SGR Meets More Candidates

OPENING: Sergeant-at-Arms Donald Ira Pendleton greeted Rotarians and guests. Ray Robinson lead the SGR Choir in a gentle rendition of "America, the Beautiful" to open the 3761st meeting of SGR. PDG Doug Quayle invited members to follow him in the Pledge of Allegiance and PDG Eldon McArthur asked for the blessings of heaven on the meeting and the meal. Greg Basso conducted a lucrative Horseplay with fines, in support of the Dictionary project, collected by Jack Petersen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: President-elect Grant Carter noted district funds for the dictionary project have been received. June McAfee encouraged participation by club members is distributing the books to assigned schools.

Grant also reminded members Fred Berthrong will speak on the subject of the RI Foundation at an All Clubs meeting at the Holiday Inn on Monday, November 2.

Board members are encouraged to attend the District Membership / Foundation Workshop on Saturday, November 7 in Provo. Watch for more details.

Greg Basso showed his framed Paul Harris Fellow certificate and medallion indicating a local framer did the work and is willing to do the same for other interested Rotarians.

PROGRAM: Terance White introduced three of four candidates running for a seat on the St. George City Council. First to speak, incumbent Suzanne Allen commented on SGR’s "dwindling club membership" and expressed her desire to return to membership in the club in the future. Now in her 4th term in office, "I was in my 1st term when plans for the new replacement airport were put into place . . . and I want to see it finished!" She also noted receipt of $70 million in federal dollars for the completion of an overpass from Dixie Drive to the Dixie Center. "We are players now and we have a seat at the table," said Allen of St. George’s place in Utah government. "We received government stimulus money because we were prepared to receive it with ‘shovel ready’ projects, but we (the city council) still has unfinished projects and ideas we’d like to develop."

Gail Bunker has served six years on the city council and considers herself to be "an advocate for the citizens of this community. I have no regrets about the decisions I’ve made . . . the votes I’ve cast, even when I’ve been the lone voice on the council." Bunker indicated she has been involved in the "Art Around the Corner" project in the historic downtown district and in encouraging the city to hire a fulltime curator at the St. George Art Museum, but "the economy continues to be a huge community problem."

Jimmie Hughes, the challenger for a seat on the city council, is a cattle rancher and a lifetime resident of Washington County. "I think we can all appreciate what our local elected officials have been able to accomplish, but it’s OK to vote for a new face who can see things with a new set of eyes and who has new ideas for the future of the city." Referencing Rotary’s 4-Way Test, Hughes indicated "especially 'is it beneficial to all concerned' should be a litmus test for the city council as well as for Rotarians."