Huntsville Ice Rink Open

By Richard Sorensen

Huntsville Town Council

I failed to get this info into the latest issue of the Ogden Valley News but want to spread the word that the Huntsville Ice Rink is up and running.

Please spread the word to your Ogden Valley friends and family.

Happy New Year.

The Ice Rink Is Open   

Conditions are improving daily as more layers of ice are added.  We will try to update the town website every couple of days with the latest ice conditions.

Visit www.HuntsvilleTown.com

Ice Skate Rentals:

This year we will be offering  rentals thanks to the Weber Ice Sheet generously donating their old rental skates...

• Skates are available at Texas Pride Barbecue during their normal business hours.  The price will be $2 to help cover Texas Prides costs.  To speed things up, visit www.HuntsvilleTown.com, print out and complete a release of liability and take it to Texas Pride.  Be sure to take a deposit in the form of a Drivers license, credit card or lots of cash.
• Not all sizes are available but we have supplied Texas Pride with at least one pair of each available size.  We have skates in most kids sizes, but have fewer choices above about a size 9 figure skate.  However, we do have hockey skates in the larger sizes.
• Thanks to Texas Pride Barbecue for helping to make the skates available.
  

Group Skating

We will also try to accommodate groups with skate rentals.  Let us know if you would like to have a skate night or day for your youth, family or school group and we will arrange to have skates available for a night of fun.  Contact Richard@HuntsvilleTown.com if you would like to arrange a skate night or day for your group.

Merry Christmas To All

The Season is upon us and we ran across a truly unique and inspiring story that involves annual Christmas traditions in our Valley.

Click here to read about one young family who makes the annual trip to the Huntsville Monastery to visit a lifelong friend.

Merry Christmas to All!

Powder Mountain Ski Resort Boycott - Now is the time!!

With Prime time of the ski season rapidly approaching, the week or so from Christmas through New Years, the time is right for Utah residents (and the rest of the world) to show their displeasure of the numerous antics of the Powder Mountain owners and management team.   A dent in their pocket book may be the only way to show the greedy developers our displeasure.

A boycott is certainly not a new idea as we promoted one in July when season ticket sales were kicked off.  Our intel informs us that season ticket sales are substantially down over last year.  In February 2008, a boycott was also kicked off garnering significant support and media attention.

More recently, a lower key, word of mouth boycott has been initiated and we feel it is time to get the word out to the masses.

Our once family and locals friendly Powder Mountain has gone the way of bottom line corporate greed.  Every step of the way, Powder Mountain continues to snub their nose at residents, neighbors and even employees.  They have lost dozens of long term veterans on their employee and volunteer staff, some with over 30 years of service.  Some were fired while others resigned in protest.

The snubbing of Ogden Valley began in 2007 when the new owners/developers (more affectionately known as the "PERPS") made extensive rezone and density requests from the Ogden Valley Planning Commission.  Ultimately, the request was approved with several contingencies, but that was not good enough for the PERPS.

The PERPS objected to the contingencies and filed for Incorporation in early 2008 under the flawed HB466 - a law that was only on the books of the State of Utah for one year.

They have continued down the road of forcing residents into their company town and the case has now been appealed to the Utah State Supreme Court.  The overwhelming majority of the "forced" residents of Powder Mountain Town (Powderville) oppose the incorporation and feel their Constitutional rights are being violated.

In January 2009, the PERPS vigorously and successfully lobbied against a proposed bill that would have allowed residents of a town incorporated under HB466 the ability to file for immediate disincorporation.  A similar bill is being proposed for the upcoming legislative session and the PERPS will certainly vigorously fight the bill once again.

More recently, Powder Mountain requested that a public access trail be closed during the winter months so Powder Mountain could offer high dollar back county tours while keeping the non paying riff raff out.  They made the request AFTER bull dozing the once narrow trail and without requesting or receiving the necessary permits.  It is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission seems to be Powder Mountain's motto.


Ogden Valley has a lot to offer winter skiing enthusiasts and we highly recommend SnowBasin and Wolf Creek Utah.

Supporting Powder Mountain at the ticket window helps fund the PERPS Corpo-Fascist regime. 

We say THE BOYCOTT OF POWDER MOUNTAIN IS ON!

Keeping trail open right call

By Pistol Pete,

The editorial page in today's Standard Examiner hits it right on the button. There appears to be no end to the recklessness that Powder Mountain will employ to take away the freedom of other citizens. They also have violated Weber County permit rules along the way.

These clowns belong in the Circus, not in Weber County.

Bargaining For Powder Mountain

Humble reader "Kyle" recently requested that we post Bruce Grandin's December 1, 2009 letter to the Ogden Valley News.

Here is an excerpt of Kyle's email request:

Did anyone see the comment by Bruce Grandin in the "Letters to the Editor" in the latest Ogden Valley News(paper)? He advocates reading a book that talks about the Snowbasin/2002 Olympics development. I think Bruce has an excellent point. Learn from what has happened (in Ogden Valley) in the past, take advantage of the lessons learned, and use the current "fight" to our advantage. I have not read the book but I personally know Bruce (and I suspect many of you do to). He is not an idiot (or a Zealot). He didn't come right out and say it but I'm thinking one of the points of the letter is something along the lines of instead of fighting and name calling (gee, heard this lately), talk, listen and understand each others needs (kinda like relationships eh?). Use cooperation (and mutual respect) to benefit everyone who lives here.


I'm heading to the Huntsville library to see of they have it. Thanks for the opinion Bruce.


Kyle

Thanks for the input Kyle. 

The following is a letter to the editor published in the December 1, 2009 issue of the Ogden Valley News.

Anyone who cares about Ogden Valley should read "Bargaining for Eden" by Stephen Trimble.  It's a fantastic story on how Snowbasin was developed just in time for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

After 12 years of extreme opposition and controversy, the mountain was changed forever.  The Olympics have come and gone.  Skiing in Utah is no longer a secret and the Beehive state was left with the crown jewel of a ski resort.  Earl Holding really did a nice job with the mountain and many people think of Snowbasin as a local treasure.  Only time will tell if it is sustainable.

Now we have another battle going on with Powder Mountain.  Were any lesson(s) learned from Snowbasin?  Steve Trimble sums it up best in the final paragraph of his book.

"We call it a paradise, this land of ours.  We call it home.  Like our nation, the West is in the middle of its arc.  We must remain both vigilant and tender if we wish to preserve its authenticity.  We can do this.  We are not yet too old, too greedy, or too cynical to take wise action together."

Wouldn't it be great if the owners of Powder Mountain, the Weber County Planning Commission, and the local community understood each other's needs and Ogden Valley ended up with another crown jewel?

Please read the book.

Bruce Grandin
Eden

We also believe "Bargaining For Eden" is a fantastic read and tout it in our left column.

What say ye Ogden Valley?

It is your turn to opine. 

DENIED!!! County Commissioners send Powder Mountain Down the Trail

UPDATE BELOW


The County Commission sent Powder Mountain packin' today and we have promoted this Ron Gleason comment to the front page.


I will try to write a more complete report later but the County Commissioners took the correct action without even breaking a sweat or blinking twice! They denied this request, offered some good ideas on how PM, pathways, citizens, and the county can work make the situation work for everyone and IMO the best part of today they got PM to admit that they did not get a required permit and they have to work with county engineering on restoration and other actions to correct, if possible, damage done.

More later,

Ron Gleason
Huntsville, UT

UPDATE 12/16/09 @ 0700 AM

The Standard weighs in this morning with more details on yesterday's meeting.

 Wolf Canyon Trail to stay open all year / Ski resort's request to restrict access denied

And don't miss last night's report from the Weber County Forum.

Powder Mountain Wants To Restrict The Wolf Creek Trail - Weber County Commission Public Hearing Tuesday

Powder Mountain is at it again and is now requesting that the infamous Wolf Creek Trail be closed during the winter for "Avalanche control" and maybe a "ski tour."  Supposedly there is a public hearing scheduled for Tuesday morning.

From the Standard,

“They are requesting that, during the wintertime, they rescind the public rights because there is some avalanche control that needs to take place there. Plus, it may interfere with other uses, such as a ski tour,” he said (Curtis Christensen, Weber County Engineer).

At 10:30 am this morning (Monday), less than 24 hours prior to the scheduled Weber County Commission meeting, the agenda is still not posted on the County's web site.  By state law, open meetings are required to be posted at least 24 hours in advance and the County's web site states that the agenda will be posted the Friday before the Tuesday meeting.  Late posting is a continual occurrence it seems.


Most Commission meetings are held Tuesday mornings (unless otherwise publicly noticed) at 10:00 a.m. in the County Commission Chambers, 2380 Washington Boulevard, Ogden.

If you'd like to verify the exact time of Tuesday's meeting, call the Weber County Commission office at (801) 399-8406.  While you are at it ask why this important meeting is not posted.

We will refer you to an excellent overview complete with links to yesterday's Standard article at the Weber County Forum.

The Powder Mountain Debate Rages On

The Powder Mountain issue rages on this morning with a new article in the Standard. 

Time is running short this Black Friday, so we will link you to a rundown on the topic By Curmudgeon over at the Weber County Forum. 

Don't miss it and Happy Black Friday!!

Fund Raiser hits Bulls eye!

Packed House!

Photo by Bill Singleton

The Citizen’s Rights Fund Raiser on November 13, 2009 was a resounding success and acheived all of the intended goals. The legal fund chest is full and the Citizen’s Rights Group is prepared for the next step in the legal process.

The success of the fund raiser was due to both the diligent work by all involved in the project and the generosity of our Northern Utah neighbors. Brisk ticket sales along with a silent auction and generous donations, made this effort worthwhile.

We wish to remind you to add your name to the online Petition that will be sent to the Utah State Legislature after the legislative session begins. It is important that we show the support we have from our residents. Any resident in Utah can sign the petition, so reach out to family and friends throughout the state and ask them to sign.

On this page of the blog, find the Peitition counter and click on it. Make sure to add your zip code as well.

The Petition In Support of Powderville Victims: An Update

It is a busy news day in Ogden Valley so don't miss our three new postings.

In three short days, Ogden Valley residents have spoken loud and clear as nearly 100 residents have already signed the petition drafted to the Utah Legislature.

This morning's Weber County Forum has an excellent post about the issue and we expect the numbers to go up significantly today.

Be sure to check out:

Powder Mountain Update: A New Citizen Petition

Power outage scheduled for Ogden Valley on Saturday

Ogden Valley residents likely received a postcard from Rocky Mountain Power informing them of a Valley wide power outage scheduled for this Saturday Morning.

Today's Standard provides us with even more details:

Power outage scheduled for Ogden Valley on Saturday

David Eskelsen, a Rocky Mountain Power spokesman, said the blackout is scheduled to last from around 7 a.m. until about 1 p.m. while crews replace a transmission pole just west of The Oaks restaurant at 750 Ogden Canyon Road (S.R. 39). The road will be closed beginning at 5 a.m. while a crane is assembled for the job, and should reopen by 3 p.m.

Utah Highway Patrol troopers and the Utah Department of Transportation will assist in the road closure. Electronic message boards will be stationed at Mile Markers 8.6 and 13.8 to alert motorists and canyon residents of the impending closure.

During the closure, Ogden Valley destinations will be accessible from S.R. 167 and the Trappers Loop Highway, via Interstate 84 at Exit 92 in Weber Canyon, according to UDOT spokesman Vic Saunders.

The power outage and road closure are subject to the weather, Eskelsen said.

With the current chilly temperatures, keeping your perishables cool should not be an issue.

This morning's Standard has a cover story about Huntsville's new recycling program.

Click the link below to read the article in its entirety:

Huntsville a pioneer in Ogden Valley Recycling

From the article:

Recycling has come to Ogden Valley, with Huntsville leading the way.
The town began its mandatory recycling program with the first pickup Nov. 2.
Huntsville joins most other incorporated Weber County cities in bringing recycling to residents.

For the most part, the idea of recycling was welcomed by residents, said Councilman Richard Sorensen.

"The biggest objection was that it had to be mandatory," he said. "Our provider required that it had to be mandatory to be cost-effective for him. That was a big hurdle, because we don't like to put mandates on anyone."

The extra $4 a month to those on fixed incomes was also a concern, Sorensen said, but the majority of town residents supported recycling, and it was passed Sept. 3.

Sorensen said no one spoke in opposition to a recycling program at a public hearing. More than 50 percent of residents returned a survey about the program, with 85 percent of respondents supporting the program.

Town officials hope to save money in landfill tipping fees, Sorensen said. If enough money is saved, he said, those savings would be passed on to the residents and the fee would be reduced.

Be the first to sign the petition

A petition to the members of the Utah Legislature regarding proposed legislation to help the Powderville victims has been created and was unveiled during last evenings fund raiser.

Click the Signature counter button below to sign our online version.




The button will also reside on the right sidebar column near the top.

BE SURE TO SHARE THIS PETITION WITH EVERYONE YOU KNOW and have all who are over 18 sign it.

Ogden Valley Powderville Fundraiser is a resounding success!

A guest Post by Kimball Wheatley

Congratulations all around!

* To everyone who set up the room, the stage, the sound, the tables decoration, etc…outstanding; it looked like the work of pros.

* To everyone involved in making the play and entertainment happen…wonderful!; it was top drawer and pleased our audience.

* To everyone who badgered everyone they knew to buy tickets…wow!

* To everyone who communicated our message, from the video to the playbill…outstanding.

* To everyone who made it all happen at show time…again, the work of pros.

* To everyone else who worked more behind the scenes…it wouldn’t have been this great without you.

* And to the many I know I missed because I don’t even know what you did…sorry, and thanks to you too.

This was an outstanding community effort. Gage Froerer said to me as he was leaving “this is democracy in action…grassroots politics at its very best.” He is even more energized because our show of solidarity pumped up his political will and muscle. And think of these other objectives we nailed:

* The war chest is no longer empty.

* Knowledge about the cause has expanded dramatically, and support along with it.

* The PERPS now know that the people of Powderville are not in this alone and their scheme is in more trouble than they thought.

* And everyone had a good time.

I am proud and I know you all are too. But perhaps best of all, the fabric of our Ogden Valley Community is more tightly woven and a bit brighter because of our efforts.

Kim

Event to benefit resort town fight

Don't miss the Festivities this Friday the 13th and be sure to read this Di Lewis masterpiece in its entirety.

By Di Lewis (Standard-Examiner staff )

OGDEN -- Ogden Valley residents are becoming more imaginative in their attempts to defray the costs of fighting the incorporation of Powder Mountain town.

The latest fundraising effort is dinner, a show and a silent auction. Supporters of those who oppose the incorporation of Powder Mountain have organized a $100-a-plate dinner Friday night at Union Station, followed by a Powder Mountain-themed melodrama.

Steve Clarke, an Eden resident not in the proposed town boundaries, said the idea was spurred by requests for help from those within the boundaries who have already personally funded a district court lawsuit.

"They're appealing the case to the state Supreme Court, and having contributed more than $20,000 out of the neighborhood already, they asked for help," he said.

The idea has been in the works since August and has already gotten a lot of support from people all around the valley and Weber County. Clarke said more than a third of those who bought tickets actually can't attend, so they redonated the tickets to be sold again.

Residents will meet their goal of having enough money to take the case to the Utah Supreme Court and to lobby the Legislature next year, said Kim Wheatley, a resident near Huntsville.
People are so willing to donate and help because, once people understand what is happening, the story resonates with them, Wheatley said.

"Residents are so grateful and impressed by the people who have rallied to us and supported our cause," said Darla VanZeben, a resident within the proposed town's boundaries.

Clarke said the town's incorporation is becoming a larger and larger issue with people beyond the proposed boundaries, because they feel it is unjust and because they are worried about development issues affecting the valley.

"It's an egregious display of uncitizenlike behavior to try to override the will of the citizens and the law of the government," he said.

Donations may be made or tickets purchased from Chelse Maughan at (801) 745-4627 or chelse21@hotmail.com, or from Valley Market and Eden Coffee and Cocoa.

Huntsville Town

ELECTION RESULTS

2009

MAYOR

Mayor--Jim Truett 245 votes

COUNCIL

Richard Sorensen 142 votes

Alan Clapperton 140 votes

Doug Allen 117 votes

Mike Engstrom 102 votes

Congratulations to all candidates!

Fund Raiser Reminder!

Curse Of the Powervillains

Citizens under ssss Siege

A dastardly demonstration of democracy gone amuck

Fundraiser: Music, dinner and melodrama

a generous step for you - a giant step for citizens rights.

Friday the 13th of November

6PM to 9PM in the Browning Theater at Ogden’s Union Station

Plan to join in on this fun filled fund raiser event.

Tickets to the event may be purchased at the Eden

Coffee & Cocoa Co., Valley Market or by calling

Chelse Maughan at 801-745-4627 or e-mail

contact: chelse21@hotmail.com

Tickets are going fast, don’t miss out on this chance to support your fellow citizens!

Standard Election Coverage - Early Voting In Progress

With the color of fall and the chill in the air comes our favorite time of the year - election time.  While an Off Year election nationwide, the races in local cities seem to be heating up.  For Ogden Valley-ites, Huntsville remains the only incorporated municipality - at least for now as long as Powderville remains a "proposed" town.

Of course, be sure to snoop around our "2009 Huntsville Municipal Election" coverage located near the top of the right sidebar.  There you will find the list of candidates, links to their web site and the latest articles.

Also, don't miss the Standard's coverage of the Huntsville election with today's Di Lewis article.

And finally, we will point out that one of the Mayoral candidates, Chris Stevenson, has withdrawn from the race leaving Jim Truett as the lone seeker of the position of Huntsville's Mayor, while four candidates are vying for just two spots on the town council.

Good luck candidates.

PUBLIC COMMENT SOUGHT ON DRAFT RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR MONTE CRISTO STATE RECREATION AREA

Wednesday's Standard reminds us there is only 10 days left for residents to provide public comment on a new management plan for Monte Cristo.  The deadline is October 30, 2009.

Officials seek input on Monte Cristo plans

Also, an October 3, 2009 post at The Utah Outdoors Blog gives a fabulous synopsis which is posted below:

The Division of Utah State Parks and Recreation has developed a draft resource management plan (RMP) for Monte Cristo State Trailhead located off Highway 39, approximately 20 miles east of Huntsville, Utah.

The plan is located for review online at: http://static.stateparks.utah.gov/plans/RMP_Public_Draft_monte.pdf. Hard copies can be reviewed at the Utah State Park office at 1594 West North Temple, Suite 116, Salt Lake City, Utah; the Ogden / Weber Convention and Visitors Bureau, 2438 Washington Blvd, Layton, Utah; and Union Station, 2501 Wall Ave, Ogden, Utah.

The draft RMP identifies issues relating to public use, resource management and future development at the recreation area and will make recommendations to guide park managers for the next 10 years.

A planning team consisting of park users, local citizens, other agency representatives and park managers developed the draft plan through a series of team and public meetings.

Comments will be accepted until October 30, 2009 by:

E-mail: PLANSCOMMENT@utah.gov

Regular mail: Utah State Parks: Planning Section
P.O. Box 146001
1594 West North Temple, Suite 116
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6001

Fund Raiser Reminder!

Curse Of the Powervillains

Citizens under ssss Siege

A dastardly demonstration of democracy gone amuck

Fundraiser: Music, dinner and melodrama

a generous step for you - a giant step for citizens rights.

Friday the 13th of November

6PM to 9PM in the Browning Theater at Ogden’s Union Station

Plan to join in on this fun filled fund raiser event.

Tickets to the event may be purchased at the Eden

Coffee & Cocoa Co., Valley Market or by calling

Chelse Maughan at 801-745-4627 or e-mail

contact: chelse21@hotmail.com

Tickets are going fast, don’t miss out on this chance to support your fellow citizens!

Tickets must be purchased by Oct. 28th.

The Standard Editorial Board Nailed It This Morning With "Resort Road Won't Work" - Relating to the Powder Mountain Road, of Course

The Standard hit right to the heart of the Powder Mountain Road issue this morning with their editorial Resort road won't work.  Be sure not to miss the Grondahl cartoon, too.

Here are some tidbits, but read the entire editorial by clicking here:  (emphasis added)

The facts are clear: If there are going to be major plans for expansion at Powder Mountain -- including yearlong events and perhaps a new incorporated town -- there needs to be major changes with road access to Powder Mountain resort.

They went on to say,

The Weber County Sheriff's Department is concerned about the dangerous impact of heavier traffic up the resort road, but it can't do anything other than patrol the roads to make sure travel is as safe as possible.

And then,

It seems to us that some major brainstorming is needed. The existing road is not adequate. It won't work. Powder Mountain officials need to lead the way in coming up with safer, better transportation ideas. Unless some feasible idea is implemented to make the resort road safer and more practical, we can't see Powder Mountain's expansion ideas becoming a reality.

 Any comments from our Ogden Valley observers?

Weber County Commissioners to appeal the the 2nd District Court order

From today's Weber County Forum we read an update in todays Standard Examiner:

In addition, a back page 4B blurb that states the Weber County Commissioners unanimously voted to appeal the the 2nd District Court order regarding appointment of the Powder Mountain Town government.

Earthquake Rocks Huntsville

A small quake measuring 2.6 on the Richter scale hit four miles east of Huntsville  Tuesday, October 06, 2009 at 10:51:51 PM (MDT).

From the map, the epicenter appears to have been just East of Green Hills.

Did any of our Green Hills faithful feel it?

Click here for more details

UPDATE: 10/7/09 @ 4:30 PM

An observation from  Ron Gleason:

Was working on the PC, felt a thump and then a quick rattle and everything went a creaking in the house.  Second one I have felt in 5 years of living here. 

Powder Mountain Town Incorporation

This issue is after all, about Civil Rights.

With all of the media coverage and signs about the forced incorporation of some Ogden Valley homeowners and the politics label put on by some, the issue is in fact about the loss of civil rights for some Ogden Valley residents.

Our nation was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.

We are also confronted with a moral issue. It is as old as the Scriptures and is as clear as the American Constitution.

We preach freedom around the world, and we mean it. We cherish our freedom here at home, but are we to say to the nation, and much more importantly, to each other that this is the land of the free except for these few homeowners in Ogden Valley?

These beleaguered homeowners need your support, they are being legislated into a town without a vote to choose if they want to be there, and worse, with no vote as to who will govern them now that they are there. Is this the American way?

More Front Page Media For Powder Mountain

Di Lewis' front page Standard article entitled "After summer fatality, officials worry about more wrecks along Powder Mountain road's steep grade" was spot on.

Capt. Klint Anderson, Weber County Sheriff's Department spokesman, said officials are concerned about the potential for more accidents if the resort becomes a year-round destination, but the department can't do much about it other than enforce speed limits and snow tire requirements.

"It's a steeper, more treacherous road than most, and you don't typically get that kind of equipment -- trucks with heavy equipment and trailers," he said.

During the winter months, there are mostly SUVs with skiers, he said, and there are potential problems with heavier vehicles traveling the road.

Powder Mountain spokeswoman Carolyn Daniels said the road is a state highway, so improvements or changes would be up to the Utah Department of Transportation.

She said she isn't the right person to comment on what steps the resort would take to make traveling safer for guests, but the appropriate person was unavailable.

Interpreted, Powder Mountain has NO intention of spending a dime to make the road safe. Traffic deaths are just a cost of doing business.

Weber County Deputy Eric Fryer said in his report on the August accident that he stopped to assist vehicles having brake problems.

He said about 20 vehicles had stopped along the road to let their brakes cool down.

It was at that point he had to jump out of the way, because the 40-foot motor home pulling a 24-foot trailer was speeding down the road.

Fryer said all of its tires were smoking and it looked like the brakes had gone out.

Four other witnesses saw the RV's brakes smoking as the vehicle flew out of control down the road at speeds estimated at anywhere from 40 to 70 mph.

Powder Mountain's media nightmare continues and they still want a community the size of Brigham City on top of the mountain. It makes sense to us.

Letter to Weber County Commissioners Regarding Excessive Boat Noise on Pineview

Open Letter to the Weber County Commissioners from Radford Hills resident Peter Turner

Dear Commissioners,

Topic

Excessively loud cigarette boats on Pineview Reservoir

Requested Action

Pass laws by the summer 2010 boating season to regulate the boat noise at least to the same level as other activities that are regulated to avoid disturbing the peace.

Discussion

I want to address a public nuisance on Pineview Reservoir during the summer boating season. The issue is some extremely loud boats on Pineview Reservoir and the inability of our local law enforcement personnel to deal with it. At idle the boats are relatively quiet and can therefore pass current minimal noise laws. But at moderate to full throttle their noise reverberates throughout the whole Ogden Valley. And they are out on the water for hours at a time and often “racing” or at least pacing equally loud boats. Typically these boats are known as “cigarette” boats which were originally designed for drug smuggling and speed to outrun the Coast Guard. Local boaters state that this is one of the few remaining lakes that allow these types of boats. We need laws to prevent the noise that these boats produce. They must have adequate noise suppression so they are not a public nuisance.

I live in Radford Hills above Port Ramp and the Yacht Club. Pineview Reservoir is not a large lake in an isolated region. It is a small lake surrounded by residential communities of Huntsville and Eden. I would like to give you a comparative perspective on the amount of noise they produce. From my house I cannot hear the motors from 90% of the boats on the lake. On a quiet day I can faintly hear the jet skis which are generally considered quite noisy water craft. In the morning hours when it is quiet I can hear the launching of two stroke outboard motors from some of the boaters. The noise is not loud enough to be obtrusive or offensive but it also only lasts a few minutes as they disappear into the distance or they reach their destination. These noisy cigarette boats make so much noise we have to raise our voices on my deck facing the lake to hold a conversation as they run along the South Arm. I can hear their roar as they go down Middle or South Fork on their runs all the way to Huntsville. If I am on the rear side of the house I can hear the motor noise echo off of the Wasatch Front and back down to my house. They are louder than the F-16s that fly over from Hill AFB.

If I were to make that much noise with my car I would immediately be stopped and issued a ticket to force me to muffle my car. If I made that much noise at my house, even during daylight hours, I would be ticketed or arrested for disturbing the peace. If I made that much noise on land at a campground or beach at the lake I would be ticketed, or asked to leave, or arrested for disturbing the peace if I continued for any length of time. But according to the Sherriff and the USFS Rangers our current laws allow me the unrestricted ability to make all the noise I can possibly generate from a boat that is running above engine idle.

Around dinner time as the lake quiets down 2 or 3 of them like to drag race from one end of the lake to the other. I can estimate they go as fast as 100mph based on their speed relative to traffic on the highway going 50mph. There is a safety issue in addition to the noise also but I presume we will deal with that after they crash into and kill someone. I would suggest a ban on these cigarette boats appropriate to small reservoirs or lakes within residential communities like Pineview Reservoir.

The Utah Boating Act and Rules of the Board of Parks and Recreation pertain to any waters within the territorial limits of the State of Utah. The Act clearly states “A motorboat may not be operated in a manner that will cause it to emit more than 75 decibels of noise at the shoreline”. See http://www.boatus.org/onlinecourse/statelaws/Utah.html . 75 decibels is often compared to the sound of city traffic as heard from inside a car. These cigarette boats emit noise more like standing behind a 747 during takeoff. I presume Pineview Reservoir is not within the territorial limits of the State of Utah being owned by the Federal government. But we need this same law standard applied here. According to the Ogden Ranger Station laws regulating noise need to come from Weber County. So I am asking the Commissioners to act on this.

We need laws to regulate the boat noise at least to the same level as other activities that are regulated to avoid disturbing the peace. And we need it before summer 2010. A few years ago there would be an occasional really loud boat that we would tolerate for a day or occasional weekend. But certainly this year the cigarette boats have discovered Pineview. I would estimate there are about 10 different boats, some or most of them based out of the Yacht Club. The word is out and we need our peace restored quickly.

Best Regards,

Peter Turner


What say ye Ogden Valley residents? Do you share the same concerns over the noise emitted by the Don Johnson type Cigarette boats?

Election Season Upon Us

With just over one month until election day, the Deseret News explains the process in Huntsville. Rather than the typical Primary/General election format, Huntsville is one of just a few municipalities in the state that uses a Nominating convention format.

Huntsville selects candidates through convention

Mayor James McKay said the parties don't exist for any reason other than to have forums for people to be nominated for the election.

Huntsville residents will note McKay's name is not on this year's ballot.

McKay said that when he completes his fourth term, he will have served 16 years.

He said he plans on "doing some other things" when his service is over in January and plans to send a farewell address to town residents in an upcoming city newsletter.

"We've been able to do some positive things for the community," McKay said.

Fruit Heights in Davis County and Garland in Box Elder County, as well as a handful of other cities, also select municipal candidates by convention rather than by primary election, said David Church, attorney for the Utah League of Cities and Towns.

This is a perfect lede into our election coverage of the Upcoming Huntsville Election. For now, Huntsville is the only incorporated community in Ogden Valley.

Furthermore, it will be at least two years before Powderville residents will be allowed to vote IF their incorporation goes through, so we will focus the election spotlight on our neighbors to the south for at least a couple more years during this years off year election.

The Huntsville Candidates have been selected, the stage is set and we have created a "Huntsville Election" section on our right sidebar. The candidates have been contacted and in upcoming days and weeks we will post any information the candidates forward to us.

Thanks to the Weber County Forum for the Election Coverage Format.

XTERRA Utah, USA Championship Sept. 26

The Xterra USA Championships are slated for September 26, 2009 with events in and around Ogden and Ogden Valley, with the crown being awarded at our very own Snowbasin.

For more details, click here

Wolf Creek's Steve Roberts Passes

We have collaborated some recent emails below regarding the recent passing of Wolf Creeks Steve Roberts. While we at the forum didn't always agree with Mr. Roberts, he was different than so many Valley developers we have seen come and go over the years. Steve was a great man who made Ogden Valley his home and was a large part of our community. He was always willing to support events, not only monetarily, but he was also willing to work hard for the event or organization.

Here is a portion of an email that was forwarded to us:

With sadness I wanted to let you know that Steve Roberts died this last Saturday evening. Lowell Peterson tells me that a brain tumor was the last straw. They operated and felt it was successful, but then his body just couldn’t hold up any longer. This is a difficult note to write. Steve has been a believer in Ogden Valley in a way most residents did not really see. He cared about the community as well as the resort. His loss is huge. My sympathies are toward his wife and children.

And here is the latest from Wolf Creek

Dear Wolf Creek Family –

There will be celebration of Steve’s life on Thursday evening at 7:00pm in Pineview Lodge. Immediately following that there will be coffee and refreshments on the Plaza.

The kids are putting together a DVD so if you have photos you think are appropriate please send them to Sue.

All of the Roberts’ family and friends in Utah will be attending so please park in the Maintenance Building parking lot.

The family has requested that instead of sending flowers we make a donation to the Wolf Creek Foundation. You can give that to Annette, Sue or send it to

The Wolf Creek Foundation

P.O. Box 658

Eden, UT 84310

If you have any questions or concerns do not hesitate to contact Bill, Tim or Sue.

Finding Utah's Garden of Eden

As the fall colors begin to change, there were a couple of articles recently about Utah's best kept secret of Eden.

First, Lee Benson's Deseret News article entitled

Finding Utah's Garden of Eden

Benson contrasts the popular Ogden Valley tourist destinations - from David O. McKay's house to the Monastery, from the Shooting Star to Chris and Sandy Hogge's "Garden of Eden."

Next, the First Tracks Online Blog overviews a new Ogden Valley Business Association web site which touts our fall colors:

New Website Chronicles Autumn in Utah's Ogden Valley

From the article, “If you are searching for spectacular fall scenery, you need up-to-date information," confirms board chairperson Carolyn Daniels. "Because northern Utah’s elevations range from 4,200 feet at Ogden Bay Bird Refuge to almost 9,800 feet at Willard Peak there isn’t just one week when the trees are reaching their peak color. If you know where to go, you can find great fall color for over a month.”

Support our Ogden Valley neighbors!

These citizens need your help. To date, this small group of neighbors has waged an expensive court battle to attempt to establish whether the developer can in fact force them into a city in which they want NO part and appoint a town council on whom they will NOT get to vote to govern them. The citizens will appeal to the Utah Supreme Court, contending that their most basic right to “No taxation without representation” has been violated.

The people of Weber and surrounding counties are holding a fund-raiser to assist them in this appeal. We are hosting an evening of food, music and melodrama on November the 13th from 6-9 at the Union Station Browning Theatre. Because it is urgent that we gather a “war chest” for these beleaguered citizens as soon as possible, tickets are $100 each. The evening includes admission to the stunning Browning antique car museum, music by one of the valley’s popular groups, dinner by the Union Grill restaurant, silent auction and a locally written and produced melodrama. Tickets may be purchased at the Valley Market or at the Eden Coffee Shop next to the Valley Market.

Guest Post by Sharon Holmstrom

801-745-6638

Ogden Valley Issues Escalate To The Statewide Level

Powder Mountain Threats and Small Town Chicanery

Fox 13 News was in Eden for several hours today preparing a story about the Powder Mountain Town Sign Thefts and the more recent personal threats against those vocally opposed to the incorporation. Be sure to watch Fox 13 tonight at 9 PM to see the latest.

The story we broke Sunday regarding Dirty Politics in bucolic Huntsville hit the spotlight of UtahPolicy.com, one of Utah's premier political sites.

Don't miss, Election Central: Small Town Chicanery

Please Support The Ogden Valley Forum

The Ogden Valley Forum is nearly 3 1/2 years young and has quickly grown from a lone reader in 2006 to one of the most popular web sites in Ogden Valley - probably the most popular based on hits and our ever growing email list of readers.

From our inception, we have strived to provide an Open Forum while avoiding conflicts associated with selling advertising - especially local advertising. We feel this would open up a sure fire possibility for conflicts of interest.

That said, much time and effort are involved in maintaining the top rated site in Ogden Valley and you may have noticed the recent addition of national advertising on the left side bar. The Ogden Valley Forum has joined affiliate programs of some top web sites to help offset some of our expenses with maybe a little left over at the end of the month for a cheap cup of Joe at the Maverick. On a good month, maybe we will be able to splurge for a fancy drink at Drew's.

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Dirty Politics In Huntsville

You may have read about dirty politics in the big city of Syracuse, but it seems like Quiet and peaceful Ogden Valley is not immune to big city chicanery . We just received this email with the attached audio file that has been circulating around Huntsville and feel that it deserves some weekend viewing:

Dear Ogden Valley Forum,

This phone recording was forwarded to me this morning and quite frankly I am disgusted. Let me explain.

Huntsville has a two party system for its municipal elections. Not Republican and Democrat, but "Our Town" and "Party 1." No one really knows which party they belong to, and in fact, it really doesn't matter.

One party held their nominating convention last Tuesday and the other was held on Thursday. Each convention nominated a candidate for Mayor and two council members and the ground rules are:

• You may attend both conventions if you wish
  
• Candidates may be nominated at both conventions
• YOU MAY ONLY VOTE AT ONE CONVENTION

At the Tuesday convention, Chris Stevenson was nominated and placed on the ballot for Mayor where he had flooded the room with family supporters.

Here is where it gets sticky.

Over the next couple of days, Chris apparently called nearly every resident or registered voter in town to invite them out to the Thursday Nominating Convention. That seems fairly harmless, but he went on to tell folks that Tim Hansen was going to be put up for Mayor and he would recommend the support of Tim.

Now Tim is a good guy, but in no way is he Mayor material. And in NO WAY could he be elected to Mayor.

Why would one candidate for mayor be campaigning for another candidate for mayor? The answer is simple: Put Tim on the ballot and Stevenson wins by a landslide.

In the end, Tim must have realized he had been put on the chopping block when he saw some 125 - 150 residents pack into the overflowing town hall (about 3 times the number of residents that attended the Tuesday meeting). When Tim was nominated, he politely declined and a legitimate candidate was ultimately chosen (Jim Truett).



Here is the rest of the story. The attached phone message was left at the residence of Doug Allen by accident as Doug was also going to be nominated for mayor that evening.

And Ogden Valley, you thought brilliant schemes were only reserved for the big city. It sounds like things are about to get exciting in Huntsville, so we will dust off our old election coverage templates and give the candidates a sounding board soon.

Stay tuned and have a great weekend.

Powder Mountain Town News!

Theft, threats and attempted intimidation have now become part of the Powder Mountain town saga. As reported on the front page of Saturday's Standard Examiner, it appears that some of those who support the Powder Mountain town incorporation have continued to break the law in an attempt to discourage those that oppose the formation of a town without the consent of the residents.

Problems Regarding Powder Mountain Town Escalate

It is also a fact that these "anonymous" perpetrators have left behind significant evidence including electronic trails that provide valuable information for law enforcement officials.

This is a contentious issue, those citizens opposed to the town incorporation are trying to recover the basic civil rights for the

affected homeowners that were ignored by the onerous

legislative bill HB466. The affected homeowners did not have a voice in the formation of the town, their forced inclusion into the town boundaries, or a vote on the initial town officers.

One would think that every American that values the right

of equal protection under the law would be opposed to any

action by the Powder Mountain owners that denies those rights.

Blogmeister Update:

We will also include a letter to the editor from Liberty resident Larry Folker in response to Richard Schneider's comment that anti-Powder Mountain people are a vocal minority.

Large Yard Sale Today In Huntsville

We just received word that there will be a large yard sale in Huntsville today, beginning at 8 AM.

He is part of an email we received from http://www.huntsvilletown.com/ To sign up for their email list or to read Huntsville's archived newsletters, click here:

Last minute reminder... The first annual Huntsville Town Yard Sale
will begin this morning at 8 am. At least 32 residents throughout town
will be participating so be sure to make your morning rounds in search of some
great deals. A map of locations will be available at each yard sale
site.

Shop away and have a great Labor Day Weekend!

Standard Examiner Op-Ed on The Powder Mountain Road

In case you missed this morning's Standard Examiner,

read the Opinion section for an excellent summation of the

issues that many have with the safety of the Powder Mountain

Road.

Memorial For Tanner Krahenbuhl

A very nice memorial web site has been created for 16 year old Tanner Krahenbuhl, the young motocross-er who died Sunday evening on the Powder Mountain Road in Eden.

Visit www.TannerKrahenbul.com to view some fabulous photos of a young racer who was breaking into the big time of MX.

Here's to your next holeshot Tanner!

Mayhem or Mountain of Fun?

Powder Mountains PR nightmare continues with this front page masterpiece from the Standard.

Time is short today, but we will copy a portion of the original Kimbal Wheatley Manifesto written in February, 2008.

Mr. Wheatley writes:

We will make it clear that we will do everything possible to make sure any and all liabilities associated with the people who are injured or die on Powderville roads will land squarely in their lap. For example, two-to-three times the density means at least two-to-three the accidents. Based on the PERPS own traffic analysis, the excessive density will result in a lot of dead and injured people (based on the last six years, we can expect 40 dead people every six years from brake failure alone). UDOT and the Ogden Valley Planning Commission have weighed in on the risks of exceeding the capacity of the roads when there are limited options for improving safety (especially in Ogden Canyon, at Pineview dam and on Powder Mountain road), so it should be relatively easy to put the death and injury liability on the PERPS or its puppet town council where it belongs.

Prophetic or simple actuarial statistics??





God Speed Tanner Krahenbuhl - this one's for you!











We will end with a post from a very wise contributor to the Standard Forum:

By: MXFan @ 08/31/2009, 11:54 PM

Sad for everyone involved. The MX people that have posted on here need to take something into account. After reading through these comments, the local residents are not attacking the RV driver or the MX community, they are criticizing the developers. Keep in mind, many of the locals have seen this small community grow around them. With this expansion, they have seen accidents and tragedy increase ten fold. Their comments are directed to the Powder Mtn developers. If you build it, they will come is the saying, but keeping them safe when they do come is equally important. Many feel that Powder Mtn bears the responsibility of that. The locals are voicing that once again after this accident. The locals are not badmouthing motocross or the participants. They are using this as another sad example as to why Powder Mtn should spearhead the effort to make the road to their facility safer for everyone else that comes. There seems to be plenty of income flowing to this facility, but not to the roads that lead to it. It seems like the residents are more concerned than the developers. Prayers for the families involved.