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Show -NEWS- A6 • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2007 Letter to the Editor From WATER • A l Voter concern Was anyone else concerned with Richard Davis's statement in the Aug. 15 edition of the Spanish Fork News? In the candidate profiles, Mr. Davis said one of his main goals as an elected city council member is to "take care of and help protect the city employees." Shouldn't his goal be to take care of and protect the citizens? After all, WE are the ones he would be elected to represent, right? Or does Mr. Davis represent his own special section of Spanish Fork called the "city employee district?'* I appreciate the work the city employees do for us. Parks are maintained, sporting leagues are organized, holiday decorations are put up, festivals are put on, library books are provided, public safety is often taken for granted, water runs through our pipes, and many, many other things that makes Spanish Fork a fabulous place to live. We show our appreciation by providing them with a great salary and fantastic benefits. It is obvious city employees are well aware of their good deal as evidenced by the very low employee turnover rate. On the city website (spanishfork.org/candidates/ davis.php) Mr. Davis says he is proud to be one of the "good ol' boys." Doesn't that refer to the same group of city council members who were solidly defeated four years ago? The "good oP boys" were the ones who "knew more than the citizens" and built a ballpark the citizens had said no to and charged so much for pressurized irrigation that we "all now live in neighborhoods where neighbors have completely stopped irrigating their lawns for fear of high water hills. I voted out the "good ol' boys" four years ago, and I'm certainly not interested in electing a new member now. Beth Pearson Spanish Fork Mayor *s Corner Get out and vote Well it's been awhile since I've written and there are a few things I wanted to let everyone know. First, Vm sure you all know that we have three open seats for city council this year. There are 11 candidates. For the first time, you can learn a bit about the candidates and what they will do if elected by visiting the city website, www.spanishfork.org. Just click on the 2007 Election. I encourage all adult citizens to research the candidates, contact them with questions and make an informed decision. Then please get out and vote. If you are not registered, you will find information on our website to help you. Also this year, a citizen has created an independent forum for voters to discuss issues pertaining to the election and the city. The website is www. spanishforkforum.com. I'm told this website will have information about all of the candidates as well as all media reports and a forum to discuss issues and topics. You might also find valuable information at the websites of the candidates themselves. You can find links to these websites at the city website and the forum website. Please get involved and cast an informed vote. North Park continues to be a topic of interest. Here's what little I can tell you. The project is on course and a press release was ready and approved. It may have been released as I'm writing this. If not you should see something very soon. This project will be a beautiful addition to Spanish Fork and I am delighted it is coming. The wind farm has completed all of its paper work and construction will start soon. If you're not aware of this, Spanish Fork will be the home of Utah's first wind farm. Nine windmills will be constructed in the mouth of our canyon just above the Fingerhut building. These windmills will be 407 feet tall! As always, feel free to contact me and the city council about anything you would like to talk to us about. Council@spanishfork.org will go to all six elected officials and Mayor@spanishfork.org goes to just me. Thanks, Joe Thomas These are your advertising going to waste, because you didn't buy this ad. That's all right. Just don't let it happen again. Call The Spanish Fork News n Spanish Fork Punctured water main: at 798-6816. i problem solved," he said. "And we learned what we could better do in an emergency disaster." Pen-ins said the biggest thing they could have improved on was strengthening and expediting communication between the city and the citizens. The city was able to get the water back on as quickly as was possible. The only hitch was that the patch didn't take the first few times, but the crew was there, dealing with the problem almost immediately. Their quick response time enabled them to not only restore tr*e water quickly, but also to assure that there was no contamination to the water. Perrins said that when a puncture like that occurs, water immediately flbws out with approximately 50-60 pounds of pressure. "When it's flowing like that, nothing is going into the pipe," he said. "You can't even put something into that kind of a flow." The crews diverted the flow, and turned off the check point valve below the break in the pipe. They let the water continue to drain so they could repair the pipe, and then began flushing it to make sure that no contamination occurred. "The pipe was repaired between 3-4 p.m., and they didn't reconnect the water to the city until between 7-8 p.m., so all of those hours in between were spent flushing and cleaning the pipe," said Perrins. Covering what matters most The city also increased have done better, but Pertheir water testing, which will rins said he hopes that the continue to monitor the purity citizens also learned from of the water. Perrins. assured what happened. that the people of Spanish "We encourage people Fork have nothing to worry in areas of basic personal about as far as the quality of preparedness. Many people their drinking water from this were without water during incident. an afternoon when usage begins to go up," said Perrins. While the city is still studying the monetary cost, "The federal government Perrins said they do have recommends that everyone money in the city budget to have 50 gallons of water per cover problems such as this person stored within their when they occur, and the own homes. But even if you people-of Spanish Fork are have a few gallons on hand not going to feel an impact on it will give you drinking water, and even some to flush their wallets. "Really, it was more of an so you can handle basic inconvenience to residents needs." and on people's work schedPerrins said that he appreules than an out-of pocket ciated the respectful way that expense for them," said Per- people handled the inconverins. nience of the loss of pressurNot only did the city ization or their water turned crews learn what they could entirely off. Salem candidates: see completed — for example, of 'ticky-tacky' houses, all Todd Gordon Todd Gordon grew up creating an actual city center, packed with people," he said. in Lake Shore and attended encouraging commercial and "Salem is different. We Fork schools industrial development and need to keep it that way. water, sewer, roads and public Spanish safety, so they can call Salem through high school. He met then making sure it is placed We're off the beaten path. home. So that people are able his future wife, then Deanne in appropriate areas (not We're slower, quainter, more to come to the door and make Banks, at Spanish Fork High residential neighborhoods), pastoral and very homey. revitalizing and We know and care for our a request, and know that their School. The two had the same and beautifying Main Street. He neighbors and they care for birthday and met in their voice is heard. We are here to Driver's Education class. would like to see the center us, and still wave when we serve them." One of the main reasons Their family now includes of Salem made into a real drive past," said Richan. "I intend to keep Salem our Durrant ran for city council three daughters and a son, showpiece for the city. who is currently serving an in the first place is because Gordon feels that all too home. We are not just another LDS church mission in South she feels strongly that there often, citizens feel like they chunk of real estate gold to be Africa. needs to be a woman on city are missing out on clear carved up and sold." council. Gordon worked at several communication from city Richan counts his "We see and feel things different jobs after high government. As a councilman, education and business differently than the men," school, including operating he wants to be a voice for experience as an important she said. "The council needs a dairy, working with sheet the citizens, and make sure part of his qualifications. that kind of perspective. I / metal, and working on an that they get their questions "'City Service' is how I think I feel a little bit more asphalt crew. He then worked answered. Even if they don't defend our home," he said. "I deeply than the guys do. They , with a local construction agree with the answer they're am uniquely suited to the task approach issues in a more \ firm, H.E. Davis, doing given, he believes that people L.r of protecting our home." matterof fact way. Sometimes construction and excavation are happier when they feel Afterilving overseas "for that may work against me, for about ten years. In 1995, they have been heard and 30 years, Richan has come to but it's still important to have Gordon becamepublic works answered. call Salem home. superintendent of Salem both perspectives." "I feel that everyone He graduated from BYU Durrant said she is City, where he served for deserves to have their with a degree in engineering surprised by how much she twelve years. During some questions answered quickly, and has "decades of lay has enjoyed serving on the of the same period of time, honestly, and in a way that experience in business law." council. She has learned a he was assistant fire chief, they can understand," he "If you wish to live in a lot, and it has broadened her and he continues to serve said. peaceful oasis despite the perspective to know the inner now as fire chief for the city. Gordon also feels that his clamoring outside bustle," he workings of the city. With that He quit his job with public experience in construction said, "I would help by vision, new perspective, her message works at the beginning of and contracting will allow international perspective and to voters is that the city is this year in order to start his him to make sure citizens' the law." own excavation company, money is put to work in the doing the best that it can. His message to voters is TJB Excavation. He is also "We're trying in every way Salem Recreation's Baseball best way possible. simple: we can to get people the best President. "Sometimes a lot of money "If you enjoy our pastoral services they need without can be wasted just through Salem hacked up by even raising their taxes sky high," Gordon sees the principle ignorance," he said. "Because more roads, rows of identical she said. issues facing Salem as I've been in the business so houses, tightly-packed long, I know the best way to subdivisions, and so-called Durrant said she feels the growth-related. services offered are the best. "It's important for us tobuild up infrastructure, how "progress" — then don't vote "Our firemen, our be able to keep up with all to make it last, and how to get for me," he said. "I plan to policemen, our city office the growth, and make sure the most value for the money preserve our heritage, not sell help, and everyone on the we have the infrastructure in we spend." it out." staff are doing their best. I've place to handle it," Gordon enjoyed working with Randy, said. Lee Richan Burke Tervort the past council, and with For example, he believes Lee Richan grows For lifelong Salem resident Lane. He's doing an awesome that water issues will become businesses. This husband Burke Tervort, service is a job, and people need to know very important in the future, and father of six helps Utah family legacy. that," she said. and should be addressed County companies sell their "My family isfromSalem," One of the things that has now. goodsinternationally,offering he said. "My grandfather was been neatest for Durrant is ta "If one of the wells goes "3M advice in Manufacturing, on the city council. I think see the amount of volunteer down, our back-up water Marketing and Management" because of that, I've always work that goes into making tanks would run dry very to organizations such as been interested in politics." Salem what it is. quickly," he said. "I'd like the Business Development An interesting note: since "The people that volunteer to see us get a new well or at Corporation of Provo, SFCN, 2005, Tervort has only missed their time and talents to least some back-up pumps, iProvo and many Chambers a handful of city council make the city what it is are so we'll be prepared for of Commerce throughout the meetings. just amazing. Salem Days emergencies." valley. "I've attended a significant was awesome, and all of it Gordon mentioned "First, I stop outsourcing amount of council meetings," was done through volunteer pressurized irrigation, the to China and other offshore he said. "That whole time, hours," she said. sewer system, and recreation producers," Richan said. I paid attention and asked Durrant said another as other issues that need to be "Second, I help people questions. I also learned from experience that has been neat monitored closely. keep their jobs. Then I help my grandpa from a young for her while serving on the Gordon's feels experience establish new companies, age about city politics and council is the opportunity, to with city infrastructure and bringing "the big idea" to service." go back to Washington DC construction work makes the "big reality." While angel He is involved in politics to visit the congressmen and him a great choice for city investors offer money, I on all levels,fromthe precinct senators to lobby for city's councilman. He knows the develop people to put plans up. Tervort has served as a needs. city system very well and into motion." county delegate, and enjoys Durrant moved to Salem knows how to get things Fluent in Japanese and working with political groups with her husband, Wayne, done. able to read Chinese, Richan and corresponding with local in 1979, and still lives in the "Even though my time as is also a motivational speaker and national elected officials. same house where she raised public works superintendent who is sanctioned to. address In fact, his wife Elizabeth said her seven children. Now she is over, I still feel I have a lot crowds of over 8,000 in both that they went to city council has 13 grandchildren. She to offer Salem," said Gordon. English and Japanese. meetings together while they works for Klune Industries as "I'd like to stay involved According to Richan, the dated. a contract administrator, and and help finish some of the principal issues facing Salem Tervort is a real estate1 she loves to jog, to read, and things that were started when are taxes and zoning. agent with Century 21 and to be with her grandchildren. I worked for the city." "When I travel around is currently attending UVSC "I would love to be able After living in Salem for the world on business, I am to serve the city for another 21 years, Gordon feels he sickened to see city after city studying political science. A sergeant • with the 32gth four years. I have thoroughly understands the citizens and just like every other city — Combat Support Hospital out enjoyed this opportunity," their concerns. He has a lot of filled with franchises, traffic she said. See CANDIDATES • A8 ideas for projects he'd ljke to jams, billboard lights, rows From CANDIDATES • A l |