The Pioneer Post Volume VI Issue 1 Marriott-Slaterville City Newsletter January 2004 1140 West 400 North - Phone 627-1919 Departing Message It is with thanks and appreciation to the citizens of Marriott-Slaterville City for giving me the opportunity to serve these past six years on the city council. As I reflect back, overall it has been a rewarding and learning experience. I congratulate you for your efforts in helping establish this new city. Even some who were not in favor of a new city, or were worried about financial or other hardships, have worked to make the city successful. Now, we are operating well. However, there still remain challenges ahead. I hope we will meet future challenges with the same enthusiasm as I have seen in recent years. A word regarding our Mayor, Keith Butler. I have appreciated his kindness and dedication. He has watched the finances scrupulously so there is no present municipal property tax. Even in a recession he has saved funds for an eventual permanent office and other improvements in the community. Many may think that because we are so small that the Mayor is less than part-time, but he is dedicated full-time to his office. Regarding your council, it is a fine group of five different individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds. Each bring experience from the school of hard work and sound judgment. I see them working well together and trying hard to meet the difficult task of listening to all concerns when making a decision. I believe they make decisions based upon the best interest of the community. As such, sometimes an individual may be disappointed when requests are either approved or denied. In making a decision there are many things to considers such as the long-term costs, benefits, public safety, certain rights, and a host of issues relating to infrastructure and administration. Some requests have been potentially detrimental to the community, others have been very beneficial. I hope we appreciate the complexity of such things. I appreciate those elected and appointed officials making the tough decisions. As a person concerned with protecting our individual freedoms, I find our officials to be sensitive to this. I also realize that true freedom requires taking responsibility for what we are doing or seeking to do. For example, there have been occasional complaints about junky residential yards, even long before the city was formed. This problem has been widely discussed by city officials, and the result has been a reluctance to enforce a junk ordinance because of individual property rights. It has been hoped that people would take responsibility themselves to clean up their property without government having telling them to do so. However, the city has a responsibility to protect public health, safety, and welfare. Thus, this problem has two divergent points. Hopefully, we can realize that along with freedom comes responsibility, for individual freedom is not as selfish as some may have us believe. We are accountable at some point for our actions. Regarding our planning commission past and present, it is a fine group of people. Their hard work often goes without recognitions and comes with much criticism. Also, to the members of Board of Adjustment, I thank each of you. Yours is one of the hardest jobs in the community to enforce the law as your do. Thank you to these two groups for making the difficult decisions, following the law, and working together. Thanks to our administrative staff: Becky Burt, Ken Martin, Rich Adam, Elna Lucas, Glen McFarland, Randy Phipps, Steven Mecham, and Darrell Mecham. Special thanks to our administrator Bill Morris for he is a fine statesman with the welfare of the community at heart. Finally, thanks to each of you who contribute your means, your time, your efforts, and your appreciation for this great community. H. Orvil Holley, Retiring Council At-large Planning Commission - January 14, 2004, 7:00 p.m. 1. Call to Order/Approve Minutes/Oath of Office. 2. Consent items: a) Final approval for minor lot subdivision (2 lots) at 200 South 2750 West; b) Six month site plan extension on Town House Estates at 1150 South 1200 West. 3. Final approval for lot Big "W" subdivision (4 lots) at 2449 W. Pioneer Road. 4. Conditional use permit for animal care center located at 608 North 2000 West. 5. Frank Blair zoning settlement proposal around 400 North. 6. Discussion on land use ordinances. This agenda is tentative and items can and will change. _ City Council Agenda - January 15, 2004, 6:30 p.m. 1. Call to order/Approve Minutes/Oath-of Office. 2. Business licenses, if any. 3. Resolution regarding the various award programs. 4. Resolution regarding intent to adjust common boundary with Ogden City on 12th Street. 5. Discuss boundary adjustment with West Haven. 6. Officers reports and legislative oversight. 7. Executive session on the purchase of real property. This agenda is tentative and items can and will change._ LOCAL UPDATES ? Rabies Clinic. County Animal Shelter, 1373 N 750 W, January 24, 2004, from 2:00-4:00 pm. $7.00 per shot. Questions: 399-8244. Military. There are residents from this community serving in the military in Iraq and around the world. As a new year commences, we remember these individuals honoring their county. Contact the office for information on sending care packages to our servicemen.