Riverton
The draft resolution that could change the city's form of government is ready for a City Council vote Tuesday night.
If the resolution passes, a special election will be held Aug. 7 for residents to decide if the city should adopt a council-manager form of government. The idea was first presented by William Way, representing a group called Riverton Residents for Change in Government.
Way is now suggesting that a committee made up of members from his group and the council study the issue further.
"I think the council is definitely rushing things with their resolution," he said. The council's efforts, Way added, is an attempt to preempt his group's proposal and further points to the need for greater representation from districts. Currently, Riverton's council is made up of all at-large members.
Both Way's and the council's proposals call for six instead of five council members, but the resolution calls for three at-large members and three representing separate voting districts — the group wants four districts.
Councilman Galen Mills said he favors splitting the issues of voting districts and a new form of government on a special election ballot. He opposes forming new districts, "but I have no problem taking it to the people," he said.
Salt Lake City
A radical pro-democracy leader from Tonga is in Salt Lake City this week for North America's first conference on Tongan culture. Dr. Futa Helu, president of the Atenisi University of Tonga, will give the conference's keynote speech, "Tongans at the Interface of Cultural Contact," at 6 p.m. on Monday in the University of Utah's Orson Spencer Hall. Helu and Dr. Eric Shumway, president of Brigham Young University-Hawaii, will introduce the documentary film "Haka He Langi Kuo Tau" at 7 p.m. This presentation is free, but reservations should be made by calling 587-9570.
Tuesday evening, another free movie, "Rising Waters: Global Warming and the Fate of the Pacific Islands," will be screened at 7 p.m. in the Olpin Union theater at the U.
All of Salt Lake City's high schools will participate in a Tongan cultural conference Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the university union, with Helu giving the keynote address at 12:45 p.m. Admission is free.
Thursday and Friday, scholars from Tonga, Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand will join U.S. researchers at the U. to give presentations on topics including "The Challenges of Parenting Between Two Cultures" and "The Most Prevalent Diseases Among Polynesians in Utah."
Tongans and other Pacific Islanders make up about 2 percent of Salt Lake City's population. For information about this week's Tongan Conference events, call 581-8151.
Salt Lake County
As of Sunday, the Salt Lake Valley Solid Waste Management Facility, 6030 W. California Ave. (1400 South), is on summer operating hours — 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, effective until Sept. 30. For additional recycling and solid-waste questions, call the Recycling Information Hotline at 974-6902.