Mayor Maynot

Mayor Maynot

Last night’s city council was an interesting lesson on bullying. 

Gratitude was expressed for the fire departments fine work on last weeks fire at the Moqui motel.

A yearly report on the scenic byway 12 through Escalante was presented. We have a new overlook at the head of the rocks going towards Calf Creek. An updated visitor center and rest rooms in Red Canyon will be open soon. Too bad, the timing wasn’t better, those tourists who are traveling now will just have to hold it a little longer. 100,000 new tourist guides for Highway 12 are available by mail if you want one, or get one at local businesses.

August 7 will be a momentous day when the Bike tour of Utah comes through town. We were told to get out our cow bells to cheer them on when they pass through. A kind of rolling barricade will precede them to provide safety along the narrow roads. We were assured that they know what they are doing in moving this barrier to give safe passage for the riders. 

My lights? Seems they just like my attendance at city council. No decision was made pending phone calls to the business owner that is renting the old seminary building. We were reminded that this is a can of worms and not to open the matter. In my experience of catching and selling worms in my younger days, if you have a can of worms, you better go fishing and use them up or they will stink like the dickens ... and what about the people who are afraid of the dark? They like the Motel 6 slogan: We’ll leave the light on for you. What about liability, and safety? Someone said they almost tripped when they came into city council because the street light was out. Hmmm, how about calling Garkane and having them replace the light by the city building. The light in question is around the corner and blocked from emitting any light on the city building. If ever I want to read at night in my bedroom, I don’t even have to turn the lights on.

After the fire last week, the fire department is requesting new equipment to replace, update and repair failing parts and clothing. They were asked to prioritize their items as the whole list is many tens of thousands of dollars. Hopefully, monies will be found and allocated so that future fires will still be managed in a professional manner.

This brings us to Mayor Maynot.  A longtime local business here in town told us that they want to place a new sign on main street. They told the town people attending that this was not our concern, they only wanted to address the city council. The sign will paid for and belong to the business. At a cost of 25 to 30 thousand dollars. They will use it to advertise  and promote their own agenda. They gave a copy of the sign to the council members and said that it may or may not look like the picture. They will have exclusive control over the content of the messages. They told us that they may or may not allow local messages on the sign. It may or may not be a flashing or blinking sign, but that it will be lit by LED’s. You know the kind, the ones they use at the games to flash advertising to the fans. We heard one argument that flashing signs are not allowed on main street, and that it may or may not be permitted under existing city ordinances. The strong-arm bullies were flexing their muscles when they said ... you will take our sign and like it, or we will take our money and leave.

My question is this: Why didn’t this sign have to go through Planning and Zoning like other signs? Does it comply with existing ordinances?

Mayor Maynot said that as part of his campaign promise to update Escalante this sign would help fulfill his prophecy. He said that if the sign was approved in this meeting that he would get together with the powers that be and make sure everyone would be happy. Well, Mayor Maynot ... we will hold you to that promise!