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April-May 2017 Vol.17 No.4
Firefighter recognized by VFW Lehi to build power plant By Linda Petersen
Firefighter/Paramedic Chase Parry was recently named First Responder of the Year by VFW Post 4918. Parry was nominated for his quick action last fall when he saved a woman from choking at the Utah Valley Hospital cafeteria. Parry was in the cafeteria with fellow firefighters when he noticed the woman was choking. He quickly went to her and performed the Heimlich maneuver. “He saved her life. In a room full of medical professionals, he just went and took care of her,” Parry’s captain Ben Anderson said. “That’s Craig - he just goes and does the right thing and at the right time.” Parry has been with the American Fork Fire Department for six years, five of those full-time. He is an apparatus driver/operator for the aerial and pumper trucks and a critical care paramedic. He and his wife Tilly are the parents of two daughters. “He is an amazing guy. He’s responsible for saving several lives in the community,” said Kraig Thorne, Post 4918 senior vice commander,
By Linda Petersen
VFW Post 4918 Senior Vice Commander Kraig Thorne, at left, looks on as Mayor James Hadfield congratulates Firefighter/Paramedic Chase Parry who was recently named First Responder of the Year. Parry is flanked by Fire Chief Aaron Brems. who presented Parry with the award. “He represents the best of firefighters, not just in American Fork but in
Utah County too.” The American Fork Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4918 is made
Courtney Johnson named new EM high school principal By Mike Kieffer In March 2017, Alpine School District broke ground for the construction of a new high school in Eagle Mountain. In the process of getting things geared up for the construction, the school district selected Courtney Johnson as the new principal for the currently un-named high school. There have been many questions surrounding the new high school. There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to the new high school and how it will affect the community. But one of these unknowns is not who the principal will be and who she really is. Johnson is a wife, mother, grandmother and a soonto-be principal that “loves kids.” She does a lot of crazy things in her spare time, which will be less and less abundant as the high school construction starts. She can be found flying airplanes and writing books into the late hours of night. “I especially love making cookies for my students where they can taste of the love in every bite,” she said. Not only does she have the drive and desire to help the students of the new high school, but she also has the formal background to be a great principal.
Courtney Johnson Johnson has been involved in education for more than 20 years and has taught fourth- through 12thgrade students. She transferred to Alpine School District in 2011 and worked as principal at Sego Lily Elementary School. Before that, she was an assistant administrator at Springville Junior High School. She also co-founded an aviation-based residential treatment center for at-risk secondary students and was responsible for the educational component.
Johnson’s blend of academia and aviation interest began in high school when she received her private pilot’s license and enrolled in commercial flight school as a senior. She continued flying while attending Brigham Young University and joined The Ninety-Nines, a women’s flight organization. She competed in density altitude competitions and enjoyed flying around the state. Another interest Johnson pursued was fitness. She taught aerobics at BYU and was on the syndicated television workout program “Hooked on Aerobics” show that has been airing on television screens all over the world since its release in 1986. She also loved skiing and was a ski instructor at Snowbird for eight years. Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from BYU and a master’s degree in curriculum at Southern Utah University. After teaching for several years, Johnson obtained her administration endorsement at the University of Phoenix. Johnson loves to write and has authored and co-authored more than a dozen books. “My Troll Patrol” is her most recent project and had her writing several books in a children’s See PRINCIPAL on page A3
up of veterans ranging from World War II to those who have served in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Gulf War.
Lehi city officials have just awarded the bid to construct a peaking power generation plant to Wheeler Power for a cost of $17.9 million. As a peaking facility, the plant will not run full-time but will be utilized when demand exceeds normal parameters such as during extremely hot days. Currently, during those peak times the city is sometimes forced to pay high prices for the extra needed power on the wholesale market, which is very expensive, said Lehi Power Director Joel Eves. The project will include the See POWER on page A3
Lehi City has approved agreements that will provide IM Flash with the water it needs to roll out new technologies.
Lehi obtains water needed by IM Flash By Linda Petersen Lehi City officials recently approved agreements with Jordan Valley Conservancy District and IM Flash that will allow the microchip giant to access the water it needs to roll out new technologies to the market and expand its plant. JVWCD has received approval from the state to drill wells in northern Utah County, so city officials have worked out an agreement with JVWCD to purchase 1,300 acre feet of the water needed by IM Flash. The
company will pay the city for those water rights. In March, the council approved an ordinance resolution to adopt the 2015 International Wildland-Urban Interface 221 Code, which will help Lehi identify where the wildland-urban interface areas are. Fire Chief Jeremy Craft told the council this will allow Lehi City immediate access to resources to fight a wildland fire and the state will pick up the bill. This ordinance also delineates areas in Lehi where See WATER on page A3
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Northern Utah County Notes By Linda Petersen LEHI The Lehi City Council has approved the issuance of $5 million in sales tax revenue bonds to fund a new fire station being constructed at 3870 N. Traverse Mountain Boulevard. The bonds are being issued for 25 years and the resolution passed by the council indicated that they could have no more than a 6 percent interest rate. The station is expected to cost about $5.29 million. This third Lehi fire station will include living quarters, offices and a training/community room. It will be manned by a crew of five firefighter paramedics and will house a fire truck and an ambulance and is expected to be completed by January 2018. CEDAR HILLS Food truck rally: Cedar Hills kicked off the season with its first food truck rally on April 5 at Heritage Park. The rallies will be held every Wednesday evening through the season at Heritage Park located at 4425 W. Cedar Hills Drive. Water testing: The city of Cedar Fort is testing its irrigation water prior to irrigation season. The public works department took water, soil and sediment samples from six sites in the irrigation system, which
North County Notes contains untreated secondary ground water, and sent them to Chemtech-Ford for testing. Results should be available from the water samples later this month and from the sediment samples in early May. The city plans to conduct more tests later this month when the irrigation ditches are full and again a short time later. Last August, an unplanned release of sediment from Tibble Fork Reservoir into the North Fork of the American Fork River happened during construction work on the reservoir. There were subsequent concerns that the sediment could impact downstream water users. Youth city council: The city is seeking youth in grades nine through 12 to serve on the youth city council. Members of the council help with Santa’s Workshop, the Easter Egg-stravaganza, children’s games at the Family Festival and fundraisers. They also learn about city government and attend city council meetings. Teens can submit the application online at cedarhills. org/youth-city-council. Applications are due by May 25. The new the new youth city council session begins in June.
Eagle Mountain approves elementary school site plan By Mike Kieffer During the Eagle Mountain City Council meeting on March 21, the Eagle Mountain City Council unanimously approved the site plan for a new elementary school. Evans Ranch Elementary School will be located on the south end of the Evans Ranch Master Development off of Golden Eagle Dr. The proposed site is approximately 8.51 acres in size. The city did not have to do any rezoning for the new elementary school. The zoning was changed during the course of approval for the Evans Ranch Master Development Plan. There was a traffic study done by the developer of Evans Ranch during one done for some townhomes and cottage lots directly west of the elementary school. The elementary school traffic was taken into consideration during that traffic study. There were no specific recommendations directly related to the elementary school. The one mention in the study indicated that by 2020, regarding turning movements from Golden Eagle onto Porters Crossing with the elementary school in close proximity, a westbound left-turn pocket should be considered.” Per Utah State Code, the city council cannot impose any requirements for landscaping, fencing,
Eagle Mountain City recently approved a site plan for the new Evans Ranch Elementary School. Its location is shown above. aesthetic considerations or the construction materials used. But the council can suggest changes to mitigate traffic hazards and other safety concerns. The project will be required to conform to the Eagle Mountain Dark Sky lighting regulations. Council Member Stephanie Gricius did express some concerns about the width of the road in front of the elementary school. There have been some issues with other
elementary schools and the inability for traffic to flow in both directions when cars are parked on both sides of the road. Making one side of the road a no parking zone was a suggestion. The school’s proposed materials will be a combination of brick and metal. The exterior colors will include “Mountain Red” and “Golden Buff” colored bricks, with “Slate Grey” metal, aluminum windows and doors with grey tinting.
Maverik plan approved by County health dept. Saratoga Springs City Council has Am. Fork office By Danielle’ Dimond The Utah County Health Department’s main office is located at 151 S. University Ave in Provo, but the North County Office may be a little more convenient and is located at 599 S. 500 East in American Fork. This North County office offers these services: Birth/death certificates Car seat safety checks (by appointment only) Daycare facility application/ inspection requests Food permits Food handler renewal/replacement
By Danielle Palmer
Health plan reviews (restaurants, pools, body art, etc. by appointment) Immunizations (including travel vaccines) Radon/meth test kits Water sample pick-up WIC services Hours of operation are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the phone number is 801-851-7333. The main office in Provo offers all of these services plus classes, programs and lots, lots more and can be reached at 801-851-7000. Go to utahcountyonline.org and click Health Department for a full list of services, classes, dates and downloadable forms.
After much discussion and a public hearing at the Saratoga Springs City Council meeting held March 7, a rezone to the Maverik general plan amendment, concept plan and development agreement (for the northwest corner of Redwood Rd and Pony Express) was approved unanimously. The approval was made with conditions in the staff report removing a wall requirement. Council members agreed the wall should best be left up to the property owners to negotiate as long as it meets code. They added conditions that the trail and frontage landscape would be maintained by the developer. Jim Carter presented the Saratoga Springs General Plan Update and reported 390 survey responses recorded at that point. After analyzing
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feedback positives (family friendly, law enforcement, lake views, etc.) and needs/requests (better transit, school capacity, water quality, roads, etc.), the number one priorities were then determined. He presented the proposed General Plan outline and future land use zoning maps. The number one priorities were to preserve the open, small-town feel of Saratoga Springs, continue largelot residential use, create walkable community destinations and high-quality public gathering spaces, and improve circulation along major roadways and non-vehicular transportation options. Also during the March 7 meeting, the Saratoga Springs Royalty for 2017 was presented: Miss Saratoga Springs Alison Embley, First Attendant Juliann Ottosen and Second Attendant Abigail Smith. Look for information about the Senior
Companion and Foster Grandparent program in the Saratoga Springs city newsletter. Other actions taken at this meeting included the unanimous approval of preliminary plats for Legacy Farms Village, which contained a total of 91 single family units; a bid award to Pacific West, LLC, for the 400 W. Connector Project Box Culvert and Utility Crossing Installation; and a resolution approving the Everbridge Program Memorandum of Understanding with Utah County to provide funding in perpetuity for the Everbridge emergency contact system. The city council also approved an ordinance for the Storm Drain Utility Rate, with an immediate effective date of increase to $6/ month per Equivalent Service Unit, by a 3-2 majority vote. Council Members Stephen Willden and Bud Poduska voted nay.
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Major Lehi road realignment planned By Linda Petersen Lehi City will soon begin a realignment project on Ashton Blvd. north of the Timpanogos Highway interchange. The project is in anticipation of a $450 million UDOT project that will reconstruct I-15 in the area known as the I-15 Technology Corridor from Timpanogos Highway to Lehi Main Street. The UDOT project is set to begin in 2020. As part of the UDOT project, I-15 will be reconstructed and widened to accommodate two new lanes in each direction from Lehi Main Street to the Timpanogos Highway. The interchange at Timpanogos Highway and 2100 North will be reconstructed, 13 bridges will be replaced and a new Triumph Boulevard bridge will be built over I-15 along with bike and pedestrian
improvements. This project will also convert the existing two-way frontage roads on either side of the freeway to oneway frontage roads, necessitating the realignment of Ashton Blvd. On March 14, the Lehi City Council unanimously approved a cooperative agreement between the city and UDOT. Under the agreement, the project will be divided into two segments that may be completed separately and the city will come up with three proposed designs for UDOT’s review. UDOT will pay the city the estimated cost of the design work. Last summer, the city completed a major reconstruction project of Ashton Blvd. which milled down the existing asphalt, laid down five inches of new asphalt and removed the median barriers. The cost of the project was $810,217.
fat testing (check for times). There will be free popcorn at Center Court on Friday, May 12, for all members and a free glow-in-the-dark Zumba class from 6 to 8 p.m. The celebration will finish up on Saturday, May 13, with a free Candyland-themed family 5K run/ walk for members. (Registration is currently ongoing.) For more information, visit the Legacy Center website at www. lehi-ut.gov/legacy-center. The Legacy Center is located at 123 Center St. in Lehi and is a 96,000-square-foot recreation and fitness facility.
Did you know that over the past two years, Direct Communications, or Directcom, has installed new fiber to about 3,300 homes in Eagle Mountain? This means that a total of 7,400 homes in Eagle Mountain now have access to fiber-to-the-home service. The company’s fiber upgrade project will continue during the next couple of years; by the end of 2018, essentially every home in Eagle Mountain will be fiber to the home. So, who is getting fiber in 2017? Looking at the network map of Eagle Mountain, the remaining subdivisions on copper are: Ash Point, Anthem, Mt. Airey, Eagles Gate, Lone Tree Copper, Mustang Copper (North Ranch), Sage Valley copper, Spring Valley copper (Mt. Airey townhomes) and Rock Creek copper (includes Willow Springs, Simpson Springs and Kennekuk). First up to join the Fiberhood in 2017 will be Eagles Gate and Spring Valley copper (Mt. Airey townhomes) this summer, followed by Anthem and Ash Point toward the end of this year. Construction to upgrade the remaining 1,300 homes in Eagle Mountain from copper to fiber is tentatively scheduled to begin on the following dates: Anthem and Ash Point, June 17; Mt. Airey and Lone Tree, April 18, 2018; and North Ranch, Sage Valley, Willow Springs, Simpson Springs and Kennekuk, June 18, 2018. These new construction projects are part of a greater push by Directcom to speed up the process of converting every neighborhood in Eagle Mountain to fiber. During 2016, Direct Communications upgraded the Silverlake, Kiowa Valley, Liberty Farms and Saddle-
space for programs and productions. Hatch said that they need storage for props and are looking to rent a storage unit. City staff gave an update on the skate park and reviewed landscaping and playground equipment upgrades to the area. They indicated that the playground equipment needs to be updated. The city council also approved an encroachment agreement be-
tween the city and the Welby Jacob Water Users Company. The agreement is necessary with the construction of the city’s 2.3 million gallon culinary water tank west of Redwood Road and south of 2100 North. With this project, an overflow pipe from this tank flows into the Welby Jacob Canal, necessitating permission from the canal company to discharge these flows.
need during these fundamental and trying years. We will need to have the entire community mentoring kids. I would love to begin the school with ‘Life Coaches’ where we have caring adults within the Eagle Mountain community connect with our students. Teachers, parents, custodians, city council members, grandparents in the community, administrators, lunch ladies, everyone must get involved. I’m not sure what that will look like, or if anyone has ever done this before in a high school setting, but we simply must have caring adults check in with kids weekly and tracking them during their years at the high school.” Johnson sees that education
needs to be more than just educating children; giving them life skills that will carry them into adulthood. “We need to provide a plethora of opportunities for kids. Clubs are a nice way to explore interest and become well-rounded individuals. In high school I attended Orem High where I joined the aviation club my senior year. That is where I realized I wanted to go attend commercial flight school. We simply must provide a wide-range of clubs for kids,” she said. The public can contact Johnson to discuss their concerns, ideas and vision of Eagle Mountain and the role its new high school will have by email at courtneyjohnson@alpinedistrict.org.
Lehi Legacy Center plans week of activities By Linda Petersen Lehi Legacy Center members can enjoy a week of fun activities during Member Appreciation Week May 8-13. There will be free daily activities and giveaways all week long. On Monday, May 8, from 3 to 9 p.m., there will be free rock wall climbing. On Tuesday, May 9, kids ages 3 to 6 can enjoy a free Kidfit class from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. On Wednesday, May 10, there will be free water bottles for all while supplies last. On Thursday, May 11, the adults can participate in free body
WATER
Continued from Page A1 homes would be required to have an indoor sprinkler system in case of fire. The council also received an annual report from Arts Council President Jean Hatch who discussed the arts council’s current programs and the challenge of not having enough
PRINCIPAL
Continued from Page A1
book series that teaches pro-social skills. Johnson has several preliminary goals for the Eagle Mountain school. She admits that these goals are subject to change as she collaborates with the staff to create the high school’s mission, vision and value platform. But for now, she has identified several preliminary goals: 1: Design learning environments to mirror some of the leading student-centered classrooms in the country. The classrooms must use techniques such as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and project based learning as methods for learning the curriculum. 2: Prepare students to be collaborative, creative, problem solvers, inventive, resourceful, curious and persistent. 3: Social/emotional support must also be a focus. She want all students to matter. The school needs to have the kind of culture where students are accepting of one another so they can focus on learning and be happy. 4: Take a look at student achievement data and make academic goals to ensure high levels of learning and growth for all students. 5: Build a student-centered culture where students can explore endless possibilities. “I’m very concerned with the social/emotional well-being of kids as well,” Johnson said. “We need to track every single student and provide them with the support they
Directcom expanding fiber service in Eagle Mountain back subdivisions to fiber. Chuck McCown, operations manager for Direct Communications, explained that these projects will be similar to other projects completed in 2015 and 2016 in that the in-ground construction work will mostly be done by utility contractors in order to speed up the upgrade process. However, the final splice to the home and cutover to fiber at the home will be completed by Directcom’s own techs, who will be installing Optical Network Terminals on the outside of customers’ homes. Another contractor, Phelps Electric, will be out at the same time installing outdoor power supply on houses to power the fiber electronics on the side of the homes. Since fiber does not carry an electrical signal like copper, each fiber terminal needs a power supply to power the electronics which convert the digital laser light to an Ethernet signal inside the home. Kip Wilson, general manager for Direct Communications in Eagle Mountain, said that although he understands everyone wants to be the next neighborhood to be upgraded, areas are prioritized carefully as upgrade projects for various reasons such as: Whether the subdivision has existing duct already in the ground, which makes the capital investment cost requirement for the upgrade lower per sub, The distance from the central office to the subdivision, which can
POWER
Continued from Page A1 installation of three Caterpillar G3520H natural gas generator sets and construction of a facility that will house the generators, offices, shop space and garage space for vehicles and equipment. The plant, which should be completed next spring, is expected to generate 6.9 megawatts of power, approximately 10 percent of the city’s “energy portfolio,” Eves said. “This will help with those fluctuations that occur during peak use and will also be available for emergency situations,” he said. The project will be funded by municipal revenue bonds that will
make the area more difficult to serve satisfactorily with copper, Higher number of potential customers: “We look at population density, and where we can provide the greatest benefit to the most people with the limited funding that we have available to us each year,” and The condition of existing copper laid by the original property developers. Much of the original copper is in dire need of an upgrade, and where the old copper is causing the most problems for both customers and the network techs, the company will often seek to upgrade those areas to fiber first. One Gigabit speeds will be available to customers with fiber to the home. The company is currently accepting pre-orders for fiber service only for residents of areas under fiber construction who are not yet customers. Current customers will need to call our office once the infrastructure has been completed to schedule a three-hour cutover to fiber appointment. Generally, yards and gardens will not be disturbed except where existing telephone pedestals are located at the corner of property lots. These pedestals will be replaced with handholes, which will be buried and placed level to the ground. Most yards do have existing conduit from the old copper pedestals to the home, so crews should be able to pull new fiber through to the side of the house without disturbing the yards or lawns. be paid back through the savings realized from not having to purchase additional wholesale power along with current revenues. Power users will not experience any rate increases related to this new plant, Eves said. He anticipates a 25-year payback on the bonds. The city is also currently working on two new substations, which are estimated to cost $7.3 million. The first, which will be built at approximately 2100 N. 3600 West, will provide power to new development between the Jordan River and Redwood Road and businesses near east Main Street. The second at 300 E. 1600 South will serve the industrial/commercial areas in the southeast quadrant of the city.
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American Fork Symphony to present Salute to Youth concert
Six of Utah’s most talented young musicians will take the spotlight on stage during the American Fork Symphony’s 2017 Salute to Youth concert on Monday, April 24. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. in the American Fork Junior High School auditorium, 20 W. 1120 North, American Fork. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 3 to 18 or $15 for a family pass. Seating is general admission; arrive early for best seating. Performing during the concert with accompaniment by the symphony will be pianist Emmett Davidson, 9, of Orem; pianist Timothy Liang, 13, of Salt Lake City; classical guitarist Matthew Baker, 10, of North Salt Lake; violinist Hanna Cook, 16, of American Fork; pianist Sarah Sun, 16, of Cedar City; and harpist Aerin Burns, 17, of Highland. The American Fork Symphony annually presents its Salute to Youth concert to give local youth a chance to solo with an orchestra and allow audiences to enjoy the amazing young talent emerging in their area. The soloists are selected through an audition process. In addition to the pieces presented by the youth, the American Fork Symphony will perform Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Procession of the Nobles” and Dvorak’s Slavonic Dance No. 8. The orchestra will be conducted by Shauna Smith. The approximately 70 members of the American Fork Symphony live in American Fork and surrounding communities. Pianist Emmett Davidson will play the Presto movement of Haydn’s Concerto in F Major. This is the first time Emmett has played with an orchestra. He began studying piano at age 6 and is currently a student of Dr. Irene Peery-Fox. He loves playing pieces from different time periods and plays with great sensitivity and emotion. Emmett is a very active 9-year-old; in addition to playing the piano, he is a level 6 competitive gymnast at All American Gymnastics and is one of the best gymnasts in the Intermountain West. He is the son of Rebecca and Brent Davidson. Pianist Timothy Liang will play the third movement of Beethoven’s Concerto No. 1. Timothy has been
Six talented young musicians will perform as soloists with the American Fork Symphony on April 24. They are, from left: Sarah Sun, Hanna Cook, Emmett Davidson, Matthew Baker, Timothy Liang and Aerin Burns. studying piano for almost seven years with Jie and Ning Lu. Among his awards and achievements, he won second and third places at the University of Utah Summer Arts Solo Competition (2014) and UMTA piano concerto competition (2015) respectively. He also won third place in the Summer Arts concerto competition in the summer of 2016 and second place in the UVU piano competition in the spring of 2016. He has also played with the Salt Lake Symphony in Libby Hall. Outside of music, he also likes tennis and math competitions. Classical guitarist Matthew Baker will play the first movement of Antonio Vivaldi’s Guitar Concerto in D Major. Matthew began playing the classical guitar when he was 4 years old. He studies classical guitar with Douglas Rogers and electric guitar with Larry Green. In 2015, Matthew was the First Place Junior Division Winner of the Marlin Engel Solo Instrumental Competition, Second Place Youth Division Winner of the Levine Guitar Video Competition and the Third Place Youth Division Winner of the Beatty Guitar Competition. Matthew has performed with his mother, Jenny Oaks Baker, and his siblings at Abravanel Hall, the Stevens Performing Arts Center in Idaho, twice on the Hour of Power TV Show broadcast worldwide from California, for The Festival of Lights and the Ambassador’s Wives at the Congressional Club in Washington, D.C., for the Music Educator’s Rally
at the Utah State Capitol, for the World Congress of Families IX, and at First Night On Temple Square. He is the son of Matthew and Jenny Oaks Baker. Violinist Hanna Cook will play Kreisler’s Praeludium and Allegro. Hanna has studied violin for 11 years. She has soloed three times with the Utah Valley Symphony and currently is principal violin in the American Heritage Lyceum Philharmonic Orchestra. Outside of music, she enjoys watching and playing sports when time permits. She is the daughter of David and Cheryl Cook. Pianist Sarah Sun will play the first movement of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 2 in C minor. Sarah began playing the piano under the instruction of JoAnn Jones when she was 4 years old. In addition, she studied briefly with Anna Gliadkovskaya and Christian Bohnenstengel. As of 2011, she is a student of Dr. Irene Peery-Fox. Her progress as a pianist is evident in the recognitions she has won for her piano performances: first place at the UMTA Concerto Competition; second place in the American Protege International Competition, in which she will perform in Carnegie Hall November 2017; two-time first-place finishes in the Encore Keyboard Competition; and first place at the Salt Lake Piano Competition. She is a sophomore at Cedar High School and also serves as the city administrator of the Cedar City Youth City Council. She is the daughter of Xun Sun and Ling Yu. Harpist Aerin Burns will play Maurice Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro. Aerin has played the harp since she was 5 and studied with Lysa Rytting, Janet Peterson and Anamae Anderson. Among her many adventures, Aerin has used her musical skills to play for Healing Harps at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center and teach piano lessons at Rising Star Outreach in Tamil Nadu, India. She has been homeschooled since third grade and will continue her education at Brigham Young University. She is the daughter of Michael and Ellen Burns.
For Arbor Day 2016 Shelley Elementary School fifth-graders planted an evergreen tree at the city cemetery.
Plant a tree and make a difference By Linda Petersen
American Fork City will reaffirm its commitment to trees and celebrate Arbor Day with the passing of a resolution by the city council on April 25 and a tree planting on April 28. The resolution, which will be read by Mayor James Hadfield, outlines the benefits of trees to the city including reducing soil erosion, produce oxygen and providing habitat for wildlife while moderating the temperature and cleaning the air. It also touches on non-tangible benefits. “Trees, wherever they are planted, are a source of joy and spiritual renewal,” it says. To further celebrate, Hadfield
along with city arborist Rusty Fotheringham and his staff will help fifth-grade students from Greenwood Elementary School plant a sequoia tree at Rotary Park on Friday, April 28, at 10 a.m. The sequoia is one of three trees being planted by Eagle Scout candidate Dakota Harwood to replace dead trees in the park. American Fork has made trees a priority in the city and has received Tree City USA designation for its efforts for the past 10 years. Last year, students from Shelley Elementary School planted a large evergreen tree in the cemetery. Fotheringham said they try to rotate where the trees are planted so more elementary students can participate.
Am. Fork council authorizes limited archery deer hunt By Linda Petersen The American Fork City Council recently authorized Mayor James Hadfield to authorize a limited depredation archery deer hunt within city limits as he deems necessary. The hunt, which would be only for a limited time and in a limited area designated by city staff, would need to be approved by the Department of Natural Resources and would be subject to DNR regulations. All hunters will be pre-qualified by the city through a process established by the city. The city has also awarded a contract to repair the city’s upper east water tank to ProBuild Construction Inc. The tank recently sustained damage and the contractor will be repairing the tank lid at a cost of
$1,197,500. The council approved an amendment to the development code regarding one-family dwellings on 6,000-square-foot lots. Planner Adam Olsen told the council that the developer of the Leofler Estates twin home project had found that some potential buyers did not want to have a common wall with neighbors. The amendment allows construction of a smaller home on a smaller lot without a common wall. The council also authorized Hadfield to sign a letter of intent to contract with Utah County for administration of the municipal elections, which will be done by mail. Resident Gary Welch submitted a letter to the council asking them not to make the change. The measure passed 3-2.
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Taxes by the numbers in Eagle Mountain By Mike Kieffer Eagle Mountain has several different revenue streams that feed into its general fund. One of the biggest sources of revenue for the general fund would be that of taxes. Taxes account for a larger portion of the general fund’s revenue than any other source, including fees collected from business licenses, building permits and the like. 2007 was the only year in the last nine years where fees bypassed taxes as the largest revenue stream. Since 2006, Eagle Mountain has received revenue into the general fund ranging from $8.1 million to $10.4 million per year. Taxes are the biggest revenue stream for the general fund of Eagle Mountain. Taxes are broken down into several different types of taxes. They include sales/use tax, property taxes, motor vehicle taxes, telecom taxes and other taxes. Fees and fines also generate revenue for the city. The sales and use tax makes up the biggest tax revenue stream to the general fund. Sales taxes in Eagle Mountain are added to sales made in Eagle Mountain. The current tax rate is 6.75 percent. Not all of the tax collected goes to the city. Percentages of that tax go to the state, county, transit and the city and then a city statewide pool. Eagle Mountain receives 0.5
Tax Revenue for Eagle Mountain General Fund Year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Late Fees $207,391 $271,215 $343,341 $411,615 $377,579 $360,945 $304,065 $309,115 $346,720 $322,385
percent of the sales tax collected in the city. Then 0.5 percent is collected statewide, after which Eagle Mountain gets a percentage of that based on its population. Property Taxes All private property owners in Eagle Mountain pay property taxes. A small percentage of property taxes are paid to the city’s general fund. The majority of property taxes collected in Eagle Mountain goes toward schools. Eagle Mountain also receives revenue from vehicle taxes and telecom taxes. These taxes are collected as part of your vehicle registration and telephone bills. Telecom taxes are collected from several sources including land lines, mobile phones and internet providers. You may also notice that Eagle
Property $590,986 $749,459 $863,906 $1,016,683 $975,156 $1,040,087 $1,080,628 $1,165,222 $1,056,864 $979,584
TaxesSales/Use Tax $778,695 $1,065,841 $1,716,937 $1,682,712 $1,768,140 $1,809,411 $1,918,612 $2,053,493 $2,246,317 $2,478,132
Motor Vehicle Telcom Tax $87,201 $51,941 $140,316 $155,440 $94,172 $157,341 $121,203 $177,147 $127,261 $191,619 $127,144 $185,352 $109,984 $170,215 $141,312 $190,277 $122,306 $198,163 $109,683 $185,541
Eagle Mountain General Fund Revenue Year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Taxes $2,026,966 $2,681,971 $3,584,984 $3,693,199 $3,816,706 $3,912,454 $4,122,052 $4,442,234 $4,332,113 $4,497,214
Mountain receives revenue from late fees and penalties. These late fees are for “utility-related services. The city collects it in this account and then does a true-up journal entry at the end of the year to allocate it to the different funds (enterprise
Fees $259,152 $3,609,606 $1,550,552 $656,706 $459,109 $395,430 $535,621 $907,498 $1,338,811 $1,636,778
Total $8,363,789 $10,469,506 $9,340,358 $7,971,174 $8,196,396 $8,700,670 $8,865,872 $9,803,566 $8,297,655 $9,135,606
and general fund) based on the administrative overhead allocation percentages and revenue percentages in the related funds.” This fund has fluctuated between $207,000 and $411,000 over the last nine years.
Highland residents asked to comment on roads By Linda Petersen Highland City has recently completed a comprehensive road maintenance and repair study and city officials are seeking public input on it. The study revealed that the city is currently not budgeting anywhere near enough to repair and maintain the roads and indicated that an additional $1 million is needed each year to bring the roads up to stan-
dard. Options include continuing with the current practices, which will mean the roads will continue to degrade, or increase funding for repair and maintenance through one of several options. City officials will present the results of the road study along with information about the options at several open houses. The first, for those residents who live west of Alpine Highway and south of 10400
North, was held April 12. (Residents may attend any open house that is convenient for them.) The remaining meetings will be held at 7 p.m. on these dates: • Wednesday, April 12, at Mountain Ridge Junior High School (for those west of Alpine Highway and south of 10400 North). • Thursday, April 20, at Highland Elementary School(for those west of Alpine Highway and between
S.R. 92 and 10400 North). • Wednesday, April 26, at Lone Peak High School (for those east of Alpine Highway). • Thursday, May 4, at Ridgeline Elementary School(for those west of Alpine Highway and north of S.R. 92). A final open house will be held on Thursday, May 11, from 5 to 8 p.m. at City Hall, 5400 West Civic Center Drive, Suite 1.
Alpine hears proposal to utilize water By Linda Petersen On March 14, the Alpine City Council heard a report from Daryl Devey with the Central Utah Water Conservancy District. Under the city’s agreement with the CUP, Alpine has 770 acre feet of CUP water but currently has no way to access it since there is no piping in place. The Department of the Interior has been using that water to preserve the June Sucker habitat in the Provo River and Utah Lake and has been paying Alpine’s fees. That contract will be up in five years and Devey said the Department of the Interior is unlikely to renew it. The annual cost of $113,000 would then need to be assumed by Alpine City. CUWCD is proposing to construct a pipeline from the Alpine aqueduct to the Healy well where a booster pump and some extra lines would be added. Alpine City would be able to utilize some of that water. Since the city has no irrigation water storage, the excess could be delivered back through the aqueduct system to be used for the June Suckers. The June Sucker water not used could be re-released back to Alpine later in the season, Devey said. CUWCD would pay for the cost of the water. Alpine would pay the costs for its share of operation and maintenance of the Olmstead Alpine Aqueduct System. In other business, the council reviewed the Alpine Days budget with Alpine Days Chairman Melanie Ewing that evening. In its March 28 meeting, in response to complaints, the city council voted to not allow roosters in the city.
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Tips for homeowner’s insurance By Danielle’ Dimond Five things to know about homeowner’s insurance: What it actually covers: Most policies will pay for damages to your home and belongings from fire, storms, vandalism or theft. It also provides liability insurance should someone get hurt on your property and then decide to sue you. Home insurance can also pay for any hotel housing if you’re home is temporarily unlivable. What it does not cover: Most standard policies exclude certain events like power failure, earthquakes, government actions, faulty zoning, bad repairs, bad workman-
ship and more. Any water damage is usually only covered under certain circumstances. Generally any water that comes from above, like a burst pipe, is covered, but if it comes from below, like a backed-up sewer, is not. It’s smart to check out what your policy covers and determine if you need supplemental insurance in your area. Don’t wait to file a claim: If you have a possible claim, don’t wait to report it. Most insurance companies will have a limited time in which you can make a claim and if you wait, you may no longer be eligible for coverage. This is especially true in cases where waiting could make
the problem worse such as water damage where mold can begin to grow. Write it down: Document everything that happens during an event including damages and what you have done to lessen those damages. You should save your receipts, appraisals and contracts and document the “who” and “when” of phone calls. Jewelry? Some jewelry expenses are covered in typical policies but this is usually up to a certain dollar amount. Ask what that amount is so that you know whether or not you’ll need supplemental coverage to cover the dollar amount of jewelry you own.
22 things to hose off on the lawn By Danielle’ Dimond There are some things in your house that are cumbersome to clean, and there are some things in your house that are too disgusting to get your hands into to clean. However, when the weather is nice, you’re in luck because there are a ton of things that you can clean out on your front lawn with a hose and a scrub brush. Here are some ideas: 1. Garbage cans (indoor and
outdoor) 2. Highchairs 3. Shower curtains 4. Plastic toy bins 5. Screens 6. Cleaning caddies 7. Storage bins 8. Pet crates 9. Pet cages of all sizes 10. Exercise mats 11. Large food storage containers 12. Laundry baskets 13. Plastic blinds
14. Large toys (exercise saucers, play gyms, etc. Be careful of battery devices) 15. Drawer organizers 16. Coolers 17. Kids’ car seats (remove cloth covers first) 18. Car floor mats 19. Vacuum canisters (remove from vacuum first) 20. Refrigerator shelves and drawers 21. Kitchen floor mats 22. Outdoor furniture cushions
Cub Scouts visited a recent Cedar Fort town council meeting to express their disapproval of chip seal resurfacing of roads, which makes it hard to ride their scooters to school.
Cub Scouts complain about Cedar Fort roads By Linda Petersen On March 21, Cedar Fort officials had a visit from local Cub Scouts who brought their scooters with them. Ryan Stark told the town council that since the town chip sealed the roads, the roads are too rough and the kids cannot ride their scooters to school. City officials explained that the town didn’t have funds to pave the road and that chip sealing them was the only option. Clarence Ault also complained about the roads and said his road was falling apart and that he had put his
own money into it. Next time he has to do so, he is going to bill the town, he said. Councilwoman Ellen told Ault the road in question is high on the town’s priority list. The town will get be getting a refund of $15,000 because the sheriff’s department accidentally over billed the town by two hours per week. The town council voted to have software provider Casselle take over operation of the town treasurer’s position. The council also voted to have all town ordinances put on the town website.
The two pillars of effective parenting By Darren Gillespie Back in the day, we all heard about how Kellogg’s put two scoops of raisins in each box of Raisin Bran. That’s nice and all. I don’t think kids nowadays really like raisins that much, but they do like two things - structure and love. There are hundreds of books written about how to properly parent. If you summarized them all down to some simple points, you would be left with what I call the two pillars of effective parenting: Structure and Relationship. Structure meaning expectations, rules, consequences, discipline, routine, consistency, order and parental authority. Relationship meaning love, bonding, attachment, closeness, nurturance, gentleness and positive interactions. You need a “scoop” of each for things to work well. Issues arise when you only have one or the other. If you only have structure and no relationship, children will either rebel or comply with low self-esteem. If you have only relationship, children will go completely hog wild. There
will be lots of disrespect, defiance and chaos. Under all that, the child will also be anxious about all the disorder and have a feeling of, “Who is in charge around here?” So what can parents do? You can start by looking at this chart and giving yourself an honest assessment of how you are doing in each area or pillar. Continue doing what you are doing in the area that you are doing well in - good job. If one area is low, explore why that is. Work on increasing this pillar. Remember, you want to have a big “scoop” of each for a happy home.
One Book One American Fork program to begin By Linda Petersen American Fork Library has kicked off its One Book One American Fork program for the second year. One Book One American Fork is patterned off national community reading programs that bring people together through reading and discussing a common book. This year’s book “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman was chosen by library patrons from among 10 choices. In addition to having multiple paper and digital copies of the book, the library also hosts monthly events related to the themes of the book. Since “A Man Called Ove” is set in Sweden, the first activity on April 13 was “Celebrate Sweden” where patrons were invited to bring something such as costumes, food or music that reminded them of Sweden. The second activity on May 6
from 1 to 3 p.m. echoes the theme of service where a young couple helps the title character Ove. The man’s life is changed by that service and he begins to reach out and help others himself. May’s activity is a community-wide service scavenger hunt where participants are given a list of service ideas which have a point value and are sent out into the community to do them. At the end, participants head back to the library for refreshments and prizes. Other activities planned include a book discussion and a movie night. Complete details will be available on the library’s website at http://afcity. org/203/Library. “Our whole purpose is the engage our American Fork City residents by having them read the same book at the same time and have a conversation together about the themes of the book,” Library Director Colleen Eggett said.
Vol. 17 No. 4 - Online All the Time - TheCrossroadsJournal.com - April-May 2017 - A7
Eagle Mountain is prime recovery habitat for birds By Mike Kieffer
Debbie Souza-Pappas, founder and director at Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation in Price, has been doing wildlife rehabilitation for 23 years. In 2001, she started the organization Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation. They work with all animals allowed by the State of Utah including birds and mammals. During the past 23 years, they have taken in thousands of patients, and they now handle 350 to 400 patients per year. They handle everything from birds hit by cars, birds that have been blown out of nests and birds affected by other seasonal
problems. Souza-Pappas has turned to Eagle Mountain as a place where she can release birds of prey. “It is getting more and more difficult to find good release sites and we are having to drive further and further to accomplish many of our releases,” Souza-Pappas said. Second Chance takes into account several key factors when they are picking a site for release, and Eagle Mountain has become one of the places they use for releasing rehabilitated birds back into the wild. “I always look for appropriate habitat for release. I also take into
Academy decides to change location By Linda Petersen After spirited public opposition, officials at the Utah Military Academy have decided to move the site for a proposed school from Pioneer Crossing and Center Street in Lehi. The primary concern for residents was traffic, with the residents claiming the traffic study the school had done was flawed and that their neighborhood would be negatively impacted by the many cars needed to get students to and from school. The change came about after developer Boyer Company offered to swap the Pioneer Crossing site for another the company owns in the Holbrook Farms area off 2100 North. If approved, Boyer plans to put 10 homes on the Pioneer Crossing site. The academy will still need
to get city council approval for its new site plan. This proposed school will be the second branch of the Utah Military Academy, with the first location near Hill Air Force Base in Riverdale. According to the school’s website, the Utah Military Academy is a college prep, STEM-focused, fully accredited public charter school. It is for those seeking high academic achievement in a full-time military environment. It is a co-ed school with about 30 percent female students at the Riverdale campus. With the change in location, plans for the new school at the new site are being pushed back a year, but the school will open at a yet-to-be-determined temporary location for the 2017-18 school year.
consideration what I’m releasing and how that will play into the area I`m looking at for potential release,” Souza-Pappas said. “For example, if I know a particular area has an issue with illegal activity, such as poisonings and gunshot victims, I`m certainly not going to return the bird to that area. Adults we like to return to their territory since they have already established a territory, and most likely have a mate. But we can’t do that every time.” As good release sites become harder to find, Souza-Pappas had this to say about Eagle Mountain: “Eagle Mountain is a great place to do releases as it`s prime habitat for many species we work with. We also have people like Shon Reed and some of his associates that are keeping an eye on things as part of the Kestrel Project and wildlife in general.” Shon Reed is responsible for the Eagle Mountain Kestrel Project. This project is currently in it second year, and has placed Kestrel nesting boxes around the city. Reed is also an avid nature photographer and is always watching for birds, and working to protect their habitat. “Shon educates the public there and, in turn, many are realizing that the raptors take care of things many people consider pests and that poisons are not a good solution, killing indiscriminately,” Souza-Pappas said. Second Chance covers more territory than any other rehabilitation organization in the State of Utah. As far as who does the rehabilitation work in Utah, Souza-Pappas said, “We are the ones, not the DWR, that the state uses and permits for the care of sick, orphaned and injured wildlife within the
State of Utah. No one else does this work. It requires a great deal of education, training, time and money. None of us are paid by anyone to do this, so we are constantly fundraising in order to do this work. It is not a hobby. We are professionals and live, eat and breathe this work. It’s our souls. There is never a day off for a true rehabilitator. Never! And I wouldn’t want to do anything else.” Delores Reid Freestone, a fellow birder and nature photographer and a Magna resident, has enjoyed working with Second Chance. “I started out just being a birder and have taken a few birds to rehab places. This brought a whole new perspective to birding by seeing what the end result is by helping get those beautiful birds of prey back to the wild. Debbie works hard and sacrifices much, so I will do what I can to make it a fully successful recovery. People
should be aware of what a rehabilitation expert goes through and the cost involved.” Freestone has been involved in releasing several birds back into the wild around Eagle Mountain. On March 11, she helped release a Rough-legged Hawk that was hit by a car and then rehabilitated. She was also involved in the release of a Ferruginous Hawk and Swainson`s Hawk on March 26 back into the wild. Reed was also a participant of these three birds release around Eagle Mountain. Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation works using donations received from residents. To find out more about the organization and to contribute, visit its website at http://wildliferehabprice.wixsite. com/2ndchance. To find more about the Eagle Mountain Kestrel project, including viewing their webcam, visit http://i84005.com/kestrel.
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Play, climb and slide at Coconut Economic board gets new members Cove, a new indoor playground By Mike Kieffer The Economic Development Board in Eagle Mountain had some new members appointed during the March 21 city council meeting. The Eagle Mountain City website explains the purpose of the Economic Development Board: “The Economic Development Board, under the direction of the city council, assists in encouraging appropriate economic development within the city of Eagle Mountain in an effort to provide service amenities for residents, additional commercial tax base for the city and employment opportunities for citizens. Members of the board are nonpaid, citizen volunteers who are appointed by the mayor, with the approval of the city council, and serve three-year terms.” The new members that were appointed by the city council are Ben Tanner for a three-year term, Ryan Myers for a two-year term and Mike
Anderson for a three-year term. Ryan Myers was already a member of the board. The city council member that is assigned to be the liasion with this particular board is Stephanie Gricius. City Code [2.20] defines how the economic development board is to conduct its business. The board is to consist of five residents from Eagle Mountain, and they are to be appointed by the city council. The terms are to be staggered so that they do not expire on the same date. The board meetings fall under the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act, and their documents are to be considered public documents. The board is to meet as often as necessary. They are to make any recommendations to the city council in writing or in public meetings. It should be noted that Mayor Chris Pengra was appointed to this board before he was elected as mayor. He says that this board is where he got his start in city government.
Follow these tips to improve your credit By Kimberly Bennett Credit score. Does that phrase leave you feeling nauseated or sitting there with the cold sweats? If it does, don’t worry - you aren’t alone. Especially in a struggling economy, losing your great credit is much easier to do than one would think. Fortunately, unlike losing your car keys, your time or your mind, a credit score is something that you can get back. And it’s easier to do than you’d think. The first step is knowing your score. It’s easy to check your score online, and each of the three national consumer reporting companies allows you a free report every 12 months. Knowing where you are at allows you to know where you are going, so it’s always best to be
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informed. Next, make sure you’re building good credit. Having a credit card is a great way to build a credit history, but use it carefully. Be sure not to use too much of your balance, and quickly pay off what you do spend. This shows responsible habits. A great way to use a credit card to build your credit is to put your gas or small grocery expenses on your card, then pay off the total with the money you would have spent. Lastly, pay your bills on time. I know what some of you are saying: “We would if we could.” Life happens and that can get in the way of timely payments. If this is the case with you, reach out. Companies want the money you owe them, so they will typically work with you to help you find payments that work best. Some of you may just be forgetful. If you are the forgetting sort, set a reminder on your phone or calendar. That way you won’t be surprised. Improving your credit is within your reach. Follow these bits of advice and you’ll be on your way up in no time.
By Christy Jepson Coconut Cove is Utah County’s first indoor playground that includes three levels of fun where kids can climb, slide, crawl and play. The 4,000-square-foot playground structure includes a four-lane, two-story racing slide; crawl tunnels; tube slides; spider climbers; ball cannons; a ball fountain; and several other obstacles and play areas. Coconut Cove will soon open its doors in Vineyard and will be the first entertainment play place of its kind in the area. “The Coconut Cove is unlike any other indoor playground in Utah. It has a 2,000-square-foot base and is three levels high. Right now, Utah has bounce house places that target children, but nothing with as large of a fixed playground targeting the 0 to 12 age group,” said Peter Jay, co-owner of Coconut Cove with his wife Kira Jay. The couple are Lehi residents. Kira came up with the idea when their family visited an indoor playground in California. Kira called Peter and told him all about this new place they had discovered and how much fun their kids were having. She also mentioned how she thought that a similar indoor playground would do well in Utah. After checking into things, the husband-andwife team started doing research, and soon Peter had written up a detailed business and financial plan for Coconut Cove. With Peter’s MBA and law experience and Kira’s previous work experience in purchasing, together they worked to make their dream come true. Included in their detailed business plan for Coconut Cove was everything from cleanliness and parent supervision to a smaller
Coconut Cove, Utah County’s first indoor playground, will be opening soon in Vineyard. area for the 0-3 age group. “We are implementing cleaning plans that include wipe down of equipment during the day as well as a thorough cleaning after closing,” Peter said. To help parents keep track of their kids in the three-level playground, the Jays designed the structure in such a way that it is tall enough for parents to walk into the center of the playground and look up to see or find their kids. There is also a long bench that lines one side of the wall that is designed specifically for parents so they can watch their kids play. Up front is a separate area just for babies and toddlers 0-3 years old.
In the back of the building are two rooms made from giant Lego building blocks that can be rented out for birthday parties. Coconut Cove is located at 496 E. 1750 North, Suite C, in Vineyard. Check its website at www. coconutcoveplay.com for the exact opening date. Coconut Cove will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The price will be $8.50 for 4 years old and up and $5 for kids 3 years old and under. Free wi-fi will be provided for adults. Socks are required to play and no outside food is allowed. There is no cost for adults or others who do not play on the playground.
Don’t listen to songs and make a bad breakup situation worse By Celeste Bingham Although something may sound like a good idea in a song (or movie), please refrain from committing a crime. What am I talking about? Let me give you a few examples. First, from the beautifully talented Adele’s “Hello”: “I must have called a thousand times. To tell you
I’m sorry for everything that I’ve done. But when I call you never seem to be home.” Please refrain from calling or texting, Facebook messaging or any other form of electronic communication to someone 1,000 times. This is harassment and could cause alarm or distress to another person. If the person is not responding at all, take that as a clue
to stop, or you could be receiving documents regarding an order of protection or criminal charges. Second, from the powerhouse Celine Dion’s “I Drove All Night”: “I drove all night to get to you. Is that all right? I drove all night. Crept in your room. Woke you from your sleep. To make love to you.” Now, unless you have previously discussed something, I may suggest not breaking and entering, let alone trying to have intercourse or any other form of physical contact with the person. There are multiple crimes being committed here. Now if the person was waiting or expecting you, great! But it’s not very romantic to have someone startling you awake you in the middle of the night, let alone attempting to do things to you. This could land you in prison. The last example, for those of you feeling heartbroken and crazy, Tyler Farr’s “Redneck Crazy”: “Gonna drive like hell through your neighborhood. Park this Silverado on your front lawn. Crank up a little Hank; sit on the hood and drink. I’m about to get my pissed off on. I’m gonna aim my headlights into your bedroom windows. Throw empty beer cans at both of your shadows.” First, may I suggest driving relatively close to the speed limit and avoid reckless driving for your safety and others. Second, parking a vehicle on a front lawn and throwing empty beer cans at a house could cause damage and get you charged with criminal mischief or disorderly conduct. Lastly, turning your lights on to aim into someone’s bedroom could be taken as a threat/ harassment and stalking. Again, I would avoid anything in this song no matter how redneck, heartbroken or crazy you are. Dating, breakups and divorces can be hard; don’t make it harder by committing crimes.
Vol. 17 No. 4 - Online All the Time - TheCrossroadsJournal.com - April-May 2017 - A9
Why now is time to buy, sell Cedar Hills appoints By Debbie Hooge If you have been wondering whether you should buy or sell a home and use a licensed agent, here are five reasons why the answer is “yes”: 1. Buying and selling a home can be complicated. Sellers have some very serious obligations to buyers. If a seller does not understand these obligations, they could end up owing a buyer money. buyers, on the other hand, have to navigate inspections, title reviews, contract language and loans. As either a buyer or a seller, you need a licensed agent
to be your advocate and guide. 2. Interest rates have gone up nearly two points in the last two years, and they are expected to rise. If you purchase a home after rates go up even 1 percent, your payment will increase by 8 or 9 percent. Ouch! Lock in your rate and buy now. 3. Low inventory and low interest rates mean that sellers are getting a great price for their home. If you are a seller and interest rates go up, the number of buyers reduces. If you wait to sell you will likely get fewer good offers. 4. Spring is the most popular time buy or sell a house. In fact, 60
percent of all real estate transactions occur near springtime. 5. New home construction has been a competitive and affordable option for buyers. However, new construction prices are increasing at a faster rate than existing home prices. If a buyer is looking for new construction, now is the time. Buying or selling a home is a big decision. Fortunately, the current market is perfect for those looking to make the leap. Debbie Hooge is the Broker/ Owner of DMH Realty and has served in the Real Estate industry since 1989.
by a single person as there is always a second set of eyes overseeing the processing of submitted ballots.” Some people have questioned the security of the ballot and the ability to connect a voter to their ballot. Utah County Clerk/Auditor Bryan Thompson made this statement via email about security and privacy of VBM. “We hold the privacy of the votes cast as a high priority. That has been one of my personal concerns also when it comes to voting by mail. I have taken time to look into the various VBM process and tabulation systems available for use. My staff and I have also visited jurisdictions in Washington State and Colorado that have used VBM for their elections. Additionally, I have consulted with Salt Lake, Davis and Weber Counties here in Utah that used VBM for this past presidential election. In addition to privacy issues, we have also asked about voter authentication (and) how to best handle both of these important issues.” Thompson explained what happens when the ballots are processed: “(The) voter authentication process involves checking voter signatures with the signatures on file from the Driver’s License Division and voter registration applications. We will be using the Dominion system for this election that has an enhanced signature authentication process.” In terms of privacy preservation, the returned ballots come in a double sealed envelope. “Upon receipt of the returned ballot envelope, we open the first seal which reveals the voter signature. After the signature is verified as being valid, then another process opens the second seal on the envelope and the ballot is extracted. The ballot goes one direction and the envelope with the identifying marks and signature go a different direction. The separation process is to preserve the privacy of the ballot. It is at this point that the ballots are then scanned and tabulated.” Thompson explained when the ballots will be destroyed after tabulation: “By Utah State law, all election material and ballots are placed in secure storage (at the county’s record archive) for a period of 22 months. After that retention period, those items are destroyed.” Eagle Mountain City’s statement also pointed out that election turnout usually rises when VBM is implemented. “In the 2016 general election, 21 of 29 counties in Utah conducted VBM. Research shows that on average, voter turnout increases 10 percent to 15 percent with VBM. Some municipalities have experienced even higher results. For example, in 2013 West Jordan tested VBM and the city’s
turnout increased from 14 percent to 35 percent. In 2015, the return rate dropped slightly to 31.60 percent; however, the comparative voting rate was still more than double that of traditional elections. Similarly, Riverdale City’s voter turnout increased from 24.02 percent to 47.85 percent and has maintained a similar increase in subsequent elections. Colorado, Oregon and Washington conduct all of their elections by mail and always have high voter turnout.” The Utah Lieutenant Governor’s office in September 2014 did a study on VBM as per instruction by the Utah State Legislature and Utah State Code. The study, titled “Evaluating the Feasibility of Vote By Mail in Utah,” made several points in its executive summary. It points out that the Vote By Mail systems “carry advantages and disadvantages that policymakers should be aware of to ensure they select a system that meets their goals and is consistent with their values.” It also points out that, “In terms of general election turnout, vote-by-mail systems do not show a general long-term increase in turnout. Gains in turnout are more likely to be observed in low-salience elections such as special elections and municipal elections.” The report found that there is some disconnect between city clerks on the benefits of Vote by Mail. “A survey of county clerks shows substantial variation from county to county on perceptions of whether VBM is easier or harder to administer and whether VBM saves money or is more expensive.” The conclusions of the report are as follows: “Our findings in this report suggest that Vote by Mail can be a legitimate and valid way to administer an election. However, just
new city manager On March 7, the Cedar Hills City Council formally appointed Chandler Goodwin as city manager. Goodwin has been serving as interim manager since David Bunker left to take a position with American Fork City. Cedar Hills Mayor Gary Gygi told the council that of 24 applicants, Goodwin, who has served in every department in the city, really stood out. In other business, the council
awarded the bid for a Parks, Trails and Recreation Master Plan to In Site Design Group. The plan will cost the city $26,420. In Site Design will work with city staff to develop a phased master plan. The city council also approved a boundary adjustment with Pleasant Grove City for one property at 4087 Canyon Road. Goodwin told the council the property cannot be developed at this time in Cedar Hills.
as traditionally-administered polling-place elections can be run with higher standards and better practices, the manner in which VBM is implemented is important for maintaining the integrity of the voting process. In the course of our report we note that various counties have had different experiences with VBM and absentee systems. The counties, from their sundry vantage points, also have different perceptions about the impacts VBM would have on their counties. We see wisdom in accounting for the variety of experiences and preconceptions among counties in crafting policy. We encourage policy makers to carefully consider the pros and cons of VBM systems before making changes in the manner in which they administer their elections and to ensure that where VBM may be
adopted it is done carefully to ensure the integrity of the election process.” It will be interesting to see how the voters in Eagle Mountain respond to VBM. This year’s municipal election will be for two city council seats as well as the mayor’s position. Only time will tell if VBM will increase voter turnout. The agreement between the county and the city for VBM will be for a period of one year. The city can re-evaluate the agreement for the next election cycle. Thompson explained, “The interlocal agreement with each city is for only one year. For the 2019 municipal election, each city would have to make the decision if they wanted the county to administer their election. If they do, we would sign another ILA for that election cycle.”
By Linda Petersen
Eagle Mountain, other cities plan to vote by mail By Mike Kieffer The Eagle Mountain City Council recently voted on a resolution to use Vote by Mail (VBM) as the mechanism for the 2017 municipal election. The resolution passed with a 3-2 vote (Adam Bradley, Ben Reaves and Tom Westmoreland voted in favor while Colby Curtis and Stephanie Gricius voted against). As more information became available, a couple of the city council members tried to bring the item back for a re-vote and more discussion, but they were unable to garner enough support to bring the item back to the agenda. As a result, Eagle Mountain will be joining other cities in Utah County to do VBM for their municipal elections in 2017. As of March 4, the county will be doing VBM for the following cities: Provo, Orem, Lehi, American Fork, Saratoga Springs, Eagle Mountain, Alpine, Cedar Hills, Pleasant Grove, Lindon, Vineyard, Springville, Spanish Fork and Payson. Mapleton, Highland and Elk Ridge have indicated that they do not wish to participate in VBM. Cedar Fort, Fairfield, Goshen, Genola, Santaquin, Salem and Woodland Hills have not officially told the Utah County Clerk’s office if they will be participating in VBM. Eagle Mountain released a statement about this resolution describing how the voting process will work. “All active, registered voters will receive a ballot mailed by the Elections Office three weeks before the election. An active voter is a voter that has voted at least once in the last four years. Inactive voters will need to update their voter registration to receive a ballot in the mail. The fastest way to update your information is in person at the Utah County Elections Office in Provo or online at the following link: https:// secure.utah.gov/voterreg/index. html.” After you receive your ballot, you can either mail it in, return it to City Hall or take it to the county offices for processing. The statement continues, “Once the County has received the ballot, signatures are checked and verified before the ballot is counted. If the ballot cannot be verified, it is passed to another team member before it is rejected. If a voter’s signature cannot be verified, the voter will be contacted and can correct the error prior to the canvas. Additionally, the Lieutenant Governor’s Office is required to do an audit of the clerk’s signature verification process. The ballot is not removed from the envelope until the signature has been verified, maintaining the secrecy of the ballot. Every paper ballot is treated with great care and at no time is handled
A10 - April-May 2017 - Vol. 17 No. 4 - Online All the Time - TheCrossroadsJournal.com
Locals seek donations to fund Alpine closes roads on Lambert equestrian vaulting competition Park boundary By Amanda Hammond
By Linda Petersen
Two roads on the Lambert Park boundary with access to U.S. Forest Service land from the Alpine city water tank have been closed off. City officials say that there have been problems with people shooting guns on the Forest Service property along with the dumping of old furniture and trash in the area. City council members Kimberly Bryant and Ramon Beck said they had received a lot of complaints about the shooting and the debris
left there. Alpine City does not allow the discharge of weapons within city limits or within 600 feet of a dwelling. A second access road will also be closed. Initially, the city council considered closing just one road, but after council members learned that the second access road was also on city property, they voted unanimously to close both roads. The roads will be closed off with boulders and there will be signs notifying the public of the closures.
Highland amends sign ordinance By Linda Petersen
In March, the Highland City Council made an amendment to the city’s development code regarding freestanding signs to allow additional signs in the Highland Town Center commercial development. Previously, the ordinance allowed for freestanding commercial signs up to 18 feet in height with a base of three feet in commercial developments of
10 acres or larger. Developer WPI approached city staff about the possibility of placing two 15-foot signs in front of the Meyers four-acre site. The amendment reduces the acreage requirement from 10 feet to four feet, increases the number of signs allowed per development to two, and requires 330 feet between signs. It also requires the removal of other monument signs on the site.
When I tell people that my girls are competing on an equestrian vaulting team, the first question I get is, “What is equestrian vaulting?” Equestrian vaulting is a challenging sport that combines dance, Acro Yoga and gymnastics on the back of a cantering horse. Search for “equestrian vaulting” on YouTube and you will be amazed. Three girls from our community - Shaina Hammond, Alena Hammond and Alyssa Stoddard - have been selected to be on a national equestrian vaulting team along with teammates from Idaho, California and Washington. The girls hope to be the first vaulters from Utah to represent the USA at the 2017 Jr. World Vaulting Championships this summer in Austria. They have been training hard with several coaches. Their head coach, Devon Maitozo, is a seven-time FEI medal winner and coach of the first American vaulting team to win gold in 2010. We have high expectations for this amazing group of vaulters. We invite you to follow the team on their journey on Facebook at Technique High Performance Team. We will be posting their team videos and competition results beginning April 22. If you are able to make a donation to help with international travel and training costs, we would really appreciate it. To make a tax
Three local girls have been selected to be on a national equestrian vaulting team and hope to be chosen to represent the USA at the 2017 Jr. World Vaulting Championships in Austria. Pictured above is Shaina Hammond. exempt donation to Technique High Performance Team, contact Cambry Kaylor at 801-362-4129 or search Hammondsisters at gofundme.com.
We hope you join us on this amazing journey. Be sure to follow us on Facebook for updates and thrilling videos.
Utah County trying to combat poverty By Celeste Bingham Utah County is in the process of trying to curb the type of poverty that spans generations. As of this moment, 4 percent of kids in Utah County are living in intergenerational poverty. Intergenerational poverty is measured by enrollment in public assistance programs such as food stamps, child care subsidies, cash assistance programs and Medicaid. With one out of four at risk of remaining in poverty as adults, (statistics from the Utah Department of Workforce Services), intergenerational poverty differs from what is known as situational poverty. Situational poverty is caused by
circumstances such as losing a job or getting a divorce. Groups who provide services to those in poverty have been brainstorming ideas since a workshop gathering in Provo in February. That will be used by a Utah County strategic plan to address the issue locally. Those experiencing situational poverty can often get themselves out of that situation, while those individuals intergenerational poverty can find it much more challenging. The focus is on early childhood development, education, economic stability and health through improving communication and coordination between agencies who serve those in this specific area of poverty.
Though it will take time to develop and implement the plan, the hope is to have the strategic plan completed by June with it including strategies and tools that empower individuals to break the cycle of poverty themselves. If you are interested in helping those in need, contact your local shelter or reach out to United Way for ideas on how you can help.
Organization is within reach By Danielle’ Dimond The pen is mightier than the sword! Writing things down is more powerful than simply believing you will remember it. So, if you want to remember something, then ensure that you will by writing it down. This declutters your brain so you can think about more important things. You can do it on your phone or computer or with paper and pen. “He who fails to plan, plans to fail!” Winston Churchill said it, so it must be true. Make a plan by making a schedule for yourself and setting deadlines. Making a schedule each day can help you visualize how you want to spend your time. Making small deadlines in order to help you reach larger goals will help your goals feel attainable and keep you motivated. Just do it. There’s a reason this slogan put Nike in its high place in active wear. When you put off doing things until later, you’re adding to the stress level in your life as the things to do just pile on. So, do things right when you think of them or right when you are most motivated. Each second you wait to do something kills your motivation. So think it and just do it. “A place for everything and everything in its place.” Benjamin Franklin knew how to get stuff done … in fact, he usually got things done before anyone else. So put things in their place, and if the thing doesn’t have a place, then get rid of it, or make a place for it and then put it there. This will keep you from having to search for things, which saves you time and energy. Automate to dominate - your life, that is! If you can automate a bill or reminder, then do it and relax knowing that at least those few things will get themselves done.
Vol. 17 No. 4 - Online All the Time - TheCrossroadsJournal.com - April-May 2017 - A11
Lehi residents can sign up for emergency notifications By Linda Petersen
Lehi city officials are encouraging local residents and business owners/managers to sign up on the Everbridge emergency alert system. They say that Everbridge can provide citizen alerts to thousands of people within minutes of an emergency. Everbridge is utilized by several local cities and Utah County and is used by communities worldwide.
With the system, residents can receive texts, emails or voice messages alerting them to severe weather, fires, floods, toxic environmental issues or law enforcement activity in their area within minutes. Lehi City will also use the Everbridge system to notify residents about community issues such as road closures. When they sign up at alerts. utahcounty.gov, subscribers can use a custom menu to determine which
alerts will be sent to them. Subscribers can also receive alerts from multiple cities. “We have a commitment to protect our citizens from any danger that threatens our community,” said Lehi City Risk Manager Scott Sampson. “The Everbridge mass notification and interactive communication system ensures the city will be able to react quickly and efficiently to reach each individual in the case of an emergency.”
Do sweat the small stuff in marriage By Darren J. Gillespie One of the top signs of a marriage nearing divorce is flooding, according to John Gottman (one of the top marriage gurus of our time). What is flooding? you may ask. Flooding means that your spouse’s negativity is so overwhelming and so sudden that it leaves you shell-shocked. Basically, the explosion from the spouse is out of proportion to the issue at hand and the result is highly damaging to the relationship. Can you think of a time recently when you yourself blew up in this way or your partner completely lost it with you? Why do things ever get to this point? I believe it is because we may have been following too closely the old adage of “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” The idea is to let the small, unimportant annoyances go. Here is the issue with this line of thinking: if a small thing
bothers me, then it bothers me. If I ignore it, it does not evaporate, it goes somewhere. Think of it this way - imagine you have a place inside of you that is like a balloon and each small annoyance is like a puff of air going into the balloon. At first, it is no big deal, but eventually it begins to expand and reach its full capacity. Then one day a small and simple puff is blown and an explosion happens. The force is very unexpected to both parties and the damage is often severe. How could this be avoided? I have seen in my life and my client’s lives that emotional blow ups can be diminished by purposely “sweating the small stuff.” I suggest trying the following: express your feelings sooner and earlier on about anything that bothers you in your relationship. This does not mean you need to be mean about it – just say what you are feeling inside and in a
‘Son of Man’ performance planned in S. Springs By Danielle Palmer If you’re looking for a way to celebrate this Easter holiday, Vox Humana will present a free local performance of “Son of Man - An Inspiring Interfaith Devotional of Sacred Art and Music.” Attendees will enjoy sacred music by Vox Humana Choral Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Matthew Thompson, an address by featured guest speaker J. Kirk Rich-
ards, and a chance to view Richards’ contemporary spiritual artwork. The event will take place a week after Easter on Sunday, April 23, at 7 p.m. at the Saratoga Springs Utah Mount Saratoga Chapel located at 612 W. Pony Express Parkway. Bring the whole family to partake in this spiritual holiday celebration. For more information, visit voxhumanachoralarts.org/the-sonof-man.
calm way. Here are a few examples: “I am feeling nervous when I think about doing that,” or, “I would really rather not watch ‘Vampire Diaries’ tonight,” or, “I am not feeling hungry for that tonight.” Your choice of Netflix for the evening may not be a big deal, but it would count as a puff in the hidden balloon if you would like to have a turn sometimes and feel even the smallest amount of resentment about it. To wrap this up, I suggest you experiment with this idea: do sweat the small stuff. Do it in a calm and natural way. Express your feelings about everything as it comes up. I can promise a reduction in the kind of flooding that Gottman claims is connected to divorce. You will also feel less tension within yourself as well. Give it a try. Darren J. Gillespie, LCSW, is a clinical therapist. Reach him at www.eaglemountaincounseling.org.
Pl. Grove seeking groups to perform in concert series Pleasant Grove City is looking for individuals and groups that are interested in performing in the Pleasant Grove City Concerts in the Park series this Summer. The concerts will be held on Sundays from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. from June 4 to Aug 20. The concerts are presented outside the Pleasant Grove Community Center at 547 S. Locust Ave. If interested please send a request to sdbmartineau@gmail.com.
THE CLASSIFIEDS Lessons PRIVATE PIANO LESSONS! Perfect for any age. Beginner to Advanced. 25 years playing experience, teaching for 14. Have fun learning- theory, technique and duet/quartets. First lesson free. Call Andrea 801-687-1468 DRUM LESSONS Fun, certified teacher, 42 years experience, positive influence, professional drummer & band leader, all ages/levels. Studio in Saratoga Springs, references available. Please call Ken Culmone 801-768-0708 or 801-367-2787.
GUITAR LESSONS All ages, all levels, all styles. Learn songs, chords, strumming, picking, notation, theory, song writing and MUCH more! Located in Meadow Ranches (by the new middle school) First lesson is FREE! Call Gill Taylor (801) 358-7148
ULTIMATE DANCE Now registering for 20152016 Season Dance Classes. Offering Competitive and Recreational classes for ages 3+. Located on Redwood Road just north of Towne Storage in Saratoga Springs. Ultimate Dance has been offering dance classes in Saratoga Springs since 2003. Offering Ballet, Jazz, Tap, and Hip Hop. www.ultimatedanceetc.webs.com, Like us on Facebook Ultimate dance etc. or call us at 801-718-6900 or 801766-2286. Office hours Mon & Wed 10:00am-11:30am, Classes start Sept 8, 2015.
VOICE LESSONS Learn to sing in the natural Voice. Ages 10 and up. 28 yrs. experience. Performing opportunities.I’m located one mile from west Lake High School in Eagle Mountain 801-472-3280
HELP WANTED
TODDLER PLAY HOUSE We do realize that sometimes mommy and daddy have to work. Located in Saratoga Springs. Meals and preschool activities provided. Call Kristin Egbert now for opening. 801-897-4904.
Ranches Housekeeping Service is looking for both full-time and part-time housekeepers. Please contact Traci at 801-830-4119 or Ciara at 801-885-5511 for an application and interview ASAP!! You must have your own transportation and be a legal US resident. Background checks will be completed as well. Ranches Housekeeping Service offers great employment with flexible hours. Call if interested!
DAY CARE GOOD AS GRANDMA’s - Day Care & More. Warm, loving environment combine with exciting activities & crafts designed to stimulate your child’s emotional, social & intellectual growth. Full Time - 2 yrs & older. Call Debi Ring 801-822-7506
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A12 - April-May 2017 - Vol. 17 No. 4 - Online All the Time - TheCrossroadsJournal.com
West Side Theatre Co. plans benefit concert By Christy Jepson
Residents found out more about city services at last year’s Lehi City Expo.
There will be something for everyone at the Lehi City Expo By Linda Petersen Lehi residents can enjoy an evening getting to know their local elected officials along with finding out about the various city departments at the annual Lehi City Expo on Thursday, April 27, from 4 to 7
p.m. at Legacy Park, 123 N. Center. Families can tour emergency vehicles, take a bucket ride on a power truck and enjoy demonstrations including canine demonstrations by the police and fire departments. There will be free hot dogs, soda and popcorn along with other
freebies. Inclement weather won’t be a problem as the event will be set up under a big tent. “It’s a good chance to get to know those departments and to have any questions you have answered,” said Special Events Coordinator Melanie Hansen.
Tai Chi classes at Lehi Senior Center The Lehi Senior Center has been holding Tai Chi classes for the past four months – we have an average of 20 seniors attend each class! We now have two new volunteers to teach this class, so starting in April we will be holding Tai Chi class twice a week: Tuesdays from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and Thursdays from
12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Seniors are encouraged to attend both classes as there are many benefits of this low-impact form of exercise. Tai Chi is proven to relieve stress and increase one’s balance, stability, mental capacity, concentration and lower body strength. Chairs are available for extra
balance and no experience is needed to participate. This class is free for members of the Senior Center and $5 for non-members. Senior center memberships only cost $5 per year. Please contact Jessie Jones to register or ask any questions. You can call her at 385-201-2349 or email her at jjones@lehi-ut.gov.
Lots of exciting things are going in the Saratoga Springs area and The West Side Theatre Company is one of them. The West Side Theatre Company is now the newest theater group in the area. Bringing theater and the arts to the west side of Utah County allows residents to participate and enjoy the theater closer to home at affordable prices. WSTC’s first production, “First Impressions: A Broadway Benefit Concert,” will be performed on April 28 at Garden Near the Green in Eagle Mountain. Hannah Farr, a resident from the area, had the idea of starting a theater company a little over six months ago. With her vision, goals and ideas, she started talking to friends and neighbors who also shared her same passion and interest in seeing the arts come closer to residents in the west side. Now Farr and six other residents from the area make up the board of directors for WSTC. The board of directors members are: Hannah Farr, Tyler Hinton, Mara Hinton, Tyson Dewsnup, Charity Brooks, Emma Faye and Adam Skousen. “The goal of WSTC is to provide a high-quality theatrical experience for the community and to provide a local creative outlet for those who have a passion for theater arts,” Farr said. Once the board of director’s registered the nonprofit organization near the beginning of 2017, in March they officially announced the new theater company to the public. The West Side Theatre Company’s first show will be “First Impressions: A Broadway Benefit Concert,” which will be held on April 28 at Garden Near the Green in Eagle Mountain (3700 E. Campus Drive, #100). This Broadway review will celebrate all the “firsts” that happen
throughout a person’s life. Songs will be from popular musicals such as “The Sound of Music,” “South Pacific,” Wicked,” “Hamilton” and others. “The purpose of this show is to introduce ourselves to the community and to raise enough money to fund our next production,” Farr said. “All the money raised will go to paying rent for the venue we use, costumes, equipment and other things we will need. We also hope that members of the city council will attend, and maybe some business owners who might be interested in sponsoring us.” For their first performance, there is no set ticket price, only a suggested minimum donation of $10. According to Farr, after the April production, the WSTC plans to have three other productions during the next 12 months. Farr’s dream would be to have six to eight productions a year with shows almost every weekend for community members to enjoy. As of right now, all productions will be performed at the Garden Near the Green reception center in Eagle Mountain. But as the group grows and expands, the board members have hopes to build their own theater. The WSTC main focus will be theatrical productions, musicals and plays. “We eventually plan on having an education program where we teach all sorts of classes for all ages (stage acting, musical theater, film, auditioning, etc.). I would love to have a teen summer conservatory including classes during the summer and culminating in a performance. We will have master classes and workshops as well,” Farr said. To donate to the new West Side Theatre Company and to get more information regarding future productions and auditions, visit www. westsidetheatreco.org.