OCR Text |
Show Viewpoints The A-11 Park Record. Wed/Thurs/Fri, October 16-18, 2019 editorial Election season is too important for residents to sit this one out U letters to the editor A crack is forming Editor: I was daydreaming (actually slipping into meditating) this morning and this wonderful thought came into my head; it was actually an ecstatic vision: “What if the currently rapidly unfolding revelations about Trump and his minions escalate and spread to the point that — either through impeachments, prosecutions or embarrassed resignations — we lose Trump, Pence, Giuliani, Pompeo, Rick Perry (Energy), Andrew Wheeler (EPA), Bill Barr, Steve Miller (Immigration Czar) and Kelly Conway (Mistress of Disinformation)?” Feel free to add to the wish list. Our country might be able to actually re-set to a condition of shortterm sanity, with a chance to repair all this collective damage and forge a new future. Whether you are a Republican or Democrat, we all need this, we all know this in our hearts. Once this all turns downhill on Trump, when he finally rows up to the top of the waterfall and is swept to the edge, people will come out of the woodwork, people who were formerly too afraid of Trump, afraid for their jobs, to speak up. There will be a torrent of credible allegations. And the media will do everything they can, “objectively,” to destroy him and his minions, completely. And the congressional committees and individuals, of both parties, Trump has so brutally abused will fall on him like jackals. And spineless Republicans will finally find their constitutional spines just in time to save their party from total disaster in the upcoming 2020 election. There is a crack here. There is hope. Pelosi is right to sit on her hands right now — in fact I think she is a genius. Every day that goes by is her friend. She should let Trump swing in the wind — he is his own worst enemy because he has chosen to make everyone else his enemies, and every day he just digs himself and his fellow Republicans their graves. The people shall free themselves from lies and tyranny, and only then will they be truly free. This is the word of the Lord. Michael Witte Old Town Vote bond down Editor: So South Summit School District will try again to pass a school bond for a new high school. The problem is it will cost owners of an average primary residence over $350 per year for 20 years and be built in the middle of our pristine valley. If you vote yes, the flood gate will open, and all the surrounding agricultural protected prop- The Park Record Staff PUBLISHER ....................... Andy Bernhard Editor ................................... Bubba Brown Staff Writers ......................Jay Hamburger Scott Iwasaki Alexander Cramer Ryan Kostecka Contributing ............................. Tom Clyde Writers Jay Meehan Teri Orr Amy Roberts Tom Kelly Joe Lair Copy Editor ............................ James Hoyt Engagement Editor............. Jeff Dempsey Photographer .........................Tanzi Propst Circulation Manager ............. Lacy Brundy Accounting Manager ......... Jennifer Snow ADVERTISING Advertising Director ........... Valerie Spung Advertising Sales ................... Jodi Hecker Erin Donnelly Lindsay Lane Sharon Bush Director of Digital Marketing .. Tina Wismer Production Director ..................Ben Olson Production ......................... Louise Mohorn erty will be lost. We need a new school BUT not in the middle of the valley. I think a better solution would be for South Summit, North Summit and Park City school districts to be combined into one district. That would keep the extra school tax money from the Park City School District that goes back to state now in Summit County and be better for everyone. The Park City School District sends back to the state over $6 million each year of the Basic School Levy taxes collected, according to its business manager Todd Hauber. In addition, instead of three school administrations, we would save thousand by having one district. VOTE NO on the South Summit School Bond in November. Roger M. Stephens Kamas Fresh perspective Editor: For me, it’s Becca Gerber. Becca Gerber is definitely someone I want leading our town on the City Council. She works well with people, listens, asks questions and stands by the decisions of the council. She reads profusely, and studies the issues, making knowledgeable decisions on our behalf. She lives in town, cares for her senior in-laws and lives our life: biking, hiking, raising a family and working in town. She does it all! For me Becca offers a fresh perspective needed on the Council. Please join me in voting for Becca for Council! Sydney Reed Park Meadows A special nonprofit Editor: I always knew Recycle Utah was a special place, but I didn’t fully comprehend just how amazing and unique this local nonprofit was until I started to prep to move. I am moving back to the Pacific Northwest. A haven of sustainability and recycling. I should easily be able to find a place to sort and recycle my Styrofoam, ALL types of plastics, CDs, batteries, contact lens cases and packing supplies. Right? Wrong. As I have called local recycling centers looking for ways to properly dispose of items, I continue to get the same response: Recycling is expensive and the markets are inundated with materials (especially plastic) right now. Because of this, cities and counties across the country are cutting back on what they can take and process. I also tend to hear a shocked and/or impressed voice on the other line when I explain what Recycle Utah does. They don’t do what they do because it is easy, they do it because it is the right thing to do. Last year Recycle Utah processed nearly 3.6 million pounds of materials and saw over 400 cars a day. The majority of materials at Recycle Utah are processed by local recyclers/manufacturers. The staff can tell you where each item is sent. The small team there works extremely hard to help Summit County divert their waste from the landfill. But, it is imperative that community members understand that Recycle Utah can only function with your support. Each time you go there take these three steps to show your appreciation. 1. Drop a buck or five. Recycling costs money, and as a nonprofit Recycle Utah relies on community support. Forgot your cash? Make your annual donation online or during Live PC Give PC. 2. Sort your items correctly. Read the signs and ask questions. A clean load of sorted materials costs less to recycle than a mixed load. 3. Consider what you are bringing to the center. Can you start eliminating the plastic waste you are creating in nlike last year, voters in Summit County will not be tasked with helping decide the fate of statewide ballot initiatives on hefty policy topics like medical marijuana and redistricting reform when they cast their ballots this fall. And, unlike next year, presidential and congressional races will not be determined on Election Day. Nonetheless, this election season is critical. Residents in Park City and Oakley, most notably, will chart a course for their communities by selecting the people they want serving on their city councils and making crucial decisions at a time when both towns are contending with vexing challenges like managing growth. Voters throughout the Kamas Valley, meanwhile, will determine the future of education in the South Summit School District when they weigh in on an $87 million bond measure that would fund the construction of a new high school. Residents voted down a similar measure in 2017, but officials say the school is necessary to combat overcrowding in the current facilities. With such community-defining matters hanging in the balance, it’s imperative that residents exercise their civic duty. If the primary election in Park City in August is any indication, though, too many of us will skip these elections and allow a small percentage of our friends and the first place by bringing your own coffee cup or grocery bag? Or, cut back on batteries you need recycled by buying rechargeable? Reducing the waste created is always first. Recycling is last. As they say, “You don’t know what you have until its gone.” I sure will miss the ease and convenience of Recycle Utah. Haley Lebsack Silver Summit Vote for Nann’s neighborly approach Editor: When my husband and I decided to make Park City our primary home in 2016, we did so with a little trepidation. As much as we loved visiting Park City, we weren’t sure how a family from Houston would really fit in here. Things happen a little differently in a big, flat, southern, sea-level city than they do in small mountain towns. We were lucky to meet Park City Councilwoman Nann Worel within our first few days as locals, and I can state with certainty Nann was all the confirmation we needed to know we made the right choice. She was welcoming, caring and happy to help us get involved. Southerners set the bar pretty high for hospitality, and Nann launched herself right over it. I would later learn Nann’s neighborly approach is extended to everyone in this town — she is dedicated to ensuring this community works for all. She is accessible, respectful and reliable. When anyone brings a concern to her attention, Nann is quick to learn as much as she can about the issue, involve the right stakeholders, and work to find the best solution. If the city of Houston had a city council member with even half of Nann’s integrity and commitment, we neighbors to decide them for us. Voter turnout during the Park City Council primary — the only one in Summit County this year — was a paltry 28.8%. And County Clerk Kent Jones is predicting only a modest increase in turnout in the Park City general election. We have to do better than that. More than presidential and congressional elections, and even Statehouse races, the results of local elections significantly affect our day-to-day lives. There are no excuses for not participating, especially since the mail-in balloting system allows us to skip Election Day lines and cast our votes from the comfort of our homes. Fortunately, there is still time for every eligible voters to ensure their voice is heard: The deadline to register to vote online or at the County Clerk’s Office is Oct. 29. And even folks who miss that date can cast a ballot by taking advantage of same-day registration. The races and measures we’ll decide next month may lack some of the excitement found in even-year elections. But residents in Park City and the Kamas Valley should not be lulled into inaction — the issues our communities face are far too important to sit this one out. Mail-in ballots are scheduled to arrive at voters’ homes in Summit County this weekend. For more information, visit the Summit County Clerk’s website at summitcounty.org/270/Clerk. would have never left. I hope you will join me in voting Nann Worel for a second term on City Council this November. Mandy Forbes Park Meadows The traffic invasion Editor: To put this issue in perspective for people who feel this traffic in Park City is insignificant compared to where they come from: Only eight years ago school students crossed Kearns Boulevard/S.R. 248 and Comstock with the help of a crossing guard. Two sweet local women would greet the kids every school morning and afternoon with nothing but a stop sign, a crosswalk and a traffic signal to navigate the children through the small amount of traffic trickling into Park City. I ask you to take this information and compare it to today’s traffic chaos. Just know, to the people who have lived here for many years, this feels like an overwhelming invasion everyday and truly counteracts the efforts to save our snow. That is why we live here right? For the snow. Susan Miller Prospector Incumbents earn mayor’s endorsement Editor: Experience matters because there is no training to prepare you to serve as an elected official. Community involvement is good groundwork, but no substitute for what you will learn on the job. And it is a job: one that deserves and demands your attention. Park City may be a small town, but we are tackling big, expensive and complex issues. With growth pressures mounting we need our best team at the table. Lucky for us, we have strong choices for this election. Nann Worel brings depth with her five years as a Planning Commissioner and four years on City Council. Since day one, she has immersed herself in the role and made it a priority to better coordinate with our partners and non-profits. She demonstrates deep concern for our community’s underserved and has a passion for social equity. She also has a firm commitment to fiscal responsibility, community engagement, and a respect for the limits of government’s role. She is a seasoned and reasoned voice in meetings. She has served Park City with dedication and I encourage you to re-elect her to City Council. Becca Gerber brings a fresh and caring voice to the Council. As the only councilmember raised in Park City, she brings a unique perspective and has grown up with the impacts of growth. As a working mother raising a toddler, she is a “power user” of community services and can speak to the challenges facing our young families. Becca has served with great enthusiasm. She is passionate about affordable housing and has been a champion for the natural environment. She aims to build a town and future worthy of her son Ben, a third-generation Parkite. Becca has fought to strengthen our community and has earned a second term. Becca and Nann have listened, learned and given Park City their best for the past four years. I encourage you to vote for them both! Andy Beerman Park City mayor The Park record Pulse Here’s a sampling of the conversation readers are having on our Facebook page. To visit the page, go to Facebook.com/parkrecord/. Install pedestrian/bicycle underpasses at all places where cars and pedestrians intersect. Hire local artists to paint the walls of the tunnels with murals - host walk/bike gallery exhibits in all the pedestrian tunnels around Summit County. Art can still be celebrated while we prioritize the safety of our residents. Keep these roundabouts unsafe for pedestrians and you’re sure to solidify the communities dependency on automobiles.” Amy Doucette-Dbeisi, on “Public art board will seek public input for $200,000 project at Jeremy Ranch roundabouts” I could see lowering the limit at night like they do in Jackson, WY for wildlife. However, in broad daylight, if you can’t avoid hitting an animal on a road that straight and wide with that much visibility, I don’t want you on the road with me! 45 mph speed limit won’t fix the problem, UT already has THE SLOWEST drivers I’ve ever seen. Cops fining people for driving while staring at their phones might.” Bryant Thomas, on “Utah drops speed limit on Park City’s S.R. 224 entryway to 45 mph” Now do Kimball-Silver Springs. It’s a 2 mile stretch with a stoplight, do you really need to hit 55 in that amount of space?” I think it’s a wonderful honor to see these balloons most mornings in Park City. They are welcome on my property anytime.” Jessica Case, on “Hot-air balloon lands in Park City neighborhood, drawing police attention” James Brown, on “Utah drops speed limit on Park City’s S.R. 224 entryway to 45 mph” The Park Record attained permission to publish these comments. Some comments may have been lightly edited for clarity. |