Eviction notices go out in Colorado City
 
By Brent Hunsaker
ABC 4 News
Colorado City Limits sign

Time is just about up for a pair of leaders in the polygamist community along the Utah and Arizona border. Today Bill Shapley and James Zitting were put on notice: pay up or get out. Their deadline clock began ticking Thursday. They have five days.

James Zitting was once a trustee of the United Effort Plan -- the trust owns all the property in Hilldale and Colorado City as well as other land in Nevada and even British Columbia, Canada.

Bill Shapley is currently on the board of the Twin Cities Utility Company and the Colorado City town council. This is just the first of what could become a flood of eviction notices in the towns of Hilldale and Colorado City.

The court-appointed special fiduciary, Bruce Wisan, who now controls the UEP trust, has been sending out a flurry of delinquent tax notices: 250 in Hilldale alone. More are expected to be handed out in Colorado City beginning next week. If the people will not respond to those notices, the next step could be eviction notices.

But Wisan hopes it will not come to that. Some community leaders, including one of Warren Jeffs' brothers, Lyle, have paid up. He is hoping that others in the community will follow his example.

Nonetheless, the standing order from Warren to his followers is not cooperate in any way with Wisan or the court. He's told them not to "do, say or sign" anything.

If that holds true, Lyle may keep his house, but many of Warren's other followers may be put out on the curb.

brent@abc4.tv
 
ABC4.com
Originally published June 15, 2006
 
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