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Show April 1 03.qxd 12/7/2021 Volume VII Issue XII 3:49 PM Page 5 THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Page 5 April 1, 2003 To Be or Nor to Be? Mayors answer questions on incorporation By Janet Cazier To be or not to be—should Ogden Valley incorporate or not? That is the big question Valley residents are asking. Thursday, March 13 was set aside in an effort to answer more questions as Valley residents move toward a feasibility study to explore the viability of incorporating all, or a part of Ogden Valley. Approximately a hundred local residents arrived at Snowcrest to discuss this issue with three mayors from already incorporated cities. Attending were Mayor Jim McKay of Huntsville, Dirk Baily from Hooper, and Keith Butler from MarriottSlaterville, who was accompanies by city manager Bill Morris. McKay stated that Huntsville has been incorporated continuously since 1924. He said, “A government that is closest to the people is more effective.” Though all three cities have part time employees, their municipalities are mostly run by volunteers—“This adds to the benefit of incorporating,” McKay stated. Dirk Baily added that Hooper still meets in an old NCI building with no heat. Hooper is a farming community located in the western part of the county. Although he initially voted against the decision to incorporate, he related the positive things that have happened since recently incorporating. They didn’t have to raise property taxes, and will soon boast a nice city hall. They also have a park district and a mill levy. He feels that the reason they have had such a positive outcome is because of the many volunteers in the community who contribute to its success. He suggested that local residents remember that the key factor in making a sound decision will be based on the feasibility study. All mayors agreed that the feasibility study was well worth the money because the studies accurately forecasted the financial viability of the new cities. Mayor Keith Butler said that MarriottSlaterville wanted to incorporate to protect their community’s identity—they didn’t want to be swallowed up by Ogden City. He advised Valley residents to consider all the roads in the proposed incorporated area, because communities receive financial assistance based on the miles of roadway within its boundaries. Marriott-Slaterville has 7.3 square miles of road with a population base of 1500 people. They have 70 volunteers who run the city. He also mentioned that their planning committees are forced to come up against their neighbors when there are disagreements, but he still felt that the overall success was good. They took out a $25,000 loan and only used $17,000 of the money to get started as a city. The State charged a 1% fee on the loan. Their situation was different from that of Hooper’s, where there was a 50-50 split in their decision to incorporate. Eighty-six percent of the people of Marriott-Slaterville wanted to incorporate. In the beginning, they didn’t want a lot of ordinances, but they found out the hard way that they needed them. They have been incorporated for five years now and, according to Butler, the community gets better each year. Although the Mayors’comments were appreciated, most people seem to be waiting for the results of the feasibility study before making up their minds about whether they would like to incorporate. Some hard questions were asked of the leaders of the three communities, but the administrators never mentioned any major pitfalls. They all stated that their experience has been positive, and that they felt it had strengthened their communities. One example was that of Marriott-Slaterville. According to Butler, the two communities had two different histories with not much in common. Now they have joined together in one common goal, and it has strengthened both. Dick Manley, who is the boundaries committee chair, directed the Thursday meeting. He said, “The information we are gathering is to determine the boundaries of the newly proposed city, whether or not it is feasible to incorporate, and to see if other areas of the Valley want to join in. The procedure requires a petition making the request to be signed by 10% of the land owners, who represent 7% of the assessed values within the boundary.” Steering committee chair Steve Clarke stated, “The County has offered to conduct a preliminary feasibility study, and if that shows us a favorable budget without having to adopt additional taxes, we will push forward with the petition to incorporate. If it shows that we are way off the mark, then we will look at other options. We expect the study to be conducted during the first two weeks of April.” Weber County Commissioner Glen Burton is sponsoring the preliminary feasibility study. Clarke said “The volunteer groups continue to provide an invaluable service. All of us can be proud of the community spirit and hard work of these fifty people. New volunteers are continually needed, and are welcome on any of the committees. The steering committee has now formed the Land Owners committee, consisting of residents who own larger parcels of acreage. We are hopeful this new committee will give some of the long-term residents of Eden more input into the process.” Ameeting with the leaders of Huntsville will be held at the Huntsville Town Hall, March 27 at 7:00 p.m. “The mayor, town council, and the planning commission are meeting with the Eden steering committee to review the incorporation study team so we can discuss progress, and invite them to join in an incorporation of the entire Ogden Valley.” Clarke added. The Steering Committee has met with the East Huntsville Township Planning Commission, the Liberty/Nordic Valley Township Planning Commission, and Ogden Canyon residents, inviting them to join in a Valley-wide incorporated community. Public meetings are being scheduled for both townships to provide further discussion. For more information, or if you would like to volunteer, contact Steering Committee Chair Steve Clarke at 745-1348. Questions & Answers Public Dialogue on Incorporation Questions & Answers based upon those published in The OGDEN VALLEY NEWS, March 1, 2003 Q. Has the issue of changing the three acre tion issue on the ballot. These are two entirely minimum to one acre, or less, been a motivat- separate issues. ing factor in the desire to incorporate? Q. Why are we not also pursuing what is A. The effort to pursue a feasibility study for the involved in being a township? This would potential incorporation of Eden came about as the give us a planning commission composed result of a strong belief on the part of many of entirely of Eden residents, unlike the four to Eden’s citizens that the current County three split now. Government system falls short in serving our A. At a public meeting of citizens concerned local needs. The volunteers on the six incorpora- about the current government system on January tion committees, representing a broad range of 16, those in attendance voted to explore the quesour citizens’ perspectives, backgrounds, and geo- tion of incorporation, as opposed to another form graphic areas, share a common believe; that a of appointed county governance. These citizens closer, local government of our own citizens tend to believe that the best government is a local would best suit our future needs. The question of government, elected by, and accountable to, the 3 acre vs. 1 acre zoning is far more narrow than local citizens. Considerations of another form of the scope of the volunteer committees. continued county governance fall outside of the Q. Isn’t it likely that the county would vacate scope and objective of the current effort. all county roads once we are incorporated? Q. According to the Utah code, is it true that Can we afford to maintain all the county if we sign a petition to incorporate, that we roads? give the five sponsors, whoever they are, the A. The combined efforts of the six volunteer power to select the style of government, committees is focused upon moving the process boundaries of officers and other significant forward, requesting that Weber County conduct a powers to direct the course of our community. formal incorporation feasibility study. The feasi- How will sponsors be chosen? bility study, if conducted, will help define the A. Upon the initiation of the incorporation effort, local costs that would result from incorporation the more than sixty volunteers adopted a com(including road maintenance and other govern- mittee structure, elected chairpersons for their ment services), and correlate them to a variety of respective committees, with the chairpersons revenue streams not currently available to our serving on the Steering Committee and also as community. The net results of the feasibility sponsors. Hence, the citizens participating in the study, made available to the public, would help process have selected the sponsors. The sponsors determine if the incorporation effort should pro- for the incorporation will be the first to sign the ceed to placing the matter on the ballot. petitions for the feasibility study. The powers of Q. Will incorporation put pressure on Eden to the sponsors are basically limited to conducting a create more commercial and manufacturing public meeting to share the results of the feasibilzones in order to help finance our proposed ity study, making boundary line adjustments if city? Is this our vision of a rural atmosphere? necessary, making a decision to initiate a petition A. The feasibility study, if conducted, will spell drive to place incorporation on the ballot, and if out the expected expenditures and income of the the incorporation is approved, to determine the new city. In the event that it is determined that initial terms of the new city’s officials. The pubincorporation is not economically viable, the lic will vote for the style of government, concurincorporation effort will be terminated. It is like- rent with their yes or no vote for incorporation, ly that retaining our rural atmosphere would assuming the incorporation issue reaches the balremain one of our local priorities with incorpora- lot. tion, with the expectation that this objective can Q. Will all the ordinances that have been be best achieved by local government. adopted to implement the Valley General plan Q. The Utah Code of Incorporation seems to be null and void upon incorporation? These imply that if you sign a petition for an incor- ordinances promote dark skies, architectural poration feasibility study, that your name will standards for a rural community, pathways, remain on the official petition to incorporate, and planned growth. How do we know which even if you have changed your mind, and that ordinances will stay or go away, and who the only way to remove it would be to go to the makes that decision and with what authority? county clerk’s office. Is this true? A. In the event of incorporation, one of the first A. Although the exact design of the petition for decisions the newly established government, the feasibility study has not yet been determined, elected by our local citizens, would be whether to it’s absolutely certain that any signature placed on adopt the local ordinances and other guidelines that petition will be for the feasibility study only. (such as the Valley General Plan) as it currently There will be no petition circulated that will result exists, or to declare a moratorium from this direcin a citizen’s concurrent endorsement of both a tion. The fact is that Weber County has not feasibility study and placement of the incorporaQUESTIONS cont. on page 9 Feature Home E AGLE R IDGE Sue Hansen 801-710-3833 A Planned Residential Community Immaculate Eden Hills Rambler 2944 sq. ft. @ $199,900 4 Bedrooms, 3 Baths 2 Family Rooms 100% Finished Basement. 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