Though only three positions on the Heber City Council will become available at the end of the year, 13 candidates filed to fill those positions and eleven remain in the running, one of whom is Mike Johnston, a current council member who will be running to retain his seat.
Given the high number of individuals in the running, The Park Record sent a relatively short list of questions to each regarding their motivation for running, their plans if elected and their general platform. Their answers will be shared in a short series of articles, of which this is the fourth.
Tori Broughton
Q: What was your motivation to run for Heber City Council?
A: As a person who runs a business on Heber Main Street, I am very invested in its future. I am certain Main Street’s best years are ahead of us. With responsible and sustainable growth, the residents of Heber would be able to enjoy a place in the heart of town to gather, shop, recreate, and enjoy music and entertainment. Folks will be able to choose to live in or visit a pedestrian and bicycle friendly space that attracts locals and the dollars of tourists. It would be a privilege to help see the Envision Heber 2050 Plan along.
Q: What will your top priorities be if you are elected?
A: Revitalizing Main Street through sustainable growth is my top priority. Returning Main Street to the people of Heber isn’t something we can just hope for, it is vital to our economy. Additionally, ensuring we prioritize affordable housing will be key to the success of local businesses. The current council has worked to increase affordable single family, multi family and high density housing. I look forward to continuing and expanding that effort. Finally, access to trails and open space is very close to my heart. As an avid mountain biker, I understand the delicate balance between preservation and access.
Q: Why should voters prefer you over other candidates?
A: I grew up in a very small western Colorado town, Heber feels familiar and it feels like home. I am new to the area but was thrilled with the opportunity to move here after living in a number of other western communities who experienced similar growth. In the year that I have lived here, I have missed one City Council meeting. I am very committed. Serving my community has been a dream of mine since first holding an office in my 4-H club as a teen.
Mike Johnston
Q: What was your motivation to run for Heber City Council?
A: For me, this is 100% community service! I want to keep pressing forward with implementing the best plan possible for a prosperous, vibrant, healthy, and sustainable future for Heber City. The decisions we make today determine what Heber City is like for decades to come. I am pro-planning, pro-prosperity, pro-property rights, and pro-sustainability.
Q: What will your top priorities be if you are elected?
A: My top priorities are:
- Updating zoning and development codes to implement the Envision Downtown and Central Heber General Plan
- Working on more transportation and road planning, in concert with UDOT’s planned Hwy 40 bypass road
- Getting the North Village Performing Arts Center plan finalized
- Guiding the HVSSD sewer plant rehabilitation and expansion, including water reuse capabilities to make Heber Valley more resilient with water resources
- Getting our Master Trail Plan and regional trails implemented sooner than later with new state funding
- Continue to implement ways to help young people and young families to work here and afford a home here in Heber Valley
- Continue to improve and expand our commercial tax base so that our residential tax base will remain low
Q: Why should voters prefer you over other candidates?
A: I will be the first to say that a diversified Council is much better than a homogenous one. An effective Council needs different people from different backgrounds, who can share their unique and varied knowledge, experience, and wisdom in collaboration and with team work to tackle the problems and issues. What I bring as a civil engineer is deep knowledge and 30-years of experience in designing and planning development and infrastructure. I am fluent in transportation, water, zoning codes and city regulations, infrastructure, best practices in land planning. Also, I fully understand running a business, finances and budgets, taxes and balance sheets, economics. And I know how to get things done by working with others, collaboration, listening more and speaking less, teamwork, and finding solutions that most people can support. I believe these are critical assets that at least one person on the City Council should have!
As of Sept. 12 the list of candidates posted online includes those mentioned above as well as Casey Powers, Christen Thompson, Sid Ostergaard, Jami Hewlett, Danny Hill, Vaughn Eric Hokanson, Nick López, Paul Royal III and Aaron Cheatwood.
The two current councilmembers relinquishing their seats without seeking reelection are Ryan Stack and Rachel Kahler.
More information about the election and candidates can be found at Heber City’s website.