Let it Snow

As I awoke this morning to a fresh blanket of snow of the ground I thought that this might be a good time to share some West Valley City snow removel statistics from the period of our last major snow storms. I received a number of phone calls and emails over that past few weeks regarding this City service. It is important for residents NOT to park their cars on City streets as the complicate the removal process. Here is a look at the public resources allocated for snow removal from Nov. 23 through Dec.2, 2010:

West Valley City lane miles...900 with over 530 cul-de-sacs.

Snow plow drivers.................26 full time, 2 part time. We also used 3 employees from other departments periodically.

Hours involved with plowing....1,501

Employee related cost..........$45,750.00

Overtime cost......................$6,900.00 this accounts for 20% of our overtime budget.

Miles Plowed.......................12,050

Tons of salt used................. 1,188 this accounts for 20% of our salt budget.

Total wages and materials (excluding fuel and fleet repair costs).................................$72,650.00

RDA Incentives

Tonight I was the lone dissenting vote on a Redevelopment Agency measure that awarded backcountry.com $130,000 in lease incentive money. I figured that this blog would be a good forum for further explanation of this issue.

First of all, I am a big fan of this particular West Valley City company and am glad that they want to continue to operate within our City, but I have a small yet significant disagreement in principle to giving them public dollars just for resigning a lease. The proper role of government is not to incentivize business, nor give bail outs, or sweetheart deals. The free market is what dictates the incentives and the laws of supply and demand reward those who innovate and produce superior products. Throughout all of this the proper role of government is to help facilitate commerce. We do this by providing the necessary infrastructure to conduct business. This infrastructure comes in many forms such as roads for shipping, police for protection of property, and courts to uphold contracts.

This is the sole principle in voting no on this incentive deal, the fact that it was an incentive to continue to locate here instead of finding new ways to help facilitate their business with infrastructure. Any deal should be an investment in our community as a whole and not singled out to assist one company at one time. By contrast a better end is accomplished by investing in infrastructure to help facilitate their business. I would have been in favoring of assisting backcountry with such improvements as better access by roads, adding another loading dock, improved utilities etc. These investments help facilitate commerce, increases property values, and serves the entire community for years to come. This way also does not just put cash in a company's pocket that will be forgotten when the next lease is up.

This difference in incentivize business vs facilitating commerce is similar to the old adage of, "You give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach him how to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime." We gave away a $130,000 fish that will keep them happy for today, but if instead we invested in the infrastructure of their business the company and the community would have benefited for a much longer time. I hope that any future deals that come through the redevelopment agency will seek to be long term investments in the community and not short term payoffs to keep a company content for the moment. Let us stick to the proper functions of government and look for ways to foster and facilitate business without just throwing money at it. Let us invest in the infrastructure of West Valley City and encourage businesses and residents to do the same.

Another Good Family Holiday Activity

As someone who is very fond of ice skating I was thrilled to hear that the Maverik Center would be hosting free family skating sessions for the rest of December. There are some good sponsors as well as a charitable component and it looks to be another quality event here in West Valley City. The details and official press release are below:


West Valley City – Maverik, Inc., the Maverik Center, and Tum-E Yummies are teaming up with Modern Display to host “Maverik Adventure Wonderland,” a FREE, Christmas-themed family iceskating activity at the Maverik Center in West Valley City. Maverik Adventure Wonderland will be held every Monday and Thursday evening from 4-9 p.m. starting December 13 and running throughout the month of December (Dec 13, 16, 20, 23, 27 and 30).
Modern Display will turn the Maverik Center ice into a Christmas Adventure Wonderland. Visitors will skate to traditional Christmas music around a large Christmas tree display at center ice. Santa Claus will visit with children nightly from 6-8 p.m. and the Utah Grizzlies mascot, Grizzbee, the Grizzlies Ice Girls and Grizzlies players will make special appearances.
“The Maverik Center is a fantastic venue that allows us to provide an exciting Christmas experience for everyone,” said Ernie Harker, Maverikʼs executive director of marketing. “It will be a great family activity or an inexpensive date. I hope this will be the first annual tradition of the Maverik Adventure Wonderland at the Maverik Center.”
Grizzbee will be handing out free Tum-E Yummies fruit-flavored drinks to kids (while supplies last).
Hot chocolate, coffee and other Christmas fare will be available for purchase as well.
Admission is free and skate rentals are $5. (A donation of $1 per skate rental will be given to teamgive, a Utah-based charity dedicated to raising awareness for children with neurological diseases.)

Representing WVC

Last week I was able to represent West Valley City at the National League of Cities Congress of Cities which was held this year in Denver Colorado. I was pleased at the progress and the input that I was able to provide with my first tier suburbs steering committee. We successfully focused on Economic Development and provided many important solutions and programs. I reported on the Congress in this weeks City Council in both an oral and written report. Below is a copy of the written report given to my colleagues on he City Council:

Councilmember Rushton
Council Report

December 7, 2010

Congress of Cities NLC Conference

Summary

From December 1-4 I attended and represented West Valley City at the National League of Cities Congress of Cities in Denver, Colorado. The conference offered sessions and workshops to learn and share innovative ideas and solutions for their city’s economic development, infrastructure, sustainability and public safety needs. The conference major speakers and presenters included a Senator Chuck Hagel, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and a Business executive focused on sustainable development. I attended the conference at the Convention Center beginning Wednesday and concluded Saturday. During that time I not only attended general sessions and workshops, but also participated in mobile tours of the Denver regions transit oriented developments. Additionally, the steering committee I was appointed to was able to meet twice to discuss issues and set priorities for next year. Finally it was a good opportunity to attend briefing lunches and associate with many companies and colleagues with West Valley City connections. I gathered materials on numerous best practice solutions and innovations in order to share them with executive staff for informational purposes.

some of the highlights with local interest:

1. Former Florida governor Jeb Bush and Harvard University political scientist Robert D. Putnam discussed steps that governments can take to form successful relationships between immigrants and their new communities.

2. Spoke with representatives from the Justice Department about participation in the COPS program. Met with Utah regional representative from Health & Human Services about the Get Moving program and WVC trail system.

3. Other delegates from Utah cities gathered for a caucus dinner with representatives from the Utah League of Cities and Towns.

Action Items:

A. Form a staff committee to explore the costs/benefits of launching a WVC app for smartphones. Should also address if solely informational or interactive.

B. Council to formally charge Councilmember Christensen to be liaison with NLC Municipal Action for Immigrant Integration

C. Coordinate formal introduction of WVC staff with Englewood Colorado staff to collaborate on City Center TOD.

Additionally the City released the followed communication to media outlets concerning the Congress:

West Valley City Council Members Attend National Conference

Focusing on New Ideas and Solutions for Cities
West Valley City – West Valley City Council Members Don Christensen and Corey Rushton
recently joined thousands of fellow leaders from across the country for the 2010 National
League of Cities’ (NLC) annual Congress of Cities and Exposition in Denver, Colorado. The conference offered sessions and workshops to learn and share innovative ideas and solutions
for their city’s economic development, infrastructure, sustainability and public safety needs.
More than 2,000 municipal officials heard from nationally-known experts such as L. Hunter Lovins, president and founder of Natural Capitalism. Lovins spoke with delegates about tools and strategies to create more sustainable local governments. Former Florida governor Jeb Bush and Harvard University political scientist Robert D. Putnam discussed steps that governments can take to form successful relationships between immigrants and their new communities.
Additionally, former US Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) offered his perspective on the current
political climate in Washington, DC, in the wake of the mid-term elections. Department of
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack discussed health and wellness and brought video greetings
from First Lady Michelle Obama.
"The Congress was a great opportunity to represent West Valley City on a national scale and observe innovations that will enhance our local community," says Council Member Corey
Rushton.
Each year at the Congress of Cities, local officials make connections and learn about
resources to help move their communities forward. Delegates meet with thousands of peers and colleagues from around the country to discover cost-saving programs, products and
services; replicate effective programs and create innovative solutions to their community’s
most pressing challenges.

Winter Weather

Over the weekend we were hit with a slow moving wet snowstorm that covered West Valley City. Damage from fallen trees and broken tree limbs caused power outages sporadically around the City. In the eastern end of West Valley crews worked into Monday to restore power to some 128. To help with the continued clean up West Valley City will provide dumpsters for tree debris. The official release provides the following information:

West Valley City – West Valley City will provide two dumpsters for residents to dispose of fallen tree limbs caused by overnight storms. Starting this afternoon, a dumpster will be placed at City Park (4500 W. 3500 S.) and another dumpster will be placed at West View Park (6100 W. 4100 S.). The dumpsters will be provided through Friday, November 26, 2010. Residents are welcome to bring fallen tree limbs to place in the dumpsters, but no other trash is allowed in the dumpsters.
Residents can also use the City’s Bulky Waste removal service. More information on how to prepare waste to use this service can be found on the West Valley City’s Sanitation Division website located at www.wvc-ut.gov/sanitation.
City crews will assist in clearing sidewalks, streets and other public right-of-ways, but they cannot help clear debris on private property. Also, City crews cannot remove fallen utility poles or street lights. Residents are advised to contact the proper utility company to assist in removing fallen poles and street lights.
If residents wish to request a dumpster, they may contact Ace Disposal at 801-363-9995. To report a storm debris problem to West Valley City, please call 801-955-3720 during regular business hours (Monday-Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) and 801-986-0280 after hours.

Additionally City Hall will be closed today at 3:00 in anticipation of the imminent snow storm. City Council meetings scheduled for this evening have also been cancelled. We also encourage everyone to avoid travel if possible:

West Valley City – The West Valley City Council Study and Regular meetings scheduled for today, at 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., respectively, have been canceled due to the impending winter storm expected later today. Scheduled agenda items will be rescheduled at a later date. The City Manager decided that it would be better to cancel the meetings rather than encourage residents to venture out during the storm to attend the Council meetings. All residents are encouraged to avoid unnecessary travel during the storm.
City Hall will also close at 3 p.m. today to allow employees to travel home before the worst of the storm is expected to affect the area. Emergency services and snowplow crews are prepared and ready to fulfill their responsibilities.
The emergency operations center for the City has been setup and is ready to be activated in worse case scenarios.

Holidays at the Harman Home

Last night after City Council meeting I was approached by a resident who asked me if there was any programs or activities for seniors during the holiday season. My response to him was that there are always a wide variety of activities and events year round (one of the many advantages to living in Utah's second most populous city). I briefly told him about a few Citywide highlights, but his attention quickly turned to my mention of the Harman Senior Center. I rounded up the calander for him and thought it would be worth mentioning here. The center is a great place to visit year-round. Below is some of the programs and events scheduled for the rest of November:

November
17 New Balance Class #4, 9:30 a.m.
18 Ice Cream (by Beehive Homes),10:30 a.m.
18 Granger High Bingo, 11 a.m.
19 Thanksgiving Dinner,(prior registration required)
22 Zumba Gold, 10:45 a.m.
24 New Balance Class #5
25 CLOSED THANKSGIVING DAY
26 CLOSED THANKSGIVING
HOLIDAY
29 Zumba Gold, 10:45 a.m.
30 Skip Bo Tournament, 11 a.m.


Scrapbooking Class – Mondays, 1 p.m.
Chess Club – Wednesdays, 12:30 p.m.
Line Dancing – Mondays, 12:30 p.m.
Ceramics – Thursdays, 10 a.m.
Railroad Club – Tuesdays & Thursdays, 10 a.m.
Tai Chi – Tuesdays, 1:30 p.m., FREE
Bingo – Fridays, 10:15 a.m.
Choir – Tuesdays and Wednesdays,10 a.m.
Drama Class – Wednesdays, 1 p.m.
Billiards and Cards – Daily

UCCC Kicks Off Holidays

The popular Trees of Diversity exhibit will back at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center.  There will be an opening reception on Thursday, November 18, 2010 from 6-8 pm.  The exhibition of over 25 holiday trees and scenes that are created by various community members and ethnic groups.  There will also be over 100 Dolls from Around the World on display as well.  The exhibition runs through the Holidays until December 30th.  The opening reception will feature live music, artists, and food.

 

Title:
Trees of Diversity Exhibit

Start Date:
November 18, 2010

End Date:
December 30, 2010

Address:
1355 West 3100 South
West Valley City, UT 84119

Hours:
Gallery Hours Mon-Thurs 9 am - 6 pm and by arrangement

Contact:
801-965-5100

Cost:
Free

Community Garden Training

 

Last year at the annual City Council strategic plan meeting members of the City Council discussed possibilities of introducing Community Garden plots on vacant city owned plots.  We have identified a few areas and the limited role that the City would play in fostering such programs.  The pivotal piece in bringing community gardens to West Valley is identifying and training interested participants.  Wasatch Community Gardens has successfully introduced several community gardens across the valley.  They will be holding a training course that any interested groups or individuals should attend.  Below is a portion of the invitation:

 

Who : Community gardeners AND people who want to become community gardeners.
What : A workshop on community organizing techniques. All participants will also leave with free access to a community organizing guidebook designed specifically for community gardeners.
When : Saturday, 20 November, 1:30 - 3:30pm
Where : Day-Riverside Library, 1575 West 1000 North, Salt Lake City, Utah
Why: Because it takes more than a green thumb to create and sustain a successful community garden. Everyone can be a community organizer! Come find out how.
Cost: Free!
How to Register: For this workshop, Pre-registration is required by Thursday, November 11! Please visit www.wasatchgardens.orgto register online, or call Susan at 801-359-2658 x16.
About Wasatch Community Gardens: Wasatch Community Gardens (WCG) is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit that has served the Salt Lake County community for 20 years. Since our founding in 1989, we have provided opportunities for individuals to grow their own food in urban gardens. Our mission is to empower people of all ages and incomes to grow and eat healthy, organic, local food. To this end, we offer several highly successful programs and services, including community gardening space, our youth gardening program, and educational workshops and community events.

Providing UTA feedback.

 

With all of the new transit options coming to West Valley City, the Utah Transit Authority is starting to think about service options and changes.  I myself have wondered which routes and methods would be the quickest and easiest routes in getting around the valley.  There will be a number of open-house style meetings where public input is welcomed.  This is an important step because sometimes regular people get lost in the computer generated mathematical routes and schedules that are produced.  Below is the UTA press release including dates and times:

 

UTA Seeks Public Input on Transit System Changes in Salt Lake County

11/15/2010

The Utah Transit Authority invites the public to provide input to help develop changes to the transit system in Salt Lake County that will occur next summer. UTA has planned a series of public open houses for this purpose, and input may also be provided though an online survey and feedback form available at www.rideuta.com.

UTA will open the West Valley and Mid-Jordan TRAX light rail lines on Aug. 7, 2011. These lines represent a notable increase to transit service in Salt Lake County, and will expand frequent, high speed, reliable passenger rail service to communities on the west side of Salt Lake County. Opening the Mid-Jordan and West Valley TRAX lines will also bring significant changes to the existing bus and rail system. UTA is starting the process now and requests public input on creating an integrated and efficient system.

"Our goal is to create the best transit system we can within our established budget," said Michael Allegra, UTA general manager. "That is why we are asking the public to help us as we prepare to make changes next year."

Through early December, UTA is conducting a process known as 'scoping' - gathering information through focus groups, online and phone surveys, the UTA website, social media, and a series of public open houses. Through this effort, the agency seeks to better understand public preferences related to frequency, coverage, peak travel, weekend and evening service, fares, customer amenities and supporting services.

"This information will provide critical guidance as we develop planning scenarios," Allegra said. "No decisions have been made at this point. We want hear from the public on what their priorities are before we start putting lines on a map."

After the scoping phase, UTA will develop proposed service plan scenarios based on the public input as well as additional data and analysis. UTA will then go back to the public for additional input, presenting the proposed service plans for comment and refinement.

"We want to involve the public through the entire process-from scoping to scenario selection-to ensure the final decisions are the right decisions," Allegra said.

The following public open houses have been scheduled to provide an opportunity for the public to participate in the scoping process:

Nov. 16 - Daybreak
Daybreak Community Center, Room A
4544 Harvest Moon Dr.
6 - 8 p.m.

Nov. 17 - Riverton City
Riverton City Hall, Music Room
12830 South Redwood Rd.
6 - 8 p.m.

Nov. 18 - West Valley City
West Valley Library
2880 West 3650
6 - 8 p.m.

Nov. 30 - University of Utah
Marriott Library, Gould Auditorium
295 South 1500 East
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Nov. 30 - West Jordan City
Bingham Creek Library
4834 West 9000 South
6 - 8 p.m.

Dec. 1 - South Jordan City
South Jordan City Hall, Main Lobby
1600 West Towne Center Dr.
6 - 8 p.m.

Dec. 2 - Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City Main Library, Conference Room B
210 East 400 South
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Dec. 2 - Murray City
Heritage Center
10 East 6150 South
6 - 8 p.m.

Homeowner Assistance

Awhile back I reported to the City Council my concern towards the community costs of mounting foreclosures within our City. Foreclosed homes become a burden on the remaining community and drain resources of several City agencies. As a result the Council asked West Valley City senior staff to draft a letter and statement to the various governing agencies explaining the housing situation that we are experiencing. The assembled letter was sent to various agencies with regulatory oversight. In a related response The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced a loan program to assist families faced with foreclosure. While I am generally against 'bailout' type programs this attempt is well structured, as it offers another financing option to the already tight and suffering credit markets. The funds must be paid back in a relatively short amount of time, so they are only meant as a temporary assistance to those who qualify. ABC4 covered the announcement and the text of that report follows:


WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (ABC4 News) - Struggling homeowners in Utah now have access to $16.5 million dollars in federal emergency loan funds that will help thousands of people who are facing foreclosure.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development will announce the billion dollar Emergency Homeowner Loan on Wednesday in Washington D.C. but they announced the money will come here to Utah a day early.

The money will help people like Doug Delquardo, one of thousands of Utah homeowners who couldn’t keep up on his payments. "I feel really empty, jeez what matters now, where do I go,” Delquardo said.

After months of non payment foreclosure finally forced Delquadro out of his home. “I don't know where I am going, my credit is shot."

But on Tuesday the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced a program that could have helped Delquadro and can help thousands of other Utah families in need. "These are people who are, that are on the edge and this is going to be a great resource for these families,” said H.U.D Regional Director Rick Garcia. Garcia announced the billion dollar emergency loan program at the Utah Housing Matters Conference in West Valley City.

Garcia said those who qualify can get up to $50,000 in emergency loans to pay their mortgages. "How quickly, because we have home owners in such urgent need right now,” said Utah Housing Coalition Director Kim Datwyler. Datwyler works with Utah families struggling to keep a step ahead of bank repossession and thinks the help can not come soon enough. She said the $16; 5-million in federal loans will help turn the tide of growing foreclosures in Utah, and prevent more situations like the exodus at the Delquadro home.” For most of them it is job loss or a partial loss of income and we do need to help them because it impacts the entire community,” Datwyler said.

To qualify for the loans the borrower must be at least 3 months behind in their payments and have suffered at least a 15 percent reduction in income but must have a reasonable likelihood of resuming their mortgage payments within the next two years.

Times a Changing

West Valley City's 30th anniversary has been well documented and well celebrated throughout the year. The relative adolencence of our City is reflected in many of our ordinances and plans as they were designed to forge a new independent city true to its identity and fix many of growth and planning problems that arose before incorporation. The maturation of our City shows when we adopt ordinaces that seek to harness the potential of the future as opposed to correcting things of the past. One such example took place last night as the City Council unanimously approved guidelines pertaining to alternative energy systems. Becoming a more sustainable community is a goal that we all share and now those who wish to dwelve into wind or solar energy systems for their home or business now have the blessing and community standards of West Valley City.

The City issued press release concerning this ordinance can be read below:

West Valley City Council Adopts Alternative Energy Ordinance
West Valley City – On Tuesday, October 5, 2010, the West Valley City Council unanimously adopted an Alternative Energy Systems Ordinance, drawn in part from a model ordinance provided by the Utah State Energy Program. The ordinance, which is the first of it’s kind to be adopted by a municipality along the Wasatch Front, establishes standards for small wind and solar energy collection systems in West Valley City and sets permit requirements for installation of such systems.
The full text of West Valley City Code Title 7 Chapter 31 (7-31) may be viewed online at www.wvc-ut.gov/code; highlights include:

 Definition of Alternative Energy Systems: Alternative Energy Systems include small
wind energy systems and solar energy collection systems. A small wind energy system is typically a wind turbine system, with a capacity of 100 kilowatts (kW) or less. Solar Energy Collection systems include, but are not limited to, solar collectors, solar panels, solar hot water heaters, storage batteries, transformers, heat exchangers, and distribution components.
 Establishment of Alternative Energy Systems Standards: This ordinance establishes
standards for small wind energy systems and solar collection systems for all zones in West Valley City. Previously, installations of small wind and solar systems have been unregulated in West Valley City. The purpose of this ordinance is to provide a regulatory framework to encourage quality, safety, and aesthetics in the installation of these systems.
 Standards for Small Wind Energy Systems: Small wind energy systems can be no taller
than 80 feet, or 120 feet in Agricultural or Manufacturing zones. In all zones, these systems must be set back from overhead utility lines, property lines, and public roads at a distance equal to or greater than their height. Wind systems can be attached to existing structures.
 Standards for Solar Collection Systems: The ordinance establishes parameters for solar collection systems as well. Roof mounted systems shall comply with the maximum height requirements in the applicable zoning district. Ground mounted systems shall not exceed 14 feet in height.
 Building Permit Requirements: The ordinance requires that a building permit be issued for the installation of alternative energy systems.
“Residents and businesses are currently eligible for federal, state, and utility tax credits and rebates of up to 30 percent of the installation cost for small wind and solar energy systems,” says Frank Lilly, West Valley City Long Range Planner. “Given the considerable uncertainty with the future cost of energy in America, we anticipate that more residents and businesses will consider installing alternative energy systems.”
West Valley City’s General Plan includes a goal to “encourage programs that reduce the energy needs of buildings, including incorporating sustainable building design where feasible.”
The Alternative Energy Systems Ordinance moves West Valley City toward that goal by
providing residents and businesses with a set of clearly-defined and achievable standards to ensure quality and safe construction.
# # #

Budget Award

Last week at City Council meeting we recognized both our outstanding employee of the month and the quarterly division of the month. It just so happens that both of them came from the finance department. This week the finance department was back to receive another award, this time from outside of the City, as the Government Finance Officers Association presented the City with the Distinguished Budget Award. Also this week the West Valley City Audit Review committee, which I am a member of, met to discuss the progress of the annual City audit.

What this means to the average resident of our community is that West Valley City continues to maintain the highest standards of budget and financial work. The work that comes out of this department is crucial for policy making decisions by the City Council and the quality of the work needs to precise. It is relieving to have capable professionals and effective controls at ever corner of the budgeting process. Taxpayer funds are sacred and it is important that we continue to work to use these funds in an efficient and effective way.


Below is the WVC press release regarding the award:


West Valley City Receives 19th Consecutive Budget Award

West Valley City – For the 19th consecutive year West Valley City has been awarded the Distinguished Budget Award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for fiscal year 2009-2010. This award is presented to governmental entities that demonstrate the highest principals of proficiency and excellence in budget preparation and presentment. In order to receive this honor the entity must satisfy nationally recognized standards of effective budget presentation. The award will be presented to the City during the regularly scheduled City Council meeting on Tuesday, September 21, at 6:30 p.m.
“The budget staff and finance department work very hard to ensure that the highest principals of accuracy and disclosure are maintained,” Jim Welch, finance director for West Valley City, stated. “We are pleased to be recognized for this significant achievement.”
West Valley City is one of only 21 government entities in Utah to receive the Distinguished Budget Award from the GFOA, and one of only 14 municipalities. According the GFOA website (www.gfoa.org), the award is to meant to encourage government entities to prepare high-quality budget documents which increases accountability and can lead to better decision making and transparency.
###

New Granger High Groundbreaking

On Friday I was privileged to represent West Valley City at the half-time groundbreaking for the new Granger High School. The game happened to be Granger's homecoming game, so the stands and sidlines were full of past and present students. With me on the field with golden shovels were members of the school and school district and individuals representing the team that will do the construction work. The new school is scheduled to open in three years. In the meantime the old school will stay operational and when when construction is completed on the new building, the old one will be demolished and turned into additional parking and sports fields.

This will be a nice addition to our City, but we will need to replace Granger Park somewhere in the community. The park and school have been cornerstones of the community and we need to make sure that the traditions and institutions are carried on through the new facilities.

Parks and Trails Bond Support

There has been an swell of support for the West Valley City Parks and Trails Proposition. Recreationalists, athletes, and even everyday residents that want to reinvest in our community have begun to organize and tell their neighbors about the benefits of approving the bond this November. Earlier this week the Granite School District Board of Education officially endorsed the proposal by unanimously passing a resolution. A press release including the contents of the resolution, which outlines deserving and various reasons behind the formal support, are below:


**NEWS RELEASE**

Tonight, the Granite School District Board of Education unanimously adopted a resolution of support for West Valley City’s parks and trails bond, a $25 million proposal on the November ballot which would increase taxes $2 a month for an average home, but which would rebuild Granger Park, build 17 new parks, and complete 27 miles of trails. The resolution read:

Whereas, 25% of children in Utah are overweight, and the availability of parks and trails has been shown to reduce obesity rates; and

Whereas, more safe routes to school are needed for children who are walking to school to be kept away from busy roads; and

Whereas, we appreciate West Valley City’s partnership in allowing the new Granger High School to be built on the former Granger Park, and desire to be a good community partner in helping them replace this park; and

Whereas, it is in the financial best interest of the school district to maintain property values, and studies show that neighborhoods adjacent to parks and trails increase value; and

Whereas, we appreciate first hand the benefit of historically low interest rates and construction costs, and recognize the wisdom in acting now to expand trails and parks in West Valley City;

Therefore, be it resolved, that the Granite School Board of Education officially supports West Valley City’s General Obligation bond that is being considered on this November’s ballot, and we encourage families, employees, PTAs, and others in our community to support this bond and vote “YES” for more parks and trails for West Valley City.

Board member Julene Jolley said, “It makes perfect sense for educators to support this bond, because we care about having safe places for kids to play, safe places for them to walk to school, and in reinvesting in West Valley neighborhoods to strengthen property values.”

The Granite School District joins other community groups in encouraging “Yes on Prop 3”, including the Utah Transit Authority, which sees the proposed projects as increasing connectivity to transit and in encouraging more people to bike to work.

Proposition 3 -Parks and Trails

I have been bombarded with questions due in relation to West Valley City's first ever General Obligation bond election which will appear on this November's Ballot. The City Council unanimously approved placing this on the ballot for various and differing reason. However, it will ultimately be up to the voters to decide whether or not we take this opportunity to reinvest in our community and give a kick start to what could be the premier transit oriented development in the State, namely the West Valley City Center. Below is a sheet of frequently asked questions and answers in relation to the bond election including a list of projects that would be funded. When you take a look you will notice that several of these projects are probably close to your home or place of business, thereby immediately increasing the value and attractiveness of that neighborhood. As always if you have any additional questions or comments please feel free to contact me.

Fact Sheet

Proposition 3 “Parks and Trails for West Valley City Families”

Q: What will West Valley City be voting on?

A: On the ballot this November, West Valley registered voters will have the opportunity to vote on the city’s first ever general obligation bond. This bond, which could be up to $25,000,000, would fund a variety of parks and trails throughout the city. The bond would be paid back over 20 years using property tax revenues. General obligation bonds are used because they have the lowest interest rates.

Q: How much will the bond cost an average family?

A: For a homeowner with an average home (valued at $177,000), there would be a property tax
increase of $25.02 per year. This breaks down to less than $2.09 per month, or less than 7 cents per day.

Q: What exactly will the bond go to pay for?

A: The bond will help complete dozens of projects in three major categories:

1) TRAILS. For biking to work, walking to school, or exercising with the family, the bond will be able to complete the city’s Crosstowne Trail. This runs at about 2700 South from the Jordan River, through the Decker Lake area, west through Lake Park and Highbury, and all the way
to Magna at 7200 West. The bond will also complete the Utah & Salt Lake Canal Trail, which
runs from 4000 West and 4700 South along the canal and behind Academy Park, Kennedy
Junior High, Woodledge Park, and West View Park out to 7200 West and 3900 South. These
trails will tie into the future Mountain View Corridor trail along 5800 West, and the existing
Jordan River Parkway.

2) NEW GRANGER PARK/CITY CENTER GREENSPACE. Designed to both replace Granger Park (which is being used for the new Granger High School), and to create a “town square”
or “village green” of sorts, this 4 to 7 acre space will become a gathering place and regional
amenity for the entire city. Located adjacent to the TRAX station by city hall and featuring
water features and picnic areas, this space is intended to spur economic development and
to keep the positive momentum of the new Valley Fair Mall redevelopment flowing west.

3) NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS. Seventeen new neighborhood parks will benefit from the bond,
resulting in a city park within 2,000 yards of every family in the city and increasing the city’s
open space inventory by 20%. This will include the city’s first off-leash dog park and skate
park.

Sunset Hills Park (U-111 and 6400 S) 2 acres
Falcon Crest Park (4055 S 7060 W) 1.5 acres
Fox Tail Park completion (6880 W 3045 S) 2 acres
Wetland Park series of trails, walkways and interpretive signs through 40 acres of wetland and
playa (6700 W 2820 S)
5. Vistas East (6356 W 4580 S) 2.9 acres
6. Pleasant Valley Park (6124 W Brud Dr) .5 acres
7. Vistas South (4540 S 6000 W) 2.7 acres
8. Complete West side of Centennial Park, and include a skate park somewhere in the park. (5415
W 3100 S) 3 acres
9. Park in the area of 4800 W 4150 S with off-leash dog park 2 acres
10. Arlington Park open spaces (4700 W 4620 S) .5 to .75 acres
11. Park at (4300 W 4300 S) .5 to 1 acre
12. Trail-Head Park on Utah & Salt Lake Canal. (4050 W 4700 S) .75 acres
13. Firestation Park (2700 W 2900 S) 2 Acres
14. Park at (3641 S 2200 W) 2 or more acres
15. Park in the area of 3800 S Redwood Rd 2 acres
16. Chesterfield Neighborhood Park in an area to be determined 1.5 acres
17. Jordan River Parkway at about 3800 S 1250 W .5 acres


Q: Why did the City Council choose this year to request a bond for parks and trails?

A: Each year the city is losing more potential park sites as the community grows, and there is a need to acquire these sites while the real estate is still available and affordable. With many families vacationing from home during the economic hard times, the demand for recreational amenities close by like parks and trails is the highest it has ever been. Furthermore, many residents are concerned about slumping property values and studies show that one of the best ways to reinvest in neighborhoods and enhance value is through developing nearby parks and trails.

Also, with the completion of TRAX light rail next summer, and the finalizing of plans for the West Valley City Center there, the timing is critical for the new Granger Park/City Center Greenspace to be installed to help jump-start economic development. Finally, the city has long neglected getting caught up on its long range park master plan, and current interest rates and construction costs are at record lows, enabling many more projects to be completed for much less money than it normally would cost.

Housing Crisis

As we individually and collectively battle against the economic recession I have become more and more aware of the impacts and hardships placed upon members of our West Valley City community. The housing market continues to a focal point of economic woes and as a City Council we have seen applications for new housing projects almost entirely off of the map. The City has little regulatory control to influence the housing market, but as a City we recognize the importance of having healthy neighborhoods and the impact that that has on numerous other areas of City life and services. I reported some neighborhood trends during one study meeting and the rest of the City Council supported me in asking the executive staff to draft and send a letter to individuals and entities that do have regulatory influence or legislative means to affect the housing foreclosure crisis and subsequent fall out. As every community is experiencing things differently it is also important to provide West Valley City's perspective. The following is the body of that letter that sent:


As you no doubt have been painfully aware over the past many months, stability of the housing markets has continued to be an issue. As part of our efforts to continue the struggle to maintain and strengthen our neighborhoods, we thought a reminder of our ongoing efforts and the importance of the support of our friends at the federal level would be appropriate.

Foreclosures and the negative impact they have on rates of home ownership and strength of communities and neighborhoods continue to be an issue for us. While we have been blessed in the case that our foreclosure numbers are relatively widespread and not concentrated in neighborhoods, they do indeed exist, and properties in foreclosure or close to foreclosure number in the thousands in our city.

There are a number of ways that we have combated the effect of this on our city. We have a very strong police, neighborhood support and legal presence that have done everything we could do to encourage and support quality of life in our neighborhoods. Another component of that effort has been our use and cooperation with federal programs including Community Development Block Grants, HOME Investment Partnership, housing assistance programs, etc.

Your continued support of these and other federal programs such as the Home Affordable Modification Program is appreciated. Although we don’t directly participate in programs such as this, the important and positive effect on our community is important nonetheless.

Thanks again for your great support of us in the past, and we implore you to continue and strengthen that support as it is possible.

Summer Open Letter to West Valley City Residents

The following is my open letter to the residents of West Valley City as published in ths August edition of The West Valley Journal:


Silver Linings

A message from Councilmember Corey Rushton

Recently I paid a visit to Kennedy Junior High and engaged in several conversations recollecting the esteemed faculty and school traditions that I enjoyed while attending that institution years ago. Upon reflection, I am extremely grateful to Mrs. Page and her Freshman English Class for providing me with a foundation in various literary works that I still ponder and utilize to this day. One such book that we intently studied was, “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens. This classic tale of thematic social commentary begins with the famous lines, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

I repeat these words because I feel a similar sentiment among many of the West Valley City residents and businesses that I serve. I realize that current and lingering economic conditions have produced many challenges and hardships. However, I am as optimistic as ever about the future progress of West Valley City and want to share some positive developments that have come forth from the midst of this recession.

The city has been able to take advantage of historically low interest rates by refinancing several outstanding bonds. The hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings will help reduce overall debt and benefit the taxpayers. Also, we are witnessing monetary savings throughout our bid process, as more companies are submitting competitive bids to work on city infrastructure. Many of these bids have come in hundreds of thousands of dollars below budget, giving us more purchasing power for reinvestment opportunities. Additionally, city departments have all had to tighten their operating budgets, requiring them to identify excess and increase productivity. During this time the police department is pleased to report an overall reduction in violent crimes.

Many of these innovative principles can be incorporated on an individual level and I encourage everyone to look for new ways to save resources, to reinvest in their homes, and to find new ways to be productive members of the community. To this Charles Dickens would agree, for he also wrote, “Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” Take advantage of these times and together we will move forward as a city one household at a time.

Police & Fire and 30th Reunion

Sometimes as a community and as individuals we get caught up in number of various city issues like development, events, and aesthetic issues and momentarily lose sight of the paramount importance of the most important issue facing any city-Public Safety. The professional men, women, and canniness that serve and protect our city effectively do their jobs round the clock. When an emergency rises we are fortunate to have their services ready to respond. A high profile leader from another community once told me that if he couldn't have public safety officials from his own city respond to an emergency then he would definitely want West Valley City officers and fire instead. This and other conversations have provided me with good feedback and I am proud that public safety leaders in many other communities across the Wasatch front got their training and start in West Valley City. As it is always important to keep this in mind I was thrilled when Police Chief Nielsen and Fire Chief Evans presented myself and other members of the City Council with our 30th Anniversary Police and Fire Badges. The badges were frame to presumably prevent me from either losing or attempting to use them with an inscription that reads:

Councilmemember Corey L. Rushton

Proudly serving and protecting the citizens of

West Valley City

Presented by Chief Thayle "Buzz" Nielsen

Chief John Evans

Also recently a number of previous members of the City Council gathered for a 30th anniversary lunch. It was great opportunity for all to share memories and review City progress as well laugh at each other. I am grateful for the vision and efforts of those that have served before I have and how they have strongly positioned West Valley City for the future.

Jordan River Update

West Valley City was the first city to sign on to the inter-local agreement in establishing the Jordan River Commission. Since the Mayor was out of town performing Sister City duties in Taiwan the duty and honor of signing this resolution was passed to me as Mayor Pro Tem. We had a signing ceremony where several interested legislators, municipalities, and other interested agencies attended. You can read more about that event here:

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700046083/West-Valley-City-enters-Jordan-River-Commission.html

I was also invited to the Utah Watershed symposium to give an update of the proposal to the many various water experts in attendance. That event also saw many other municipalities sign onto the inter-local agreement. In semi-conjunction with this event I organized a Jordan River kayak trip for interested members of the City Council and Executive Staff. Many of West Valley City departments were represented on the trip as we paddled are way through the West Valley section of the river. We stopped mid way to take a break and to examine some of the challenges and opportunities by foot before continuing on. Since the trip everyone involved has expressed a better understanding and an increased appreciation of the Jordan River. West Valley City will continue to be at the forefront of preserving and promoting the Jordan River.

Subsequently, I attended West Jordan's City Council meeting where they discussed the merits of the Jordan River Commission. The West Jordan City Council was gracious enough to allow me some time to answers questions and give some perspective. As they continue to debate this measure I was pleased to see a ringing endorsement from KSL on the matter:

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=238&sid=11966959

We will continue to move forward in this process and look for collaborative efforts to enhance this natural amenity.

Urban Farm Initiative

Utilizing the scare resources in our region and a robust agricultural heritage is a big part in our community's fabric and history. The Rushton family tomato farm has been an enduring staple in the Hunter area of West Valley City for decades. Through this I have realized the importance and the benefits that local urban farms have on the community. The open space, the natural environment, and boost to the local economy are all highly desirable commodities even if you are not a vegetable consumer. Salt Lake County has come to similar conclusions and wants to utilize unused space for similar purposes including plant production for bio fuels. As interest in sustainable initiatives such as this grows it is important to look for ways to partner with this County initiative to better serve West Valley City residents. Here is a list of progress as reported by the Salt Lake County:

•Assignment of Urban Farming duties to the County's Open Space Coordinator.
•A functional Urban Farming Technical Advisory Committee that includes representation from of a variety of land use and farming interests, including representatives of Wasatch Community Gardens, Slow Food Utah, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,Utah State University, Utah Department of Agriculture, Great Salt Lake Resource Conservation District to name a few.
•Urban Farming program guidelines that were presented to the County Council on October 27, 2009.
•An Open House introducing the Urban Farming program was held on January 21, 2010.
•An RFP for commercial farming was issued on April 23, 2010.
•20 acres of a 200 acre parcel growing safflower as a bio fuel feedstock crop.
•80 acres in Bluffdale that was purchased as a future park site is actively farmed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
•29 acres spread among 5 unique parcels under contract for local food production (1parcel is still in contract negotiation phase.)
•An active refugee community garden near the Redwood Recreation Center under the leadership of Ze Xiao and Michael Gallegos.
•29 acres spread among 23 parcels identified as potential micro-farming/community garden sites. Additionally, the County's Urban Farming program continues to attract local and national press.

The City Council had a recent presentation on the community garden near the Redwood Recreation Center and it is shaping up to be a good addition to West Valley City.

Utah Debut

Just a quick update, as today I received word a that Dickey's BBQ Pit, a Texas based resturant will be opening a location in West Valley City. From the looks of thier website it seems like it will be a good addition to the already diverse group of food choices that have emerged on 5600 West. The Dickey BBQ Pit Wesbsite explains their company history as:

"In 1941, the Dickey family opened the original Dickey's Barbecue Pit in Dallas. Nearly 70 years later, we are still a family business with the same goal: “Serve everyone great barbecue.”

Our family’s secret to success? We have a passion for barbecue and a passion for our customers. We take great pride and care in both."

You can explore more at: http://www.dickeys.com/index.aspx

Chickens and Crossing the Road

I am pleased to progress on two unrelated items that came out of this weeks West Valley City Council Study session. First off the City Council is poised to adopt Resolution 10-141 which will authorize a crosswalk traffic signal on 4800 West to serve the students of Kennedy Jr High. As a former student of the school I know first hand how treacherous it can be to safely get across 4800, especially during those dark winter mornings. This installation is not only a move towards increased public safety, but a statement by West Valley City officials that walkable communities can lead to a higher standard of living. Increased safety features and the addition of trails and bike lanes will make it easier to utilize alternative modes of transportation and provide more recreation opportunities. Another benefit to a walkable safe community is that it reduces the air pollution that plagues our geographic region. This year West Valley City is promoting the Clear the Air Challenge, which is a program designed to educate and reduce harmful pollution due to excess driving. You can find more information at:

http://cleartheairchallenge.org/

Secondly, we had a presentation and lengthy discussion regarding domestic fowl regulations which is better known in some circles as the 'backyard chicken ordinance'. We have studied this issue for many months and enough consensus emerged from that discussion that a revised ordinance will come through to the City Council agenda for formal debate and action. As there are many things to consider while drafting such regulations I encourage anyone with any interest or knowledge in this hobby to contact City staffer Shane Smith at 801-965-5841. As always please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns, or comments.

30th

Last week was West Valley City's 30th anniversary of incorporation. Still fairly young by City standards and a remarkable amount of accomplishment has occurred in those three short decades. The Utah Symphony performed on an absolutely picture perfect summer evening. I enjoyed some food and the variety of musical selections that were played. Earlier in the evening was City Council meetings were the following proclamation was read and I afterward signed as Mayor Pro Tem:

WEST VALLEY CITY, UTAH
PROCLAMATION
A PROCLAMATION DECLARING 2010 AS WEST
VALLEY CITY’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF
INCORPORATION AND CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF
“PROGRESS AS PROMISED.”

WHEREAS, in 1977 a determined Community Council of Granger, Hunter, and
Redwood residents wanted to form a new City Government in Utah, and
WHEREAS, those residents, along with State representatives and local leaders pushed forward, winning an incorporation vote; and
WHEREAS, on July 1st, 1980, Judge David K. Winder administered the oath of office to the leaders of the new City; and
WHEREAS, on July 8th, 1980, a subsequent disincorporation vote was defeated, realizing the dream of forming a new city and moving forward with plans for West Valley City; and
WHEREAS, West Valley City has embraced its first-class status with the addition of parks, new roads, independent public safety services, the Maverik Center entertainment venue, the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, the Family Fitness Center, residential and commercial enhancements, a city center and public plaza, and many more accomplishments too numerous to list;
NOW, THEREFORE, I do hereby commend those individuals with the dream to build a new city, those elected officials, administrators, and employees both past and present who have worked to turn what was once a dream into Utah’s second largest City, and proclaim 2010 as West Valley City’s 30th anniversary of incorporation, celebrating 30 years of “Progress as Promised.”

Also during that evening Council meetings we convened as the City's Redevelopment Agency and Municipal Building Authority to have public hearing is order to sell the City's surplus land at near the Cultural Center to be developed as part of the Jordan River Marketplace.

The other big news coming out of the City is the naming of the Maverik Center. I am very pleased to have Maverik as the naming sponsor of the arena and excited at the potential for numerous partnerships to help promote the quality entertainment district that West Valley City offers. I have been asked by numerous residents and news agencies about the terms of the deal. I am happy to report that the deal is worth millions of dollars over a number of years. Deals like this are lengthy and complicated, but in the spirit of good government and transparency I hope that those that are seeking further information on this partnership get their questions answered sooner rather than later. I have always taken pride that the community owns the Center and that we will all play a big role in the future of that entertainment district. We'll work to establish as many quality partnerships as we can to keep West Valley City moving forward.

Jordan River Commission

The following is a press released issued by West Valley City Office of Public Relations regarding the establishment of the Jordan River Commission:


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: June 30, 2010
Contact: Corey Rushton, Councilmember At-Large, 801-963-3346
West Valley City to Sign Resolution to Join Jordan River Commission
WHAT: West Valley City resolution signing to enter interlocal agreement establishing the Jordan River Commission.
WHEN: Tuesday, July 6, 2010, 3:30 p.m.
WHERE: West Valley City Council Chambers
3600 S. Constitution Blvd.
West Valley City, Utah 84119
WHO: Everyone is invited to attend the event.
WHY: On Tuesday, July 6, 2010 at 3:30 p.m., West Valley City Mayor Pro Tem Corey Rushton will sign a resolution entering in to an interlocal agreement to establish the Jordan River Commission. The West Valley City Council approved the resolution on June 22, 2010 during its regular City Council meeting. The Commission will coordinate efforts in developing and implementing a comprehensive vision for the entire river. The Jordan River Commission will consist of local government entities bordering the Jordan River.
“West Valley City has been a leader throughout the region in protecting and promoting the Jordan River,” said Rushton. “West Valley City looks forward to continuing those efforts with the Jordan River Commission.”
The Commission will focus on promoting the protection of the Jordan River; facilitate orderly planning and development while protecting the individual jurisdictions’ ability to govern its own area. The Jordan River Commission will also promote and help establish support for the “Blueprint Jordan River” document created by Envision Utah. The “Blueprint Jordan River” document was created through public hearings and public involvement to set guiding principles and goals for protecting the Jordan River and developing it as a community resource.
# # #

5th Tuesday City Council

City Council meetings are usually only scheduled during the first four Tuesdays of each month. Today was a Fifth Tuesday and as such no meetings today. However, I did participate in a meeting today as a member of the West Valley Monument Review Committee to discuss a proposed Serviceman Memorial. The City Council also took the opportunity of no meetings to participate in a City service project. Myself and two other City Councilmembers assembled at the Harman Senior Center to clean out some of the basement storerooms. We quickly filled a dumpster with trash and reorganized the supplies in the rooms. I feel that it is very positive for our City Council to learn how to work together in and out of City Council Chambers. It was also a good opportunity to get to know a couple of staff members that oversees the operations of this great City facility and learn more about the mission of the Center.

The David and Grace Harman Family Home was the boyhood home of Pete Harman, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, which he donated to the City for use as a senior recreation center. The house was originally built in 1918 and remodeled in 1989 before Harman turned it over to the City.

Today, the Harman Senior Recreation Center provides West Valley City's senior residents with access to community resources and programs that enhance dignity, support independence, encourage community involvement, and stimulate physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The address, phone number and hours are listed below:

4090 South 3600 West
West Valley City, UT 84119

Ph: (801) 965-5822

Hours
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Monday - Friday
Lunch
Monday - Friday at 12:00 pm

WestFest

In my humble estimation this year's WestFest was outstanding. The entertainment and various entries in the talent show was exceptional, the food was just as diverse and tasty, and the parade and fireworks just keep getting better. It was also full of information and offers from local groups and businesses. My sincere thanks goes out to the members of the WestFest committee for their dedication and hard work. They represent our city well and do an excellent job of pulling together all aspects of this celebration. Not to mention that this is West Valley city's 30th anniversary and so their was extra work and increased expectations.

Emily and I also had a memorable time supervising a number of kids as we explored the carnival section of WestFest. The area was open and well maintained for the number of people scurrying between rides and games. Deepest condolences to the friends and family of Carl Nutsch.

I am looking forward to an even bigger and better WestFest 2011. There will be plenty of opportunities to participate and enjoy our community.

National Committee Work Official Release

Here is the official press statement jointly released by the National League of Cities and West Valley City:


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: June 28, 2010
Contact: Corey Rushton, Councilmember At-Large, 801-963-3346
West Valley City Councilmember Corey Rushton Explores Redevelopment Solutions at National League of Cities Meeting
West Valley City – During a recent meeting of the National League of Cities’ (NLC) First Tier Suburbs Council in Garland, Texas, West Valley City Councilmember Corey Rushton explored innovative solutions to redevelopment issues and learned how to translate these ‘best practices’ into reality for West Valley City.
“This committee is very ambitious in identifying and researching innovative solutions to the common challenges that our communities all share” said Rushton.
Local officials from first tier suburban communities struggle with the challenges of redevelopment, including aging housing stock and infrastructure, outdated land use regulations and sprawl.
In response to these challenges, city officials learned about downtown revitalization efforts that spur new growth while retaining community character, as well as efforts to plan and leverage new development around Dallas Area Rapid Transit stations. The cities of Garland, Plano, Duncanville, North Richland Hills and Richardson took advantage of the opportunity to bring new life to their communities by combining deliberate growth patterns, public/private partnerships and community support and participation.
In addition to touring successful redevelopment projects, city officials heard from national experts and discussed challenges and solutions to regionalism; retail revitalization; transit-oriented development; neighborhood vitality; changes in the real estate market; and strategic approaches to economic development attraction.
Chaired by Garland Councilmember Douglas Athas, the First Tier Suburbs Council is comprised of local officials from communities outside of central cities and inside the ring of developing suburbs and rural areas.
The National League of Cities is the nation’s oldest and largest organization devoted to strengthening and promoting cities as centers of opportunity, leadership and governance. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans.

Rainwater Harvesting

My agrarian ancestry and experiences with our dry climate has always made water conservation a concept and practice that has long interested me. I have mentioned in earlier posts some practices and water wise vegetation that helps to conserve this precious resource. I wanted to further point a development that I have been following that I know will be of some interest to many of our community's businesses and residents. This year, the Utah Legislature passed Senate Bill 32, which permits the capture and storage of precipitation (i.e., rainwater harvesting). The bill has now been listed in the Utah Code under section 73-3-1.5. Their are limits to the amount you can harvest and another requirement of the new law that just took effect is that a person who wants to harvest rainwater must first register with the Utah Division of Water Rights. The Division now has an online registration form that can be found here:


http://waterrights.utah.gov/forms/rainwater.asp


I took a few minutes and registered and feel good that my small backyard sistern is now legal in the eyes of the State.

National Committee Meetings

COUNCILMEMBER RUSHTON
COUNCIL REPORT
JUNE 15, 2010
NATIONAL NLC COMMITTEE CONFERENCE
SUMMARY
From June 9-12 I attended and represented West Valley City at my National League of Cities Committee Meeting held throughout the Dallas, Texas region. The conference major speakers and presenters included a variety of municipal officials, developers, and academics that investigated important issues identified by the committee. The meetings were very intense and took place from breakfast through dinner meetings. Clinical Professor and Real Estate advisor Michael Buckley, was given keynote status as he laid out technical information regarding transitions in real estate waves. The presentation impacts towards future development was explored by a firsthand bus tour of recent redevelopment and transit-oriented development through the region. The convening of this committee featured ten PowerPoint presentations with over 450 slides of information. I acquired electronic copies of these presentations in case of expressed interest or application to our City. Additionally, I gathered materials and discussed numerous best practice solutions and innovations in order to share them with executive staff for informational purposes.
PRIORITY ISSUES
1. Regionalism: Karen Walz, Project Manager for Vision North Texas, discussed the efforts of public-private partnerships in addressing the future quality of life, economic desirability and long term sustainability or regions using North Texas as an example.
2. Retail Revitalization: Anne Ricker, Leland Consulting Group, shared retail revitalization strategies and implementation tools.
3. Transit Oriented Development: Art Lomenick, managing Director, Trammell Crow Company discussed elements of successful transit oriented developments.
4. Neighborhood Vitality: Garland Planning and Neighborhood vitality department described the efforts of the City of Garland, Texas neighborhood vitality innovations.
5. Federal Agenda: Council discussed the shift in Department of Housing and Urban Development philosophy and programs toward more 'sustainable' development.

Spring Landscaping

I have spent a lot time outdoor recently either working on the farm or in my own yard cultivating various plants in hopes of beautifying and producing fruit. I have seen many neighbors and City residents at the local nurseries and home improvement stores and have spoken with them about their plans for Spring cleaning, and improving their homes and yard. In turn these individual efforts enhance our entire community and provides us with a better sense of 'place' within West Valley City. Below is a portion of the City Ordinace that deals with landscaping and below that I have listed a few of my favorite water wise and native Utah plants that you may consider using in your yard or business:


247103.
REAL PROPERTY; REQUIRED LANDSCAPING; MAINTENANCE
REQUIREMENTS.
(1) All developed residential parcels in the City shall have and maintain the following
landscaping:
(a) Landscaping shall be installed in front yards between the front line of the house and the sidewalk on the entire width of the lot excluding the driveway.
On corner lots, landscaping shall be installed in all areas between the sidewalk and the side line of the house between the front property line and the rear property line which are visible from the public right of way.
(b) Landscaping shall include at least one tree and a combination of lawn, shrubs or groundcover. Deciduous trees shall be a minimum size of 2inch caliper. Conifer trees shall be at least six feet in height. Groundcover may include vegetative vines, lowspreading shrubs, or annual or perennial flowering or foliage plants. Groundcover may also include mineral or nonliving organic permeable material in not more than 50 percent of the net landscaped area.
Mineral groundcover may include such materials as rocks, boulders, gravel, or brick over sand. Species, size, and placement of landscape elements shall be determined by the homeowner; however, low water use landscaping is encouraged.
(c) At the time the water supply line to a house is installed, the builder shall furnish and install a stop and wastevalve with an access sleeve and capped mainline to the surface to facilitate future sprinkler system installation. The stop and waste valve may also be located inside the home with a mainline
extended to the exterior of the foundation wall and capped.
(d) On lots over one half acre in size, landscaping shall only be required on 80 feet of street frontage to the depth of the front yard setback. On corner one half acre lots, 80 feet of frontage shall be landscaped on each street. The 80 foot frontage may include customary access drives.

The following are some of my favorite Utah Native plants:

Blue Sage Salvia-- An upright, woody-based perennial with several branched stems having mid-dark, grey-green foliage. Produces beautiful pure blue blossoms in dense clusters from late-summer to autumn. Prefers dry to medium moist soils and requires full sun.

Firecracker Penstemon --Upright, woody-based, evergreen or semi-evergreen perennial with blue-green leaves. In early summer, bears tubular, bright scarlet flowers. Prefers poor to moderately fertile, well drained soil and full sun. Great for dry desert-scapes. Attracts butterflies.

Mexican Hat--A fun fast growing daisy-like flower that requires no water once established. Flowers may be fully yellow or yellow and burgundy. It has a green, turning to brown, cone shaped center with petals hanging from the bottom edge, almost "hat-shaped." It blooms best in full sun from May to August.

Sundancer Daisy --Everblooming Utah native perennial. Forms tight mounds of small grass-like leaves with numerous yellow, daisy-like flowers growing on slender stems above the plant. Tolerant of many different soil types, including poor ones, as long as they are well-drained. Needs very little water once established.

Information on New Apartments

This past week I was able to meet with the staff and take an in depth tour of the new Kelly Benson Apartments which is located a block away from the Bangerter Highway at 3100 South. There has been many questions about this over the past couple of years and it was good to see the facility and talk with the staff about the role that the apartment complex will play in the community. My questions were answered during the tour and I was pleased to see the contributions made by the local neighborhood in donations and labor to get the apartments ready for move in. Currently 22 of the 59 apartments are occupied and the remaining should be leased by July. The following are some information points about the new apartments:

PURPOSE: The Kelly Benson Apartments will help bridge the gap in affordable housing for seniors with disabling conditions in Salt Lake County by providing housing, rental subsidies, and services to help ensure successful tenancy. In addition to being a cost effective alternative to care centers, placing these individuals in permanent supportive housing will prolong and improve their quality of life.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: 59 units of housing located at 3120 South 3600 West, serving as many as 70 individuals. The project will provide permanent supportive housing for seniors age 55 and older with disabling conditions including those who have been homeless or chronically homeless. This is a nonsmoking building, but covered areas for smoking outside will be provided.
STAFFING: The Kelly Benson Apartments will initially be staffed 24/7. Property management and case management services are located on-site.
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES: Our goal is to help tenants achieve stability by providing wrap-around services. Supportive services will be provided by Housing Authority staff as well as partnership agreements with local social service providers. On-site case management will help tenants access resources that will allow them to age in place.
TENANCY: The Kelly Benson Apartments will be made available to tenants who meet program requirements such as income, passing criminal background checks, and paying rent and complying with basic tenancy requirements.
OBTAINING A VOUCHER: Kelly Benson Apartments has 40 Project Based Section 8 vouchers. It may potentially have 8 Project Based Shelter Plus Care vouchers, and has 11 two bedroom units without a rental subsidy. Individuals must be placed on the Kelly Benson waiting list at the Housing Authority of the County of Salt Lake to obtain any voucher.
ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES: Many activities and services will be available on-site at Kelly Benson Apartments. Kelly Benson will continually offer new activities, providing social outlets and learning opportunities for the residents.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: If you are interested in volunteer opportunities, please contact the Kelly Benson Service Coordinator, Jenny White at 801-270-1321 or JennyWhite@hacsl.org.

Happy Arbor Day

Recently West Valley City was awarded Tree City USA status for the 15 consecutive year. We had a nice presentation from the State Division of Forestry as well as an update from West Valley Trees committee during our regular City Council meeting. Today I joined with other members of the City Council, WVC Parks Department, and kids from the Family Fitness center Kidz Kamp in planting some trees. The Eastern Redbuds were arranged around a grassy area at the circular end of City Center Ct, near the E-Center. These events are a great asset to the City as these tree will be enjoyed by visitors and residents for years to come. The significance of investing and improving your home and community is of utmost importance to the future of West Valley City. Participation in this Arbor Day event is small token of that commitment and I hope that many more will catch that vision.

Cultural Arts

It has been an eventful year for West Valley City Arts. The recently retooled Cultural Arts Board has their sights set high for programs and events throughout this year. Recently I received this summary of the cultural art events and exhibitions that the City has helped facilitate in one form or another. Even though I attended quite a few of these events, I was still amazed at the many quality events that I missed. Many of the events below are becoming yearly traditions, so if you missed something of interest last year look for an improved version this coming year.

15 Art Exhibits

International

Spark of Hope: Rwanda

Exit Saigon, Enter Little Saigon (a travelling Smithsonian Exhibition)

National

Day of the Dead

American Association of University Women: Celebrating the Diversity of Women

Retablo Exhibition by Jeronimo Lozano

Regional

Celebrating Fiber Arts: From the Past to the Present

Nine Muses

Adoption Exchange

Peace Flags Project

Local

Face of Utah Sculpture

Trees of Diversity

Brian Baity’s Easter Eggstravaganza (Artisan Eggshell Carvings)

Utah’s African History: Storytelling Through Art and Artifact

Arnold Friberg’s Entering The Valley Exhibition

30 Educational Programs

ArtRageous Tuesdays

ArtRageous Seniors

Urban Youth Tile Project

Vietnamese Language Classes (48 classes)

Shakespeare-in-the-Schools Presents: Twelfth Night

(Utah Shakespearean Festival)

14 Festivals, Concerts and International Exchanges

WorldStage! Summer and Winter Concerts

Fiesta!

International Summer Festival

Chilean Independence Day Celebration

Vietnamese New Year

Polynesian Reggae Festival

Winter Market

Humanitarian Services

International Film Screening

Taiwan Film Screening

(Sponsored by Utah Coalition of Sister Cities,

West Valley City Sister City Committee and

Salt Lake County Sister County Committee)

Gloria Film Festival

Fire Report

Tonight I received the 2009 annual report from the West Valley City Fire Chief and have spent some time this evening reviewing the contents. I am grateful that our City's Fire Department maintains a high level of service and has equally high standards of care and safety. Calls for service and the response times of the fire department were roughly the same as last year and the number of miscellaneous fires that were responded to were 285, with the fire at the Carpet Barn on Redwood road the most notable. Fortunately there were no civilian nor firefighter casualties due to fire this past year and only 10 fire related injuries (one firefighter and 9 civilian). The Fire Department also responds to rescue efforts and hazardous materials situations.

As springtime is now upon us there are some simple things that we can all do to keep our homes and community safe from fire including proper storage of flammable liquids and clearing out dry and highly flammable debris and grass.

Be Counted

Today is the deadline day for returning your census form and I just want to emphasize how important it is to our community that we get everyone counted in a complete census count. Census data is used in determining elected representation, roads, schools, libraries, hospitals, grants, emergency personnel, and many more important community staples. The census data by law is also kept private and cannot be usd by another government agency. If you have not taken the few minutes required to answer the ten census question please do so today.

Here is a Deseret News article regarding this very topic:

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700024515/Deadline-for-census-response-is-Friday.html

Police Involvement

Just wanted to take a minute a acknowledge the good work that members of the police department in addition to their regular important duties. They are constantly invovled in a good cause and recently I was able to participate in giving and receiving awards based upon the community involvement of our police force.

Recently acting for the Mayor at a City Council meeting I was able to recognize and present police and community partners for their efforts in the 2009 Giving tree program. Officers with help from the business community helped to organize the program of acquiring holiday gifts for underprivileged children. This past years giving tree was successful in helping a record number of families and all invovled should be proud of their contribution. Also acting as Mayor Pro Tem I represented West Valley City at an awards dinner hosted by the Utah Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. At this dinner West Valley City was recognized with an award for the servicemen and women that serve in the armed forces and that are also employed by West Valley City. We have had a number of distinguished employees serve our country with honor and we applaud their efforts. West Valley was also nominated for the Secretary of Defense employer support freedom award. Next week the police will serve and clean tables at the West Valley Sizzler to raise money for the Cops for Kids program. This Dinner event will occur Wednesday the 21st from 4:00-9:00 pm.

Why West Valley?

My pioneer ancestors and I have called West Valley City area home for over one hundred and forty years. When you inhabit an area for such a length of time you invariably get asked WHY? Originally my great great great grandfather Edward Rushton crossed over the Jordan River and joined a few other families in the Hunter area to homestead and farm for economic advantage over the other pioneers that enjoyed the comforts of assembly that they had created in Salt Lake. Water and other resources were scarce and comforts were few, but the few families came to the area prospered from their hard work and turned their sights to building meetinghouses and schools for the area with the extra means that they had obtained.

What seemed to be miles away from civilization has turned into the very heart of the valley, and location, convenience, and amenities now drive the economic and family expansion of West Valley City. Recently the City published a five year economic development plan. The first part of that plan gave the top ten economic reasons for locating a business in West Valley City. I can think a few things that I could add or go into further detail, but here is a well thought out list that the next time someone asks me why they should move their business to West Valley City I can give them many many ideas:

1) Location: West Valley City is centrally located within the Salt Lake Valley (population 1,100,000). The I-215 freeway, State Highway 201 (freeway), and Bangerter Highway run through the City, and both I-15 and I-80 are only 5 minutes away, making access to key valley locations easy – Salt Lake International Airport (10 minutes), downtown Salt Lake (10 minutes), University of Utah (15 minutes). In addition, the major Union Pacific Intermodal Rail Hub is 5 minutes away.
2) Quality Workforce: The City’s 125,000 population provides an educated, young, hard working, and stable work force for any business. The University of Utah and four other universities (Brigham Young University, Weber State University, Utah State University, and Utah Valley University) are within an hours’ drive, providing highly skilled employees for any business need. Also, Utah is ranked 5th in the U.S. for overall health of its workforce (United Health). Utah is a right-to-work state with a labor force that will increase at twice the national average between 2010 and 2030.
3) Transportation System: The City is served directly by two major freeways (I-215 and State Highway 201), is minutes away from both I-80 and I-15, and has numerous arterial roadways interconnecting the City to all parts of the valley. In addition, light-rail mass transit (TRAX) will serve the City beginning in 2011 which will connect the City to downtown Salt Lake, the University of Utah, and to commuter rail which serves the entire Wasatch Front region (population 2,300,000).
4) Available Land: The City has three large “Sure Site” areas (State of Utah’s qualified site designation) covering hundreds of acres of prime development land. In addition, land is available in Lake Park Corporate Center (the State’s premier office park) and in numerous other development sites that exist throughout the City. The City currently has 1,550 acres of vacant land zoned for commercial and industrial use along with 380 acres zoned for mixed use development. In addition, 1,160 acres of residential land is currently vacant or in agricultural use.
5) Existing Buildings: The City currently has 5,267,717 square feet of commercial space, 1,035,333 square feet of Business Research Park space, and 14,393,037 square feet of manufacturing buildings. There is space in West Valley City for any type of business need.
6) Cost of Doing Business: Electricity and natural gas utility costs in Utah are among the 5 lowest in the United States. These low utility costs combined with a streamlined regulatory process and a stable, highly productive workforce make the cost of doing business in West Valley City significantly lower than in many other areas. The State of Utah ranks 14th lowest in the Nation for its cost of doing business. In addition, there are several areas in the City where financial incentives exist for business development and the City aggressively uses these incentives to promote desired development.
7) Cost of Living: West Valley City has a large supply of varied housing for all levels of employees. Of the City’s 38,000 housing units, about 25% are multi-family apartments or condos. Also, the Salt Lake area is one of the most reasonably priced metro areas in the United States.
8) Business Friendly Environment: West Valley City prides itself in being an efficient, progressive, business friendly city. The City’s staff is dedicated to facilitating quality business development. The State of Utah is widely recognized for its business friendly environment – 2nd Best State for Business (CNBC); 4th for Pro-Business Climate (Business Facilities); 5th for Pro Business State in the U.S. (Pollina Corporation).
9) Existing Businesses: Over 4,500 businesses are currently located in West Valley City. These range from small “mom and pop” operations to large national corporations. Some of the businesses currently located in West Valley City include Discover Financial Services, Alliant Techsystems, Hexcel Corporation, CR England Trucking, Franklin Covey, Newspaper Agency Corporation, IHC Select Health and Ingenix.
10) Quality of Life: West Valley City’s 22 parks, 25 schools, Fitness Center, Cultural Celebration Center, and family friendly neighborhoods make West Valley City a great place to live, work, and play. In addition, Utah’s famous outdoor recreation is just minutes away with hiking, skiing, biking and more. Utah was ranked 3rd in the nation for highest quality health care for the lowest cost (Kaiser Foundation) and has the 6th lowest crime rate in the U.S. Places Rated Almanac rated Salt Lake Valley the “Best Place to Live in North America” and a 2009 Gallup survey named Utah the “Happiest State in the U.S."