OCR Text |
Show Page 2 The Ogden Valley News Volume XXIX Issue XIII May 15, 2022 The Ogden Valley News Staff: Shanna Francis Tel: 801-745-2688 Fax: 801-745-2688 Cell: 801-791-4387 E-Mail: slfrancis@digis.net Jeannie Wendell Tel: 801-745-2879 Fax: 801-745-2879 E-Mail: crwendell@digis.net crwendell@msn.com Opinions expressed by advertisers, columnists or letters to the editor are not necessarily the opinions of the owners and staff of The Ogden Valley News. Guidelines for Letters to the Editor Letters should be 300 words or less. Letters must be signed and the address of the writer submitted. The Ogden Valley News reserves the right to edit or decline printing of any submissions. Announcements Sought As a community service, The Ogden Valley News will print local birth, wedding, obituary, anniversary and missionary farewell & homecoming and Eagle Scout announcements free of charge. We invite residents to send their announcements to: The Ogden Valley News PO BOX 522 EDEN UT 84310 If you would like your submitted items returned, please send a stamped, selfaddressed envelope. The Ogden Valley News, while respecting all property received, will take no responsibility for lost or misplaced items. Please remember to keep a copy for yourself. Invitation for Articles The staff of The Ogden Valley News welcomes the submission of articles by our readership. We invite you to submit local historical accounts or biographies, articles pertaining to contemporary issues, and/or other material that may be of interest to our readers. We also invite you to submit to the paper, or notify the staff of local events. Awards that have been earned by the reader, family members, neighbors or friends are also sought. While the staff of The Ogden Valley News invites the submittal of information and articles, we reserve the right to select which material will be considered for publication. All material, to be considered, must be submitted with the full name, address and telephone number of the person submitting the material. The OgdenValley News’liability on account of errors in, or omissions of, advertising shall in no event exceed the amount of charges for the advertising omitted or the space occupied by the error. The Ogden Valley News does not endorse, promote or encourage the purchase or sale of any product or service advertised in this newspaper. Advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. The Ogden Valley News hereby disclaims all liability for any damage suffered as the result of any advertisement in this newspaper. The Ogden Valley News is not responsible for any claims or representations made in advertisements in this newspaper. The Ogden Valley News has the sole authority to edit and locate any classified advertisement as deemed appropriate. It also reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Note: The contents of The Ogden Valley News are copyrighted. To protect this publication and its contributors from unlawful copying, written permission is required before any individual or company engages in the reproduction or distribution of its contents, by any means, without first obtaining written permission from the owners of this publication. The deadline for the OVN June 1 issue is May 16. Letters to the Editor The Flag You Fly It’s not unusual in this day and age to see all types of flags flying with a variety of messages—many of which would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. Most recently I notice businesses and individuals flying the Ukrainian flag in solidarity as that country fights Russian aggression to protect its independence. But not all the flags we fly are as benign, supportive, or thoughtful. Recently I called a local city hall to complain of a flag placed across from a school that had “F--- (name of politician).” To me this was a belligerent display of disrespect for our country’s executive office as well as an affront to decency. The First Amendment was used to defend the use of this particular phrase, which I found interesting since most would consider this term pornographic in nature (and certainly not a good example of appropriate behavior or patriotism to impressionable minds). This made me wonder why we seem to gravitate to what could only be considered the lowest common denominator in defending our rights. It might even be more relevant to consider what this type of flag says about the person flying it? Or their education? Or their ability to read/func- tion/participate or contribute to a society that is supposed to be free for all. Even more importantly, what does it say about patriotism? Is it OK to protest in such a way if your candidate didn’t win? It has gotten to the point where it alarms me to see the flag flown in any way other than alone, standing by itself, in good condition, and properly displayed—not upside down, which indicates a failing if not defeated country; not in colors that were not intended for the American flag; and, definitely not adjacent to flags from regimes, countries, or parts of countries that have gone to war (and lost) to the United States. As a reminder of basic flag etiquette, Military.com lists the following basics of the “Do’s and Don’ts” for the American Flag (only a few are listed here but there are many others you can check out for yourself). Don’t: • Dip the flag in honor of any person, vessel or flag • Let the flag touch the ground • Fly the flag upside down unless there is an emergency • Carry the flag flat or carry things in it • Use the flag as clothing • Store the flag where it can get dirty or be damaged • Use it as a cover • Fasten or tie it back—allow it to fly/fall freely • Draw on or otherwise mark the flag • Use the flag for decoration (Military.com suggests using bunting with blue on top, white in the middle and red at the bottom). And, I have one more suggestion… please be respectful of other people, those you may not agree with, and those who may be young and impressionable. And please be considerate of the cause or principle you attempt to embellish. Heritage and respect should be garnered from the good that has come from our past— not the violence, control, and mistreatment of fallen regimes. Flags tell us a lot. Whenever I see flags, they often tell me and others more about the person flying them than the message they think is being conveyed. E. S. Morgan, North Ogden Are the Foxes Guarding the Ogden Valley Henhouse? The Ogden Valley Planning Commission fundamentally affects all residents of Ogden Valley, but does it truly represent all of us? Or are the keys to the henhouse being handed inappropriately to developers, builders, and those in the construction industry who would fast track development without regard to the well-being of the residents and the environment. There’s lots going on now. There are many development projects that will change the nature of the Valley—new resort areas, expanded shortterm rentals (despite the county’s failure to enforce existing STR regulations), outsiders who see a quick buck to be made, and more storage units coming to a neighborhood near you! Recently, long-time Planning Commissioner John Lewis, who developed much of Wolf Creek, resigned from the Planning Commission. Lewis has a number of new developments under way across the Valley, which will come before the Planning Commission. He has been accused of actual or apparent conflicts of interest, although, in fairness, he recused himself from matters involving his projects. Nevertheless, he wisely resigned from his seat, allowing him more freely to advance his business interests. To replace Lewis, the County Commissioners appointed another developer whose job is advancing development in the Valley on behalf of his employer Magleby Construction, an even bigger builder and developer out of Utah County, with offices in Park City and Sun Valley. And so, we have yet another glaring conflict of interest on the Valley Planning Commission. The appointment was rushed and quiet, with no meaningful notice to Valley residents who are most affected by development decisions. The opening was posted April 12 on the Weber County website, the morning after Lewis’ resignation. The County’s website is hardly a frequented site for Valley residents. Oddly, the posting closed the application window on a firm date, only ten days from the initial posting. By contrast, a comparable opening on the Western Weber Planning Commission has been open for fifteen days, or “until the position is filled.” Apparently, appointments are more leisurely out west. Contrary to past practice, the Ogden Valley opening was not advertised in The Ogden Valley News, the most broadly available publication read by Valley residents. Nor was it announced at a Planning Commission meeting. In short, it was very hush-hush, rush-rush. The Ogden Valley News actually reached out to the county, seeking to advertise the opening. When the paper called asking if the opening could be advertised in the paper, the response was that there were already two applicants—a developer and a builder—and that one was being selected. The answer implied that the county wasn’t interested in letting others know and was rushing the appointment. It would have been easy and consistent with past practice to post the recent opening in The Ogden Valley News, but the county did not. It would have been easy to announce the opening at a Planning Commission meeting, but the county did not. Such outreach would have resulted in a larger pool of applicants who are longer-term Valley residents, not involved in either development or the construction industry and with greater knowledge of the Valley. The pool also might have brought a broader skill set to the table, instead of more building industry occupants. There might even have been a female applicant or two (currently, 6 out of 7 commissioners are male, although it has been reported that about 50% of the Valley is female). Instead, the County Commissioners proceeded with the appointment at its meeting on April 26. During the brief discussion, County Commissioner Gage Froerer noted that he hadn’t even met the proposed Planning Commissioner appointee, although he had spoken to the other applicant. Apparently, the new Planning Commissioner pick was recommended by another commissioner, possibly Jim Harvey, who is “Facebook Friends” with him. There was no discussion of the applicant’s candidacy. It was not stated whether the applicant had previously attended a single Valley Planning Commission meeting, how long he had lived in the Valley, whether he owns property here, his work in the community, or any other considerations demonstrating that he could meaningfully represent Valley interests. The County Commissioners’ packet for the meeting that day included an official resolution appointing the applicant, formally attesting that the opening had been “advertised.” Advertised? Given the lack of legitimate “advertising” in a publication that would reach Valley residents, that affirmation is a stretch. The new Planning Commissioner attended the Planning Commission meeting that very night, the first meeting after the Lewis resignation. He proudly stated that he had lived in Huntsville for two years. According to some reports, he had already been “trained.” In his brief introduction, the new commissioner failed to mention a few other publicly available facts: • Until approximately August 2021, he had owned a home in Bluffdale in Salt Lake County, not far from his employer, Magleby Construction. • He appears to be a registered voter in Salt Lake County. • He is now renting a house in Huntsville; it does not appear he owns a home in the Valley. • Magleby Construction, his employer, recently opened an office in Eden, focusing on development in Northern Utah (e.g., Ogden Valley). • The new Planning Commissioner heads up Magleby’s new Eden office, holding the title of Vice President of Development for Northern Utah. Bottom line, our newest planning commissioner’s job is leading the Valley development effort for a mega homebuilder headquartered outside of Weber County. Its signature homes are called “estate homes for the most discerning homeowners” in expensive and overbuilt places like Park City and Sun Valley. It is likely that the new commissioner’s job goals, job evaluation, and compensation will depend on advancing similar development in Ogden Valley. We are all familiar with the crowded and unaffordable housing situation in Park City. In Sun Valley (Ketchum, Idaho), the situation is just as bad if not worse. City leaders recently proposed allowing workers to live in “tent cities” in local parks, due to the overpriced luxury home market and related lack of affordable housing for workers. Are we heading in that direction? It is noteworthy that the majority of the Valley planning commissioners (4 out of the 7) are developers, builders and construction industry members who stand to benefit from Valley development, or at least be highly sympathetic to it due to their occupations. This lopsided composition calls into question the objectivity of the planning commission in overseeing development projects, zoning determinations, and the many other decisions that will chart the Valley’s future. It also reflects poorly on the judgment of the county commissioners who are responsible for appointing members of the Ogden Valley Planning Commission. Even if the new commissioner were to recuse himself from evaluating Magleby’s projects, he might feel pressure to support other commissioners’ projects to ensure their favorable consideration of his own. This potential for mutual back scratching gives the appearance of impropriety to Valley residents who must live with development projects once approved. Are Weber County Commissioners intentionally packing the planning commission with developers, builders, and construction business members? Are they out of touch with their Valley constituents? Or are they just not mindful of the actual and apparent conflicts of interest in their appointments? Whether intentional or just plain reckless, the county commissioners are transforming the Ogden Valley Planning Commission into a good ole’ builder boys’ club. This is of particular concern now, when there is extreme pressure from all corners to advance new development in Ogden Valley in the midst of an historic drought. Wake up, Ogden Valley residents. The system is rigged in favor of developers and builders, not the rest of us residents. Please attend or Zoom the meetings of the Ogden Valley Planning Commission (the first and fourth Tuesday of the month) and the Weber County Commission (Mondays and Tuesdays). You can check the Weber County website and the Weber County Planning Division page for meeting schedules and Zoom links. Also, this state website allows you to subscribe to meeting notices: www.utah.gov/pmn/index.html. We all better start guarding the hen house before the next development comes to your neighborhood looking a lot like Park City or Sun Valley! Kay Hoogland, A Hen House Watcher |