www.sslc.gov
CITY NEWSLETTER
February 2022 Cherie Wood, Mayor 801-464-6757 mayor@sslc.gov
South Salt Lake City Council Members LeAnne Huff, District 1 801-440-8510 lhuff@sslc.gov Corey Thomas, District 2 801-755-8015 cthomas@sslc.gov Sharla Bynum, District 3 801-803-4127 sbeverly@sslc.gov Portia Mila, District 4 801-792-0912 pmila@sslc.gov L. Shane Siwik, District 5 801-548-7953 ssiwik@sslc.gov Natalie Pinkney, At-Large 385-775-4980 npinkney@sslc.gov Clarissa Williams, At-Large 505-879-2457 cwilliams@sslc.gov
City Offices
New Year Brings New Opportunities to Listen This past fall, I learned so much from canvassing and meeting you at your doorstep. More than ever, I realize that receiving feedback in such a personal and direct way is key to understanding and knowing what you value. It is my promise that every resident has a safe, clean home and neighborhood. A strong city is built of neighbors who feel a strong sense of belonging. And this is fostered by getting involved. Mayor Cherie Wood In 2021, we gathered input from hundreds of you through our Community Values Survey and the General Plan process. We restarted hosting Neighborhood Night public gatherings, grew our social media, and increased direct correspondence. But we aren’t stopping here. We are working on new online tools, including integrated website-app tools for regular, direct outreach, including mini-polls, topic-based surveys, alerts, and more. Stay tuned while we fine-tune our outreach. We are bringing the city to you in 2022!
“Dear Mayor, We need some improvement in our neighborhood.”
I am most excited to announce a new neighborhood-focused outreach effort. ‘Mondays with the Mayor’, which will be held once a month starting in February. We will announce a neighborhood location and take a short walkabout to see the changes, the issues, and share ideas for making things better. Look for me in front of the Columbus Center on Monday, February 28 at 6 p.m. for our first meeting. I close this month’s message by sharing a recent correspondence from a nine-year-old resident. Her comments on the City echo what I have heard from many of you, and make me double down my commitment to safer neighborhoods. This young resident is a prime example of the power of words. In the letter, they report that the lack of street lighting, stop signs, and other issues on the street contribute to ongoing safety concerns, including theft and speeding. After reading through the message, it was forwarded to our City Engineer, several city staff, and the Police. From this single letter came collaborative responses, which will lead to real and meaningful change in the neighborhood. Thank you to this young resident for reminding us how to civically engage and seek solutions! (PS, you could run for mayor someday, too!)
Let’s Celebrate! 21st South S-Line Neighborhood
8 am to 5 pm 801-483-6000 220 East Morris Ave SSL, UT 84115 Animal Service 801-483-6024 Building Permits 801-483-6005 Business Licensing 801-483-6063 Code Enforcement 801-464-6712 Fire Administration 801-483-6043 Justice Court 801-483-6072 Police Admin 801-412-3606 Promise 801-483-6057 Public Works 801-483-6045 Recreation 801-412-3217 Utility Billing 801-483-6074 Emergencies 911 Police/Fire Dispatch 801-840-4000
Mondays with the Mayor
This cute illustration above accompanied a letter from a nine-year-old resident, which led with, “Dear Mayor, We need some improvement in our neighborhood.” A response was sent from myself, the City Engineer, and the Chief of Police, as we shared our collective plans to take action to increase safety measures and bring changes to her neighborhood.
Whether you want to connect with your neighbors, learn more about City Services, or share an idea that will benefit your community, this is a great way to connect and have a fun evening together. Monday, Feb 28, 2022 Columbus Center Auditorium 2531 S 400 East 6 - 8 p.m.
City News SSL City Council Meetings Check sslc.gov for details Watch Live stream of meetings: video.ibm.com/channel/sslc Wednesday, Feb. 9, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23, 7 p.m.
SSL City Planning Commission Meeting Thursday, Feb. 3, 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 17, 7 p.m.
Holiday Closure City Offices will be closed Monday, Feb. 21 in observance of Presidents Day.
There are no residential garbage pickup delays in February.
What Not to Flush You might be wondering about wet wipes. Sewer pipes getting clogged from “flushable” wipes are a serious problem. Toilet paper breaks down as it travels through the wastewater system, “flushable” wipes do not and will clog or plug up the system. Remember the 3P Rule!
CITY COUNCIL CORNER LeAnne Huff, District 1 Life continues to present challenges and obstacles to test our strength and resiliency, and many of us have been forced to accept tough situations that we have had little to no control over. As a prime example, the impact of the global pandemic has forced us to cope with situations we never imagined, and a lot of us have struggled with our mental health as a result. If this impacted your mental health or someone you care about, you aren’t alone. In fact, of the almost half a million individuals that took an anxiety screening at mhanational.org, 79% showed symptoms of moderate to severe anxiety. The good news is there are tools and resources available to support the well-being of individuals and communities. A great starting point for prioritizing mental health is to take a free, confidential screening on the Mental Health America website (mhanational.org). Beyond identifying symptoms of mental health problems, after you are finished you will be given information about the next steps you should take based upon the results. A screening is not a diagnosis, but it can be a helpful tool for beginning a conversation with a doctor or a trusted friend. This site can also lead you to helpful resources and self-help tools. For more information, visit.mhanational.org. Note: Opinions expressed here may not be representative of all Members of the City Council.
SSL’s Director of Finance for 17 Years Very well-loved and respected, a fan of Seinfeld, and keen on wearing sweater vests, Kyle Kershaw announced his retirement after working as an SSL City employee for 37 years and serving as the Director of Finance for 17 years. Kyle has helped in immeasurable ways during this time with the City, seeing it through the last decade of unprecedented and dramatic growth. As the Director of Finance, what he found most rewarding was working with the Mayor and City Council to adopt the annual balanced budget. In his words, “There are always more requests and needs than there are resources available to meet those needs. Through discussion and cooperation at multiple levels, a financially responsible budget, which met the most urgent needs, has always been adopted.” Our most sincere thanks to you Kyle, best to you in your future endeavors, and please, come back and visit often.
Meet Our New Director of Finance, Crystal Makin As the newly appointed Director of Finance for South Salt Lake, Crystal Makin brings over 25 years of accounting experience to the City. She has served as an accountant in the City’s Finance Department for the last five and a half years. Crystal loves working for South Salt Lake and sees it as a vibrant and visionary community. She says, “While the city is small, it is leading the way in so many creative and progressive ways, and I love being a part of it.” Crystal’s background includes public, corporate, and tax accounting. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in accounting from Utah State University and a Master’s from the University of Utah. She has been a licensed CPA for 13 years. In her spare time, Crystal serves as a foster parent, travels, creates handicrafts, attends hockey games, and enjoys spending time with her family.
Take the Survey! In our Riverfront Neighborhood, the Tracy Aviary Jordan River Nature Center has plans to expand in big ways! But before they do, they want to know what you want to see here. Take the quick, anonymous survey: Jordanrivernaturecenter.org
Thank you, Kyle Kershaw
South Salt Lake City Council Action Report Summary
Full agendas, minutes, handouts and video recorded meetings available at: sslc.com/city-government/council-meeting Date 1/12/22
Agenda Item Appointments by the Mayor
1/12/22
Ordinance amending Consolidated fee schedule
Subject Reappoint Chad Ewell and Jeremy Carter to Planning Commission An Ordinance to modify fingerprinting fees, discovery fees and a minor change to utility billing.
Action Approved Moved to Unfinished Business for January 26, 2022
Next Step No further action Further discussion
Public Safety Helping Our Community Message from SSLPD Chief Jack Carruth The Community Resource Division recently added Lt. Ryan Cram and Business Watch Officer Britney Warner. Both of these dedicated officers are committed to providing their expertise and best service to the community. Lt. Cram is the commander of the Community Resource Division and will be actively involved with the Civilian Review Board, Homeless Resource Unit, and the Community Resources Unit (CRU). As part of the CRU, we have a school resource officer, neighborhood watch officer, and business watch officer. Business Watch Officer Warner has over 16 years of law enforcement experience. She
has worked in various capacities including; the Salt Lake County Gang Project, bike patrol, street crimes, school resource officer, and now as the newly assigned business watch officer. Officer Warner recently completed an in-depth Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) training. This training will help her assess a property to address crime prevention techniques and practices. Officer Warner is a trained crisis negotiator and serves on the Unified multijurisdiction law enforcement critical incident response team. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, Officer Warner has the qualifications to meet the demands of her job and will put her expertise to use to assist the SSL business community.
CERT in 2022
Message from SSLFD Chief Terry Addison
A few decades ago, the Federal Emergency Managed Agency (FEMA) created the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program to give community volunteers the skills and resources needed to assist first responders in dealing with a large-scale disaster. The curriculum is designed to train volunteers in the same basic skills firefighters master, such as search and rescue, first aid, establishing a medical treatment area, suppressing small fires, etc. The State of Utah worked with FEMA to create a new (hybrid) online and in-person CERT learning format that takes less time for volunteers to complete. After completing the online portion, volunteers attend an inperson training which gives them the opportunity to practice any hands-on skills.
SSL Business Owners are welcome to connect: Business Watch Officer, Britney Warner — bwarner@sslc.gov
The SSL Fire Department adopted the new hybrid format in 2021, and four residents completed the CERT program. Our graduates preferred the hybrid format because it allowed them to go through the online portion at their own pace. The in-person training spanned two Saturdays and consisted of several hands-on activities. Additionally, the Millcreek CERT program ran their training on the same schedule, so we agreed to merge for an emergency simulation exercise. This increased the number of participants to 11 and helped make the simulation more realistic. Another CERT training is scheduled for this spring. If you are interested in becoming a CERT member, contact BC Blaine Daimaru at 801-464-6726 or bdaimaru@sslc.gov.
Join SSLPD and community members to enjoy the morning and get to know our local law enforcement better.
Neighborhood Watch Meeting
Feb. 3, 2022 7:00 p.m.
NEW! Homeless Strategies in SSL The SSL Homeless Strategies Department was recently created with support from the state’s Homeless Mitigation fund. In coordination with the Men’s Resource Center (MRC) and the SSLPD Homeless Resource Officers, they plan to expand services for both residents who are housed and those unsheltered. Newly appointed Director, Christine Simonette brings experience from Utah’s Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health and has managed several programs across the state, including serving those who are in substance recovery or gaining reentry into society from prison. Allison Brotherton is the Homeless Strategies Coordinator and has worked on obtaining funds for mental health and the homeless, along with working with other social reform campaigns. To expand their role and influence in the city, the Homeless Strategies team would like to invite citizens to get involved. The Men’s Resource Center Neighborhood Meeting is held every third Wednesday from 4-5 p.m. and is open to the public. These virtual meetings will include Police, Fire, EMS providers, community-based partners, and City Administration to ensure that the clients and surrounding community are safe and informed. This is also an opportunity for all parties to discuss ways to improve the shelter and keep people and properties surrounding the MRC safe. The number of people experiencing homelessness in the Salt Lake Valley area has grown exponentially in recent years. Homeless Strategies Director Christine Simonette says, “We want to follow the state of Utah’s lead by working towards making homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring. To accomplish this, we need to make sure the MRC continues to be a safe space for healing.” Their primary goal is to maintain good relationships with community partners to provide creative housing solutions and rehabilitation resources moving forward.
Wednesday, February 2, 2022 9-10 a.m. Délice Bakery & Café 2747 S State Street
Visit sslc.gov for virtual event link.
Men’s Resource Center Neighborhood Meeting Feb. 16, 2022 4:00 p.m. Join us for a monthly conversation via Zoom. Visit sslc.gov for the link.
Homeless Strategies Director Christine Simonette
Homeless Strategies Coordinator Allison Brotherton
All Night Parking Prohibited. No person shall park a vehicle on street for a period longer than one hour between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. of any night when removal of snow from the streets may be necessary.
Business & Development What Neighborhood Do You Live In? What is a neighborhood? What makes a neighborhood great? How do residents define their neighborhood? When South Salt Lake began the process of a General Plan revision almost 2 years ago, these were some of the questions we set out to have our residents and stakeholders answer. Throughout the General Plan process, we learned the City has several unique areas deserving of its own identity as a neighborhood within South Salt Lake. The General Plan names these individual areas of the City as neighborhoods. Much
consideration was given to the names and boundaries. This said, do you know the name of your neighborhood? As South Salt Lake celebrates 2022 as the ‘Year of the Neighborhood’, we encourage you to identify your neighborhood and take note of what makes it special. The Community Development Department would love to hear your feedback. Tell us what makes your neighborhood great, what you might change, or what needs some TLC. Send your thoughts to Sean Lewis, Deputy Community Development Director at slewis@sslc.gov.
SOUTH SALT LAKE NEIGHBORHOODS This map is to help you identify your SSL Neighborhood. Adapted from the SSL 2040 General Plan, here you can find the locations and names of our neighborhoods and their approximate boundaries running north to south; west to east. Take a glance and mark your place on it! 21st S Line – 2100 South to I-80; State Street to 500 East Downtown SSL – 2100 South to I-80; I-15 to State Street Water Tower – I-80 to 2700 South; I-15 to State Street Southgate –2700 South to Mill Creek; I-15 to State Street Central Park – I-80 to 3300 South; State Street to 300 East, expanding to 500 East and north of 2800 South Fitts Park – 2800 South to 3300 South; 300 East to 700 East Granite Legacy – 3300 South to 3900 South; State Street to 700 East Millcreek Station – Mill Creek to Guest Ave; I-15 to State Street Meadowbrook Station – Guest Ave to 3900 South; I-15 to State Street Meadowbrook Place – Fine Drive to 3900 South; 700 West to I-15 Jordan River – 3300 South to Carlisle Street (UTA Operations); Jordan River to 900 West Riverfront – Carlisle Street (UTA Operations) to 3900 South; Jordan River to 700 West **Other neighborhoods including West Central, Oxbow, 900 West, and Roper Yard are primarily non-residential and industrial in nature.
New Planning Commissioner, Meet Olivia Spencer Representing District 5, Olivia Spencer is our newest South Salt Lake Planning Commissioner. The Planning Commission is a local municipal committee that reviews proposed developments, as well as land uses, and offers insight and advice that impacts the current and future success of South Salt Lake. Olivia grew up in the Millcreek area and graduated from Granite High. She has been a resident for ten years. She holds a master’s degree in public administration (MPA) from the University of Wyoming. Since earning her MPA, she has committed her career to work in the field of education. She currently coordinates a medical education program with the goal of increasing doctors and medical professionals in rural, tribal, and medically underserved communities in the State of Utah.
Planning Commission Meetings are held monthly the 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 7 p.m. Find out more at www.sslc.gov.
Community Happenings New SSL Arts Council Board Members
Creative Arts for Life
Over the years, the South Salt Lake Arts Council has sponsored arts and cultural activities such as the Mural Fest, Creative Arts for Life Classes, and Craftoberfest to provide our residents with opportunities to engage in the creative process. The SSL Arts Council is a non-profit 501(c)(3) and is organized and managed by the City of South Salt Lake with a volunteer Board of Directors. This year, the SSL Arts Council Board is excited to include two new additions, Erik Ostling and Maranda Hawkes.
ERIK OSTLING
Erik Ostling has been a commercial advertising photographer in the Salt Lake valley for nearly 30 years. With a local and national clientele, he’s traveled extensively in the US and overseas on a variety of projects. More recently, he and two friends started Beehive Distilling, a craft distillery based in South Salt Lake’s Creative Industry Zone. In his free time, Erik enjoys biking in the foothills and skiing Utah’s amazing mountains. Biking to work on the S-Line path with murals as a backdrop is his favorite way to start a summer day.
Mixed Media Journaling
MARANDA HAWKES
Tuesdays, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 2022 • 6:30-8:30 pm Location: Historic Scott School
Photo Credit: Tew Treasures Photography With a love for art and creating, Maranda Hawkes grew up in a family that participated in community theater and spent much time behind the scenes painting backdrops and murals for various productions. Studying Art and Theatre at the University of Utah, Maranda has a BFA in Performing Arts Design. Also passionate about pets, Maranda has worked with ‘No More Homeless Pets in Utah’ for many years and was on several committees for large pet adoption events and fundraisers. For fun, she has painted murals at their dog kennel. She also has experience with special event decorating, and floral design. Maranda has volunteered with different organizations over the years and has been able to share her creativity and design background. She says, “I find it exciting when our community can come together to share our ideas and talents. It creates value and meaning in our day-today lives, and we appreciate each other more! After living in SSL for 20 years, I am looking forward to being more involved!”
Instructor: Nicole Lavely Bad Dog Arts Visual journaling can be described as, a creative way to express and record life’s experiences, feelings, emotions, or our inner world. We will begin by hand binding a sketchbook with the Pamphlet Stitch that will become the space you create for the duration of this workshop series. Nicole will expand your
Celebrate creative vocabulary through
Celebrate
SOUTH SALT LAKE! Apply now for a grant from the South Salt Lake Arts Council to host an event that celebrates our City’s arts, character, and diversity! Applications due March 1, 2022. Apply online today!
sslarts.org For more information or help applying, contact the SSL Arts Council. arts@sslc.gov | 801.421.3223
collage, Gelli plate printing, stencils, drawing prompts and mixed media painting techniques. Classes will be jam-packed with inspiration! Come prepared to jump in, explore and play! All materials included. No experience is necessary. Registration starts on sslarts.org in mid-February.
Community Happenings What is Tech Connect? At the new Community Opportunity Center (The Co-Op), volunteers meet one-on-one with community members to help address their digital needs from acquiring a low-cost computer to signing up for internet service to learning fundamental tech skills. For more information, connect with Lucas Horns at lhorns@sslc.gov. The Community Opportunity Center 2530 S 500 East Open to the Public: Mon, Weds, Fri 3 to 7 p.m.
Celebrate Black History Month Black History Month was first observed in 1970 and is an annual celebration designed to recognize the importance of African American history, culture, and contributions to society. There are many SLC community Black History events throughout the month of February. To learn more, please visit: userve.utah.gov/black-history-month
Support Black-Owned Businesses The Utah Black Chamber of Commerce lists several Black-owned businesses in the Salt Lake area. dev.utahblackchamber.com/list
The Utah Film Center (online event)
Black, Bold, & Brilliant: Hearts and Minds Edition
A legendary conversation between James Baldwin and Nikki Giovanni about Black-centric films and media. Reserve your tickets: utahfilmcenter.org
The University of Utah, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Tribute to bell hooks Thursday, Feb. 24, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. LNCO 1110 255 Central Campus Drive
Promise New Sports Teams at UICS It has been an exciting semester at Utah International Charter School’s (UICS) Promise afterschool program. They formed a new partnership with SSL’s Recreation Department, which has facilitated several intramural youth sports leagues. Youth have been able to participate in both a soccer and basketball league, with indoor soccer and flag football to come. These sports focus on the im-portance of self-discipline, teamwork, and physical fitness. The pride and excitement around these UICS sports teams have been palpable.
The program has also offered credit recovery courses such as health and computer science, giv-ing students the opportunity to earn credits towards graduating high school during afterschool hours. The UICS Promise team has also partnered with 4H to offer courses such as sewing, cooking, and gardening. The gardening program ended the harvest season by showcasing their tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers at the SL County Fair. We are excited to see what the rest of the year holds here at the UICS Promise afterschool pro-gram! To learn more, connect with Kristen VanRiper: 801-520-7175, kvanriper@sslc.gov.