Category Archives: Podcasts

October 13, 2023 – 2024 County Budget, Truth in Taxation, County EMS & Our Summit Community Visioning Update



Today, we cover…

  • 2024 County Budget Process / Important Dates 
  • Truth in Taxation
  • County-wide EMS Update
  • Our Summit Update 

2024 COUNTY BUDGET

At this week’s County Council meeting the County Manager’s Office presented their recommended 2024 budget.  

The manager’s proposed budget will be presented in several upcoming meetings:

  • October 18 – COLA, Personnel, Recommended new Positions
  • October 25 – New Programs, Areas of Significant Increases
  • November 1 – Potential Departmental Appeals, Areas of Council Interest
  • November 8 – Budget discussion in terms of Council Work Plan and Priorities (alignment)
  • November 13 – Special Revenue Funds, including TRT, RAP, Restaurant, etc
  • November 29 – County Service Districts, Discussion related to Unfunded Projects, Capital Projects; Unresolved Concerns

County Council and staff will also meeting in a strategic planning retreat on October 30 & 31st to discuss 2024 work plan priorities and how they will impact the 2024 budget.

Two public hearings on the final proposed budget are scheduled for December 6 and December 13. On December 13, the 2024 budget and any 2023 budget amendments are scheduled to be adopted.

TRUTH IN TAXATION

Also at council this week, the county notified the Council of its intent to levy a tax rate which exceeds the County’s Certified Tax Rate. This notification of intent is the first step in a longer Truth in Taxation process that will take place over the next few months. 

The truth in taxation encourages transparency and provides an opportunity for residents to comment on the proposed increase before the County Council makes a final decision.

Presented at this week’s council meeting a tax increase that would bring in almost $5.5 million to cover what Council Chair, Roger Armstrong, described as a “needs-based” 2024 budget. The additional funds would help cover unfunded projects next year, including the countywide EMS system, as well as heightened staffing needs. 

For the County’s General Fund, a 15.6% increase was proposed which would bring in $2.8 million. For the average primary resident with a home value of $1.3 million this would equate to a $45.49 increase on this line item of property their tax bill. We want to be clear that this is not a 15% increase in the OVERALL tax bill – in this case it’s just that amount in the Summit County General Fund, which is a single line item on the property tax bill.

For the Assessing and Collecting Fund, the proposed increase would cost the average primary resident $22.88 on this line item of their property tax bill. The General Fund and the Assessing and Collecting Fund are collected from ALL parcels in Summit County.

For the Municipal Services Fund, which funds services like garbage and law enforcement to county residents that live outside of cities/towns, the proposed increase would cost the average primary resdient in unincorporated Summit County $12.02 on this line item of their property tax bill. 

Finally, the proposed increase to Service Area #6 would support road maintenance in subdivisions outside of cities & towns. The cost to the average primary resident in SA6 is $91.39 on this line item of their property tax bill.  

Please keep in mind that these proposed increases represent the ceiling in which the county could increase the tax rate. Through the Truth in Taxation process these numbers are not to be exceeded. The council could choose to increase by the full amount, settle on a lesser amount, or decide not to increase at all. 

Tax rates are certified on June 22, 2024, so the Council will have until then to decide. The public hearings on the rates will be Dec 6 and 13 of this year. We’ll be sure to keep our listeners updated on more specific details surrounding those meetings as the process moves forward. 

COUNTY EMS UPDATE

Next up, the Council convened as the governing body of Park City Fire Special Service District. 

For some context before we dive in, last year the interlocal agreements between the County and Park City Fire were amended and extended for Park City to continue to provide ambulance service to the area covered by each of the three fire districts (Park City, North Summit, and South Summit). They are one-year agreements that will expire November 2 of this year. 

In late September of this year, the County Council decided to fund basic 911 EMS service countywide moving forward. The County has entered into a contract with each of the three fire districts to do so. Each Fire District will be responsible to provide EMS within its boundaries.  These contracts don’t go into effect until January 1 of 2024. If you want more detail on this go back and listen to our September 22 episode where we dive a bit deeper on the future of EMS service in the county. 

Anyway, this leaves us with almost a two-month gap in ambulance coverage or service, so at this week’s council meeting the Council approved to extend the status quo, if you will. This means that Park City Fire will continue to provide ambulance service to all three fire districts through the end of the year until the new agreements take effect in January when each fire district will take over EMS services within their boundaries, as funded by the county.

OUR SUMMIT COMMUNITY VISIONING

County staff and the project team from Logan Simpson provided an update to County Council and both the Snyderville Basin and Eastern Summit County Planning Commissions on the year-long community visioning process. This meeting was the first time that County Council has met with both planning commissions jointly.

A draft of the vision statement was discussed in addition to the key objectives that emerged from public input. Planning commissioners responded to the visions statement and overall findings and discussed potential next steps once the visioning process concludes, including how to take action on the findings.

This weekend is your last chance to participate in Phase 3 of Our Summit. Your responses will directly impact and guide the future of Summit County. You’ll help us understand how YOU prioritize certain features of your local community, what enhancements you would like to see and how you think growth should be handled. Take Questionnaire 3 BY SUNDAY NIGHT (October 15) at oursummitcounty.com.


October 6, 2023 – Tax Bills, North Summit Special Recreation District Proposed Tax Increase, Parking Needs Assessment & Community Engagement Opportunities



Hey everyone, welcome back to another week of news here on Summit in Six! We’ll kick things off with a couple tax-related items, then we’ll quickly cover some parking news and wrap things up with some exciting community engagement opportunities coming up that our listeners might want to get involved in. Ok, let’s get into the news!

TAX BILLS

Heads up Summit County! Your tax bills will be mailed by the Summit County Treasurer’s Office on October 20 so be on the lookout! Taxes are due November 30! 

You might notice an insert in this year’s bill that discusses the Primary Residence Exemption. If your home is coded as a secondary residence but you think that coding is incorrect, now is the time to apply for the Primary Residence Exemption. 

To qualify for the exemption:

  • You and all the owners of the property must be legally domiciled Utah residents
  • AND all the owners must provide a Utah driver’s license (or Utah I.D. Card) with an address that matches the property address
  • AND you live in the home for 183 or more consecutive days in the year.

OR…

  • You have a tenant that is a legally domiciled Utah resident with a Utah driver’s license (or Utah I.D. Card) with an address that matches the property address
  • AND you can provide a copy of the lease agreement with your tenant
  • AND your tenant lives in the home for 183 or more consecutive days in the year.

If this sounds like you, please visit summitcounty.org/assessor and click “primary residence exemption” to begin the process. Application approval can take several weeks. Your property taxes must be paid by November 30 to avoid a penalty, even if you have applied for the exemption. Any excess taxes paid prior to receiving the Primary Residence Exemption will be refunded.

NORTH SUMMIT RECREATION DISTRICT 

Also at this week’s meeting, the County Council convened as the governing board of North Summit Special Recreation District. On September 28, North Summit Rec gave the Council notice via email of their intent to raise their certified tax rate. This week’s council agenda item was a courtesy that followed that initial notice. 

In 2019 North Summit residents voted to approve a tax rate cap of .000104. The district’s current tax rate sits at .000061. North Summit Rec’s proposed increase would bring the tax rate up to the previously authorized cap of .000104. 

The proposed increase is projected to generate roughly $75,000 for the district. For a North Summit resident with a home value of $785,000 the increase would equate to $18.57. 

There will be a public meeting held next week on October 11 at the Ledges Event Center, located at 202 Park Road in Coalville. It is slated to start at approximately 4:20 PM. 

At the meeting, residents will be able to listen to the reasons behind the percentage increase, the gross amount of the increase, the details of the process and so on. To be clear, a public meeting No public comment will be taken on the proposed tax rate increase but everyone is welcome to attend.

However, later this year, North Summit residents will have the opportunity to comment on the increase at a December 6 public hearing. We will be sure to keep listeners updated on the details of that meeting.

So stay tuned on Summit County social media channels and keep listening to this podcast to remain informed!

PARKING NEEDS ASSESSMENT 

Moving onto some exciting parking-related news! This week, the Council approved an interlocal agreement with Park City Municipal for a Parking Needs Assessment and Policy Review. 

For some context, back in April of this year, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) awarded Summit County and Park City Municipal Corporation (PCMC) a Technical Planning Assistance (TPA) grant of $175,000 to conduct a Regional Parking Needs Assessment and Policy Review. 

Fun fact! It’s the first UDOT Technical Planning Assistance grant the county has ever received and it was the highest funded grant they’ve ever done through that program! 

PCMC offered to provide up to an additional $50,000 in matching funds. The Interlocal Cooperative Agreement establishes formally that PCMC will do so. The Summit County transportation division will manage the project and is not obligated financially. 

The Regional Parking Needs Assessment and Policy Review will evaluate existing and planned park & ride facilities, as well as current prospective properties, parking practices such as parking requirements for developments and parking technology. After this eval, the stakeholders will receive recommendations to make sure that the region is planning for future park and ride needs and following national best practices. 

This assessment and review is an important step to find a long-term, lasting solution for the parking challenges our community faces. We’ll be sure to keep our listeners updated on the process as it continues! 

WIC GRAND OPENING 

The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program is hosting a halloween-themed Health & Resource Fair on Friday, October 13 from 3-6 at the Kamas services building, located at 110 N. Main Street in Kamas. This event is a celebration of the grand opening of WIC’s brand-new Kamas Clinic! 

We hope the event will help to educate the community on all services that are available to them through the WIC program and beyond. It’ll be an evening full of fun and information! All community members are welcome. Learn more at facebook.com/summitcountyhd

OUR SUMMIT #3 

And finally, we know we’ve talked about it a lot, but PLEASE don’t miss your chance to participate in Phase 3 of “Our Summit,” the county-wide community visioning process! Questionnaire #3 closes NEXT WEEK on Sunday, October 15. Your responses will directly impact and guide the future of Summit County. In this phase, you’ll help us understand how YOU prioritize certain features of your local community, what enhancements you would like to see and how you think growth should be handled. Take Questionnaire 3 at oursummitcounty.com.  


September 29, 2023 – WIC Grand Opening, Energy Vampire Event & Our Summit Questionnaire #3



Hey everyone! Welcome back to another week of news here on Summit in Six! Today, we’ve got a community engagement-focused episode for you. 

For some context, because we’re engagement junkies over here, community engagement refers to the many ways Summit County works to inform and involve our community in the decisions and actions of local government. 

It’s a really important aspect of local government. When we interact with the community, Summit County is better able to address YOUR values, needs, and concerns while also ensuring transparency and accountability.

So, let’s get into the upcoming ways our listeners can engage with different departments in the county organization! 

WIC GRAND OPENING 

First up, the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program is hosting a Health & Resource Fair on Friday, October 13 from 3-6  at the Kamas services building, located at 110 N. Main Street in Kamas. This event is a celebration of the grand opening of WIC’s brand-new Kamas Clinic! 

We hope the event will help to educate the community on all services that are available to them through the WIC program and beyond. It’ll be an evening full of fun and information! All community members are welcome. Learn more at facebook.com/summitcountyhd

ENERGY VAMPIRE EVENT 

Sticking with the spirit of spooky season, Summit County residents and their families are encouraged to attend the “Ward Away Energy Vampires” event on November 2nd from 4pm – 6pm at the Kimball Junction Library and learn how these sneaky “Energy Vampires” can swiftly steal energy and water resources from your home! 

Area utility companies, Park City and Summit County Sustainability Teams will be there to teach tips and tricks on easy, affordable ways you can conserve precious electricity, gas and water resources in your home and help you save money! This FREE event is open house style and will have interactive kid-friendly activities. Costumes are encouraged! Register today at summitcounty.info/energyvampire

OUR SUMMIT #3 

And finally, we know we’ve talked about it a lot, but PLEASE don’t miss your chance to participate in Phase 3 of “Our Summit,” the county-wide community visioning process! Your responses will directly impact and guide the future of Summit County. In this phase, you’ll help us understand how YOU prioritize certain features of your local community, what enhancements you would like to see and how you think growth should be handled. Take Questionnaire 3 at oursummitcounty.com


September 22, 2023 – County Wide EMS Update, Grand Opening of WIC Kamas Branch & Our Summit Questionnaire #3



Today we cover…

  • County-wide EMS Update
  • Grand Opening of Women, Infant, and Children’s (WIC) Kamas Brach
  • Our Summit Questionnaire #3. 

EMS 

At this week’s County Council meeting there was some major movement in the conversation regarding county-wide EMS services. Here is a quick recap of where we’re at now… 

Summit County decided that it would fund a Basic 911 EMS Service  countywide.  The County has contracted with each of its three fire districts: Park City Fire, North Summit Fire, and South Summit Fire, to provide this Basic Service within each fire district’s geographic boundaries. The three fire districts will  provide fire protection services and as a result of the EMS Interlocal Agreements, which were signed on Wednesday, each will also now provide EMS service. 

On Wednesday, the county signed Interlocal Agreements with each of its fire districts.  All of the cities within each fire district also signed the Interlocal Agreement pertaining to the fire district that will provide their residents service.  This is because Utah law requires that each city be responsible to provide basic 911 ambulance service within its city boundaries. 

There was also discussion of mutual aid agreements at Council. Fire districts typically enter into Mutual Aid Agreements with each other.  A Mutual Aid Agreement allows one fire district to help out another fire district when the need arises.  For example, there is a fire in Coalville and its such a large fire that North Summit Fire calls Park City Fire to help out.  They can engage in this activity because of the Mutual Aid Agreement.  With respect to EMS, it may be that there are multiple traffic accidents in Kamas, which overwhelms the number of ambulances they have.  South Summit Fire can request help from Park City Fire for additional ambulances.  Again, they can engage in this activity due to a Mutual Aid Agreement.  

The Mutual Aid Agreement allows one fire district to provide service in another fire district’s geographic area with the consent of that fire district. 

 In the past, the Mutual Aid Agreements have only included firefighting.  With the change in EMS, we need a more expansive Mutual Aid Agreement that includes fire protection and EMS.  In addition, the County has a Wildland Fire Service Area which has a Wildland Fire Unit that handles fire suppression on vacant lands in unpopulated areas that are not within a fire district.  There are times when a fire district needs to help out the Wildland Fire Unit with Initial Attack on wildfires or EMS.  The Mutual Aid Agreement will allow for that as well. 

The County and its fire districts have not entered into that Mutual Aid Agreement yet. The agreement is currently drafted and has been circulated to each fire district.  The reason the County and fire districts have not yet entered into that Mutual Aid Agreement is because South Summit Fire will be contracting out its EMS service to another fire district.  At this time, South Summit Fire has not yet chosen who that fire district will be.  That contracted fire district will need to be a part of the Mutual Aid Agreement.  

Therefore, we have to wait until South Summit Fire makes their decision before signing the Mutual Aid Agreement.  We expect that South Summit Fire will make their decision within the next 30 days and soon thereafter, we will be signing the Mutual Aid Agreement. We’ll be sure to keep our listeners updated on that process right here on Summit in Six! 

WIC Kamas Grand Opening 

The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program is hosting a Health & Resource Fair on Friday, October 13 from 3-6 at the Kamas services building, located at 110 N. Main Street in Kamas. This event is a celebration of the grand opening of WIC’s brand-new Kamas Clinic! Join us for a night full of fun, information and health services! This event is open to the community and will be hosted at the Summit County Services Building in Kamas. It’s going to be a fa-boo-lous time. Learn more at facebook.com/summitcountyhd

Questionnaire #3

Don’t miss your chance to participate in Phase 3 of “Our Summit,” the county-wide community visioning process! Your responses will directly impact and guide the future of Summit County. In this phase, you’ll help us understand how YOU prioritize certain features of your local community, what enhancements you would like to see and how you think growth should be handled. Take Questionnaire 3 at oursummitcounty.com


September 15, 2023 – 2023 Municipal Primary Elections Unofficial Results, Upcoming Community Engagement Opportunities & National Suicide Prevention Week



Today, we cover…

  • Flu vaccines
  • Exciting community engagement opportunities
    • COG 
    • Speaker Series 
    • Our Summit

Back to School: Vaccine Check Ins 

School is back in session which means it’s that time of year again when the flu can impact our health and well-being. Get your flu shot and build a strong defense against this contagious virus. Contact your healthcare provider today to schedule an appointment. For more information on immunizations, visit summitcountyhealth.org

Community Engagement 

Council of Governments

Mark your calendars, Summit County! This Tuesday, September 19th, beginning at 6 pm the Council of Governments will host a meeting at Ledges Event Center. The Council of Governments, or COG, is made up of each mayor in Summit County and representatives from the Summit County Council. COG meetings are a great opportunity for collaboration to happen throughout our local government. For more information about next week’s meeting, visit summitcounty.org/agendacenter and scroll down to the Council of Governments meeting. 

Speaker Series 

The 2023 Summit County Climate Change and Public Health Speaker Series is designed to elevate public health as a critical consideration of climate change action in our community. The second session of the speaker series will highlight how local risks to the natural environment influence the public’s physical and mental health. More details and FREE registration can be at summitcountyhealth.org/speakerseries

Questionnaire #3

Don’t miss your chance to participate in Phase 3 of “Our Summit,” the county-wide community visioning process! Your responses will directly impact and guide the future of Summit County. In this phase, you’ll help us understand how YOU prioritize certain features of your local community, what enhancements you would like to see and how you think growth should be handled. Take Questionnaire 3 at oursummitcounty.com


September 8, 2023 – 2023 Municipal Primary Elections Unofficial Results, Upcoming Community Engagement Opportunities & National Suicide Prevention Week



Today, we cover…

  • 2023 Municipal Primary Elections Unofficial Results
  • Upcoming Community Engagement Opportunities (Fall Noxious Weeds Tour, Climate Change and Public Health Speaker Series, Our Summit Questionnaire #3, 2024 County Calendar Photo Contest)
  • National Suicide Prevention Week 

Elections Update 

The 2023 Municipal Primary Elections took place for Coalville City, Park City and South Summit Fire District earlier this week on Tuesday, September 5. Unofficial results shared by the County Clerk’s Office on the afternoon of Wednesday, September 6 show the following results. 

Coalville City Council will have the following 6 candidates on the General Election ballot: 

  • Lynn Wood
  • Shaun H. Powis
  • Stefanie Bowen
  • Brandon Brady
  • Tyler Rowser
  • Cindy Padgett

Park City Council will have the following 6 candidates on the General Election ballot: 

  • Ryan Dickey
  • Ed Parigian
  • Matthew Nagie
  • Bob Sertner
  • John Greenfield
  • Bill Ciraco

And, South Summit Fire District Commission will have the following 4 candidates on the General Election ballot: 

  • Julie Anna Black
  • Thayne D. Stembridge
  • Larry Leifson
  • David Ure

The canvasses to certify these results will take place on September 19, 2023 at each entity that held an election, so at Coalville City, Park City, and South Summit Fire District.

As a reminder the 2023 Municipal General Elections will take place on November 21, 2023. We’ll be sure to keep our listeners updated with information on the general elections in the coming weeks.

Community Engagement Opportunities 

Noxious Weeds Tour

Did you know fall is the best time to take care of noxious weeds? Summit County’s Weed Control program is hosting a Fall Community Noxious Weeds Tour TOMORROW Saturday, September 9 from 9 AM to 11:30 AM beginning at Richardson Flat Park and Ride to learn about the “most-wanted” weeds here in Summit County. There will be a specific focus on rosette identification and treating biennial weeds. Transportation will be provided for up to 14 people. RSVP for free at summitcounty.info/fallweedstour

Speaker Series

The 2023 Summit County Climate Change and Public Health Speaker Series is designed to elevate public health as a critical consideration of climate change action in our community. The second session of the speaker series will highlight how local risks to the natural environment influence the public’s physical and mental health. More details and FREE registration at summitcountyhealth.org/speakerseries.

Questionnaire #3 

Don’t miss your chance to participate in Phase 3 of “Our Summit,” the county-wide community visioning process! Your responses will directly impact and guide the future of Summit County. In this phase, you’ll help us understand how YOU prioritize certain features of your local community, what enhancements you would like to see and how you think growth should be handled. Take Questionnaire 3 at oursummitcounty.com

2024 County Calendar

Calling everyone who loves to photograph Summit County scenery! We want to include YOUR photos in our 2024 Summit County Calendar. Submit now through Sept. 15 at summitcounty.info/calendar24 for a chance to showcase your photography.

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!

Suicide Prevention Week  

And finally, in honor of National Suicide Prevention week, we want to share a mantra of hope. “Live On” is a statewide effort here in Utah to prevent suicide by promoting education, providing resources, and changing our culture around suicide and mental health. Together we can get through, reach out, lift up, look ahead, and Live On. 

Talking is the first step to preventing suicide. Make a difference by learning the warning signs and risk factors, having REAL conversations with people you care about, and sharing resources and creative ways to help those who are struggling. 

If you or a loved one needs to speak with a licensed clinician text or call 988.

For more information and resources on suicide prevention please visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention at afsp.org


September 1, 2023 – Our Summit Phase Three, 2023 Municipal Primary Elections, & Weeds Tour



Today we cover…

Today, we’re going to kick things off with some details on the latest opportunity to get involved with “Our Summit,” the county’s year-long community visioning process. Then, we will share some reminders about the upcoming Municipal Primary Election next Tuesday September 5 and the Health Department’s Climate Change and Public Health Speaker Series event on September 19. 

Ok, let’s get into the news! 

Questionnaire #3 

Don’t miss your chance to participate in Phase 3 of Our Summit, the county’s year-long community visioning process! Your responses will directly impact and guide the future of our county. 

Throughout the other two phases of the visioning process so far, we have determined, through a number of community conversations and questionnaires from residents across the County that there are strong themes that unite us all. The Our Summit team identified the community areas they’d like to solicit specific feedback from include: Henefer, Echo, Coalville, Hoytsville, Wanship, Snyderville Basin/Kimball Junction, and the Kamas Valley. It is clear that Summit County’s growth should not be isolated to one area, but rather, the County should grow together at different scales and with different priorities for each community area.

The goal for Questionnaire #3 is to identify these priorities and how they should be addressed. By taking the questionnaire, you’ll help us understand how YOU prioritize certain features of your local community, what enhancements you would like to see, and how you think growth should be handled. You can take Questionnaire 3 TODAY at oursummitcounty.com

Primary Election 

Shifting gears to another form of community engagement….elections and voting! The 2023 Municipal Primary Elections are THIS TUESDAY, September 5, 2023. There will be a primary election held for Coalville City, Park City, and South Summit Fire District. To view dropbox locations, election day voting locations, and more information on what you need to know for the primary elections, please visit summitcounty.info/2023elections.

Fall 2023 Community Noxious Weeds TourDid you know fall is the best time to take care of noxious weeds? Summit County’s Weed Control program is hosting a Fall Community Noxious Weeds Tour on Saturday, September 9 from 9 AM to 11:30 AM. Residents will join Weed Superintendent, Dave Bingham, and Weed Enforcement Officer, Dan Peña, along with some other special guests to learn about the “most-wanted” weeds here in Summit County! There will be a specific focus on rosette identification for treating bi-annual weeds. Don’t know what a rosette is? Don’t know what makes weeds biannual? Then this Weeds Tour is for you! Transportation will be provided for up to 14 people, so please RSVP FOR FREE at summitcounty.info/fallweedstour to reserve your spot. 

Speaker Series

Here’s another event you definitely don’t want to miss out on: The Summit County Health Department is hosting their second event in the Climate Change and Public Health Speaker Series on September 19 at National Ability Center’s “The Hub” @ 1000 Ability Way in Park City. This session of the speaker series will highlight how local risks to the natural environment influence the public’s physical and mental health. For FREE registration and more info, visit: summitcountyhealth.org/speakerseries

Holiday Weekend

And finally, we’d like to close out with wishing you all a Happy Labor Day Weekend! As a reminder, Summit County offices will be closed on Monday, September 4 for the federal holiday. The Sheriff’s Office and local Fire/EMS crews will have limited staff working that day. All Summit County offices will return to regular hours on Tuesday, September 5. Please practice your #FireSense this weekend–have fun and be safe, and enjoy time with your friends and family!

 


August 25, 2023 – 910 Cattle Ranch Property Acquisition, Our Summit Phase 3, 2023 Municipal Primary Elections & Health Department Speaker Series



Today, we cover…

  • The 910 Cattle Ranch Property Acquisition
  • Phase Three of Our Summit
  • 2023 Municipal Primary Elections
  • The Health Department’s Climate Change and Public Health Speaker Series

910 Cattle Ranch

On August 24, 2023, the Summit County Council held a special meeting to consider the Summit County Manager’s recommendation to approve an option agreement to purchase the 910 Cattle Ranch, an 8,587.7 acre property north of Jeremy Ranch, for $55 million. After hearing from a number of residents during public comment, the Council unanimously approved the option agreement. 

The 910 Ranch is one of the last contiguous mountain ranches privately held by a single landowner in western Summit County and the Snyderville Basin area. The ranch is home to an extraordinary variety of wildlife including birds, large mammals, and fish. The size and connectivity of the 910 Ranch to surrounding protected lands makes it clear that this property is a natural resource haven for ecological systems, wildlife habitat, recreational opportunity, and local mountain ranching heritage preservation.

While Summit County will have immediate control of the property, the area will remain private property until further notice to allow for comprehensive land use and management planning. This is why the County is requesting that the public remain on the dirt East Canyon Road while enjoying the area. Stay tuned for public guided tour opportunities and keep in mind that hunting will remain unlawful at all times.

We also wanted to take some time to make sure we answer some recurring questions asked about the property acquisition:

First, how is the county paying for this property?

  • One funding source for the acquisition is the Open Space Bond (which was previously approved by Summit County voters in 2021)
    *As a refresher: The use of GO Bond funds is exclusively for purchasing passive and active open space, conservation easements, and construction of recreational amenities. The bond also pays for environmental and wildlife mitigation measures and related improvements.
  • The county will also explore use of funds from local, state, and federal grants, private fundraising, and other non-property tax sources of public monies.\

It is really important we note that *No property taxes are increasing as a result of the 910 Cattle Ranch acquisition.

A second hot-topic question is: “how will the county work to preserve the land?”

  • The property will be preserved for: Recreational open space, wildlife habitat, and climate research.
  • Another reminder to everyone: While Summit County works through land use management and planning, please respect this property as PRIVATE PROPERTY until further notice
  • The current land use rules are as follows:
    • Public Access is Limited to East Canyon Dirt Road
    • NO hunting is allowed on the property
    • NO unauthorized public use or off-road travel
    • Dogs must be leashed or under control by e-collar in compliance with Summit County Code 5-1-9

For more information about the project and details about the property’s history, please visit summitcounty.org/910ranch

Our Summit Phase #3 

Don’t miss your chance to participate in Phase 3 of Our Summit, the county’s year-long community visioning process! Your responses will directly impact and guide the future of our county. 

Throughout the visioning process so far, we have heard from community members across the County.  There are strong themes that unite Summit County and there is also a desire to enhance particular community areas. Through community feedback and trends that have emerged thus far, the Our Summit team identified Henefer/Echo, Greater Coalville, Hoytsville, Greater Wanship, Snyderville Basin/Kimball Junction, and the Kamas Valley as the community areas they’d like to solicit specific feedback for.  It is clear that Summit County’s growth should not be isolated to one area but rather the County should grow together at different scales and with different priorities for each community area.  

Questionnaire #3  seeks to identify these priorities and how they should be addressed. By taking the questionnaire, you’ll help us understand how YOU prioritize certain features of your local community, what enhancements you would like to see and how you think growth should be handled.

Take Questionnaire 3 TODAY at oursummitcounty.com

2023 Municipal Primary Elections 

The 2023 Municipal Primary Elections are RIGHT around the corner on September 5, 2023. 

There will be a primary election held for Coalville City, Park City, and South Summit Fire District. 

To view dropbox locations, early voting locations, election day voting locations, and more information on what you need to know for the primary elections, please visit summitcounty.info/2023elections

Climate Change and Public Health Speaker Series 

The Summit County Health Department is hosting their second event in the Climate Change and Public Health Speaker Series on September 19 at National Ability Center’s “The Hub” @ 1000 Ability Way in Park City.

This session of the speaker series will highlight how local risks to the natural environment influence the public’s physical and mental health. 🌎 🧠

For FREE registration and more info, visit: summitcountyhealth.org/speakerseries.


August 18, 2023 – Kimball Junction Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)



BRIDGET: 

Hey everyone and welcome to a special edition of our weekly news podcast, Summit in Six.

As many of you may know, UDOT is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement – or EIS – to evaluate improvements at the I-80 and State Route-224 interchange at Kimball Junction, and on SR-224 from Kimball Junction through the Olympic Parkway intersection in Summit County. This project builds on information from the Kimball Junction and SR-224 Area Plan that was completed back in 2021.

Most recently, the project team held a 30-day public comment period to get feedback on the Alternatives Development and Screening Methodology Report. That report identifies criteria for evaluating the alternatives – and then guides which alternatives are carried forward for more detailed evaluation in the EIS.

With that, let’s get going. Today we have with us from the Kimball Junction environmental study team Becky Stromness, the UDOT project manager, and Heidi Spoor, the consultant environmental manager, to answer some common questions about the EIS.

BECKY:

Thank you so much for having us on, Bridget. Before we start on the more technical aspects, I just want to thank everyone who has commented already. It’s the community’s input that really completes projects like this, so their participation means a lot to us.

BRIDGET > BECKY:

Absolutely, this kind of involvement is always the goal and what we love to see. So, Becky, can you tell me about the overall point of the study? Is there a specific traffic problem UDOT is trying to solve?

BECKY:

Great question. That’s something we like to call the “purpose and need” of the project, and it’s what drives all this work. So, the purpose here is to address transportation-related safety and mobility for everyone using Kimball Junction. The first thing we want to address is improving operations and travel times on SR-224 from the I-80 interchange through Olympic Parkway. We are also looking to improve safety by reducing vehicle queues that are backing onto the I-80 off-ramps. Improving pedestrian and bicyclist mobility and accessibility throughout the evaluation area is another important part of this. And the last piece of the purpose is maintaining or improving transit travel times through the evaluation area. I think most folks who have driven through here, especially in the winter, could tell you about the need… the traffic congestion is beyond frustrating.

BRIDGET > HEIDI:

Coming from first hand experience, it definitely can be…frustrating but it’s really awesome to know that we’re looking at a couple of different potential solutions through this process. So, Heidi, how did UDOT come up with the options that are currently being proposed?

HEIDI:

In May 2021, UDOT, working with Summit County, published the “Kimball Junction and SR-224 Area Plan” that documented the results of a study conducted using UDOT’s Solutions Development process.

That Area Plan was conducted to identify and analyze improvements to address the various parts of the purpose Becky was telling us about, the general travel times, safety, accessibility, et cetera.

This study was specifically intended to evaluate solutions that improve capacity and multimodal transportation in the Kimball Junction area and address the existing and long-term mobility needs of residents, commuters, and visitors between the I-80 interchange and the two traffic signals at Ute Boulevard and Olympic Parkway on SR-224.

Transportation problems as well as opportunities to solve the problems were established in the study area thanks to input from study partners and the public. Other criteria were developed to balance transportation and environmental goals and objectives. To develop the goals, we used even more input from the study partners and the public.

BRIDGET > HEIDI: 

Ok, can you tell me more about the outcome of the Area Plan? What came from it?

HEIDI:

The Area Plan process analyzed thirty different solutions and narrowed the options down to three alternatives, which include intersection and pedestrian improvements and larger, more complex transportation solutions that are being evaluated in the EIS. Evaluating the alternatives included developing screening criteria to address the problems, opportunities, and study goals; developing a full range of alternatives; and documenting the elimination of alternatives to limit the need to re-consider the full range of alternatives later, during the EIS process.

BRIDGET > HEIDI:

Okay, so it sounds like a lot of thought has already gone into these options. How is UDOT going to keep narrowing them down? What are the deciding factors here?

HEIDI:

The evaluation process that we used for the alternatives in the Area Plan included a two-level screening process that included developing screening criteria based on addressing the problems and opportunities and study goals, developing a full range of alternatives, and documenting the elimination of alternatives.

Level 1 screening – done during the Area Plan – determined whether each alternative had a “fatal flaw” or whether it didn’t meet the problems and opportunities of the study. Level 2 screening of the remaining alternatives included more quantitative objectives as well as a side-by-side evaluation of technical screening criteria.

BRIDGET > HEIDI:

So, I assume during the EIS there will be further screening?

HEIDI:

Moving forward, Level 3 screening criteria will eliminate alternatives that do not meet the purpose and need, which are what we defined earlier. Level 4 screening criteria will eliminate alternatives that meet the purpose and need but might be considered unreasonable for other reasons — for example, an alternative option that would have unreasonable impacts on the natural and human environment, wouldn’t meet regulatory requirements, or could be replaced by a less costly concept with similar impacts on the natural and human environment… would all be considered unreasonable. The community’s comments on the criteria, measures, and data we use to screen the alternatives in the EIS will help us determine how an alternative is further analyzed. We’ve collected all questions and comments submitted throughout the public comment period and are taking them into consideration moving forward.

BRIDGET > BECKY:

Wow! That’s a lot! Thank you for breaking that down, Heidi. Becky, What are the next steps in the study?

BECKY:

The alternative screening report will have more detailed information, such as more refined engineering for the proposed solutions as well as a breakdown of how the alternatives stack up against those level three and level four criteria Heidi explained.

Following the release of the Alternative Screening Report, we plan to have another comment period. We’ll ask participating agencies and members of the public to review the report – which will be widely available on the project website – and submit comments or concerns they may have about it. We anticipate the screening report will come out late in the fall of this year.

From there, we’re expecting a Draft EIS will be released in 2024, which will warrant a public hearing and another comment period. The Draft EIS will fully evaluate the alternatives that pass through screening in greater detail.

BRIDGET: 

This is great info. It’s really cool to hear at how many levels of this process the community’s opinion plays a role and really matters and will continue to do so as we move forward.

And for our listeners: we encourage you to get involved and stay involved! The fruits of this whole process will affect and benefit all of us who live and work here in Summit County.

You can find all of the project’s latest updates, reports, and comment opportunities can be found online, at KimballJunctionEIS.udot.utah.gov. As always, we’ll be sure to link the URL in our show notes for you.


August 16, 2023 – 2023 Municipal Primary Elections



BRIDGET

Hey everyone and welcome to a special edition of our weekly news podcast, Summit in Six. 

As many of you may know, municipal election season is right around the corner, but in case you missed it, earlier this summer, Utah Governor Spencer Cox issued a set of proclamations, moving the primary and general election dates for this year. 

The reason for the delay is the resignation of Utah Congressman Chris Stewart, who represents the state’s second district. This covers Salt Lake City and the southwest rural part of the state, including Tooele and St. George. His resignation is effective Sept. 15. 

Under Utah law, the governor had seven days to determine a schedule to replace Stewart with a special election, which the legislature had to approve, and the schedule shifted the dates for the municipal elections. 

With that, let’s get going. Today we have with us Summit County Clerk, Eve Furse, to answer some questions about the upcoming election season. 

EVE > BRIDGET  

Thank you so much for having me on, Bridget. Before we start on the more specific details, I just want to emphasize to your listeners the importance of voting in your municipal, or local, elections. They are the time where we are really deciding on the people who make decisions that truly impact our day to day lives. So, if your district is holding an election this year, please get out and vote!  

BRIDGET > EVE

Absolutely! I hope today’s conversation makes this year’s local elections more accessible to our community. 

If you’re listening…today’s episode will cover all you need to know about this year’s Primary Election! We will be back in a few weeks to do another download on the 2023 General Election. 

But before we get into all things Primary Election, Eve when are this year’s elections, both primary and general, happening? 

EVE > BRIDGET

Like you mentioned earlier, Bridget, back in June, the Governor moved the primary and general election dates for this year in order to accommodate for a special election following the resignation of Utah Congressman Chris Stewart. 

This year’s Primary Election date has been moved to September 5, 2023 and this year’s General Election date has been moved to November 21, 2023. 

BRIDGET > EVE

Thanks, Eve. Are these date shifts a permanent change? 

EVE > BRIDGET  

No! It’s important to note that these changes are not permanent and only pertain to this year’s elections. 

BRIDGET > EVE 

Ok awesome! Thanks for clarifying. Back to focusing on just the Primary. You mentioned earlier, to get out and vote, IF your district is having an election this year. What primary elections are being held this year? 

EVE > BRIDGET 

There will be Primary Elections held for… 

  • Coalville City, which is residents with 84017 zip code
  • Park City, which is only residents with the 84060 zip code
  • South Summit Fire District, which is for residents who live in the following precincts: Francis East and West, Kamas North and South, Oakley North and South, Peoa, South Summit East, South Summit West, South Summit South, and Weber Canyon. 

BRIDGET > EVE 

What if people aren’t sure what precinct they fall in? 

EVE > BRIDGET 

That could be understandable, especially after the redistricting in 2020. Luckily, we have a great online Interactive Map that helps our community identify their voting district — all they have to do is type in their address! You can access the map at summitcounty.info/precinctmaps

BRIDGET > EVE 

That sounds like an awesome tool! Thanks for sharing that. Eve, what if folks aren’t registered to vote right now, but want to vote in the Primary election? 

EVE > BRIDGET 

It’s not too late! The deadline to register and receive a vote by mail ballot for the Primary Election is August 25, 2023. The easiest way to register if you have an up to date driver’s license is to go to voter.utah.gov. Voters who are not registered by that date, but are otherwise eligible to vote, may vote provisionally in early voting and in person on Election Day. 

BRIDGET > EVE 

Can you explain what voting provisionally means quickly? 

EVE > BRIDGET 

Sure! Voting provisionally is where you come to vote but we’re missing your information. For example, maybe you forget your ID or aren’t actually  registered to vote yet. So, we just ask you to give us a little bit more information by filling out an envelope that asks all the required details. If you’re not registered to vote, we’ll need to ask you for proof of both your physical residence and your identity. If you don’t have any of that with you, we still let you vote provisionally. You will fill out that same envelope and then you have five days from election day to bring in your proof of address and identity. When we receive that, we can count your vote. If we don’t get all the information we need to verify that you are entitled to vote, then we won’t count your vote. 

BRIDGET > EVE 

Alright, now that we know WHAT elections are happening, and covered getting registering to vote, let’s talk about HOW people can vote. 

EVE > BRIDGET 

Let’s! So, active registered voters will receive a ballot in the mail about three weeks before the election and there are several ways to return their ballot: by Mail, through Dropbox and In Person! 

BRIDGET > EVE 

And, we’re going to cover each method, but first, let’s talk about early voting. Is that an option for folks for the Primary elections this year? 

EVE > BRIDGET 

Yes, of course! Early voting for the Primary Elections will take place on August 29, August 30, August 31 and on September 1. Voters will be able to vote early at the top floor of the Marsac Building in Park City and at my office in the Courthouse in Coalville from  8am – 5pm. 

BRIDGET > EVE 

And, for our listeners, all the location information can be found at summitcounty.info/2023elections, which as always we’ll be sure to link in the show notes! 

Ok, let’s move on to voting by mail. What does that look like for this year’s primary? 

EVE > BRIDGET 

Sure, so for the Primary Elections, ballots must be postmarked by September 5, 2023. 

BRIDGET > EVE 

Isn’t that Election Day? I thought ballots usually must be postmarked the day before an election? 

EVE > BRIDGET 

Normally, yes, that is the case. Thanks for pointing that out. But, the Primary this year falls on the Labor Day Holiday, so voters get an extra day. 

BRIDGET > EVE 

What address do voters return their completed ballots? 

Don’t stress about figuring out where to mail their completed ballot to! All ballots, for both the primary and general elections, are mailed out with a preprinted return envelope that voters must sign, so there’s no need to worry about a return address.

BRIDGET > EVE 

That’s awesome! I’ll reiterate for our listeners that if you’re returning your ballot by mail, please remember to sign it before mailing it back! 

Ok, so what about utilizing drop boxes this year? 

EVE > BRIDGET 

Of course. So, for the Primary Election, if voters plan to use drop boxes, completed ballots must be in a box before 8:00 p.m. on September 5th.

Dropbox locations for the Primary are…the Marsac Building in Park City, The Market at Park City, the Quinn’s Health Department Building on Round Valley Drive, the Coalville Branch of the Summit County Library, the Summit County Courthouse, and the Kamas Branch of the Summit County Library. 

Some of those Drop Boxes are located inside, for example, the one at The Market and the Courthouse, so make sure to check operating hours which can be found at summitcounty.info/2023elections

BRIDGET > EVE 

Thanks, Eve! Ok, so we’ve covered early voting, voting by mail, and drop boxes. Let’s discuss election day voting locations. 

EVE > BRIDGET 

Definitely! As we’ve stated, Primary Election Day is September 5, 2023. Voters will be able to get assistance voting and vote in person at the following locations from 7 am – 8 pm… 

The Council Chambers in the Marsac Building, Coalville City Hall’s Council Chambers, and the Kamas Branch of the Summit County Library in the Main Floor Conference Room. 

BRIDGET > EVE 

And, one last time, these locations can be found at summitcounty.info/2023elections – also found in the show notes! 

What about if people have trouble using a by-mail ballot? 

EVE > BRIDGET 

We have a couple different options. Folks can come to vote in-person, either at early voting or on election day, and the voting machines are enabled to work with accessible devices, they capability to alter text size, and they can read aloud the ballot for people. Alternatively, if you don’t want to vote in-person, folks also have the ability to vote electronically through enhanced voting. To learn more about this option, please contact the Clerk’s Office at elections@summitcounty.org or 435-336-3040.

BRIDGET > EVE 

Ok, let’s talk about the canvas. What exactly is a canvas? 

EVE > BRIDGET 

Definitely! The canvass is when the governing body of the entity having an election receives the election results, examines them, and decides whether to approve them as final or request more information, clarification, or documentation. Once approved, the results of the election for that entity are final.

BRIDGET > EVE 

Ok that makes sense. When is the canvass for the Primary happening? 

EVE > BRIDGET 

The canvass for the Primary Election will take place on September 19, 2023 at the entity having the election, so at Coalville, Park City, South Summit Fire District.

BRIDGET > EVE 

Ok, I think my last question is where can people find sample ballots or candidate information for this year’s primary? 

EVE > BRIDGET 

People can find sample ballots for their precincts at the Clerk’s Webpage at summitcounty.org/elections right there on the landing page. 

For candidate information or general questions about the 2023 Municipal Elections please contact your city, town, or special service district. Also vote.utah.gov is the Lt. Governor’s page and will have links to candidate bios. 

If you don’t know who to contact, don’t worry, my office has gathered all relevant contact information for each municipality, and it can be found on the Clerk’s Webpage at summitcounty.org/elections right there on the landing page. 

All of the URL’s we just mentioned are linked at the top of summitcounty.info/2023elections

BRIDGET > EVE

Thanks! I think that’s pretty much all the questions I have for you. Do you think there’s anything I’m missing? 

EVE > BRIDGET 

Yes, I would just push that people should vote and they should vote early! In order to encourage people to vote early we are hosting Vote Early Day on August 25. We did this last year for the General Election and the community really seemed to enjoy it.

We’ll be at drop box locations around the county, including The Market at Park City, the Kamas Branch of the Summit County Library, and at the Clerk’s Office at the Courthouse in Coalville, with “I Voted” stickers and treats celebrating people who come out and drop their ballots in the drop box! We’ll also have information about voting if you have any questions. It also happens to be the last day you can register to vote for the primaries, so you can come out and register right there with us too! 

The importance of voting, particularly in these municipal elections, cannot be overstated. In 2021, there were only three votes that separated the last candidate who made it into the general election and the next highest vote getter in Coalville’s County Council race. That really shows what a difference your vote can make. It’s these votes that determine who gets to run for the actual seats! You shouldn’t just wait for the November elections.

BRIDGET > EVE

Wow that really shows that every vote, especially in these local races, DOES count! 

OK, Before we wrap up, I’ll say one last plug for summitcounty.info/2023elections. All the information we talked about today is right there for you to refer back to! 

In addition, like I mentioned at the beginning of this episode, we will be back after the Primary Elections, to do a similar download on all the information you’ll need to know about the 2023 Municipal General Election! 

And last, but certainly not least, please follow the County’s social media channels for more information and updates on all things elections moving forward. Our handles are @ summitcountyut on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Eve, thank you SO much for being here. 

EVE > BRIDGET 

Thank you for having me! 

BRIDGET 

That’s all for now on Summit in Six. See you next time!