Water, Traffic, and Housing Costs are critical issues as a result of St. George’s rapid growth. The City Council plays an important role in guiding this growth. I will help the city conduct its business with efficiency and transparency.
As the policymakers and the legislative body for St. George City, the City Council is tasked with making many important decisions and performing many duties. I will focus on those items and avoid getting distracted by issues outside of the City Council’s control or purview.
The City Council needs to understand the decisions they are making and how those decisions will affect the citizens of St. George, now and in the years to come. We will get the best outcomes by collecting, analyzing, and utilizing as much data as possible before making these decisions and avoid one-off anecdotal stories in the decision-making process.
St. George City has a good resource for measuring results in the annual budget it is required to balance and pass each year. I will work closely with the other City Council members, the Mayor and city staff to make sure we are using this information to measure the results of the decisions we make and provide those measured results to the residents.
My business career has allowed me to cultivate long-term, working relationships with many local and state leaders. I’ve also had the privilege of working with many of the small business owners in the city. I am a lifelong resident. My wife, Kamari and I have been blessed to raise our family in Southern Utah. We are excited to watch our children raise their families here as well.
Three years on the St. George City Planning Commission have given me a strong understanding of the major issues facing our community. My time in this position has also given me a front-row seat to witness the very real challenges our city is facing.
I have met with many residents who recognize and want to preserve our unique small-town feel while continuing to diversify our local economy for future generations. These goals are complex yet attainable by working together to build the community we want.
We will be adding additional information to this FAQ and links to “More Info” soon.
All US Citizens who have lived in the city for at least 30 days before the election, and have registered are eligible to vote. Registration can be completed and updated online at vote.utah.gov or you can submit your voter registration to the Washington County Clerk’s office. You have until 11 days before the election to submit your form. You can also register day of the election with two forms of valid identification. Those forms can be found at vote.utah.gov . You can vote by mail and will receive your mail in ballot 21 days before the election. You can also vote in person with a valid identification.
This is a good question that does not have an easy answer. In Washington County the Washington County Water Conservancy District, created in 1962, oversees the use of water within the county. This organization is tasked with managing, finding and developing existing and new water resources for use within the County. The District is primarily a wholesaler of water to many of the cities and towns within the county, whom in turn provide water to their respective residents for a monthly or annual fee.
In the past, these local municipalities have traditionally agreed that when they approved or “entitled” a development within their city or town, they were also, via their own water sources or through their agreements with the District, to provide water for those developments they have approved.
Due to the continued rapid residential and commercial growth throughout Southern Utah and the persistent, severe drought conditions over many years, new ordinances and procedures have recently been implemented by most of the stakeholders in the county to more fully understand exactly how much water is really available in Southern Utah. Many of the facts and figures related to available water in the area are still being heavily debated, but all parties can agree, water will be a major factor in the continued growth of Southern Utah for the foreseeable future.
These Plans are created with information collected from municipal departments, demographic resources and citizen input. The Plan can then be used in prioritizing which community improvement projects to undertake such as storm water systems or the location of utility extensions and road improvements to accommodate future growth.
The Plan assists city policymakers in identifying what the residents in the community value. The Plan can then set goals to meet the needs of the community. The Plan gives decision makers a steady point of reference as they take action on the use of community resources and implement policies to preserve community character.
In the preamble to the U.S. Constitution, the founding fathers enumerated what they believed the role of government to be: to 1) establish justice; 2) ensure domestic tranquility; 3) provide for the common defense; and 4) promote the general welfare, and 5) secure the blessings of liberty.
Local governments, like St. George City, are a fundamental part of that vision of American government and its goal to decentralize power and decision-making from a federal or state government to a local level. Thus, cities are responsible for performing multiple roles, primarily dealing with their boundaries’ civil, economic, and social issues. This includes ensuring citizens have a police department and a justice system to establish justice and ensure domestic tranquility. While the federal government takes care of the “common defense,” cities provide for the general welfare of their citizens by ensuring they have a fire department and ambulance service. In the case of St. George, they ensure that utilities are available to their residents. Cities provide that roads, sidewalks, and other transportation options are open as needed. Cities have regulatory schemes for business operations and licensing that promote commerce and ensure a level playing field for all wishing to engage in business. Cities provide that public and private land uses are consistent with the community’s goals and that dangerous services are not located near schools. (see General Plans) Lastly, cities provide public gatherings and recreational opportunities which “promote the general welfare” of the community. To pay for these services, cities (of necessity) also set tax rates for property tax and establish other sales and uses taxes.
People living in St. George City are more aware of the problems they face than any higher level of government. Democratic decision-making becomes more effective when people are given the power to regulate their public affairs.
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