By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Juab County Commissioners changed the borders of two
voting precincts in Nephi&emdash;the largest effect will
come in Nephi Precinct #4, the largest precinct in
Nephi.
The new boundary will follow 200 East and will travel
along 100 North to 200 North.
"No change will be made in Juab School District
precincts," said Pat Ingram, county clerk/auditor. "The
school district precincts do not follow the city
precincts."
For example, part of Nephi is in the school district
precinct which includes Mona&emdash;the precinct which Dale
Fowkes represents on the school board. The regular precinct,
however, does not include any of Mona in the four Nephi
precincts.
Nevertheless, at the direction of the commission, Mike
Seely, county administrator, contacted Superintendent Kirk
Wright by telephone to find out if the district had any
objections.
None were expressed, he said.
"I will make the required changes in writing and will
attach a map," said David Leavitt, county attorney. "The
replacement document will be in place the next time an
election is held."
Ingram told commissioners that any changes had to go
into effect before Feb. 1, 2002. If the modifications were
not made by that date, then they would not go into effect
for another year.
Therefore, commissioners agreed to vote for the
conversions and to assign Leavitt to make the appropriate
alterations in the precinct documents.
Earlier, said Ingram, she had met with Randy McKnight,
city administrator, and with John Cannon, representing the
state. All had agreed the change would be beneficial.
Ingram said that Nephi Precinct #4 is getting so large
that administrating it has become difficult. Counting the
vote has become one of the issues.
However, the greatest problem is that, while there are
already 995 voters registered in that precinct, the area is
continuing to grow at a steady rate.
"Registered voters living the area where the borders
are moved would not need to re-register," said Ingram. "I
can take care of transferring their records in my
office."
Those voters would be notified of the change and
prepared, before the next election, so that they would know
they were now in another precinct, she said.
The present precinct #4 would be cut by approximately
100 voters.
There are four precincts in Nephi&emdash;#1, #2, #3,
and #4.
Ingram said that there is a jog on the precinct map
which took two blocks from precinct #2. She said the jog
should be taken out and the boundary straightened.
Not only is Nebo Heights, included in precinct #4,
continuing to grow with empty lots being filled-in with new
residences, but there is a new subdivision, east of the new
hospital, being constructed which will also add to the
growth. Another subdivision in the area of the new high
school will also begin construction.
In addition, much of the farm ground which created
open pockets of land in that area of Nephi, has filled in a
home at a time.
"Another area that is experiencing growth," said Wm.
Boyd Howarth, commission chair, "is Nephi Precinct #1."
There are two subdivisions, one with several homes
already in place and others being constructed, and another
proposed subdivision, which will bring growth to that
area.
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