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Jed Boal reportingA big disappointment today for a chapter of the Sons of Utah Pioneers (SUP): The group found out it cannot go ahead with plans to build a monument at the mouth of Emigration Canyon.
Salt Lake City told the group it must wait until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on another Utah case that could affect monuments nationwide. When the city broke the news to SUP Sugar House Chapter leaders they weren't very happy.
"Why did they tell us everything was all right, and bring us along, and all of a sudden drop it? That case has been before the courts for two years. Why did we go through all of this work to find out it's to no avail?" asked SUP Sugar House leader Stan Fishler. His group raised $40,000 and designed the monument.
The U.S. Supreme Court decided two months ago it will hear the dispute involving a Ten Commandments monument in a Pleasant Grove park. A little-known religious group applied for its own monument there. Pleasant Grove said no, and the group sued.
At issue: Whether a private organization can donate a monument for display in a public park.
Salt Lake legal advisers told the city's public services director that the city must wait on the outcome of that case. "We ought to be prudent and wise and wait for the decision of the Supreme Court to know what new, if any, laws might result from that that govern or dictate the way a city government can deal with this issue," public works director Rick Graham said.
The SUP says the project isn't dead yet. They'll explore whether they have any options. "We are not out to sue the city. All we want to do is build a historical monument. If the city tells us no, we have to abide by that," said Rob Race, also with the Sugar House SUP group.
"We are not denying this. We are not saying you cannot do this. We are saying in this moment of uncertainty and chaos, please be patient with us. Let's see what the ruling is. When that's done, let's continue our discussions and see how we can resolve this," Graham said.
The city will put similar applications from any group on hold.
But the SUP says it cannot wait on the U.S. Supreme Court to decide. The organization says it has built more than 200 monuments across the state. We'll see if those are in jeopardy after the ruling, which may take a year or two.
E-mail: jboal@ksl.com
