The city contributed $200 for the Bag-o-wode program this spring. Dyer's Wode is considered a noxious weed and is threatening to take over many open spaces in Northern Utah. It is a problem along roadsides and in vacant lots. This year's program was very successful and the city received a letter from county officials thanking us for our participation. In the August 2007 issue of The Pioneer Post, Jonathan Saunders encouraged residents to eradicate the puncture vine weed from their property. This rapidly spreading weed causes many problems in our lives with its sharp, penetrating burr. Bicycle riders beware! Advice was given by Jonathan Saunders on proper procedures in planting trees in the September Pioneer Post. Trees are valued in our community, as witnessed by our designation for the third year as a Tree City USA. We all benefit from them through cleaner air, reduced pollution, and energy conservation as they moderate climatic conditions. They also greatly improve the appearance of our property and our city. EMERGENCY TRAINING Although we don't like to think about them, emergencies do happen. Planning and preparedness form the best defense. Dixie Little, CERT Coordinator, explained in The Pioneer Post, what the function of CERT is, and requested volunteers take the training offered so as to be able to help in emergencies. A Citizen Emergency Response Team (CERT) training series was held as scheduled, running each Thursday night for 7 weeks, beginning September 6. (September 6, 13, 20, 27, October 4, 11, 18) The training ran from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. each week. Dixie Little was in charge of the sessions, which were open to any Marriott-Slaterville resident, and many responded. The training drew 26 community members who successfully completed the course. A short meeting was held on December 6, 2007, at the city hall, followed by a Christmas party for the new CERT group. Mayor Keith Butler and City Administrator Bill Morris spoke at the meeting, expressing their appreciation for the CERT members willing to take the training and being ready to serve the community, as well as their family, in case of an emergency-large or small. Rick Taylor met with the coordinators about their responsibilities. About 33 attended the potluck meal, which was followed by games and a drawing for door prizes. An Emergency Preparedness Fair/Tailgate Party was held on Saturday, November 10, 2007, at the Mound Fort Stake Cultural Hall and Grounds, in our city. It was sponsored by the Ogden Utah Mound Fort Stake, joined by Marriott-Slaterville City, the Weber County Fire District and Command Unit, the American Red Cross, the Weber County Sheriff's Department, and Questar. Numerous demonstrations were on hand concerning home storage, 72 hour kits, home safety in disasters, and emergency sanitation. Food storage samples were available. Child Identification by the Sheriff's Department was carried out through the use of the new equipment which records and identifies children by their eyes. Visits could be made to the Fire District Command Unit. The Mound Fort Stake Presidency served hamburgers, hot dogs, and chips to those in attendance. Our greatest resource in an emergency will be the amount of time we have spent preparing for a disaster of any proportion. CITY GROWTH Changes came to our community as many families moved into Spencer Farms and the Mill Creek subdivisions. The Pioneer Special District designated earlier, received additional implementation this year. The city organized the Bylaws and the Administrative Control Board for the Pioneer Special Service District, which will provide secondary water, drainage, flood control, transportation, recreation, street lighting, animal shelter and control, and snow removal services, to more effectively carry out the purposes of the 8