Cottonwood Heights Journal | November 2021

November 2021 | Vol. 17 Iss. 11

FREE CHPD OFFICERS RECEIVE PAY INCREASE By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com

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olice officer salaries have been on the rise throughout Utah. In June, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall announced the city would be increasing salaries for public safety employees. Since then, other municipalities have been implementing similar pay increases as police departments are worried about losing trained officers. The Cottonwood Heights Police Department (CHPD) is one such department worried about losing officers to other municipalities offering higher salaries. Police Chief Robby Russo asked the Cottonwood Heights City Council to consider a budget adjustment to keep officers’ salaries competitive. “Cottonwood Heights would like to remain competitive and retain current employees,” City Manager Tim Tingey explained, emphasizing his similar concern over departments actively recruiting officers offering $5 to $6 more an hour. Tingey reported to the city council that Herriman, Taylorsville, West Valley, South Jordan, West Jordan, and South Salt Lake already increased their pay substantially. As of publication, Draper, Murray, Sandy and Unified Police Department (UPD) were expected to pass increases as well. On Sept. 7, Tingey proposed a pay plan adjustment with an overall impact of $363,077 over nine months and $484,102 over 12 months to the city’s annual budget. “We are very vulnerable to losing people when other jurisdictions increase pay this much and we know some of them are actively recruiting,” Tingey said. To remain competitive, the plan adjust-

ment will increase police officer salaries from the current minimum of $22.68 an hour up to $28.25 per hour and the current maximum of $38.61 per hour to $42.68 per hour. It will also allow for sergeants making the minimum of $39.56 per hour to make $45.31 per hour and for sergeants making the maximum of $45.56 per hour to make $49.07 per hour. Lastly, lieutenants making the current minimum of $48.82 per hour will increase to $52.35 per hour and lieutenants making the current maximum of $52.57 per hour will make $56.38 per hour. “The officers being targeted (for recruitment) are bilingual females with minority backgrounds who have three to four years of experience,” Russo said. “Salt Lake City and South Salt Lake have already asked them for applications. How do I tell them to stay here and be loyal here?” Out of the current 38 CHPD officers: six officers have under five years of experience; eight officers have between five and 10 years of experience; six officers have between 10 and 15 years of experience; seven officers have between 15 and 20 years of experience; and 11 officers have over 20 years of experience. Councilmember Tali Bruce and Councilmember Christine Mikell suggested considering additional elements to improve employee retention other than raising pay, like paying the salaries of active-duty military members and providing daycare services. “If we are just looking at dollar per hour for the lower-level people, then raise the salaries for those we are in jeopardy of losing. In

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Depending on where a police officer is employed, their hourly pay could have a $5 difference. (Tim Tingey/ Cottonwood Heights)

the meantime, we should be looking at retention and what is meaningful to our police and the department,” Mikell said. Russo emphasized that the dollar amount seems crucial in the current environment. “In this particular instance, it is all about the money,” he said. Tingey mentioned he would like Cottonwood Heights to remain one of the top municipalities within the area for pay. In January, the council raised pay for the CHPD in accordance with market adjustments to remain one of the highest paying departments. However, with so many municipalities raising their

pay within the last few months, Cottonwood Heights was expected to be eighth on the list. Mayor Mike Peterson mentioned how it was important to the city council to remain within the top three for highest paying entities for firefighters, with Unified Fire Authority (UFA), so he believed that same goal should remain consistent with CHPD. On Oct. 5, the city council unanimously approved Ordinance 369: Approving Amendments to the 2021-2022 Budget. Ordinance 369 was moved by Councilmember Scott Bracken and seconded by Councilmember Doug Peterson. l

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Canyons Peer Court starts its second year; encourages students to make amends, find connections By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

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pproximately one year ago, Brighton High junior Nora Dominguez stood alongside her peers taking the same oath she did this year. It’s one that she doesn’t take lightly. Dominguez and 17 others—nine of who are returning members—pledged to uphold the duties of peer court, a model of restorative justice that was introduced to the Canyons School District communities last year. The Canyons Peer Court functions much like any court of law except with peer courts, students are trained to hear cases after students admit their guilt to their school administrators, and cases center around violations of school or district policy, such as fighting, bullying, vaping, or misuse of technology. The appearances and outcomes are confidential and the focus is on helping their peers make better decisions. “I’m excited for this year because I really enjoyed being on peer court last year,” she said. “It was a huge learning opportunity for me and a chance to help my community, school and school district. The families and students really trusted us, and we saw how the peer court could really make a positive difference for them.” As a peer court, high school students rotate in roles of one of three judges, who sit before the families, or they’re one of three bailiffs, who escort the families into the court and read the oath. Other peer court students sit quietly in the back of the room, learning and observing, and once families leave on a break, take part in the deliberation of the deposition to determine the students’ recourse for the next four weeks. They are guided by the program’s coordinator, Charisse Hilton. While Dominguez maintains the oath of confidentiality, she said that often the way she and her fellow student-judges help families is for the students and their parents or guardians to share about themselves. “Sometimes our dispositions may be to improve attendance or take classes at the Canyons family learning centers or have them explore their interests as it may lead to possible future careers. We could encourage them to join clubs and make friends, talk to people in the school community or provide service to their school,” she said. Hilton said that the judges’ scripts have been tweaked from last year’s script to be more open-ended.

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“We want the student to be able to tell their story, so more of a ‘please, tell us why you’re here,’ which allows the student to speak freely,” she said, which helps in determining a disposition that will help the student. Dominguez and other peer court members undergo 35 hours of training before they begin hearing cases following the guidelines of the National Association of Youth Courts. Before a student appears in court, the peer court judges will recuse themselves if they know the student or if they attend the same school. Hilton said the integrity of the peer court is “sincere and their desire to help is real. They’re really thoughtful and are critical thinkers who really try to weigh out what is going to be best for the students. We want them to help them find a way to connect with their school.” Peer court is voluntary, which the student and parents agree to, as an alternative to suspension, which takes students away from school and may lead to becoming further behind in their schoolwork, she added. “Our goal is to help the kids change their behavior. We’re here to support them, help them make better decisions, help them connect and create some relationships. This alternative has students be engaged in learning how to change their behavior and it’s an approach where the school community is being supportive to the family and providing resources,” Hilton said, adding that administrators and school resource officers have been trained and are supporting this alternative. She said that last year 41 students successfully completed their dispositions and families can reach back to her if they need for additional help or resources. “When they successfully met their dispositions, we celebrate and graduate them from peer court. We cheer and clap and tell them good job,” she said. Joining Hilton is Brighton teacher Shan Apolonio, who volunteers with the peer court members, who regularly hold court two days per month. To ensure students are on track completely their disposition, the peer court-appointed mentor, Suzanne Ren, checks in with students regularly. Hilton said that another positive aspect of the program is that the peer court members learn about civics,

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Canyons Board of Education President Nancy Tingey swears in 18 students to take part of Canyons Peer Court in its second year. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

community engagement, explore career opportunities, engage with the public, speak professionally and learn how to remain calm under pressure. “These kids are responsible and have their hearts in the right spot. They sincerely want to help,” Hilton said. “Youth courts give students a voice, experience with leadership, and a chance to serve their community. I have a passion to help students become leaders and to help make our community better.”l

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Babcock Performing Readers now at Whitmore Library By Gigi Smith | g.smith@mycityjournals.com

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hitmore Library is for everyone and so is Babcock,” Joyce Wilson, Babcock Performing Readers historian said. There could not be a better venue for bringing literature to life than at a library. The Babcock Performing Readers had been previously located at the University of Utah on the lower level of Pioneer Memorial Theater. Now you can find them at Whitmore Library, 2197 E. Fort Union Blvd. on the third Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. Parking and admission are free. Each month, audience members of all ages will be entertained with reading performances under the direction of professionals. See www.babcockperformingreaders.org for the 2021-22 line-up. In honor of Halloween, Oct. 21 was “Two by Stephen King,” directed by Tobin Atkinson. Wilson recounts the history of the Babcock name with a story of how Brigham Young’s daughter Susa had been taking classes from Maud May Babcock back east. When Brigham Young moved, he invited Babcock to come west for employment. Internationally renowned and only 23 years old, Babcock turned down higher wages and accepted the offer to come west where she, “established successful classes of oral interpretation at the University of Utah.” For the course of her life, Babcock was adored by her students and devoted herself to them, oftentimes feeding them and holding rehearsals at her cabin in Brighton. Babcock’s intent was to bring books and their words to life making it interesting for everyone. To Babcock’s credit, some of her students became senators and mayors who had learned how to express themselves by giving memorable speeches and the knowledge of how to speak to their audiences. Being entertained is just one of the many benefits of attending a Babcock Readers Performance. Attendees will find

that actors and actresses will be there performing in order to keep their skills in place while waiting for their next film role. Children and adults participate as a tool for building self-esteem, learning self-confidence and training for employment opportunities such as voice overs and reading for the blind. Viewers are considered part of the organization and as a viewer if you have a favorite book or a story that you’ve written, and you’re wanting to see and hear it come to life, you are encouraged to con-

tribute. Wilson recalls her earliest experience with bringing “the pages to life” as a threeyear-old sitting on Uncle Roscoe’s knee as he read “Little Orphan Annie” over the radio. She’d gasp and giggle and in turn, Uncle Roscoe became a better and more entertaining reader. As an adult journalist traveling the world, Wilson found herself in situations where she was under suspicion and threatened with arrest for “asking too many questions.” Using her skills as

a confident, engaging speaker who looked her accusers in the eye, allowed her to avoid arrest and experience an exciting, fulfilling career. For more information on the history of Babcock Performing Readers see the historical display each month at the Whitmore Library or at the Marriott Library. If interested in participating in reading performances, contact Joyce Wilson by email at joy-ski-more@hotmail.com. l

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November 2021 | Page 5

Students support one another through Cottonwood’s new club ‘The Stampede’ By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

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ottonwood High junior Ethan Gerhart related a story that happened at his school. Gerhart said when the school’s rookie robotics team qualified for the world competition in 2019, “everybody lined the halls and had a send-off for them, like everybody in the school gave them a round of applause and high-5s. I guess one of the students came up to the principal and said, ‘that’s the best thing anybody has ever done for the robotics club.’” That, he said, was the inspiration behind the club that was formed this year, The Stampede. “We want that to happen more,” Gerhart said. “We want to make everybody in the school feel included.” The Stampede is a group of students who want to support one another, breaking down the groups or cliques in high school. By building up one another, he said, it builds up the school. Gerhart said, for example, The Stampede club will be joining the Art Council in painting backdrops for the school’s upcoming musical, “Annie.” “We’re wanting to appreciate everyone and trying to get everybody as one school,” he said. “We’ll invite a bunch of students, have some pizza, paint the props and just show the art team that we appreciate them and we ap-

preciate what they’re doing. At the same time, we’ll have a great time and support our drama students in the musical.” The Stampede also has delivered Gatorade with personalized notes to tennis and cross country members, Skor candybars to the girls’ soccer team, and made an archway with golf clubs for the boys’ golf team as they headed to a tournament. “We did that in front of their classes and school so everybody knew about these athletes and gave them a big round of applause,” he said. “Our goal is to get every club and make every club in the school and specifically, every student in the school feel appreciated.” The buy-in also has several different clubs and teams who are supporting others whether it’s the girls’ soccer team supporting debate or the cross country team supporting the drama club. Gerhart relates the story of the volleyball team being down two sets in their match when the football team came in after their team dinner. “They went and cheered on the girls’ volleyball team because you know, high school, people really only go to the football games right, like most of the rest of sports are very underappreciated,” he said. “The football team, and some of The Stampede members,

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At Cottonwood High, The Stampede fills the student section, like they did here Sept. 9 at the girls’ volleyball game, and supports each student club to unite the school. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

went to the volleyball game and we think, just by us being there and cheering them on and showing them appreciation, that helped.” While the team still lost, by only two points, he said, “that was kind of some of the inspiration for The Stampede club.” The club’s adviser, Joseph Brinton, said that he met with Principal Terri Roylance and student government adviser Tara Battista and some community members about wanting “a way of connecting our school with each other, with fellow students, also an opportunity of connecting the local community with the school.” “We began to see that the school had divided segments within it and thought Cottonwood would be better served if we could find a way of helping them see the need to support each other in this larger community of being a Colt,” he said. “It’s been a really cool group that’s brought all these different segments of the school community together.” While Brinton sees the benefits of belonging of a group, such as the athletes, the Latinos in Action, the art students and sticking to those particular groups “that really have tight-knit communities and really help their students there,” he asked, “what if we could find a way of tying each other together, supporting each other. If we can find a larger cause than just your niche or corner, it will build a more positive community.” He said The Stampede bridges interaction between students with different interests and helps to build that community. “It has become their passion, their student experience to be involved in all facets of the school community,” Brinton said. “I really like a lot of the ideas come from the students and I’ve been blown away at the feedback students give about how they’ve felt giving recognition to their peers. The students have a sense of ‘I’m doing something to help the school.’ It’s really positive for our club members too.” Parents have contributed, such as mak-

ing 16 yellow and black flags, that The Stampede takes to games and competitions “to build a positive culture and environment.” Students can sign up to take a bus to attend away games and at home games, the club also has helped organize tailgates at football games to encourage students to attend, halftime competitions and other activities to increase student involvement. “One of the pillars of the club is for The Stampede member to realize, ‘I can’t control whether the players for my school win or lose, but I can control is their experience both as a fan and as an athlete. I can make the students in my school feel like their peers recognize and care and notice them. We appreciate the sacrifices they make not just individually, but for our community,’” he said. “If they know we care about them, then maybe they’re going to start showing care toward their peers in a different hallway or different interest.” Brinton said that any student is welcome to belong to The Stampede and in the early weeks of school, already 70 students joined in. Eight leaders have emerged from that group; Gerhart is one. Until this year, he hadn’t joined clubs or activities. “Honestly, school is really boring without clubs and extracurricular activities,” Gerhart said. “I’m not really an athletic person so I wasn’t really interested in any extracurricular sports. So, I figured, hey, this is a good way to get involved and to get everybody involved. It’s kind of just a club for the school, not a club for one particular event.” Already The Stampede is changing the atmosphere at Cottonwood, he said. “We feel it just brings everybody closer together,” Gerhart said, adding that it makes forming friendships easier. “We want to make sure everybody views each other as equals and we’re all one school.” l

Cottonwood Heights City Journal

Adversity didn’t deter these students’ accomplishments to get a college education

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tah State University, Missouri Valley College, Salt Lake Community College and University of Utah will enroll some recent Canyons School District graduates, thanks to the Canyons Education Foundation. Six graduates from the class of 2021 were awarded partial scholarships to further their education. The annual Bright Star Scholarship of $1,000 was also awarded to seniors from each high school in Canyons School District who has shown improvement or exemplary effort in working toward the goal of post-secondary education. This year’s scholarship recipients are Saskia Paepke-Chile, Alta High; Sean Spackman, Brighton High; Abbey Aamodt, Corner Canyon High; Martha Lopez Rodriguez, Diamond Ridge High; Miriam Camacho, Hillcrest High; and Elijah Martin; Jordan High. Brighton’s Hailey Timm was awarded $2,500, the Rising Star Scholarship for having “risen” above trying circumstances either in family life, financially, emotionally or scholastically; Timm and all scholarship winners are dedicated to furthering their education, said Denise Haycock, Canyons Education Foundation development officer. For Timm, the road hasn’t been easy as she has achieved despite “the adversity she has faced,” said Brighton band director Mikala Mortensen. “Hailey is a wonderful musician” as she “is always willing to perform for the community,” Mortensen wrote in her recommendation letter. “Her willingness to share the gift of music with others is unmatched.” Timm, who played in the symphonic band, also was the drum major in last year’s inaugural marching band and played for the school’s jazz band. “As a drum major in the marching band, she leads with kindness, assisting all of them to succeed as individuals and an ensemble. I find Hailey to be particularly exceptional leader because she has endured her fair share of hardships in her young life, yet never lets that get in the way of her dedication to her peers,” Mortensen said, adding that Timm also is an intelligent student. This fall, Timm will study at USU to become a high school biology teacher. Her classmate, Sean Spackman, will attend SLCC. Diagnosed with autism at age 3, he has been involved in student government, Link Crew, National Honor Society, Hope Squad and track. He has learned to face trials head-on. “I still have autism and I always will have it,” Spackman said. “Instead of letting it hold me back, I learned to overcome the challenges it has brought to my life. I have a very bright future ahead of me.” Lopez Rodriguez and Camacho also are enrolling at SLCC. Lopez Rodriguez’s counselor, Suzy Santos, said that as a Diamond Ridge student,

CottonwoodHeightsJournal .com

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com Lopez Rodriguez, who wants to be a nurse, learned how to balance high school coursework with her certified nursing assistant courses at CTEC. “Coming into the program, she couldn’t see how college could happen for her, but through grit and determination, Martha has discovered the thrill of learning new things while achieving big goals,” she said. Camacho is described as “inquisitive, humble, focused, resilient and compassionate” by her counselor, Nicole Huff, who said that Camacho turned her life around and did “not let grief define her. Hard work, outstanding attitude and determination have resulted in a senior year of nothing but As and Bs.” The high school graduate, who has a “keen eye for fashion,” wants to model in her own clothing designs. Alta’s Saskia Paepke-Chile, knowing little English, moved to the Utah from Brazil her freshman year. “I was very concerned about her ability to not only acclimate to a new language, country, school and living situation, but also her ability to successfully complete her classes,” wrote her counselor, Jennifer Scheffner, in a recommendation letter. “I quickly learned that Saskia is a young woman with a fiery determination to succeed and an insatiable desire for knowledge. What I did not take into consideration was her determination to learn and incredible work ethic.” Paepke-Chile, who plans to attend the U of U, was Alta’s Sterling Scholar in World Languages. She also was Alta’s Ballroom Team president and was active with the school’s Latinos in Action and Peer Leadership Team as well as involved in the district’s Student Advisory Council and tutoring Sprucewood Elementary students despite her mother dying from cancer in Brazil. “She is a prime example of resilience, hard work and immense potential,” Scheffner said. Corner Canyons’ Abbey Aamodt also has shown her drive to succeed in the face of adversity, Haycock said. “Early challenges molded her commitment to setting ambitious goals, which included challenging coursework, excellent grades and setting her sights on a college education,” Haycock said. “In the midst of it all, there have been moments of heartache, grief and pain due to family crises, but Abbey rose to these challenges and uses them to gain strength and purpose. She now dedicates herself to leadership and service.” Aamodt plans to join Paepke-Chile at the U to pursue a degree in architecture and interior design so she can renovate and build homes to give back to the community. Jordan High graduate Elijah Martin moved 11 times before settling in with his aunt during his high school career, said his teacher Aubrie Grass. “Elijah had a lot of classes to retake,

Brighton’s Hailey Timm was presented a $2,500 check as the Rising Star Scholarship winner from Canyons Education Foundation Development Officer Denise Haycock. (Photo courtesy of Canyons Education Foundation)

but he’s done so through hard work and determination,” she said, adding words like respectful, kind, supportive, hardworking, personable and a natural leader to describe her former student. Martin, who is attending Missouri Valley College this fall, has a passion to become a world history teacher. “This passion for teaching is already evident in how he helps fellow students to understand difficult assignments, listens well to varying perspectives and makes sure people feel that they are heard and understood. As an African-American male, he sees the

need to have more minority males in teaching positions to inspire and connect with minority students,” Grass said. Martin thanked Canyons Education Foundation. “You guys are really helping a lot of people,” he said. “Not just me, but then my future family. You’re going to help my kids and their kids’ kids. Two years ago, college wasn’t something I saw myself doing. One financially, it just wasn’t possible for me; and two, I didn’t have the drive for it. A scholarship like this is going to help me help my own kids and other kids one day.” l

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November 2021 | Page 7

Under new director, Brighton orchestra ensemble wins state award By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

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righton High Chamber Ensemble recently took the stage in its fall concert as well as playing Mozart for the school National Honor Society chapter’s induction ceremony. It was their first performances since they were recognized as the state winner in the National Music Education Foundation’s Mark of Excellence. “We were the only state-level winner,” said Alia Gonzales, who was new to Brighton High last year as its orchestras director. Gonzales came to Utah from Texas, which

swept all the other awards in the competition. Last year’s 14-member advanced chamber ensemble submitted their performance of all four movements of “St. Paul’s Suite” by Gustave Holst and “She Will Hang the Night With Stars” by William Hofeldt. “We were rehearsing all last year, and we knew that in early June, we would need to have a fantastic video submission, so we took numerous recordings all throughout the spring to get our best recording to submit,” she said. It wasn’t until Sept. 15 they learned they

were the state winner—and the only state to have a winner. Brighton’s ensemble was one of 22 programs recognized from 236 entries across 38 states. The group was expecting a plaque to arrive in November. Of the group’s 14 members, only two were seniors. The rest are part of the strings program, that includes the philharmonic, that has grown from 37 students to 54 in the past year. The chamber ensemble now has 26 students, almost doubled last year. “We have started off as a stronger ensemble than last year, and I am looking at some wonderful literature for us for the spring,” Gonzales said. As a Skyline High graduate, Gonzales had moved to Texas to earn her degrees in violin performance—her bachelor’s from Southern Methodist University and her master’s from Sam Houston State University. She then gave private lessons before teaching general music in elementary schools and becoming an orchestra clinician for middle and high schools. After moving with her family back to Salt Lake area, Gonzales, having played for the 2009 Latin

Grammy Awards in Houston and on the Danilo Montero’s “La Carta Perfecta” 2014 Grammy Award-winning album, was brought to Brighton in 2019 as a clinician to work with the violins and violas. She was hired the following year. “I am fortunate that Mikala Mortensen (Brighton’s band director) saw the value of having a string player teach the orchestra and…to Mr. (Tom) Sherwood (Brighton’s principal) for catching the vision and creating the part-time position,” she said. While she has yet to decide if this year’s ensemble will compete for the Mark of Excellence Award, Gonzales already is excited about their playing. “I feel like we started at a higher level than we did last year and we’re playing some big works. I like to play different genres of music with the students. Of course, we always come back to the classical literature, but last year we played Coldplay and a jazz tune, Michael Bublé’s ‘Everything,’ utilizing one of our own bassists as the set player,” she said. “I’m excited about this year. We’ve got a variety of music on our plates.” l

Last year’s Brighton High Advanced Chamber Ensemble, under the direction of new orchestras director Alia Gonzales, was recognized by the National Music Education Foundation and awarded the Mark of Excellence state winner. (Photo courtesy of Brighton orchestra)

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Accessory dwelling units now legal By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com

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ccessory dwelling units (ADUs) are legally allowed within single-family residential neighborhoods throughout Utah as of Oct. 1. ADUs used to be regulated by individual municipalities, so cities previously not allowing ADUs, or heavily regulating or restricting them, have been working to update their ordinances and policies. (ADUs are permanent residential dwelling units meant for one additional single family within a primary dwelling unit; within the footprint of the primary dwelling unit at the time the internal ADU is created; and for the purpose of offering a long-term rental of 30 consecutive days or longer.) On May 5, the Utah State Legislature passed H.B. 82 (Single-Family Housing Modifications) requiring municipalities and counties to classify certain ADUs as permittable. Municipalities and counties are now prohibited from establishing restrictions for ADUs, with limited exception. In addition, the bill sets guidelines for punishing any individual who lists or offers a certain licensed or permitted ADU as a short-term rental. As many cities had previously implemented various ordinances and codes related to ADUs within their boundaries, the passing of H.B. 82 was read as an attempt

to take control away from local governments. “The statewide bill prohibits and limits local authority,” said Cottonwood Heights Community and Economic Development Director Mike Johnson on July 6. This directly applies to internal ADUs, as the legislature has not yet regulated external ADUs. Meaning, detached garages with apartments above, other detached structures, and tiny homes can still be regulated by local municipalities. Even though the state legislature allowed municipalities to restrict ADUs through a handful of specific regulations, H.B. 82 stated municipalities were not allowed to further impose or restrict ADUs within their single-family residential zones. Municipalities can, however, choose to require building permits or licenses for ADUs. They can require owner-occupancy and one additional off-street parking space. ADUs can be prohibited in a zoning district covering 25% or less of the city’s residential zones and in mobile homes. The use of separate utility meters can be prohibited as well. In addition, municipalities can prohibit short-term rentals in ADUs and hold a record notice of ADU against the property’s title if found in violation. Cottonwood Heights was one of the

municipalities needing to revisit and revise their Code of Ordinances to ensure compliance on Oct. 1. In 2018 and 2019, the (previous) city council spent months debating various restrictions and regulations for ADUs within the city. Some of those concerns were revisited. On-street parking was one of Mayor Mike Peterson’s main concerns related to ADUs in years prior, and still is. In revising the city’s ADU ordinance, Cottonwood Heights will be requiring one additional (non-tandem) parking stall per ADU. Owner-occupancy will also be required, which can be proven with an affidavit. “We are planning to require licensing and inspection,” Johnson said on Sept. 7, ensuring city councilmembers that ADUs within the city will be meeting building code requirements. Cottonwood Heights will also be checking for separate utility meters. Requirements for detached ADUs with the city will remain the same, with strict setbacks, parking stall requirements, annual renewal of licensing, and license renewal under new ownership. While many of the restrictions set by the state legislature caused varying frustration for councilmembers, one mandate in particular caused concern for many Cottonwood Heights residents. Single-family residential

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neighborhoods, where ADUs are now legally allowed, includes HOAs (homeowner associations). In fact, H.B. 82 makes it illegal for private HOAs and developments with CC&Rs (Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions) to prohibit ADUs. This may directly impact at least 12 neighborhoods within Cottonwood Heights with HOAs. “This is the legislature undercutting contracts that have already been made. It will lead to some litigation,” said City Attorney Shane Topham on July 6. On Sept. 21, the Cottonwood Heights City Council unanimously voted to enact Chapter 19.75 (Accessory Dwelling Units) within the city code “which authorizes as a permitted use accessory dwelling units contained in the interior of residences in any of the city’s single-family residential zones, as required by H.B. 82 enacted by the Utah Legislature earlier this year.” Ordinance 368 was moved by Councilmember Scott Bracken and seconded by Councilmember Doug Peterson. For more information, check out the Accessory Dwelling Units page on the city’s website by visiting www.cottonwoodheights. utah.gov and hovering over the “City Services” tab, finding the “Community Development” section, and navigating to the bottom list item of “Accessory Dwelling Units.” l

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The state legislature addressed internal ADUs this past May but has not yet regulated external ADUs. (Mike Johnson/Cottonwood Heights)

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Canyons middle school students compete in cross country By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

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November 2021 | Page 11

Public Works requests funds for improvements, snowplow storage By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com

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riving along 3000 East in Cottonwood Heights, commuters may notice a row of snowplows (and additional public works equipment) while looking east toward the Wasatch mountains. That’s the Cottonwood Heights Public Works yard, near 6601 South. Well, half of it is anyway as the yard is shared with UDOT (Utah Department of Transportation). The Cottonwood Heights side of the yard currently consists of large storage facilities and a construction trailer, serving as office space for the public works team. The property was purchased in 2017, when the city decided to bring their public works services in-house. There has been minimal development since. In 2020, Public Works Director Matt Shipp presented a construction proposal to the Cottonwood Heights City Council to continue development of the site. However, the city’s budget was not amenable to the expense at the time. Over the past few months, the city council has been debating an allocation of funds so the public works yard can be completed. “We are not housing some of our vehicles,” said Shipp on Sept 21. With the equipment frequently being exposed to the elements, Shipp expects the budget for

maintenance and repairs to be above average. He also mentioned how many residents have called asking why the snowplows are out in the elements. Bays to house the equipment, primarily snowplows, have always been at the forefront of proposed construction for the yard. The current construction proposal includes new truck bays to not only help protect the equipment from the elements, but to provide adequate space for vehicle maintenance as well. The proposed bays would be around 10,125 square feet and would be able to store 10 snowplows. In addition, the construction proposal includes retrofitting the current building to account for the storage of the three remaining snowplows. Salt storage would remain within that same building. The property has already been paid for so “we are trying to maximize the space that’s already there,” Shipp said. Since the public works team has been working out of their construction trailer for years, Shipp would also like an office space built for his staff to utilize. The proposed office building would be around 6,100 square feet. With an estimated spring 2022 start date, the total construction budget is esti-

Currently, these main storage facilities are the majority of the Cottonwood Heights Public Works yard. (Matt Shipp/Cottonwood Heights)

mated at $5,574,436. Vehicle maintenance and storage would be the majority cost at $2,236,260. Expenses for constructing the office building are estimated at

$1,708,000. Improving and modifying the current building is estimated to run $750,000. The remaining costs would cover city storage. l

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Cottonwood Heights City Journal

Brighton girls lacrosse coach awarded $25,000

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By Jerry Christensen | j.christensen@mycityjournals.com

t takes a community to turn any sports organization from just a team to a movement and to a dynasty. Brighton girls lacrosse may have just turned that corner. Orem-based Prolook Sports sponsored a first-ever “Favorite Coach” contest with a $25,000 prize. In September, high school boys and girls teams of all sports could mount a PR campaign to generate votes for their coaches. The coach with the most votes would be designated “favorite coach” along with the cash/gear prize. Toward the end of the voting period Brighton girls lacrosse coach Melissa Nash, 2019 IMLAX Coach of the Year and 2020 UHSAA Coach of the Year, was notified that she was in the top 10 for the country. In fact, she was the only female coach to crack the top 10. The passionate Brighton lacrosse community took that as further motivation to get out the vote. “I was blown away by how many people were supporting us,” said Nash. “They know the blood, sweat and tears the six assistant coaches and I put into this program, and they came out in full support.” The Olympus alumnus (class

of 2008) and former Skyline lacrosse coach, Nash was humbled by the reach of the Brighton lacrosse community. “It shows where girls lacrosse has come to,” said senior lacrosse standout Hunter Doyle, who has seen the program grow through her years in the program. With 68 girls in the program, Brighton lacrosse is the first team in the state to field a freshman/sophomore team in addition to the JV and varsity squads. “This is a huge statement of community support,” added Chelsea Owens, assistant coach and former Brighton lacrosse player (class of 2014). The newly sanctioned UHSAA sport at Brighton draws crowds filling the stands even in pandemic years. The region championship game between Brighton and Olympus came down to a single goal in the last minute of regulation time. Brighton came away with the sport’s first region trophy in front of a jubilant Brighton crowd. l

Melissa Nash was named “Favorite Coach.” (Jerry Christensen/City Journals)

Brighton football repeats as region champion, golf finishes seventh at state By Jerry Christensen | j.christensen@mycityjournals.com

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he fall sports season brought Brighton new hardware for its new trophy cases with late season surges. The football team, under the steady hand of coach Justin Hemm, weathered a tough loss to region rival Olympus early in the season making it back to the top of Region 6. With a little help from Park City’s team, which handed Olympus a loss, Brighton had a single obstacle to overcome before claiming the region title—the last game of the season with the Murray Spartans. Attending that cold October game at Murray was Michigan Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh who was in town to recruit Brighton four-star player Lander Barton. The team played inspired football posting a 59-6 win and securing the back-to-back region championship. The Bengals will take on four-time defending champions Orem Tigers in the opening round of the state tournament. On that same blustery October day, Brighton golf presented its finest at Soldier Hollow Golf Course in the state golf tournament. Senior Kieran Dunn capped his four years on the Brighton team by medaling as one of the top 10 golfers in the state.

CottonwoodHeightsJournal .com

Brighton Golf Team 2021. (Photo courtesy Ron Meyer)

The team followed with a seventh-place finish for the season. “While we are going to miss our seniors and the top-notch leadership of Kieran Dunn,” said golf coach Ron Meyer, who is also an English teacher at Brighton. “We have some younger players coming up like

Davis Cook, Bennett Peterson, Luke Alder and Nate Riedel. They are solid players. Davis Cook, a freshman this year, played varsity. The competition was tough, but we had a great year. When four teams at state are from the same region, you know the region is tough.” l

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Prepare, work hard, learn and grow: Life lessons learned by former Brighton athlete By Jerry Christensen | j.christensen@mycityjournals.com NOTE: This is an ongoing column highlighting Brighton athletes who continue to excel at the next levels. Send profile recommendations to brightonlegacy@gmail.com ong after their playing days, most high school athletes will carry a handful of memories that stay with them their entire lives. Teammates. Grueling workouts. The highs and lows of representing their school. And, many times, those memories turn out to be “life lessons.” Former Brighton High soccer standout Stephanie Verdoia (Class of 2011) is a case in point. “Learning that training and preparation are a key to success,” Verdoia says as she ticks off the memories of her four years on the Bengal varsity squad, culminating in the 5A state championship in 2010. “Trusting your teammates, and knowing they can count on you. Trying to find something in the setbacks that can make you smarter the next day.” In addition to the state championship, Verdoia wrapped a storied career at Brighton by being selected the 5A Most Valuable Player, as well as the Gatorade Player of the Year for Utah. But her career on the field was merely the beginning. At Seattle University, Verdoia was a three-time All-Conference Forward in the Western Athletic Conference, twice being selected the Offensive Player of the Year, as well as being selected the WAC Female Student Athlete of the Year in 2014. Her senior season she led the Redhawks to their deepest run in school history in the NCAA women’s soccer tournament. The Seattle Sports Commission selected her the Woman Athlete of the Year in 2015.

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But the lessons of the field were also translating to the classroom for Verdoia. She was selected the CapitalOne/ CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for women’s soccer, and bestowed the NCAA’s Senior Class Award for outstanding academic and community service achievement. She was subsequently honored as a finalist for the NCAA Woman Athlete of the Year. The stage seemed set for a long-planned career step to law school. But soccer was not quite ready to let go of the Utah native. She was selected by the United States Women’s National Team to join the under-23 roster for an international tournament in Spain, lining up with players who would become stalwarts on future Olympic and World Cup teams. Then, in the spring of 2015, she was drafted by the Boston Breakers of the NWSL and turned professional. Three years of international competition—culminating in the championship match in Oslo for the Norwegian Women’s Football Cup—were challenging and rewarding, but not the career path she continued to dream of. In the fall of 2018 Verdoia enrolled in the University of Washington School of Law. Three years later, after legal experiences ranging from advocacy for indigent women to research into compensation for college athletes, she graduated from law school and began her practice as an attorney with a Seattle firm. “But I still remember those lessons learned at Brighton High,” she said. “Prepare and work hard. Be strong for those you work with, as they will be strong for you. And if today goes against you, learn and grow.” l

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2014 WAC Championship match where Verdoia was named Conference and Tournament MVP. She was second in nation in scoring and assists. (Photo courtesy GOALWA.NET/ Wilson Tsoi)

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For Cottonwood athletic director, a new region is bringing his school unprecedented success By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

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ometimes, new ideas bring forth new growth. The great author Arthur C. Clarke once said, “The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.” In the case of Cottonwood High School and its athletic program, the idea that the Utah High School Activities Association had to move the Colts into a brand new Region 7 was one that took some getting used to. For starters, the Colts would be flung toward Vernal 300 miles east, then back west to Tooele County and south down Interstate 15 to Cedar Hills and Payson before their region season was all said and done. The only close opponent in proximity would be rival Hillcrest. But athletic director Gregg Southwick said last year that he thought this new region would be a blessing for a Cottonwood athletics program that had been taking massive lumps in just about every major sport—aside from swimming and baseball—in their previous region because of a significantly reduced enrollment in sports programs at the school. It turns out that Southwick’s forecast was correct; early returns show that the Colts are not only competitive in the major fall

sports—golf, tennis and volleyball—they’re actually thriving in region play despite the long bus rides. “The region placement is basically out of our control, but it’s been nothing but positives for our kids,” he said. “They’re doing things they’ve never done before; taking long bus rides to Vernal and Payson has built the camaraderie of the team. We’ve been able to eat together as a team in a restaurant in Vernal, and spend a lot of time together, and that’s something we wouldn’t have been able to do if we were placed in any other region.” Southwick knows the parents have questions about playing in a region that is so spread out that it takes the Colts several hours to get to away games and then get back to Murray. But, he urges these parents to look at the big picture here, and see what life lessons the kids are learning from these unique experiences that are also having a great effect on their performances. For example, the Colts boys golf team qualified for its first state tournament in many years after finishing second in region play. The girls tennis team under the direction of coach Tess Soracco also qualified several players for their state tournament, and the

volleyball team has been more competitive in region play under its new coach than it has been in years, according to Southwick. “Our second singles [tennis] team didn’t lose a match and we were in the top three in region,” added Southwick. “I think we’re doing better than Hillcrest for the first time in many years. There’s a lot of pluses and not too many minuses.” Southwick said that after talking to the tennis and volleyball coaches that they’re “very excited” about being in a new region— one that is probably closer to the Colts level right now. For the next two years, the athletic director added that the Colts will remain in this new region—“until the UHSAA decides where we’ll be going.” For the Colts football team, Southwick added that he’s “very pleased” with the direction that head coach Casey Miller and staff have the program in, as they have now completed their second year as an independent. The Colts will continue as a football independent through the 2022 season after which time the UHSAA will determine whether or not Cottonwood, who finished the season at 4-5 and had a three-game winning

While the football team, pictured here in 2019, now plays as an independent, the rest of the school sports now compete in a new league. (File photo City Journals)

streak, will remain without a class affiliation in football, or move back into a region. “We know that we’ve still got work to do to build up the numbers in these programs…especially in football,” Southwick said. “So for right now, we are exactly where we want, and need, to be.” l

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Residents recruited to help develop Cottonwood Heights’s general plan By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com

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ottonwood Heights is developing an updated general plan for the city. As part of the process, residents and community members have been asked to provide any ideas, insights, or feedback pertaining to the city’s future. City staff members have termed the new general plan project Cottonwood Heights Tomorrow. A city’s general plan serves as a guiding document for almost all city work, as it establishes goals, outlines policies, and details zones. General plans often address topics important to the surrounding community like transportation, economic development, housing, sustainability, and parks and recreation. The goal of Cottonwood Heights Tomorrow is to provide new growth visions for the city, establish updated goals and policies, and detail actional measures for each. Each chapter of the city’s current general plan will be analyzed and updated through this process. With funding from a Wasatch Front Regional Council grant, a consultant team was hired by the city for Cottonwood Heights Tomorrow. The team consists of Tim Sullivan from Township + Range, Christine Richman from GSBS Consulting, Mark Morris from VODA Landscape + Planning, and Mark Vlasic, Sam Taylor and John Locke from Landmark Design. The process of analyzing, updating, and developing a new general plan is expected to take over one year. The Cottonwood Heights Tomorrow team will work through this process in five separate phases. Beginning in spring, the team began starting and setting up the project, before moving into Phase 2: Community Visioning. “Planning efforts begin with a robust public engagement process that allows residents and stakeholders to identify the places, form, and directions of future growth,” the Cottonwood Heights Tomorrow team wrote. Within this phase, Cottonwood Heights Tomorrow is asking for community feedback. Residents and community members have various options for engagement including taking the Vision Confirmation Survey which asks a variety of questions surrounding city planning preferences. Residents can share their ideas on the Community Idea Board page of the general plan website. A few of the currently published ideas

include underground parking, implementing fiber optic internet throughout the city, prioritizing green space, protecting bike lanes, and incorporating creekside trails. In addition, residents can meet with city staff members in-person at city hall (2277 E. Bengal Blvd.) or over Zoom during “office hours.” City staff members will be available on Wednesday afternoons and Friday mornings. “I feel that a critical component of effective plans and policies at the local government level is obtaining differing points of view on issues,” wrote Tim Tingey in October’s city newsletter. Cottonwood Heights Tomorrow will begin drafting a plan as part of Phase 3 after all community feedback has been gathered. By early next year, they will have a plan to publish publicly. Phase 4: Draft Refinement and Public Engagement is expected to run through spring 2022; after which a final plan can be approved and adopted. Existing city plans the Cottonwood Heights Tomorrow team will analyze and draw from include: Bonneville Shoreline Trail Access Master Plan, Bicycle and Trails Master Plan, Fort Union Area Master Plan, Wasatch Boulevard Area Master Plan, 2019 Affordable Housing Plan, and current General Plan (which was originally published in 2005 when the city was incorporated). The current general plan for Cottonwood Heights provides guidelines for Land Use policies, opportunities, recommendations, and implementation strategies; prioritizes Urban Trails and Parks and Open Space with policies, conditions, and strategies; outlines transportation conditions and future possibilities; details roadway maps and probable improvements; provides a comprehensive summary of housing; details the social and economic conditions of the city; and provides a history of the area. The current general plan includes information about annexation, natural environments, and maps as well. If interested in office hours, the city asks you to contact their community and economic development staff to confirm availability at 801944-7000 or planning@ch.utah.gov. To sign up for updates or provide feedback: visit the CottonwoodHeightsTomorrow.org website. l

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“Most housing units in Cottonwood Heights were built between 1960 and 1999 as development moved outward from Salt Lake City into agricultural plots during a post-war period of rapid urbanization.” (Photo courtesy of Landmark Design and Cottonwood Heights)

Cottonwood Heights City Journal

City Hall documents BHS old and new By Jerry Christensen | j.christensen@mycityjournals.com

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ore than 50 years of local history will be on display at Cottonwood Heights City Hall starting Nov. 1, as the city’s Historic Committee honors the past and present of Brighton High School in a new public exhibit. The exhibit in the City Hall lobby will feature photographs and memorabilia spanning BHS history from the land’s agricultural roots, through 50 years of student activities and achievement in the original “roundhouse” design, to the recently dedicated rebuilding of a 21st-century educational center. “Public schools have been at the heart of local history for more than 100 years,” said Historic Committee Vice-Chair Ken Verdoia. “The rebuild of Brighton High in the heart of our city truly is history, and great memories, in the making.” The multi-panel display is a celebration of changing times and faces, as well as reminders of the role public schools play in the community. The exhibit, Brighton High School: Full Circle, located in the lobby of City Hall on the corner of 2300 East and Bengal Boulevard, is free and open to the public and will run through Nov. 19. Much of the exhibit will then move to permanent display in Brighton High School. City Hall public hours are Mon- The circles of Brighton High built in 1969. day-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. l

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Riders of all abilities race in high school cycling league

E

levate is the program in the Utah High School Cycling League for special needs students. In its eight years of existence, they have helped several student athletes participate just like every other rider in the program. “We wanted to bring more inclusivity into this league,” league director Dallen Atack said. “We wanted to make it available to special needs athletes.” This season the league has had about a dozen special needs student athletes participate. They are each members of individual teams across the state. They include riders that are legally blind, deaf, autistic or missing limbs. These riders participate just like the rest of the members of the team. In some cases, they may race a small loop near the start finish line, but other kids race a normal lap, and spectators would never know the difference. “It is based on the capacity of the team. If they have the ability to work with these kids we can get them to practice and the races,” Atack said. Each participant can be individually supervised as needed. “We had an athlete that was deaf and rode a little slower so we had a parent ride behind her so that the oncoming racers knew to steer around her,” Atack said. “Another was

Page 20 | November 2021

By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com legally blind. A coach rode in front of him to keep him safe. He could not see in front of him very well, but he was fast and usually had a small tumble during a race, but we made sure he stayed safe.” The league provided training for its coaches with the National Ability Center in Park City. The NAC draws from decades of experience working with people of all abilities, using special equipment as necessary and techniques and teaching methods within its 1,900 volunteers. “They helped us learn to work with the athletes and taught coaches skills for each individual athlete,” Atack said. “They have also helped acquire bikes with special equipment as needed.” The league has 6,300 participants this season. They raced in four regions across the state and are scheduled to hold the state finals Oct. 28-29 in St. George. “Our league grew more than we expected this season. In some of our race venues we are bursting at the seams. We also had a tough weather year with several lightning delays and rain. We will be headed to St. George for the finals with approximately 2,100 riders who have qualified,” Atack said. The league culture is different than most people have experienced.

West Granite Composite rider Archie Wiley finished his lap at the Eagle Mountain course in 56 minutes. Riders in the series race to improve each time they get on course. The league is trying to make the series available to everyone. (Greg James/City Journals)

“Mountain bike culture is different than a lot of the other sporting cultures. Everyone helps each other. They are racing for a team, but also for themselves. The only way to get better is for you to get better. Everyone races, no one rides the bench,” Atack said. The riders race in divisions of skill and

must pass levels of ability to advance. “These Elevate riders are part of the team. It is a really neat program. We have had lots of fun with it,” Atack said. The league begins its season in July. Its teams practice two or three times a week and welcome riders of all abilities.l

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Talking Turkey One cool November morning, mom twisted my blonde hair into two braids and painted my face with orange and blue stripes. I put on a fringed vest made from a paper grocery bag (decorated with stick figures and animals), donned my construction paper headband with its fake feathers and walked uphill (both ways) in the snow to school. Along the way, I met up with friends dressed as Indians or outfitted in Pilgrim attire, with black, buckled hats or kitchen aprons. We were heading to our second-grade class party, unaware we were perpetuating a myth handed down for generations regarding the First Thanksgiving. We’d been taught the feast was a celebration of friendship, that the Indians didn’t want their BFFs to starve during the winter. We didn’t know Pilgrims were the guests that never leave, who end up stealing your bath towels and giving you smallpox. We also didn’t know ancestors of the Wampanoag Nation hadn’t been invited to the feast, but responded when they heard Pilgrims firing guns, and thought the settlers were under attack. But the Pilgrims were just shooting their rifles into the air, celebrating a successful harvest, like ya do. Have Americans always been gun lunatics? Our school Thanksgiving dinner consisted of turkey-shaped sugar cookies, banana bread, orange soda, candy corn and other

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forms of sugar, because that was one of the main food groups in the ’70s. Our meal was nothing like the first Thanksgiving where lobster or eel was probably the main course, not turkey. I don’t know how they stuffed an eel, but I’m sure it wasn’t pretty. The teacher told us to write down things we were grateful for. My list included my family, Nancy Drew mysteries and apple pie. We also brought offerings for a food drive where some lucky family in the neighborhood received 25 cans of cranberry sauce, four boxes of Stove Top stuffing and a case of olives. Maybe the Pilgrims also made gratitude lists, including finding a land so completely devoid of other humans that they could take whatever they wanted and build a country. Did they think the people native to this continent were just visiting? Lost? The official Thanksgiving holiday start-

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ed in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln was so tired of the Civil War, he just wanted a piece of pumpkin pie. Since then, in typical American style, the holiday evolved into a food orgy, consisting of overcooked turkey, mountains of mashed potatoes and nine different Jell-O salads. My food tracking app usually starts to smoke during dessert. Although it’s true Pilgrims celebrated days of thanksgiving, those observations usually involved fasting and prayer, not gluttony. These “thanksgivings” often occurred after a massacre of Native people. For instance, in 1637, Massachusetts Colony Governor John Winthrop called for a day of thanksgiving after hundreds of the Pequot tribe were massacred. Not really something you celebrate with grandma’s homemade rolls and jam. Along with your holiday celebration, maybe you can learn about the challenges still faced by Native Americans including poverty, domestic violence, healthcare and the continuation of harmful stereotypes. As a 7-year-old, I didn’t know cultural prejudice or appropriation was a thing. I didn’t realize the Disneyfied version of the first Thanksgiving wasn’t accurate, with its cartoonish Pilgrims, smiling Natives and bouncy soundtrack. But now I do. When you gain wisdom, you get to make better choices.

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November 2021 | Vol. 17 Iss. 11

FREE CHPD OFFICERS RECEIVE PAY INCREASE By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com

P

olice officer salaries have been on the rise throughout Utah. In June, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall announced the city would be increasing salaries for public safety employees. Since then, other municipalities have been implementing similar pay increases as police departments are worried about losing trained officers. The Cottonwood Heights Police Department (CHPD) is one such department worried about losing officers to other municipalities offering higher salaries. Police Chief Robby Russo asked the Cottonwood Heights City Council to consider a budget adjustment to keep officers’ salaries competitive. “Cottonwood Heights would like to remain competitive and retain current employees,” City Manager Tim Tingey explained, emphasizing his similar concern over departments actively recruiting officers offering $5 to $6 more an hour. Tingey reported to the city council that Herriman, Taylorsville, West Valley, South Jordan, West Jordan, and South Salt Lake already increased their pay substantially. As of publication, Draper, Murray, Sandy and Unified Police Department (UPD) were expected to pass increases as well. On Sept. 7, Tingey proposed a pay plan adjustment with an overall impact of $363,077 over nine months and $484,102 over 12 months to the city’s annual budget. “We are very vulnerable to losing people when other jurisdictions increase pay this much and we know some of them are actively recruiting,” Tingey said. To remain competitive, the plan adjust-

ment will increase police officer salaries from the current minimum of $22.68 an hour up to $28.25 per hour and the current maximum of $38.61 per hour to $42.68 per hour. It will also allow for sergeants making the minimum of $39.56 per hour to make $45.31 per hour and for sergeants making the maximum of $45.56 per hour to make $49.07 per hour. Lastly, lieutenants making the current minimum of $48.82 per hour will increase to $52.35 per hour and lieutenants making the current maximum of $52.57 per hour will make $56.38 per hour. “The officers being targeted (for recruitment) are bilingual females with minority backgrounds who have three to four years of experience,” Russo said. “Salt Lake City and South Salt Lake have already asked them for applications. How do I tell them to stay here and be loyal here?” Out of the current 38 CHPD officers: six officers have under five years of experience; eight officers have between five and 10 years of experience; six officers have between 10 and 15 years of experience; seven officers have between 15 and 20 years of experience; and 11 officers have over 20 years of experience. Councilmember Tali Bruce and Councilmember Christine Mikell suggested considering additional elements to improve employee retention other than raising pay, like paying the salaries of active-duty military members and providing daycare services. “If we are just looking at dollar per hour for the lower-level people, then raise the salaries for those we are in jeopardy of losing. In

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Depending on where a police officer is employed, their hourly pay could have a $5 difference. (Tim Tingey/ Cottonwood Heights)

the meantime, we should be looking at retention and what is meaningful to our police and the department,” Mikell said. Russo emphasized that the dollar amount seems crucial in the current environment. “In this particular instance, it is all about the money,” he said. Tingey mentioned he would like Cottonwood Heights to remain one of the top municipalities within the area for pay. In January, the council raised pay for the CHPD in accordance with market adjustments to remain one of the highest paying departments. However, with so many municipalities raising their

pay within the last few months, Cottonwood Heights was expected to be eighth on the list. Mayor Mike Peterson mentioned how it was important to the city council to remain within the top three for highest paying entities for firefighters, with Unified Fire Authority (UFA), so he believed that same goal should remain consistent with CHPD. On Oct. 5, the city council unanimously approved Ordinance 369: Approving Amendments to the 2021-2022 Budget. Ordinance 369 was moved by Councilmember Scott Bracken and seconded by Councilmember Doug Peterson. l