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Letter: New San Juan County Commission is a big improvement

(Zak Podmore | Tribune file photo) San Juan County Commissioners Bruce Adams, left, Kenneth Maryboy and Willie Grayeyes preside over a commission meeting in Oljato-Monument Valley, Utah, on Tuesday, July 2, 2019.

In northern San Juan County, Spanish Valley residents have been showing support for the change in the composition of the San Juan County Commission at most of its meetings.

The needs of Spanish Valley were ignored for many years by the old guard in San Juan County. Under the old commission, our main access road had deteriorated to where it was unsafe to drive at night and was only repaired after many calls and letters to the newspaper.

The new commission is a breath of fresh air to Spanish Valley. The commission listens to our concerns and responds to our views about the future development of the valley.

The old guard, several years ago, was incompetent in enforcing their land use codes for development of the area, and the county will probably have several new lawsuits from developers or the community when the county makes their final determination on a proposed Love’s truck stop in an established residential area, as well as on the enlargement of a private airport in a second established residential area.

Dividing the county or changing the form of government is an effort to remove the new commissioners by the old guard in the county. This was done in Grand County in 1990.

Efforts to change the form of government will probably be opposed by a majority of northern San Juan County. Please note the area has a small contingent of Native American residents.

Spanish Valley has a Northern San Juan County Collation (NSJCC) of up to 150 community members who are working with the new commissioners to develop Spanish Valley. Their opinion should be represented in future communications by The Salt Lake Tribune.

I could not be happier with the support we are receiving from the commission.

Bill Love, San Juan County

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