INFRASTRUCTURE:  Our roads need to be repaired but so do the utilities underneath them. Inspection and repair of water and sewer lines, improved sidewalks and more streetlights are necessary for the safety of our city. Our three year road plan states: “We can benefit from coordination with utility projects. Utilities installations and repairs are one of the principle culprits of accelerated pavement deterioration. By selecting appropriate road projects that correspond with necessary utility repairs and upgrades, we not only eliminate the need to cut newly constructed or refurbished roads but also benefit from overlapping budgets. This results in a net savings to the city by not paying for the trench repair and the road surface work separately.” With 116 miles of road it is hard to predict when a pipe will deteriorate and break. However, this new process will increase utility coordination and improve the longevity of our roads.

• I voted to approve the three road plan.
• I voted to implement a fee to developers who cut into our city streets as they should be responsible to pay for the expense to repair the road.
• I voted for progress on repairing and installing new infrastructure including the Walker water tank that was installed on the bench to help with secondary water pressure.
• I voted for the city to take ownership of our streetlights instead of contracting that service out to a third party which over time will save the city tens of thousands of dollars.

ROAD PLAN:  I am proud to say that as a current council member, we have allocated more money and made progress on funding our roads more than any elected body before us.

• Increased road funding from $94,544 in 2011 to an estimated $1.5 million in 2017
• Conducted a road fee study
• Held public hearings on a road fee and received feedback from residents
• Lobbied our state legislatures for an increase in funding
• Allocated money from our General Fund and new revenue to roads
• I support the implementation of a road fee

COMMUNICATION:  From my first day in office in 2012, communicating with residents has been my top priority. You deserve to know what is happening with your local government and open dialogue is critical. Here’s what I’ve accomplished:

• Daily posting on the Pleasant Grove Community Facebook page with more than 7,300 members
• Sent e-mails to citizens about what’s happening in the community
• Publicly giving my personal cell number, allowing residents to contact me at any time (801-318-2856)
• Approving and supporting the live stream video process of every city council and planning commission meetings
• Worked with a team to create a new city website that launched in May 2019 which is user friendly and easy to navigate

We can still do more.  I want to see the city invest in an app that puts access to city happenings at the touch of your fingertips.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:  The more sales tax we bring in means less taxes from your wallet.   We need to utilize every square inch of land in The Grove (acres east of the freeway exit) for retail and business.

• 36% sales tax revenue increase since 2015 (PG City Budget)
• Voted to offer incentives to anchor developments
• Increased restrictions on high density housing to focus on quality over quantity
• Over 116 acres of new commercial development in The Grove since 2012

BALANCED BUDGET: The city is paying down our debt, we have an excellent bond rating and we manage our money effectively. You need to know where your money is going and that is why our budget process is open and transparent. All documents are online and can be easily accessed. Our Finance Director is always willing to meet with residents. Making sure you know how taxpayer money being spent in the city is a priority for me.

• I have approved a balanced budget every year in office.
• We have secured revenue streams to pay off every debt we owe. We have had a surplus of funds for the past 5 years
• Most of our debt is due to infrastructure costs related to population growth. This includes the secondary water system, storm drain improvements, a road bond and the construction of Pleasant Grove Blvd.
• We have very low interest rates on our bonds. If mismanagement of funds was happening, we would not be able to secure low interest rates. Our bond rating is equivalent to an excellent credit score. Our is A+ and AA-
• The city is audited annually by a 3rd party certified, public accountant Hansen, Bradshaw, Malmrose and Erickson.
• Our budget process is open, transparent and honest with public meetings and hearings on budgetary items that are noticed in advance on council agendas, online budget documents are available for access any time on the city website.  As well, in the past we have offered a Citizens Finance Academy class for residents that explains in detail how a government budget operates.
• We have an award winning City Finance Director Denise Roy, whose door is always open to residents to answer questions.

REDUCED HIGH DENSITY HOUSING: Every community needs a variety of affordable housing and Pleasant Grove has that. From Senior housing to single family homes, Pleasant Grove is truly a place anyone can live. But I believe we have hit our limit on high density housing. We need the remaining acreage in The Grove (area east of the freeway) to be reserved for retail and business that will bring in sales tax revenue.

• Initiated a 6 month moratorium on high density housing in 2012 to stop developments until the issue could be reviewed
• Voted to reduce high density housing from 36 units per acre to 12 units per acre to focus on quality over quantity
• Will not vote for high density developments unless guaranteed commercial base is tied with it