Friends Of Virgin, Inc.
P.O. Box 790005
Virgin, Utah 84779-0005
www.friendsofvirgin.com
If you wish to be removed from our email list please send a message to friends@friendsofvirgin.com.
Our Purpose:
To  promote the continued health, safety, security, beauty, and viability of the  town of Virgin, Utah, through the combined efforts and talents of the individuals and entities herein known as the Friends of Virgin.  Though the Friends of Virgin differ dramatically in viewpoint and political affiliation, they unite here to assist in informing and educating local residents and decision-makers; promoting openness in the town government and free access to its records; and encouraging public input as well as its serious consideration by officials.
Board of Directors:
Lee Ballard, president
Adele Pincock, secretary
Sandra Grow, treasurer
Linda Collet, director
DRD Properties South, director
Jan Walker, director
Comment
You may be wondering what has happened to us; our newsletter is much later than usual this month.  Our excuse is simply that we are busy.  Much has happened in the three meetings which have passed since the last newsletter.   Most importantly, the town is now considering certain changes which essentially represent a return to some of the hottest issues we addressed in 2002.  An announcement at the last Town Council meeting took some by surprise; we are to have three public hearings in February, all on the night of the Town Council meeting.  
One hearing will be about the draft of the new Subdivision Ordinance, which Lenny Brinkerhoff and Sean Amodt have been working to streamline over the past few weeks.  This draft is available for your review at the town office and Lenny would like to hear your comments by the end of this month.  
A hearing will also be held on the RTC ordinance, which has not yet been written. As you may remember, a committee was formed and began last month to work on writing an ordinance to regulate youth homes, or Residential Treatment Centers.    The committee has gathered mountains of relevant material to consider and is now in the process of compiling it to offer some food for discussion at the February planning meeting.  The planning commission should be discussing (1) whether allowing these facilities is in the best interests of our town, (2) under what conditions we should allow them, and (3) what limits we should put on this type of development here.  If you are at all concerned about this topic you may want to attend the planner’s meeting on February 6th.  
Finally, there will also be a hearing on a proposed Annexation Policy Plan.  The first decision to be made is how large an area we want to include in our future expansion area. This is a bit tricky, so we will give you the gist here of what we have learned from reading the law and consulting with the Utah League of Cities and Towns.  There are certain advantages to including all the unincorporated land in every direction.  The first is that the town will be informed of any development activity planned in those areas.  We must keep in mind, however, that this does not give us any actual control over such development.  Another advantage is that surrounding towns would not be able to annex the land in our expansion map.  Unfortunately, the law tells us we cannot include lands just to prevent annexation by other entities; we must be willing and able to provide services to the area in the foreseeable future.  Once we actually accept a petition to annex, we are responsible to provide the same services to all of the annexed area that we provide to those in our town center. 
The body of the policy plan is to include population and infrastructure cost projections; references to our general plan which might, for instance, delineate which types of development we would welcome where; standards for accepting petitions for annexation which might include such specifics as who pays for water and sewer line extensions to annexed lands, and more. 
At the January Town Council meeting the annual audit, which been delayed due to the discovery of irregularities necessitating further research, was finally presented by Gerry Buckner.  The most of interesting of his findings included that an employee had charged personal items to Town accounts and taken payroll five months in advance, and that the Town had failed to perform proper review and approval of invoices.
For those of you wondering about the status of our appeal of the Liahona Academy permits, as we have not been given the hearing at the town Board of Adjustment requested most recently this month, we have filed a petition in district court so as not to miss the deadline.  We now await an answer and/or the determination of a judge. 
Upcoming Meetings
Planning & Zoning (work meeting); January 30 
Planning & Zoning; February 6th at 6:30 pm (work meeting), 7:00 pm 
Public Hearings; February 20th 
Town Council; February 20th,  6:30 pm
HISTORY
(from the diaries of Charles Workman)
JANUARY 1896
6- Monday - (Temperature 18-48, weather fair) Statehood Day 45 shots at sunrise, Utah being the 45th state.  Citizens met at 11
A.M. at meeting house, and appropriate exercises were rendered.  I had a speech to 
render.
7- Tuesday - (Temperature 17, weather fair) School began today, second term.  39 pupils 
in the Grammar department, and 46 in the Primary dept.  I teach the Grammar Dept. and Miss Rachel Cottam the Primary.
8- Wednesday - (Temperature 24-48, weather fair, few clouds) wrote to Superintendent Webber of ZCMI today.  Co-superintendent of Schools, Levi N. Harman, visited school this afternoon.
10- Friday - (Temperature 20, weather fair) Ruggles Show Co. had an exhibition here this evening.  Josephine and I and Baby all went.  First time Baby has been out for several months, on account of whooping cough.
11- Saturday (Temperature 20, weather fair) Settled tithing today.
13- Monday (38-59, weather cloudy) quite warm today.  Just heard that the Diphtheria is at Springdale.  Received $135 last evening from the Trustees 
16- Thursday (Temperature 42-, weather 
warm - cloudy) had my garden plowed today.  It is said that the Diphtheria is at Rockville.  Whooping Cough better, most all are well.
17- Friday (Temperature 48- weather cloudy) Loaned Nephi $3.25.  Received enlarged picture of my Wife's Mother, $7.50, of Slawter and Walker, Salt Lake City.
18- Saturday (Temperature 48-64, weather cloudy) Bought 500 lbs. of hay of Bro. Hinton ($8 per ton).  Attended Y.M.M.I.A. this evening, 7 members present. 
19- Sunday (Temperature 41-60, weather cloudy, light showers P.M.)  Attended S.S. and P.M. service, Theo. Class. 
20- Monday (Temperature 45-60, weather cloudy) Apostle Heber J. Grant and Pres. A. W. Ivins of Mexico are to speak at Toquerville tonight.  Quite a number have gone over.