Monday, October 22, 2007

Questions for Meet the Candidates: Thurs, Oct. 25

Please select the comments portion associated with this post to submit questions for the "Meet the Candidates" Night, being held at Mountain Ridge Jr. High, at 7:00pm on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007. You may post anonymously.

Why I am running: Larry Mendenhall

I believe in the same principles as did our Founding Fathers as they conceived and crafted the Constitution of The United States. The constitution was written to provide a framework to…… “promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity” ….. (Preamble to the Constitution of The United States).

Over the years, the many who have served the City of Highland have done so with dedication and integrity. The product of their efforts is evident throughout the City. There have been and will continually be growing pains. Viewscapes will change. The old will come down and be replaced with new. Highland is a vibrant City. Highland is not just “bedroom communitiy”. The responsibility of those who serve the City of Highland, be it staff, appointed, or elected officials, is to be ever vigilant and to “promote the general welfare”, by doing all they can do to meet the needs of the residents of Highland.

I feel that my significant background and experience in business and my involvement, as Chairman of the Planning Commission, in the ongoing growth challenges facing Highland City has helped me develop and hone a skillset that uniquely qualifies me to speak and act effectively for the Citizens of Highland whether it be zoning and development, fiscal responsibility, or City management.

I have the qualifications and the desire to serve. I will be…”a voice of reason”.

Summary: Larry Mendenhall

BIOGRAPHY

LARRY MENDENHALL

HIGHLAND RESIDENT SINCE 1978
OCCUPATION: AVIATION

EDUCATION:
IDAHO STATE COLLEGE 1 YEAR
BYU 3 YEARS MAJOR ACCOUNTING
PEPPERDINE – OFF CAMPUS INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

AVIATION CAREER:
1967
PROVO FLYING SERVICE – FIXED WING HELICOPTER-GEN MANAGER
1970
SKYCHOPPERS-FULL SERVICE HELICOPTER COMPANY-GEN MANAGER
1975
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HELICOPTERS- VP MARKETING
VP OPERATIONS
CHAIRMAN EXEC COMMITTEE
1980 100 HELICOPTERS-200 EMPLOYEES
HOSKING HELICOPTERS- GENERAL MANAGER
1985
HELICOPTER SERVICES- PRESIDENT OWNER
INVENTORY BROKERS – PRES/OWNER HELICOPTER EXPORT COMPANY
1995
OPERATED SMALL CATTLE RANCH-TORREY UTAH
1999-PRESENT
MILLION AIR PROVO AIRPORT-FULL SERVICE AVIATION OPERATION
GENERAL MANAGER

CURRENT CIVIC ACTIVITIES
HIGHLAND CITY
PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBER-PLANNING COMMISSION CHAIR

BOARD OF DIRECTORS – PROVO OREM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

AIRPORT BOARD – PROVO AIRPORT

WIFE-LORI 3 CHILDREN
3 HORSES
4 CATS
LIVE ON 5+ ACRES IN BULL RIVER BEHIND DRY CREEK SUBDIVISION
HIGHLAND RESIDENT SINCE 1978
LOUSY GOLFER

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Why I am running: Glen Vawdrey

The Question is, why am I running for city council?
The reason that I am running for re-election to the Highland City Council is that I believe that those who have gone before me have had a vision for what they wanted Highland to be like at build out. I like what Highland has become and I feel that I share this same vision as those who have planned this city since incorporation. I believe that people are attracted to this area because of our large lots, many parks and the open space that the city has acquired that will never be developed. Highland has been a wonderful place to raise my family and I have no plans of ever leaving.
There are many projects that have been started that I would like to see completed. The Fire Station, Justice Center / Police station, and the new City Hall that will house our new Library. All of these Buildings are scheduled to be completed within the next year. We are also working on a sports park so that our youth will have a place to play Pony League Baseball, football, girls softball, soccer, lacrosse and other sports.
The general plan is being updated and we have many important issues to consider, some of which are transportation, affordable housing, senior housing and commercial development. The possible widening of SR-92 and 4800 West will have a definite impact upon our community.
I have served faithfully for four years on the council and before that I served for seven years on the Planning Commission. My desire to serve is because of my love for the city. I have no land to develop or personal agenda that I am trying to push through. I want to run on my record and encourage the residents to study the issues and vote for those who will represent each of you the best. I feel that I have represented the majority of Highland during my term as Councilman and promise to do so in the future if given the opportunity.
With my experience, commitment, work ethic, integrity and the willingness to listen and study the issues, I feel that I am qualified to continue serving on the Highland City Council and would appreciate your support on the sixth of November.

Thank you,
Glen Vawdrey

Why I am running: Jay Haws

Why am I running? Two reasons!

1. Because we need Highland! My father used to say “birds of a feather flock together” meaning people of like mind tend to associate with one another. We believe that most of us moved here with a similar purpose in mind and that purpose is to raise our family in a nurturing environment that provides safety, security, opportunity and room to grow. We hope we will be allowed to do this without unreasonable restrictions placed on us by our elected officials and that they will recognize us as intelligent, caring people who know what’s best for our families.

2. Because Highland needs us! I believe that I am the only candidate who is committed to maintaining and insuring the continuation of these “reasons for gathering here”. All the other candidates have committed themselves, through their participation in the update of the General Plan, to high density zoning which allows five to eight dwelling units per acre and boasts of apartments above retail space. Someone needs to say with emphasis “this is not who we are”. I am that person. No other person in Highland is as prepared for this challenge as I am because of my experience working with and for the residents of Highland and my understanding of why and how things get done.

Please vote for me so I can vote for you!!

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Summary: Kathryn Schramm

Kathryn S. Schramm, incumbent, seeking re election to the Highland City Council.
I readily admit that I do not have all the answers but I desire to use my talents and love for the people in this community to continue serving, as is stated in Chapter 1, Page 1 of the Highland City Development Code:
“in a manner that will promote the health, safety, morals, convenience, order, prosperity, and general welfare of the present and future inhabitants of Highland. . . .”
Qualifications to Serve:
$ Highland resident 35 years; 5 years prior to incorporation
$ Wife to Paul 44 years; mother of 7 ; grandmother to 25+
$ Instructor; bookkeeper; program preparer for Alpine School District Community Education
$ 21 years in local and Area Council PTA.
$ President and V-President of AFHS Marching Band Parent Booster Organization
$ 4-H Leader/Supervisor 18 years
$ Election Judge 28 years
$ Voting District officer
$ State and County Convention Delegate

Some Accomplishments while in office:
$ City website up and running
$ Encouraged development of affordable housing particularly for senior citizens
$ Initiated changes to the development code where ordinances were in opposition
$ Helped reform community elections process


My Stand on Some Current Issues

Transportation

9600 North and 9850 North
I am NOT IN FAVOR OF WIDENING 9600 North or 9620 N contrary to the false statements that were recently circulated to the residents living on both sides of these streets. The cost for the city to purchase all the homes that are too close to the street if it were widened, is prohibitive. I am in favor of adding sidewalks and cross walk markings to promote the safety of children walking to and from school.

I believe 9850 N (part of Highland’s East/West corridor) was left off the General Plan Update
because it is an inner city road not a regional one and therefore it was not on the North East Utah County Regional Corridor Plan to which Landmark Company referred . I seconded the motion, to put ( see CC minutes of May 29, 2007).9850 North into the Transportation Element of the General Plan Update, which carried 3-2.

Highland City should endeavor to finish this leg to meet the completed segment west of Mitchell Hollow where it joins 6800 West.

4800 West
Highland residents who live on this heavily traveled road way (where Lone Peak High School and the LDS Temple are located) have been in limbo for years. They can’t stay and they can’t go. It’s a terrible situation that has been created by an always impending threat of widening which hasn’t yet taken place. Unfortunately not all decisions have been made with the proposed widening in mind. I think the council should continue searching for other options to relieve the traffic woes on that street.

State Road (S.R.) 92 or 11000 North
This road is under Utah Dept. Of Transportation (UDOT) direction. The people here are under the same ax as the residents on 4800 West. Many have already suffered the effects of widening several years ago. A special meeting is being hosted by UDOT to evaluate potential alternatives for the SR-92 corridor and they want to hear from Highland residents regarding the solutions being considered.
A Public Open House will be held On Wed Sept. 19, 2007 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at IM Flash Technologies (Micron), 1550 East 3400 North Lehi, at Building 10 Cafeteria
Taxes
It is my goal to not raise taxes for frivolous reasons. I don’t consider a library to be a frivolous thing. A high quality library staffed by talented and trained personnel will create programs to serve the needs of all ages from birth to death. A library is a place of gathering for residents.

On Aug. 15, the Council could have voted to acquire the $200,000 needed to start up the library in ways that would not have increased taxes. I tried several times but lacked the necessary seconds or voted support to achieve that goal. In the end, it was a bitter-sweet experience. In order to acquire a full service library slated to occupy one wing of the new city hall, I had to vote to increase taxes. Of the approved tax rate of .001420, .000197 is allocated to the library.

I am unalterably against raising taxes further to pay for a recreation center or giving authority to a board to raise property taxes for such a building.

Affordable Housing
When the 3 incumbents ran in 2003, Highland was still using the convention system and groups of people met to write a statement of their beliefs or a platform. One such plank dealt with providing housing for senior citizens so they could go on living among friends and family in Highland. I have participated in making that a reality by making a motion to accept the Mansion Homes at the high density of 7.5 units per acre. This arrangement was limited to the Town Center in support of the concept of a walk-able community.

Due to increased property values, these can no longer be considered affordable senior housing. Currently some very attractive possibilities for senior housing located in other areas of the city have been presented for the City Council’s consideration. I feel that the Council needs to be willing to seriously consider many other avenues such as basement or accessory apartments.



Thank you to all those who have helped me with this campaign and to the many people who have encouraged me to run again and all those who think I can still represent you and your needs.

Summary: Jay Haws

I am running for City Council because I believe I am the best person for the Position. I have more experience than all of the other candidates combined and I understand every aspect of Highland City government from the inside out. I know each City employee personally and I believe if you polled them you would find that they overwhelmingly support my candidacy. I feel strongly about every issue because every issue impacts citizens of Highland. There are no minor issues but some always come to the forefront at election time. This year the general Plan is about to be updated and that is very important, but one issue that has not been talked about much is the budget. We are seeing at least the beginning of a serious down turn in home sales and therefore a serious reduction in the revenues associated with construction and development. This is a very critical budgetary turn of events because the City relies heavily on this revenue stream. For example, over the last several years the City has experienced between six and seven hundred thousand dollars annually in building permit revenues which does not include subdivision development and impact fees. If this is reduced by half or more you can see the impact it will have. Steps should be taken now to insure financial solvency if this downturn continues and/or worsens.
Six
of the necessary
Qualities of a City Council Member
By Jay Haws

Experience
He is familiar with the history of the community and the circumstances surrounding past decisions.

Open
He recognizes there are many sides to every issue and is capable of accepting and using input from opposing opinions.

Genuine
His actions must be for the good of the community and not special interest groups or his own personal agenda.

Foresight
He must be capable of seeing the impact, good and bad, of any decision and the practical application of its enforcement.

Reasonable
He must use common sense in his approach and reason in his resolutions.

Honest
He must never be disingenuous or hide the truth.

Summary: Steve King

I would like to thank all of those who elected me four years ago and for the opportunity to serve as one of your city council members. It has been an honor and a privilege I never thought I would have. As I have traveled to sites around Highland doing my research on agenda items that I have the duty to vote on, I have met many citizens who have thanked me for "going above and beyond "with my dedication as a council member. It has been a sacrifice to serve the past four years on council but it is a sacrifice that I very willing to do for four more years. There are many issues I still feel strongly about and I would be pleased to serve the city and it's citizens for four more years.

I would like to clear up one misconception I am hearing about my stand on a library in Highland. I am FOR a library in Highland. I voted against a property tax increase on Aug 15, 2007 not against a library. I promised our citizens four years ago, especially our seniors on fixed incomes, I would only raise taxes for the most basic government needs (ex.-Police, Fire, EMS, Roads, Culinary and PI Water systems, and city staff.) I am for small government. My promise and integrity are something I will not trade for votes. I hope the efforts of the library committee will produce a superior library congruent with the high standards Highland is known for.

Please contact me personally at home (763-0232) or e-mail at ajssking1@msn.com and allow ME to explain my stand on any issue that concerns you. Thanks Steve King

Summary: Glen Vawdrey

To All Highland Residents,
I have had the privilege of living in Highland for the past 18 years. Along with my wife Laurie to whom I have been married for 28 years, we have had the opportunity to raise six children in this wonderful location that we call home. I can't think of a better place on earth to raise a family than here in Highland. We truly love this city and have never considered leaving.
I feel that I am qualified in many ways to serve on city council. For four years I served on the board for Highland Baseball with the responsibility of being over the Major League. I have also served for seven years on the Planning Commission and the last four years as a City Councilman.
There are several reasons that I am seeking re-election. The most important to me is the preservation of the rural atmosphere that we experience here in Highland. When you enter our city you can feel that it is different. I believe that the large lots and the abundance of parks and open space is what brings good people here to live.
Another reason that I am running, is to finish some of the projects that are close to completion. We as a city need to do more for our recreation programs. There is no place in Highland for our teams to play football, girl's softball, or Pony League baseball. We also need to provide more fields for soccer, baseball, lacrosse, and other sports. Some of the smaller parks in the open space subdivisions are being used for purposes that were not intended when they were developed. With limited parking and very close neighbors, these were never meant to be used for soccer games or any other organized sport. We must finish the sports facilities that have been planned so that we don't have to rely on other cities to fulfill our recreation needs.
As far as commercial property, I feel that with the addition of Highland Marketplace, there is no need for more commercial property. The last thing I want to see is strip malls down our major highways. Let's keep Highland what it is, a premiere residential community, and prepare for the good people that will be coming.
In summary; we know that continued growth is inevitable, and though we aren't going to stop it, we can manage it in a way that Highland will not lose what we have fought so hard to keep. And though I can't take credit for what Highland is today, I feel that I have played a part, along with many others, to make this a wonderful place to live.
I feel that I have represented the majority of the citizens in Highland very well during the past four years. If you have any questions about my feelings or where I stand on an issue, please feel free to call or send me an e-mail.
Sincerely,

Glen Vawdrey
gvawdrey@juno.com or
gvawdrey@comcast.net
801.756.7490

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Meet the Candidates Night

What: Meet the Highland City Council Candidates

Who: All 6 candidates running for city council will be present to respond to questions presented by Forum Moderator, District 27 Representative, John Dougall. The candidates are Brian Braithwaite, Jay Haws, Steve King, Larry Mendenhall, Kathryn Schramm, and Glenn Vawdry. Time will also be allotted for designated speakers to address other ballot measures.
Where: Mountain Ridge Junior High School Auditorium.

When: Thursday, October 25th, 7pm.

Why: To educate the public and encourage civic participation in our General Election on November 6.

Babysitting will be provided in the cafeteria.