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Show Our Readers To the Editor: Poor Emery County! If you have ever wondered why, here is one example. In the thirteen years I have been a resident of this county, the most persisten, universal White Sands Missile Range, NMex THE FIRST 14Major Richard H. Schmidt, (right) Site Commander, GreeK River, Utah, Test Complex, congratulates. Sfc Manuel Held, ERDAW, upon Ms r earlier this month. Sgt> Held is , enlistee at the complex. and well-founded complaints have been, the declining population; the young people leaving the area; the high percentage of our people on welfare; the lack of employment; lack of industry and opportunity. I, for one, have brought new industry to the area in the form of an aviation service; now the most complete aviation service in Southern and Eastern Utah. I employ three fulltime and isome part employees. My last year's payroll amounted to nearly $19,000 and my County taxes were certainly substantial. Now 14 with, recent developments in the Green River area, and with an eye to the future, we find the present airport facilities are inadequate. The Federal Aviation Agency (F.A.A.) has had a site approved across the river in (Grand County for several years. For several reasons, (one of which was my loyalty to Emery County) a new site was selected on this side of the river and presented to the F.A.A. for approval. After considerable time, negotiations and surveys the site was approved. | While work on site approval j was in progress, Mayor Mac-jKay, Councilwoman Cline, and myself met with the Emery County Commissioners in Castle [Dale to request County assistance in this project. The people of Green River had recently approved a $410,000 bond sale to expand and improve our inadequate water and sewer facilities. We did not want to bone for airport construction. No direct commitment was receiv-\ ed from the commissioners, but the unanimous feeling of the committee was that we could depend on substantial help. With this in mind, work progressed and time was spent on surveys, gravel tests, correspondence, meetings, negotiations and renegotiations. It finally came to this 14 runwav; runway lighting, fencing, taxi ways and power line, $170,000 The Federal government agree to pay 62% of this cost, the State agreed to 19%, with the other 19% to be paid locally. Buildings costing approximately $60,000 were to be built at my own cost 14this, with my equipment of $60,000 or more, adds up to a $300,000 airport instalation. |
