In The Middle of Everything MIDVALE CITY DIRECTORY City Hall Finance/Utilities Court City Attorney’s Office City Recorder/Human Resources Community Development Public Works Ace Disposal/Recycling Midvale Historical Museum Midvale Senior Center SL County Animal Services Police Dispatch Unified Fire Authority Fire Dispatch Communications
801-567-7200 801-567-7200 801-567-7265 801-567-7250 801-567-7228 801-567-7211 801-567-7235 801-363-9995 801-567-7285 385-468-3350 385-468-7387 801-743-7000 801-743-7200 801-840-4000 801-567-7230
MIDVALE CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS MAYOR Marcus Stevenson 801-567-7204 Email: mstevenson@midvale.com CITY COUNCIL District 1 - Quinn Sperry Email: qsperry@midvale.com District 2 - Paul Glover Email: pglover@midvale.com District 3 - Heidi Robinson Email: Hrobinson@midvale.com District 4 - Bryant Brown Email: bbrown@midvale.com District 5 - Dustin Gettel Email: dgettel@midvale.com
WHO TO CALL FOR… Water Bills Ordering A New Trash Can Reserving the Bowery Permits GRAMA requests Court Paying For Traffic School Business Licensing Property Questions Cemetery Water Line Breaks Planning and Zoning Code Enforcement Building inspections Graffiti
801-567-7200 801-567-7202 801-567-7202 801-567-7212 801-567-7207 801-567-7265 801-567-7202 801-567-7213 801-567-7246 801-567-7235 801-256-2575 801-567-7231 801-567-7208 801-567-7228 385-468-9769
EMERGENCY OR DISASTER CONTACT Public Works Fire Dispatch – Unified Fire Authority Midvale Police Precinct or Police Dispatch Unified Police Department EMERGENCY
801-567-7235 801-840-4000 385-468-9350 801-743-7000
911
APRIL 2022
City Hall – 7505 South Holden Street • Midvale, UT 84047
CITY NEWSLETTER
Marcus’s Message
By Mayor Marcus Stevenson
Each year, the Utah State Legislature meets from mid-January to early-March for 45 days. This means my first legislative session as mayor just wrapped up a few weeks ago. There are always bills that pass into laws that will affect our city and residents, but this year the State Legislature passed two bills that are especially important for the ways in which they could have, and will, impact our city. HOUSE BILL 440 - HOMELESS SERVICES AMENDMENTS As a community that hosts a homeless resource center, we actively worked on this bill with the bill sponsor, cities throughout Salt Lake County, and the Office of Homeless Services to make this bill the best we could. As a city, we are proud of our role in helping our unsheltered community and want to make sure that when in shelter, these individuals and families get the resources they need. A critical piece of this legislation was the appropriation for shelter mitigation funding. The geographic area of Midvale where the shelter is located, coupled with the criminals that prey on those experiencing homelessness, creates extra law enforcement requirements. The mitigation fund helps cities pay to address the additional law enforcement needs in the community. Each city in Utah without a homeless shelter pays a portion of their sales tax into the mitigation fund, which is then distributed to the communities with homeless shelters. On average, Midvale City has about an $800,000 funding gap each year that the mitigation fund does not cover, which is four times the $200,000 maximum contributed to the fund by other cities. This bill increased funding for the mitigation fund by $5 million each year in state funding, which will significantly help Midvale City cover the required mitigation costs. When the bill was first released, it had several requirements that were worrisome to our city outside of the increased funding. First, it required existing shelters in Salt Lake County to increase capacity in the shelters to fire code limits during winter months. As an example, Midvale’s family shelter has capacity for 300 beds, but fire capacity is 720 people. Increasing our shelter to 720 people would have been harmful to those who are in the shelter and to the surrounding areas. We worked with the bill sponsor and the Road Home to successfully remove this provision from the bill. Secondly, the bill originally allowed for the State of Utah to choose a winter overflow shelter within any Salt Lake County city, if the mayors of each municipality in the county could not come up with a plan on their own. Though there is a need for overflow shelters in the winter, it was concerning to Midvale City that our city would take on a secondary shelter when what we really need is other communities in the valley to help house those in need. Ultimately, we were able to negotiate with the bill sponsor to not allow any new overflow shelter to be within one mile of an existing shelter, and if a city hosts an overflow shelter, then they are exempt from doing so for three years. Lastly, I’m thankful to Representative Eliason, the bill sponsor, for working with Midvale City on this bill. As a smaller city in the Salt Lake Valley, it could be easy to overlook our concerns, but Rep. Eliason was constantly responsive and kept us in the loop on what his bill was going to propose.
HOUSE BILL 462 – UTAH HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AMENDMENTS HB 462 is a massive bill that requires cities to plan for the development of low and moderate income housing city-wide, as well as multi-family, high-density housing around fixed-rail stations. Midvale City has three Trax stations that are considered fixed-rail. This bill requires that within a 0.5-mile radius from each Trax station, the City must create and implement Station Area Plans that meet the criteria required in the legislation. As a roughly 6-square mile city, implementing plans with a 1-mile diameter around each station, will significantly affect our city. Much of this work has already begun to take place, especially around the Bingham Junction Station and the Midvale Center Station. Though our city is already doing much of the work that the State is now requiring us to do, this new law will push forward the City’s timeline for completion.
The State Legislature has increasingly created new laws that place blanket requirements on cities regarding land use that do not take into consideration the unique needs and characteristics of the cities they impact. Often this can be a source of frustration for residents that feel that their city leaders are not being responsive, when the reality is that the City is simply following state law. Luckily, HB 462 does still give some discretion to cities, but there have been conversations in the State Legislature that if cities do not step up to increase housing supply to fight our affordable housing crisis, then they will step in and take over the process for us. If this were to happen, it removes residents from the process and will drastically limit our ability to control our own destiny as a city. Midvale City is committed to working on these Station Area Plans and implementing them, so that our residents can still have a say in their community, instead of the State deciding for them. Ultimately, it’s important to know that though the Utah Legislative Session happens for only 45 days each year, that the city works on proposed legislation throughout the year to fight for our residents and our city’s future. Even though the City does many tasks that residents can directly see, such as plowing the streets or picking up trash, we also work on many important issues that our residents may not directly be affected by in that moment.
In The Middle of Everything
WWW . MIDVALECITY . ORG
Have 10 minutes? We want to hear from you! USU’s Utah Wellbeing Project has partnered with Midvale City to conduct a public wellbeing survey. To better understand how individuals and communities in the state are doing, the Utah Wellbeing Project was developed by Utah State University Extension. This project is designed to assess the wellbeing and local perspectives of city residents and to provide information to city leaders to inform their general planning process. Cities across the state are participating in the project and ask residents about how they’re doing through a short survey. Efforts began in 2019 with 16 cities and grew to more than 30 cities. Midvale is participating this year and is eager to hear from our residents. Pinpointing the issues of greatest concern for residents allows municipal leaders to target resources in more meaningful ways. In Herriman, researchers learned most residents care about natural and open spaces. In Nephi, city officials used survey findings to inform city budget planning. The survey is available on Engage Midvale, the city’s new engagement platform, at www.EngageMidvale.com and will be open until April 30, 2022. The survey is completely anonymous, only takes 10 minutes to complete. Complete the survey today!
Midvale Arts Council Casting Call The Midvale Arts Council is now accepting video audition submissions for their production of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder now through April 13, 2022. No in-person auditions will be held. Callbacks will be by invitation only on April 16. Gentleman’s Guide is directed by Kristie Post Wallace. All roles are available. Audition documents can be found at www.midvalearts.com. YouTube video submission links must be submitted using the Audition Form on the website. Auditioners are asked to sing 32 bars in the style of the show; no dialects please; film at 3/4 body. Performance dates are June 3-11, 2022. Gentleman’s Guide explores, through song and farce, the lengths to which one may go to inherit an English Earldom.
Midvale City launches online public engagement platform Engage Midvale
For more information, visit MidvaleCity.org/BulkyWaste or call 801-567-7235
Engage Midvale, available at www.EngageMidvale.com, is an additional way for members of the community to participate and offer feedback on city projects and programs. The new platform will include city projects, surveys, construction updates, and other programs or activities that include a public input process. The tool is different from the city’s website because it is specifically designed to solicit community input. Engage Midvale will not replace traditional outreach and public engagement but rather add opportunities for public participation. We want to make sure residents can provide feedback in the way that is most comfortable and convenient to them. Topics currently on the site range from how prepared the community is for a disaster to a more lighthearted post about what to name the new fire station that is being constructed on Center Street. There is also a feature called “Uncover the Facts” in which people can ask the city to fact check the information they have heard. Visit www.EngageMidvale.com to learn more.
APRIL 2022 CITY NEWSLETTER WWW . MIDVALECITY . ORG
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Midvale Senior Center Join us, Thursday, May 5, 2022, at the Midvale Senior Center (7550 S Main) as we celebrate Cinco de Mayo. This will be a special celebration after having to miss the last few years because of the necessary restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic. Connect with fellow senior citizen friends in the center’s dining room for great food and festive music. Mr. James Romero, a resident of Midvale, will provide the entertainment for this lunch. Lunch will be served in two sittings, one at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. If time will not allow you to stay and eat your meal “TO GO” meals are being served. Please call 385-468-3350 by April 27th to reserve a meal. The cost of the meal is a suggested donation of $4 for seniors 60+ years old and $8.50 for anyone under 60. The Midvale Senior Center Café will serve Pork Chile Verde, rice, beans, and tortillas. The center’s Advisory Committee will be selling chips and salsa to raise funds to pay for entertainment they sponsor throughout the year. Pease join us for a great afternoon and gathering with friends.
Midvale City invites you to get involved! STATE STREET CORRIDOR STUDY
Join us in charting a vision for the future of State Street. The State Street Corridor Study’s main objectives are to improve local and regional connectivity for people who use State Street, create a network of districts to culminate a sense of place and improve the appearance of the corridor. A vibrant and safe State Street will be more welcoming for residents and visitors alike and creates a place to shop, dine, live, and play. Your involvement throughout the planning process will be imperative in designing a State Street that draws people in and celebrates Midvale’s community and character. We want to hear about your likes, dislikes, and how to improve State Street. Therefore, we encourage you to get involved by attending the Open House and completing the online survey! OPEN HOUSE Tuesday, April 12, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Midvale City Hall – 7505 S Holden Street, Midvale STATE STREET CORRIDOR SURVEY Visit www.EngageMidvale.com to complete the 5-10 minute State Street Corridor Survey to share which street elements you are most excited to see on State. The survey closes on April 5, 2022. STAY TUNED Register at www.EngageMidvale.com to stay up to date on the State Street Corridor Study.
How to Greet a Dog Properly By Salt Lake County Animal Services Warm weather is quickly approaching, as are gatherings with people and pets at parks, homes, and other locations. Salt Lake County Animal Services has some suggestions on How to Greet a Dog safely, whether it’s a dog you’re familiar with or one you’re meeting for the first time. Help your dog from being put in an uncomfortable situation with strangers, or even friends and family. When you’re approaching a dog that you would like to pet but don’t know: Step 1: Make sure the dog has a leash, a collar, and an owner. If it doesn’t, call Animal Control. Step 2: Look at the dog’s body language. Look to see if it is a happy/relaxed dog. There are many online resources that demonstrate dog body language. Step 3: Ask permission from the Owner: “May I please pet your dog?” It is okay if the owner says “no!” Step 4: If you have permission, do a quick body language check again. Common mistakes: • Putting your hand up to a dog’s nose. Dog’s do not need to smell your hand. • Leaning over the dog or put your face into the dog’s face Step 5: Angle body slightly away from dog. Step 6: Keep hands to yourself until the dog approaches you, seeking out interaction. Step 7: Pet the dog calmly and quietly, avoiding sensitive areas. Step 8: Remain standing if it is a large or medium sized dog. If it is a small dog, you can crouch down, making sure you are still not leaning over the dog. Teach or run a youth afterschool program in Salt Lake County? Book a free Humane Education Presentation with even more details. Email events@slco.org.