A feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests and goals.
Many of you may share this sentiment, but I’ve long felt that we need politicians who don’t want to be politicians. A little over 2 years ago, I found myself being asked to run for city council and, as one who had no desire to be a politician, was thus faced with a dilemma. My sense of civic duty won out. I ran, was voted in and began my 4-year term in 2021. I’ve learned a great deal and giving my time in this way has been a great blessing in my life. I’ve seen first-hand the seriousness with which my colleagues on the city council carry out their stewardship. I’ve also been witness to an administrative staff that is lean, deeply committed and desirous of having Holladay be a city in which we should all be grateful to live. All of this was uncharacteristic of my perception of government, generally. I’ve been pleasantly surprised, to say the least.
A significant part of our stewardship on the city council involves the budgeting of tax revenue. Tax revenue that, by nature, is paid or taken by force. A sobering responsibility. As such, it troubles me spending this type of funding on non-essential community amenities and services. The far better way, I believe, is that non-essential community projects be funded voluntarily.
Legal Plunder or Community Duty?
There’s a perspective that taxation for such non-essentials is a form of “legal plunder”. A mandatory levy, which might cause those who pay to feel resentment. After all, they may see their hard-earned money channeled towards projects they might not agree with nor personally benefit from. On the receiving end, when amenities are funded this way, a sense of entitlement can develop. The ‘gift’ isn’t appreciated in the same way because the public good feels impersonal and ‘owed’ rather than resulting from a gesture of goodwill.
The Beauty of Voluntary Contributions
On the other hand, consider a community playground funded entirely by voluntary contributions. Every swing, slide, and seesaw stands as a testament to someone’s generosity. Those who give, do so out of genuine desire to uplift the community. In this act of giving, they experience a humbling gratitude, knowing they’ve made a tangible difference. On the other side, those who enjoy the playground do so with a heightened sense of appreciation, recognizing every playtime as a gift from their neighbors. Rather than entitlement, gratitude should more generally prevail. To me, the virtue in this approach couldn’t be more plain.
A Call to Embrace True Charity
Although more difficult than using tax revenue, our city council has undertaken an effort, to the extent that we’re able, to fund several initiatives through tax deductible voluntary donations: A stage that can be setup for performances during our summer concerts at the Gazebo; Lighting for Holladay’s skate park; and a walkable outdoor museum to showcase Holladay’s history, for which we’ve already been approved for a substantial grant that depends on matching funds.
If there is a Utah city that could exemplify this better way of funding community amenities, it is Holladay. Ideally, these projects will be fully funded through private donations, but in the event they’re not, the City is prepared to blend public funds with private donations to maximize their impact to our community. We have so many residents that not only have means, but who also generously seek out ways to bless others’ lives, that we hope as many as are willing and able via donations small and large, will voluntarily contribute to bring these amenities to light. That every amenity enjoyed can become a constant reminder of our neighbors’ kindness and generosity, this is community!
Please see cityofholladay.com/community/friends for more information, to donate and to learn how you can get involved!
—Council Member Ty Brewer, District 1
Healthy Utah Community
The City of Holladay is now designated a Healthy Utah Community! To qualify for the designation, Holladay established the Happy Healthy Holladay Coalition and implemented several other strategies within our community to promote health. Some of the City’s and its partners’ efforts include securing Safe Routes to School grants to encourage walking and biking for children; sponsoring community-wide food drives to support the Olympus High School and Cottonwood High School food pantries; promoting the Unified Police Department’s public medication disposal box; and offering a variety of free, public classes - like QPR suicide prevention at the Holladay Library, CPR and first aid basics by the Unified Fire Authority and a jump rope clinic at the Holladay Lions Rec Center.
The designation was presented to Holladay at the Utah League of Cities and Towns Conference on September 6, 2023, and accepted by Mayor Rob Dahle, Council Member Matt Durham, and Council Member Drew Quinn. This designation is an excellent opportunity to showcase the work our community is doing to support healthy living for all residents. The Happy Healthy Holladay Coalition will also soon kick off its first strategic planning process to identify evidence-based programming to more fully address the mental, physical, and emotional needs of Holladay residents.
O CTOBER 2023
onədē | Noun
Pedestrian Safety: Know the Different Crosswalks
By Chief Justin Hoyal, Unified Police Dept.
Thank you
From the Blue Moon Festival to the Fine Arts Show and the summer concert series to the children’s theater performances, the Holladay Arts Council’s dedicated stewardship and passion for the arts enriches our community We thank all the Arts Council members, volunteers, sponsors, and partners for your efforts
Holladay Arts Council
MEMBERS
Natalie Bradley, Chair
Ginger Gunn Vice Chair
Ilene Stowe, Secretary
Sheri Sohm, At-Large
JC Conrad
Liz Deane
Jon Jensen
Lauren Posey
Beth Wolfer
Fred Kraut
Thomas Kolonusz-Partee
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
Paul Fotheringham, City Council Liaison
Beckie Rock Webmaster
Kathy Murphy, Concert Chair
Sandra Fullmer Williams
Bonnie Nell
Megan Attermann
Sheryl Gillilan, Executive Director
Recently there have been stories in the media of law enforcement conducting enforcement at pedestrian crosswalks all across Utah. In Holladay we have also done enforcement and education at crosswalks across the city. One of the common questions we have answered is what is the difference between a regular pedestrian crosswalk and a school crosswalk? These are the two types of crosswalks in Utah law and have different requirements. I think it is important that all motorists know how to recognize the difference between the two different types of crosswalks and what a motorist must do when there is a pedestrian in the different crosswalks.
The first crosswalk I would like to explain is a regular pedestrian crosswalk. This can be identified by a yellow caution sign with the drawing of a single person inside the sign. These crosswalks can also be identified by two parallel lines that stretch from curb to curb. Utah law says that when a motorist approaches this kind of crosswalk they must slow down or stop for a “pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is on the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling.”
What does this mean? It means that a motorist must stop and wait for the pedestrian to get to the opposite half of the roadway from where the motorist is at. Once the pedestrian is on the other half of the roadway, the motorist can proceed if it is safe to do so.
A school crosswalk can be identified by a yellow sign with the drawing of two people inside the sign. In addition, the painting on the road is identified by many wide stripped lines that go from curb to curb. These lines may look like a ladder that runs across the road. Utah law says that when a motorist approaches a school crosswalk they must “come to a complete stop at the school crosswalk if the crosswalk is occupied by a person.” This means that a motorist must wait for a pedestrian to completely exit the crosswalk before proceeding, even if they are on the opposite half of the roadway.
We want everyone to be aware of the two different styles of crosswalks so that no one gets hurt. We want nothing more than for those who are out walking to be able to cross the streets safely. We will continue to do enforcement at our crosswalks for the safety of everyone.
If we understand the different types of crosswalks and yield to pedestrians, we can avoid a tragedy. Working together we can keep Holladay a safe place to walk, ride and drive.
OCTOBER
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS:
Rob Dahle, Mayor rdahle@cityofholladay.com
801-580-3056
Ty Brewer, District 1 tbrewer@cityofholladay.com
801-550-8747
Matt Durham, District 2 mdurham@cityofholladay.com
801-999-0781
Paul Fotheringham, District 3 pfotheringham@cityofholladay.com
801-424-3058
Drew Quinn, District 4 dquinn@cityofholladay.com
801-272-6526
Dan Gibbons, District 5 dgibbons@cityofholladay.com
385-215-0622
Gina Chamness, City Manager gchamness@cityofholladay.com
PUBLIC MEETINGS:
City Council – rst and third Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. Planning Commission – rst and third Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m.
CITY OFFICES: Mon-Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. • 801-272-9450 4580 South 2300 East • Holladay, UT 84117 Community Development 801-527-3890
NUMBERS TO KNOW: Emergency 911 UPD Dispatch (Police) 801-840-4000 UFA Dispatch (Fire) 801-840-4000 Animal Control 385-468-7387
Garbage/Sanitation 385-468-6325
Holladay Library 801-944-7627
Holladay Lions Club 385-468-1700
Mt. Olympus Sr. Center 385-468-3130
Holladay Post O ce 801-278-9942
Cottonwood Post O ce 801-453-1991
Holliday Water 801-277-2893
Finance 801-527-2455 Justice Court 801-273-9731 Code Enforcement 801-527-3890
2023
FOSTER A DOG; Save a Life
Salt Lake County Animal Services is experiencing a dog overpopulation crisis. In the years 2020, 2021, and 2022, Salt Lake County Animal Services took in an average of 192 dogs a month. In the first eight months of 2023, we have taken in an average of 238 dogs a month. With this staggering influx of dogs, we are desperate to find more fosters who can temporarily welcome a needy pup into their home.
To incentivize fostering, anyone who signs up to be a foster in October of 2023 will be automatically entered into an opportunity drawing to win a customizable pet basket full of exciting prizes. If you don’t win, you’ll still be rewarded with the limitless love of an underprivileged pup who would be forever grateful for a few ear scratches and a warm bed.
Fostering helps unsheltered dogs, our shelter, and you. Foster homes provide a calming environment that helps dogs thrive until their
FUREVER family adopts them. We also learn a lot about our foster dogs from their foster parents which makes them more adoptable. At our facility, we only have 82 kennels where we can shelter dogs. Fostering allows us to help more animals by providing them with food, shelter, and medical care outside of our facility.
Additionally, fostering is an excellent way to experience the joys of having a dog without the commitment of adoption. If you would like to apply to become a foster, please email our foster team at Fosters@ slco.org to get the process started. We’ll provide the food, crate, and medical care.
All you have to do is provide a safe and loving home. Fostering makes a difference. Fostering saves life. So help us celebrate ten years as a no-kill shelter, and foster a dog today.
Halloween Window Display Contest
The Halloween season is upon us, and we are getting into the spirit with a window display contest that could range from ghoulish to very Boo-ti-ful! Let’s make our city Spook-ta-cular!
To take part, please fill out the registration form located on our city website and send it back to Ann Frances Garcia at annfgarcia@cityofholladay.com. We will create a map of the participating businesses. The business with the most votes will win bragging rights as the most spirited business in Holladay
Halloween Safety Tips
by Capt. Dan Brown, Unified Fire Authority
I work on Halloween this year. This makes me uneasy for two reasons: one, I don’t get to trick or treat with my kids (I’m not complaining, I have the best job in the world, but it does have it’s drawbacks), and two, I will probably be in for a busy night. I don’t mind being busy, but the types of calls Halloween brings are a different animal. Here’s a scary statistic: Children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year. Lack of visibility because of low lighting at night also plays a factor in these incidents. Keep these tips in mind on Halloween night:
• A responsible adult should accompany young children on the neighborhood rounds
• If your older children are going alone, plan and review a route
• Agree on time children should return home
• Only cross street as a group in established crosswalks (as recognized by local custom).
and a First Prize (TBD), and every individual that votes will be entered into a random prize drawing with one lucky winner receiving a $100 Holladay gift card from one of our participating businesses. Voting will take place starting October 13th to October 31st. A QR code will be created to vote for your favorite Halloween window display. The deadline to register for participation in this contest will be October 9th. Please contact Ann Frances Garcia at (801) 527-3890 with any questions.
Never cross between parked cars or out of driveways.
• Don’t assume the right of way. Motorists may have trouble seeing trick-or-treaters. Just because one car stops, doesn’t mean others will!
• Teach your children never to enter a stranger’s home or car
• Instruct children to travel only in familiar, well-lit areas and stick with their friends
• Tell your children not to eat any treats until they return home, and take care to avoid any food allergies
Safety isn’t just on people trick or treating. If you are driving, you must be extra vigilant. Watch for children on the roads, medians, and curbs. Many costumes are dark and hard to see at night. Glow sticks are a great option to give to kids as it doesn’t take away from their costumes like reflective tape. All of these things make it a night where we can all drive a little slower and more careful.
Thanks for reading and have a Safe Halloween!!
New Holladay Landscaping Ordinance
Waterwise Landscaping required in lieu of grass on future residential, commercial properties
In Utah, 60% of residential water use goes towards outdoor irrigation. To encourage the use of waterwise plants and landscape principles, the state, through the Utah Valley Water Conservancy District, is incentivizing the replacement of lawn with waterwise landscaping.
Holladay residents are now eligible for this statewide incentive program to replace their lawns with waterwise landscaping after the City Council voted in favor of a new state-approved ordinance. All residents and business owners can apply for the program. The new landscaping requirement applies to new construction and does not impact existing homes or commercial properties.
Some of the changes for landscaping of new single-family and two-family residential development include:
• Turf coverage is limited to 35% of the front and side yards.
• No turf on slopes over 25% grade.
• No turf area may be less than eight feet wide.
• No turf in parks trips
• Drip irrigation is required for all landscaped areas that do not have turf
Utah Valley Water Conservancy District suggests that residents use Localscapes principles to design a
waterwise yard when removing any lawn. Localscapes is a five-step design method created specifically for Utah’s unique climate. Those interested in learning more about Localscapes can find classes online, join the conservancy each spring for an in-person class, or visit the Conservation Garden Park in West Jordan.
Monetary incentives for converting lawn areas to water-efficient landscaping start at $0.75/sq. ft and increase to $3.00/sq. ft for a full-yard lawn conversion. The Conservancy cautions against removing or killing your grass immediately as eligibility for the rebate requires a site visit by Conservancy representatives and the submission of an approved landscape plan prior to any removal. Removal of grass prior to the required site visit and plan approval may disqualify you from the rebate.
Property owners who are interested in the rebate program must create an account at the Utah Water Savers website and submit an application to confirm eligibility.
Central Utah Valley Water Conservancy District Utahwatersavers.com | 801-226-7100
O CTOBER 2023
