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Downey Happenings 4/29/02 by Penny Greaves

Downey– Bannock County Commissioner Jim Guthrie has cleared up a major source of irritation and confusion between Downey City and the Bannock County Fair Board.

For several years, there has been an ongoing fuss about building a restroom shower complex near the RV Park north of the Bannock County Fairgrounds in Downey. The project was begun many years ago after County Commissioners approached the Downey City Council and offered to work with them on a facility that would be an enhancement to the city and useful to the county at fair time.

The commissioners co-signed the grant application, pledging the ground as their match on several grants through the next ten years. The city pledged equipment and manpower as their match, and the original park was built with a dumpsite, ten concrete pads, a sprinkler system and sod, trees and other amenities. Each grant provided another phase, and the next phase was to have been the restrooms.

However, Bannock County Fair Board representative Alvin Allen objected to the project, saying it would take away parking space for the Marsh Valley Stallion Incentive Association Horse Show, held during the Bannock County Fair at Downey Saturday each year.

The show, the biggest in Idaho, draws many participants and spectators, and the RV park is near Davis Arena where they show their horses, he said. Parking in the area is necessary so participants can hear the announcements from the arena.

Although a foundation hole had been dug by city workers, it was decided to fill it in for safety during the upcoming fair in 1999, and until the questions could be ironed out. The project has been pending ever since.

Former mayor Ila Mae Cunningham said when it came down to bids finally, there wasn’t enough grant money to do the project as originally outlined. Additional grant money was procured, but the question of location continued to plague the two governing entities, and the work kept being put off.

Now costs are up again, and again the project is too costly for the grant. Downey City had asked the Fair Board to come up with funds to have the complex built by a builder, but they had not yet acted on the matter.

Then Guthrie took matters in hand and went to the courthouse to search through old deeds to see where the truth lay. His findings have caused consternation, surprise, and more than a few chuckles.

The entire block of land belongs to the City of Downey, Guthrie says, not to Bannock County. The city can build the complex where they wish, how they wish and if they wish, he said.

Guthrie, in a telephone conversation, said there was no fault in the matter–it was simply a case of lack of investigation and communication. Apparently, according to deeds, the land was deeded to the county by the city in 1960, then deeded back to the city by the county in 1971.

He blamed the mix-up on the fact that elected officials change, and the new guys simply don’t know all that has gone on before. Acting mayor Ralph Riser says the Downey Council will take the matter under advisement. He has made arrangements for the grant to be extended until things can be sorted out, he said.

The late Willis Barfuss was mayor in 1960, and the late Clarence Brown was mayor in 1971, making things even more difficult to trace. Many who were serving as councilmen and commissioners are also deceased.

However, the first order of business will be to name a permanent mayor and possibly a new city councilman if Riser decides to go for the position. He was Council President at the time of Eugene Webb’s resignation last month. A decision will be made this week.

In the meantime, Riser opened the city’s safety deposit box at Ireland Bank’s Downey Branch last week and found original and copies of most of the deeds that Guthrie had found at the courthouse. Both city and county officials have spent some time the past couple of weeks simply shaking their heads in wonder that such an oversight could occur.

Marsh Valley High School’s Music Department will have their annual Spring Extravaganza Friday and Saturday evening, May 10 and 11 in the MVHS Auditorium.

The program will begin each night a 7 p.m. Admission is $5 per person. This is the biggest music event of the year at the school and will feature performances by the MarVals, Women’s Select Choir, the Marsh Valley Jazz Band, and other musical talents.

Vocal music teacher and instrumental music teacher Don McGuire will lead the groups. The public is invited to attend the program.

Woodland Park was a hot topic of discussion at the Downey Area Chamber of Commerce meeting last week. Acting mayor Ralph Riser and Chamber President Karen Bloxham led a discussion on work needed at the site, which has been an ongoing improvement project of the Chamber.

Downey City will purchase Potentilla to plant at the park, but it is the Chamber who originally set the money aside for the project, as well as for the sprinkler system on the west end of the park.

The Chamber was inadvertently billed the entire amount for the sprinkler system and the bill was paid, using grant money that was earmarked for the Potentilla. The city will now buy the flowers to make the grant complete.

The city was to remove wood chips from the site, and the Sheriff’s Inmate Detail did part of the work last year, and the new Girl Scouts of America troop under leadership of Gina Criddle and Kayleen Parke, worked some more on it this year. The city is also to dig up the flower beds, since there is a sprinkler system in it.

Once the beds are ready, the Chamber will schedule a planting day and arrange a work schedule. Jim Parke, owner of Downey Food Center, says there are several Boy Scouts in town looking for Eagle projects, and this will be pursued.

Althea Christensen, owner of Keepsake Kottage, a business to be opened by the first week in June, presented ideas she had come up with for a Thank You card to be used by the Chamber to recognize volunteers in the community.

One card featured a picture of the downtown area, and another featured an American flag. It was decided to have her make up several of each to have on hand for use by the Chamber. Envelopes and card stock are donated by Pennysworth.

It was also suggested that Chamber members once again be given membership certificates when they pay their dues. This was done until two years ago, and is a source of pride to those who are members.

President Bloxham reported that Downata manager Darlene Downs has received a large packet of free "Welcome" sacks which she will donate to the Chamber to be used for the Welcome Wagon Committee.

Members were asked to provide items for the sack. Ann Yearsley, Chamber webmaster and owner of Homeland, said she would gather materials as she visits businesses to tell them about their opportunities on the website.

The Chamber booth at the Mother’s Day Boutique was scheduled to sell homemade candy and two different post card designs, created by Yearsley. Volunteers were solicited to bag candy and price it for the sale. Yearsley was in charge of the booth, and will be in charge of the booth at Race Day on May 18.

Among items suggested for the Race Day sale were candy apples, popcorn and cotton candy. The Downey Lions have offered use of their little trailer for the booth. They will be using their fair booth to sell hamburgers and other sandwiches and drinks.

The Chamber will work with the Bear River phone book company to try to get some information on Downey. Member Joe Bloxham mentioned in March that the company had not used anything from the city, so the Chamber will try to rectify the mistake.

Bloxham suggested having a Chamber newsletter similar to that put out by Lava Hot Springs through the Senior Citizens. The publication is small, but sells for fifty cents a copy and has news from town.

City Arborist Wendy Anderson reported that she had learned that Three Rivers Resource, Conservation and Development, has donated a Pentium computer to the city for their Internet hookup. It will arrive in May, and the City’s e-mail address will be announced.

Gail Hancock announced plans for Race Day, which include an extensive car show, lawnmower races, and children’s electric car races. The event will be held at Davis Arena on the Bannock County Fairgrounds in Downey.

Jim Parke said he is working with acting mayor Riser to come up with an addition to the Downey sign north of town which will advertise the new city website. The site will be officially launched in the next month.

Parke said his Associated Food ad coordinator has offered to come to Downey and do a sidewalk barbecue for a Chamber fundraiser. This would cost the Chamber nothing, he said. Parke will spearhead the project and go ahead wih it. Yearsley suggested it could be done when the war memorial is dedicated, but no date has been set for that project yet.

happenings 4/29/02

Downey–It seems as if each week we are reporting the loss of a good citizen, and our loss in Downey this week is one we might term a good CITIZEN. Joe Gomez, for many years, has epitomized the term "American Citizen."

Joe came to this country decades ago from Mexico, but he decided he would be the ultimate citizen. He literally memorized the naturalization manual of the U.S. government, and I don’t think I knew anyone with as much knowledge about the government, the constitution and patriotism as Joe.

I knew little of Joe’s family, but I often heard him talk about America. He knew he was lucky to live here, and he was determined to do something about it by making his own little corner of the world a better place. All this was done quietly and secretly, so I won’t go into specifics. Let is suffice to say that Joe’s generosity and kindness were never publicly told, and his deeds were done under the guise of a gruff exterior.

I am sure his widow, Vella, will hear many tales in the coming weeks about Joe and his goodness. Perhaps it will be a comfort to her to know how many lives he touched, and I suspect she wasn’t aware of all of them.

For many years the community has also enjoyed the beautiful tulips and pansies grown in Joe’s yard. The pansies loved life so much they spilled over to the roadside, making the Gomez corner of the block a riot of color.

The Marsh Valley Senior/Community Center will sponsor a wide variety of talent on luncheon days during May and June, according to site manager Aprille Smith. This week musicians and retired schoolteachers John and Linda Bell will entertain with the violin and piano.

Other programs will include "Alzheimer’s Information Day" on May 7 with a video, handout information and a question and answer period; The Senior Citizen’s Band on May 9, along with the Mother’s Day turkey dinner, and again on May 23; a vocal program by Missy Newlan on May 16; a presentation on local features by ISU geologist Paul link on May 21; Bannock County Commissioner Jim Guthrie on May 38 to speak on local concerns; and musician Sandra Orton on May 30 with a musical and spoken program on the history of music.

Anyone is welcome to attend the programs and accompanying luncheon, which begins at noon each time.

Erwin and Twila Henderson had a visit last week from former Downeyite Bert Wilson and his wife, who recently returned from an LDS mission to Finland. Bert has lived and taught at Brigham Young University for many years before retiring. He is an expert in Scandinavian folklore with several books to his credit.

His parents, Bert and Lucille Wilson, are gone now, but he makes an occasional visit to the community of his youth occasionally. The Wilsons also stopped at the Downey Care Center to visit with Mary Christensen.

Erwin and Twila, who celebrate birthdays just days apart in April, also had a visit from their son and wife, Linford and Joann Henderson of Salt Lake. The birthday couple was feted at a special dinner at Me and Lou’s Restaurant in Malad.

Twila is excited at the announcement that their 22nd great-grandchild will make an appearance in a few months.

Eight-year-old Deja Hollingshead had a scare last week when a bad tummyache sent her to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy. The daughter of Neil and Jodene Hollingshead is now recuperating and doing well.

Downey City reminds community truckers that large refrigerated trucks should not be parked and left running constantly in residential areas. Those driving other types of semi are asked to use wisdom in parking so they don’t block views on corners and in front of other homes.

The City Council is also asking that all alleys be kept clear and open for emergency vehicles, meter reading, weed control and snow plowing. Utility people–telephone, power, cable television–also use the alleys. Some residents have used alleys for fireplace wood, vehicles and other items.

Canal water shares are available for sale from the city for yard and garden watering. For information, contact the City Office from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Morgan and Charla Evans have announced the engagement of their son, Ben, to Shayla Perry, daughter of Steve and Karen Perry, Afton, Wyoming. The couple will be married in the Logan LDS Temple on May 9, with a reception that evening in Downey. An open house will be held in Afton on May 10.

Miss Perry will soon graduate from Utah State University with a degree in accounting. She has been employed by Angie’s Restaurant for three years. Ben is a Marsh Valley High School graduate who is now a junior at USU majoring in animal science with a minor in business. He served an LDS mission to Richmond, Virginia. He is employed with Red Rock Ranch in Downey, where the couple will reside for the summer.

Mary Bair, the daughter of Robert and Carol Bair, exchanged wedding promises in Pocatello last weekend with Leon Dee Peterson, son of Malcolm "Pete" and Rosemarie Peterson of Pocatello. Mary is a graduate of Marsh Valley High School. She has worked several years in a managerial position at Arctic Circle in Pocatello, and is currently attending Idaho State University. The couple are residing in Pocatello.

Downey City Clean Up Days will be May 24 and 25. Large county dumpsters will be in town on the 24th from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., and on May 25 from 7:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. Only household and yard waste will be accepted at the dumpsters.

Residents should bring all tree and shrub limbs to the dumpsters on the two days, since the city cannot do the chipping and shredding this year. The site near the power substation is closed to dumping such materials this year. In addition, no hazardous materials will be accepted.

Members of the City Council urge residents to keep yards and vacant lots mowed and free of weeds to cut fire hazard this summer. Land owners are also urged to check for noxious weeds and keep them sprayed..

To assist with this effort, Bannock County Weed Supervisor Jerry Hobson has made arrangements for the working crews of five county weed offices to come to town and spray all infestations of noxious weeds on June 5. These folks are trained professionals, and will donate their labor to the city.

Downey residents who think they have a problem with one or more noxious weeds can contact the city so the crew will come and take care of it. Predator weeds can take over native plants and destroy cash crops and natural habitat. Councilman Dennis Phillips is available for questions on the project at 897-5911.

Dog licenses are due May 31, according to City Clerk Brenda Kay. Licenses can be renewed Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the City Office.

A rabies clinic has been scheduled on Wednesday, may 26 from 6-7:30 p.m. in the meeting room of the Municipal Building. Rabies shots will be $11, Parvo (Distemper for dogs) will be $18, and Leukemia and Distemper shots for cats will be $18. Dog owners will need proof of rabies shots when they purchase licenses.

Water meters will be read for the first time this year at the end of April and pro-rated allowing 20,000 gallons for each month since the last reading on October 31, 2001, the City Council announced this week.

Any excess water used each month will automatically show and be charged at the rate of $17 for 20,000 and fifty cents for each 1000 gallons over that amount. No watering hours are being imposed, but residents are encouraged to use prudence in conserving the water in the city system.

Experts say the cool times of the day–early morning, late evening and night time–are best for lawn watering. Time automatic sprinklers can water during night hours to even out usage of water in a one-day period.

Arbor Day activities will be May 17 with the opening ceremony at City Park at 9:30 a.m. Tree planting will begin at the north entrance to town at 10 a.m., according to City Arborist Wendy Anderson. To assist with Arbor Day activities, call Anderson at 897-5342, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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