Brieann Charlesworth’s favorite card game is not easy to win. 

Boss Monster is a dungeon-run game where players experience increasingly difficult challenges as they level up. Teamwork is eventually required, and players can tackle rounds as duos to defeat each dungeon section. 

It’s different every time.

“I bought that game on a whim,” Brieann said. “I was like, I really am hooked. … It moves fast.”

That variety is something Brieann’s life partner, Matthew Goodrich, also appreciates in his games of choice. His favorite, Betrayal at House on the Hill, is a cooperative, hidden-traitor board game. 

“Think of it as like being in a ‘Scooby-Doo’ episode,” Matthew said. 

A team of players enters a haunted house to a slew of awry situations. New rooms are unlocked as the game progresses, eventually building the entire haunted house. 

“Then eventually there’s a haunting and one of the players is revealed as the betrayer,” Matthew said. 

It becomes all-against-one. The game has 100 different scenarios, and every new play is randomized. 

“So … almost infinite replayability,” Matthew said. 

Matthew still hasn’t played every possible version. 

The couple’s love of games is part of why Brieann became the owner of one Game Grid franchise location in Saratoga Springs. There, the couple found a community dedicated to learning and playing trading card games. 

Brieann said that community was sure to be found elsewhere.

So, she decided to open a new location in Heber City with Matthew’s help. It’s set to be open to collectors, players and enthusiasts by the end of September, or as early as Wednesday. 

Matthew said there are still a few kinks to work out and plenty of store setup to do before doors open to the public. He and Brieann said they are looking forward to what the Heber City community has to offer. 

Game Grid won’t just be a store that sells board games, trading cards and the like. It will be a home base for gaming enthusiasts to play with friends or meet new ones. 

That’s what the couple’s Saratoga Springs location has become. 

“There weren’t any amenities for people to just go and enjoy an evening that didn’t involve driving out somewhere,” Brieann said. “We wanted to do a community-like center, but it’s focused on games and just making sure everybody finds an interest in a group they want to be a part of.”

Matthew said these days he and Brieann don’t have much time to play games. But that’s because the pair are putting on near-nightly events, hosting new people and those already well-versed in the gaming community. 

In a post-COVID world, Matthew said Game Grid provides an intentional place where people can hang out, be social and have a reason to leave the house. 

“It’s been met with very good will and favor,” Matthew said. “People seem to really like it.”

There are plenty of game stores in Utah, Matthew said, but their Game Grid franchise stands out. 

“I think that we have set ourselves apart as a game store,” Matthew said. “Our location seems to stand apart as being meant for more people than just the hardcore gamers.”

There’s a feel to Saratoga Springs’ Game Grid that people appreciate, Matthew said. 

“They tell us that they like being here, and that it’s a place where they can come be a part of a community,” Matthew said. “Where traditional game stores are kind of more built around the competition and being good at games.”

It’s meaningful to the couple.

“The tables are open to use, so if you have a group that wants to play a game, maybe I have a demo available and you’d like to play. That’s open for you to sit down and try it out,” Brieann said. 

Brieann said the pair have not pursued much advertising for Game Grid Heber City, but they are already receiving calls asking if specific board games are in stock. 

While Game Grid is a Utah franchise, each store is independently owned. Brieann said that system works for her. 

“What works in one Game Grid and what’s popular there may not be popular in Heber, so it allows us that flexibility to change,” Brieann said. 

She chose Heber City as the next location because it had a “similar feel” to Saratoga Springs. 

“We’ve identified it as similar, as just maybe needing that community,” Brieann said. “You have a lot of new people that have moved in. A lot of new people looking for something to do.”

Brieann and Matthew hope to strike a balance between casual and competitive. But no matter what, their main goal to foster community remains the same. 

The post Couple levels up Heber City with new Game Grid location appeared first on Park Record.

Summit and Wasatch counties are Utah’s most expensive housing markets, according to a new report from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. 

Utah ranks as the 10th most expensive state in the nation for single-family homes, with a median sales price of $559,900. Summit and Wasatch counties surpassed that number dramatically, with median sales prices of $2.2 million and $1.2 million, respectively, in the first quarter of 2026. 

Summit County saw a 5% decrease in median single-family home sales price from the first quarter of 2025 to the first quarter of 2026. Wasatch County, however, saw a 21.8% increase in the same time period. 

The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute reported that homeownership has fallen to “near historical lows,” though Utah’s homeownership rate continues to exceed the national average. In 2025, 68.2% of Utah households owned their home compared to 69.9% a decade ago. 

The report indicates that Utah’s housing demand will likely persist with the state’s growing population. Utah will need approximately 61,500 new owner and renter units targeting households ages 35 and younger, about 120,000 units for those aged 35 to 64 and another 98,000 for those 65 and older. 

Summit County Economic Development Director Jeff Jones said he’s not surprised by findings in the Policy Institute’s Report. 

In terms of homeownership, Jones said Summit County has significant challenges. 

“Different groups need different kinds of housing,” Jones said. 

Workforce populations and seniors have varying needs, Jones said, but there are also transitional and emergency housing needs. He cited the Cline Dahle project and others as examples of development that can help.

Cline Dahle is Columbus Pacific Development’s vision for affordable housing on about 30 acres of land in Jeremy Ranch. It’s a public-private partnership with the county, and developers pitched deed-restricted projects with a mix of units between 0% and 150% of the AMI, or area median income. 

Research for the project began in 2024, and implementation was scheduled for June 2025. 

“There’s no single solution that will move the needle without continued partnership,” Jones said. 

The Policy Institute findings are in line with research Jones has collected over the years.

Jones also revealed a breakdown of Summit County’s median housing prices by zip code. Park City saw a median housing price of $3.3 million in August 2026. Echo and Henefer had the lowest median housing prices in the county at $360,000 and $699,950, respectively. 

For every unit size, the maximum affordable rent reaches market parity at a lower AMI level than the maximum affordable sale price, according to Jones’ findings. 

The Policy Institute found 486 permitted residential units in Summit County and 959 in Wasatch County.

Jeffrey Bradshaw is the executive director of the Wasatch County Housing Authority, which supports Wasatch County residents looking to purchase a home. The group created a down-payment assistance fund to help qualified homebuyers obtain housing and supports nonprofit organizations working to help citizens afford housing. 

Like Jones, Bradshaw said the Policy Institute findings seemed in line with what he is seeing on the ground in Wasatch County. 

“It’s real expensive to build on the Wasatch Back, and folks can’t afford to buy homes,” Bradshaw said. 

He said there has been a sharp decrease in the number of down-payment assistance loans issued by the Wasatch County Housing Authority. Those loans sit at 2% interest for about 30 years. Bradshaw said it’s a good deal, but lately, it hasn’t been enough. 

“We haven’t made hardly any lately because the cost of housing is so high that down-payment assistance loans aren’t enough to help out,” Bradshaw said. 

To be specific, Bradshaw said that means just one over the past month. Those loans top out at about $30,000. With that one loan, Bradshaw said the board made an exception to grant the assistance to a couple making just over 80% of the area median income. 

The median household income in Summit County is $138,114, and in Wasatch County it’s $117,608. To afford a median-priced home with a 10% down payment, households in Summit County need an annual income of $427,300, and those in Wasatch need $304,900. 

But Bradshaw has not given up hope because there are programs that help, including rent-to-own opportunities and partnerships with groups like the Mountainlands Community Housing Trust. 

That organization gives applicants the opportunity to purchase deed-restricted homes. Buyers also put in sweat equity, helping to build the homes they will eventually own. 

He said the Wasatch County Housing Authority is also looking to hire a full-time executive director (Bradshaw is not full-time) who can implement new homebuyer assistance programs. 

Partnerships, Bradshaw said, are crucial. That’s especially true when the county or organizations like the Wasatch County Housing Authority work with developers. 

“The biggest challenge is being able to get them built somewhat affordable without it being too big of a subsidy,” Bradshaw said. “That’s the tough part.”

Building new homes in Wasatch County is a balancing act, Bradshaw said. 

“Developers realize they have to participate in it, but they’re out to make a living, too,” Bradshaw said. 

Despite rising costs and population, Bradshaw said organizations that help homebuyers in Wasatch County are heading in the right direction. 

“We’re here to try to help folks find places to live that they can afford,” Bradshaw said.

The post High prices are driving low homeownership, but Summit, Wasatch officials see paths forward appeared first on Park Record.

Heber City resident and hopeful political newcomer Robert Duncan McNeill is stepping in as the Democratic candidate for Wasatch County Council at-large Seat A. 

McNeill, a Heber City resident, filed his intent to run on Sept. 1, one day after the party’s former nominee, Patrick Saucier, withdrew from the race. Having moved to Heber City in 2020, McNeill said he is confident he has what it takes to protect the “small town feel” of the Heber Valley and Wasatch County.

After all, McNeill said he wants to protect his “forever home.”

An actor who studied theater at The Juilliard School in New York City, McNeill said he is well versed in taking on new roles. That includes not only acting but also directing and producing. 

McNeill is best known for his role as Lt. Tom Paris in “Star Trek: Voyager,” a television series that aired in 1995. After that, McNeill went behind the camera. He’s directed around 200 television episodes and has been a producer on around five times that many. 

“The thing I love about television is the speed of it and the teamwork of it,” McNeill said. “There’s never enough time. There’s never enough money. You’re always fighting unexpected problems.”

Learning to work with available resources and anticipating surprises are some aspects of the job McNeill enjoys. He said those skills are easily transferable to what’s required for the county councilor occupying Seat A.

“I got a reputation for being someone who was very responsible and thinking outside of the box,” McNeill said. “I was brought in to kind of get things back on track to a number of shows as a producer.”

New and creative solutions are among his talents, he said. McNeill wants to utilize that work ethic as a county councilor. If elected, McNeill said he would focus on what he considers the main issues in Wasatch County: growth, maintaining the county’s rural feel and accountability. 

“The explosion of growth in Wasatch County, I think that is the No. 1 issue. The community and quality of life,” McNeill said. “I think community is a big part of it.”

Accountability is also top off the list. He said these days, he thinks the public wants representatives at the county level “representing them and not just special interests.”

“I think everyone wants their voices heard,” McNeill said. 

Making county processes more transparent is crucial for McNeill, who said the County Council has consistently shown its cards in that regard. 

“I think there’s a lot of good things that are happening at the council level, but I think it can be even better,” McNeill said. 

For example, he proposed giving community members more ways to engage beyond public comment periods. 

“There should be a response process that happens for some of these major development issues that has some time for people to respond,” McNeill said. “If we wanted to create a process for that, I think that would be great.”

McNeill admitted his biggest challenge will be never having held an elected position before. He would be a “freshman,” he said, albeit an enthusiastic one. But McNeill didn’t think that was such a bad thing.

“My biggest strength is, I think, bringing in some fresh voices,” he said. “I think, as a Democrat, I really value everyone’s voice.”

Whether someone has lived in Wasatch County for generations, is new or is looking to build — McNeill said everyone should have an equal say. 

“When everyone is heard, and things are transparent, I think that’s a strength,” McNeill said. 

McNeill will face Republican Rachel Kahler for at-large Seat A in the general election. There are also write-in candidates: Shawn Taylor and Jami Hewlett. 

The voter registration deadline is Oct. 23, and same-day registration is available on Election Day, Nov. 3. Regular general election ballots will be mailed Oct. 13, and all ballots must be in the possession of the Wasatch County Clerk-Auditor’s Office by 8 p.m. on election night.

The post Wasatch County Council candidate Robert McNeill values transparency, accountability appeared first on Park Record.

Heber City’s wildland urban interface map is expanding. 

Municipalities are required to adopt a wildland urban interface map — which shows areas where urban zones meet wildland and open space — under House Bill 48, which the state Legislature passed last year. 

The law is designed to help residents protect their properties by requiring fire-resistant, defensible materials in development, managing vegetation and ensuring water availability. Property owners can still build in high-risk areas, but new construction in such zones must comply with stricter safety and building standards.

H.B. 48 also aimed to help curb potential property insurance impacts. Insurance agencies can only determine high-risk properties as defined by the WUI maps adopted across the state. Heber City adopted its map earlier this year, but voted to expand it on Tuesday.

The Heber City Planning Commission amended the city’s WUI map to add land from the Wasatch Canal west of Valley Hill Boulevard, heading north along U.S. 40.

The change does not affect any of the underlying zoning regulations such as lot sizes or uses, heights or setbacks. Anything built prior to the adoption of the map change would be grandfathered in. 

“The intent here is to really mitigate wildfire and to mitigate the spread of fire through these areas as they bump up against undeveloped areas or hillsides,” Baron said. 

Wasatch Fire District Fire Warden Troy Morgan said the amendment adds requirements to increase structures’ resiliency in wildfire areas. He said essentially, the WUI code has three zones: wildland that’s undeveloped, wildland-urban interface and urban areas. 

“The concern that we have here is when we had initially drawn the map for Heber City and for this area, it followed the canal,” Morgan said. “But with this level of development and the density that we’re seeing, the proximity of houses to one another kind of exacerbates the potential spread of structure to structure.”

There are multiple fuel sources for fires: Grass, shrubs, trees and homes or structures. The WUI amendment would help mitigate the risk of wildfires and wind-event fires. 

Morgan also emphasized that the Wasatch Fire District can complete requested home hazard assessments, which would be submitted to the state. Those assessments could possibly lower fees for homeowners in high-risk areas. 

“We feel like we can take better care of our citizens,” Morgan said. 

That assessment is voluntary. Morgan said, overall, the city and Fire District have to work with the law that was passed. Residents can request an assessment from the Fire District at any time. 

“Unfortunately, we have to go with it, roll with the punches per se,” Morgan said. 

However, Morgan added there are benefits to the WUI. It requires neighborhood accountability. 

“You can do everything that you can to protect your home from a wildfire, but if your neighbors do not do any of that, they are the biggest risk for your structure in the event of a wildfire,” Morgan said. “This gives more bite to make sure everybody is doing what they are supposed to be doing to be more fire resistant.”

Expanding the boundaries of the WUI, Morgan said, helps the city get “ahead of the game” when thinking about upcoming growth and development. 

The Planning Commission adopted the WUI amendment on Tuesday.

The post Heber City shores up wildland urban interface map ahead of future growth appeared first on Park Record.

Karl Malone Powersports is seeking a zoning change in Heber City to create more employee parking. So, officials are considering whether that would increase noise impacts on neighbors or further decrease property values. 

The zoning adjustment would change a property at 90 W 300 N from residential to commercial. David Hicks from the Karl Malone Group said immediate plans would include increased employee parking. 

Employees currently park on the street, and the change would allow them to leave vehicles on-site, he said. There are no immediate plans to pursue a building expansion.

Heber City resident Angie Mathis lives across the street from the commercial building. She said her preference would be for Karl Malone Powersports to build a new structure. It would further stifle sound from the inherently noisy business, which sells ATVs, UTVs, motorcycles, scooters, watercraft and snowmobiles, for a start. 

Even with the 8-foot-tall masonry wall that’s in place between the dealership and residential properties, Mathis said sound still comes through. 

“I mean, you cannot sell ATVs and everything, and bikes, dirt bikes and things, without it being noisy,” Mathis said. 

Mathis would prefer no zoning change at all, but rather more housing for people in the Heber Valley. 

“Second choice would be, if you are going to have that property, for a structure to be on it because that would provide some absorption of the sound,” Mathis said. 

When the property last had a zoning change, conditions were in place to ensure Karl Malone Powersports had adequate fencing. Tree planting was also offered to nearby property owners. 

Now, there will be requirements for street improvements, including curb, gutter and sidewalk work as well as landscaping. 

Heber City Planning Commission Chair Phil Jordan said there has been plenty of talk about commercial boundaries impacted by the growing city. Residents are most commonly impacted. 

“I really understand the distinction between a wall and its ability to inhibit sound travel versus structure,” Jordan said. 

Hicks said there are options to build in the future. That’s why the group purchased the 90 W 300 N property — for flexibility that aligns with the business’ needs. 

Planning Commission Vice Chair Tori Broughton said plenty of public commenters have come forward to discuss the idea that their property values could be lowered in similar instances. 

“This is probably one of the first things that I actually agree,” Broughton said. “I think that it’s going to be hard to make a decision on something that’s not going to lower her property value.”

Broughton referred to Mathis’ home. 

“I know that’s not necessarily our role to preserve people’s property values. But, I think in this situation, we have to be really careful and thoughtful about how we decide to move forward on this one.”

Planning commissioners moved to table the discussion for a future meeting.

The post Zoning change would turn Heber City property into a parking lot, if approved appeared first on Park Record.

Eric Mainord, a Summit County sheriff’s deputy who briefly ran for sheriff in Wasatch County, had at least three formal complaints filed against him during his previous employment with the Heber City Police Department, according to documents provided to The Park Record through a public records request.

Outgoing Wasatch County Sheriff Jared Rigby, who lost the primary election this summer to Wasatch County Director of Emergency Services Jeremy Hales, contacted Summit County officials in January to express concerns about Mainord’s involvement in the Kouri Richins trial. Mainord withdrew from the race on May 27.

Mainord announced his candidacy for Wasatch County sheriff on Jan. 7, and Rigby met with Summit County Sheriff Kacey Bates the following day. Rigby, now under investigation in Summit County for allegedly interfering with a criminal case, brought a list of 13 claims he said would damage Mainord’s credibility, all of which reportedly stemmed from his employment with the Heber City Police Department from 2013 to 2019.

The Park Record obtained documentation of complaints filed against Mainord while he was employed by Heber City through a Government Records Access and Management Act, which showed he was disciplined and placed on probation at least three times while a member of the Heber City Police Department.

On Tuesday, Mainord declined to comment on the complaints filed against him or the ongoing criminal investigation into Rigby’s actions.

A letter from the Police Department dated Aug. 3, 2015, said Mainord had acted in “an abusive manner” toward a citizen and called his behavior “angry, unprofessional (and) rude.” It also said Mainord threatened to cite or arrest the citizen for an incident “that did not occur” and that he “had insufficient evidence for charges.”

Three supervisors within the department investigated the complaint and determined Mainord had acted inappropriately, according to the letter.

“We are surprised and concerned over the anger you exhibited in the video and concerned with your personal wellbeing and potential stressors that may be aggravating your wellbeing,” the letter said. “We find also that the allegations are sustained and a violation of, or in conflict with, various policies and procedures.”

One policy infraction included a failure to read the citizen their Miranda rights, which inform people of their constitutional rights during a police investigation, the letter said. He also reportedly failed to activate his body camera as required by the department when a situation “becomes adversarial.”

The letter said department supervisors were concerned about Mainord’s behavior because of two previous incidents that caused him to be verbally reprimanded in 2013 and 2014.

Specifically, the document said Mainord cursed at a member of the public at a farmers market in 2013 and was “verbally counseled and warned to correct the behavior.” In 2014, he was again verbally reprimanded for arguing with a Wasatch County employee, according to the letter.

Mainord was asked to comply with a “fitness for duty examination” and follow any recommendations in addition to attending a required anger management class. He was also suspended from participating in special assignments, such as the SWAT team, and barred from receiving overtime unless approved by a supervisor for six months.

He violated the department’s corrective action plan less than two months after the first letter was issued, according to the document.

On Oct. 1, 2015, Mainord was reprimanded for a second time after he allegedly failed to follow orders, “used inappropriate force” and “acted unprofessionally in the presence of the general public by using unnecessary foul language.”

The letter said Mainord was asked to protect an underage girl during an “undercover takedown operation” involving an individual suspected of an inappropriate relationship with the minor. Mainord was ordered to stay with the girl while other officers apprehended the adult individual outside of a restaurant, but Mainord allegedly entered the establishment and contacted the suspect before he left the building.

“You drew your weapon on a suspect who was not posing any threat, whose arms were occupied with a package, and there was no specific information available indicating that there would be a threat,” the letter said. “While your weapon was drawn, you physically engaged the suspect without holstering your weapon while other officers were available to physically take the suspect into custody.”

The document said Mainord also “used foul language in front of uninvolved restaurant patrons and employees.”

Mainord’s supervisors wrote that he violated the city’s personnel policy by refusing to “comply with lawful instruction” and engaging in “insubordination” in addition to violating the Police Department’s procedures surrounding reasonable force and professionalism.

“The violations are further aggravated by recent discipline where mistreatment of another member of the public was addressed,” the letter said. “Because these types of incidents are continuing, a pattern of poor relations between you, the general public and neighboring agencies continues to bring discredit to the Heber City Police Department.”

The second incident led the department to place Mainord on probation for one year, which meant he was ineligible to participate in specialized or out-of-state training, as well as specialized assignments. He was removed from the SWAT team, and the active period for his corrective action plan was extended until May 2016.

Mainord was denied a merit pay increase for the year, too.

The department also mandated Mainord meet with a supervisor “bi-monthly” to “concentrate on (his) attitude and feelings pertaining to the general public, surrounding agencies” and the Heber City Police Department. The supervisor was responsible for documenting Mainord’s work performance and providing him with “coping mechanisms in dealing with stress and deescalating situations.”

Mainord was disciplined for a third time in 2017 after he was involved in a “verbal altercation” with a Utah Highway Patrol trooper, according to another letter in Mainord’s personnel file. The document said the trooper was removing debris from U.S. 40 when Mainord drove by and allegedly passed the trooper “too close,” which caused the trooper to make a rude hand gesture at Mainord.

Mainord then pulled over to talk with the trooper, but the “discussion quickly turned heated and generated a complaint” from the Utah Highway Patrol, the letter said.

Mainord’s supervisors wrote he “unnecessarily” stopped to interact with the trooper “who was obviously hostile” and chose to engage in an argument instead of apologizing, de-escalating the situation or ignoring the trooper. Mainord also cursed at the trooper and reportedly taunted him, based on body camera video the department reviewed.

“The altercation became so heated that (the trooper) called for backup units,” the letter said. “Regardless of our opinion of (the trooper’s) choice, this caused multiple emergency resources to be deployed unnecessarily to a ridiculous situation that you had every opportunity to avoid.”

The letter said Mainord showed a “continuing pattern of conduct” that is “further degrading relations” between Mainord, the public and other law enforcement agencies.

“This discredit has now become so pronounced that when the Wasatch County sheriff was called to testify on a legal action against you, his testimony was damaging,” the letter said, referring to former Wasatch County Sheriff Todd Bonner. “This despite the case being defensible in every other way.”

The document said Mainord was told to take days off with pay and “analyze (his) desire to remain with the department.” He was asked to provide a corrective action plan to his supervisors but failed to do so, which the letter said was “discouraging.”

Mainord was suspended without pay for five days and reassigned as a code enforcement officer and bailiff. He was placed on probation for one year and denied a merit pay increase.

The department also mandated that Mainord meet with a supervisor once a week to discuss his feelings about the job and learn coping strategies. Mainord also received another body camera, which he was directed to activate “anytime a contact becomes ‘adversarial.’”

Mainord appealed the disciplinary actions associated with the Utah Highway Patrol incident, but former Heber City Manager Mark Anderson upheld the department’s findings after reviewing statements from Mainord and the state trooper, body camera footage and internal city reports.

“As I contemplated what a fair outcome would be, the issue that I have to grapple with is the fact that there is a documented pattern of confrontational behavior that has caused harm to the Heber City Police Department’s reputation and enhanced potential liability/risk to the city,” Anderson wrote. “As we discussed, the public is more likely to file suit against the city if the officer involved in an incident has a history of documented aggressive behavior. The risk is increased if other law enforcement agencies view the officer as a problem officer that is difficult to work with.”

Anderson added that he was “confident” Mainord had “the work ethic to be very successful in code enforcement” and encouraged him to view the reassignment as a way to “have a huge positive impact on the appearance of our community.”

“Lastly, Eric, please be aware that the city acknowledges that you have made progress in this area, and that you have solved several high profile crimes through tenacious work effort and … good judgment in many instances,” Anderson said. “The city also appreciates your continued loyalty you have shown. I hope that you will address the issues identified by police leadership, as you have the potential to make a big difference in the department and the city.”

Rigby had not responded to a request for comment as of Thursday afternoon.

The post Heber City Police Department disciplined former Wasatch County sheriff candidate Eric Mainord multiple times, personnel file shows appeared first on Park Record.

There’s been a switch in Democratic candidates for Wasatch County Council at-large Seat A. Patrick Saucier withdrew from the race and was replaced by Robert Duncan McNeill. 

McNeill, a Democrat and Heber City resident, filed his declaration of candidacy on Sept. 1, one day after Saucier withdrew from the race. 

According to Utah law, a political party may certify the name of a different person after the close of the filing period if the candidate who already filed withdraws from the race. 

Wasatch County Democratic Party Vice Chair Claire Hassett said her party conducted a review for new candidates after Saucier decided to accept a new job in his home state of New Hampshire. 

“We found a really fabulous candidate who was willing and able to run in Patrick’s place,” Hassett said. 

McNeill, Hassett said, is a lifelong Democrat and progressive who “really understands Wasatch County” and its needs. 

“I think he will really represent our community well on the council, and he brings unique life experience that I think is going to be very helpful as we try to balance growth and development with serving our communities, being true to our community values and roots,” Hassett said. 

McNeill is the only Democratic Party candidate seeking the seat. In November, he will face Republican Party candidate Rachel Kahler and write-in candidates Jami Hewlett and Shawn Taylor. 

Taylor, from Charleston, filed his write-in candidacy on Aug. 27. Hewlett filed her write-in candidacy on Aug. 26. 

The Democratic Party vice chair said the most important thing for a candidate is to have an “ethic of public service.”

“I think too many of our elected officials in the state have gotten away from actually serving the public, listening to what their needs are and working on solutions to address them,” Hassett said. 

The position for County Council Seat A is a four-year term. 

Saucier and McNeill were both unavailable for comment by the time of publication. 

The voter registration deadline is Oct. 23, though same-day registration is available on Election Day, Nov. 3. Regular general election ballots are mailed Oct. 13, and all ballots must be in the Wasatch County Clerk-Auditor’s Office by 8 p.m. on election night.

The post Wasatch County Democrat withdraws from council race; new candidate replaces him appeared first on Park Record.

Midway has officially approved a reduction in areas where nightly and short-term rentals are allowed in Midway City, as local leaders say fewer nightly rental zones will protect local housing. 

The new ordinance, discussed on Sept. 1, tightens up the transient rental overlay district, or TROD, which governs short-term and nightly rentals. A majority of council members voted in favor of the amended ordinance, which was originally discussed in August. 

Areas subject to removal from the TROD include Turnberry, Turnberry Woods, Midway Village, Rising Ranch, lots in the Mountain Spa Rural Preservation subdivision, 100 South between 50 West and 100 West and an area located east of Fox Den Road and south of Main Street.

At the public hearing, the Rising Ranch subdivision was discussed repeatedly as an area with nightly rentals in operation. Community Development Director Michael Henke said Midway has received two letters from property owners in that development sent to the City Council and the city’s legal department. 

“The one thing about Rising Ranch subdivision is, after that subdivision was approved, they applied for a blanket conditional use permit for nightly rentals for all of the properties within this development,” Henke said. 

That means there is an avenue for nightly rental applications to move forward with a conditional use permit. Henke said removing the area from the TROD would not eliminate property owners from applying for a transient rental unit license. The city has received a legal response on the matter. Kevin Ross, an attorney who is representing property owners in the Rising Ranch subdivision, made a public comment conveying the property owners’ position. 

“No complaint has been filed against Rising Ranch and, unlike the other communities being removed from the TROD, Rising Ranch was developed under the TROD,” Ross said. “Rising Ranch has a recorded property right to have a short-term rental, and removing Rising Ranch from the TROD would be a violation of those property rights, the development agreement, and possibly a taking that would cause at least $9 million in invested damage.”

Ross requested the city grandfather Rising Ranch in. 

Multiple Midway residents, including Katie Villani, spoke out in complaint of Rising Ranch nightly rentals. 

“I do know, from living in the area, that there are complaints about Rising Ranch, and I also do know that it’s not licensed,” Villani said. “From living right down the street, you hear music, you hear weddings, you see the traffic, you see what goes on.”

Villani said it doesn’t logically follow to treat Rising Ranch differently when “this one has had some of the worst behavior.”

Carol Jarvis lives adjacent to Rising Ranch. She said she has seen multiple formal complaints against nightly rentals in the subdivision. 

“There have been parties. There have been 30 cars. There has been obscene music. My house lights up with strobe lights for multiple, multiple weddings,” Jarvis said. 

Ross denied that any weddings had been hosted at Rising Ranch nightly rentals. 

“As for the other complaints, the complaints themselves, if they’re coming from the person making comment, that is part of the conflict right there,” Ross said. “There’s a real property right recorded with the land, and they’re happy to discuss any legitimate complaints.”

Henke said that conditional use permits can be revoked if violations occur. 

“We have to have a really good case to do that, but it is possible for it to be revoked,” Henke said. 

The city adopted the new ordinance restricting the TROD. It grandfathered in properties currently operating with approved nightly rentals or conditional use permits. There are two licensed properties that would be allowed to continue in the Turnberry area. 

There will be further discussion about the Rising Ranch subdivision and nightly rentals at a future public meeting.

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Utah’s monsoon season brought summer storms to the hottest stretch of the year, but water bodies like the Provo River are still low. On Saturday, the Provo River Days festival will aim to educate the public about the river’s importance and its impact on the Wasatch Back. 

Nancy O’Toole, a concerned citizen who also sits on the Provo River Days steering committee, said it’s about awareness. She’s seen the Provo River shrink throughout the summer. 

“It’s not in good condition,” O’Toole said. 

So, O’Toole and her fellow steering committee members banded together with the Utah Division of Water Quality, the Provo River Watershed Council, the Provo River Mitigation Committee and nearby state parks to put on the Provo River Days. 

Education is the goal.

The Provo River Days festival has four stops along the riverway where attendees can learn something new: Wasatch Mountain State Park, Deer Creek State Park, the Jordanelle Reservoir and Vivian Park.

Wasatch Mountain State Park doesn’t have a Provo River site, but O’Toole said it’s included because nearby Snake Creek and Pine Creek flow into the Provo River. 

There will be educational and interactive exhibits, guided nature walks and watershed tours, family-friendly environmental activities and demonstrations about water quality and conservation. O’Toole said it’s all about teaching people about the river and making connections to the water body from its Uintas headwaters to the communities along the way. 

“In a fun way that kids can understand and realize that you need to take care of your environment, you need to take care of nature,” she said. 

The Provo River is considered one of the best fishing destinations in the Wasatch Back and is classified as a Blue Ribbon Fishery. Fly fishers are often wading through the lower Provo River near the entrance to the Heber Valley. 

The Provo River also provides a wealth of habitats for species such as frogs, birds, deer and more. O’Toole said caring for the river is so important because when the river is not “healthy,” there’s a domino effect harming plants and animals in the area. 

“It’s not healthy for the critters and the animals and the birds that rely upon that river,” O’Toole said. “It’s a chain effect. It’s the cycle of life.”

Taking care of the source — the Provo River — is crucial, she added. 

Anna Habben helped plan the Provo River Days through her job at Mighty Penguin Consulting. The nonprofit consulting group helped with planning and fundraising, and has done similar work for festivals along the Wasatch Front. 

“We want community members in particular and businesses and all the different stakeholders that are involved in watershed health to understand what’s at stake for the watershed and what its needs are,” Habben said. 

She added that it takes collective action and responsibility, whether it’s someone enjoying state parks or a developer looking to build near a waterbody. 

“It really takes all hands and all sectors to understand and to solve the problems that are at hand and to meet the needs of the watershed because we all either benefit from the water or we all suffer because of it,” Habben said. “This event, it’s a positive way for us to get together and be more educated.”

And hopefully it will drive more understanding and dialogue about the needs of the Provo River, she added. 

Habben said she is most excited for the guided hikes and nature walks. Each site will feature a different issue facing the watershed, whether it’s erosion or water quality. It’s a way to get individuals exploring in the state parks and along the Provo River while learning about what happens in those areas and how to preserve the natural environment. 

O’Toole said she is most looking forward to educational pieces about recreating in the Provo River. As a Wasatch County resident, she said she’s floated the river more times than she can count. She’s seen kingfishers along the river paths, raccoons in the trees and “everything, anything that you ever want to look at.”

She added that at Provo River Days, there will even be educational lessons about cleaning up the river put on by scuba divers. 

“This is their mission … to go to Jordanelle and Deer Creek and clean out the bottom of the lake of garbage,” O’Toole said. “I’m so excited.” 

Habben said she wants attendees to walk away with more awareness about the Provo River. She is excited for everyone to participate in a survey in which visitors can share one new thing they learned about the watershed. 

“We want our guests to come away with a better understanding of what the watershed is and why it matters to their community,” Habben said. “And what they can do to support those needs.”

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Former Wasatch County Council Chair Karl McMillan died in hospice care on Thursday after a months-long battle with pancreatic cancer. 

McMillan was hopeful to retain Seat F on the County Council when he announced his reelection campaign in January. But in April, McMillan was forced to resign from his post altogether, citing serious health issues that required his full attention. 

As chair, McMillan navigated the County Council through topics ranging from developments to county finances and retaining the rural character of Wasatch County. Most notably, McMillan served on the Wasatch Open Lands Board, helping facilitate conservation easements on more than 350 acres of land. 

County Councilor Erik Rowland assumed McMillan’s post as chair after his fellow councilor’s resignation. Rowland, however, considered McMillan to be a friend as well as a fellow public servant. 

The pair met for the first time when they were sworn in together as County Council members in 2023. Rowland said McMillan came off as quiet, but as they began to deliberate over county operations, Rowland started to see more of McMillan’s personality and sense of humor. 

“He was very blunt and straight to the point and just a man of very few words,” Rowland said. “But when he did speak, it was very meaningful.”

Rowland said he learned to appreciate that trait in McMillan over their time as County Council members. 

“It was refreshing because you have those who love to sometimes hear their own voice, I think, and end up saying nothing,” Rowland said. “And here’s Karl with just a nod and a word; he could say a whole volume. It was pretty amazing.”

That’s a sentiment echoed by former longtime County Councilor Steve Farrell, who knew McMillan since his teenage years as a high school student in Wasatch County. 

“He didn’t talk a lot, but when he did talk, he talked with force,” Farrell said. 

McMillan worked as an engineer in Heber City before sitting on the County Council, according to Farrell. Throughout his life in Wasatch County and his time as an elected official, Farrell said McMillan had a goal to serve his community and protect the character of the place he called home. 

“His only agenda was to serve the people of Wasatch County to the best of his ability, and he proved that time and time again,” Farrell said. 

Rowland said McMillan came across as humbled and grateful for an opportunity to help the community and show his “deep love for the county, for the people.”

“I think that love really came across, and how he wanted to serve the county and just try and honor and to preserve as much of that heritage as he could,” Rowland said. 

McMillan’s knowledge of the people, his community and the history of Wasatch County helped shape his decisions and priorities as far as what he was willing to “fight for,” Rowland said. 

When asked what he thought McMillan was most proud of, Rowland said it was maintaining the heritage of Wasatch County. That’s especially when it came to open space and being involved with decisions that helped manage growth. 

“He’s seen places that, as a kid, he had run around in fields and mountains and hillsides, and I think he probably never would have imagined it was all going to be built out,” Rowland said. 

McMillan held developers to their word, Rowland said. 

“I think his contribution was just that reminder that there is an incredible value, and I think it’s just incredible what this community has as a heritage, what we hold true and hold important to us,” Rowland said. “He always seemed to remind us of that.”

McMillan encouraged the county to remember its history and avoid repeating mistakes of the past. 

Farrell said it was McMillan’s dedication and practical knowledge that stood out to him most. A “silent giant,” McMillan will be remembered as one of the “best county commissioners that County Council has ever seen,” Farrell said. 

“Because that was his only reason to be involved with the county, was his dedication to service,” Farrell said. 

Rowland joked that he thought McMillan joined the County Council because he lost a bet. 

“It just fell into his lap and, because of that, I think it really afforded him to just speak his mind,” Rowland said. 

The County Council chair said there are many small memories he will remember with McMillan. 

“He had no political correctness,” Rowland said with a laugh. “He would say whatever he wanted … I’d go ‘Karl, the mic’s on!’” 

His mannerisms, Rowland said, might be colorful. But “that’s just Karl,” Rowland said. 

Farrell said it was a scary moment when he found out his friend was sick. 

“He thought he could beat it, and he worked every way that he could to beat that,” Farrell said. “It just was bigger than he could handle.”

Rowland said he went into denial. It wasn’t until his last meeting with McMillan in hospice care that Rowland accepted he may not see his friend again. That’s when it became real for Rowland. 

“I just had that really clear impression that this was going to be the last time I’d have a chance to sit down with him and I just looked at him and asked him, ‘Hey, what’s important, Karl?’” Rowland said. “He didn’t even hesitate. It was just almost like he was expecting the question.”

McMillan’s answer was simple. Family. 

“He goes, ‘Do whatever you can to keep family. That’s all I think about. I don’t think about my house. I don’t think about any of the things I’ve got. I’m just thinking about my kids and my family,’” Rowland said. 

When Rowland stepped into McMillan’s spot as County Council chair, he said that he started to ask himself: What would McMillan do? 

“He’s been my north star in a lot of ways,” Rowland said. 

Rowland said he will never forget McMillan’s stoic nature, his sense of humor and his smile, even throughout McMillan’s battle with pancreatic cancer. 

“It was so powerful,” Rowland said. “I think the community will remember him for that hard work, honesty and respect and love for Wasatch County. I don’t think anyone could ever question that.”

Farrell said he will remember McMillan as a good man. 

“And the dedication he showed to the things that he believed in,” Farrell said.

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