Download Zipped File WP 6.1 0220SAOM.ZIP 6,600 Bytes

Utah Sports Advisory Committee

MINUTES OF

SPORTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Friday, February 20, 1998 - 12:00 p.m. - Room 405, State Capitol



    Members Present:                     Members Absent:
    Sen. Alarik Myrin, Senate Chair     Rep. Jordan Tanner, House Chair     Sen. Scott Howell
    Rep. Brian Allen
    Rep. Neal B. Hendrickson
    Ms. Lou Mueller
    Comm'r. James Soter
    Mr. Hugh Daniels
    Mr. Howard Peterson
    Mr. Randy Will

     Sen. L. Alma Mansell
    Comm'r. Brent Overson
    Mr. Lewis Billings
    Ms. Sidney Fonnesbeck
    Mayor Max Hogan
    Ms. JoAnn Seghini
    Mr. David Winder

     Staff Present:
    Mr. Brian Allred,
        Research Analyst    
    Ms. Patricia Owen,
        Associate General Counsel
    Ms. Beverlee LeCheminant,
        Legislative Secretary


    Note: Copies of materials distributed in the meeting are on file in the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel.
1.     Committee Business - Sen. Myrin called the meeting to order at 12:20 p.m.

     Approval of minutes of November 21, 1997 -

    MOTION: Commissioner Soter moved to approve the minutes of November 21, 1997 with a technical correction. The motion passed unanimously.

     Other Business - Mr. Howard Peterson told the committee that part of the Utah commitment in bidding for the 2002 Winter Games was not just to build facilities, but to also have what is called a sports development plan for every sport. All of the groups involved in the Olympics would formulate a plan that would meaningfully support a young Utahn who would like to move up in a sport and also someone who moves here because of the facilities. He indicated that there are some sports that have not finished their plans and some that have not established their plans yet.

     Report on Nagano - Mr. John Fowler said his overall impression when he left Nagano was that Utah can host the 2002 Winter Olympics in a way that will cause the world to remember their experience in Salt Lake in a positive way. He indicated that the trip to Nagano was 2 ½ hours by train from the airport and noted that Salt Lake is not going to be handicapped by a long trip to get to the various venues. He said he was impressed with the efforts Nagano had made to take care of the needs of the media and feels this is an area that Utah should study carefully in the planning and execution of its efforts. He told the committee that he feels that while there is much to do, hosting the 2002 Winter Olympics is not an impossible task.
    Mr. Robert Garff said he was impressed by what Nagano had done in preparing for the Olympics, but most of their money was spent on infrastructure. He indicated that he feels that Salt Lake can stage the games in a more modest fashion.

2.    SB 159 - Government Relationship to Olympics - Ms. Patricia Owen, Associate General Counsel, reminded the committee that at its last meeting legislation was discussed that establishes a command structure to coordinate the public safety law enforcement elements of the 2002 Winter Games. She indicated that the bill has two major aspects: 1) law enforcement; and 2) budgetary review language. Ms. Owen gave a brief outline of the bill.

    Sheriff Aaron Kennard, Salt Lake County Sheriff, pointed out that on page 5, line 2, of the bill, he has a concern as to people wanting to be on the command that are not chief law enforcement officers. He asked the committee to amend the language on line 2 to read: "the chief law enforcement officer from either Utah County or a municipality in that jurisdiction" to be consistent with the other members of the command. He also indicated that Ogden would like to have a representative on the command.

    Rep. Tanner pointed out that there are chief law enforcement members on the command from all the cities that have venues except for Ogden and Provo. He stated that he is going to make an amendment on the floor of the House to add chief law enforcement officers from Ogden and Provo to the membership of the command when the bill is discussed.

    Sheriff Kennard stated that in detailing the responsibilities of the commander, he would ask that the committee hold their position on the language that is in the bill as there has been some discussion of having the vice chair empowered to call meetings.

    Sheriff Kennard reported on his trip to Nagano and indicated that it was a good learning experience. He said he saw some security efforts there that Salt Lake cannot replicate here. There are ten law enforcement agencies in Salt Lake County that they are trying to coordinate their efforts in formulating a plan that would enable them to let visitors to the 2002 Winter Olympics move about unrestricted, yet make it safe, convenient, and comfortable for them. The "Government Relationship to Olympics" legislation will enable law enforcement to handle security efforts, but there is going to have to be a lot of give and take from every agency in the state.

    Ms. Mary DelaMore Schaefer, Director of Community and Governmental Relations for the city of Provo, stated that the city of Provo would like to see all the venue cities have police chiefs on the command.

     MOTION: Rep. Hendrickson moved that the committee give its support of S.B. 159, "Government Relationship to Olympics" bill.

    Ms. Mueller pointed out that the committee might want to address the issue of whether or not it supports the position of including law enforcement police chiefs from Ogden and Provo. She indicated that she would support that position and said she would like to amend Rep. Hendrickson's motion to include that support.

    Sen. Myrin spoke against the proposed amendment. He stated that his concern is that the command consists of 17 members and the people who are on the command have the ability to add members who will be complimentary to it.

    Rep. Tanner said he represents Provo and will try to amend the bill in the House.

    Mr. Ferris Groll. Deputy Commissioner, Department of Public Safety, said he discussed this legislation with the Public Safety Commissioner in Japan and the Commissioner said that one of the things to be concerned about is expanding the board into such a large organization that it does not get anything accomplished .

    Rep. Hendrickson's motion passed unanimously.

    Sen. Scott Howell distributed a document containing information from Nagano in preparation for the 2002 Winter Olympics. He said his overall viewpoint while he was in Nagano is that Utah may have to invest more dollars into the 2002 Winter Olympics. He indicated that he does not feel that Salt Lake's budget is realistic in order to host the 2002 Winter Olympic Games the way it needs to be done.

3.    SB 188 - State Olympic Coordination Amendments - Ms. Patricia Owen, Associate General Counsel, said SB 188 does four things: 1) it changes the name of the State Olympic Coordinator to the State Olympic Officer; 2) it clarifies the treatment of the State Olympic Officer's retirement to make it more consistent with directors of departments; 3) it addresses the relationship between the State Olympic Officer and the Utah Sports Authority; and 4) it addresses the disbursement of the monies in the Olympic Special Revenue Fund when the reimbursement occurs from the Organizing Committee and is disbursed back to the state and local governments. She distributed some amendments to the bill and indicated that the amendments add some clarity into the disbursement process of how interest is going to be addressed so it creates a clearer formula of how the disbursement will occur.

    Ms. Mueller said that with the governor's comment that the Olympics might need more funding and more taxpayer dollars, she hesitates to optimistically think that rural Utah will receive their portion of the disbursement. Rep. Tanner said the SLOC and the state are committed that the city and county portions of the disbursement will be returned. Sen. Myrin pointed out that many of the areas in the state will have a legacy and any monies beyond the funding that is currently going from the state into the Olympics can and should be done out of ongoing state budgets.

    Sen. Howell told Ms. Mueller that the people she represents need to know that there will be great economic benefits from the Olympics for their counties and municipalities.

    Ms. Mueller said that she feels it is essential for the committee, the SLOC, and others working with the Olympics planning to involve outlying areas of the state in cultural and other Olympic programs. Mr. Robert Garff stated that SLOC's public relations officer has the intention of bringing cultural programs to every community in the state in the next four years and that it is starting to take place.

     MOTION: Sen. Howell moved that the committee support S.B. 188, "State Olympic Coordination Amendments". The motion passed unanimously.

4.    SJR 14 - Resolution Addressing Olympic Financing - Sen. Myrin stated that SJR 14 is a resolution that is being worked on which deals with bonding for the village at the University of Utah and there are some difficult issues in it that still need to be resolved.

    Rep. Tanner informed the committee that Rep. Buckner is proposing a resolution on tightening up the IOC Athletic Drug Testing Policy because of some of the things that occurred in Japan.

    Ms. Owen said another bill that raises some discussion is H.B. 371, Taxing Authority Amendments." This bill was drafted to add clarity in the code as to how certain transactions will be taxed relating to Olympic activities, such as hotel tickets and merchandise.

    Sen. Myrin informed the committee that its next meeting will be held in Wasatch County to give the members an opportunity to visit the venue there.

     MOTION: Sen. Howell moved to adjourn at 1:40 p.m. The motion passed unanimously.

[Back to the Interim Directory][Back to the Monthly Schedule][Back to the Committee Listing] Utah State Legislature