Heber City Council and mayoral candidates have submitted their financial statements, and one candidate has spent just over $9,000 more than his rivals.
Current City Councilor Scott Phillips had spent $16,067.64 on his mayoral campaign by July 31. With 37 total contributors, Phillips collected $22,622.17 overall. His largest contributor was himself — Phillips marked that he secured an $18,000 loan for his campaign. Nadim Abuhaidar submitted the next-highest contribution of $1,500.
Overall, Phillips has spent the bulk of his campaign funding on marketing. That’s $3,613.7 on campaign wear through Inked Threads, $750.72 through Roonies Ice Cream and $3,703.22 on signs through Signarama. Phillips also hired a campaign manager through Outcry Digital for $6,000.
Incumbent Mayor Heidi Franco spent $7,044.80 through Aug. 4. She collected $7,994 in contributions.
Like Phillips, Franco was her own biggest donor. Her largest sum of $2,500 came from her own pocket. Arisha Franco donated in-kind graphic design amounting to $2,000. Dan and Trudy Simmons contributed $1,000.
Heber City Council candidate Christen Thompson and Franco contributed to each other’s campaigns. Thompson contributed $342 to Franco’s campaign, and Franco contributed an in-kind mailer to Thompson’s.
If the large blue “Reelect Heidi Franco” signs on Heber City’s Main Street are any indication apart from her financial disclosure, Franco spent the largest portion of her funding on campaign signs. That’s $2,128.74 or about 30% on signs and sign materials.
Apart from Thompson, Franco otherwise contributed $342 of in-kind mailers to Yvonne Barney’s campaign.
While Barney secured $500 through Friends of Heber Valley in addition to Franco’s donation, she has only spent the $342 on campaign mailers through Franco.
So far, Thompson has spent $381.50, and $288.76 of that sum was put toward handout seed packets.
Not counting Mike Hewlett and Jami Hewlett, who are running for mayor and the City Council, did not claim any expenses in their forms. While Mike’s disclosure was blank, Jami marked down $1,000 in total contributions.
As for City Council candidates, Morgan Murdock spent $2,484.94 more than Corey Noyes — the second on the list ranking campaign expenditures from most to least. Murdock received $3,500 of contributions from the Murdock Family Trust. His largest expense was $650.
Both Murdock and Ken Davis received contributions of around $250 from Phillips. No City Council candidates running in Heber City’s primary election contributed to Phillips’ campaign.
The mayoral seat and two City Council positions are up for election this year. The primary election Aug. 12 will narrow the field to two candidates for mayor and four for the council.
Candidates eliminated after the Aug. 12 election must disclose their final financial statements in September. For those that make it to the next round, financial statements will again be due by Oct. 7.