CROSSROADS THE
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Connecting Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs
JOURNAL
EM Mayoral Debate
1st and 3rd Thursdays
No more minimal days for Alpine School District By Danielle Palmer Staff Writer
By Emily Fotheringham Staff Writer The Crossroads Journal moderated a debate for the Eagle Mountain mayoral candidates on Thursday August 8th. There was a good turnout of residents, resulting in standing room only. Four out of seven candidates chose to participate including Ronald de Robles, Christopher Pengra, Heather Jackson (incumbent), and Matthew Everett. Aaron Hobbs was officially excused as he had a prior commitment at the same time. Below residents will find the questions that were asked, some of which came from residents, along with a very brief summary of the candidate answers. The entire debate can be viewed on the Eagle Mountain’s You Tube page which you can access from the city’s website at www.emcity.org. According to the City Information Guide, the Mayor administers the budget. With all of the recent budgeting complaints, how will you make it better? Ronald de Robles (RdR)- Don’t spend more than we take in. Bring businesses in on a sustainable level. Christopher Pengra (CP)Money is only important in how it relates to people. Be fiscally responsible. Heather Jackson (HJ)-Mayor administers the budget, but the city council sets the budget. Working on citizen’s budget. Matthew Everett (ME)-Mayor can drive some of the budget things that happen. Department heads need to defend their budget. What are your thoughts on the new asphalt plant that was recently approved and built on newly annexed land north of the Staker Parson’s Quarry? Do you believe the city made the right financial move regarding the amount the city paid
for utilities to be brought up to the plant? Why or why not? RdR- It was a bad idea considering the financial state the city seems to be in at this time. CP-The plant is here so it is not my fault to assign blame-but do disagree with how we went forth with the plan. HJ- The granite company was willing to make a contract that they would put money back in the next five years-meaning that we would get 720,000 back even if they ended up going bankrupt. ME- Some things were done well and some I would have done differently. Learn from the past and make adjustments, I would have taken it slower. In the not-so-distant past, there have been complaints and concerns made by residents that hold some validity; one such example would be our utility issues. Many of these residents have felt as if their concerns have fallen on deaf ears. Do you feel that you are openminded or agenda-driven? What will you do to ensure that all residents feel that their voice is heard and that their opinions matter, while still doing what you feel is best for the city? RdR- Utility issues are probably more complex than we realize. I don’t think we are hitting the majority of residents and I have an open-book policy. CP- I agree that a lot of residents feel their concerns are falling on deaf ears which is a significant problem. There is some distrust and miscommunication that we need to get over. HJ- You have to be both to do this job. I love input from the residents but we don’t get it as often as we would love it. We have to move at the speed of government. ME- I would agree with the mayor that you have to be both. It is
important that resident’s voices are heard. I want to be out in the community more; every neighborhood is different. Where do you stand on business growth? Do you have any strategies on promoting businesses to come and build their business here in Eagle Mountain? Are there ways to assist current business owners out here to grow? RdR- There are a lot of home based businesses. I would help current business owners to expand. Allow small businesses to rent the strip mall facilities-such as what is coming with the grocery store. CP- I believe in putting your first priority in place and starting there. You should start with the home based and take care of them then the smaller retailers—could have been taking better care of the home based. HJ- It took 6 years to get a grocery store here. As far as small businesses we started our business incubator program to take care of them and have partnered with Utah Valley University. ME- This is a top priority and great opportunity to grow that aspect. I’m in business banking and all day long I work with businesses and build relationships. I feel it would be an easy transition. The city council voted this week to refund a bond which will result in just under 2 million savings. If you were mayor would you recommend the city cash out those savings for future projects, pass the savings along to the residents, or pay off the debt early? If you would cash out, what types of projects would you want to use the money for? (Resident question) RdR- Pay off debt. CP- Pay off debt. HJ- Either pay off debt, or give back to the residents. ME- Pay off debt.
A couple of years ago, minimal Mondays was adopted as a way to preserve professional development for the teachers when budget shortfalls made all day training an impossibility. Before minimal Mondays began, teachers were given nine days a year dedicated to professional development. When professional development days were discontinued, teachers were shocked because they needed the time for study and improvement, thus minimal Mondays was put into effect to provide this needed time to the teachers. However, the feedback came in quickly that it was difficult to make productive learning happen following a half-day of teaching, and teachers continued to hope for the reinstatement of professional development days. The job of mayor is surrounded by commissions and boards. How involved do you plan to be within the city boards and commissions and at the state and county level? What boards do you feel are some of the most important at this time? (Resident question) RdR- Frankly I don’t know how many boards are out there but you have to look at what would provide for our city. It is important to city to have those relationships. CP- I plan on participating. HJ-I spend quite a bit of time participating –including chairing and on the board for some of them. ME- Building relationships with neighboring cities—that is what I do all day in my profession. As a mayor I could continue doing a lot. I have noticed lately that there are a great number of our city owned vehicles leaving the city and being used for the employee’s commute. How do you feel about this and should the employee pay for fuel? (Resident question) RdR- Had to use a city-owned vehicle in his profession—weigh out which is a better option. Using for personal business-I have a problem with that. CP- I don’t think it is necessary
Families of students were also impacted dramatically on these Mondays as sometimes the minimal day was forgotten and students were left at school waiting for rides home. The quality of teaching is a high priority to the Board of Education and so this year they were able to fund two professional development days during the year, so that teachers can get some quality time for improvement, and minimal Mondays will be discontinued. Alpine School District sent out a note to all schools saying there will no longer be minimal days. The new elementary schedule will be as follows: A Track 8-2:15 Tues-Fri. 81:15 Mondays; B Track 9:153:30 Tues-Fri, 9:15-2:30 Mondays. AM Kindergarten 9:1512:00 every day, no early out days. PM Kindergarten 12:353:30 Tues-Friday, 12:35-2:30 Mondays. to take it off—need to do more research. HJ- There are a great number of vehicles that have to leave the city and several on-call employees. Terminate those using the vehicles improperly. ME- If a city employee is on-call they need to have access to the vehicle-but make sure it is being monitored. What can you offer environmentalist in terms of reducing our carbon footprint as a city and encouraging businesses to be green? What plans do you have to prevent further pollution? (Resident question) RdR- The vehicles we use create an impact idling. Recycling is a good program. Protect what we have. CP- This is one place we have a long way to go. I don’t consider myself an environmentalist but water running down the street is not a good idea. Possibly start a green waste pick-up. HJ- Replaced lights with LED bulbs. Education on bulbs in city lobby. Expand leaf pick-up program. ME- Pleased with the recycling program. We can continue to build upon it-two weeks isn’t enough. Provide recycling education.
Page 2
The Crossroads Journal
Thursday, August 15, 2013
EM City Council Candidate Debate By Danielle Palmer Staff Writer The Candidates for Eagle Mountain City Council gathered together on July 31st at 7 pm for a debate hosted by The Crossroads Journal. Each candidate represented himself in a one-minute introduction and had a couple minutes each to answer each question presented. There were six questions given, after which the candidates were given time to make rebuttals. Candidates drew numbers randomly for their seats and this decided the order in which they answered questions. We began with a different candidate on each question. This article cannot contain everything that was said during the debate. To see the debate in its entirety, go to the city’s YouTube Channel and watch it online. The questions presented consisted of four questions The Crossroads Journal chose before the meeting and informed the Candidates of one day in advance. Members of the audience submitted the last two questions. What is an action decision the city has made in the past you disagree with and how would you have made it better? Jessen and Free both stated they wanted to help inform citizens and help them feel heard in comparison to past decisions and administration. Pannell also wanted to take the people’s opinions into account as he had disagreed strongly with the annexation of White Hills. He was passionately opposed to it and felt it was against his will. Reeves also thinks more community involvement is needed before an item is presented in city council meeting and so better decisions can be made. Bradley: It’s tough to hold elected officials accountable when you can’t look at their vote. The mayor is now a non-voting official. There would be better representation and accountability if the mayor had a vote. As a representative, he would also make information more easily assessable, as right now it is available but has to be searched through. Westmoreland and Bray would not have voted to join the Unified Fire Authority. Westmoreland thinks it is too expensive for the city at this time (Bray pointed out increase property taxes). They both felt the volunteer fire department was reliable before. Ochsenhirt pointed out inappropriate amounts of money spent a year ago on a bathroom and said he brings prudence and experience in building and contracting business that would have saved the city money at that time. Does city code need work and what would be your focus? Most candidates stated that the city code is “huge,” “vague,” “difficult to read,” or “bulky.” All candidates wanted more focus on enforcing the codes now in place including city accountability, and reviewing the code regularly for needed changes. Ochsenhirt said, “The code is a living document meaning it has to be addressed on a regular basis.” Pannell added that the enforcement officer is only part-time enforcing code. We need a full-time code enforcer. Also the city needs to be held to the same standard with code. Bray sited an example where the code needed updating because of copper pipes stated in the portions about the waterline. Jessen disagreed in the code being difficult, but he sited issues with the code specifically in mayoral compensation being too high, and improvement needed in conduct of council members and the utility
department. Westmoreland: There is a growing trend that we become more reliant on government to solve our problems. If we have a problem with something we need to exhaust every other option before writing more code into the books; I don’t want to overwrite the code. What are your strategies to promote business growth in the city, whether it is assisting current businesses to grow or attract new businesses to the city? Multiple candidates stated the issue of Eagle Mountain being a two-destination city and not a three-destination one like Saratoga Springs, where there is more traffic. Westmoreland thinks business would help the city service debt, but you cannot talk a business into spending money unnecessarily. Because of our debt and utility rates and structure, businesses are scared off. Reeves: Best way to grow a business is to look at the resources you have to do more with less. We are growing at least three times as fast as the state with a higher median income as well and need to form an attractive business plan. Free stated economic development as a top priority to residents. As we grow, more of those businesses will look at our city as an option. Commercial businesses could come in, but it will be difficult as Saratoga Springs has the traffic. Ochsenhirt pointed to his past work in this area on the council, working hand-in-hand with private businesses. The golf course was a huge success where everybody won. With the bulk of that money was implemented into the business incubator program, which is a great opportunity for small businesses within the community to grow. In the short term, we will have more business base available. Pannell: Citizens live here because they love the open area, so there has to be good balance with business growth. Bray stated that as they attract businesses, businesses would attract more businesses. Jessen disagrees with the business incubator program because “spending $150 grand of residents’ money on supporting someone else’s business is injecting government into the business cycle.” He supports anybody willing to take a risk to offer a service that will add value to our community. “That value being defined as profit is what has made capitalism and the American society the pillar of the free world. But government’s role is not to create business, but to get out of its way.” He wants to encourage residents to create business themselves, and pointed out an idea circulating where an organization made up of business owners can be formed to gather experience on a volunteer basis. Bradley: There are two things that entice business: rooftops and roads. We need to continue to grow our roads and build homes and organically businesses will come, but it’s not the city councilmen job to use resident money as incentive to grow businesses. We need to make our economy strong and healthy so businesses feel they can come here and make money. Pony Express Days loses thousands of dollars each year. What changes would you make to make it more financially beneficial to the city? Ochsenhirt: Pony Express Days comes from individual funds and he loves it. Without fail, we all want it to cost less. We want to spend less but still want to have a big venue. The event needs to stay. Many people come into the city because of these events. It brings great things into our community. Pannell is passionate about Pony Express Days as he has actively gotten very involved in the past. He got people to help
sponsor and support the program. “We need to get more people involved in helping support the events and so we can keep continuing these events. In all the surveys people have said they want it.” Pannell says the biggest thing needed to cut costs is to stop renting bleachers for these events and recommends finding someone to sponsor the bleachers and so we can get it better established. Free: Residents say they are concerned about bringing the two parts of the city together. Pony Express Days does that better then anything else. If we get rid of this event, we get rid of the small-town feel. If you want to continue it, you have to be willing to pay for it. Maybe we should shrink down the size of the event, but keep it going and make it more financially feasible. Reeves has had community planning experience and the privilege of managing fund that go toward Pony Express Days. He stated the loss increases each year. Much of the loss is attributed to mismanagement by the city in collecting fees and paying city employees overtime when it’s unneeded. He doesn’t want to do away with the event. Jessen said we need to go back and actually see how much is spent on Pony Express Days. Residents want clear costs and ways to create revenue in the events. Sponsors are a great option. We need to make it profitable or at least break even. It is a great event to bring us together if it doesn’t accrue debt. Bradley Pony Express Days is great in theory but I don’t think it’s doing what it’s intended to do. It takes a lot of great city employees away from managing the city for a party. We have all this debt and we go on vacation every year. I don’t do that at my house when I have responsibilities. I am a fan of the idea, but it does not need to be 11 days long and cost a large amount of money. It can be fun, but it needs to be prioritized. Having the greatest rodeo in this corner of the world is the wrong priority. Westmoreland loves community events. “Everybody likes a good party, but if you had an adult child running up debt on a credit card and partying, what would you do? Does it bother anyone with the debt that this country is in to see when the president has lavish parties? It bothers me. Let’s look at ourselves. Do we live by a double standard? We can have these community events, but when we look at the role of government, it is not to finance parties. We need to look toward weaning these events off the budget and look for ways from a business perspective to make them work and function.” Bray: In Utah, tradition rules everything and we all love our city events, but there are changes that need to happen. Pony Express Days needs to have its own budget. We need to truly be able to see whether we are making or losing money. We need to decide on one main attraction: the rodeo or the concert. Other cities have all chosen one, not too big events. We also should look into changing the date, as since it falls on a major holiday many people leave the city during that time. I saw a flier from two of you indicating utility rates would have to be raised to pay off debt. Will rates have to be raised and will you raise them? Free: The number one reason people choose not to live out here is because of utility rates. One of the most important things to focus on is to lower utility rates. But as the debt needs to be paid, he stated he wants to explore more options. Ochsenhirt: One of the big differences in our utilities is our debt service. It does not fluctuate. We continue to monitor to keep it as low as we can. When possible to refinance those bonds to save money, we do. The problem is that it is not like refinancing your
7618 N. Silver Ranch Road, Eagle Mountain, UT 84005 (801) 407-1340 • thecrossroads@digis.net Managing Editor
Arianne Brown
editor@digis.net
801-669-3324
Advertising/Publisher
Stefanee Glass
thecrossroads@digis.net
801-407-1340
Inserts
Annette Heaton
3201 Barn Owl Way, EM
801-836-5233
Delivery
Annette Heaton
3201 Barn Owl Way, EM
801-836-5233
The entire content of this newspaper is Copyright© 2013 The Crossroads Journal. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the editor or publisher. The opinions expressed herein are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the position of the publisher.
home. There are large fees and penalties with it. I don’t want to pay the debt off faster if it means I have to pay more as a citizen. The more people that live here, the easier that debt will be to pay. If you want to accelerate paying off debt, we would have to raise your fees, and I don’t want to do that. I want to keep the fees as low as possible and I will. Pannell: We shouldn’t be paying more. There is a schedule to pay off debt. We own our utilities here. He wants to manage it correctly so we can pay for only what we are using. Bray believes our rates should be low. We should lower our rates if at all possible. A flier that came out in the city newsletter talking about the frequently asked questions about utilities and it said 33.33 people get all their salary from the utilities. Things like that irritate me. There is not clear budget accountability for where our utility fees are going. Jessen: Eagle Mountain is a story of utilities. A lot of things have been inherited from previous administrations. There are other areas where we are losing money. If we scale back on those areas, we can start there. Bradley: Lowering utilities sounds great but the reality is a lot harder then that. We own our utilities and that’s the facts. No one wants to buy them because they are so unmarketable. It is something we have to live with, and manage. There has to be a payment toward the debt. That’s the reality of bonds. But the fees associated with utility bills should be moved into taxes so it is more transparent. Westmoreland: Lower utility rates are not the end goal of itself. Lower or high utility rates affects our property values and how businesses view us as a potential location. It is important we get a handle on our spending.The only place we have to go when we are over budget is the utilities. When we have to raise utility rates, it becomes expensive for people and people think of moving elsewhere. Reeves: There has been mixed reviews about residents talking about utilities. It’s hard on some and not so much on others. The first thing needs to be addressed is that whether or not money comes from utility budget, it should be put back into the utility budget. Reducing the burden on our residents should be our first priority. How do you feel about urban farming? Should the city limit animals and how much? Ochsenhirt: Animals have been a hot topic. It goes back to the code situation, and needed enforcement. We need to be able to enforce the code that is there. The pet ordinances are needed. This current administration is working on this. We don’t want to
just pass another code. We want something fair and enforceable. We need to find some kind of appropriate enforceable code. Pannell: We as residents need to have a personal responsibility. If the code says a specific rule, we need to follow that rule. Don’t encroach upon your neighbors’ rights. Be responsible as residents. There wouldn’t be a regulation or law if we didn’t cross the line in that respect. There has to be limitations. It comes down to personal accountability. Bray: I grew up in a small town where it wasn’t uncommon to see chickens running down the roads. As others have said, government shouldn’t limit the rights of the people. I bought my property and should have a say on what I do on my property. If what you’re doing on your property infringes upon your neighbor’s property, government needs to step in as mediator. Urban farming is a great idea in these tough economic times. The city should do as little as needed to restrict urban growth. Jessen: The current code in that section is pretty clear. Let’s see if we can get each neighborhood to agree on something. Bradley: We have a great diverse city with all ranges of types of homes. This is why I am a fan of the idea of districting our representatives. This idea of districting will give us better representation. Could you imagine always living within a mile of your city councilmen? They could represent you in a more intimate manner. It could give our city better representation. You will know your representative is thinking about you. There is a time and place and we should think about districting our representation. Westmoreland: I would like to see the city get more proactive in encouraging education in agriculture in small ways to benefit the city. Reeves: What this comes down to is getting to that happy medium where we can have a certain amount of provisions required to have a certain amount of animals. Resident said she wanted to farm animals because there wasn’t a grocery store in our area. It can be better resolved by bringing in business. Free: If you want to have horse property you either have to go to southern Utah or go to Lehi, or come to Eagle Mountain. It is an asset we have to keep. We have a lot of room to grow. The only reason we are discussing this is because people have complained. During the rebuttal time allotted, most candidates simply reiterated their most important statements and did not attempt to debate any issues as most of them agreed on a large extent of the issues. For the debate in its entirety, be sure to watch it online.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
The Crossroads Journal
Page 3
Running where it’s sweet Little Corner Café in the Ranches now open
By Danielle Palmer Staff Writer
If you were anywhere near Nolan Park on Friday evening, August 9, 2013, you would have noticed a large gathering of happy people, all there to help a family in need. While there, kids enjoyed bounce houses, a fun run with various goodies and prizes; cakes were also judged and awarded prizes, with many of the treats available for purchase. All proceeds went to the benefit of the family of Mistie Gillespie, recently diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a disease characterized by weakness and rapid fatigue of the muscles caused by a breakdown in the normal communication between nerves and muscles. The Cupcake Charity, founded in April 2011, was organized to educate and assist individuals or families in the area who have experienced or are experiencing strenuous circumstances. Any money raised by the charity’s efforts is directly donated toward assisting these families. The board and directors on the charity work as volunteers without pay, to maintain their goal of bettering the community and “Adding Sweetness to Life.” In the past, the Cupcake Charity has assisted in PTA and cancer organization fundraisers, the family with a father with a cancerous brain tumor, a community member with heart disease, a family with a 6-year-old cancer victim, a family whose mother was lost in a tragic accident, and more. Dona-
tions are welcome to further the cause of this growing organization. “It feels great to be a part of an organization that puts on an event like this,” says Kiersten Nebeker, a member of the Charity board, “We had an outpouring of help from neighbors, the Sorenson and Gillespie families, and local businesses that made it all possible.” Indeed it is safe to say this year’s event for the Gillespie family was a success, as the Charity’s fourth annual race consisted of over 200 runners and there were 500 participants at the family fun carnival. This year also marked a new record for the cupcake division in the most cupcakes eaten ever. Two runners ate a whole dozen cupcakes and a third ate eight cupcakes. (Time was taken off for eating cupcakes during the race.) As an added bonus, nobody in the race threw up. Later, Mistie Gillespie posted a picture of her family with neighborhood friends saying, “This is where our hearts found a home.”
Then, adding, “There are no words to express the gratitude that fills my heart. Thank you to so many who came out to show love and support to our little family. We saw many long-lost friends, made new friends, and got to share in a really, really amazing night.” Events like this one can have a wonderfully positive impact on the families sponsored, but it can also inspire whole communities. These events bring together the community and unity within the city. The Cupcake Charity is far from being finished “Adding Sweetness to Life”. Those involved with the charity look forward to future opportunities to give to a good cause. The charity is looking for applicants and nominations for individuals and/or families in need for their next even. If you are in need or know of anyone who is in need, contact them at thecupcakecharity@gmail.com or go to their website at cupcakecharity.com.
Page 4
The Crossroads Journal
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Thursday, August 15, 2013
The Crossroads Journal
EM City Council Notes By Danielle Palmer Staff Writer August 6, 2013 Events/Information: The Crossroads Journal will hold a mayoral candidate debate August 8, 7-9 pm in City Council Chambers. It will be recorded and posted on the city’s YouTube channel. The municipal primary election will be August 13. Election information can be found in the News section on the city website. Early voting is open until Friday at 5:30. UDOT will be completing construction between Lehi Main and 2100 N on I-15. Plan ahead for potential traffic areas. Ribbon cutting for the Little Corner Café, located in the Ranches will be held August 12 at 2 pm. The First City-wide Yardsale will be September 14. Register on the city website. A map will be available online for sale sites and the city will provide cleanup dumpsters that day. Public Comments: Luke Pannell thanked the council for approaching Public Works about some issues. More neighbors are talking about problems with weeds coming up through their streets. Some residents sent him pictures and he will send these pictures to the council members. Public Works was doing crack sealing, but now there is debris all over the neighborhood. We appreciate what they are doing, but they need perhaps a street sweeping directly after the crack sealing to help clean up. Cory Doger expressed concerns about the Lone Tree West development and his suspicions of possible fraudulence. He’d spoken with the original owner of the property and was told it was dissolved in a bankruptcy and forgotten about. Before anything is allowed to move forward with the development, some research is needed. The administrators said they are aware of issues with that strip of property and agreed to look at everything carefully before filing and asked for more follow-up information. The mayor wanted to clarify since it is on the consent agenda. Even if the council approves, it cannot move forward until this item is taken care of. City Council Comments: CM Steinkopf talked about recent newspaper articles comparing tax reports for various nearby cities. He pointed out that EM is low in comparison and we are sustainable, which is great. Also, another article on festival funding emphasized the importance on city celebrations. Festivals help define who we are in our communities. He praised the parade and the volunteers that work on Pony Express Days. CM Ochsenhirt is happy to see people take interest in the city, as he’s spoken with many residents recently. He expressed concern about getting more involvement by Ranches residents. He encouraged people not to wash the streets and sidewalks during the hot summer, but keep the trees alive. Please save our trees. CM Burnham thanked those in attendance. When are we going to look at the animal court again? She also asked about bringing back the water ordinance. Seeing walls for the grocery store, but are we close to seeing any other building permits for other stores? Ifo Pili commented that there are negotiations going on with letters of intent. The mayor commented that these would be at least one recognizable name. Appointments for Cemetary Board, Marianne Smith until Dec 2015. Parks and Rec Board, Tyler Shimakonis until Dec 2014. Motion
approved these unanimously, and the oath of office was given to those appointed. There was discussion on the requirements needed for the item on the Consent Agenda that needed further research, Final Plat for Lone Tree West, Phase A, Plat 1. CM Ireland moved to remove the Final Plan for Lone Tree from the consent agenda and approve the other items. Voting passed unanimously. CM Ireland then moved to approve the Final Plat for Lone Tree separately with stipulations included. CM Steinkopf wondered about the worst-case scenario after this is approved is if they cannot find the legal owner to the strip of land. Applicant representing Lone Tree West approached the stand to talk about the process of identifying the owner of the land. He appreciates the concern, but he affirms the process has been going forward legally. Voting to approve the final plat passed with all voting yes except CM Painter voted no. CM Ochsenhirt wanted to clarify that the motion would be to perfect the documents to satisfy everybody and he hopes no one feels their concerns are pushed aside. Public Hearing for and Ordinance to add the Equine overlay zone to Valley View, as presented by Steve Mumford. The proposed zone is located north of SR 73 between the North Ranches and Meadow Ranches subdivisions. The applicant is requesting the overlay to allow lots between ½ acre and 1 acre to have equine animal rights. The area is rural/residential and was submitted by a resident who wants to have the ability to keep horses. Staff recommends the approval of the ordinance. There was one resident opposed to it at the first planning meeting. There were no public comments and the public hearing was closed. CM Ireland moved to approve the ordinance, and voting was unanimous in favor. Resolution to authorize the issuance and sale of not more then $18 mil aggregate principal amount of gas and electric revenue refunding bonds, series 2013, and related matters. The proposed resolution authorizes the city to refinance the 2005 Gas and Electric bonds to reduce the interest rate and total interest expense. The anticipated refinanced rate would be approximately 2.565, reducing the interest payment by about half. The mayor asked if we should have done this before, and also other questions to make this action more accessibly understandable by residents who want to be informed. It was related to mortgage. The loan is not being extended, but will stay at the same length. In essence, all they are doing is lowering the interest rate portion. CM Painter asked about the prospective savings from this action as of 2025. At the present value it would be about $1.8 mil in savings. CM Ireland asked if we kept the same debt payment by lowering the interest rate, how much sooner could we pay off this new debt? It was estimated that it would be about 2 years less. There was further discussion by the council and administrators on what the best action would be. CM Painter moves to adopt the resolution. CM Burnham wanted further clarification. CM Painter was moving to approve as outlined. CM Ochsenhirt didn’t think the choice on how fast this is paid needs to be made today. The option is still available. He would like to see real numbers on the option. Mayor Jackson pointed out the numbers would be given to the pricing committee,
not to the council. CM Ochsenhirt asked for an amended motion. CM Painter accepted the amendment to his motion. There was further clarification on the motion, and the vote passed with all yes, but CM Burnham voting no. Mayor Jackson mentioned she was glad that adequate time is spent on these decisions because it shows how much the council cares about these financial decisions. CM Ireland clarified that he would still like to see more options. Resolution to authorize the issuance and sale of $3 mil aggregate principal amount of sales tax revenue refunding bonds, series 2013. The proposed resolution authorizes the city to refinance the 2000-1 SID bonds to reduce the interest rate and total interest expense. CM Burnham moved to adopt the resolution within parameters given. CM Ireland had clarification to say “not more then $2.5 mil” and CM Burnham amended her motion. Vote was unanimous and motion carried. Council Business, Reports, Comments CM Burnham decided to vote against the first resolution because she feels strongly to get out of debt earlier. She thought it was a great idea to defund, but she voted no because of how they decided to do it. The meeting adjourned at 8:40 pm. Dates of future events are subject to change. Check the city website for updates. The volume of comments during meetings may not be fully included in these articles. More detailed information on city meetings can also be found at emcity.org, Government Transparency, City Council Minutes & Recordings.
Page 5
Thanks from Miss Eagle Mountain I would like to give a huge thank you to all who came to the Princess Tea Party and Creepy Crawlers events to support Miss Eagle Mountain. We had a great time dressing like royalty and learning about tarantulas. I would also like to give a big thank you to Tiffani Worlton for sharing her spiders. I've also enjoyed being a part of our growing community by attending the ribbon cutting of the Little Corner Café. Please join the Missy Eagle Mountain Facebook page to keep up with all of our upcoming events and activities. -Ashton Glass Miss Eagle Mountain 2013
Page 6
The Crossroads Journal
Thursday, August 15, 2013
SS City Council Notes Staff Writer
August 6, 2013 The city council meeting began at 6:30 pm. Those present included Jim Miller, Shellie Baertsch, Rebecca Call, Michael McOmber, Bud Poduska, Mayor Mia Love, and city staff. Policy Items Consent Calendar The consent calendar was unanimously approved, removing items A. and E. Item A. was also unanimously approved after some discussion about an emergency access road in the proposed Hillside Ridge development. Site Plan for Gateway at Saratoga Springs (Wendy’s and Taco Bell) located at approximately 1361 North Redwood Road, Elliot Smith, applicant. City staff reported that the developer intended to bump out one corner of the building to add additional freezer space. She also noted that the bell on the sign was too tall and that the menu board size also needed to be reduced. Applicant Elliot Smith expressed appreciation for the city staff’s professionalism. He said that the city was excellent to work with and that it showed in the high amount of development that was coming to the city. The site plan was unanimously approved with all of the city council members expressing great excitement for the restaurants to open (estimated to be November 2013). Municipal Wastewater Planning Program report. The report was unanimously approved. Revised Site Plan for Young Family Dental located at approximately 1416 North Redwood Road, Spencer Goo, applicant. City staff reported that the developer had increased the amount of landscaping and was now in compliance with city code. The developer had also added variety to the landscape plan. A variance on setbacks, however, was still requested. Councilwoman Rebecca Call thanked the applicant for listening to past city council comments regarding the landscaping. She thought the plan was much improved. Call expressed concern about emergency exits exiting onto a cobblestone path. She though cement would be a more stable exit route. Councilman Michael McOmber agreed with Call but stated that cement should be required only if city code required it. The site plan was unanimously approved. Site Plan for Panda Express located at approximately 1413 North Redwood Road, CRT Development, LLC, applicant. City staff reported that previous traffic and pedestrian access issues had been resolved. She did note that the requested signage did not meet code. Councilman Jim Miller suggested that the proposed stop sign be installed prior to construction in order to provide a safe construction zone. McOmber said he was grateful that the city was getting American, Mexican, and Chinese food restaurants all in one night. Call asked the applicant to consider adding a crosswalk area in the parking lot. She also thought there needed to be additional car lengths between the menu board and the pay window. The plan was unanimously approved.
Taco Bell/Wendy’s developer who had donated the land for a city monument. Mayor Love urged city staff to look into ways to pay for the project and present them at the next meeting. The meeting then entered into closed session.
FOUND:
Young Black Cat The Ranches, vic. of Wyatt Earp Avenue Call Diane at (801) 789-4149 or (801) 922-0950
SS City Candidates answer your questions, part 4 By Emily Fotheringham Staff Writer
The Crossroads Journal would like to apologize to Stephen Willden for unintentionally excluding him from our initial candidates’ responses. We are publishing this after the primary so that should Willden win in the primaries he will have equal coverage for the general election. What motivated you to run for office? Stephen Willden (City council candidate): I ran for city council during 2011 and earned approximately 45% of the votes, making me the runner up. I decided to run again after seeing the many volunteers in Jacob’s Ranch clearing mud and water out of the damaged basements of our neighbors during 2012. I love our city and the people in it. What do you think is wrong, and will you be able to make it better? Stephen Willden: Our planning commission meetings have been poorly attended by the pub-
The
By Jennifer Klingonsmith
Concept Plan for Heron Hills located at approximately 3200 South Redwood Road, Steve Larsen, applicant. City staff reported that the developer had requested that lot sizes be reduces to 9,000 square feet to make up for the four lots lost in order to enlarge both a future city park and the lots that abutted Utah Lake. Staff had asked the developer to consider combining two flag lots so that three driveways did not sit side by side. Baertsch suggested those lots have a common initial driveway that would branch off closer to the homes. City council members appreciated the applicant’s willingness to take their earlier comments into consideration. They liked the trail easement on private property so that the Lakeshore Trail could continue along the lake. Miller especially liked that residents would have access to an existing jetty once the park was installed. Councilman Bud Poduska urged city staff to build the trail as close as possible to the lakeshore rather than along the sewer easement. Private landowners would still be able to have private docks and access to the lake but the trail would go through their properties. The applicant asked the city council for direction regarding improvements for the park. Developers are required to install park improvements, then the land is deeded to and maintained by the city. The city council urged the applicant to work with staff for further direction. No action was taken on this item. UDOT property transfer for Right of Way. A UDOT representative reported that the transaction concerned a 60foot length of land near Pioneer Crossing. It was land leftover from the Pioneer Crossing construction process and was no longer needed by UDOT. UDOT wished to sell it to the city. Purchasing the land would allow the city access to some currently unincorporated land, which the city hoped one day to incorporate into the city. The agreement was unanimously approved. Reports Call reported that the Utah Lake Commission was mailing 1,500 surveys to Utah County residents asking questions about lake recreation. The commission would then use the survey information and prioritize projects and grants. She noted that the commission was awarded grants for phragmites and carp control. Baertsch reported that Terri Newell was the new director of MAG (Mountianland Association of Governments). Baertsch also said that as a city council member, she participated in police firearms training and fire department live burn training. Discussion of Entry Monument Staff showed the city council architectural renderings of the proposed gateway monument. It was two stone walls (joined at a 90-degree angle) facing the intersection of Redwood Road and Crossroads Boulevard. There was a large, flat piece of metal with the shape of a heron cut into it. There was also a large flowerbed in front. The monument would be about seven feet tall. But city council members were concerned about how to pay for the $55,000 project. At the same time, they didn’t want to disappoint the
lic. I believe city could improve on enhancing the level of detail provided in the Planning Commission’s meeting agendas. We are more likely to impact decisions and make a positive difference if we are involved in the planning phase instead of the final approval stage. What do you consider to be your political leaning (not party affiliation)? Stephen Willden: Having a firm and conservative foundation regarding the proper role of government and strong guiding principles ensures I will be a responsible advocate for our responsible citizens. What do you think the city is doing right and how will you continue that? Stephen Willden: The city is doing so well that the city was recently awarded the “Certification of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting” from the Government Officers Association. My professional career as a CPA, Vice President, Senior Risk Officer, and Senior Audit Specialist have been dedicated to looking at good things,
determining what could go wrong in the future, and formulating plans to make good things function better. Do you have financial leanings? Where should money be spent? Stephen Willden: I am a financial conservative. How many city council meetings have you attended, viewed online, or read minutes of in the last year? Stephen Willden: I have attended multiple city council meetings over the last 12 months and/or actively review meeting minutes, summaries of the meetings in the paper, and social media outlets. Describe a fair campaign and how you plan on running such a campaign? Stephen Willden: A fair campaign is when each candidate focuses on their strengthens, accomplishments, core values, and vision for improving our city. I have and will continue to focus on how I can best serve our community, and I will not speak negatively of any other candidate.
Green Thumb by Jennifer Klingonsmith
Landscaping Q&A’s: 5 tips to keep your yard neat, organized and less crowded Note: Over the next few editions, I will be answering readers’ landscaping questions. If you have a question, please email it to saratogablooms@gmail.com. “I have mature landscaping in my yard. I like many of the plants that grow there but don’t like how my yard looks in general. It looks crowded and disorganized but I don’t know how to change the look or how to choose what to tear out. How can I help my yard have a neater, more organized appearance?” --Jenna, Saratoga Springs Congratulations on having a successful gardening experience in Saratoga Springs! I understand, however, that it is possible to have too much of a good thing. In my experience, I have found that there are five key things that gardeners can do to achieve the organized look they once had when plants were younger. 1. Limb up established trees. Oftentimes, young trees have branches that are within four feet of the ground. This is fine when the tree is only a few feet wide, but as the tree grows, these branches can make it difficult to work or walk
under, as well as make the tree look like an overgrown shrub. Consider removing the lowest layer of branches. Before doing so, take a good look at the potential shape of the tree once those branches are removed, and only remove limbs of trees that are well established (at least three years old). 2. Consider removing shrubs that are too big for the site. The yellow-flowering forsythia shrub might have looked beautiful when it was a small two-foot shrub, but might look like “shrub-zilla” five years later when it has overtaken an entry way and gained an additional six feet of height and width. With some shrubs, like forsythia, you can control growth by pruning severely (almost to the ground) each year after flowering. Other plants such as smoke bush, are designed to be large shrubs; pruning them will only ruin its form, and it will continue grow and never be the little three-foot shrub you would like it to be. If a particular shrub is more work than beauty, consider tearing it out; it is most likely not well-suited for the site. 3. Clean up volunteer seedlings from existing perenni-
als. Oftentimes, perennial flowers drop seeds in the fall, insuring future generations. However, this process can often get out of hand and these volunteer seedlings can quickly take over flowerbeds. Consider these seedlings to be weeds and pull them out (or give them to neighbors). 4. Keep grass in-bounds. Edge your lawn regularly to prevent lawn from creeping into beds. Round-up can also be applied to unwanted grass blades. 5. Control weeds and topdress with mulch. Weeding goes a long way in helping landscape beds look neat and organized. Once beds are weeded and shrubs are removed or cut back, consider dressing all beds with two to three inches of mulch (this can be bark or decorative rock). Consider mulch like frosting on a cake; you will be amazed at the difference this simple step can make. Jennifer Klingonsmith is a landscape consultant in the Saratoga Springs/Eagle Mountain area. She specializes in landscape design and teaching gardening success. Find more information on her blog: saratogablooms.blogspot.com.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
The Crossroads Journal
THE CLASSIFIEDS CHILD CARE & EMPLOYMENT PRESCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES
GENERAL SERVICES
HELP WANTED: In Motion Dance Studio is looking for a Modern Dance Instructor and an Evening Yoga Instructor. We have 2 classes modern, 1 class yoga available. Call 801-8501497.
NEED CASH TODAY? Why hassle with pawn shops or trying to sell yourself? CALL US FIRST! webuyanythingofvalue.com. Guns, coins, gold, silver, furniture, antiques, vehicles, trailers, atvs, boats, tools, electronics, and more! You name it, we buy it. Call, text or email today. We are a local business & we pay cash today. 801-674-6480.
HOME BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY. Amazing video shows how anyone can be a home business success story. The hottest home business in the US and Canada! www.healthybusinessforyou.com (801 615-5127. E1003
CHILD CARE AND CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOL PRESCHOOL STAY AT HOME MOM has 3-4 openings for childcare in my Eagle Mountain home. Ages 4 weeks and up. 7am-5:30pm Monday thru Thursday (occasional Fridays). Call JoAnn @ 801-789-3779. E0905
READY-NOW-PIZZA NEW
$ 5 MENU
NO WAIT!
NEW MORNING EXERCISE CLASSES Start August 5: MWF 6am: High Intensity Training, Hot Hula, Muscle Mix. TTH 6am Hot Yoga. Schedule www.motiondancestudio. com or 801-850-1497. In Motion Dance Studio in the Ranches.
282 East SR-73
E1024
PERSONAL INSTRUCTION GENERAL INSTRUCTION DRUM LESSONS Fun, certified teacher, 42 years experience, positive influence, professional drummer & band leader, all ages/levels, studio in Saratoga Springs, references available. Ken Culmone 768-0708/367-2787. E0704
12345 67890
76 6-8 200
To place an ad in The Classifieds Mail or drop off your ad with payment to: The Crossroads Journal 7618 Silver Ranch Road Eagle Mountain, UT 84005 by Thurs, Aug. 29th by noon
Classifieds are only $12.00 for one month or $18.00 for two months. Add a border for $1.00 PER MONTH or a picture for $2.00 PER MONTH
30 WORD MAXIMUM For more information call Stefanee at 407-1340
is a FREE newspaper delivered every 1st & 3rd Thursday to over 10,000 homes & businesses in Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs • • • • • • • For information on advertising email thecrossroads@digis.net or call (801) 407-1340
EVELATOR
We Deliver!
Page 7
8/01/13 ANSWER: Elevator out of order
whatdoesitsay? Congratulations to David West of Eagle Mountain for emailing the first correct answer to last issue’s puzzle! He won 1 free medium pizza from Tenney’s Pizza in Saratoga Springs. The Crossroads Journal wants you to tell us “what does it say?” The first person to email the correct answer to this week’s puzzle NO SOONER THAN AUGUST 16TH will win 1 free medium pizza from Tenney’s Pizza in Saratoga Springs. Email your guess to thecrossroads@digis.net along with your name, address and phone number. Good Luck!
THE SERVICE DIRECTORY COUNSELING
HANDYMAN SERVICES
LASH EXTENSIONS
COUNSELING (YOUTH)
HERBALIFE
MASSAGE
HOUSE CLEANING
PHOTOGRAPHY
DARREN J. GILLESPIE, LCSW CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER 3688 E. Campus Dr. suite# 140 Eagle Mountain, UT 84005 Phone: (801) 661-4516 eaglemountaintherapist@gmail.com
Adolescent Specialist
Parenting Consultant
DANCE STUDIO
Page 8
The Crossroads Journal
Thursday, August 15, 2013