March 2018 | Vol. 5 Iss. 03
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CHEERLEADERS COMPETE AT NATIONALS By Greg James | gregj@mycityjournals.com
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he Taylorsville High School cheer team is scheduled to compete in the USA Spirit Nationals in Anaheim, California. “Our girls always put in 100 percent. They practice every day early mornings and stay after school,” Warriors head coach Charli Cramer said. “They are constantly conditioning and practicing. They really work on our routines, which can be very hard.” The Warriors took second at the 2018 state cheer competition in the song leading/pom division. The division includes any crowd-oriented, dance style that is appropriate for timeouts. This division showcases dance skills and has an emphasis on crowd entertainment; no stunts or tumbling are permitted. They are usually appealing to crowds. “I always want these girls to have a good attitude and represent our school,” Cramer said. “They go to every single sport event from swimming to tennis matches and everything in between.” The cheerleader’s job is to lead the school and represent its student body. The Warriors’ cheerleaders participate in parades and many other community events. “The school is a big part of the community,” Cramer said. “These girls are right out front for everyone to see.” The show cheer and pom team will attend
The 2017–18 Taylorsville cheerleaders are active in the Taylorsville community by walking in parades and supporting the high school athletic teams. (Charli Cramer/Taylorsville Cheer)
nationals in California. The team represented its school Feb. 23–24 (after press deadline.) The team is all girls and has 32 team members. Camille Fivecoat is the head cheerleader. “Every single one of the girls has above a
AN ACTIVE 55+ COMMUNITY
3.0 GPA,” Cramer said. “We have several that get straight A’s. They are super smart and very kind.” The state cheerleading competition was held Jan. 27 at Salt Lake Community College.
Cheerleading is not sanctioned by the Utah High School Activities Association. Cheerleaders do provide support to most high school sports by attending games and creating a spirited atmosphere. Many Utah cheer teams have added the competitive element as part of their teams. They compete in regional and national events. “It helps when our girls come to us with some experience, although it is not required,” Cramer said. “There are several pre-high school teams that teach the girls to become better cheerleaders.” Cheerleaders from seven countries participated in the Winter Olympics in South Korea. They provided crowd support to the athletes participating in the games. Recently, the California High School Activities Association voted to make cheerleading a sanctioned sport under the high school sports commission. According to the website statista.com, in 2016, the number of participants (aged 6 and older) in cheerleading amounted to over 4 million, an increase of more than 1 million participants since 2013. Nearly 90 percent of all cheerleaders are girls. The governing body, the United States All Star Federation, was founded in 2003 to establish safety regulations and competition standards. l
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Go for it! Organizations encourage women to enter politics
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By Aspen Perry | a.perry@mycityjournals.com
hile obtaining a seat in local government does not provide much financial reward, there are perks when running for office. Patricia Jones, CEO of the Women’s Leadership Institute (WLI), spent 14 years serving the Utah Legislature and was surprised at just how beneficial learning the system ended up being. As Jones explained during a mid-January interview, having an understanding of how government worked provided her and her family invaluable information when she began looking into long term care options for an aged parent. “There are just so many things you learn, that help you in your own personal life, and help your loved ones,” Jones said. It’s something many Utah women are beginning to discover. Utah’s rank for women in office is on the rise with more projected to run in future elections. “I think we’re seeing more women run, because they’re feeling more confident,” said Patricia Jones, CEO of Women’s Leadership Institute (WLI). In 2016, Utah ranked 45th among state legislatures for percentage of women holding office. A rank that can be disheartening considering Utah’s history of being ahead of the curve when it comes to women in politics. In 1896—24 years before women were granted the right to vote— Martha Hughes Cannon ran as a Democrat against her husband, and became the first female state senator of the United States. Though Utah fell behind the curve in regards to the number of women in office, it appears to be a statistic that is steadily increasing. In accordance with Utah Valley University, within just one year Utah’s rank went from 45th to 38th, with five women gaining seats in the House. Bringing the number of women serving the 104-member Legislature up to 21 (15 House, six Senate). Organizations with programs offering political campaign education to women are seeing a rise in participants as well, meaning Utah will continue to see an increase of women running in future elections. Jones of WLI, an organization formed three years ago with the intent to support women in both business and political leadership, has seen a significant rise in participants for their political development program. “The first year we had 17 women that applied and that were in the class, last year we had 23, and this year we have 50,” said Jones. Jones explained that four of the female may-
ors elected during the November 2017 election were part of WLI’s political development program. Those four are: Michelle Kaufusi from Provo, Holly Daines from Logan, Kelleen Potter from Heber City, and Katie Witt from Kaysville. “The great thing about the [program] is they get to know one another and want to help each other. It’s really a magical thing to see,” Jones said. Real Women Run (RWR) is another organization created to empower women, founded in 2011 at YWCA Utah. Erin Jemison, director of public policy with RWR, reported of the 98 women who were elected to office in the 2017 election, 23 were RWR participants. Kristie Steadman Overson, newly elected mayor of Taylorsville attended one of Real Women Run’s events six years ago, as preparation when she ran for a seat on Taylorsville City Council. Overson won the council seat, where she continued to serve until running and being elected mayor. During her campaign, Overson knocked on almost 3,000 doors and discovered communication was a top concern for her constituents. “Connecting with someone on their doorstep is a lot different than getting perspective during a council meeting. As I did that… I thought I can take this knowledge and use it, so communication is absolutely the key,” Overson said. Salt Lake County Councilwoman Aimee Winder Newton became the first woman elected as the council’s chair, Newton lives in Taylorsville. Cottonwood Heights recently elected District 3 Councilwoman Tali Bruce also attended training through Real Women Run and found the personal testimonials of women who had run beneficial. “You can spend a lot of time prepping for something like this, but their advice was solid. To just go for it,” Bruce recounted of her experience. Along with Bruce, Christine Watson Mikell was the other woman who altered the all-male demographic of Cottonwood Heights previous city council. “I think boards or councils are better when there’s a diverse perspective. [Being] a mother, business owner, I offer a diverse perspective that may have not been on the council throughout the life of the city,” Mikell said. Though Mikell had planned to participate in one of WLI’s groups, due to schedule conflicts she was unable to attend before running for council. “I think those organizations are fantastic, and I wish I’d had the benefit [of one of those programs],” Mikell said.
Taylorsville Mayor Kristie Overson and District 4 Councilwoman, Meredith Harker. (Mayor Kristie Overson)
Although Mikell was unable to prep for her campaign through WLI or RWR her experience working on the board of Utah Clean Energy provided hands-on experience for collaboration. Newly elected South Jordan Mayor Dawn Ramsey, shares a similar path with her years of service on the Utah PTA State Board of Directors, which provided an opportunity to work with other female elected officials. “I work with a lot of women who hold positions of capacity that make a big difference… I’ve learned a lot from those women,” Ramsey stated. For Ramsey, growth is the main issue that she will focus on during her term as mayor. “Working with other local mayors and legislators, to try to help protect what we love most about South Jordan, and to work hard to get the services and funding that we need to continue to enhance quality of life for all of our residents,” Ramsey said. All in all, it is looking to be promising year as more women enter the political arena in Utah. When asked what advice they would offer other women thinking of running for office in the future, the advice from all women was the same: Go for it! “We need more women in the legislature,” said Jones with WLI. She added, “There are real structural benefits of having gender balance… it’s not good enough to have just one woman at the table.” With the rise of females enrolled in political development education, Utah is sure to see more women on the ticket for 2018. l
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Page 4 | March 2018
Black excellence celebration
Taylorsville City Journal
By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
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trutting across the stage in a line dance were Black and African-American college students from Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) and Westminster College. The Unity Stroll, a
ABC4 Utah Reporter Kimberly Johnson said excellence can be the best deterrent to racism. (Granite School District)
tradition of Black Greek organizations, was to demonstrate unity between the schools. “It doesn’t matter where you come from — we’re all black and we’re all African-American and so this brings us together as a whole,” said Rael Styles, co-president of SLCC’s Black Student Union (BSU). The dance was just one of the performances at the Inaugural Black Excellence Celebration, organized by Granite School District’s Department of Education Equity, held at Taylorsville High School on Jan. 29. Community members contributed with a variety of performances to celebrate black culture. Students from Granite Park Junior High, Silver Hills Elementary, Mill Creek Elementary and Utah School for the Deaf, Bonneville Junior High School and SLCC participated through song, dance, poetry and video presentation. Glory Johnson-Stanton, BSU advisor at SLCC, started the evening by singing the black national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Kenneth Hopkins, teacher at Granger High School, performed a portion of the “I Have a Dream” speech in an impersonation of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “The speech, to this day, still rings true. And, to this day, is as important as it was back then,” said Hopkins. Dr. Jackie Thompson performed a character portrayal of Bessie Coleman, telling the inspiring life story of the first female black pilot. Imani Stott, a seventh grader from Bonneville Junior High School, performed an “Expressions of Praise” dance. Westminster students also performed a step dance, another traditional dance
with African roots. “The step is about showcasing school pride and coming together as a whole, as African-Americans, to lift each other up,” said Styles. That was the purpose of the performances — to stir emotion and pride in black community members. Iman Ibrahim, a junior from AMES Academy, said Dee Dee Darby-Duffin’s performance of Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit,” a song to remember victims of lynching, gave her chills. She said the evening’s performances were impactful and empowering. “I want to see more of these happen in other districts,” she said. The keynote speaker for the evening was Brittany Johnson, reporter for ABC4 Utah, who worked tirelessly to achieve her dream of being a news reporter. She spoke to give hope to others, as she shared the story of her difficult journey. She said she was put down, overlooked and belittled because of her skin color. “I’m here to tell you to keep your head held high,” she told the students in the audience. “I want you all to have the confidence to never give up.” Her advice to others in similar frustrating experiences was to continually improve themselves. “It’s your excellence that can be the best deterrent to racism — I know that for a fact,” she said. “Some of you will have to work 500 times harder than one of your peers to prove that you are excellent in what you do.”
Junior Gnoulelein Tako from AMES Academy said he could relate to Johnson’s message. “I feel in everything I do — not to complain or anything — but I feel just naturally I’m at a disadvantage so I have to try harder to prove myself,” he said. Johnson’s story made him feel empowered to pursue his dreams. Johnson encouraged students to look to inspiring leaders such as King, Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks for courage. “We have to get there together,” Johnson said. “We need to promote leadership practices, deepen awareness of race differences and value relationships, making change possible. We need to uplift our brothers and sisters in our community instead of diminishing everyone.” She challenged students to befriend people who are different from them, citing that socially diverse groups tend to be more innovative. District Superintendent Martin Bates said the evening was organized to illustrate how much the district values diversity. “We strive to create an environment where students are celebrated for who they are, as Dr. King said, ‘not judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character,’” he said. Michelle Love-Day, associate director of the Department of Educational Equity, said events like these help students feel safe and supported in being themselves. “Because our history is so intertwined with American history, it was important to have students and families celebrate the contributions and recognize the achievements of African-Americans and the hurdles they’ve overcome to get there,” said Love-Day. l
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Health requires preventative measures, here’s some tips By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com
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teps to a healthier lifestyle begins by being preventative, said Medical Doctor Greg Bean. “Each year, I treat women trying to stay committed to difficult New Year’s resolutions like losing weight or cutting out sweets. As doctors, we always try to remind them of much easier and important ways to build a healthy lifestyle,” Bean said. Here are four tips for all women, regardless of age, to better and safely control their health. 1. See a gynecologist annually Seeing a gynecologist at least once per year is an essential component of women’s preventative health care. A gynecologist will be able to test for diseases including breast cancer, cervical cancer and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Women who are between the ages of 21 and 65 should check in with their gynecologist for a pap smear once every three years to screen for cervical cancer, according to Mayo Clinic. In addition, a gynecologist can prescribe birth control—which not only prevents unplanned pregnancy but can lower the risk of uterine and ovarian cancers—and help women plan to start a family.
2. Prioritize exercise Regular exercise is the best defense against osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, the leading cause of death among U.S. women. It also boosts energy, improves mood, helps with weight control and promotes better sleep. Women should aim to complete a mix of cardio and strength training at least three to five days per week to fully reap its benefits. 3. Eat more natural, unprocessed foods Rather than obsessing over calorie intake, women should resolve to eat a range of whole foods including whole grains, vegetables, fruit and unprocessed meat, while staying away from added sugars. One Yale study compared a range of diets and found that “a diet of minimally processed foods, close to nature” was best for longevity and disease prevention. Eating real, whole foods proved more effective than other popular diets, including low-carb, low-fat, low-glycemic and Paleolithic diets. 4. Don’t count out mental health Mental health is just as important as physical health when it comes to preventative care, particularly among women. Women are at a much higher risk for mental illness then
men; one study found women are about 40 percent more likely to develop depression. Neglecting mental health care can lead to a number of complications, including high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, insom-
nia and chronic disease. If you suspect you might be struggling, your doctor can help you navigate solutions. Information courtesy Steward Hospitals l
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Officer shortage prompting need for resident involvement By Carl Fauver | carlf@mycityjournals.com
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he steady stream of controversial police shootings seen in the news in recent years is just one of the reasons why qualified men and women in blue are becoming harder to find, train and keep on the job. “I believe this (officer shortage) will get worse before it gets better,” said Unified Police Department Taylorsville Precinct Chief Tracy Wyant. He is quick to praise the Taylorsville City Council for always approving the funding appropriations he feels are necessary for additional officers. But that doesn’t make finding those officers any easier. “They have always been very supportive,” Wyant said. “The trouble is, a lot of different agencies across Utah are all facing challenges trying to hire and keep good officers.” Case in point, the Taylorsville UPD precinct was authorized to hire its 51st officer in January but still had not found the person more than a month later. “UPD is the largest police department in the state,” Wyant said. “In December, we were down 24 officers. To his credit, (former Salt Lake County) Sheriff Winder helped move us ahead with some aggressive hiring before he left. But it’s a constant challenge.” An already-difficult situation became even worse a couple of months ago, when the Salt Lake City Council voted to approve 50 new officers for its department. Salt Lake homeowners are expect-
ed to feel the squeeze later this year, with a property tax hike to cover the anticipated additional cost of $5 million per year. In the meantime, other Wasatch Front police departments are feeling pressure to hang on to their personnel. “Ogden and West Valley City have both recently approved shift differential pay raises in an effort to keep their officers from leaving,” Wyant said. “That means officers working less desirable swing or graveyard shifts get paid a little more. But it’s all intended as an effort to not lose personnel.” In addition to negative media coverage impacting the number of people striving to become police officers, Wyant said another cause of the problem in Utah came courtesy of the state legislature a few years ago. In 2011, lawmakers approved a new retirement “tier,” in a cost-saving move. Wyant said it is much less desirable than the one more tenured officers enjoy. “Officers hired after July 1, 2011 now have to be on the job 35 years to earn the same benefits officers hired before that date receive, after 20 years,” Wyant told the Taylorsville City Council. “The ramifications of that change have been dramatic.” Officers hired on prior to July 2011 are eligible for half their pay, as retirement, after working 20 years. The newer officers are only eligible for 37.5 percent of their salary, after 25 years on the job.
Salt Lake County Council’s
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couple years ago I was sitting at my son’s basketball game when my friend Karyn asked me to teach her about government. She had a desire to get more involved in the community, but didn’t know where to start. This conversation gave me a new perspective about why we don’t have more women involved in government. When I was elected to the Salt Lake County Council in 2014, I was the first female Republican to be elected since the county changed to a council/mayor form of government in 2000. This year I was elected as the first female chair of the County Council and was surprised we hadn’t had a woman chair until now. It seems we do have a shortage of women who run for office. We need both men and women’s voices in policymaking. I firmly believe we should vote for the best candidate for office, not necessarily someone of a specific gender. However, I also believe it’s good when we have many different candidates – including women –
Unified Police officials say the shortage of officers across our state and country should prompt more Taylorsville residents to become active in neighborhood watches. (Carl Fauver/City Journals)
“When I applied to be a police officer (in 1997), I competed with hundreds of applicants for my entry-level position,” Wyant concluded. “But those days are over.” Nationwide, other reasons cited for the shortfall of police applicants include low officer salary, an improved economy, more rigorous background
checks and a general loss of respect from the public. With all of these factors impacting police officer recruitment, Taylorsville City officials have said this is now a better time than ever for residents to become more active in protecting their own neighborhoods. Council Vice Chairman Dan Armstrong has been active in his neighborhood watch program for 15 years. “We have monthly meetings, block parties in the summer and a Labor Day breakfast among other activities,” he said. “But more importantly, we organize night and weekend patrols to help the police keep an eye on our property.” Armstrong is aware of three active neighborhood watch programs in his council district. But he said more would always be beneficial. “We have a great police department, but they can’t be everywhere at once,” Armstrong said. “Neighborhood watch groups are one way to help. People should also keep their yard lights on at night and keep an eye out for unfamiliar cars cruising through.” The council vice chair added the challenge police face in hiring new officers may never go away. “Especially here in Taylorsville, officers have told me they feel love and support from the public,” he said. “And I believe they have high morale in our precinct. But it’s up to us as citizens to do more than just praise them. I think neighborhood watch groups are a good place to start.” l
Update from Aimee Winder Newton
who throw their hat in the ring. I realized, though, that women who would otherwise be strong candidates for public service, wanted to gain a better understanding of government before jumping into something. So I took Karyn’s request to heart and decided to teach a “What’s What in Government” class in my home last fall. I posted the invitation on Facebook and within 24 hours all 30 spots were filled. Women from all over Salt Lake County joined me as we talked about the basics. It was essentially a Civics 101 course. These 30 amazing women have since gone on to make a difference in their own communities. One ran and won a city council race, another was elected as the vice-chair of her city’s community council, others have gotten more involved in community activism, political campaigns, school board discussions, or are planning to run as delegates for the political party of their choice this March. It has been inspiring to see how they are making their mark!
Utah has a rich history of involved women. Recently the state legislature passed a resolution to change out one of our two statues in the nation’s capitol. Martha Hughes Cannon ran for the Utah State Senate and was the first woman in the nation elected to a state senate seat. She will have a home at our nation’s capitol to remind people who visit, that Utah was one of the most progressive states for women’s rights. The women in Utah were some of the first who had the right to vote – long before the 19th Amendment passed. Relief Society women of the LDS Church were influential in the women’s suffrage movement, fighting alongside Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. I’m holding another “What’s What in Government” class in my home in April, and will continue to teach and encourage women who have a desire to get more involved in the community. If you would like to join this or a future class, please email me at ANewton@slco.org. l
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Warriors wrestlers finish on top By Greg James | gregj@mycityjournals.com
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Taylorsville High School senior Caleb Schulte captured a state wrestling title in the 160-pound weight division. (Photo courtesy Caleb Schulte)
aylorsville High School qualified five wrestlers of the 6A state wrestling tournament. They captured one state championship. “I feel proud of what I have accomplished this season,” senior Caleb Schulte said. “I feel I have a certain performance level expected for me as an upperclassman.” Schulte captured a state championship in the 6A 160-pound division, held Feb. 8–9 at Utah Valley University. Schulte is a multi-sport athlete. He is a middle infielder for the Warriors baseball team. He also played cornerback for the football team in the fall. He won the school’s first state wrestling championship since Roy Nash in 2013. Schulte placed third last season. He defeated Harrison Sperry from Pleasant Grove 3-2 in the championship match. Schulte came into the state championship ranked second in his weight class by wrestleutah.com. Schulte earned a No. 1 seed coming into the two-day tournament by taking first place in the 6A division B qualifier. At the state meet, he defeated Junior Rubio (Granger) in a technical fall 18-3. He then pinned Tyler Long (Weber), and in the quarterfinals he defeated Trendon Done (Davis) 6-2. Schulte placed second this season at the Rockwells Battle of the Brave, and he won his weight class at the Desert Storm Classic and Capitol City Classic. Warrior junior Braden Henson placed second in state. He lost in the championship match to American Fork’s Josh Bartholomew 6-4. He came into the state tournament ranked
third by wrestleutah.com. Henson qualified for the state tournament by winning the 6A 145-pound division B qualifier. At the state meet, he defeated Reed Taylor (Pleasant Grove) 7-0 and Chase Walker (Hunter) 11-7.In the quarterfinals he defeated Dan Waddoups from Davis 9-8. Sophomore Kade Gray lost his initial match in the state tournament but managed a victory in the consolation round. Seniors Malachi Novosel and Marcus Witt also qualified for the tournament but did not score team points. Taylorsville finished in 12th place overall with 46.5 points. Pleasant Grove won the state championship with 283.0 In the regular season, the Warriors defeated Cyprus 48-34. In the match Witt, Schulte, Novosel and Gray combined with Kaden Robinson, Biak Nung, Matthew Valora and Sharp Loertscher for Warrior individual victories. Their region competition was much more difficult. The Warriors finished in fifth place in Region 3. West Jordan placed ahead of them in fourth. Taylorsville’s head coach is Shawn McNiven. The Warriors roster includes more than 30 wrestlers. Wrestling ranked seventh overall nationally in boys participation, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. Football remains the No. 1 sport for boys. The number of boys participating in high school sports increased nationally by nearly 18,000 this year. l
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March 2018 | Page 9
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Taylorsville City Journal
The secret to increasing reading scores
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By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
ennion Jr. High School teachers have discovered the secret to improving reading scores—create a culture of reading. “We read at Bennion. When you come here, you’re a reader,” said reading teacher Cami Sorenson. The focus of every student and teacher on daily reading is reflected in reading inventory scores. When Bennion’s seventh-graders were tested at the beginning of the school year, their average lexile score was 855. It increased 89 points to 944 in just three months. To put this in perspective, the Granite School District’s goal for students is an 80-point increase per year. Now, only halfway through this academic year, Bennion students are already averaging a 70-point increase across all grades. The reading inventory measures reading comprehension, which is where most students struggle. “They’re all so used to reading things like Tweets and Facebook posts and Instagram posts, but they don’t always comprehend what they mean,” said English teacher Gabby Palombaro. “They are exposed to literature inside and outside the classroom, but when they’re with us in the classroom, we’re not just looking at it— we’re analyzing it and thinking about what it is saying.” But this focus on comprehension is not just happening in English class. “Something Granite District stresses is fidelity to the core, and reading comprehension is woven into our core standards pretty aggressively—and not just in English,” said Palombaro. “Reading comprehension is everyone’s responsibility.” Teachers of other subjects incorporate reading skills through word problems in math, current events articles in science and historical documents in social studies. “Reading a variety of texts in a variety of genres is what grows the lexile score,” said Rebecca Winter, who also teaches English. Because there is a wide range of reading levels between seventh and ninth grade, Bennion has provided teachers with tools and resources. One such resource is a subscription to the website NewsEla. NewsEla provides current articles with five reading level options on a variety of subjects. Teachers can search for articles by purpose or topic and then customize it for each student in their class. “You can change the lexile on any given article so students have individualized access to reading that makes sense for them,” said Palombaro. For example, if a student is reading at a seventh-grade lexile, a science teacher can adjust a science magazine article to use vocabulary that is challenging but still within the student’s ability to understand the content. “It’s a tool that helps kids stay engaged with reading all day,” said Palombaro. The tools and the culture of the school have
contributed to the increased test scores, but there is also another factor—treats. Teachers provide reading incentives to students based on their performance on the reading inventory they take three times a year. Students who attain specific reading levels earn a lanyard and subsequent pins for each milestone. “We give out rewards, and that seems to be working—they’re trying to earn those rewards,” said Winter. “Anytime a student gains 100 points or more on their lexile level, they’ll earn a T-shirt. So it’s not just rewarding the high readers—we give away a lot of those T-shirts for growth.” With students wearing “READ” T-shirts and teachers posting what books they are currently reading, Sorenson said reading is very visible throughout the school. Every student and faculty member is encouraged to read every day. Depending on grade level, students read between 20 and 30 minutes at home. In Sorenson’s seventh-grade reading class, she provides accountability for at-home reading. While teaching concepts such as character development, conflict and an author’s purpose, she asks students to respond with examples from the books they are reading on their own. This is one of the strategies teachers learned through professional development training. Each quarter, Principal Rod Horton arranges for guest presenters to address topics that reinforce reading strategies and literacy resources in all classrooms. The final reading inventory testing of the year will take place later this month. “We are eager to see what our kids can do as they keep pushing towards the end of the year,” said Vice Principal Danielle Hanson. l
Bennion Jr. High has embraced a culture of reading. (Danielle Hansen/Bennion Jr High)
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March 2018
Emergency
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Emergency 911 Unified Police Department Dispatch 801Ͳ743Ͳ7000 (Non-Emergencies) 801Ͳ743Ͳ7200 Fire Department 1Ͳ800Ͳ222Ͳ1222 Poison Control Center ϴϬϭ ŶŝŵĂů ŽŶƚƌŽů ^ŚĞůƚĞƌ Ͳϵϲϱ ͲϱϴϬϬ ŶŝŵĂů ŽŶƚƌŽů ŌĞƌ ,ŽƵƌƐ ŝƐƉĂƚĐŚ ϴϬϭ ͲϴϰϬ ͲϰϬϬϬ ƵŝůĚŝŶŐ /ŶƐƉĞĐƟŽŶ ϴϬϭ Ͳ ϵϱϱ Ͳ ϮϬϯϬ of Commerce) ϴϬϭ Ͳ ϵϳϳ Ͳ ϴϳϱϱ ŚĂŵďĞƌ tĞƐƚ (Chamber ϯϴϱ Ͳ ϰϲϴ Ͳ ϵϳϲϴ 'ĂŶŐ dŝƉ >ŝŶĞ 'ĂƌďĂŐĞͬZĞĐLJĐůĞͬ'ƌĞĞŶtĂƐƚĞ WŝĐŬ ͲƵƉ ϯϴϱ Ͳ ϰϲϴ Ͳ ϲϯϮϱ (Wasatch Front Waste & Recycling)
Frequently Called Numbers
'ƌĂŶŝƚĞ ^ĐŚŽŽů ŝƐƚƌŝĐƚ ,ĞĂůƚŚ ĞƉĂƌƚŵĞŶƚ ,ŝŐŚǁĂLJ ŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐ ;from cell phone) WĂƌŬ ZĞƐĞƌǀĂƟŽŶƐ (Salt Lake County) WƵďůŝĐ tŽƌŬƐ YƵĞƐƚĂƌ ZŽĐŬLJ DŽƵŶƚĂŝŶ WŽǁĞƌ ^Ăůƚ >ĂŬĞ ŽƵŶƚLJ ZĞĐLJĐůŝŶŐͬ>ĂŶĚĮůů dĂLJůŽƌƐǀŝůůĞ Ͳ ĞŶŶŝŽŶ /ŵƉ͘ ŝƐƚƌŝĐƚ dĂLJůŽƌƐǀŝůůĞ &ŽŽĚ WĂŶƚƌLJ dĂLJůŽƌƐǀŝůůĞ ^ĞŶŝŽƌ ĞŶƚĞƌ dĂLJůŽƌƐǀŝůůĞ EĞŝŐŚďŽƌŚŽŽĚ ŽŵƉůŝĂŶĐĞ dĂLJůŽƌƐǀŝůůĞ :ƵƐƟĐĞ ŽƵƌƚ dĂLJůŽƌƐǀŝůůĞ >ŝďƌĂƌLJ dĂLJůŽƌƐǀŝůůĞ ZĞĐƌĞĂƟŽŶ ĞŶƚĞƌ ^ǁŝŵŵŝŶŐ WŽŽů ;DĞŵŽƌŝĂů ĂLJ ƚŽ >ĂďŽƌ ĂLJͿ dĂLJůŽƌƐǀŝůůĞ Ͳ ĞŶŶŝŽŶ ,ĞƌŝƚĂŐĞ ĞŶƚĞƌ h Kd ZĞŐŝŽŶ Ϯ hƚĂŚ dƌĂŶƐŝƚ ƵƚŚŽƌŝƚLJ ;hd Ϳ
ϯϴϱ Ͳϲϰϲ ͲϱϬϬϬ ϯϴϱ Ͳ ϰϲϴ Ͳ ϰϭϬϬ
ϱϭϭ ϯϴϱ Ͳϰϲϴ ͲϳϮϳϱ ϯϴϱ Ͳϰϲϴ ͲϲϭϬϭ ϴϬϭ Ͳ ϯϮϰ Ͳ ϱϬϬϬ ϴϴϴ ͲϮϮϭ ͲϳϬϳϬ ϴϬϭ Ͳϵϳϰ ͲϲϵϮϬ ϴϬϭ Ͳϵϲϴ ͲϵϬϴϭ ϴϬϭ Ͳϴϭϱ ͲϬϬϬϯ ϴϬϭ Ͳ Ϯϵϯ Ͳ ϴϯϰϬ ϴϬϭ Ͳ ϵϱϱ Ͳ ϮϬϭϯ ϴϬϭ Ͳ ϵϲϯ Ͳ ϬϮϲϴ ϴϬϭ Ͳ ϵϰϯ Ͳϰϲϯϲ ϯϴϱ Ͳϰϲϴ ͲϭϳϯϮ ϴϬϭ Ͳϵϲϳ ͲϱϬϬϲ ϴϬϭ ͲϮϴϭ ͲϬϲϯϭ ϴϬϭ Ͳϵϳϱ ͲϰϵϬϬ ϴϬϭ Ͳϳϰϯ ͲϯϴϴϮ
MAYOR’S MESSAGE Dear Friends and Neighbors, Thank you for the great response and feedback to “the Mayor is In”. I am so delighted to meet with you and talk about what is happening in Taylorsville. The response has come from businesses, community leaders and residents. I especially appreciate residents young and old Mayor who challenge me with questions as well as provide ideas for making our city better. I look forward to Thursday afternoons and visiting with you. Kristie S. Overson Currently I am working on Community Block Development Grants and Home Funds. This is a federally funded grant program designed to help communities with their greatest community development needs. Taylorsville qualifies for CDBG funding. My responsibility is to work with a plan of action and allocate funds based on requests and needs. After making my recommendations the City Council will make the final determination of how to appropriate the funds. We have several worthy organizations in our city who have benefitted from this program. Thank you residents, employees, staff, city council and all who continue to be supportive and helpful as we work together to make our city the best it can be. –Kristie S. Overson
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month Taylorsville Exchange Club is sponsoring a Pinwheel Garden for Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Please come and plant pinwheels with us at Taylorsville City Hall on Saturday, March 31, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. @TVILLEUT
facebook.com/TaylorsvilleCity
@taylorsvillecity
www.taylorsvilleut.gov
PAGE 2
| www.taylorsvilleut.gov
City of Taylorsville Newsletter
The Taylorsville Earth Day Clean-up Event will be coming back again this year. But why wait until then to get rid of unwanted items? See below for a list of ways to properly dispose of common nasty items.
Interested in making a difference in your community and environment? Join the Taylorsville Green Committee. Email Councilmember Ernest Burgess at eburgess@taylorsvilleut.gov or Facebook.com/ErnestGBurgess
March 2018
2600 West Taylorsville Boulevard • 801-963-5400 |
COUNCIL CORNER
PAGE 3
Snow Regulations
Who thought we were going to dodge the snow this winter? Fortunately for every cloud, there is a silver lining, or in this case, additional water to fill our drinking and yard watering reservoirs and maybe even some of the Great Salt Lake. One area that seems to create a lot of inquiries to the City relates to snow, street parking, and snow removal. Many of you have recently seen the City’s snow and overnight parking regulations getting some run on Social Media. It is helpful to remember why the City has these regulations.
The City contracts with Salt Lake County Public Works to plow City streets. This saves taxpayer’s money, as the plows that are out doing Salt Lake County roads can also do Taylorsville City Roads without having three different agencies’ plows going through the same City to plow three sets of differently owned roads (City, County, & State). They also are intended to save money, by only requiring a single pass (depending on the amount of snow and duration of the storm) on City/County roads. If we have cars parked on the street, the plows must plow around
them and come back later to clean that part of the road, adding additional cost. When our streets are free from on-street parking, this saves our plows from having to come back later to plow the same street again, thus saving taxpayer’s money. The more efficient our road plowing can be, the safer our roads will be when we get up to go to work as well. Saving our sick and/or vacation days for something we plan, rather than a snow day. Have a safe rest of the Winter!
snow removal reminders for taylorsville residents
Traveling, even short distances, during the winter months in Utah can be stressful. Snow and Ice can cause delays and be very dangerous. Salt Lake County Public Works Operations is committed to providing safe, well- maintained roadway systems for the benefit of the public. Our snow teams are prepared 24 hours a day in the event of a storm. Major arterial streets are the first priority to make passable and provide access to schools, hospitals, fire stations, police and other emergency services.
It is unlawful for the owner, occupant, lessor or agent of property abutting on a paved sidewalk to fail to remove or cause to be removed from such paved sidewalk and any existing curb ramp all hail, snow or sleet falling thereon, within twenty four (24) hours after the hail, snow or sleet has ceased falling. 14.32.100
Depending on the size of the storm, teams may need to continually plow these roads, which may delay residential road clearing. After the snow event has ended snow teams will return to residential streets to push the snow back to the curb or edge of the road. This often causes additional snow in driveways. We make every effort to clear all roads within 48 hours after the storm ends. When the temperatures dropping below 17 degrees the salt used on the road is less effective. The melt rate slows and the snow & ice may take days to completely melt. Drivers need to exercise extreme caution. It is important for residents to understand what they can do to ensure the roads and sidewalks are safe and passable.
Sidewalks and mailboxes are the responsibility of the resident to keep clear. We recommend the sidewalk be cleared after the plows have serviced the area. Snow team members have been instructed not to clear roads with cars parked on them. Residents may call their local code enforcement or police department to assist with the removal of the cars to enable the plows access to the area. When clearing your driveways and sidewalks, the snow should not be deposited in the road. Garbage cans should be set at the curb in the morning and removed promptly. Snow removal team members are working 12-16 hour shifts and appreciate courteous and friendly drivers. Please use caution when you see a snow removal vehicle and remember the snow removal vehicle is harder to stop than a regular vehicle. For more information, please contact us at 385-468- 6101. Please visit our website to obtain more information about snow removal: http://www.pwops.slco.org/html/snow
PAGE 4
| www.taylorsvilleut.gov
City of Taylorsville Newsletter
Welcome to your new Taylorsville location, Deseret First Credit Union!
City Officials, ChamberWest, and Community Members participated in a Ribbon Cutting to celebrate the new Taylorsville location and grand opening/relocation of Deseret First Credit Union! They are located at 3225 West 4700 South. Check out their website at www.dcfu.com
Welcome to Taylorsville, West Valley Trophy!
March 2018
2600 West Taylorsville Boulevard • 801-963-5400 |
PAGE 5
ART INTAKE MARCH 20, TUESDAY 2:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. MARCH 21, WEDNESDAY 2:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.
2018 TAYLORSVILLE ART SHOW
FREE ADMISSION TO THE PUBLIC Art Entry Applications are available at www.taylorsvilleut.gov
PAGE 6
| www.taylorsvilleut.gov
City of Taylorsville Newsletter
The Weekly Green Waste Collection Program will resume beginning Thursday, March 22nd for Taylorsville residents. Taylorsville currently has 701 subscribers. This is a subscription program that helps divert green waste from the landfill to be processed into mulch that can be purchased for use from the Salt Lake Valley and Trans-Jordan Landfills. At $114 per year, a green waste can is less expensive than an additional black refuse can. For more information on this program, please visit our website at: http://wasatchfrontwaste.org/green-waste.
Now is the perfect time of year to trim your trees! Salt Lake County Ordinance 14.12.050, and other municipal ordinances, require that trees and landscaping which overhangs the street pavement need to be trimmed to a minimum height of thirteen and one half feet (13 ½ feet) above the street pavement. Following these guidelines will help our trucks navigate through your neighborhood and empty your cans without potential damage to your trees and our trucks. We appreciate your help
We are still seeing many situations where residents are placing their recyclable materials in plastic bags. The recycling processing facilities will not accept plastic-bagged materials, and they forward them to the Landfill, unopened. Please do not place anything in your blue recycle can that is wrapped in plastic bags. Contact our Sustainability Coordinator, Jeffrey Summerhays (385-468-6337 or jsummerhays@wasatchfrontwaste.org) if you have specific recycling questions.
Gary C. Swensen Valley Regional Park 5100 South 2700 West
Interested In Serving on the Taylorsville Planning Commission? Are you interested in serving your community and having a voice in decision making for development related issues? Do you have experience or interest in planning, development, land use, or local government? The Taylorsville Planning Commission currently has a vacancy in City Council District #2. The Taylorsville Planning Commission is a citizen committee appointed by the Mayor and City Council. The Commission is charged with the responsibility of making expert recommendations to the City Council on long term planning issues as well as making decisions on certain land use matters. The Commission is made up of eight members with positions from each of the five City Council districts as well as three at large appointments. District Map available here: http://www.taylorsvilleut.gov/file/2016/12/City-of-Tville-CityCouncil-Members-Map-2018-1.pdf The City of Taylorsville is now accepting applications for the Planning Commission representing District 2. This position requires residency within the City Council District 2 boundaries. The application deadline is March 22, 2017. For more information regarding the Planning Commission and the application process, please contact Mark McGrath, Community Development Director, at mmcgrath@taylorsvilleut.gov or (801) 963-5400 ext. 3008.
March 2018
2600 West Taylorsville Boulevard • 801-963-5400 |
Taylorsville Bennion Heritage Remembrances ARE YOU LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE, AND GET INVOLVED? DO YOU WANT TO SHARE YOUR TIME AND TALENTS TO BUILD OUR COMMUNITY? The Taylorsville Parks & Recreation Committee is seeking new members at this time. We are looking for volunteers to meet monthly and participate in our planned activities that include: Arbor Day, Beautification Awards for the best kept yards/landscaping, Halloween & Holiday Outdoor Decor, Remember Me Rose Garden, Taylorsville Dayzz, and more.
Residents interested in serving on the Taylorsville Parks and Recreation Committee are invited to submit a volunteer application located on the City of Taylorsville website at www.taylorsvilleut.gov or call the City Offices for additional information at (801) 963-5400
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| www.taylorsvilleut.gov
Amateur Radio Technician License Exam Sessions
City of Taylorsville Newsletter SENIOR CENTER
The City of Taylorsville and UtahSAG are proud to host W5YI Amateur Radio license exam sessions. Anyone interested in testing to receive or upgrade their ham radio license is welcome to attend. The sessions will be held on the last Monday of most months from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. at Taylorsville City Hall.
The scheduled testing sessions for 2018 are: March 26 April 30 May 21 June 25 July 30 August 27 September 24 October 29 November 26
Register on-line at www.hamstudy.org
NOTE: The testing sessions are not a course that will prepare you to take the license exams. Studying ahead of time is highly recommended. If you have any questions, contact Taylorsville Emergency Management at (801) 963-5400.
Music Appreciation: Monday, March 5th at 10:30 a.m. Every 1st Monday on the month come learn about and listen to a different types of music. Birthday Tuesday Entertainment: Tuesday, March 6th at 11:15 a.m. Enjoy Irish dancing by the Celtic Calleens. Ionic Footbath Presentation: Wednesday, March 7th at 11:15 p.m. Come learn about the benefits of Ionic footbaths from Craig Lewis. AARP Driver Course: Wednesday, March 14th 10:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m. Call the center to reserve your space. Irish Karaoke Party: Friday, March 16th. 10:30 a.m. Performance by the Story “Taylors”. 11:00 a.m. Karaoke and games. Story Crossroads Workshop: Mondays March 19th- April 9th 5:30-7:30 p.m. Learn how to craft and tell your own story. Audition for the chance to perform at the Story Telling Festival in May. Workshop is free.
WELCOME TO TAYLORSVILLE, PHO' TO!
City Officials, ChamberWest, and Community Members participated in a Ribbon Cutting to celebrate the grand opening of PHO' TO! They are the newest addition to Legacy Plaza at 54th located at 5308 South Redwood Road. PHO' TO is a Vietnamese restaurant with a variety of delicious menu offerings. PHO' TO is open TuesSat 10AM to 9PM, Sun 10AM to 6PM, and Mon - Closed. Check out their Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/justforPho/
March 2018 TAYLORSVILLE COMMUNITY GREENHOUSE The Greenhouse opens for Spring Planting on February 24, 2018. Cost is $25
2600 West Taylorsville Boulevard • 801-963-5400 |
TAYLORSVILLE CITY CEMETERY PLOTS AVAILABLE
Special Pricing for Taylorsville Residents
We also have openings for Community Garden Summer plots. For additional information please contact: Toni Lenning at 801-265-1328 or 801-414-4192
Please Contact:
PAGE 9
Tipping the Scales Rates for water and sewer changed March 1st. This is due to the outcome of an indepth financial analysis, more fixed costs are now built into the base rates. The reallocation of costs resulted in an increased water base rate, which is counterbalanced by a decrease in the usage rate. Overall, the changes will be quite small, less than a 1% increase, especially for average users. Customers who use large amounts of water (more than 25,000 gallons/month) are likely to see an increase in their bill, especially during the summer months. For more information, please visit www.tbid.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Page 20 | March 2018
Taylorsville City Journal
DESERET FIRST CREDIT UNION
Ribbon Cutting
You were just in a car accident, now what?
U
Deseret First Credit Union celebrated the Grand Opening of a new building for our Taylorsville Branch. Previously at 2700 West 4700 South, we moved just down the street to 3200 West 4700 South. We look forward to serving our members in the new, modern facility with convenient features such as friendly teller pods…no more long counter barrier, Interactive Teller Machines in the drive-thru…interact with a live representative up until 7:00 pm, and don’t forget the free soft drinks daily! Please stop by to check out the new place and say hello our friendly team! Get up to $300 through our Grand Opening Promotion now through March 31, at the NEW Taylorsville Branch only. Learn more at: dfcu.com/taylorsville-grand-opening. We hope to see you soon!
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If you would like to volunteer or make a donation, please call 801-561-4854.
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nless you’re one of the few anomalies in the world, we’ve all been in an accident. We’ve experienced that sickening feeling when your car makes unwanted contact with another vehicle. We’re frustrated and disheartened. While we may want to crawl into a hole, we can’t. There are things to do and we’ve given you 10 to be aware of (in no particular order). 1. Have an emergency kit in your car. While this step comes before the accident occurs, it’s essential to be prepared. Whatever you kit entails, make sure it has a first aid kit, flashlight, reflective triangles and a small (and simple) camera in case there’s been damage to your phone. We’re typically frustrated or frazzled after an accident and not inclined to rational thinking. Being prepared limits the possibility of forgetfulness. 2. Take a deep breath. Accidents are traumatic experiences. Taking a breath will shift focus from what just happened to what needs to be done next. 3. Get a status check on everyone in the car. Check with each passenger to see if they are OK. Have someone call 911 immediately if someone is injured or unresponsive. 4. Move to a safe location. Most insurance companies recommend relocating the vehicle to the sidewalk or shoulder of the road as soon as possible after the accident. If the damage to the car is minor, this should be relatively easy. But if there are major injuries or questions about the safety of the car, leave it where it is, even if its blocking traffic. 5. Increase your visibility. Turn on your hazard lights and set out your attention items from the emergency kit—flares, orange cones, reflective triangles, etc. One accident should not lead to another. Take precaution to ensure other drivers on the road remain safe. 6. Stay calm. It is very easy to lose your temper in this situation, it’s human nature. Keeping your cool will keep the situation from
getting worse. If it wasn’t your fault, it’s easy to want to let your emotions loose on the other driver. This will cloud your judgment and may lead to something that does not help the situation. You still need to exchange information. 7. Exchange insurance information. This is imperative. If you are to file a claim on your car, you will need the other driver’s information. Most likely, after an accident you are feeling jumpy or stressed. It means when you try to write down their information your handwriting will look like ancient hieroglyphics and, unless you are a cryptographer, will be unable to read it later. We live in the 21st Century, take a photo of their information and take photos of the damage done to both cars. 8. Don’t admit guilt. Every insurance company will tell you to do this. Even if you are at fault and it was you to blame. This could drive your premium up or even lead to you being sued. Let the police and insurance companies determine this. 9. Call the police. While some minor accidents don’t require a report to be filed, it’s up to the discretion of the drivers in the accident to call the police. Law enforcement can take statements, get information on injuries and property damage. Be sure to ask for a copy of the accident report. If there is a dispute, the officer will be an important testimony. 10. See a doctor. Depending on the injuries suffered or not, it is easy to skip this. A large financial situation has just happened with the car accident, you don’t want another one by seeing the doctor and jacking up your health costs. It’s important to consider it, or possibly speak with one. Adrenaline can be pumping after the accident and one might not notice the amount of whiplash to your neck. Symptoms can take 24 hours to appear. The warning signs include neck pain, stiffness, loss of motion in the neck, headaches, fatigue, dizziness and pain in the shoulders or upper back. It can be better to be safe than sorry. l
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March 2018 | Page 21
TaylorsvilleJ ournal .com
Saving tricks from budget-minded students
M
id-semester is a stressful time for college students. Not only are we prepping for midterms and projects, working on assignments, completing readings, and cramming in some additional studying, there’s also spring break plans to make. Being a college student is a full-time job; but instead of being paid, we pay for it. Tips and tricks on how to be frugal as a student are learned out of necessity (do you know how much textbooks cost?!). As a student, “you really have to focus on needs, not wants,” said education graduate student Brett Merkley. “I am really, really careful to budget my money. I have a spreadsheet where I list everything I spent in the last month so I can keep track of where I’m spending what and if my budget is holding up or if it needs work,” said writing and rhetoric student Casey Koldewyn. Food spending is one of the biggest cuts students make during their time in college. “Learn to cook. Eating out is really expensive. It’s especially cost effective to make large amounts of something and then eat it over the next couple of days—beans in particular. They are a really great way to eat healthily and heartily on a budget. I make a crock-pot of some kind, often beans, 3 to 4 times a month. Mix it with rice to change things up and it can last a while,” said rhetoric graduate student Justin Whitney. “Take a lunch instead of buying one, especially on campus,” suggests mechanical engineering student Francie Rodriguez. “If I do buy food on campus, sometimes I’ll wander up to the hospital cafeterias. Specifically, Pri-
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mary Children’s, where I can get a good sized breakfast burrito for around $5,” says sociology student Luis Silva Santisteban. “Try to buy food in bulk. If you don’t have a Costco card, pay attention to grocery stores like Smith’s that have case lot sales. Also, pay attention to events held on campus that give out free food,” says communications graduate student Mitchell Reber. “Don’t go out for coffee—make your own and take a Thermos. Also, scan through mailers and see if there are coupons. They may not seem like much, but they can add up to a lot,” says theatre student Cate Heiner. A few restaurants around town offer student discounts including: Red Robin, The Pie Pizzeria, Village Inn and Costa Vida. For clothing, many students repurpose articles they already own, or just try not to get their clothes too dirty. “If you ever find yourself needing clothing, Uptown Cheapskate, a clothing exchange store, has both quality and affordable options. I scored a $600 suit for $60,” said Reber. Thankfully, some clothing stores offer student discounts including: J Crew, ASOS, American Eagle, Banana Republic, Forever 21 and Redbubble. For the extremely limited amount of free time students have, there are free or cheap entertainment options as well. “Outside of the obvious, like hiking and skiing, there is the Nickel Arcade. There are also loads of free concerts, guest lectures, and other activities on campus (utah.edu/events),” said Reber. “Rather than spending money to go see a movie
in theatres, see if it’s playing at the library or through a school function,” Heiner said. Cinemark theaters offer occasional student discounts if you don’t want to see a movie on campus. For other entertainment forms: Ballet West offer $15 student tickets, StubHub offers student discounts, and Red Butte Garden as well as the Natural History Museum offer free admission for students. In order to make some extra cash, writing and rhetoric student Claudia Sauz says, “I donate plasma. It pays like a part-time job with working less hours. Donating plasma really just feels like being harvested for organs.” One of the biggest recommendations from students is to keep a good relationship with your parents. “I’ve been very dependent on my parents for food since I’ve been paying for school all on my own; everything I’ve made while working has been going towards school,” said psychology student Sam Llewellyn. Sam’s classmate, psychology student Candice Jensen echoes her statement. “Eat at your parents’ house as often as possible.” For tech savings, Amazon Prime, Spotify, Tidal, and Best Buy offer student discounts. Additionally, many schools offer free downloadable software, such as Microsoft Office products and the Adobe Creative Cloud. Get the most out of a student ID with tap-on tapoff services from UTA for transportation needs. Lastly, when all the savings in the world can’t help the financial stresses of student life and you feel down, visit your student health or wellness center for quality, low-cost physical and mental health care.
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Page 22 | March 2018
Laughter AND
by
PERI KINDER
Taylorsville
Would you care to dance? In an alternate universe, I’m a prima ballerina. I’m performing jetes and arabesques and other fancy-sounding French words. I’m twirling across the stage in a flowing costume. I’m curtsying to my adoring fans while they toss roses at my feet. However, in this universe, I’m a . . . what’s the opposite of ballerina? Whatever that is, that’s what I am. I’ve fought a lifelong battle with grace and gravity. My family watches in horror as I ricochet off doorknobs, fumble down stairways and trip on carpets. I tried really hard to be a dancer. I enrolled in classes when I was 5, and wore pink leotards and white tights, creating some serious panty lines. My mom pulled my long hair into a bun so tight I looked constantly surprised. Every week we’d butcher a series of ballet steps while my dance instructor tried not to handcuff us to the barre. She often sipped from her “dance thermos.” I’d cut up the Arts section of the newspaper, snipping out photos of Ballet West dancers to glue into my scrapbook. I had ballerina paper dolls, ballerina coloring books and ballerina dreams—but a giraffe-like body with knobby knees that bent in several different directions.
As a child, I went to see “Giselle” at Kingsbury Hall. The ballet is pretty grim. A disguised prince breaks the heart of a peasant girl who kills herself then becomes a ghost who has to dance the prince to death. Dancers are pretty melodramatic. For weeks after the ballet, I wore tutus that draped toward the floor and floated when I jumped. I channeled Giselle through my 7-year-old body. Picture a little girl evoking the devastation of betrayed love while falling on a sword that ends her life. I’m pretty sure I nailed it. When I was 12, I was finally able to go en pointe. That’s French for “Standing on the tips of your toes until your toe-knuckles bleed and you’re crippled for weeks, all for the sake of those beautiful satin slippers.” The purpose of pointe shoes is to give the illusion that ballerinas are weightless wisps, floating gracefully as swans or nymphs or any type of ethereal and doomed young women. In reality, learning to dance en pointe is similar to putting your toes in a vise, then running a marathon. But I didn’t give up. I continued to practice daily in the hope I’d channel Anna Pavlova, the acclaimed Russian bal-
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lerina who died at the age of 49, probably from gangrene from her pointe shoes. Because I’m writing this column instead of performing in “Swan Lake,” you can correctly surmise that my ballet career fell flat. I tried out for Ballet West’s “Nutcracker” a couple of times, to no avail, and after years of practice, I hung up my pointe shoes and succumbed to gravity. I never transformed from gangly giraffe to graceful swan. I never glided across the stage, hoping to lure a young prince to his death. (At least, not as a ballerina.) I never received standing ovations for my role in “Coppelia,” the ballet of a young woman pretending to be a mechanical doll. (Because that makes total sense.) But. In that alternate universe, I’m
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soaring, twirling, spinning, leaping and gliding en pointe, hearing the crowd bellow “Brava!” as I take a bow at the edge of the stage. And because in this alternate universe, I’m graceful and lithe, I don’t fall into the orchestra pit. l
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Taylorsville Planning Commission has new look By Carl Fauver | carlf@mycityjournals.com
visit to Zion National Park.” Wendel joined the city planning commission in November 2014. With Cochran’s departure, she was elected commission chairwoman in January. With one seat still to fill on the commission, she said anyone who wants to help the community grow should apply. “It’s not a huge time commitment, and the work is very rewarding,” Wendel said. “Passions sometimes run high at public hearings, but if you are open-minded and can accept other people’s ideas when they make sense, you’ll do fine.” Whoever is selected to replace Cochran on the planning commission won’t be the only newcomer. Kent Burggraf and Justin Peterson were also recently appointed, Peterson as the alternate. They were named to replace Noah Bater and Garl Fink. The New leadership for the Taylorsville Planning Commission includes Chairwoman Lynette Wendel (R) and Vice Chair John Warnas former pastor at Prince of Peace (L). Between them is Anna Barbieri, now the commission’s longest serving member. (Taylorsville City) Lutheran Church in Taylorsville, Bater recently moved to he Taylorsville Planning Commission is proving to be a good trainCalifornia. And after 11 years on ing ground for city residents who aspire to serve as mayor or a the commission, senior member Fink retired from the commission in councilmember. Kristie Overson first entered politics on the planning December. commission, ran and won twice for city council and is now the city’s “I served on the planning commission with (Mayor) Kristie sixth mayor. (Overson) and with (Councilman) Curt (Cochran),” Fink said. “They Her November election left Overson’s Council District 2 seat were both very qualified, and I know they’ll be great in their new vacant, until the other council members selected Curt Cochran — from positions.” a field of nine candidates — to fill the remaining two years in the term Fink, 71, said he was ready to step down, but his housing plans also of office. forced the issue. He, too, jumped from the Taylorsville Planning Commission to the “My son and two daughters are all out of the house now, and my city council and was the commission chairman at the time he left. wife and I are building a smaller home,” Fink added. “It kind of breaks Now Cochran’s departure — along with a commission retirement my heart to leave Taylorsville, but our building lot is in Murray, so that’s and a move out of state — has left the body that deals primarily with land where we’ll be in a few months.” development issues and conditional use permits, filling a lot of seats. Only Taylorsville City residents are eligible to serve on the planning “The planning commission is made up of seven members and one commission. alternate,” said Taylorsville Community Development Director Mark Other current members of the Taylorsville Planning Commission McGrath. “The members represent each of the five city council districts include new Vice Chairman John Warnas, the now-longest serving along with two at-large positions. The members are paid a small stipend member Anna Barbieri, along with Ric Morley and Don Quigley. ($40 per meeting) and can put in some long hours once in a while.” Both Fink and Wendel pointed out their planning commission The Taylorsville Planning Commission meets on the second and duties are made much easier thanks to McGrath along with the city fourth Tuesdays of each month. If there is a heated issue, the meetings planners and staff who work with him. can sometimes run past 1 a.m., often with a few raised voices along the “Mark McGrath is an exceptional leader,” Fink said. “He’s so way. knowledgeable; I learned so much from him. He knows so much about “The meetings can be passionate at times; people care about city ordinances and codes. It made our jobs much easier.” their property and their neighborhoods,” McGrath said. “Things like Wendel added, “We are losing a lot of years of experience from the approving day care applications or storage unit construction can get planning commission with these changes. But I’m not concerned about people pretty excited.” it, because Mark (McGrath) and his staff are fantastic. They provide us Lynette Wendel wouldn’t have it any other way. Wendel and her with such well-researched information and also offer us lots of great husband moved to Utah 23 years ago — having never been to this end of training, where we learn more about being effective. You couldn’t ask the state before — and have “never looked back.” for a better staff.” “We moved into a Taylorsville apartment in 1995,” she said. “We Anyone interested in joining the Taylorsville City Planning quickly liked it so much, we made sure the first home we moved into Commission is encouraged to speak with a current member — or his or (1997) and our second home (2006) — the one we’re in now — were her city council member — to learn more about it. l still in the city. Prior to moving here, our only stop in Utah had been a
T
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Taylorsville City Journal
“To Strengthen and Promote the Shared Interests of the Business Community”
Several military recruitment offices move to same Taylorsville shopping complex By Carl Fauver | carlf@mycityjournals.com
Representing Businesses in West Valley City, Taylorsville and Kearns Contact Information: Barbara S. Riddle, CMP
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For months, this portion of wall was all that remained from a Toys R Us store that was torn down in West Valley City, because military recruiters were still occupying their attached building. (Carl Fauver/City Journals)
T
he Toys R Us national store chain is bankrupt. Taylorsville has four new military recruitment offices for the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. And believe it or not, the two are connected. All four major branches of the U.S. Military have just opened side-by-side recruiting headquarters in the Taylorsville shopping complex on the southwest corner of Redwood Road and 4700 South. But the recruiters would have likely never landed there, if Toys R Us had continued to do the kind of business it did before online shopping became the juggernaut it is now. “West Valley City purchased the land adjacent to their city offices, and tore down the Toys R Us building,” said Kathy Bicker, a civilian real estate specialist who works for the Army Corps of Engineers. Her Sacramento, Calif. office is one of the places that assists the military in securing recruitment office sites. “West Valley’s purchase affected us, because we had a military recruitment office attached to the outside of the Toys R Us store (2787 West 3500 South),” Bicker added. “So we had to find a new recruitment office pretty quick.” Bicker said the recruiters had begun to outgrow the 4,000-square-foot West Valley location, so finding a new home was more of an opportunity than a hardship. Also, the Toys R Us location was only large enough to hold Army, Navy and Marine recruiters, while the U.S. Air Force had a completely different location in Taylorsville (3171 West 5400 South). “Our new location is 8,100 square feet, double what we had in West Valley,” Bicker said. “So that has allowed us to vacate the Toys R Us site, so they can complete their demolition, and also move the Air Force recruiting office next to the others.” The four military branch recruitment center opened in February, in the Taylorsville Town Center shopping complex on the southwest corner of 4700 South Redwood Road.
“The West Valley City (Toys R Us land) purchase was fortuitous for us,” Bicker added. “Although that recruitment office space had become cramped, we had not really started looking for a new location. But the city forced us into action and the new location should be much better.” Air Force Master Sergeant Timothy Aldinger could hardly contain his enthusiasm. “I’m ecstatic about the move; we’re all packed and couldn’t be happier,” said Aldinger. Aldinger is in charge of all Air Force recruiting in Utah, from Bountiful to Richfield. “We really didn’t have enough room in the old location and the move allows us to combine a few offices,” Aldinger added. “It will also be nice to be in the same location as the other recruiting offices.” The Air Force has combined Taylorsville, West Valley and Salt Lake offices into the new location. With his retirement papers already approved – effective next January – Master Sergeant Aldinger said it will be great to have a more comfortable location for his final year. “Last year we set an Air Force recruiting record in our Utah zone, signing up 174 new men and women,” he said. “Our previous one-year recruitment record was 152, nearly 10 years ago. Now with a nicer location – and the possibility of bringing new recruiters on board – who knows how many new recruits we may get this year?” The previous Utah zone Air Force recruiting record occurred just as the country was coming out of the ‘Great Recession’ while Aldinger and his recruiters beat that mark at a time when our state has returned to an unemployment rate of 3.3 percent. With all four military branches combined in the new Taylorsville location, about 27 people work there. The U.S. Army traditionally has the most recruits and therefore has the most space. The Air Force recruitment space is next in size, followed by equal size areas for the Navy and Marines. l
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Road construction, volunteerism dominate mayor’s first town hall By Carl Fauver | carlf@mycityjournals.com
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Newly elected Mayor Kristie Overson opens her first town hall meeting. (Carl Fauver/City Journals)
W
hen newly elected Taylorsville Mayor Kristie Overson asked the audience at her first town hall meeting how they learned it was taking place, she got one unexpected answer. “My grandpa told me,” Gabriel Lyon, 7, proudly exclaimed. The youngster went on to ask a few more questions during the meeting. And afterward, Overson rewarded him with a Taylorsville City pin. Later, the Vista Elementary School second-grader said, “I’ve never met a mayor before, so I had to come.” Then he and grandpa, Jeff Barneck, went off to find their house on the city map at the back of the room. Not everyone was there simply to meet a mayor, however. Mary and Les Nelson came to measure just how much clout Overson may have with the Utah Department of Transportation. “We live on the east side of Bangerter Highway at 5400 South,” Mary Nelson said. “The UDOT work (on a new freeway-style on and off ramp) has filled our house with dust. And now their construction zone fencing has shifted into our neighborhood street to the point that it’s dangerous to get in and out.” Overson admitted she’s not sure when the interchange construction will be completed, though UDOT has promised by the end of the summer. In the meantime, she put the Nelsons in touch with City Administrator John Taylor to help facilitate a meeting with the transportation department to address their concerns. Another issue that dominated the conversation was the growing problem of homeless encampments, particularly along the Jordan River from 3900 to 4500 South. “It’s a continuing problem that police expect to get worse before it gets better,” Overson said. “I know our mild winter has added to the problem (because the homeless have not been forced indoors as much as in normal winters).” Overson and Unified Police Taylorsville Precinct Chief Tracy Wyant promised the town hall gathering that officers will continue to patrol the area and will relocate anyone camping along the river. Then Overson returned to her most overriding theme of the night: volunteerism. “This is another area where we need your help,” she said. “If you’re walking in that area and see people — or signs of a new encampment — we need you to report it to police so they can take action.” Throughout her first town hall meeting, Overson returned to the premise that community volunteerism has been on the
decline, and she hopes to turn that around. “Something has kind of shifted (away from volunteerism),” Overson said. “And I want it to shift back — we need more volunteers.” Overson then read through a long list of Taylorsville City volunteer committees, saying they are nearly all shorthanded. “These volunteer committees save all of us tax money,” she added. “It also gives us a chance to show the younger folk the value of being involved. We’re not just a community on our phones. We interact, we mingle.” Overson added, if there’s not a particular committee people want to serve on, they can also help to create a community council or neighborhood watch group. “I’m not going to lock the door and force you to do this,” she said. “But by coming here tonight, you’ve taken the leap. You’ve demonstrated how important our city is to you. Now we need you to take the next step.” Taylorsville town hall meetings will continue in months that have five Tuesdays, occurring on the final Tuesday of the month. The remaining 2018 town hall meetings will be May 29, July 31 and Oct. 30, each starting at 6 p.m. in the city council chambers. Overson also announced weekly open office hours. “I have been incredibly busy during this first month in office,” she said. “I’ve not said no to attending any meetings, and I’m worn out. But it looks like Thursday afternoon is my most free time. So I’m making a pledge to be in my office from 2 to 4 on Thursdays. You can walk in, without an appointment, to discuss anything. And if we need more time, I’ll schedule another meeting with you.” Four of the five Taylorsville City Council members also attended the meeting and spoke briefly. Councilwoman Meredith Harker seconded the mayor’s call for more volunteerism, while Councilmen Ernest Burgess, Curt Cochran and Chairman Brad Christopherson spoke primarily about the efforts being made regarding the homeless problem. “I want everyone to know the council is well aware of this and is keeping in contact with Chief Wyant and his department to see if there is more we can do to help,” Christopherson said. Overson said the one missing councilman, Dan Armstrong, had a Boy Scouts commitment. “He’s been volunteering with the Scouts for years, so he’s excused,” she said. As he left. Gabriel Lyon said, “She’s the best mayor I ever met.” Then grandpa pointed out, Overson is the only mayor his 7-year-old grandson has met “so far.” l
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Taylorsville City Journal
Barbour looks ahead to new challenges as she retires from public service
E
By Carl Fauver | carlf@mycityjournals.com
ight-year Taylorsville City Councilwoman Dama Barbour said she’s leaving her elected position at the right time and believes city leadership will continue as strong as ever. “I feel good; the city remains in good hands,” District 4 Councilwoman Barbour said. “This (Nov. 7) election was very important to me. I knew it was time to retire, but I didn’t want the council to lose its female perspective. So I’m glad my replacement is a woman (Meredith Harker), and I’m also happy to see Kristie (Overson) shift from the council to the mayor’s position.” Barbour, 78, said it’s time to do a few more things with her husband of 61 years, Jake, and with her five children, 17 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. “Very few days go by that I don’t communicate with most or all of my kids, by phone or text,” Barbour said. “There are also grandkids and great-grandkids visiting all the time. But now I’ll be able to give them a little more attention. I’m looking forward to it.” Barbour joined the Taylorsville City Council in 2010 with a couple of firm goals. “I wanted to strengthen our public safety and to see more economic growth in Taylorsville,” she said. “In both those areas, I think we have done well.” When Barbour took office eight years ago, Taylorsville City had an independent, stand-alone police department. Fire suppression was contracted through the Unified Fire Authority then, but the
city was not a member of the fire district at that time. “Our police department needed more manpower and better equipment when I first took office,” Barbour said. “I could see both sides of the argument — and the council vote was close (3-2) — but I believe we made the right choice in becoming a part of Unified Police. We now have improved equipment and more officers to cover overtime and other needs.” Barbour was on the winning side in that vote but not on another council decision to join the Unified Fire Authority. “There again, I could see both sides of the issue,” she said. “I thought we would be better off continuing to contract for fire protection. But Unified Fire did promise to replace our old, aging fire station if we joined, and they have done that. So joining the fire district has worked out well, even though that wasn’t my first choice.” Unified Fire officials hosted the grand opening for their new station (4965 S. Redwood Road) last spring and said it is one of their largest and best equipped. At more than 22,600 square feet it is about seven times larger than the station it replaced. As for Taylorsville economic development, Barbour said much of the city’s focus was on the west side of Redwood Road, on both sides of 5400 South. “We created RDAs (Redevelopment Agencies) in those areas to create tax incentives for
Dama Barbour says the opening of a new fire station was one of her highlights while in office. (Carl Fauver/City Journals)
new businesses to move in,” Barbour said. “That helped lead to all the new restaurants in the area, the Regal theater and other businesses.” City Manager John Taylor said Councilwoman Barbour’s work on economic development was critical. “We relied on her years of professional experience with economic development,” Taylor said. “She was an extremely positive influence.” Barbour’s expertise in commercial land development came through her 39 years as a Har-
mons grocery chain employee. “When I retired in 2005, I was Harmons’ vice president of Real Estate and Government Affairs,” she said. “It was my job to select store sites and acquire land. That background helped as the city began negotiating with new businesses wanting to move in.” But now Barbour said it’s time to let others take over the heavy lifting of Taylorsville City government. One thing she said she won’t do, is move back to the state she was born and raised in — Indiana. “I was born in Indiana, graduated from high school there and got married there,” she said. “But my husband’s parents moved here to Utah in the late-1950s, and when we came to visit a few times, we both fell in love with the mountains. Where else can you go with this kind of beautiful scenery and four distinct seasons? We moved here in July 1962 and knew we were here for good.” Barbour and her husband have visited all 50 states together, along with much of Canada and Mexico. So, she’s not sure how much traveling they will be doing. “Politics has fascinated me, and I’ve enjoyed it,” she said. “But I won’t be coming to any city council meetings for quite a while. The new (elected officials) need to grow into their positions without me hanging around. I may help establish a community council in my district, but that will be the extent of my political future.” l
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