Last year ushered in major changes in Summit County. A military hotel became a focal point for a controversy, the new County Council hired its first manager and Canyons underwent a major expansion. From November’s hotly contested elections to flooding on the East Side, 2010 was an eventful year,
Here are five of the top news stories:
5. River rages through Oakley
Homeowners in eastern Summit County pitched in to stack sandbags in their neighborhoods when water from the Weber River flooded portions of the area last June.
“There were two fish in our front yard swimming,” Oakley resident Jenny Leavitt said at the time of the flooding.
Porches and cellars were flooded when snow in the Uinta Mountains melted quickly in early June. Most of the snow in the area usually becomes runoff in May.
The flooding damaged homes, roads and bridges. The river channel filled with debris, which caused it to hold less water.
But nobody was seriously injured in the flooding.
Oakley resident Matt Leavitt said his home was knocked off its foundation.
“We’re still homeless and fighting with the insurance,” Leavitt said Wednesday.
4. Management material
The most controversial part of changing the form of government in Summit County was hiring a manager to oversee the government’s day-to-day operations.
In 2006, voters in Summit County elected to change the form of government from the former County Commission to the council/manager model. Summit County Manager Bob Jasper was hired to oversee the county’s executive branch.
Last January was Jasper’s first day on the job.
But the proposal to hire a county manager was not popular among all County Courthouse employees. Some did not want a new boss. The countywide vote that created Jasper’s position passed by only a 51-49 percent margin.
The proposal was especially unpopular on the East Side of Summit County. The East Side is largely rural, and the West Side, which includes Park City and the Snyderville Basin, is a more diverse mix of recreational amenities and high-end homes.
Before arriving in Summit County, Jasper served as interim county manager for Teton County, Wyo. Before that he worked for 10 years as county administrator of Mesa County, Colo., and 12 years as assistant county manager for Washoe County, Nev., which includes the Lake Tahoe area.
Jasper said he experienced resistance at first from some Summit County employees.
“They were so used to the old way, but they have come around and I’m really happy Any time you have a major change, it takes a little time to get people going in the same direction. But I think we did that,” Jasper said Wednesday.
3. Expansion worth the wait
Season-pass holders at Canyons were not pleased when resort officials announced in November that they were delaying the ski area’s opening.
Crews needed time to put the finishing touches on a realigned gondola and the new Orange Bubble Express chairlift.
“It increases the uphill capacity out of the base Now right here at the base area you’ve got two great options,” Canyons spokesman Todd Burnette said about the improvements.
The expansion project also included a new lift and 300 new acres of skiing in the Iron Mountain area.
The project is one of the largest and most expensive upgrades ever at Canyons.
Officials have also improved the resort’s ability to make snow. A reservoir near where the new Orange Bubble lift unloads nearly doubles the snowmaking capacity on the mountain, according to Burnette.
2. Uncle Sam wants Park City
Some residents in the Park City area became enraged this year when they learned military officials were proposing the construction of a massive commercial development near The Home Depot in Silver Creek.
The project shown on a website in November included stores, restaurants and entertainment options. But the website has been taken down.
The Air Force for years has sought a location close to Park City for a hotel to offer discounted room rates to military men and women. The project has grown to include a separate commercial area to help offset the costs of providing room discounts to soldiers.
Park City and Summit County officials have offered to sell property the governments jointly own in Silver Creek for the major commercial development. The agreement with the state Military Installation Development Authority gave local officials a seat at the negotiating table.
When Air Force officials proposed building the hotel at Quinn’s Junction in the past, local leaders resisted saying they would like the military to choose a more appropriate site, perhaps at one of the ski areas. But the military is exempt from zoning ordinances. The Military Installation Development Authority, sometimes known as MIDA, is an entity formed to make it easier for the military to develop in the state.
The military has considered supporting development of the commercial center in Silver Creek while building the hotel near Jordanelle Reservoir in Wasatch County. MIDA would receive property tax increment and a share of the sales tax revenue the commercial development generates to help fund the hotel.
1. Lawmen duel on Election Day
In an election year that saw the rise of the Tea Party and entrenched incumbents ousted by voters, a high-profile campaign in Summit County caught the attention of most local poll watchers this year.
Francis Democrat Dax Shane, a police officer in Salt Lake City, campaigned aggressively to unseat incumbent Summit County Sheriff Dave Edmunds, a Republican.
Mud slinging marked the political contest. Edmunds defeated Shane to win his third term in office.