| Eviction note gets noticed Special fiduciary says if you want to stay in Hildale, pay property taxes | |
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By Patrice St. Germain patrices@thespectrum.com | |
HILDALE - Sending an eviction notice to Lyle Jeffs, brother of fugitive Warren Jeffs, and instructing him to either pay his property taxes or move out was purely a test case, but apparently it worked since Jeffs went in and paid $14,000 in cash for the 64-acre parcel he lives on. United Effort Plan special fiduciary Bruce Wisan made that announcement at a town meeting Wednesday night that was well attended by apostates of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Members appointed as temporary trustees were also in attendance. Wisan also said many others living in the polygamous communities of Hildale and Colorado City have not paid property taxes and will face the possibility of being evicted if they don't pay the money. "Property taxes are still a major issue," Wisan said. "If you do not want to pay taxes, let's get on with it and do it. People who want to stay, pay the property taxes." But one Colorado City resident, Lenore Holm, who won a life estate on her home after a court battle, questioned why Wisan did not use the money from the sale of property in Apple Valley to pay the taxes. "What did you do with that money?" Holm asked. Jeffrey Shields, attorney for Wisan, explained that the property had been taken out of the name of the trust and sold to another company and if the court did not intervene, the trust would not have received any money. Wisan explained that the money from that sale went to the UEP trust, the financial arm of the FLDS church. It was used to pay income taxes, is being used to pay for the surveying of the two communities to break large lots down into individual parcels and to pay attorney fees. "Everything we do requires litigation," Wisan said. Shields explained to Holm that even those with life estates on property have been required to pay property taxes. Another resident with a life estate asked about making improvements to his property. He said previously, apostates were not allowed by the former trustees of the UEP to make improvements worth more than $500 without permission. Wisan responded that he would love to see improvements made and said all that was required was to obtain the proper permitting through the appropriate cities. As the special fiduciary, all building permits are to be signed by Wisan. But since he was appointed by the courts last May, he has yet to sign a permit, although building has taken place. Colorado City resident Laura Johnson asked Wisan what someone should do who was denied a building permit by the cities, which are run by members of the FLDS church. Wisan said those issues would be legally addressed. Wisan said he is also looking at leasing some buildings to businesses, including a high-tech business that would bring approximately 100 jobs to the community, and said he would like to see some economic development in the community. Ending on a high note, Wisan said several men who were forced out of the community would like to come back and one man sent a check for $1,000 for a lot that he had been assigned to as a young man and had actually poured a cement slab and laid footings for a home on. "He wants to come back and start building and I am thrilled with that," Wisan said. | |
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TheSpectrum.com Originally published April 20, 2006 | |
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