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BRIGHAM CITY, Utah (AP) -- The Box Elder County clerk has determined there were enough valid signatures on a citizens' petition to force a special election on the county's plans for a $3.6 million justice court building.
The petition submitted by Idle Isle Candies owner Richard VanDyke contained 6,735 valid voter signatures, Clerk LuAnn Adams said Monday. VanDyke needed 6,115 signatures to force an election.
It is now up to the County Commission, which voted last month to issue $3.6 million in revenue bonds to finance construction of the justice court, to put the issue on the November ballot or drop the proposal.
VanDyke said he hopes commissioners opt against the election.
"They'd be absolutely nuts to try to backdoor what the people have just said," he said.
Commissioner Scott Hansen said, "I have no idea how we're going to address that. I think we'll start talking about it, getting the pros and the cons of it. We don't have to make that decision for quite a while."
Hansen said he believes the project will cost $200,000 to $500,000 more if ground isn't broken until next spring, due to inflation and higher interest rates. Officials initially intended to break ground July 6.
VanDyke and other opponents contend the project would divert money from the general fund and detract from downtown commerce.
Court fees and revenue from a new court security surcharge authorized by the state would be used to repay the bonds.
County officials say the justice court is needed because the County Courthouse, where municipal court is held, doesn't meet security standards.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
