Approved Items Since July 1, 2011 plus a few other notables:

• Approved three new Zoning Districts for downtown.
• $20,020 for the purpose of procuring services provided by the Provo Downtown Business Alliance through September 30, 2011
• Funding and hiring of Downtown Economic Development Coordinator, Dave Oka
• Adoption of the Provo City Vision 2030 Plan as an advisory guide and plan for decision making and policy formation within Provo City
• Appropriated $125,000 for Roasted Artichoke demolition
• Established a commercial building Self-Help Paint Grant Program for Downtown Provo
• Continuation of Provo City Justice Court in Downtown
• Purchase of Hotel Roberts property and subsequent sale to LDS Church
• Approved Downtown Incentive Package for new businesses
• Approved downtown blade sign grant program
• Continuing discussion with the Landmarks Commission
• NuSkin 100 West Street closure and expansion approvals
• Funding for Downtown Street Study
• Adjusted minimum housing size standards for Center Street
• Permit on-premise consumption of beer on Sundays
• Recreation Center has  been approved by the voter, money appropriated and ground broken for construction
• Approved Getting Ready for the Convention Center Strategic Plan
• Funded Downtown Center Street cleaning through the remainder of the year and adopted intent statement identifying this as a continuing City responsibility
• Intent that Center Street and Univ. Avenue should be viewed as a linear park and as such have a different level of service in the City than other streets
• Downtown model funding (you can see it in the foyer of the City Center)

Upcoming Items

• A resolution appropriating $45,375 Provo City*s being a board member of Downtown Provo, Inc. and outlining requirements for Downtown Provo Inc. to continue to receive quarterly grants that total $181,500
• Up front contract in lieu of future contributions for services.
• Snow removal in Downtown Provo
• Reallocating $160,000 of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to the facade grant program and a commercial building rehabilitation program
• New Downtown commercial building rehabilitation loan program

Recent Intent Statements Adopted

It is the legislative intent and policy of the Municipal Council to consider Center Street, from 500 West to 200 East, and University Avenue, from 500 North to 200 South, as an urban park and pedestrian mall and will consider alternative levels of service for this public realm.

It is the legislative intent and policy of the Municipal Council to that the following roles in Downtown Provo are the responsibility of the City and will be adequately funded:

• Regulation
• Planning
• Installation and maintenance of infrastructure, including cleaning and snow removal
• Economic Development
• Parking
• Stakeholder coordination
• Facilitation and capacity building

Furthermore, it is the policy of the Council that other Downtown Provo roles are the primary responsibility of other stakeholders. These roles include:

• Marketing and Branding
• Farmer*s Market
• Advocacy
• Visitor*s Welcome and Information Services
• Entertainment: spaces and venues (other than the Covey Center)
• Public Transit
• Fundraising

However, it should be noted that it is also the policy of the Council that the City may have a role in helping facilitate the above roles through policy and funding facilitation as permitted by law.

My thoughts heading into the iProvo discussion:

First, we are dealing with decisions that were made by previous elected officials. It is not helpful at this junction to discuss issues of the “proper role of government”. We are now trying to make the best decision possible with the facts and situation at hand.

Second, I believe that the fiber not only has value now, but will be valuable in the future for not only the community, but also for economic development and emerging technologies.

Third, I am looking for an option that reduces, as quickly as possible the obligation of our residents to support the payment of this bond.

Fourth, we have an obligation, whether we like it or not to pay this bond.

Fifth, I do not want a decision that causes our residents to have to pay for something and derive no value from it or have the community derive no value.

Please read the materials, watch the videos, look at the documents. Come prepared to comment and you are always welcome to send me your thoughts as well. You can add comments below in the comment section, as well. I’ve sat through a significant number of meetings on this subject while on the council. While it may not be the best situation, I agree with Mayor John Curtis that there are “least bad options”.

The materials:

Provo Mayor Blogspot – What’s the Latest…
Public Meeting that discusses the options.
Provo Mayor Blogspot – Background in iProvo Utility Charge
Salt Lake Tribune article
Daily Herald article
Our Provo Facebook Discussion Group-iProvo topic (You may need to search through some of the topic threads.)
Jesse Harris – Municipal Telecom Advocate video

The meetings:

The Provo council will discuss the proposed iProvo rate increase in a study meeting 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in Room 310 of the Provo City Center, 351 W. Center St. Public comment will be accepted that night at a public hearing during the regular council meeting starting 7 p.m. in the Municipal Council Chambers. The regular meeting is also broadcast on Provo’s Channel 17 and streamed live at bit.ly/aYISYy.

I had 82 respondents. Forty-one of those responded: No. Forty-one of those responded: Yes…to one of the other options.

I think that we may see an annual Truth in Taxation hearing as part of the budget process so that Provo Citizens can take advantage of an opportunity to be informed and aware of the budget priorities.

Here is the Council’s official information on this year’s process. You can also watch or listen to the Truth in Taxation hearings here. Click on the Miscellaneous tab and the recordings are on July 25, August 4, and the final hearings August 9th.

Thank you to those that provided some really great comments and discussion points about their hopes for Provo and our community. I’d like to share several with you. Hopefully, they will lead to more discussion about the types and levels of service we offer in the community.

Your comments:

• It takes money to have all the services we enjoy. I am so grateful for 911 service, safe, beautiful parks, a swimming pool, streets and traffic control, a commercial airport, etc. I am happy to pay my part for the many services provided by Provo city.
• While I personally would like to see everything funded and am willing personally to have a tax increase to cover it, I am very aware of the burden that this would place on those who are on fixed incomes. In addition, there have recently been increases in property taxes due to the drop in property values and an increase in city charged fees. Moreover, given the uncertainty about our national economic situation and with the hope that there will be an increase in sales tax revenue to the city, I would support your voting against raising the city portion of the property tax at this time.
• I have noticed that while my home value has decreased in the last 2 years, my property taxes continue to increase. So….I’m feeling like I’ve already had my property taxes increased and I feel passionate about them not going up anymore without fixing the screwy property tax system that allows values to go down and taxes to go up.
• Provo City is not like other cities. It is foolhardy to compare us to a national standard for police standards. We have a smaller crime rate, more involved citizenry and we have BYU police to help when needed. For many years Provo city has been involved with many efforts to save our downtown, most have failed, but cost lots of money. Much of the property downtown is owned but absentee landlords who are not willing to help. Don’t throw good money after bad.
• I have no problems paying extra taxes to help pay for police officers and firemen. I do have a problem paying extra taxes for city govt pet projects. These projects seem to benefit only the official promoting it and not the tax payers.
• All of the proposed programs that would increase taxes sound good, but now is not the time.
• I am not crazy about voting to raise my own taxes; HOWEVER, I have been a long time proponent of downtown revitalization, economic development, neighborhood safety, and being smart by looking ahead to anticipate future needs and prepare for those needs as best we can do so today. For these reasons and many more, I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that our current bare-to-the-bones budget does not allow for this to happen. Therefore, I am, with guarded optimism, voting for the tax increase. PLEASE spend it wisely!
• We must pay for the services we expect. We have a current need for more police officers. Tax adjustments that follow inflation makes sense to be the baseline, with the ability to adjust as necessary in the future. Investment in our downtown, if done wisely, will help keep services high and taxes low in the future.
• Please, no tax increases. Instead of “spend it or lose it,” we need to find incentives to save and decrease governmental spending. As just one family, we continue to struggle with paying more and getting less. Once a tax increase is in place, we never spend less and we will always find ways to spend more. Taxes only go in one direction in government. It is unfortunate that we burden ourselves out of a great place to live. Thank you.
• Terrible timing. We need inflationary adjustments. We need to look at downtown infrastructure and economic development, but to be FOR raising taxes is committing political suicide. We just had a 17 percent increase in our electric rate (city managed) so in essence we’re saying that it’s okay to increase taxes by close to 32 percent in two years. Now, I am not so naive as to believe that the utility increase should be viewed as a tax increase, but that’s the way folks see it. So, we should either NOT raise taxes or at least spread the increase out over three years.
• I feel that some tax increases may be justifiable but I am very concerned about retirees and others on fixed incomes who would be required to pay increased taxes without sufficient means to do so. While the market value of property has diminished, the proposed tax rate increases the tax revenues slightly from last year. What assurance is there that tax rates would be readjusted downward to maintain moderate spending levels if and when the economy improves and property values rise? This is where the impact of higher tax rates could be particularly harmful for those on fixed incomes.
• The way forward for Provo is to meet National Standards for Police Staffing? After my electric bill went up by just under a third, you would like to raise my property taxes by just under a 5th so you can hire more police officers, among other things? City government is not a business. It is not better just because it grows. When you price lower-middle class families out of our market, no amounting of funding for police will make our streets safe. You are simply 40 years behind other livable cities that chose to grow its commerce at the cost of its families. Is that really what you want?
• I am disabled now and unable to attend the meetings. Your emails are appreciated. I am sure that you have presented reasoning for all of the above. If I am to pay more for police, I would like an efficiency and time-management done to make sure the current ones are giving us our money’s worth. I was previously on a city council in Ohio. We had a much smaller city but more visible police presence.
• Sherrie, Thanks for your efforts in this matter. There are lots of things we’d like to have, but some of us don’t have flexibility in our income. EVERYBODY is affected by inflation. No new taxes (I’m tougher than George H. Bush)!
• My property value decreases, but my taxes increase. If/when the value increases, my taxes also increase. I didn’t get a salary increase and have to tighten my belt, too. Not sure we need more officers when curent ones seem to have plenty of time to harass law-abiding citizens and abuse their power over petty issues. Two were recent issues with my law abiding son just trying to run his business. The other was two years ago with a relative from out of state. If this is what our taxes are paying for, we don’t need more of the same, and I don’t see the need. No wonder some people hate the police.
• It is a difficult time in our economy, for this reason I vote not to raise property taxes, we need to allow more time for the economy to pick up.
• I fully support the new rec center as well.
• Provo does not need money for economic development, and as can be seen –downtown will take care of itself with private money. We do need to keep up our police force –increased crime is becoming a worry.
• Although I am interested in better developing downtown I would want to know exactly what the plan is before I would support it. It has been tried many times and never seems to be successful. I am very unhappy with the Convention center, everything I have read and heard suggests that it is a big money pit. I understand that people think it will draw people and businesses but I don’t think it will, I hope I am wrong.
• Now is not the time to raise taxes, as families and businesses we are not raising our income/prices, but cutting expenses. Government should lead by example of logical and realistic forms of dealing with financial challenges. The american family is doing more with less, it’s time for all levels of government to follow, starting with the Great City of Provo! Just because we can does not mean we should.
• It seems a very inappropriate time to increase the taxes during a recession when so many individuals as well as businesses are struggling to survive. Everyone should bear the weight of it, including the city. Perhaps projects as girls and boys club and other items shouldn’t go forward at this time, but a time when everyone is healed better. Perhaps the city should make cuts and have to tighten their belts like its citizens.
• I’d prefer no taxes at all, but I’m willing to pay for police officers.
• I’d rather have our taxes stay in our local areas and communities and be used appropriately, than more going to the federal government where so much is wasted or used inappropriately. I do not usually like tax increases, especially in our economic situation, but it seems the reasons for the tax increases are good ones and the increase is not a large one.
• It’s been a very tough recession for many of us who feel taxed to death.
• If we want government benefits, we need to pay for them.
• This is not the year for a tax increase of any kind. Most citizens in Provo are just scraping by. I am happy with the city services we are currently receiving and see no reason to add additional services at this time…its a time for tightening-up and not expanding the budget. Also, we need to find other means to address cost of living increases for city employees at this time. After all, most of us who work in the private sector are not receiving any cost of living adjustments to our income and have not for at least the past two years.
• This isn’t the right time. Raising taxes will keep business away from downtown Provo, instead of attracting them to it. There are other solutions to funding more police officers, if they are really needed.
• I’m a young, brand new home owner in Provo. I think that among Provo’s many hardline libertarians, people forget that there is a younger generation of people who feel Provo can and should work for economic development. Though we’d love more cash in our pockets, we are much more interested in seeing somewhat higher taxes in exchange for a more vibrant city. Both I and my wife work, and neither of us make much money, but the status quo is unacceptable and our family as well as our friends won’t stay here/ settle in Provo if places like downtown aren’t economically supported and encouraged.
• We do not need to increase taxes! We need to cut back on the spending, which may need to include reduction of work force like most of the private sector has gone through. We have already increased taxes/fees on a number of fronts here in Provo – this will just be one more increase. Water and Power (up double digits), Rec Center, Conference Center, etc.
• I am representing 4 provo resident households who pay property tax. My husband and I, and our married children. Medical bills have put 2 of those 4 families in financial crisis. Taxes, slow job market, recession, medical costs, child care, have all strained the other 2 families. I’m telling you, these families rarely afford themselves the luxury of going to a dollar movie. We simply cannot afford an increase of anything — Not for a few more years.
• When it’s time to tighten the belt, it’s time. But there some realities that have to be addressed, hence my answer above, to provide for inflationary adjustment and police officers.
• Stick with the mayors balanced budget and see what this year brings in revenue first.
• I frankly get tired of people whose mantra is “no taxes!” regardless of the situation. If we want government to provide certain services, we need to pay for them–and I’m certainly willing to do that. I’m embarrassed that the city finds itself in this kind of pickle. We as citizens need to step up; I can certainly afford an extra $18 a year.
• It’s a bit disingenuous to say we need more officers when they have a ticket quota and much if not most of their time is occupied in gathering funds from the public for the City. I’m sure the need is couched as essential to keep the public safe from crime? Lately, SLC Council have been studying how to create a situation in which SLC can hand out more tickets for parking since realizing the loss of revenues. Is this the role of government: to find ways to trip up the citizenry and fill the coffers? Government is losing its way philosophically; this is a general trend and probably irreversible.
• Police coverage is fine. I see them everywhere, crime is low and we do not need to be at 10 per 10,000 in Provo. 8.25 is plenty for a city like Provo – a student community and one of the most conservative places in the country. If you listen to a police scanner in Provo, they are not that busy. Please spend these new tax dollars ONLY on Econ Dev. and downtown infrastructure! Once our economy is booming and our resident and tax base increase, more crime will follow. THEN is when more officers may be needed. Thank you.
• Two years into a recession of uncertain duration is not a good time for a tax increase. In my opinion, Government at all levels needs to markedly decrease spending to enable private sector recovery.
• I have lived in Provo for 33 years. I love living here, but have been quite disappointed in some of the decisions made in the past. We have seen iProvo, the rec center and Joaquin Village come to pass to list a few. iProvo is a money pit, the rec center would be great in a different economy and have you see Joaquin Village and how enormous it is? Where is the green space? Our utilities have gone up, our paychecks have gone down and I worry about the elderly on their fixed incomes.
• I believe in limited government and very conservative taxation; but I also believe that the level of government that is closest to the people has the potential to have the most immediate impact on their quality of life. So, I am willing to be taxed here in order to ensure that Provo is a safe, well ordered, community. Thank you for inviting us to share our thoughts. It means a lot to know that you want to be truly representative.
• I want to live in a city with lots of good things to do and places to go. I am really looking forward to a rec center. I would love some money put into downtown. ITS ABOUT TIME PROVO offers people a reason to live here (other than because it’s a college town.). If I have to pay a few more $ a month in property taxes then so be it. At least I will live in a city that has something to offer.
• I m opposed to raising the taxes. Prices are going up everywhere. The trash fee has been raised. The electricity, gas and water continue to go up but my income has not. Sixteen percent tax increase is to much to bear on a fixed income.
• I feel you should not increase taxes. But if you must, I think you should consider a more fair tax that everyone participates in. Perhaps a food tax or utility tax. Those that vote are not always property owners (In Provo) so they will always vote for increases because it really wont affect them. Look what the Rec center has done. It was voted in and I bet mostly students or renters will benefit and the tax payer will carry the burden. Please consider and let everyone share the burden.
• I believe we need this change, and had it been reasonably dealt with years ago, we wouldn’t be doing it now.
• The more information you can provide about where exactly the money goes the better chance I believe you may have of getting the general public to understand the need for tax changes. In general, to me, the financial theory behind having a set-revenue (without inflation adjustments) seems like a recipe doomed to fail, but perhaps it encourages creativity in keeping costs low which is always the best starting place for anybody, person or government. Showing how creativity has been applied (documenting a lot of the thoughts behind cutting costs) is also going to help our understanding of needs.
• As much as the downturn in economics have hit everyone in the recent years, if we do not put some money into the upkeep of our city a bit at a time, we are going to hit the point where things will be really bad and we will have to be assessed a huge amount of money at once. I also think that we need to consider the upkeep of the older/other neighborhoods and not just the downtown or the pioneer neighborhoods. It seems like downtown and the pioneer neighborhood have received much focus, but I think that we need to consider ways to revitalize some of the other neighborhoods as well.
• Some adjustment seems reasonable, however the downtown infrastructure and development seems a stretch even property tax.
• Did we not need police officers last year? When the fundamental purpose of government is to provide security, why are we providing a rec center that competes with existing commercial entities like Gold’s gym and others. Why did my property tax increase for that only to ask an additional increase now? Also, what is the effect on property value with these ever increasing property taxes? It seems that it increases the cost of home ownership and the risk of foreclosure contributing to the depression of property value. Are we increasing taxes only to see a decrease in value netting 0 added revenue?
• No new taxes, we have been taxed to death and we as a people are tired of it. If you don’t have enough money then continue to cut back until you balance the budget. If workers are not productive then get them that way or let them go. I own my own business and I cannot raise my prices and stay in business so I have cut until I can make a profit. We do not have a open check book for every government agency that wants more money. No new taxes…
• Review recent budget and re-allocate funds. Eliminate those expenditures that are not providing expected results. Form proposed budget using existing tax base.
• Now is NOT the time for a Property tax increase. There wouldn’t be a need if the elected officials had not bungled the iProvo deal and Provo had all the millions of tax dollars that have been paid into iProvo. Why should the tax payers have to pay for the elected official’s mistakes?
• We CANNOT afford more taxes!! I realize the city needs money to provide services but PLEASE consider the necessity of anything new. At a time when taxes, food, gas, housing, and everything else is going up, raising property taxes is a bad idea. The proverbial well is almost dry. Please don’t take the last drop.
• We may have less cops than we used to, but how are we really doing? Is crime out of hand? What do our cops spend most of their time doing? If they spend most of their time trying to fill ticket quotas, then we have too many.

The Provo Police Citizen’s Academy will be starting another session on Wednesday, September 21st. It runs for seven weeks from 6-10 p.m. each Wednesday evening. You will learn so much about the work our police are doing in Provo to preserve our safety and meet the challenges in the community. You’ll also make a bunch of new friends.

Citizen Academy attendees are given training in a variety of police-related subjects so that they can be goodwill ambassadors of the  Provo City Police Department.  There is a lot of “hands-on” experience and you will learn about traffic stops, crime scene investigation, use of force and firearms, tactical responses, drugs and controlled substance, gangs, rescue and bomb teams, SWAT and so much more.

We really have incredible officers, who perform difficult jobs with a high level of professionalism. Come learn and try something new and sign up.

Here is how to sign up:

Contact Janna-lee Haigh in the Provo Police Department. Here’s her email.

Download the class information flyer here.
Download the application here.

My thoughts on being TASERed

Would I be TASERed again? No, I don’t think I’d want to.I don’t think I would fear it…but I don’t think I’d welcome it.

Am I glad I didn’t chicken out and that I finally gave in to the peer pressure of Officer Patrick, who happens to be my neighbor, and wouldn’t let me wriggle out of it? You bet. It was intense. It didn’t hurt after the pulse was over. And I am totally glad that I did get TASERed. And can I say that Tara Riddle, one of Provo City’s great employees, is a rock-star! She never even waffled at the thought of being TASERed. Just jumped right in and got down to business!

So go ahead, give it a try and have a great experience!!

Here’s the post and pictures from my experience.

Transparency and Education

I have remained committed to the discussion. I am committed to the transparency required to have a robust, informed and open discussion. And I am undecided as to whether to vote in these measures. It is a tough time in our economy. We have made multiple adjustments to fees and rate structures in order to create a sustainable budget in many in of our utilities. The voter’s passed a recreation bond as well. Some may argue that we were long overdue for a rec center. Some may argue we have no business building a rec center. Yet, the community stakeholders have brought the proposal forward and it went to a vote and the public passed the bond.Yet, I have a strong commitment to help you be educated and learn about what we are not funding as much as what levels of service we are funding.

Three Areas of Discussion

There are three areas that the Council wanted to address by creating a discussion about any proposed increase:

One, was to sustain and maintain our buying power through a cost of living adjustment linked to the consumer price index. By not making adjustments along the way, the city’s buying power has eroded while costs have risen.

Two, we have known for a long time that we need additional officers for our police force. We do not know that final number, but there is currently no additional funding in the budget to meet that need. We anticipate that when the study comes back in 4-6 months, that the need could be up to as manay as 20 additional officers. The Council discussed anticipating that increase by hiring additional 4 additional officers to begin to close the gap sooner than later. Without the tax increase, there is not a sustainable revenue source to meet that need. National standards recommend 10 officers per 10,000 residents. We are currently 8.25 / 10,000 residents. Adding 4 officers would bring us back to year 2000 recommended staffing levels.

Three, the Council has participated in numerous discussions about creating thriving economic development in our Downtown. Many stakeholder groups are working through voluntary and private donor efforts to bring about change. We are seeing business expansion that is unprecedented. Yet, there are some critical components, responsibilities of the city, that the city doesn’t have funding for and most of those deal with infrastructure improvements such as public wayfinding, enhanced lighting, long-term planning efforts, and pedestrian-way improvements. The proposed increase will not accomplish ALL that needs to be done, but is designed to create the revenue resources to solve infrastructure improvements that enhance and support economic development.

Here is a link to the Truth in Taxation information on the city’s website. The site is full of graphs, information, funding priorities, unfunded priorities, the Council’s intents and more.

We had a pretty comprehensive discussion at the Lakeview information meeting on August 4, 2011. The audio should be loaded on Monday August 8th and will be posted here.

What are the options?

We have the option of passing the budget with a 0% increase to fund none of the options or a range of up to 16% in order to cover any or all of these unfunded areas.

As a Councilmember, I often hear, “Why doesn’t Provo…?” or “When is Provo going to…? You can fill in the blank. Well, it all comes down to determining what we as a community want and what we are willing to pay for having. It also comes down to a decision of priorities, timing and sequencing.  I am one of you and this decision affects me in my circumstances just as much it does any resident.

So what do we want as a community? What level of service is appropriate? What is the timing of that service? What are the consequences for the long-term of delaying? What are the opportunities that we miss? What are the consequences for moving forward with a tax increase in the current economy? I want to hear from you. You may want to leave a comment in the survey, but also leaving that comment at the bottom of the blog post for all to read, as well.

Take the Survey

Please take the survey before Tuesday, August 9th at 6:00 p.m. and let me know your opinion. And please tell your neighbors that its important, too.

I want you to be informed about our city’s budget issues, where the revenue comes from, how it is allocated and what it means. One of my main objectives in voting to go to Truth in Taxation is to create more transparency and inform our citizens about how, where, and why their tax dollars are spent. I am undecided about whether it is the appropriate time to vote in a property tax increase.

We have not adjusted property tax rates since 1991. As a result of not making adjustments along the way, costs have continued to rise and our buying power has continued to shrink. That raises questions about priorities and timing. It’s an important time to have the discussion and for all of us to work for a solution that helps all of our community.

I hope you will look at the information that has been posted online to become informed.

Here’s a link to the information posted by the Council.

Please come to the hearing with your questions and your solutions and lets work on this issue together.

My District’s will be August 4th at Lakeview Elementary at 6:30 p.m.

Truth in Taxation Hearing

Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 6:00 p.m.
Council Chambers
351 West Center Street

Informational Meetings

District 5

Sterling Beck
Tuesday, July 26th at 6:30 p.m.
Council Chambers
351 West Center Street

District 3

Midge Johnson
Wednesday, July 27th at 6:30 p.m.
Spring Creek Elementary School
1740 South Nevada Avenue

District 1 and 2

Cynthia Dayton and Rick Healey
Wednesday, August 3rd at 6:30 p.m.
Timpview High School
3570 Timpview Drive

District 4

Sherrie Hall Everett
Thursday, August 4th at 6:30 p.m.
Lakeview Elementary School
2899 West 1390 North

I want to express my gratitude for your support, your opinions, and your confidence. Serving on the Council has been one of the tremendous experiences of my life. After much consideration, I wish to announce that I will not be seeking a second term to serve on the Provo Municipal Council.

I have a great love for this community. I remain concerned about the challenges that we face and how to best meet those challenges with limited personal and community resources.  In that spirit I will remain engaged and focused on the affairs of Provo City and the surrounding community, howbeit not as an elected official. I am confident that someone from our district will step forward to represent us with strength of character, integrity, awareness and the strong principles that have guided my efforts during the last four years.

My advice to those who will consider tossing their hat into the ring:

• Cultivate a strong desire to serve; be prepared to spend the time.
• Lead by principle and sound policy.
• Research and understand the issues. Be committed to learn.
•  Keep the people informed. Be committed to this despite the efforts of others work in secret.
•  As do all new Council Members, you will inherit some tough problems; some may take years if not decades beyond your period of service to solve. Do your best to advance each worthy cause before handing off the baton to your successor.
• Yours will be a fresh voice. Offer new solutions. Do not let anyone tell you that you must subordinate your voice to “others who have been around longer”. Those who would tell you that, and their solutions, are often the problem.
•  Honor the input, efforts, history, sacrifice of those that have gone before and consider the policy directions that they have set. Course-correct respectfully and intelligently.
•  Nevertheless, remember that you are but one voice in seven and it takes a majority. Master the legislative process, earning the respect of your constituents and colleagues.
•  You will meet many intelligent, well-intended and committed community leaders who are working to better the community. Respect them accordingly.

What I’ll be looking for from my Council representative:

• A balanced approach to honoring neighborhoods and business.
• An awareness of the tremendous growth that is coming to the Valley and how it will impact  our city with regard to local business, schools and neighborhoods.
• A commitment to planning and good growth for Provo as an emerging urban center.
• A commitment to a long-term sustainable budget.
• A commitment to transparency and keeping us informed.
• Strong support for the Provo Vision 2030 plan.
• A commitment to intelligent policies that support Downtown Revitalization.
• An understanding of the role of the Municipal Council in our form of government.
• Someone who is a builder, not a destroyer nor are they captive to ANY special interest group(s).
• Someone with sound principles and full of integrity… without exception.

Thank you again for the privilege that it has been to serve. I stand ready to support any and all who step forward to carry on the work that I have endeavored to accomplish.

Warmly,

Sherrie Hall Everett

The project known as the Provo Northwest Connector has been renamed the Provo Lakeview Parkway and Trail. An openhouse last February presented multiple possible alternatives. The Mayor and I organized several meetings to help our area understand some of the visioning and planning that is in store and to get your ideas. Thank you to all who participated. Please stay involved. The timeline and process for this project is shown in the graphic below.

From all of those discussions, alternatives have now been narrowed down to two. This open house is an opportunity for you to come and comment on the proposed alignments, learn more about the project, offer suggestions and ask questions.

The Public Open House is Scheduled for:

Thursday, July 14, 2011  –  4:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Lakeview Elementary School  /  2899 West 1390 North, Provo

Background Information

In August 2010 Provo City began a study to identify a new transportation corridor that will improve north‐south mobility (auto, bicycle and pedestrian) on the west side of Provo. This project is consistent with the Provo City Transportation Master Plan. In February 2011 a public meeting was held to provide an overview of the project and present thirteen alternatives that were being considered. Public comment was requested at this time.

Evaluation of Alternatives

Since February 2011 the project team has undertaken a process to evaluate and screen alternatives based on the project purpose and need (Level One Screening) and potential impacts to critical environmental resources (Level Two Screening). Based on this evaluation, two alternatives (shown right) are being carried forward for detailed evaluation.

Project Information

The proposed parkway will be an arterial street with limited access. A new multi‐use trail will be included as part of this project. The proposed road and trail will be roughly 3 miles long and will extend from approx. 2000 N./Geneva Road to 550 S./3100 W., near the entrance to Provo City Airport.

More information is available at the project website.

Project Contact Information:

Saffron Capson, Public Involvement Manager
Phone: (801) 415‐5800
www.provolakeviewparkway.com

I had the great pleasure yesterday of meeting one of our newest city employees…Trigger one of our K9 officers. I hear he works for treats and food and love. It was a great pleasure. Trigger is an eager, pleasant and bright dog. It will be fun to watch his skills continue to develop.

After watching K-9s work, first at the Provo Citizen’s Academy and later at a demonstration for the Council and Channel 17, I’m glad that the city is adding these valuable assets to our police force.

We invest millions in this community to create neighborhood schools, and to vision, plan, and guide the development of our community. The success of  taxpayer investment rests in more stable housing, schools, and economic development. The policies of the city should seek to support and protect your taxpayer investment.

A single landlord requested a change in the 25% ordinance for backyard paving to allow more parking. The council passed an ordinance to pave 40% of a back yard for parking…CITYWIDE. This potentially could forever alter the character of our neighborhoods and in so doing, the ripple effect could forever alter our schools and potentially all of our property values.

The ordinance also removed the landscaping requirement which means 100% of the backyard can now be hard surface. I’m for property rights. But I’m also for balance and since we live in a community, it is wrong for us to look the other way and blindly ignore the consequences of declining school enrollments, increased heat islands, added stormwater run-off and more simply the argument that MY property rights are more important than YOUR property rights. Somehow we need to find the right balance that honors property owners and builds respect for the surrounding property owners…and supports a healthy community. I don’t believe that balance is ever found in the extremes. Balance is found in creating environments of respect and intelligent compromise grounded in sound policy.

I made a motion that the front and rear yard parking/paving issues be considered separately. It failed. Council member Johnson made a motion for 35%. It failed. There were citizens and neighborhood chairs there arguing that rather than adopting this citywide, that neighborhoods should be considered individually. The Herald recently argued the same viewpoint in an editorial.

Many concerned citizens have called me, spoken with the Mayor, and with other council members requesting that they revisit the issue. At this point, the council members who voted for this landlord’s request, have been unwilling to reconsider (Turley, Healey, Johnson, and Beck-voted for the 40% change, Dayton and Hall Everett, voted against). The ordinance stands with it’s citywide implications.

At this point several citizens are working on a petition. If you are interested…read and sign the petition. There are some thought-provoking comments and hopes expressed. Hopefully those viewpoints can influence better policy-making, regardless of whether the majority of our current council will revisit the issue.

Perhaps with education and public support we can work on more respectful ordinances that meet the proposed Provo 2030 vision including its robust section on Neighborhood Character and also support the principles of the General Plan. A lot of work went into those documents, they shouldn’t just sit on a shelf and pay lip-service to the hundreds of citizens who participated in providing input.

Here’s what I think was working in our core neighborhoods…