyer described his background, having lived all over the world as the son of a decorated Air Force pilot. Dyer spent a lengthy stint in Colorado, but ultimately, in retirement, has chosen Millard County as his home. He said that he is not "from" the East side of the county or the West side, and fully intends to represent the entire county. Dyer's message focused primarily on his concerns with the land use ordinances. Claiming it did not appear that the public had been adequately involved in the process, he questioned whether appropriate notice had been given, and how the public and interested stakeholders had been specifically included in the process. He further doubted whether officials have given appropriate attention to the comments that have been received. From his perspective, Dyer maintains the ordinances should be repealed, and the county should start over from scratch, seeking to develop ordinances that actually fit the needs of Millard County, rather than a boilerplate, one-size-fits-all document. Dyer said that he has extensive public service experience, including work as both a county commissioner and state legislator in Colorado. He said that he had planned to be done with politics, but after he saw what the county had done with its new land use ordinances, he couldn't bring himself to stay on the sideline. He talked at length about his concerns about "summary abatement", the authority the new ordinances give the county to simply come on private property and take abatement action without property owners' permission. In response to Commissioner Smith's assertion that Smith had read the ordinances, was very satisfied with them, and that they don't really mean what they say, Dyer questioned how any of the commissioners could feel comfortable with the language. He said "language has meaning. The language in these documents infringes on private property rights, and gives the county overreaching regulatory authority." He said he questioned how any of the commissioners could have read the documents without noticing or questioning that language. Dyer said that he is a fiscal conservative, and has extensive experience with water issues. The second annual "MILE LONG YARD SALE" will be held Saturday June 28th from 7am - ??? The yard sale route will be along both sides of Main Street between Duane's Market & Cluff's Drive-in. The Fillmore Area Chamber of Commerce would like to invite all Millard County residents to participate and turn your trash into someone else's treasure! (Remember to ask permission before setting up on private property). Contact committee chair: Lauri Mathews 435-864-7688
A Few Simple Questions
Q
Why do politicians vote themselves automatic pay raises?
A Because no one stopped them. This is WRONG
Q Why do they pass lengthy laws that take away your property rights? They didn't read the laws before voting, and you pay the price. A This is WRONG Millard County's land use laws affect nearly every decision you make Q on your own property. Does this increase your freedom? No. It's a play straight from the United Nations' "Agenda 21" and A what Obama's administration wants to push on all of us. It's Q
about more central control, bigger government, and decidedly less personal freedom. This is WRONG What happens when elected public servants simply "go along to get along"?
A
We're all stuck with laws no one has read and no one believes in, while government gets bigger, taxes get higher, and our freedoms slip away. This is WRONG
I'm tired of wrong answers. I'm tired of laws that make me a criminal for planting a new garden or buying a new rabbit; of unaccountable public servants; and of unreasonable ordinances, written by outsiders, that take away my freedom. We do need laws, including land-use laws. But let's pass laws that are simple and clear, and that make sense. And let's make sure our county officials read them before they vote. I have a successful decade of experience as a leader both in a State Senate and a County Commission. With your support, we can get a lot done. In the primary election on June 24th, please vote for me.
Elect Jim Dyer Commissioner Submitted by the Committee to Elect Jim Dyer
I, Beverly Peterson DeWyze, am pleased to announce my candidacy for a second term on the Millard School Board, District 5, which includes Delta 18 Precinct (south of Main Street, including South Tract and Sherwood Shores), Deseret and Oasis. Most of my life has included involvement with the Millard School District. I attended Delta schools from kindergarten through graduation from DHS. I substitute taught at DHS for 8 years, then taught full-time at Delta Middle School for 25 years and have now served on the School Board for the past 4 years. My four children all went through schools in Delta and I have had grandchildren at DECC and Delta Elementary School. I feel that my involvement gives me a knowledge and appreciation of the schools that is a great value as a School Board member. I also have a BA in mathematics from the University of Utah and a Masters of Education from Utah State University. Serving on the Board involves considerably more time than simply attending a meeting once a month. I have attended many training sessions and conferences to become a more informed and efficient member. While I think that it is really important and helpful to attend these conferences, I didn't run for the Board to have free travel, so when I have attended the National School Board Convention (which I have for the last four years), I have always paid for my own transportation and hotel. For the past four years I have represented the School Board as an ex-officio member of the Board of the Delta Area Chamber of Commerce. I have attended nearly all the meetings and functions (missing only when I was involved with other School Board meetings) and have gained a great appreciation for local businesses and the importance of shopping at home. I have, on numerous occasions, urged teachers and other school employees to patronize local stores. I have felt it was unfair to ask merchants for donations, then spend the money elsewhere. Last fall I encouraged groups at Delta High School to participate in the Light Parade, which they did in marvelous fashion, helping this past parade to be one of the best in years. I have really enjoyed my time on the Board. We have wonderful schools, teachers and employees in Millard District, whom I appreciate greatly. I feel that the responsibility of serving on the School Board is three-fold: to provide an excellent education for every student in the district; to represent the employees of the district; and to represent the tax-payers, parents and citizens of Millard County in being responsive to concerns, prudent with funds and educated about local and state issues involving education. I have the time, the knowledge and the commitment to serve another term on Millard School Board, and I would sincerely appreciate your vote in the Primary Election on June 24. (Submitted by the Committee to Elect Beverly DeWyze)
Meet the Candidates Report -- Cont.
Fillmore's event at the Territorial Statehouse was much better attended than Delta's, and considerably less subdued. Notably, school board candidates Todd Holt and Jeff Schena attended the event in Fillmore; even though the precincts they seek to represent are in the West, the school board represents the county as a whole, and they wanted to introduce themselves to east side voters. Both events concluded with an opportunity for attendees to mingle with the candidates and ask questions. At the Delta Event, a gentleman by the name of Stephen L. Dean stood up and requested an application to become a candidate for Millard County Sheriff.
The candidates for County Recorder described their experience.
Incumbent County Recorder Connie Hansen emphasized her training, and credentials as a member of the Utah Association of Surveyors and president of the Utah Association of County Recorders. Challenger Tim Arnold told of his history surveying and building, and specific preparations he had made over the years to fill the Recorder's office. Incumbent Auditor Brandy Grace described her more than 20 year history in the Auditor's office. Grace made the interesting points that Millard County has a greater percentage of federally-owned land than any other county in the state, and that only one county has a greater percentage of state-assessed properties. She repeated Commissioner Smith's refrain that the county is in “great financial position”.
Stephen L. Dean in Delta Controversial Pahvant Post columnist Delta Rose caused a stir when she appeared at the Fillmore meeting, and participated in the informal mix and mingle to ask questions. Other residents converged on Commissioner Daron Smith; one, who insisted repeatedly she did not want to be named in the Post, was visibly upset as she described her loss of trust in county leaders. Meanwhile, Todd Holt made clear he decided to run at least in part because of concerns over the school
district's alleged violations of the
Delta Rose
Utah Open and Public Meetings Act, and that the bond issues raised for school construction have remained part of county taxes even after the construction projects have been completed and paid for.
Auditor candidate Katrina Rhinehart followed with her history working in the schools and among National Guard groups. She said she is looking forward to learning new things and taking on the challenges of the county auditor's office. In school board races, incumbent Beverly DeWyze said she has encouraged schools to shop locally, saying it doesn't make sense for schools to ask all the time for donations, and then spend that money somewhere else. School board incumbent Ron Draper, said that he was proud of the new school buildings in Delta and Fillmore [the new Delta High School and Fillmore High gymnasium] and said "and we built them without raising your taxes." Challengers Stanton Lovell, Todd Holt and Jeff Schena described their experience and interests in serving on the school board. Lovell told of his desire to serve his community. Holt stated that schools give rural communities their identity, and Schena described his history as a union contract negotiator. Candidate Dixon Eliason did not attend the event.
The Post thanks the Chambers of Commerce for sponsoring this event, and encourages its readers to vote responsibly in the upcoming primary elections on June 24th.
www. pahvantpost.com Publisher: TJ Lovato ~ Editor: David Williams P.O. Box 383, Fillmore, UT 84731 435-275-6104 ~
[email protected]
Opinion/Editorial Once again, Delta Rose seems to have hit a nerve. Unlike reactions we have received to her columns in the past, however, with virtually everyone disagreeing in unison with Rose's position, this time readers' comments have covered the full spectrum. Some applaud her for publicly addressing a sensitive subject that normally receives scant attention. Others have vehemently disagreed, and some have brought forth all kinds of material, from pictures and videos to stories and tales of woe to rebut her premises. Some of this material may ultimately be posted on our website, giving our readers the opportunity to judge for themselves. We have learned a lot from the reactions, which have taught us more about Millard County, and particularly the "Powers that Be." They have also taught us much about the always interesting East-side / West-side dynamic: the so-called rivalry is not always necessarily what many seem to think. The comments and reactions we have received demonstrate several serious concerns. The first and most troubling of these points is that there are a remarkable number of people in Millard County, including good, productive, law-abiding citizens (including members of the Pahvant Post team), who go about their lives in genuine fear of past and present members of the Millard County Sheriff's Department. They are sincerely concerned about how they will be treated and what will happen to them if they do anything that could be viewed as "crossing" the Millard County PowersThat-Be, and especially the sheriff's department. The fact that they believe they have ample reason to feel this way paints a very troubling picture. The second point is that there are a number of people who sincerely believe that there is more to these equations and cases than meets the eye, details of which most members of the public are completely unaware. Finally, it has become very clear that more and more people have come to realize that not all political problems are in Washington, DC. Mistrust of federal officials is nothing new, but increasingly, a growing number of people are losing trust in their local leaders as well. An increasing number of people are asking: who, if anyone, is really tending the shop in Millard County? Are there any real checks and balances? One of the questions locals increasingly ask is this: Who keeps the county commissioners in check and holds them accountable when there are problems? Who watches the County Attorney, and his office? Who keeps their eye on the Sheriff's department, and holds them accountable for problems that arise? The same questions come up about all levels of county government. American governments are generally designed so that each of the branches and levels have both the power and responsibility to keep the other branches and departments in check. Does that system still function as intended . . . anywhere . . . but especially here in Millard County?
View
The increasingly obvious answer to that question seems to be "No." At every level of county government, it seems that the tangled web of relationships and alliances, combined with an understandable hesitance to question the motives of friends and neighbors, stymies any true checks and balances in the system. This leaves many unanswered questions and zero accountability. In many cases it seems like the parties involved -- our elected and appointed officials -- spend more time and effort either advancing themselves, their families and friends, and their own personal interests, or covering and protecting their backsides than protecting the best interests of the county and its residents. This reality has become manifest over and over again, and seems to have permeated essentially every aspect of Millard County Government. There is an answer, however. It is We the People. As voters, We the People have the opportunity and the duty to hold our elected officials accountable. The most important thing we can do in the elections this year is hold our elected leaders accountable and choose people who will be real leaders. We need real leaders, with backbone, to lead us. This is the time and the opportunity to make that choice.
From a Pig's Eye View
From a Pig's Eye View CECIL GARLAND Although, technically, Cecil Garland did not reside in Pahvant Country, or within the physical gaze of the Pahvant Pig, he still deserves mention. Garland was what old-timers would call a War Horse, the veteran of many campaigns and skirmishes. For the last 30-40 years of his life he lived on a ranch near Callao. For those in Millard County who do not know where Callao is, there are several ways to get there, but perhaps the easiest is to take Highway 50&6 West from Delta all the way to the Nevada line, and there turn North and go to the very Northwest corner of Millard county. From Gandy, you keep going North, crossing into Juab County. Callao is found in the Northwest corner of the county, right on the border of the Deseret Test Center and Dugway Proving Grounds. Callao is truly Outback Utah. But it has been said that for a guy who lived in the middle of nowhere, Cecil Garland had a way of being in the thick of things. Garland was a life-long activist. He never held elected public office, but he made things happen. He wasn't a guy who sat the fence or let others do all the heavy lifting. If he believed in something, he was into with his sleeves rolled to his elbows, making things happen. His latest campaign was the battle to protect Snake Valley water from the Southern Nevada Water Authority. There are a handful of people who have been most vocal and instrumental in that battle, and Cecil Garland was one of them.
Before that, Cecil was a leader in the fight to stop the MX Missle project in Utah's West Desert, and before that, a fight over the Scapegoat Wilderness in Montana, just to mention a few of the battlers he fought. Although there have always been plenty of people who have disagreed with Cecil and his positions, and called him a radical and a rabble rouser, he didn't let such opinions stop him. We salute him for always taking a stand and doing something about it. He didn't just talk the talk. He was a man of action. God bless and God's speed in the Great Beyond.
Pahvant Country Grapevine
My, you folks certainly are a vocal lot! My email has been buzzing. What a week for reality checks! I wondered a bit when Mr. Post suggested I write under a pen name, and after the reaction to last week's column, I thought I was completely converted -- until I saw Mr. Phillips' letter in last week's MCCP, and then I knew, I wanted to come forward. Unfortunately, because of my schedule I was unable to attend the Meet and Greet in Delta, but I made a special trip for the Fillmore event. I would like to thank those whom I had a chance to meet, and who treated me with dignity and respect -- despite the fact that I'm being called everything from a skunk to the Pahvant Phantom. I've had my bubble burst in several ways this last several weeks, however. The first I will discuss was Mr. Phillips' letter. I used to think I really admired Mr. Phillips, but his letter has raised all sorts of questions with me. I so wish he would have come to the meeting so that he could have met me in person and discussed his concerns. Someone told me he wasn't able to make it because he was at home working on another letter. I'll be waiting with bated breath! As I have said before, I have been flattered by Mr. Phillips' interest in my work. From what I understand, he is almost obsessed with it. I admire a bold man. And the gusto with which Mr. Phillips stated his theories as if they were facts was truly impressive. But, alas, I hate to disappoint him with the news that he's full of codswallop. I understand that Mr. Phillips has a lot of welldocumented animosity towards Mr. Macfarlane. I get that. And he's entitled to his opinions and theories, but obviously he doesn't always get it right. It sounds like I personally disagree with a lot of what Mr. Macfarlane says, too. On the other hand, although Mr. Phillips and I belong to different political parties, I venture to say that many of my positions seem to be very similar to his own. Mr. Post (one of the several "Mr. Posts" at the Post) did warn me that the Millard County Sheriff's Department is a sacred cow that can hardly be mentioned without drawing fire, especially from Mr. Phillips. To tell you the truth, I had made a bet with Mr. Post that I could do it in such a way that would not draw Mr. Phillips' ire. But obviously I lost the bet -- in spades. The main reservation I have about Mr. Phillips is that he simply seems to take himself entirely too seriously. I suggest he spend more time reading Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. I think that would serve him splendidly. I was able to have quite a discussion with Sheriff Dekker, and that was my second major reality check. I am going to save the details of that conversation for another time, but I am certainly glad I recorded it. In that conversation I experienced things that I would have never imagined if I had not heard it first hand. What a grump! It was truly disturbing.
This whole time I have been so naive about these two gentlemen, and perhaps about law enforcement in general. In the future, I think it may be time to take the gloves off. But I was chuffed to meet Commissioner Smith and participate in some discussions with him. Personally, I think he's rather cute, and I can see why he has been so popular. Because I have felt this paper had been trying so hard to clobber him, I was worried about the effect on his popularity. So I was tempted to say something on his behalf in my previous column, but in light of my experiences with Messrs. Phillips and Dekker, I'm sure glad I didn't tackle any of the crazy rumours about Mr. Smith. I thought maybe I could help put some of those to rest too, but now I wouldn't touch them with a long stick. Indeed, sometimes no good deed goes unpunished. All I meant to say in my last column was that the rumors simply must be false, and I wish people would quit imagining that there's great piles of intrigue in the background. But after the reactions I got from the sheriff and the former sheriff, I've started to wonder. "Methinks he doth protest too much," they say. And that brings up my third reality check about politics and politicians. How many of you have heard the name of Leland Yee? He was elected to the California state senate in 2006. He rose to prominence very quickly, as Speaker pro tempore of the California State Assembly. Now this is one politician that had heaps of good ideas! Those who know me know that I'm concerned about firearms and all the violence they cause. The stories of gun violence in Millard County, and some of the truly scary responses I've received, have me wondering even more about rural folk, especially because they all seem to love guns, and to want to have them everywhere. In truly civilised parts of the world, there are very few guns around, and people certainly don't walk around packing them. Back where I grew up, even the local constables didn't have guns. Here, it seems everyone has them. I heard one rumour that some crazy delegate openly carried a pistol at the county Republican convention! Some people even think Mr. Dyer -- an open supporter of the Second Amendment -- is a worthy candidate for public office?! I will have to admit that he is a very impressive candidate, but I was hoping we could elect people who see the need to get all these guns under control. Which brings me back to Senator Yee, who has been a champion for gun control During his time in office, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence added Mr. Yee to their "Gun Violence Prevention Honour Roll." Mr. Yee also got awards from the First Amendment Coalition, the Society of Professional Journalists, and Equality California. The San Francisco Women's Political Committee even named him "Legislator of the Year". All of them praised his leadership, especially with respect to gun control. With all those endorsements, I thought Mr. Yee was awesome, and I remember wishing more politicians could be like him. But, alas, there's more to the story. Back in March, Mr. Yee was charged with a whole raft of
crimes. Ironically, many of them involved illegal arms trafficking. The charges included everything from accepting bribes to buying and smuggling weapons from Islamic extremists in the Phillipines. And these were not just your typical handguns and hunting rifles, though those are bad enough. The FBI says this guy was dealing in "fully automatic firearms and shoulder-launched missiles." I guess I don't really know exactly what those are, but they sure sound bad! He was also accused of taking almost $50,000 from undercover FBI agents as bribes to help certain people get contracts, or to make changes to different laws. When I heard that, I was devastated. I know Mr. Yee has little influence in Las Vegas and Millard County -- the two places where I spend most of my time -- but I had thought of him as a political hero. He seemed like a champion of the kind of government that protects people from everything harmful, including their own stupidity. So I was really taken aback to hear what the FBI said about him. But after he was indicted, I realized there must be something to it. Why am I telling you all this? Well, the good people of California really surprised me. Before all these charges hit the news, Senator Yee was one of eight candidates running for the office of California Secretary of State. By some accounts, he was leading the race. After the charges came out, the California State Senate suspended him, and he withdrew his candidacy. But his name was still on the ballot in California's primary election on June 3rd. And this is the interesting part: Despite the fact that he had been indicted on serious weapons smuggling charges, suspended from the state assembly, and had withdrawn his candidacy, 320,000 people still voted for him, and he came in third place out of eight candidates! I seriously doubt any of the Millard County candidates is smuggling weapons or taking bribes - nothing like that would ever happen in Millard County anyway, right? And the stuff that people complain about around here -- politicians using their offices for personal gain, passing bad laws without reading them, etc. -- seems minor by comparison. But still, I do encourage you to get informed. Make sure the candidates you choose are what they purport to be. Make sure they will actually do the job. Despite his wild popularity, Mr. Yee is a prime example. Despite his situation, he was on track to become California Secretary of State. I know that in a democracy the majority rules, and you have heard me say that before, but sometimes popularity (not to mention crooked politics) gets in the way of truth and good sense. Don't be one of those who would have voted for Mr. Yee. Please get to know your candidates. Cheerio!
My name is Katrina Rhinehart and I am running for Millard County Auditor. My husband and I were both raised in Millard County. I am married to Mike Rhinehart, Junior and we have been married for 21 years. We are blessed to have two wonderful children. Both of our families reside in Fillmore and we have extended family on both sides of Millard County. My family has been involved in many areas of service and support the community by attending community and school events. I have very strong values and everything I do revolves around my family or helping others. In jobs that I have had I have worked my way into key positions which has given me the opportunity to oversee and work with many individuals across the state. I worked as the Family Assistance Coordinator (FAC) for the Utah National Guard for the State of Utah for over seven years. As the FAC, I oversaw 13 Family Assistance Centers across Utah, provided weekly staff meetings, and quarterly trainings. We assisted families of deployed servicemen and women with resources from the community. I reviewed timecards, leave and travel as I worked with the budget that was provided to the FAC during the year. I worked under the direction of Family Programs Director and the Adjutant General for the Utah National Guard. I worked closely with the Utah National Guard Charitable Trust Fund which provided funds to those service members who qualified for financial help. I helped with the application process, communication between committee members and the coordination of payment of bill. If an individual did not qualify for assistance there were other resources that I would try to assist them with. I also worked closely with the Community Covenants Team with the Utah National Guard. The Community Covenants Team is a military liaison with communities throughout Utah. This committee focuses on raising awareness and support for deployed personnel and their families. I know what it takes to be a Department Head, to be a leader and how to work as a team. I know that by being a leader you need to take the knowledge from other team members to make a program run more efficiently. We all have skills and ideas that should be viewed, recognized and applied to the program as needed. I am dedicated, a self-starter, loyal, friendly, a hard worker, and enjoy being involved. My family and I are all about service and we enjoy serving others. I know with this job there will be things that I will need to learn and I am up to the challenge and with my previous experience feel that I would do a great job. I love working with the community and feel that I will be able to provide service to Millard County, those that I work with, and those I come in contact with. I would love the opportunity to serve as Millard County Auditor. I would appreciate your vote.
Vote Katrina Rhinehart for Millard County Auditor, June 24th Submitted by the Committee to Elect Katrina Rhinehart
