Midvale City Newsletter | November 2023

In The Middle of Everything City Hall – 7505 South Holden Street • Midvale, UT 84047

The Upcoming Municipal Election

MIDVALE CITY DIRECTORY 801-567-7200 801-567-7200 801-567-7265 801-567-7250 801-567-7228 801-567-7211 801-567-7235 801-363-9995 801-567-7285 385-468-3350 385-468-7387 801-567-7230

MIDVALE CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS MAYOR Marcus Stevenson 801-567-7204 Email: mstevenson@midvale.com CITY COUNCIL District 1 - Quinn Sperry Email: qsperry@midvale.com District 2 - Paul Glover Email: pglover@midvale.com District 3 - Heidi Robinson Email: Hrobinson@midvale.com District 4 - Bryant Brown Email: bbrown@midvale.com District 5 - Dustin Gettel Email: dgettel@midvale.com

WHO TO CALL FOR… Water Bills Ordering A New Trash Can Permits Court Paying For Traffic School Business Licensing Cemetery Planning and Zoning Code Enforcement Building inspections Graffiti

801-567-7200 801-567-7202 801-567-7213 801-567-7265 801-567-7202 801-567-7214 801-567-7235 801-567-7231 801-567-7208 801-567-7213 385-468-9769

PUBLIC SAFETY & EMERGENCY CONTACTS EMERGENCY UFA Fire/UPD Police > Non-emergency Unified Police Department > Midvale Precinct Public Works Rocky Mountain Power

CITY NEWSLETTER

By Mayor Marcus Stevenson

Marcus’ Message City Hall Finance/Utilities Court City Attorney’s Office City Recorder/Human Resources Community Development Public Works Ace Disposal/Recycling Midvale Historical Museum Midvale Senior Center SL County Animal Services Communications

NOVEMBER 2023

911 801-840-4000 385-468-9350 801-567-7235 877-508-5088

A Look into Public Safety

Within the last few weeks, I was able to participate in a ride-along with both Unified Fire Authority (UFA) and Unified Police Department (UPD). While both experiences were quite different, it was eye-opening to see a small glimpse into the day-to-day of their jobs and all the situations they must be prepared to respond to. For each ride-along, I chose a Friday evening, because we seem to see greater activity on the weekends, specifically at night. Here’s just a glimpse of what I saw and what I learned.

UNIFIED FIRE

I arrived at Station #126 at 2:00PM, which is the station near the intersection of 700 E and 7200 S. Because our fire fighters work 48hour shifts, this was the last day of the crew’s shift, and they would be going home the next morning. As I arrived, I had to wait a few minutes because the crew was out on a call dealing with a flooding issue at a big box store in the area – pipes in the ceiling were leaking, and UFA was called in to figure out how to shut off the water and clear the area as necessary.

Once the crew arrived back at the station, we talked for a while about expectations for the night and the plan if the night was slow.

Unlike police, fire doesn’t actively patrol, so they wait for calls to come in, but plan their days to stay busy regardless of the call volume. Their plan that evening included medical training, exercise, dinner, going to the Hillcrest High football game, and cleaning the station in preparation for the next crew coming on shift in the morning.

In Midvale, because of the 911 call volume we receive, our two fire-stations are staffed with 6 people. The firetrucks are 4-handed crews, meaning there are 4 people on each truck, and then there is an ambulance crew of 2 people. This is important because when a structure fire does happen, they implement a “two in, two out” rule, where two firefighters go in the building at one time and two stay out. This gives the firefighters greater safety in case something goes wrong on a call. Having two paramedics means that for medical calls they can do more life-saving work on scene before a patient makes it to the hospital and allows the firetruck and ambulance to respond to different calls if necessary.

Our first call came in as a “miscellaneous fire.” In the station, an alarm goes off and a robotic voice comes over an intercom system that states what type of call, the location, and some other details.

While I felt anxious, the crew was simultaneously calm while moving quickly to get their gear on and get out of the station. For this call, it was someone burning their yard waste after doing an extensive yard clean up. With no fire containment set up, and dry grass all around, the situation could have turned badly, but luckily it hadn’t.

The crew’s captain spoke with the homeowner, educated them on the law (you’re not allowed to burn yard waste in Salt Lake County), and spoke to them about why it was unsafe. The captain was forceful in tone, but also understanding that not everyone is going to know every law. The homeowner was receptive and agreed to stop.

Our second call was reported as an overdose near The Shops at Fort Union. When we arrived, there was a gentleman lying in a grassy area, and the paramedics were ready to go. However, as they approached the man, he woke up and it became clear that he was likely someone experiencing homelessness, who was sleeping in that area.

To say the least, he looked pretty surprised to have several people standing around him with a firetruck, ambulance, and a police ve-

hicle all with lights on. The crew spoke to the man for a few minutes and determined he wasn’t in need of medical attention.

The third call was a minor car crash on 7200 S. While just a small fender bender, a woman involved in the crash was complaining of back and neck pain. While she didn’t speak any English, the captain of the crew spoke Spanish and was able to communicate with her about what she was feeling and how the crew could help. They did some basic tests, offered her a ride to the hospital, but recommended that she could likely get herself to urgent care if she wanted to.

That evening, I left around 10PM so the crew could get some rest. With only three calls in eight hours, it was a pretty slow night.

However, it was fascinating to see all the different types of calls they need to know how to respond to – anything from flooding to fires, and overdoses to car crashes, all in one day. Plus, I really appreciated seeing the work they do to build a connection with the community, which included spending some time at the Hillcrest High football game that evening. Thank you to Captain Pate at #126 for taking me along, I tried to stay out of the way while learning everything I could!

UNIFIED POLICE

Unfortunately, we’ve seen more challenges around the 7200 S / I-15 area with drug trafficking, specifically fentanyl, meth, and heroin.

For the last few years, our police chief has requested a new sergeant to oversee the Direct Enforcement Unit, which is focused on getting large amounts of hard drugs off our streets. This year, we finally approved this request, turning a two-member unit into a three-member, and I was able to ride with our new sergeant. Unlike most of our officers, who respond to 911 calls, this group proactively goes out and conducts long-term investigations focused on large amounts of narcotics in our city.

For this shift, I met the unit at our police precinct at 4:00PM and would be with them until about 2:00AM. They started by talking about the shift and the most recent intel on the people they were

MAYOR’S MESSAGE CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

In The Middle of Everything MAYOR’S MESSAGE CONTINUED looking for. One unique thing about this unit is that they all drive unmarked vehicles – meaning they look like regular cars.

And I’ll say this, you may not always see police vehicles, but they are around, and they’re doing work to apprehend the worst offenders.

On this evening, the unit was focused on the areas around the several low-cost motels along 7200 S. It felt like a whole other world. I drive down 7200 S every day, and I’ll see interesting people or sometimes odd things, but spending 10 hours in this area, watching, waiting, and talking with folks, gave me a whole other view, almost like zooming into the issues we see.

TAKEAWAYS OF MY TIME WITH THIS UNIT: a) While we have people in those areas using drugs, that’s not the focus of our officers, and it shouldn’t be. Our State doesn’t have enough resources to arrest all the drug users and get them into the help they need, so arresting them often means they’ll go to jail, but quickly be out and back on the street, doing it all over again. It doesn’t fix the problem and costs us more as taxpayers. Our officers know this too, which is why they’re focused on catching the individuals who are selling. b) Just because someone looks sketchy, or that they’re up to no good, doesn’t actually mean that’s the case, and we can’t arrest people for just existing in an area. I bring this up, because I know our community often feels frustrated that we have so many characters in the 7200 S area. Our cops can’t just arrest someone because of the way they

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look, and again they’d likely end up back here anyway because of the low-cost hotels. c) If a cop wants to talk to you, they’ll find a way. Now, talk doesn’t necessarily mean search, arrest, or seize anything from you, but as they’re trying to find information on the big targets, and they see someone they want to talk to, they’ll patiently wait for you to make a mistake – jay-walking, not using a blinker, etc., so they can gather more information to get to their real goal. d) Lastly, even as we pulled someone over who was a known fentanyl dealer in the area or spoke with a woman who admitted to being addicted to meth, but was looking to get help, they treated everyone with respect. I was surprised by the amount of conversation I had with the sergeant about how we both have family members who have struggled with substance use disorders, and how the goal was to get the users help, while putting away the dealers.

And because we often have the same people coming back to this area, they knew many of the individuals on a firstname basis because of how often they’ve interacted.

For my ride with Unified Police, I’ll keep it to that, as I don’t want to compromise any of their work, or the individuals they work with. For our community, remember, that even if you don’t see police in these areas, it doesn’t mean that’s the case, and the city is investing a lot of time and money in addressing drug trafficking, while proactively building relationships with the hotels in the area in hopes of having them help. Thank you, Sergeant Lavin, for letting me tag along!

Midvale City’s 2023 General Municipal Election Proposed Recreation Bond, Ranked-Choice Voting, and Key Dates As Election Day approaches, it’s important to stay informed about the voting process as well as the candidates and propositions that will appear on your ballot.

This year, voters will have more time to cast their votes. The state’s official General Election Day has been moved from the first Tuesday in November to Tuesday, November 21, 2023, to accommodate a special election for Utah’s 2nd Congressional District.

Midvale City is once again embracing ranked-choice voting (RCV) for the upcoming election, following its successful use during the last municipal election in 2021. Ranked-choice voting is an electoral system that allows voters to rank the candidates in the order they prefer rather than picking a single candidate for a position. In the counting process, if a candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, they are declared the winner. However, if no candidate reaches the required majority, the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed to the remaining candidates based on the voters’ subsequent preferences. This process continues until one candidate accumulates a majority of votes, ensuring that the ultimate winner has broad support. All registered voters should have

phlet also explains the bond’s financial impact and other important information to help voters make an educated decision. Residents can find a digital copy of the Pamphlet and additional details on the bond at EngageMidvale.com.

Many voters will see elections for their Midvale City Council representative on their ballots. Three of Midvale’s six City Council seats, Districts 1, 2 and 3, are up for election this year. Voters can read candidate profiles at vote.utah. gov or watch the October 4 Midvale City Candidate Forum on the Midvale City Government YouTube channel to learn more about those running for office.

When residents are ready to cast their ballot, here are a few important dates to remember.

• To vote by mail, your ballot needs to be signed and postmarked no later than November 20, 2023.

• Early in-person voting is available between November 14 and November 17 from 3-5 p.m. at select Salt Lake County Voting Centers. received their Vote by Mail ballot in the mail on or shortly after October 31.

Midvale City residents should have also received a Voter Information Pamphlet (the Pamphlet) with details about the City’s proposed Recreation bond. The Pamphlet contains information about how bond funding would be used - if voters approve the bond - to support the pursuit of a new, modern recreation center for the city and the construction of four new dedicated walking and biking paths. The Pam-

• Voters can vote at any Salt Lake County Voting Center on Election Day, November 21, 2023 from 7 a.m. - 8 p.m.

• Additional voting information including locations for Voting Centers and ballot drop-boxes can be found at www.slco.org/clerk/elections • Anyone looking to register to vote can do so online at least 11 days before Election Day at www.slco.org/ clerk/elections/voter-registration, by mail, or in person at a Voting Center with a valid ID.

NOVEMBER 2023 CITY NEWSLETTER WWW . MIDVALECITY . ORG

SENIOR CENTER ACTIVITIES November & October Midvale Senior Center will be hosting a Thanksgiving Holiday Meal on Friday, November 17 from 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM. We will be serving a traditional Thanksgiving Meal. There will be two seatings, one at 11:30 AM and another one at 12:30 PM for those wanting to dine-in. To-Go lunches will only be available from 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM. Reservations should be made by Thursday, November 2, by calling 385-468-3350. The entertainment will be piano music by Leigh Hintze.

Our Winter Holiday Meal will be served on Friday, December 17, from 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM. There will be two seatings, one at 11:30 AM and another one at 12:30 PM for those wanting to dine-in. To-Go lunches will only be available from 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM. Reservations should be made by Friday, December 1, by calling 385-468-3350. The entertainment will be piano music by Sam Melonas.

We will be having the following entertainment during December: Time Steppers Christmas Around the World on Monday, December 4, at 12:00 PM. Hillcrest High School Madrigals on Thursday, December 7, at 1:30 PM. Riverton Bell Choir on Friday, December 8, at 1:00 PM. Leigh Hintze will play piano music for our Noon Year’s Eve Celebration on Friday, December 29, at 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM.

Midvale City Launches New Website Featuring Public Works Report a Problem Portal and Multilingual Translation Capability Midvale City is excited to introduce its brand-new website, featuring an innovative addition - the Public Works Report a Problem Portal. This portal revolutionizes the way residents can engage with Midvale City and report non-emergency issues efficiently.

While emergencies like water leaks, downed stop signs, or sewer backups should still be reported directly to Public Works at 801-567-7235, the new portal simplifies the process for all other non-urgent matters.

Using the Public Works Report a Problem Portal, residents can conveniently submit their requests, which are then directed to the relevant city division for prompt attention.

Additionally, users will receive email updates on the status of their requests. The types of issues that can be reported through this user-friendly platform include concerns related to City parks, water, roads, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, storm drains, streetlights, signs, fences, and snow removal.

But the portal isn’t the only exciting feature of Midvale City’s new website. The entire website has been redesigned with a focus on creating a clean, welcoming, and user-friendly experience for residents, businesses, tourists, visitors, and city staff. Here are some key highlights of the website: 1. Curated Search Functionality: Say goodbye to endless scrolling and irrelevant content. Midvale City’s new website offers an advanced search tool that allows users to quickly locate the information they need, making the online experience seamless and efficient.

2. Translation Capability: One of the standout features of the new website is its multilingual translation capability. Users can now translate content into more than 50 languages, ensuring that language barriers are no longer an obstacle for residents and visitors to access vital information and engage with the city.

3. Transitioning to a New Web Address: To reinforce the website’s status as an official government source, Midvale City is changing its web address from www.

MidvaleCity.org to www.midvale.utah.gov. This transition aims to assure users that they are accessing an official government website.

This website redesign aligns with several important objectives: 1. Improved Communications: Midvale City aims to bridge the gap between the city administration and the community, fostering open and effective communication channels. Residents will have easier access to news, updates, and events happening within the city.

2. Building Trust: By enhancing transparency and making information readily accessible, the city intends to build trust and confidence among its residents. A well-informed community is more likely to engage in civic matters and contribute to the city’s progress.

3. Promoting Community and Economic Development: The website serves as a catalyst for economic growth by showcasing Midvale City’s opportunities and resources, making it an attractive destination for businesses and investors.

4. Enhancing Identity: The website’s design mirrors Midvale City’s identity, emphasizing its unique character and strengths while presenting a unified and modern image.

5. 24-Hour Access: With the new website, constituents can access city information, forms, and submit inquiries round-the-clock, reducing the dependency on traditional communication methods such as phone calls and in-person visits.

Midvale City’s new website is not just a digital platform; it’s a testament to the city’s commitment to progress, community engagement, and efficient governance. It represents a vital step toward a more interconnected, responsive, and inclusive Midvale.

The city encourages residents and visitors to explore the new website, engage with its features, and provide feedback to further enhance the user experience by completing the online website survey on EngageMidvale.com.