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Show Page 12 The Ogden Valley News Volume XXX Issue V December 15, 2022 Over-The-Air Television Broadcast in Ogden Valley Did you know that the taxpayer. Besides TV channel re-broadcasting, Ogden Valley has a television transmission facility? Most of us are aware of the antennae tower located on the mountainside above Eden. Now hosting a number of signal producers, the antennae tower was originally constructed and built by the Weber County/Ogden Valley Transmission Recreation Special Services District, better known as Ogden Valley TV (OVTV). In the 1980’s, Ogden Valley TV was founded to transmit over-the-air TV signals to the rural residents of Ogden Valley. Broadcasts were relayed from Salt Lake City via Mount Ogden, and then to the Eden site. To this day, most valley residents can pick up 25 TV channels and one FM radio station using a simple “rabbit ears” type antennae. (Technology has improved and there are some great home antennas on the market.) Valley residents Richard Menzies and Andy Newton have each chaired the OVTV board over the last four years. In that time, OVTV has built a new equipment shelter and dramatically improved the quality and reliability of the rebroadcast signal. Richard and Andy’s terms on the board end soon and they are stepping away to pursue other opportunities. They answered a few questions about OVTV: Why did you join the Board? Richard: My wife and I cut cable from our budget many years ago, so when we moved to the Valley, we were delighted to find such high quality over the air TV available. About five years ago, I heard from friends that the Board was looking for volunteers to help—no skills needed—a job description for which I felt qualified! Andy: Four years ago, when I read the advertisement for an opening on the Weber County/Ogden Valley Recreation/Transmission Special Services District, I had no idea what this group did. Being a “recreation oriented” person, I thought this would be a good fit. I’m also an activist and was thinking about getting involved in local government/politics, having my own opinions on what goes on at City Hall. I applied to the County Commission and was accepted onto the board. Once I understood the service the OVTV group provided the community, it was even a better deal because I don’t watch TV and have no stake in the game. Why is the TV transmission important to the community? Richard: I wouldn’t want to speak for the community but as far as I am concerned, I have saved approx. $1000 per year for the last 13 years that I have lived in the Valley by not having cable and because I have a digital video recorder, I am able to watch commercial-free TV at essentially no cost. In addition, I receive a crystal clear National Public Radio signal on 89.7 FM Andy: Should I decide to watch TV someday, I can do so without committing to a financial subscription. This has value to me as a I believe the OV community takes pride in their independence and ability to self-govern and this is a perfect example. Local resources, managed by OV residents for OV residents. This is similar to what some members of the community are currently expressing. From a historical context, OVTV was conceived and built by long-time OV residents who had vision, drive, determination, a sense of self-governing and self-reliance, and delivered to their fellow community members what the bigger organizations could not or would not do. What does the future hold? Richard: TV salesmen are starting to talk about “Next Gen TV” or ATSC3.0, a technology that has been available in Asia for a number of years but is starting to become more prevalent in the U.S. The technology should not only significantly improve the picture and sound quality, but it will also make it possible to receive over the air signal on mobile devices such as phones and tablets and even into moving devices like your car. Advanced emergency alerts are also part of the standard so local evacuation routes can be broadcast if required. It is early days for this technology and the board continues to monitor its development and implementation. The board is very fortunate in that we have some very talented technologists who are willing to bring this technology to fruition should it make sense. Meanwhile, the FCC has recently renewed all our licenses so the Valley can continue to look forward to many years of excellent over the air TV. Andy: The future of Ogden Valley TV is what we, as a community, decide to make of it. It can stay just the way it is, or it could be shut down. If people have strong thoughts either way, I suggest they become part of the solution and reach out to Commissioner Gage Froerer and request a Board application. Looking over the horizon, outside the FCC rules regarding the transmission of television signals, there is potential for internet streaming, content development, and emergency communications, etc. Right now, OVTV is looking for forwardthinking community members to get involved. There are technical projects like completing an Operations Manual for the transmission facility and schematics of the amplifiers, transmitters, receivers and associated pieces of equipment. There is a need for others to learn how the equipment works from our former board members and current technical specialists who keep the site fully operational. Beyond the technical side, there is the management of running the board, including public meetings, budgeting, training, and interacting with the community and county government. This is a great opportunity for Ogden Valley residents to get involved in local governing, providing an opportunity to meet and interact with your County Commissioners, as well as serve your community. Contact the OVTV Board at ogdenvalleytv@gmail.com for more information, or visit ogdenvalleytv.org. PRESERVATION. PROTECTION. STEWARDSHIP. Join today to preserve Ogden Valley’s grace. www.OgdenValleyLandTrust.org CHORDETTES cont. from page 1 a children’s choir that numbered 20, a men’s choir of 14, and our orchestra was expanded to 15 members. Plus, this year local band Eden’s Yellow Rose joined with the 25 Chordette members, making it close to 75 people involved in producing this year’s monumental concerts.” Audiences were delighted as the Chordettes started off with “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” The group kept things swinging with some jazzy Christmas pieces such as The Holiday Season and Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town.” The latter piece was the Bing Crosby/ Andrew Sister’s arrangement and was accompanied by Eden’s Yellow Rose and a few mem- bers of the orchestra, including Kay Kilgore on her clarinet. The Chordettes then turned the program to songs about the birth of Jesus Christ. The Children’s Choir joined in towards the end of the program when they sang a sweet rendition of “Silent Night’ against the Chordette’s “First Lullaby.” For the final number, the men’s choir joined the Chordette’s and the orchestra in impressing the audience with Handel’s “For Unto Us a Child Is Born.” We don’t know what the Chordettes will do to top this year’s program, but we can’t wait to find out December 2023! Eden’s Yellow Rose: Brad Vause, Mark Harris, Jodi Booth, Dave Carver, and Kelly Gerritsen. Pictured above, but not in order, are orchestra members: Joy Clem, Stephen Tenrerio, Jenny Waldrip, Eveline Malmberg, Nada Pehrson, Angela Redding, Tim Pehrson, Kelly Gerritsen, Marlene Wright, Sarah Cook, Kay Kilgore, Doug Spainhower, and David Knowles. Not pictured are Jodi Booth and Bob Fudge. FEASIBILITY STUDY cont. from page 1 beauty that is enjoyed here. As a community, we are responsible for ensuring that are valuable natural resources are utilized according to best practices standards, assuring their sustainability for current and future generations. Local, transparent, and responsible governance through local governance—by becoming our own local municipality—will directly assist in achieving these aims and goals. Support of our ag lands and agricultural producers is also vital, recognizing the many contributions they make to the community in the way of land and water stewardship, open space and wildlife protection, and agricultural services, management, and production. Thank you for your decades of service to Ogden Valley and the greater community. You are at the heart of this great community and are greatly appreciated. Will Our Taxes Go Up? Weber County’s 2021 financials showed that Ogden Valley produced more than a $1 million budget surplus for that year. However, a feasibility study is required to confirm this number, and to determine if incorporation of Ogden Valley is economically sustainable and feasible. The study, by an unbiased third-party, will provide five-year budget projections to evaluate if current municipal services can be maintained without increasing taxes within a minimum five-year period. The current petition property owners are now being asked to sign only requests the completion of a feasibility study. By signing the petition, you are not agreeing to support or vote for incorporation. A request to sign a petition in support of incorporating will be forthcoming at a future date only if the feasibility study shows that taxes will not have to be increased in the newly incorporated Ogden Valley. Points for Clarification - A number of questions and concerns have arisen through this, the incorporate process—including the first step—a feasibility study. Below is a Q & A to help answer some of these questions. Concern: This effort is driven by a bunch of “new” people to the Valley who want to take over control for their own economic reasons. Answer: The incorporation effort is not driven by “new” people, but by, primarily, longtime residents. A feasibility study is one of the first steps, as required by state law, required for self-governance. To move forward with the incorporation of Ogden Valley, findings from the feasibility have to show that, if incorporated, the new community can function, economically, for at least five years without having to raise taxes. Question: Why shouldn’t we continue business as usual? What’s wrong with being ran by the three-member county commissioners who run unincorporated Weber County? Answer: Currently, the three-member County Commission functions as the administrative, legislative, and even judicial executives of all unincorporated Weber County— including Ogden Valley (except incorporated Huntsville Town). That’s a lot of power in the hands of three individuals, two of which don’t even live in Ogden Valley. And it hasn’t been uncommon in past years for none of the elected commissioners to be from Ogden Valley. That’s because the entire county votes for the commissioners, and Ogden Valley’s voting pool is relatively small compared to the rest of the county. Thus, the commissioners are often making decisions that may not be in the best interest of our community, which is very economically, geographically, and demographically distinct from the rest of the county. Also, because of the tremendous rapid growth in the county, Weber County’s planning, zoning and enforcement staff have become inadequate to efficiently and effectively handle all the accompanying issues and problems associated with this growth. For instance, Weber County only has one code enforcement officer for the entire county, whose population has exploded over the last ten years. When Ogden Valley incorporates, what form of government will be adopted? Once a feasibility study shows that turning Ogden Valley into its own legal entity, a governing city, with input from Valley residents, residents can select which form of government will be most effective for the community. There are a few options: • Three-commissioner form of government, which we are currently administered under at the county level. • Commission-led form of government but expanded to five or seven members, with the body still holding legislative and executive duties. • Strong mayoral form of government who holds executive duties with legislative duties handled by an elected county council, such as seen in Huntsville Town. • Executive duties can be shifted to an appointed manager with legislative duties handled by a county council. The council would select the manager. Local administrative control of a community is the most efficient and responsive to local community desires—regardless of the form of government. America is steeped in a rich tradition of local control where the voice of the people is heard and represented; thus, actually contributing to good and sound governance. Please take the time to sign the petition for a feasibility study so we, as a community, can determine if it makes economic, as well as political sense, to take local control of Ogden Valley. For answers to questions, or for more information, please visit the Ogden Valley Incorporation website or email ovincorporation@gmail.com; or contact Mark Ferrin at 801-745-0445 or Shanna Francis at 801-7452688. You can also sign the below petition, cut it out, then drop it off at the drop box at Valley Market in Eden. We are also collecting funds for a required survey of the boundaries of the new Ogden Valley community. You may Venmo donations using this QR code: |