Township issue dead for now Those seeking changes decided not to accept compromise By MARINA O'NEILL _ Standard-Examiner staff SALT LAKE CITY - Efforts to tinker more with Utah's controversial townships law this summer are dead -killed by the very groups seeking the changes. Organizers of Utah's 15 former townships, now reclassified as planning districts under a state law change that took effect earlier this month, said Monday they have rejected a compromise brokered by Farr West Republican Rep. Marty Stephens and his offer to request a special legislative session on the issue this month. After mulling over the plan, township leaders said a special session would offer only the appearance of a compromise. The announcement was not without hard feelings: township representatives complained of being "shafted" on what they consider minimum concessions and Stephens said he was frustrated by the groups' apparent all or nothing approach. "They're basically saying 'We're not going to compromise. You're either going to do it our way or nothing at all.' And that's fine. The answer is - nothing at all," said Stephens, who hosted a meeting for about 20 township supporters Tuesday night. "In my nine years in the Legislature, I haven't worked with a group like this before," he said. "There either is no motivation for compromise or they think they can get whatever they want in the process. They need to recognize that chances are .. they won't get anything at all." "It's obvious we don't have May 13, 1997 the political power they do, we're screwed, we just have to incorporate" to protect community borders, said township attorney and Warren planning district resident Duncan Murray. "I'm not going to waste another 10 minutes on it myself. We got shafted." Township coalition Chairwoman Deyonne Walker, a member of the Huntsville planning district board, was more low key. Walker notified Stephens last weekend that his plan had been rejected by the coalition, but said Monday she is hopeful for compromise before the next legislative session begins in January 1998. Walker, Murray and all the Weber County township representatives left last week's meeting in an upbeat mood, saying the compromise gave them part of what they were looking for and was worthy of a special lawmaking session. The deal would have grandfathered in the smallest townships eliminated in this year's law, a step already taken by the Weber County Commission, returned the "township" name to the communities, and ensured they had 45-day notice of any proposals to annex their land. But it did not lock in their borders or give them the right to protest annexations directly to the Boundaries Commission appeals boards. And it split the difference on key residency requirements for the two members of township boards appointed by county commissioners. The current law allows commissioners to appoint nonresident landowners; township supporters vehemently want residents only; the compromise allowed one of each. "All of the townships that are involved in this feel very strongly about that," Walker said. And apparently the more they thought about it, the madder they got. "It's a bad bill, it really doesn't do anything. It's like a hamburger with no meat in it," Murray said. "The thing that's hard to accept about the Legislature is that everything is based on political power," he said. "They wanted to make it appear that they were compromising so that they would have public confidence." But Stephens said his efforts were sincere, if based on the political reality of opposition from cities and counties. He said he fears the communities will be hurt by not accepting at least the half of their goals offered in the compromise. "It doesn't make sense," an obviously irked Stephens said. "I would say that the idea for a special session is dead," he said, adding that township advocates are welcome to take a shot at a new bill next year. "I'm sure they can get a sponsor for it; I don't know who it would be. I just know who it wouldn't be." Townships Left Off Leavitt's Agenda The debate about townships is not on Gov. Mike Leavitt's agenda for Wednesday's special session. The Utah Township Coalition said it has met with House Speaker Mel Brown to discuss a bill passed by the Legislature to eliminate townships in Utah. The fifteen townships had agreed to support the proposed amendments offered by Brown, although some changes do not go as far as township proponents wanted. They had hoped the governor would put the issue to the Legislature. June 15, 1997 Commissioners to vote on township ordinances OGDEN - Weber County commissioners will vote on two amendments to its ordinance dealing with the seven existing townships during Thursday's meeting. According to deputy Weber County Attorney Monette Hurtado, the amendment will change the term for appointed members of the township boards from three to four years. Currently each board is made up of seven members; three elected, three appointed by county commissioners, and one voted on by the other six members. The county is also proposing a language change which allows it to adjust the terms of the elected board members to coincide with even-numbered election years. Hurtado said this will help eliminate the cost of off-year special elections. The commission will also be appointing one new out-of-boundary member to the East Huntsville Township. August 13, 1997 78