CANNON STOPPED BY • Congressman Chris Cannon
stopped by The Times-News on Monday to visit with
Editor Mariann Gibson. Cannon was in town to meet with
Juab County Commission.
By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
"You are small but you are right," Rep. Chris Cannon,
R-Utah, told Juab County Commissioners Monday.
Cannon and two of his staff members, Peggy Harrison
and Corie Norman, were in Nephi to discuss issues
commissioners considered important.
When Wm. Boyd Howarth, commission chairman, asked if
the fact that Juab was a rural county with a rural
population would make a difference in whether a lawsuit
against the federal government would have any clout.
Commissioners are not happy that the long-promised CUP
project water designated for end-of-the line delivery to
Juab County may be diverted to Salt Lake County.
When the cause was right, Cannon said, size was not
the factor.
Cannon was recently named chairman of the House
Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law
and was also elected as the new chairman of the House
Western Caucus.
At this time, he said, the once-planned Nephi CUP
water-delivery system was not the preferred option.
When Juab County people began paying taxes in
1963-1964 to assure that they would receive CUP water, there
was an understanding that water would come to East Juab
County.
"If we don't get our water, we will sue," said Robert
Steele, commissioner.
Cannon said Juab County had a good foundation and
legal evidence to support their cause. He also suggested the
county form an alliance with the Southern Utah County
Mayor's Association which has been fighting the transfer of
the promised CUP water to Salt Lake City.
"The South Utah County Mayors are your allies," said
Cannon. He suggested that one of the commissioners along
with the mayors from Nephi and Mona begin attending meetings
and join in as the organization battles with the Strawberry
Water Users Association.
Cannon said that the Republican party was strong in
Utah County and that no one seeking to be a mayor could be
elected without the clout that the support from the county
gave.
For that reason, said Cannon, the desires of the
Republicans in Utah County should have some political
advantage.
"We have been invited to join the mayor's
organization," said Howarth. However, he said, the
commissioners had not yet done so. They had tried to get
help from the Utah Delegation to Washington D.C. and had
offered testimony before the committee hearing the arguments
for and against allowing water to be sent to Salt Lake City
rather than to Juab County.
"I went to the Longworth Building in Washington D.C.
and gave testimony that we think the water promised Juab
County should be delivered here," said Howarth. "I saw you
(Chris Cannon) while I was there."
Quite frankly, said Cannon, Salt Lake County was
rather ambivalent about getting the water meant for South
Utah County and East Juab County. Those seeking the water
for Salt Lake City had been seeking to develop Bear River.
Environmentalists did not want that to happen and would be
happier if the South Utah County water were delivered to
Salt Lake City.
"I told them in Washington D.C.," said Howarth, "and I
still believe it to be true, that getting the water here is
like building a home--get the framing, power lines, sewer
lines, and water lines in today (in other words, build the
infrastructure) so that the house is ready to finish when
the time comes."
Commissioners told Cannon that they were seriously
considering suing the federal government for not holding to
the legal documents signed when the taxes of people of Juab
County were first raised.
"Where will be get the money to fight the government?"
asked Howarth.
Cannon said he had been successful in finding money
five years ago to help Garfield County in their lawsuit but
the governor had vetoed it.
"You are right, money is important, but you do have a
good foundation for a lawsuit," he said.
He did warn commissioners that such a suit would take
some time and would take money and that it should be
undertaken only if commissioners were serious about seeing
the matter to its conclusion.
Cannon has on his staff the former mayor of Payson,
Russ Hillman, who is helping with the cause of bringing
water to the south of Utah County and on into Juab
County.
"I will work with you, my office will work with you
and my staff will do all they can to help," said Cannon. "We
also need your help."
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