PROMPT ACTION RESULTS: Last week’s standing invitation for public input resulted in expressed concern for pedestrian/vehicle Public Safety on Sunset Drive as you travel to Snow Canyon High School.
Having lived through years of a long/methodical dragged out process in which CODE ENFORCEMENT has been delayed and denied/ignored……I was Startled to see and hear an almost immediate reaction/solution coming forth from the city on the public safety issue made known only a week ago.
What a remarkable turn of events to be able to witness a Council short of two of its members (Almquist and Randall) actually move to a solution that will shore up Public Safety demands…..BROUGHT forth by the force of public statements in an open meeting issued by a concerned citizen.
Kent Perkins, Director of Parks and Recreation (City Wide Trail Systems) was called by City Manager to present what can be described as a Quick Fix in terms of (Council Action Time) to the Public Safety issue highlighted at last week’s council meeting. A Bridge/Pathway or Trail extending across a future City Park Site located between Lava Flow Drive and Tuweap Drive …..Providing relief to pedestrians wishing to access Snow Canyon High & Middle School…..Can be accomplished before the beginning of next school term. Mr. Perkins and Esplin provided a budgeting formula ($172,000 including upgrades) for achieving this goal in systematic way. Isn’t it REMARKABLE what can be accomplished when there is a WILL to do right…..Not necessarily politically expedient or self-serving interests that appear prevalent in prosecuting City Ordinance’s and executing Code Enforcement.
SUBSTANTIATING EVIDENCE on what is meant by a WILL to accomplish raised its head when Greg McArthur, Chamber of Commerce President and son of former Mayor McArthur stood before the Council seeking City support for developing Chamber goals….enhancing business community interests that parallel City interests…..Increased Tax Revenue.
Greg expressed Chamber appreciation for use of the Old Court House building owned by the City and rented by the Chamber for an exorbitant fee of $1.00 per year. Greg proceeded to extend his hand asking that the City rent the old Water Conservancy District building to the Chamber (Located across the street from current Chamber Office) also owned by the City at a similar fee. The Chamber would be willing to refurbish (Spend 50 to $80,000) on the Old Water Conservancy building and at the end of the lease walk away leaving the city with a remodeled office building. WHAT A DEAL….. How many of the other city owned buildings of which there are many…..are leased at such prices? City Manager Esplin was quick to recognize the potential benefit to the city…..Suggested that other mitigating issues such as bringing the Visitors Center to the Old Court House (State Line Visitors Center to be closed) might enhance tourist attraction and compliment Chamber goals….. Councilwoman Arial supported concept of National Parks/Visitors Center and Chamber working together whenever possible to serve public interests.
CLEARLY the City is able to act boldly and decisively when it has a vested interest in doing so. WHY then does the City continue to Drag It’s Feet……Remain Silent and Immobile on the issue of CODE ENFORCEMENT. The silence is almost DEAFENING as the public wait to hear the outcome of a requested investigation of one of its own (Council Member) ALLEGED to have violated a City Ordinance. Is there a DOUBLE STANDARD in how the City seeks to administer JUSTICE? The public has a right to know and to be secure in the knowledge that ALL elected officials are honest in ALL of their dealings.
Does doing the right thing in such matters trump the city’s fear of exposing a Conflict of Interest? What do think? Forward your comments.
Thank you, Ed
No comments:
Post a Comment