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Show I Iff"'- -V ' - I I J (5 'J ' ! i 1 ' I Mayoral candidates respond to issues Editor's note: The Parte Record submitted the .following list of questions to each of the mayoral and city .council candidates. The questions were composed by our editorial staff in an effort to draw out the candidates' opinions on specific issues. The questions and the answers from those running for mayor are listed below. Answers from the city council candidates will appear next week. Do you believe the Park City Redevelopment Agency has been good for Park City? Steve Dering Dering: Yes. Tax incremental funding allows us to retain tax dollars that otherwise would leave town because of state-imposed taxing limitations on the school district. The RDA was created to fund Main Street improvements but has strayed from this objective. Some RDA funds have been used to purchase speculative property. Each RDA project should complement private enterprise, not compete with it. Bill Mammen Mammen: The RDA is a legal way for the city council to find funds and authority to help the Main Street commercial district. ThreJj'IrjiuQtj more work to be done than "has yet been accomplished. Now is a critical time for public input j and scrutiny , since the RDA will affect Park.,CUy for its next 100 Years, j Withoth? , added authority the couhciljassuijjed by forming the RDA same ;-.an increased responsibility , for ;pu,blic accountability. ,3i;, ,f . , ,. Hal Taylor Taylor: The original intent of the RDA was good and it acquired some fairly valuable land. It may have paid too much for the land, but I believe, in the long run, it will prove to be a good investment. Burnis Watts Watts: Yes. The RDA has functioned in areas of need that other city groups could not. The extent of its effectiveness has yet to be fully measured. To date, the RDA has spent $7.8 million, mostly for land acquisition. It will spend another $3 million over the next 4 years. What would you do with those funds? '' ''; : ;-.fj 4-.; - , .-, -),: . :.MI. ! . 1 Ifi!. (,,!;.! Is it the city government's responsibility to attract year-round year-round business to Park City. If so, what specific incentives should the city offer? Dering: I would focus on the original intent. Let's use RDA funds to improve the Main Street business environment and attract more people on a year-round basis. Projects should include pedestrian walkways from Swede Alley, parking struc-, tures, bus stop shelters and beautifi-cation beautifi-cation projects such as pocket parks. Main Street is one of Park City's major drawing cards. It must be attractive, unique and convenient. Dering: Yes. This should be a cooperative effort by city government govern-ment and the Chamber of Commerce. Com-merce. We should seek assistance from the Economic Development Administration, which provided the original financing for the Park City Ski Area. This money can be used for industrial park improvements, thus creating less-expensive employment sites. As mayor, I would communicate communi-cate the city's desire to cooperate with new businesses. , .' "i ' j ILUllIti i-j'.jfil.i. Mammen: We .need.,-ja (flear physical plan which, addresses ..the needs of the downtown area, including parking, garbage collection, collec-tion, deliveries, pedestrian traffic, snow removal, historic preservation and more. That plan,: shoujd . be developed with the open jnyplve-ment jnyplve-ment of the public, not in clqsqdidoor negotiations with property owners or developers under the guise, (6f 'real estate deals. As mayor,, I, would, do everything in my power to keeg'lhe public involved and informed. "' Mammen: Additional year-round business in Park City would benefit the community and also could help improve the year-round tourism business. The city should: 1. Eliminate disincentives to new business. 2. Protect our residential neighborhoods neigh-borhoods from negative impacts of the tourism industry. 3. "Impact fees" should not ., penalize new commercial interests, ii In particular, the mayor can be f available to interested parties to help in the free exchange of ideas and H information. , ,'.. ., Taylor: I am not so sure that any monies that are now planned for investment will ever be spent. This decision will be made at some future date and I would guess that more monies will be spent by the RDA. Taylor: To bring new business to Park City requires incentives that are mostly involved with providing funds or monetary types of help. I am sure that Park City has the full capabilities of offering these incentives incen-tives and as mayor I would organize organ-ize a team effort to bring in new business. Watts: If there is $3 million to be spent by the RDA, I would urge the acquistion of land to ensure open space, continued development for needed parking, rights of way, preservation of historical sites and ways to attract new businesses. Watts: City government has a responsibilty to provide incentives that attract year-round business with such functions as: (1) leadership role, (2) policies and ordinances that . . . are attractive to new interests, (3) bonding support and (4) support to other groups with similar goals. ' Watts: City government should fund or provide for needed bonding as well as help secure grants from outside sources only if the private sector is unable or unwilling to develop convention facilities to meet the need. A convention center should be self-supporting and be available to all legitimate groups, large and small. Watts: Tourism should be supported by the city in conjunction with other special-interest groups. City support should benefit the total community in a positive way. Support could be in the form of time and energy of the staff as well as money in responsible amounts as need becomes evident. Watts: The role of the city manager, if properly structured, can be effective. Administration of the city government's policies, by an individual, indivi-dual, can provide needed time for elected officials to better plan and focus on community needs. The role of the manager and the elected body must be clearly defined to ensure that the system functions. It requires understanding and cooperating on the part of all parties so each can do ' an effective service to the city. Dering: No. I think a convention facility should be funded by the state, which has subsidized less cost-effective facilities in St. George and Cedar City. A convention center is the most expedient way to increase tourism in the spring, summer and fall. I believe this is the best way to stabilize our economy and reduce our tax burden. More tourist dollars will benefit all Park City residents, whether they work here or in Salt Lake. Dering: It is the city's responsibility responsi-bility to ensure that Park City is an appealing place to vacation as well as live. It does this by providing : essential services, such as intra-city transportation and snow removal, protecting the character of the town through planning and zoning and enhancing the attractiveness of Main Street. Direct promotion should come from the Visitors Bureau, which receives foe. city's transient room sales taxy revenues for this purpose.-,. . Dering: The'city manager is responsible for"' the day-to-day . operation of the city," the hiring and . . firing of city employees, attending to immediate problems experienced by residents and completing tasks and priorities set by the city council. The city manager' should not be a policymaker. The' ftiayor should be the city's spokesperson. Taylor: Absolutely no. This is a private-industry type of function and should be handled by private industry. Taylor: The State of Utah, the ski resorts, and Chamber of Commerce of Park City and many other entities provide funds to bring tourists to Utah. Anything that the city could do would probably be on a lesser scale than what the others do. Taylor: The city manager functions func-tions at the pleasure of the city council and mayor. The city manager should be taking direct input from these entities and should operate as an extension of their authority. Mammen: A convention facility should not be funded by city funds nor be operated at cost to the city's taxpayers unless there were some direct and thoroughly compensating benefit to the general city population. popula-tion. For example, if the old high school building and auditorium and the surrounding open land were saved to be a convention center, then perhaps the city should participate. Even the, the facility should be demonstratively self-supporting without financial drain on the city. , Mammen : The city has responsibility responsibi-lity to promote all things that benefit the general community and financial well-being of its citizens. No one area or person should be benefitted at the expense of another. Wherever possible, city funds should be spent within the city community. We should be a good partner with the county and state in promoting tourism. By working with other governmental agencies in mutual beneficial areas, ' we can develop better relationships in general. Mammen: Because the city manager takes care of the day-to-day operation of the city, the mayor has a great opportunity to work as a liaison between the community and city government. The city council is responsible for the actions of the city manager. The mayor as a non-voting participant on the council can keep the council informed regarding the general morale of city employees and the attitude of the general population toward city services. Should city government fund construction of a convention building? Is it the city's responsibility to promote tourism and, if so, to what extent? . ' , " . j '',' ' Y , How do you view the role of the city manager? , t, .. t , ' ' ..'''-' ' I ' ' ,. 1 ' ' -'''. v Y ' " ' ' ' ' " ' . - - - , K, . .. ., ' ( ; 1 '' Y ' , ' 4; ' . , . ,,v- . " ' Watts: City government should have clear, effective policies and ordinances or-dinances to preserve the historical sites and character of the city. The . city should investigate and promote ways to offer incentives that will be advantageous for owners to want to share in this effort. . Taylor: We sometimes have trouble defining what is historic and what is not. There are more ways to build new buildings than trying to copy what was here 100 years ago and is not at all functional in 1985. - Mammen : City government has to do something now to help preserve the town's historic character. That character is irreplacable and is one of the most significant factors in Park City's success today. They city, as the RDA, could take positive steps to relieve individual property owners from the burden of preservation and we can all share in preserving our historic character. New construction needs to be in addition to our history, not in place of it. How should city government preserve the town's historic character as it relates to existing buildings and new construction? ' -'. . . Should city government; limit the amount of commercial zoning ahd if so, how? :V: : Y - : v Y V ' ; ' ''Y'' Y"' '.' ' '' Y' - '. '''''' ' , ' '.' ' . 1 ' Dering: Preservation and renovation renova-tion of historic buildings should be encouraged through fee waivers and zoning variances YNot all new construction on Main Street should incorporate contemporary architec- ture. If Main Street loses it historic look, it becomes 'a street like thousands of others and is no longer one of our unique visitor attractions. T31 OillOT : 1 '. ... ; Dering: Yes. We have sufficient, commercial zoning for current demand. Approval on any new commercial zoning should take into consideration of the surrounding neighborhood, and traffic and noise impacts. We need to gradually and fairly reduce densities for commer- rial property being developed as multi-family residential projects. Any limitations must be in the form of zoning ordinances. Watts: City government should encourage zoning that promotes a more concise commercial area! Consolidated commercial gives business an opportunity to be stronger strong-er and more manageable. Too much commercial in too many areas weakens the overall chances for commercial business to survive. Proper zoning for commercial functions and economic viability will be limiting factors to regulate the amount of needed commercial space. Taylor: I think that commercial zoning should be used when it is needed and that city government should not try to dictate where and when a piece of property would or should not be zoned commercial. Mammen: There is already more than enough commercial zoning in Park City, but that is not the real problem. The main problem is that the current land management code is unnecessarily complicated and can sometimes penalize the well-intentioned developer. The 1980 Land i Management Code was better than the current code as it has been revised and complicated by the current city council. My professional training could be helpful in achieving meaningful improvement. Watts: City and county governments govern-ments should establish common goals in such areas as zoning, taxing, legislation matters, communications, services, quality of life, land uses, and those issues that are for the common good. Watts: The city should be concerned to the extend that the Prospector Square area problem gets resolved in a timely and positive way. The city should work with the Superfund agency to ensure a timely and speedy definition of the problem and arrive at a solution that allows for immediate action. What goals should Park City and Summit County work toward together? 'Y : Y;:. i ' 'Y Y, : ""'''' Y Y "' - Do you believe the city should take an active role in trying to determine whether Prospector Square should be on the Superfund list? i . Taylor: In my own opinion, the goals of Park City and Summit County are sometimes very divergent. diver-gent. When there are times that they must work together for the common good it should be in the areas of schools, the library, water and all other types of shared interests for the good of all. Taylor: I believe the city should make every effort, even if it means talking directly to Ronald Reagan, with all its power to stay off of the Superfund list. We do not need anyone to think that there is anything bad about Park City. Mining towns have lived with mine tailings forever without adverse effects. Dering: We need to establish better city county communications. The county is collecting significant taxes from oil and gas properties. They can afford to provide our fair share of county services and to pay for use of the city library and recreation programs by county residents who are not city taxpayers. We also need, county help in protecting our Highway 224 entry corridor. Dering: I think the city should fight vigorously to have Prospector removed from the Superfund list. Tests on one chunk of ice are a ridiculous basis for inclusion, but not surprising when you realize the State Department of Health could receive $300,000 to $400,000 if Prospector remains on the list. Residents have taken the action necessary to remove any possible hazard. This is government at its worst. Mammen t Besides meaningful cooperation in tourism promotion as I already mentioned, the city and county could work toward more meaningful cooperation in: 1. Recreation department and library funding. 2. Mutually beneficial land management man-agement policy, including: a. Preservation of important greenbelts. b. Protection of major access corridors. c. Incentives for new year-round business. 3. Better general communication and understanding. I believe the mayor can make important contributions in all of the above areas and more. Mammen: Prospector Square should not be on the Superfund list in the absense of any demonstrated health risk. The entire Park City community suffers not just Prospector Pro-spector Square if this issue is not resolved favorably and quickly. The city should have been more responsive in the first place and confronted the State Health Department Depart-ment before any tests were performed. Now the city needs to act quickly to minimize the damage at least partially caused by its unres- ponsiveness. |