The upcoming election is of vital importance to all Summit County residents. The future of our countywide communities could very well be determined in this election. The major issues facing us are zoning, resort development, affordable housing and traffic.
We need experienced leaders to take us in the right direction. Thomas Cooke fills that bill. Thomas has the endorsement of many prominent council members, including Roger Armstrong and Canice Harte of the Summit County Council and Ryan Dickey of the Park City Council. They want to work with Thomas.
Thomas has served over seven years on the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission and that’s the strongest possible asset for a County Council member. We must have controlled growth. Thomas is in favor of putting on the brakes for building, not stopping it completely, but determining how new construction will affect our county. Will there be more traffic, greater stress on our facilities? Can we provide adequate housing for critical workers such as teachers, so they become a part of our community?
Only experienced leaders can make the decisions that benefit, not penalize, us.
Megan McKenna is a good person who cares very much about our community, but does not have the experience to make the tough decisions that will spell success for our future. Based on public comments made on the record during her relatively short tenure as a housing advocate, I think she appears to be in favor of unrestricted new construction, as long as it has housing. This seems the very definition of thinking in a silo, serving to benefit big developers more than satisfying a community need.
Serving on the Summit County Council should not be a learning experience. It requires actual experience in dealing with the issues facing our county. Thomas Cooke has that experience. Let’s elect him to the council.
Dick Gary
Park Meadows