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By Denise Albiston
NIBLEY -- While discussing a $150,000 budget plan for the city's newest park on 800 West, council members found themselves arguing about the park's committee members at Thursday's meeting. Councilman Scott W. Larsen voiced his objection to the mayor's appointment of six people to a committee for the park and questioned why he was not made aware that this committee was being organized. Mayor Lynn Welker responded to Larsen's comments by reminding him that the mayor doesn't need approval from the council to appoint individuals to a committee; however, as a courtesy he had informed the council at a previous meeting, but Larsen wasn't in attendance that evening. "As mayor, I have the right to select this committee," said Welker. Steve Mecham, the city's sports specialist, also voiced his opposition over the members of the park committee saying that he has spent countless hours working on Nibley's soccer program and this park's soccer fields. He said those fields are the center of the park and none of the people on the committee have the experience with this program he does. "I'm frankly a little hurt, I have spent hundreds and hundreds of hours on these soccer fields and so forth, and my name didn't come up for something like that," Mecham said. A person like Mecham who has put so much time and energy into a community's soccer program should have been asked to be on this committee, said Councilman Jay Harrison. He said Mecham is obviously dedicated to the program and would be an asset to the park committee. Councilman Scott Wells said Mecham is considered part of the city's staff; therefore, it was anticipated that he would be an intricate part of the committee by advising and informing the members without actually being a member. "I have a problem with Scott Datwyler in charge because he has never played soccer and we have always referred to it as a soccer park. I feel like it's a slap in Steve's [Mecham] face and I would like to see him chairman," said Councilwoman Debbie Lowry. When Datwyler was contacted on Friday, he declined to comment. "It's not just a soccer park," Welker said. The idea was to try and put a number of people with different ideas on the committee so the members could represent all the different desires residents might have for the park, he said. The committee never intended to exclude anybody, he said, they all apologize and would like to extend membership to Mecham. He said this is nothing more than a misunderstanding and he always anticipated that Mecham would be involved in the planning of the park. "I get over things quick. I'm just a little surprised. I have listened to who you have on the committee and none of the people have been involved in soccer," Mecham said. In other business, the council unanimously voted to allow Hal Front to start a preliminary petition for the annexation of his 19.9 acres of land located at 4900 S. Hollow Road into Nibley. Larry Anhder, city manager and recorder said it is a definite advantage for the city to annex this property. He said this area is located near Nibley's main water supply and if it's in the city, then they can require that the owners use the city's water and sewer system. He said if the county maintains control of the area, they could allow the owners to drill wells and install septic tanks. He said his concern is for the septic tanks that could be placed on top of the city's water supply. "We are the neighbors directly to the west and are interested to see how this will unfold. We have questions about how services will get out there and what impact that will have on the area and the river," said Kathe Lison, a resident of Hollow Road. The services are already there, Anhder said, the city might as well maintain some control of the land. He said if this property is annexed into the city, then the they could place the same type of land use restrictions as the rest of the area already has.
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