said he believes public leaders have a right to pray, adding he is convinced the authors of the state Bangerter also said he disagrees with a March 2 ruling by 3rd Dis¬trict Judge Dennis Frederick find- He wants legislators to guarantee wo-thirds majorities in both cham¬- ers so the measure can pass with- years to amend the Constitution. Such amendments can be put up for a general election vote only on See PRAYER on 2C STANDARD-EXAMINER WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1992 CITY EDITOR: 625-4220 AUGUST MILLER/Standard-Examiner Marion Hotel residents who were temporarily evacuated following a Monday fire sit outside the hotel watching workers spruce up the front of the building to prepare it for the filming of an upcoming movie. Residents return to Marion Hotel Emergency workers provided food, shelter for 70 displaced tenants By CHARLES F. TRENTELMAN Standard-Examiner staff OGDEN—The Marion Hotel let its tenants come back home Tuesday afternoon following Monday’s fire. For many of the tenants, that was just as well. Emergency workers responded quickly to provide them with shelter, but the new accommodations weren’t as much like home as they would have liked. “They put us on those cots,” said one man who declined to give his name Tuesday as he sat in front of the Marion, watching workers for a movie company repaint the hotel’s exterior. His feel hung over the edges and hurt, he said, “so I went down to the Rescue Mission.” The fire broke out at about noon Monday in a storage room in the back of the hotel where blankets were being put away for the summer. It forced more than 70 tenants of the hotel to leave the building overnight. LouAnn Jackson, owner of the hotel, said the fire was caused by a cigarette spark that got into the blankets some of the men who live in the hotel were folding up. The fire damaged an interior storage room of the hotel, she said, but didn’t cause any major structural damage. Jackson said the Ogden building inspector had given her approval to let her tenants back after doing electrical repairs to the building. Scot Safford, vice president of Kier Corporation, which is preparing to renovate the hotel, said his preliminary inspections didn’t turn up anything that would hinder that project. Most of the tenants of the Marion are older men living on retirement incomes, but a few are younger people working to get established. In recent years, the hotel has been used by Weber County Human Services as a transitional housing facility because of its low rents—140 a month—and central city location. The Bonneville chapter of the American Red Cross set up an emergency shelter in the basement of the Weber County Human Services Building, where 36 people spent the night Monday. Bill Spinks, emergency services coordinator, said another seven tenants with medical or special dietary needs were put up in a motel. Spinks said the shelter was staffed with a full-time nurse and volunteers. It was a “well-behaved group,” he said. Spinks said the Red Cross was See HOTEL on 2C Ogden approves fire study Agencies looking at consolidation By LORI BONA HUNT Standard-Examiner staff OGDEN—The city council Tuesday pledged $6,500 to fund a fire department consolidation study, and consultant Robert Hunter is breaking his contract with Ogden to head the project. “I don’t know what will come of this. We may come up with an answer that it is best to remain as we are.” Hunter said. Officials have been toying with the idea of consolidating area fire departments for about 20 years, Hunter said. Four years ago, a countywide committee was established to study the issue, but it fizzled before any conclusion were reached, he said. “Economics, and the fast-growing cost of the government forced all of us to take new looks at old suggestions,” Hunter said. Rocky Fluhart, Ogden chief administrative officer, told the city council desire is strong to “rekindle the fire” of possible consolidation. The decision to conduct a stud was made by officials from Roy, Ogden and Weber County, he said. Last week, Roy pledged $3,500 for the study, Hunter said. The Weber County Commission and and Weber Fire Disctrict are being asked today to contribute $6,500 and $3,500 respectively. North View’s fire department also has expressed interest, Hunter said. The council unanimously approved funding the study, which will tap existing studies and explore whether there are enough employees and equipment to make consolidation feasible, Hunter said. When asked whether consolidation would result in reduced personnel, Hunter said, “I would uspect there will be no reduction n force.” ever, he added, “Those ques- ‘t be answered right now, to answer them.: aid chiefs from all TUDY on 2C