In today’s episode we’ll talk about:

• County weed mitigation efforts
• Updates on the Long Range Transportation Plan
• Newly adopted Waterwise Landscaping Regulations in the Snyderville Basin area
• Volunteer opportunities for stream restoration within the county 
• The upcoming Easton Corbin Concert THIS Labor Day Weekend

Weed Mitigation

Dave Bingham, Summit County Weeds Superintendent, and Sara Jo Dickens of the Summit Cooperative Weed Management Area or “CWMA” updated Council this week on their busy season of weed mitigation efforts.

During his briefing Dave shared…

• That he has loaned out more equipment to residents this year than ever before. 
• People are coming in to ask questions about noxious weeds and taking positive action to help stop their spread.
• And, that the public engagement opportunities available through the division, including the Weeds Tour in July and projects with students in South and North Summit School Districts, were well attended this year. 

The biggest takeaway from Dave and Sara Jo’s presentation is that you-—the public— are interested in education on noxious weeds in the area and in mobilizing to help with noxious weed mitigation efforts throughout the County! Woohoo!

If you ever have questions about noxious weeds on your property, you can reach Summit County’s Weeds Division, HERE. 

You can also see updates and info that the Summit CWMA publishes about noxious weeds in our area, and details about the Garlic Mustard Games at summitcwma.org.

A last reminder you can still rent this equipment this season, Monday – Thursday from 6:30 AM to 4 PM at 1775 S Hoytsville Road in Coalville. The following spray equipment is available for rental:

• Back Pack Sprayer
• Four Wheeler Sprayer
• Slide-In Truck Sprayer
• Tractor Sprayer

Please contact David Bingham at 435-640-5496 for additional information.

Waterwise Landscaping Regulations for the Snyderville Basin

Moving on to some landscaping news…Council approved new Waterwise Landscaping Regulations for the Snyderville Basin on Wednesday. This draft ordinance has come before the Council four other times before and after extensive revisions and public input, the Council adopted the new regulations this week in consideration of Utah’s ongoing drought and the Council’s commitment to sustainability. 

These regulations will impact ALL NEW DEVELOPMENT: commercial, single-family, multifamily homes, parks, golf courses– everything.

The purpose of these new regulations is to:

• Begin addressing the need to reduce outside watering.
• Encourage preservation of the natural landscape and the use of native drought-resistant plants and vegetation in landscaping choices
• Promote use of water-efficient irrigation systems
• Ensure a substantial reduction In the amount of turf/irrigated lawn area that is being installed. The amount of lawn permitted will be determined by a certain percentage of the lot’s square footage.

Once again–Don’t worry, this is not to make anyone retroactively make people tear out their lawns. This is on NEW development. But there may be some incentivization programs coming in the future. Stay tuned and keep being water wise, Summit County!

Long Range Transportation Plan 

Summit County Engineer Brandon Brady presented at Council this week, going over a final rendition of the Long Range Transportation plan which maps out 30 years of projects for roadways and trails in Summit County. The project is broken into three phases.

The department gathered input this Spring and Summer at multiple well-attended public hearings, open house events, and also took feedback from the Eastern Summit County Planning Commission and the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission to develop this final iteration of the plan.

You can see an updated list of projects and project details online at bit.ly/summitlrtp, but here are some big changes that were made before the plan was ultimately approved by Council last night:

• First, they removed the Democrat Alley project from the plan altogether…This was going to be a project to pave the remaining 1.5 mile section of unimproved road to rob young lane as another entryway into the Kamas Valley.
• They also removed the McCleod Creek Trail project after the Engineering Department listened to and adhered to negative feedback and concerns about this project from the community.
  

Once again you can see a full updated list of projects online at bit.ly/summitlrtp.

Volunteer Opportunities

Shifting gears to an opportunity for residents to give back to their community—September 24th is National Public Lands Day and you can celebrate by participating in a Stream Restoration Volunteer Day with one of Summit County’s partners: Sageland Collaborative.

They will be hosting restoration opportunities all month long—but we are encouraging you to join Summit County’s Public Lands Manager Jess Kirby on September 23 or 24 to clean up East Canyon Creek which is a Summit County property!

To participate or see what other restoration opportunities are out there, you need to register at sagelandcollaborative.org.

Easton Corbin Concert

Summit County is proud to present country music artist Easton Corbin in concert at the Summit County Fairgrounds on September 3rd at 8:30 PM!  

Opening artists Honkey Blue Tonkey, Triggers and Slips, and Jagertown will also join in on the fun! Tickets are on sale for $25 at summitcountyfair.org under the events tab. We hope to see you there!

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In today’s episode we’ll talk about:

• Congressman Blake Moore’s visit to Summit County 
• Property Tax Season: Board of Equalization, Primary Residence Exemption, Tax Abatement Programs
• The upcoming Easton Corbin Concert on Labor Day Weekend

Congressman Blake Moore Visit

On Tuesday, August 23, Summit County council members, staff, and representatives from the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District and Mountain Regional Water Special Service District, welcomed Congressman Blake Moore for a tour of the Weber River Watershed to get an in-person look at the Watershed Resilience Project.

The purpose of this outing with Congressman Moore was to showcase Summit County’s collaboration and strong partnerships around watershed restoration, forest health, and to bring attention to the need to address wildfire mitigation within the headwaters of Western Summit County’s drinking water supply.

The Weber Watershed Project is a cross-boundary, landscape-scale fire mitigation and watershed restoration project located at the headwaters of the Weber River. This project is spearheaded by Summit County’s Public Lands office under the direction of Jessica Kirby and is being conducted in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, local water districts, state agencies, and nonprofit organizations.

Congressman Moore has secured $1 million for this project in the House Fiscal Year 2023 Interior and the Environmental Appropriations bill. The project is garnering attention statewide and at the federal level as the partnership works to build a fund for fuel reduction treatments to make the watershed more resilient to catastrophic wildfire, preserving this critical drinking water source for residents of Summit County and those downstream communities.

A big thank you to Congressman Moore for his time and dedication to supporting wildfire prevention efforts in our community!

Also during his visit, Congressman Blake Moore met with the team at High Valley Transit, including Executive Director, Caroline Rodriguez and Board Vice Chair, David Geffen, as well as members of Summit County Council and County Staff.  

Together, the group toured the site where the brand new HVT Operations and Maintenance facility will soon be built. Then, they drove the S.R. 224 corridor to talk more about the upcoming Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. 

Congressman Moore was a key player in helping to secure funding for the S.R. 224 BRT project, specifically the $25 million federal RAISE grant Summit County and High Valley Transit were awarded earlier this month.  

Another thank you to Congressman Moore for his time and ongoing support of HVT’s mission to provide safe, friendly, efficient, and easily accessible public transit solutions for the Wasatch Back.

Property Tax Season

Shifting gears into a few tax season reminders. First off, the deadline to file for the Board of Equalization is September 15 at 5 PM, so if you disagree with your property tax value and you’re wondering what you can do about it, head on over to summitcounty.org/BOE to file an appeal with the Board of Equalization. 

Up next, we want to remind our listeners to make sure your property’s type of residence is coded properly. The Primary Residence Exemption is an exemption for those people living in their property full time or that have rented their property to a single tenant year round. 

If you do not see “primary residence” listed in the top left hand corner of your tax bill (which you should have received by early August), you can file an appeal to be considered for the Primary Residence Exemption and save some money on your property taxes this year. 

A property that is granted a primary residence exemption is only taxed at 55% of the market value of the home and up to one acre of land. That’s a 45% discount…or in other words a lot of money saved!). Learn more, HERE. 

Appeals are due on September 15 by 5:00 p.m. If you have any questions about this process or your eligibility you can visit summitcountyassessor.org for more info or call the Assessor’s office at 435-336-3220.

Lastly, we want to make sure taxpayers who may be eligible for property tax relief or deferral are aware of these programs and options. For more information, visit bit.ly/ptrelief.

Easton Corbin Concert

Summit County is proud to present country music artist Easton Corbin in concert at the Summit County Fairgrounds on September 3rd at 8:30 PM!  

Opening artists Honkey Blue Tonkey, Triggers and Slips, and Jagertown will also join in on the fun! Tickets are on sale for $25 at summitcountyfair.org under the events tab. We hope to see you there!

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In today’s episode we’ll talk about:

• Property Taxes: Board of Equalization, Tax Abatement Programs, Primary Residence Exception 
• Summit County and High Valley Transit RAISE Grant 
• The 2022 Wild & Woolie Sheepdog Trials
• The upcoming Easton Corbin Concert on Labor Day Weekend

Property Tax Information  

Attention Summit County property owners! Tax disclosure notices were sent out on August 1. There is a 45-day window of opportunity to review your property. 

As the taxpayer, you should be watching for market changes and whether your property is coded correctly, and receiving any exemptions that may be available. 

To appeal the market value of your property, you have to go through the Board of Equalization (BOE). The BOE process ends IN ONE MONTH on September 15th at 5 PM. Appeals will be accepted regarding the market value of your property ONLY. Appeals will NOT be accepted regarding tax rate or dollar amount.

You apply for the BOE through the Auditor’s Office. Visit bit.ly/boequalization to:

• Make appeals online
• For more information on the BOE process

Some Summit County taxpayers may be eligible for property tax relief or deferral. For information on the County’s tax abatement programs, visit: bit.ly/ptrelief 

And, finally, make sure your property’s type of residence is coded properly. The Primary Residence Exemption is an exemption for those people living in their property full time or that have rented their property to a single tenant year round.

A property that is granted a primary residence exemption is only taxed at 55% of the market value of the home and up to one acre of land. Learn more HERE. 

High Valley Transit Funding 

Up next, we have some  very exciting transit news, Summit County and its partner, High Valley Transit, secured a $25 million grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program to continue work on the S.R. 224 Electric Bus and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

The grant will help add dedicated lanes in each direction on much of S.R. 224 exclusively for use by transit vehicles, school buses, and emergency vehicles, as well as procure five battery-powered buses and supporting electric charging infrastructure. It will additionally create two new transit stations, provide improvements on three other existing stations, and allow for operational improvements at intersections along the S.R. 224 corridor.

Once finished, the electric BRT system will create an affordable, accessible, low-emissions transportation choice for those who need it most, while increasing access to goods, services, employment, and recreation. 

This grant, combined with the $30.3 million Summit County received from the State Transportation Commission means the BRT project is fully funded! In terms of what’s next, Summit County will finalize the project environmental review in September of this year and enter a final design for the project in early 2023. 

Wild & Woolie 

Visit the Summit County Fairgrounds August 19-21 to experience the 2022 Wild & Woolie Sheepdog Trials. The event is FREE to attend and food vendors will be on site.

Sheepdog trials are competitions for breeds of herding dogs. Watch these animal athletes complete a series of tasks that reflect their everyday work with a flock of sheep. Events will be happening from 7 AM – 5 PM Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Don’t miss out!

Easton Corbin 

Lastly, Summit County is proud to present country music artist Easton Corbin in concert at the Summit County Fairgrounds on September 3rd at 8:30 PM!  

Opening artists Honkey Blue Tonkey, Triggers and Slips, and Jagertown will also join in on the fun! Tickets are on sale for $25 HERE. We hope to see you there!

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In today’s episode we’ll talk about:

• • An upcoming Community Visioning Project
  • Frequently asked questions about property taxes 
  • Details of a jam-packed weekend at the Summit County Fair in Coalville 
  • The upcoming Easton Corbin Concert on Labor Day Weekend

Community Visioning Project 

At Council this week, the Communication and Public Engagement Department, the Planning Department and the Interim County Manager shared next steps in kicking off a Community Visioning Project that would inform and guide the next 20+ years of planning and strategic focus in Summit County. 

The goal of this project is to reveal the community’s priorities and vision for Summit County’s future. Council emphasized that gathering responses from groups and individuals who are traditionally underrepresented or who have not engaged in these planning and visioning processes in the past should be a top priority throughout the process. 

Over the past two months, County staff have worked to finalize the scope of this project. The next step is to begin the selection process for a consultant that will work with County staff to develop, implement, analyze, and present findings surrounding the public’s feelings and perceptions around topics such as growth, development, open space, sustainability, community values, and more.

The goal is to present findings by September of 2023. Stay tuned on more about this process in the coming months. 

Property Taxes

A hot topic among Summit County residents this month has been property taxes as many households saw large increases in the values of their homes. So, let’s take a couple minutes to go over how property taxes are determined.  

First, the Assessor appraises the market value of a property using a “mass appraisal” system, where each individual property has a “detailed review” every 5 years, but is appraised every year using sales of comparable properties in the area. 

The Auditor’s job is to calculate the tax rates for each taxing authority based on the Assessor‘s valuations using the certified tax rate formula set by the Utah State Tax Commission. 

You are not alone in asking “Why did the value of my home go up so much in one year?” so let us explain: The County saw 58% growth in single-family home sales prices in fiscal year 2021 and an additional 11% growth in fiscal year 2022.

You may also be asking…”Well, what do my property taxes pay for?” Property taxes go to around 15 different public taxing entities to pay for public services such as schools, fire protection, drinking water, roads maintenance, trash and recycling, and more. Some Summit County municipalities (cities) and special service districts (such as schools and water districts) also increased their tax rates to help fund the services they provide. Keep in mind: 56% of your dollars are allocated for school funding alone. 

OK so now you’re saying, “I disagree with my property tax value. What can I do?” First ask: Can I sell my home for the market value listed on my tax notice? You can find this out by contacting a realtor. If not, you can file an appeal through the Board of Equalization. You can file an appeal up to 5:00 p.m. on Sept. 15, 2022 through the Auditor’s Office. To download the appeals form visit: www.summitcounty.org/BOE.

Some taxpayers may be eligible for property tax relief or deferral. For information on these programs contact the County Treasurer’s office or visit: www.summitcounty.org/Treasurer. (Select Property Tax Relief in the left-hand column.)

That was a lot of info on property taxes. We have it all written out on summitcounty.org. You can peruse the web pages for the Assessor, Auditor and Treasurer to learn more. 

Summit County Fair   

The Summit County Fair is underway and runs through Saturday, August 13th! There’s plenty to do and see these next few days in Coalville at the Summit County Fairgrounds! 

Watch cowboys and bucking broncos at two nights of PRCA rodeo, experience rides and games at the carnival, grab a picture with fair royalty, check out home canned goods, flowers, vegetables and art created by Summit County residents.

This Saturday is jam-packed with fun including: a parade down Coalville’s Main St. at 10am. Round out the evening by attending the PRCA rodeo at 8pm. The rodeo is a paid, ticketed event so visit summitcountyfair.org and go to the events tab for ticketing details. 

Easton Corbin   

Lastly, Summit County is proud to present country music artist Easton Corbin in concert at the Summit County Fairgrounds on September 3rd at 8:30 PM!   

Opening artists Honkey Blue Tonkey, Triggers and Slips, and Jagertown will also join in on the fun! Tickets are on sale for $25 at summitcountyfair.org under the events tab! we hope to see you there!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In today’s episode we’ll talk about:

• An upcoming presentation on property taxes 
• Some public safety discussions that happened at this week’s Council meeting
• The County’s new Transportation Planning Director  
• Some very exciting Summit County events coming up later this summer!

Property Taxes 101  

First up, we want to talk about property taxes here in Summit County.  

At this week’s Council meeting and online, members of the public expressed their concern and curiosity about why their property values and taxes have increased, what exactly their property taxes pay for, and what role elected offices play when determining property values and tax rates.  

To address concerns and answer questions, an in-depth presentation on property taxes will be held at next week’s County Council meeting on Wednesday, August 10th from 5 – 6 PM at the Richins Building located at 1885 W. Ute Blvd in Park City.  

The Council and the public will hear directly from Michael Howard, Summit County Auditor, Stephanie Poll, Summit County Assessor, and Corrie Forsling, Summit County Treasurer.  

Public comment will be taken following the briefing. Input will be taken by both in-person and zoom attendees.   

For more information on the presentation, as well as on property taxes and appeal and deferral information, please visit: https://bit.ly/propertytax101

Public Safety 

Shifting gears, there were several discussions regarding public safety resources at this week’s County Council meeting. 

We first heard from the Park City Fire District on the possibility of them shifting towards  independence in providing Emergency Medical Services (EMS) within their district boundaries with no financial support from the County. 

This would leave the option open for the County or Eastern Summit County municipalities to contract with PCFD to provide EMS in North and South Summit. The Council directed staff to begin work exploring what that would look like on a budget level, as well as what an interlocal agreement would look like.  

Next, we heard from Bryce Boyer, Summit County Fire Warden, and Kathryn McMullin, Summit County Emergency Manager, on a county-funded, volunteer Wildland Fire Unit. Established back in May of this year, this team will serve as an extended attack resource if deployment is requested by incident command in the event of a wildfire.  

And, finally, all public safety agencies in the County involved in responding to wildfires, including: Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Dispatch, and Search and Rescue; Park City, North Summit, and South Summit Fire Districts; the Summit County Fire Warden and Emergency Management Department shared their responsibilities and timelines in the event a wildfire occurs.  

This briefing was requested by the County Council who heard concerns from the community about this year’s fire season and how well equipped the County is to respond to any incidents. It was clear from this presentation that Summit County is well prepared and has excellent coordination and communication between all response agencies. 

We wanted to extend a deep thank you to each of them for all they do every day and especially in times of emergency to keep our community safe!  

Fire Danger Level 

Speaking of wildfire! As of August 3, 2022, due to recent & upcoming monsoonal moisture, Summit County has reduced its fire danger level from the High to Moderate.

As always, we urge residents and visitors to continue to practice fire sense. Tips and tricks on doing so can be found at utahfiresense.org.  

To receive updates about current fire conditions and active fires in Summit County, text SCFIREINFO to 888777.  

New Transportation Director  

Summit County hired a new Transportation Planning Director, Carl Miller and he officially started this week!  

Carl joined the County after 15 years of experience with the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho, which is a Metropolitan Planning Association in the Boise area.  

He will work closely with our Engineering Department and Caroline Rodriguez, Executive Director of the High Valley Transit District. The County is lucky and excited to have him! Welcome Carl!  

Summit County Fair  

Moving on to some very exciting news…the Summit County Fair is FINALLY here! This year’s fair will kick off tomorrow, Saturday, August 6th and run through August 13th!  

Come join us and experience this traditional, small-town fair with cowboys and bucking broncos, a carnival, fair royalty, home canned goods, flowers, vegetables, and so much more! Events are held throughout Summit County, but the home-base is in Coalville at the Summit County Fairgrounds!   

The signature Demolition Derby event is already sold out, but the 2022 PRCA Rodeo, happening Friday, August 12 and Saturday, August 13th still has tickets available. Save your spot NOW at bit.ly/summitrodeo22.   

Stay in touch about all things Summit County Fair throughout the week using our fair text line. Text SUMMITFAIR to 888777.   

Easton Corbin  

Lastly: Summit County is proud to present country music artist Easton Corbin in concert at the Summit County Fairgrounds on September 3rd at 8:30 PM!  

Opening artists Honkey Blue Tonkey, Triggers and Slips, and Jagertown will also join in on the fun!  

Tickets are on sale for $25 HERE. We hope to see you there!

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In today’s episode we’ll talk about:

• The County Manager Selection Committee appointments
• Fee adjustments happening in the Sustainability Department and Recorder’s Office. 
• Developments in High Valley Transit’s facilities upgrade plans 
• Summit County events coming up later this summer! 

County Manager Selection Committee 

Let’s kick it off with information about the County Manager Selection Committee. Nine members were appointed to the selection committee who will help the Council select the next County Manager. A special thank you to Betsy Wallace, Christina Miller, Claudia McMullin, Tony Tyler, Tom Smart, Mark Marsh, Margaret Plane, Jeff Young, and Tal Adair for their willingness to serve on this committee. 

From here, the committee will hire and coordinate with a search firm to conduct a nationwide recruitment and evaluation process, after which they will recommend three finalist candidates to the County Council. 

The Council will interview each of the three top candidates to determine the next County Manager. The recruiting process is expected to take a minimum of four months to complete.   

Electric Charger Fee Structure 

Moving on to electric charger fee structure changes! Emily Quinton, the County’s Sustainability Manager, and Zack Darby, Sustainability Analyst, went to Council this week to discuss implementing a fee for County electric vehicle charging stations. 

They proposed implementing a market rate fee for the three County-owned fast chargers, which have been free to use since 2016. All level II charging will remain free for users for now. 

The Council was in favor of this proposal and gave staff direction to move forward. 

Survey Fees + Fraud Guard 

Speaking of fees, Summit County Recorder, Rhonda Francis, presented an increase for the filing fee for surveys. The fee will now be $40. This increase not only puts the Recorder’s Office in line with other jurisdictions within Utah and comparable to the recording fee outlined in Utah Code, but it also will allow them to accept surveys and corner tie sheets electronically via email now! 

And, in other Recorder’s Office news, Fraud Guard is now available through their office. Fraud Guard is a simple way to help you prevent being the victim of property fraud. All you have to do is register your name and when a document is recorded with your name on it you will be notified via email. This gives you early warning of property fraud being committed in your name. Subscribe to Fraud Guard Alerts today by visiting summitcounty.org and navigating to Government Tab and then Recorder” is under the elected offices section.

High Valley Transit 

Moving on to High valley transit news, Kim Carson, High Valley Transit Board Chair, and Caroline Rodriguez, High Valley Transit Executive Director, were in front of the Council to execute a 3 million dollar Real Estate Purchase Agreement as well as an Infrastructure Agreement. 

Both agreements will move forward High Valley Transit District’s facilities upgrade plans. These plans include a bus storage barn, maintenance building, and an administrative office. The bus barn will be constructed first and is expected to be at least a year out from completion.

The County obligations for these plans, as outlined in the infrastructure agreement, include: 

• An improved roadway system that traverses the subdivision
• Extending and installing domestic water lines, sanitary sewer lines, and storm drain lines 

And

• Installation of utility lines including telecom, gas and three-phase power lines 

High Valley Transit has committed to reimbursing the County 8.6% of the cost of these improvements which equates to approximately $1.7 million. 

Summit County Fair 

Moving on to some very exciting news…the Summit County Fair is returning NEXT Saturday, August 6 and will run through August 13. 

The signature Demolition Derby event is already sold out, but the 2022 PRCA Rodeo, happening Friday, August 12 and Saturday, August 13th still has tickets available. Save your spot NOW at summitcountyfair.org then go to the events tab.  

And, while we patiently wait for Saturday, August 6 to get here, stay in touch about all things Summit County Fair using our fair text line. Text SUMMITFAIR to 888777.  

Easton Corbin  

Lastly: Summit County is proud to present country music artist Easton Corbin in concert at the Summit County Fairgrounds on September 3rd at 8:30 PM!  

Opening artists Honkey Blue Tonkey, Triggers and Slips, and Jagertown will also join in on the fun!  

Tickets are on sale for $25 at summitcountyfair.org under the events tab! we hope to see you there!

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Today, we’ll cover:

• The Wanship Fire that occurred earlier this week. 
• Discuss the County Manager Selection Committee.
• Remind listeners about their Solid Waste Services Fee due early August. 
• And, talk about some very exciting Summit County events coming up later this summer!

Wanship Fire  

On the evening of Sunday, July 17, around 4 PM, a structure and grass fire ignited in Wanship closing both directions of Old Lincoln Highway between Wanship I-80 exits and entrances.  

Soon after, at roughly 6:30 PM, a mandatory evacuation order was issued for the vicinity around 30042 Old Lincoln Highway and a temporary shelter was opened at the Wanship LDS Church.  

The fire was estimated to be about 40 acres.

Thanks to the response of North Summit, South Summit and Park City Fire Districts evacuations were lifted by 9 PM that same evening, and by the morning of Monday, July 18 the fire was 100% contained.  

A huge thanks again to the responding fire districts and all other agencies involved.  

County Manager Selection Committee  

As we reported last week, the Summit County Council is seeking nominations from interested citizens who would like to serve on the County Manager Selection Committee. 

The committee will be composed of five to nine members. To serve, individuals must be registered voters in Summit County and either nominate themselves or receive a nomination. Summit County Council will review the nominations and appoint members. 

If you or someone you know is interested in being involved with this process, please submit your name, or a nominee’s name, phone number and a short letter of interest addressed to David Warnock, at  Summit CountyP.O. Box 128, Coalville, UT, 84017, or to dwarnock@summitcounty.org on or before Tuesday, July 26, 2022. 

To clarify, You DO have to be a registered Summit County voter to participate but you DO NOT need to be a registered Summit County voter to nominate someone else.

Once in place, the committee will hire and coordinate with a search firm to conduct a nationwide recruitment and evaluation process, after which they will recommend three finalist candidates to the County Council. 

The Council will interview each of the three top candidates to determine the next County Manager. The recruiting process is expected to take a minimum of four months to complete.   

Solid Waste Services Fee  

Up next, we just wanted to give a quick reminder that your annual solid waste services fee is due Thursday, August 4. Mailed invoices or paperless electronic invoices were sent last week, so be sure to check your mailboxes.  

For some context, your annual Solid Waste Services Fee is $60 for the year, which equates to only $5 per month. This cost is substantially below the actual cost to operate household waste and recycle collection.  

For more information about solid waste services and this fee, please visit the Solid Waste page under Public Works on summitcounty.org.

Or, if you have questions, please contact the Summit County Solid Waste Division at 435-336-3970.  

Summit County Fair  

Moving on to some very exciting news…the Summit County Fair is returning in just two weeks! This year’s fair will run from August 6 through August 13.  

Come join us and experience this traditional, small-town fair with cowboys and bucking broncos, a carnival, fair royalty, home canned goods, flowers, vegetables, and so much more! Events are held throughout Summit County, but the home-base is in Coalville at the Summit County Fairgrounds!  

The signature Demolition Derby event is already sold out, but the 2022 PRCA Rodeo, happening Friday, August 12 and Saturday, August 13th still has 50% of tickets available. Save your spot NOW at bit.ly/summitrodeo22. 

And, while we patiently wait for Saturday, August 6 to get here, stay in touch about all things Summit County Fair using our fair text line. Text SUMMITFAIR to 888777.  

Easton Corbin  

And, finally, Summit County is proud to present Easton Corbin in concert at the Summit County Fairgrounds on September 3rd at 8:30 PM!  

Opening artists Honkey Blue Tonkey, Triggers and Slips, and Jagertown will also join in on the fun!  

Tickets go on sale Monday, July 25th at 10 AM! Tickets are available at summitcountyfair.org under the events tab! Tickets start at $25 and we hope to see you there!

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Today, we’ll cover:

• The appointment of an interim County Manager
• Truth in Taxation process for four taxing entities in Summit County 
• And, several events happening in Summit County this week that our listeners should have marked on their calendars! 

Janna Young named Interim County Manager  

The Summit County Council has appointed Janna Young as interim County Manager, effective July 30, 2022. She will step in for Tom Fisher who, as we reported last week, resigned from his position as County Manager to become the Town Manager in Frisco, Colorado.  

Young has worked for Summit County for six years. She began as the Director of Public Policy and Intergovernmental Affairs in 2017 and in March of 2018, she was promoted to Deputy County Manager and has held the role since.  

The County Council will begin a formal process of recruiting a new County Manager immediately.  

A Selection Committee, composed of five to nine members, will be enacted in the coming weeks. To serve on the selection committee, individuals must be registered voters in Summit County and either nominate themselves or receive a nomination. Summit County Council will review the nominations and appoint members.

If you or someone you know is interested in being involved with this process, please submit your name, or the nominee’s name, phone number, and a short letter of interest to David Warnock/Summit County, P.O. Box 128, Coalville, UT, 84017, or to dwarnock@summitcounty.org on or before July 26, 2022.

You DO have to be a registered Summit County voter to participate but you DO NOT need to be a registered Summit County voter to nominate someone else.

Once in place, the committee will hire and coordinate with a search firm to conduct a nationwide recruitment and evaluation process, after which they will recommend three finalist candidates to the County Council.

The Council will interview each of the three top candidates to determine the next County Manager. The recruiting process is expected to take a minimum of four months to complete.   

Truth in Taxation (Water Districts)  

The Central Utah and Weber Basin Water Conservancy Districts were in front of the Council for Truth in Taxation presentations. For context, Truth in Taxation is a process established by the Utah State Legislature where local governments and districts are required to hold a public hearing and inform taxpayers of proposed increases prior to Councils and/or Boards voting on them for formal adoption.  

Both water districts presented proposed Fiscal Year 2023 tax rates, both of which increased from the previous year.  

Central Utah Water proposed a 24% increase. Impacts of the increase for a $513,000 primary residence would equate to $22.01 a year or $1.83 a month for Summit County taxpayers serviced by Central Utah Water.  

Weber Basin proposed a 62% increase. Impacts of the increase for a $543,000 primary residence this would equate to $49.05 a year or $4.09 a month for Summit County taxpayers receiving services from Weber Basin.

Reasons for increases range from higher bond rates to the historical inflation rates we’re currently experiencing. Both districts shared their plans for use of the money which included several capital projects and replacements, as well as heightened conservation efforts.

In addition to the water districts, two other taxing entities in Summit County: Park City School District and Oakley City, will be going through Truth in Taxation public hearings this year to consider raising property taxes. Stay tuned for more information on those hearings in the coming weeks.

Long Range Transportation Plan  

The Eastern Summit County Planning Commission is conducting a public hearing on the Long-Range Transportation Plan for the years 2022-2050 next week on Thursday, July 21 @ 6 p.m.  

For info on how to tune in or join in person, and to view projects in the plan, visit: bit.ly/LRTPRecs 

To submit a written comment: Email bbrady@summitcounty.org prior to the meeting.  

2023 Calendar  

Calling everyone who loves Summit County scenery! We want to include your photos in our 2023 Summit County Calendar! Submit your photos to bit.ly/calendar23 for a chance to showcase your photography. 

The submission deadline is July 21 at 11:59 PM. 

There are only a few rules to enter. All images must: 

• Be taken in Summit County 
• Be YOUR original work 
• Be high-resolution (NO smartphone photos!) 

Winners will receive 3 calendars and will be featured on Summit County’s social media channels! 

Nonprofit Funding Opportunity  

Attention Summit County Non-Profits! This message is for you! Summit County is currently seeking applications from non-profit entities for fiscal year 2023 grant funding. 

Applications must be submitted online at bit.ly/NPOgrant, The deadline to apply is a week from today on Friday, July 29, 2022 at 5 PM.

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This week we’ll talk about: 

• County facility improvements and the new Silver Summit County Campus
• An update on the OSAC Regional Advisory Groups
• The County’s Emergency Operations Plan
• The resignation of County Manager, Tom Fisher.

Silver Summit County Campus 

First up, we want to take a couple minutes to talk about and give context to some county facility improvements that made headway at this week’s County Council meeting.  

Back in 2017, the county commissioned a private firm to produce a capital facilities master plan. Based on that plan, the County identified several high priority facilities that are in need of improvements.  

The identified projects were improvements to the Public Works Complex, Justice Center, Sheldon Richins Building, and the creation of a new County Facility (currently known as the Silver Summit County Campus). The County Council then authorized a $19M Bond to pay for these improvements in 2021.  

Since the recommendation and original budget was developed, several things have happened… 

1. The Kimball Junction Area Plan was completed which has resulted in staff determining the envisioned improvements to the Richins Building should be delayed until more study has gone into how this facility should be utilized. Council agrees with the delay. 
2. A detailed programing exercise has been completed with the Departments who would utilize space in the new County facility which identified needs not contemplated in the initial study and which possibly underestimated some needs; and  
3. There has been unprecedented inflation in the construction market.  

These factors caused some rethinking and further analysis of how this facility could/should be developed and funded. 

Presently, the Public Works Facility Improvements are under way and are within the budgeted amount, which leaves $12.2M available from the bond proceeds for the remaining high priority projects.  

However, due to the factors mentioned above, the budget originally proposed for the new County facility is roughly $15M short of what the updated cost-estimate is.  

As a result, The County Manager directed staff to review other possible funding sources to bridge the gap. Matt Leavitt, Summit County’s Financial Officer, worked to identify several sources that could be used on this type of project. His proposal includes using federal America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and Transient Room Tax funds, as well as monies from the County’s General Fund, Municipal Services Fund, and Assessing and Collecting Fund.  

Matt reported that due to unexpected growth in fund balances over the last few years, and the conservative spending by Departments, fund balances are above their maximums. He also shared that even after dedicating the one-time spending amounts recommended for the new County facility, the balances will remain above their minimums.  

The Council gave staff direction to move forward with the proposed $27 million budget for the new County facility, stating the project is worthy of the use of these resources as it will house critical County functions that will benefit the community for years to come, such as Sheriff’s Administration, County Prosecutors, Department of Motor Vehicle, a meeting and event space, and a shell for a future childcare facility, which is critically needed to recruit and maintain County workers.  

This budget also allows the County to adhere to the guidelines outlined in the County’s High Performance Building Standards ordinance.

The final form of the budget will be finalized through the County’s budget process which will conclude in December of this year. 

OSAC Update 

Up next, we have an exciting open space update! The Council approved County Manager, Tom Fisher’s, recommendations for appointments to the Open Space Advisory Committee’s (OSAC) regional advisory groups.  

As a reminder, the purpose of these groups is to involve the public in creating, prioritizing, adopting, and recommending Evaluation Standards to OSAC for open space acquisitions and conservation easements.  

There are three groups representing each of the North, South, and Western Summit County communities. In total, there were 21 vacancies to fill.  

You can find a complete list of those selected to serve on these regional committees at bit.ly/OSACregional.  

A big congratulations to all 21 selections. Thank you in advance for your service and commitment to stewarding Summit County open space!   

Emergency Operations Plan  

Moving on, Kathryn McMullin, Summit County’s Emergency Manager, reviewed the county’s Emergency Operation Plan with the Council this week. Council approved the updated plan.  

For some context, the purpose of this plan is to develop an efficient and comprehensive emergency management strategy. Basically, it’s a plan that helps the county mitigate disasters, improve response during an emergency, and establish an effective recovery plan.  

Kathryn shared key changes that have been made to the plan. The two most significant included:  

• Moving the location of the EOC, or Emergency Operations Center, from the Health Department to the Coalville Courthouse. The EOC will have mobile capabilities.   
• Reassigning the Medical Reserve Corps to the Health Department, and adding the Summit County Wildland Fire Unit to the plan as a volunteer organization.  

Moving forward, Kathryn plans to make the plan more succinct to only include actionable language and direction for when incidents occur. Ultimately, making the document even more efficient and effective in times of emergency.   

County Manager Resignation 

And, finally, County Manager, Tom Fisher, announced his resignation at Wednesday’s Council meeting.  

Tom expressed to the Council how much he has enjoyed working with the Council and the staff of Summit County. He will be moving on to another opportunity outside Utah. His last day with the county will be July 31, 2022.  

Council will start the process to fill the now vacant County Manager position immediately.  

We want to take a moment to thank Tom for his 7.5 years of service to the county. We’re nothing but grateful for his strong leadership and steadfast belief in this organization and support of employees. Thank you, Tom, for your service and friendship, and best wishes on your next endeavor.   

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This week we’ll talk about: 

• Preliminary results of the 2022 Primary Election 
• 2022 Certified Tax Rates
• 2022 RAP Tax Grant Recipients
• Solid Waste and Recycling Agreement with Republic Services
• New Public Works Director
• OSAC Update

Preliminary Election Results

The 2022 Primary Election happened this past Tuesday, June 28. We just wanted to take a quick moment to share the preliminary results as reported by the Summit County Clerk’s Office.

As a reminder, there was a Republican Primary for: 

• A U.S. Senate Seat
• U.S. House District 1
• U.S. House District 3
• State House District 4

So far, Mike Lee, Blake Moore, John Curtis, and Kera Birkeland are ahead in Summit County.

There was also a Nonpartisan Primary for:

• South Summit School Board Seat No. 5
• Park City School Board Seat No. 4

In these School Board Primaries two candidates advance to the General Election. So far in South Summit, Olivia Gunnerson and Troy Beckstead are ahead. In Park City, Meredith Reed and Mandy Pomeroy are ahead.

Official results will be posted after the Board of Canvassers meets and certifies the Election Results on July 12th at 4:00 PM at the Ledges Event Center.

If people have received letters asking them if they voted and questioning their signature, they should respond to those letters as soon as possible and no later than July 11th.

2022 Tax Rates

Moving on to this week’s County Council meeting, Summit County Auditor, Michael Howard, was in front of the Council to present the 2022 Certified Tax Rates.

For some background, a certified tax rate is set to guarantee the same amount of revenue each year for taxing entities. This year, Michael reported that the tax rate has decreased from  FY 2021. This rate includes the additional revenue required for bond payments.

So what does this really mean? Well Certified Tax Rates is really one way that the process of property taxes remains transparent and open to public access. Residents are often worried rates will go up if the value of their property increases, but that isn’t necessarily true. Over the entire property tax base in the County, property tax rates get lowered when home values increase, keeping the revenue the same each year. 

Keep an eye on your mail in mid-July (July 22 to be exact) because this is when disclosure notices will be sent to property owners!

RAP Tax

The Summit County RAP Cultural Advisory Committee was back in front of Council this week to present their amended 2022 grant recommendations to the Council.

For some context, the RAP (recreation, arts, & parks) tax is used to enhance or support the funding of publicly owned or operated recreational and zoological facilities, and botanical, cultural, and zoological organizations owned and operated by institutions or private nonprofit organizations. It is a (tenth of a cent) sales tax on certain goods. Citizens of Summit County first voted to approve this tax in 2000 and renewed the tax in 2010 and 2020.

This year, there were 23 applicants with a total request of a little over 1.9 million and there was a total available funds for the grant of just over 1.2 million. Council approved the recommendations. You can find a full list of recipients on the news section on the summitcounty.org homepage or click HERE. 

Republic Services

Derrick Radke and Tim Loveday were in front of the Council on Wednesday to present the new Solid Waste and Recycling agreement with Republic Services, which the Council approved.

Republic Services current solid waste and recycling contract with the county expires, today actually, on July 1st of 2022. After a request for proposals and a committee review of three competitive bids, staff recommend that the Council award Republic Services the contract for another five years, with option to renew for up to an additional 10 years.

During the work session on this new agreement last week, Tim shared that low cost played a significant role in the appeal of Republic’s proposal, as well as their previous 10 years of experience working in the County. In negotiations with Republic Services, he ensured that there would be additional resources devoted to recycling education and significant improvement of customer service in this new contract.

Specific changes from the prior contract include: a local customer service line separate from the national hotline, enhancing the existing recycling program with improved interaction with Recycle Utah to reduce the contamination rate we’re currently experiencing and a partnership between the County and Republic on the recycling transfer center, and, finally, a menu of opt-in services for things like food waste and glass through subcontractors like Spoil to Soil and Momentum Glass to be available to residents.

New Public Works Director

The Summit County Public Works Department selected John Angell as its next Public Works Director this week.  

John has been serving as the Deputy Public Works Director since 2020, although he’s worked for Summit County for 23 years. He will succeed Derrick Radke, who is retiring from the department this December. The transition will happen over the next months until Derrick’s retirement, the two will split the role and responsibilities until then.

A little background on John for our listeners. He has lived in Kamas his whole life and first started working for Summit County in 1999 for the Engineering Division of Public Works. At that time Derrick and John were the only Engineers on staff, so their roles were numerous. His main role was as a Project Engineer, designing and managing construction projects for Summit County. Outside of work, John enjoys spending time with his family in the outdoors riding in any kind of off highway vehicles.

A big congratulations, John!

OSAC Update

And, finally, we wanted to flag that at next week’s County Council meeting, July 6th, the County Manager will present his appointments to the three volunteer regional advisory committees.

As a reminder, these committees were established as part of the Open Space Advisory Committee (OSAC) created by the Council to help them establish an evaluation criteria and evaluate properties for use of the open space bond funds adopted by Summit County voters last November. 

If the appointments are approved by the Council, the advisory committees will be officially established and can get to work on helping the Council acquire properties for open space and conservation.

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