<br />Commission ,for fundi,ng for expansion 'and relocation "of that sewage
<br />treatment plant, which is currently quite close to the town. It is
<br />supposed to be relocated with land application, hopefully, as a method
<br />of final treatment some 3 or 4,000 feet from the town.
<br />
<br />We have what we feel is a good, sound plan for the management of the
<br />utilities and the growth of the area. There is no doubt in my mind I,
<br />and in the minds of the townspeople that Grand Valley will be the
<br />center, or one of the centers, for oil shale development. Growth
<br />is going to occur without oil shale. I don't think there is any
<br />question about that. The development of 1-70 is going to provide
<br />some growth to the town. But oil shale is going to be the major
<br />boom. Without oil shale, I anticipate' in ,20 years the town may have
<br />a population of 4 or 5,000. In any event, the increase of another
<br />couple of hundred will, complete'ly overtax, the' system. These are some
<br />of the major engineering. facts about the Town of Grand Valley and 'why
<br />~e need this, system. because the town is on the verge of disaster and
<br />has been playing on the edge of disaster for several years with its
<br />water supply.
<br />
<br />with us here this morning is the Mayor of Grand Valley, Mr. Floyd
<br />McDaniel and Bob Witkowski. the Director of Planning for Garfield
<br />County, each of whom would like to address a few words to you, if 'they
<br />may.
<br />
<br />MR. McDANIEL: I am Floyd McDaniel, the Mayor of the Town of Grand
<br />Valley. For the past two or three years, we have been working with
<br />Mr. Carpenter in developing plans for a water project. As, he men-
<br />tioned, our supply comes from a series of springs located across the
<br />river, with little collection boxes into the old concrete storage
<br />reservoir. Then they are piped into town. We have a supplementary
<br />storage in th,e community. During the summer our water restrictions
<br />are three ~ours a day, three days a week.
<br />
<br />Our population has increased some. In 1970, we were officially at
<br />250. We are now, in,the last census, ,at 377. However, in between
<br />that time, we jumped to 500 because of the Colony operations. When
<br />they closed down" the population, dropped. We are now experiencing an
<br />increase, in population because of the construction of, the power trans-
<br />mission lines from Craig to Rifle. A construction ,company has come in
<br />and reserved every trailer spot in town. We have no vacant houses or
<br />anything like that. So by staying there a year, we are going to ex-
<br />perience some real difficulty this summer with the water supply.
<br />
<br />One reason for considering the construction loan approved by this I
<br />body is th?t Grand Valley now is, tax burdenwise. the largest in ~ae
<br />county, if not one of the largest in the state. I think our mill
<br />levey is somewhere, including all the various districts and the
<br />counties. and so forth. about a hundred and thirty-seven mills. I
<br />am sure if the C. B. tract,has been approved and there is a fruitful
<br />development there, we are going to see Union and Colony start doing
<br />some work. They are doing a lot of studies and have a lot of engineer-
<br />ing'projects completed, which would directly affect the Town of Grand
<br />Valley, because their access is through the Town, of Grand Valley to
<br />their private oil holding.
<br />
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