The Unmuddled Mathematician

Unfinished Sentences

By Chris Coray, The Unmuddled Mathematician

Maybe it is just my wife and her sister, but maybe it’s many more.  You decide.  Anyway, I am suffering with two kinds of communication or the lack thereof.  First, it seems to me with increasing frequency that my wife finishes my verbal sentences before I do.  I mean, I can be making a perfectly cogent statement about something of extreme interest and importance to every person on the earth and some milliseconds after my first words, my wife jumps in and finishes the sentence, the thought, the whole deal.  She’s fast and I am left with unspoken words, unsaid thoughts, and pretty much feeling like Charlie MCarthy  (look that up).  She tells me that I do not speak quickly enough.  Often she jumps in so early that her finish has absolutely nothing to do with what I was about to say.  This does not bother her in the slightest.  I can’t decide if she is using a wife-filter to make sure I don’t embarrass her in polite company or she has just gotten ever deeper in this habit.  But her sister is the same way.  I accept advice if you have any.

The other issue is in some strange way the inverse of the first problem.  Over the past few years it has become increasingly her habit to involve me in a game the kids call “Freeze”.  Not in the way you think.  What happens is that she will begin to speak to me but often she utters only a couple of words which are clearly going to be followed by more (mostly instructions).  But then she stops speaking, leaving me hanging and waiting for the rest.  For example, she will say, “Are you…” and then stop speaking.  Now I am in the freeze mode, waiting for the rest of the question.  I literally stop doing whatever I’m engaged in and wait for further data.  I am frozen.  But nothing happens.  Just silence.  After a while I will ask her if she would finish the question or sentence, as I do not want to be found wanting in the husband department.  But by this time she has mostly moved on to something else.  If I let it drop and go blithely on my way I take the severe risk of having her tell me later that, “I told you (or asked you” about this very item 2 days ago.  She actually thinks she did, when in fact it is not so.  Go ahead, try to win that argument.   Not wanting to take the risk of silence I have with increasing frequency asked her to complete her thought.  She is then as puzzled as I am.  We discussed this and this was her response, and I am quoting directly, “My mind had completed the thought and I’ve moved on”.  I’m sort of like a member of a pit crew in the Indy 500, watching the driver zoom off at 220 mph, leaving me smelling fumes and breathing dust. 

The smart move is to remain frozen in space and time and try to nudge her Indy car back into my lane and perhaps dropping me a verbal or mental note/hint about what I’ve missed.  She thinks I losing my mind because I can’t remember what she has not said.  Am I alone in my predicament?  I could use a little help from a support group of friends.  Reach out to me. But don’t kill me by starting a phrase and then after three words leaving me in the silence of the males.

Visions Of April At The Lake



Photo by Lauriann Wakefield



Photo by Tammy Calder

Photo by Jennifer Casillas

Photo by Scott Livingston

Garden City Rodeo To Be Closed During Laketown Rodeo?

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  March 20, 2014. Sim Weston, Mayor of Laketown, attended a public hearing held in Garden City regarding a decision to allow Jade Willis and Mike Knapp to sponsor a weekly rodeo during this coming summer.  Because it will be a weekly activity, it will compete with the Raspberry Day’s Rodeo that has always been sponsored by Laketown.

Sim Weston was asking that the rodeo in Garden City be cancelled during Raspberry Days.  He noted that Laketown has sponsored this rodeo for the past 25 years.  It has only been the last few years that they have broken even and finally made a small profit.  He didn’t think the two communities could have two rodeos at the same time and either one be successful.

Garden City Planning Commission indicated that they don’t have the right or authority to limit a business on the days and times they can operate their business.  They suggested that Willis and Weston get together and try and work out something that would satisfy both of them.

The Planning Commission noted that the ordinances allows for a rodeo.  The only thing that the Commission can limit are issues with safety, health, noise, community well being, or if the Commission determined that the project be required to be more in line with land use issues.  It certainly is not a clear definition of limits.  The Commission needs to determine if this project is in the best interests for Garden City. 

The Commission acknowledged that they have worked with Laketown for a lot of years and certainly do not want to change that relationship.  However, the Commission is also bound to follow City ordinances.

During the discussion it was determined that Laketown can seat approximately 2,000 people at their rodeo.  Willis has bleachers that can also seat 2,000.  With the number of individuals who come into the Valley during Raspberry Days, it would appear as though there would be no problem filling both venues.  During the discussion, it was noted that no one knows what the affect will be at either activity.  It was also mentioned that one rodeo could be held in the late afternoon and allow Laketown to hold their rodeo at their usual time.

The Commission said that they can grant a conditional use, but they can’t put stipulations on the condition use that covers times when performances can be held or include other restraints.  That is not within their jurisdiction. 

The Commission cannot refuse the conditional use permit because it is allowed according to the City’s ordinances.  The Commission needs to follow the rules.  Commissioners said that they hoped the rodeos that are held will be good, uplifting, and wholesome family oriented events that are good for everyone. 

As a result of the public hearing, the Planning Commission stated that they must give the Garden City Rodeo a conditional use permit.  However, they also needed more information so that they are aware of exactly what will be taking place with this event.  They noted Sim Weston’s concern that it would adversely affect the Laketown Rodeo.

The Commission asked if all 18 acres of land will be used.  If so, there is a problem, because four acres are in the County and only 14 are within the City.  They only have jurisdiction over those acres within the City limits.    Jade Willis, the sponsor of the rodeo, noted that he will only be using that land within the City limits.  He was then requested to show on the map the location of the various buildings, seating, corrals, parking and vendors. 

According to the City’s ordinances, a site plan must be submitted prior to the granting of a conditional use permit.  The Commission requested to see a copy of his site plan.  Willis noted that he was unaware he needed a site plan.  The Commission then told him he would need to at least draw it out there are the meeting and then submit a more formal one within the next day or two.

The City ordinance dealing with this type of event indicates that the use must not be detrimental to any persons or detrimental to the environment.  Thus, the Commission wants to see where the ingresses/egresses will be located, the people impact on the roads, how animal control will be handled, if dust and smells will be taken care of, noting if the outside boundaries are within the City,  porta potties, vendor locations, security measures taken, location of electrical connections, water rights, where fences will be, how animals will be loaded and unloaded and where, insurance policies, the location of the arena, announcer, and bleachers, ambulance on site, and so forth.  They noted that anything that deals with the safety of the community needs to be known to them.  Gary Cox, the City Administrator, told Willis he would be happy to work with him in getting his formal plan ready.

The Commission also made it known that on failure to comply with conditions set forth in the site plan, the Commission can withdraw the permit.

A motion was made and passed to allow Willis to go forward with his plans for a weekly rodeo in Garden City.  March 26 is the date his official site plan will be due to the City.  He was asked to work with George Peart, the building inspector, to make sure all requirements have been met.  Jade was also specifically asked if he would work closely with Sim Weston in ironing out difficulties concerning the Raspberry Day’s Rodeo.

 

Garden City Fire District Report

 

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times 

GARDEN CITY, Utah. March 20, 2014. The 90-day probation period for the new fire chief has expired.  Mike Wahlberg was asked to sign the new contract as fire chief.

Chief Wahlberg reported that there had been some changes in the remodel of the fire building.  The windows are fine and don’t need to be replaced.  Monies that were to be used to make that change are now going to be used for shelving.  The south wall of the training room will have shelving from the floor to the ceiling.  Along the media wall, the shelving will be cabinet height, and more shelves will be placed in the Captain’s office.  The fire department is in need of more places to store their equipment.  The shelves will help in taking care of all the items that are currently on the floor around the main room.

Chief Wahlberg reported that Engine 40 has been repaired.  Also, the fire district has started a wild land fire fighter I class.  There are eight students in the class—all from Garden City.  The State UFDA Grant money has now been released and was used to reimburse the accounts used for purchases made last September.

A water line has broken near the tender 40 truck and the engine bay door.  The water has had to be turned off while repairs are made.  The new cement and asphalt will have to be damaged during this repair.  The budget won’t cover this repair and the Chief may have to use some of the savings to pay for this cost.  This break falls under the emergency clause that requires an immediate fix. Lutz should be on site the next day to take care of this problem.

The Employee Handbook is currently being worked on.  Suggested changes have been marked in red, and board members were asked to comment on these items.  The discussion covered mainly sick days, vacation days, time off days, and so forth.  A list of government holidays is included in the handbook, but the chief has the freedom to choose other holidays instead of the standard because of fire danger during the summer months when his services are in greater demand.  The board requested that any personal days be cleared through the board.

Rescue 40 has had new tires mounted on it.  One of the previous tires went bad, and the Chief decided that regular tires would work fine.  The three good remaining tires have been put away and perhaps can be sold later.  They cost the District approximately $600 each.

The following responses for the month are as follows:  1 carbon monoxide call, 1 County callout, 6 medical assists, 14 building inspections, and 10 burn permits were granted.

Water rates will be increasing.  The Fire District may need to conduct a study to determine if the District’s impact fees need to be increased.  There is also an increase in property tax this year.  Inspection fees may also need to be considered at the next meeting.

Cisco Sonar

Cisco's Carp are Back!!
By Bryce Nielson

They never fail to amaze me.  The water temperature is their calendar.  They have been on the silty bottom of the Bear Lake Marina since November.  The temperature of the water has hovered just above freezing, little light has penetrated the ice and there have been no currents.  Life inside the Marina is much different than out in the lake where the water is always moving, there is more oxygen and billions of small fish eggs.  But here they stay,year after year, in a state of suspended animation, waiting for vibrations from the docks, and the beginning of manna from Heaven. 

Ed Note: My sister who has a cabin here said she'd never had a hamburger or onion rings or even heard of Cisco's at the Marina.  The first day it is open we are taking her there to celebrate!  If you tell the gate that you are going to Cisco's they let you in free and it is a lovely place to have a Bear Lake lunch!