|
By Rosemary Pollock
Wendover City Councils Want Merger Referendum
WEST WENDOVER, NEVADA -- Two city councils joined sides Thursday
night in an unprecedented agreement to ask Congress to amend a
proposed federal legislation that will give the citizens of Wendover,
Utah and West Wendover, Nevada a vote in deciding if they should be a
single community. Rep. Jim Hansen, R-Utah, introduced a bill earlier
this year to accomplish just that, but without a vote from local
residents. West Wendover's lobbyist, attorney Marcus Faust, will
draft the new amendment to Hansen's bill.
Divided only by a line on the map, the two towns are noticeably
different. The vote would move Wendover, a town that is old,
dilapidated, dusty and laden with a $7 million education debt, a few
miles east and into West Wendover, Nevada. The Nevada side of
Wendover is a neon oasis in the desert and often casts a pall of
gambling, prostitution and liberal liquor laws into predominately
Mormon, Utah.
The proposed legislation will allow up to 10,000 Utah acres to go
into Nevada, although Wendover, Utah comprises only 3,500 acres. West
Wendover Councilwoman, Viola Troyan is concerned about the division
and the cost of incurring the Utah-side debt for an elementary
school, water system and the Wendover Airport.
Earlier this summer Wendover, Tooele County, Utah, and Elko County,
Nevada officials voted to support the federal legislation as it was
originally written. However, the council took a second vote on
Thursday and is now supporting West Wendover's concern over local
approval. West Wendover Mayor Josephine Thaut does not expect
anything to happen with the proposed legislation until sometime in
2002.
Source:
City councils seek vote on uniting Nevada, Utah border cities
Reno NV Gazette-Journal (AP) 8Sep01 T4
Associated Press
City councils seek vote on uniting Nevada, Utah border cities
|
