I am writing this letter to express my support of Thomas Cooke for Summit County Council Seat C. When I think about the things I love the most about living in Summit County, I think about open space, trail access, and smart development. I have served on the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission with Thomas for two years and I am proud to call myself a colleague of Thomas.
In my time serving with Thomas, I have not only seen him advocate for those things, I have seen him use his deep knowledge of the development code, state statutes, and experience to actually make those things happen, not by saying “no” to development, but by utilizing his deep understanding of the code to “redirect” development into something that can work for everyone. Thomas has helped author many of the sections of the development code that we use to shape growth in Summit County.
My first project out of college as an engineer in a paper mill was to design a system to protect a new piece of equipment from being hit by 20-ton forklifts that buzzed around the mill. I went to my mentor to ask him how I could design something to stop a 20-ton forklift. He said, “You’re never going to stop a 20-ton forklift. You’re only going to be able to redirect it.”
The same is true for development in Summit County — you can’t stop it, but you can direct it and shape it in a way that creates the community we want to live in. It’s all about holding developers accountable to the standards we have set in the code to deliver on the core values we hold dear in our General Plans. I am voting for Thomas, and hope you will too.
DJ Hubler
Park City