G O OD NE IG H B OR
NEWS
MAY 2018
Paid for by the City of West Jordan
Arbor Day Foundation Names West Jordan Tree City USA The City of West Jordan was honored as a Tree City USA community for the 22nd consecutive year by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management. West Jordan achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
M AY O R ’ S M E S S A G E
CITY BUDGET PROCESS: IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE Spring is one of the busiest times of year for elected officials and city staff as we prepare the budget for the next fiscal year which runs from July 1 to June 30. These budget dollars are entrusted to us by our residents, and we take that trust very seriously. Our goal is to maximize every dollar to improve “quality of life” for our residents. We recognize that residents have differing opinions about the role of city government, what it should provide, and what constitutes quality of life. This is why the budget process includes a public hearing on June 13. You can share your opinions on the budget or any topic during citizen comment at any City Council meeting. You can also make your voice heard by signing up for our Citizen Panel. The Citizen Panel is a group that will have the opportunity to complete several online surveys each year on a variety of topics so we can get feedback on important matters that impact our community. You can sign up by emailing info@wjordan.com.
NEW CITY ATTORNEY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Left to right: Regional Forester Scott Zeidler, West Jordan Mayor Jim Riding, West Jordan Urban Forester Ty Nielsen, West Jordan Parks Director Brian Clegg and State Forester Brian Cottle. In 2017, approximately 700 trees were planted, bringing the number of city-owned and maintained trees to over 13,000. And we’re off to a good start this year, with about 118 trees planted by volunteers at the annual Comcast Cares city beautification day. According to the city’s urban forester Ty Nielsen, trees provide multiple benefits to a community when properly planted and maintained. They help to improve the visual appeal of a neighborhood, increase property values, reduce home cooling costs, remove air pollutants and provide wildlife habitat, among many other benefits. West Jordan is also in the top 10 for the length of years as Tree City USA.
We have a couple of new faces at City Hall. We recently appointed a new city attorney as well as an economic development director. Rob Wall will serve as city attorney and replaces David R. Brickey, who was appointed city manager in January. Rob brings a wealth of experience from the cities of Sandy, South Jordan and West Valley that will be especially helpful as we prepare to transition to a council-mayor form of government in 2020. Kent G. Andersen replaces David Oka, who retired in December, as West Jordan’s economic development director. Kent comes to us from Layton where he helped their City achieve a 21 percent increase in sales tax revenue from 2012-2016 and an 18 percent increase in total taxable sales during the same time frame. He has fresh ideas and vision and will help West Jordan realize its economic potential.
FIRE OPS 101 Last month I had a stressful, educational and ultimately very enjoyable experience with the West Jordan Fire Department in their annual Fire Ops 101 Training. I and several other members of the Council and city staff got a small taste of the things fire fighters experience on the job. We participated in a variety of emergency scenarios including a fire attack, vehicle extrication, active shooter and mental health situation. The shooting experience at the school hit especially close to home since my wife Kathe is a principal. It was difficult to experience that possibility, but also reassuring to know that our police and fire departments have both the experience and preparation to handle these situations. I now have a greater understanding and appreciation of the skill and the strength it takes to perform duties our firefighters perform on a regular basis.
COMCAST CARES DAY My wife and I had a great time planting 85 trees with over 100 fellow volunteers during Comcast Cares Day. City staff was very helpful in showing us how to properly plant them. Thank you to all who joined us for this city-wide cleanup! As always, if you have questions, concerns or ideas you’d like to share with me, please email mayorsoffice@wjordan.com, stop by Thursdays from 3-5 p.m. or call 801-569-5100 and I’d be happy to meet with you.