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December 2021 | Vol. 7 Iss. 12

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KAREN LANG SAYS EXPERIENCE WILL SERVE HER WELL AS CITY’S NEW MAYOR By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com

est Valley City has the first female mayor in its 41-year history. City councilwoman Karen Lang was elected in November to lead the city she has called home for 37 years. She defeated fellow city council member Steve Buhler with 58.5% of the vote to become the ninth mayor of Utah’s second most-populous city. She will succeed Ron Bigelow, who did not seek a third term. “It’s sort of weird, but it’s going to be fun,” Lang said of the somewhat surreal feeling of winning the mayorship. Lang believes her city council experience serving District 3 in the northwestern/ north-central part of the city since 2012 will help her represent the entire city of 140,000 people. “I think having that 10 years behind me is going to make it a lot easier and more impactful.” She lost a previous bid for mayor to incumbent Bigelow in 2017. Lang plans to meet with the city council to exchange ideas on the future course of the city. “I have some ideas myself of what direction we want to move,” she said, citing continued expansion of the city’s economic development efforts as one such initiative. Prior to the primary election in August, Lang laid out other goals if elected mayor. “Key issues I would address as mayor are

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a responsible budget, managed land use, public safety, maintenance of city roads and city properties,” Lang said. “We have little land available for development. We need to plan carefully for the best use of vacant land and be mindful to plan for redevelopment of older properties.” The new mayor and her husband, Brian, are longtime owners of Oakbridge Greenhouse. “Luckily for me, I’ve got a great spouse and great help at the greenhouse that will free me up (to tend to her mayoral duties),” Lang said. “I have some good support around me that will enable me to do my job very easily.” In January, the mayor’s office in four of Utah’s six largest cities will be occupied by women: Salt Lake City (Erin Mendenhall, elected in 2019), West Valley City, Provo (Michelle Kaufusi, elected last month to a second term), and Sandy (Monica Zoltanski, elected in November as the first female mayor after serving on the city council). “Boots to the ground and get working,” Lang said, looking toward her swearing in Jan. 4, 2022. On that date, Buhler will end three terms as the District 2 councilmember, opting to run for mayor rather than seek reelection to the city council. l

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Karen Lang will become West Valley City mayor Jan. 4, 2022. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)

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Local business joins forces with Toys for Tots program By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com

Stor-N-Lock has joined forces with the Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots program to help collect toys for children this Christmas. The operator of self-storage units in four states will accept donations of new, unwrapped toys during regular business hours through Dec. 15 at the offices of four area locations: West Valley City, 3410 S. Redwood Rd.; Taylorsville, 4930 S. Redwood Rd. (pictured above); Sandy, 8620 S. 300 West; and Cottonwood Heights, 6950 S. 2300 East. Stor-N-Lock and Toys for Tots have worked together for more than a decade to make the holidays brighter for underprivileged kids. The partnership has resulted in Stor-N-Lock delivering thousands of toys annually to Toys for Tots, thanks to the generosity of its customers and the general public. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals) l

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Measuring the impact of ranked choice voting By Justin Adams | justin.a@thecityjournals.com

his election cycle, multiple cities in the Salt Lake valley opted to take advantage of a pilot program for ranked choice voting, made possible by the state legislature. As opposed to a traditional election, where voters must select one candidate, RCV allows voters to rank any number of candidates according to their preference. Proponents of the method point to the benefits of making the switch, from encouraging more candidates to run and increasing voter turnout, to making elections more fair and less antagonistic. While some of these benefits aren’t easily measured, some of them can be. So, how did this round of RCV experimentation turn out? To get a sense of how much RCV impacted local elections this year, The City Journals took a look at the numbers for a few key metrics. First reporters compared the number of candidates and voter turnout to the same races held in 2017. Then reporters asked the question: did RCV actually change any of the election results? Number of Candidates There were eight cities which took part in the RCV pilot: Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake, Millcreek, Cottonwood Heights, Sandy, Draper, Midvale and Bluffdale. Riverton would have but only had one candidate for each election. Within those cities, there were 17 races that utilized RCV. (A couple races would have used RCV, but it ended up not being necessary because there were only two candidates.) There were 73 combined candidates who ran in those 17 races, an increase from 63 candidates who ran for those same positions in the primary stage in 2017. However, that increase is almost completely accounted for by one city, Sandy, which saw an increase of three to eight candidates in its mayoral race and from two to six candidates in its race for an at-large seat on the city council. Cottonwood Heights was another city that saw an increase in candidates, with five candidates competing in both its mayoral race and one of its city council races (compared to three in each race from 2017). Salt Lake City saw the biggest decrease in its number of candidates, with two fewer candidates vying for its second district seat and three fewer candidates vying for its seventh district. Voter Turnout How about voter turnout? Does giving people the chance to rank multiple candidates encourage more people to participate? Not according to this year’s races. Of the 17 races we looked at, there was a total voter turnout of 115,851. That’s up just a little bit from 2017’s turnout of 115,008. Recognizing that there are a number of possible variables that can impact turnout for a given race, here are a few of the outliers in this category. Remember, this is comparing 2017 to 2021. A Bluffdale race for two seats on its council increased from 1,418 ballots counted to 3,344. Salt Lake City’s first district race saw an increase from 1,621 to 3,381. Despite having seven candidates vying for two at-large seats, Draper’s voter turnout dropped 20%, from 10,853 to 8,610. Even in Sandy City, which had a hotly contested and crowded mayoral race, turnout decreased from 23,007 to 21,246. Did it impact results? Under RCV, the ballot counting process takes place over several rounds. After the first round, the candidate with the few-

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Election assistant Becky Overacker helps first-time voter Zyon Bruce in Draper where they held ranked choice voting for the first time. (Mimi Darley Dutton/City Journals)

est votes is eliminated, and their ballots then revert to those voters’ second choices. This creates the possibility that whichever candidate receives the most first-place ballots, won’t actually win the election. You might have a candidate who receives the third-most votes in the first round end up winning the election because they built a broad base of support and was able to win the majority of the second place votes. So, did that happen in any of these elections? For the most part, no. In almost all the races, the candidate who received the most first-place votes went on to win the election. The one exception being Millcreek’s District 2 race, in which Jeremiah Clark held a narrow lead after the first round of votes, but ended up losing to Thom Desirant by nine percentage points. So what? Based on this initial look at some of these metrics, it might seem like RCV made a huge impact on this year’s elections. But Stan Lockhart, a spokesman for Utah Ranked Choice Voting, said that it’s too early to draw long-term conclusions about the effectiveness of RCV. “Twenty-three cities in Utah used ranked choice voting this year, and it was the first time for 21 of those 23 cities. We need to be careful in extrapolating too much,” he said. In regards to measurables like number of candidates and voter turnout, Lockhart said those have always been driven more by local issues. If there’s something controversial that’s taken place at the city level, like a tax increase or a land use decision, that’s more likely to drum up interest in an election than a change to RCV. A better measure of RCV’s success, according to Lockhart, is how voters felt about the process…a question that Utah RCV teamed up with Y2 Analytics to help answer. “I think the most important metric that we should focus on is voter satisfaction. How did the voter feel about the experience of ranking their vote. And the survey vote shows as high as 90%

of the voters thought it was easy to use,” Lockhart said. Additionally, 62% of poll respondents said they liked voting with a ranked choice ballot. Learning curve Lockhart acknowledged that there can be a little bit of a learning curve when it comes to RCV, both for candidates and voters. For candidates, the implementation of RCV opens up another component of campaign strategy that they normally wouldn’t think about: coordinating with other candidates and forming coalitions. For example, a group of two or more like-minded candidates can encourage their voters to rank them in the top three spots. Lockhart said he didn’t see a whole lot of such coordination in the races which used RCV. One exception was for one of the council races in Salt Lake City, where two candidates jointly paid for a postcard advertisement, where one candidate was featured on one side, and the other candidate on the flipside. There’s also a learning curve for voters, who might not realize the power they have by taking advantage of the ranked choice feature. If a voter only ranks one or two candidates and those candidates get eliminated, that voters’ ballot becomes “inactive.” In a close election, a large number of inactive ballots represents voters who could have potentially swung the election one way or another. That’s exactly what happened in Sandy, where the top two candidates for mayor were separated by just 21 votes. However, there were over 4,000 inactive ballots (voters who had chosen to not rank either of the two finalists). If voting is all about using one’s voice, Lockhart suggested that fully ranking every candidate on the ballot is voters’ best way to maximize that voice. “If those voters had ranked more candidates, they would have been more relevant in that round,” he said about that Sandy mayoral race. l

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A place of remembrance opens to honor Utah veterans By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com

oe Day ran his right hand along several names imprinted on the Memorial Wall of the new Utah Veterans Memorial in West Valley City on a cool, cloudy Veterans Day in November. An Army veteran from 1990 to 2013 during which he trained Afghan troops from 2006-07, he stood in silence as he looked at the names of some comrades he served with in Afghanistan, including some who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to America. “It’s wonderful to see them memorialized like this,” Day said. “It brings back a flood of memories, and I’m just proud that they sacrificed and served the way that they did.” A ceremony was held on Nov. 11 to officially open the Utah Veterans Memorial. What was three acres of vacant land south of the Utah Cultural Celebration just six months ago is now a monument of remembrance for about 2,900 Utahns who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces in military conflicts from World War I to the Global War on Terror that started in the 1990s. Highlighted by the 75-foot-long, 8-foot high Memorial Wall, the plaza is surrounded by U.S flags and those of each branch of the military. Twenty-nine benches representing each of Utah’s counties are placed around the site to allow for visitors to take the time to remember the service of the men and women who went to war and never made it back or those who returned with physical and mental scars. The idea of a Utah Veterans Memorial was largely spearheaded by West Valley City Mayor and Air Force veteran Ron Bigelow. He gauged the interest of several cities in Salt Lake County before it was determined that West Valley City was the best place for it. Addressing a crowd of veterans, state and local government officials, and U.S. Reps. Burgess Owens and Chris Stewart of Utah, Bigelow said that while other Utah cities and towns have places to recognize veterans and war dead from those local communities, the new memorial in West Valley City has a broader focus. “We wanted to (honor) all of the veterans from the state of Utah who had lost their lives in combat.” Bigelow praised the fundraising efforts that resulted in the $1.3 million in mainly private and business donations to finish the first part of what is planned to be a threephased project over the next few years as additional money is raised. “We’re going to move from this to building a pavilion for groups to gather, we’re going to put monuments up for different conflicts, and eventually we’ll have a building where veterans can congregate, where we can have occasional exhibits to remember the role that those who preserve our freedoms have played in our country.”

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Army veteran Joe Day pauses at the Utah Veterans Memorial Wall to remember comrades who died while serving in America’s military conflicts. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)

The Memorial Wall contains the names of 2,900 Utahns killed while serving in the Navy veteran Rich Beaudoin of West United States Armed Forces. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals) Valley City attended the opening of the Utah Veterans Memorial on Veterans Rich Beaudoin of West Valley City lies,” he replied. “Each one of these names Day. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)

joined with dozens of other people in strolling the grounds of the plaza and looking at the long list of names on the memorial wall. He served 26 years in the Navy. “I think this is an awesome tribute. I hope a lot of people can come and see this.” When asked what feelings came to mind as he scanned the names, Beaudoin choked back tears. “Sacrifice of the fami-

impacts the timeline of the world. Maybe they could have been the father of a couple of doctors who cured something.” Day said visiting the memorial wall was worth it. “It’s going to mean the world to a lot of veterans and to a lot of families that can come here and remember their loved ones.” “We hope it will be a place of contem-

plation to help us never forget the debt we owe to them (veterans) for preserving our freedoms and the very lives we live today,” Bigelow concluded. The memorial was designed by EDA Architects and built by Okland Construction of Salt Lake City. l

West Valley City Journal

Just the facts—trained peer educators meet in West Valley to discuss sex education with students By Bill Hardesty | b.hardesty@mycityjournals.com

“

My classmates recommended me, and I wanted to be part of a group that helps the community,” Olivia, 16, from Park City High School, said. “People think of it as such a taboo subject, but we are only allowed to talk about sex and sex education in factual ways,” Inanna, 17, from City Academy, said. “There is a lot of material that needs to be avoided or dealt with skillfully in order not to bring up anything that is conflicting with different values or beliefs,” Gabriella, 16, from Rowland Hall, said. Olivia, Inanna, and Gabriella are members of a Planned Parenthood Youth Council for 2021-22. There are three youth councils—Salt Lake County West, Salt Lake County East, and Wasatch/Summit County. In addition, Planned Parenthood is working with a rural expansion partner to create another youth council in the Vernal area. The Salt Lake County West Teen Council meets at the Planned Parenthood West Valley Health Center (1906 W. 3600 South). The central role for the youth council members is to be peer educators for sex education in grades seven to 12. While they can do one-on-one discussions, they are mainly trained to do classroom presentations. They serve for one year, starting in July with a daylong retreat (pre-pandemic, a twoday retreat). They also meet every week for two and a half hours. This means at the end of their service; they have received about 100 hours of training. Youth council members are paid a stipend for their time. “We want the teens to know their time is valuable as is the material,” Annabel Sheinberg, vice-president of External Affairs Planned Parenthood, said. Subject matter Peer educators become knowledgeable on such subjects as: delaying sex; healthy relationships; family communications; HIV/ AIDS; STDs or STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections, which is the most current term); contraceptives; and sexual identity. The teen councils provide accurate information to their peers. “We bring up the subjects in a more factual way. Not as something we want to put our opinion on people,” Olivia said. “It is important that peer educators act as a resource for their peers. Answer their questions in an informal conversational setting,” Sheinberg added. “We’re not there to judge but to listen, provide information and support.” “We do a lot of training on how to answer value questions and to stay entirely neutral. We don’t want to inject or impose our own beliefs,” Gabriella said. Peer educators are known by their peers and supported by their school’s administra-

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tion. Planned Parenthood is upfront about what is presented. Presentations The concept of peer educators is taking advantage of the power of peers in a teenager’s life. The notion is that teenagers are more likely to listen to a peer than an adult health teacher. The presentations are for grades seventh through 12th. “I recently taught seventh graders on healthy relationships, and it was very cool to guide them to make their own decisions on what a healthy relationship is for them. It was fun. It was interesting to watch these little people figure it out,” Inanna said. Teen councils respond to invitations primarily by health education teachers. The school district also approves the program. Parents must sign an opt-in form to allow their child to attend a presentation. Findings During the 2016-17 school year, a nationwide study was conducted to see the benefits of the teen councils and being a member of a council. In that school year, there were 1,627 formal presentations and 17,584 information educational sessions. Ninety percent of audience members said they learned something new, and 82% learned where to go for sexual health services. It was also found that teen council members were more likely to talk with their parents about sex than their peers (85% to 72%). In addition, 27% of teen council members reported having 15 or more conversations with their parents compared to only 10% of peers. The study also reported, “Teen Council members are more confident than their peers being actively engaged citizens and believe they can make a difference in their community or and in their belief.” The report shows that teen council members are not more likely to be sexually active than their peers (54% compared to 45%). An outreach The teen council members had various reasons on why they participate. “Have an opportunity to have an outreach on other people. Teach them something and leave them with good values,” Olivia said. “Having an opportunity to make a lasting impact on anyone you interact with. Also, to give them accurate information, which is too often hard to find,” Gabriella said. “Pushing myself. Learning how to teach hard things. I want to be a teacher so learning how to teach is something I really want to do,” Inanna said. “I have found I really enjoy watching people figure things out and help them to understand better something

Planned Parenthood Teen Councils serve as peer educators on sex education. (Bill Hardesty/City Journals)

Planned Parenthood Teen Councils serve as peer educators on sex education. (Photo from Unsplash) that is so forbidden or difficult to talk about.” “Besides teaching and sharing, teen council members spend a day lobbying the legislature during their session,” Sheinberg said. Applications are gathered each May and are available online at Planned Parenthood Utah. Interviews are held during May and

June, with selections by the end of the month. Most teen council members serve one year and can reapply for a second year. Therefore, there are more applications than openings. There are 12-15 members on each council. l

December 2021 | Page 7

Political novice to join West Valley City Council By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com

new face will join the West Valley City Council on Jan. 4, 2022. Political newcomer Scott Harmon captured 59% of the 3,464 ballots cast to win the District 2 seat on the city council. He defeated another first-time candidate, Chris Bell. Harmon will succeed three-term councilman Steve Buhler, who lost in his bid for mayor. “I just want to be able to share my neighborhood’s and my district’s voice on the council,” he said. “I’ve got values that I care about as far as supporting our police and fire and also being fiscally conservative when we get beyond those items in our budget.” Harmon added that while campaigning, residents expressed a desire for more diligent follow-up and enforcement of city codes and ordinances. It’s the first time Harmon, 47, a nearly lifelong resident of West Valley City, has run for government office. “I’ve been interested in it and wanted to be civically minded. I thought if I’m going to be that interested in what the city is doing, I ought to just throw my hat in the ring.” Harmon is an asset manager with Utah Housing Corp. and also works as a real estate broker. District 2 covers the south-central part of West Valley City. In southwestern West Valley’s District 4, incumbent Jake Fitisemanu Jr. won a second term by outpacing challenger Darrell Curtis with 53.45% of the vote. “I’m just grateful that my community trusts me enough to go for a second term and continue the great work that we’ve been doing the last four years,” Fitisemanu said. He is a program manager with the Utah Department of Health. Fitisemanu said a recurring message from his constituents is that they want to be heard. “There is a perception that there is a disconnect between neighborhoods and city hall. “Having someone who is approachable and responsive as their representative is what I feel is my job,” he added. In the race for one of the two at-large city council districts, 59% of voters selected Lars Nordfelt for a third term. He easily defeated Jim Vesock and write-in candidate Lindie Sue Beaudoin. “I will continue to push for improvements in parks, police, economic development, preserving open space, and protecting the rights of individuals,” said Nordfelt, a math teacher whose late father was mayor from 2002 to 2010. “Sustainability has always been a major focus for me and is only becoming more important as time goes on.” l

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Scott Harmon. (Courtesy Scott Harmon)

Jake Fitisemanu. (Courtesy West Valley City)

Lars Nordfelt. (Courtesy West Valley City)

West Valley City Journal

Council to examine definition of food establishments in city code By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

here are restaurants. There is fast food. But what is in between? That’s what the West Valley City Council will evaluate after a recent decision to deny a proposed amendment to city code that would have allowed three “fast-food establishments” in the same building. Petersen Staggs Architects, representing WinCo Foods, recently applied for a change in city code that would amend allowing fast food with drive thrus in the 5600 West overlay zone (which runs along 5600 West from 3100 south to almost State Route 201). The change would have allowed one building to house Human Bean Coffee, Jersey Mike’s Subs and MOD Pizza on a retail pad along 5600 West in front of WinCo. However, current city code regulates fast-food establishments in overlay zones, of which the city has three. Two of those overlay zones, Jordan River and Decker Lake Station, prohibit fast-food establishments altogether since they were created in the ’90s. The council denied a proposal in 2019 to allow fast food in the Decker Lake Station zone in order to keep its goals for the area as an entertainment district. The 5600 West zone, created in 2004, was amended in 2012 to allow fast-food restaurants in multi-tenant buildings under certain conditions. The idea was to diversify the kinds of food establishments in the area. Current code doesn’t allow for a building with all fast-food occupants and only restaurants and fast food are defined. All three proposed tenants would be considered fast food. “There’s no definition of any type of establishment in between,” said Chad Pollock, a principal architect with Petersen Staggs representing WinCo. “When the code was established, the dining experience was much different than it is today.” Pollock told the council during its Oct. 26 meeting that many pizza restaurants used to be a sit- down place, but now replaced them with counter pick up. He also noted delis and bakeries aren’t accounted for in the code. “Maybe the code is outdated for the times that we have right now,” he said. In a letter to the mayor and council from Greg Goins, WinCo’s vice president of real estate, he wrote that “West Valley City is an exciting community that quality fast food/ quick serve style restaurants want to serve” and that to “maximize their draw and success” these restaurants want to occupy one building for a “synergistic effect.” Though the planning commission unanimously approved the application, the council denied the application in a 6-1 vote. Councilmembers felt the request

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What’s your legacy?

wasn’t significant enough to make a change to the entire zone. “That amendment (in 2012) was made to allow some of the drive thrus to be able to work,” Councilman Don Christensen said in the meeting. “I think it worked in 2012 and has been working since then.” Councilman Lars Nordfelt said the intent isn’t just to diversify the restaurants. “We also want to diversify the kinds of services that would go there on that corridor and not all of them be food services,” he said. While Councilman Jake Fitisemanu didn’t want to change the whole zone based on this one proposal, he did think it was worth future examination. “I think times have changed and definitions around fast casual and fast food and sit down perhaps have changed,” he said. “That maybe warrants a separate further discussion.” l

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Council asks city staff for report on campaign disclosures By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

otential candidates for office could face punishment, including being not allowed to run. The possibility comes about after a recent discussion amongst the West Valley City Council determining possible punishment for a candidate failing to file their campaign finance disclosures on time. Councilman Steve Buhler said he was concerned there was no penalty for candidates who don’t file their disclosure and then run for office two years later. “If it’s required by state law and it’s not filed then there ought to be a time period when that candidate cannot run,” Buhler said during the meeting, suggesting five years as an option so they would miss two election cycles. The question came forward after it was brought up in the city’s strategic planning meeting in February earlier this year, and officials decided to wait to address it until after the elections. Councilman Jake Fitisemanu agreed some penalty should exist. “I like an ineligibility type thing more so than penalizing somebody financially,” he said. The filing Buhler refers to is the final one that takes place after the general election. Candidates must file them for the primary election that takes place over the summer.

City Recorder Nichole Camac said in state code for municipal campaigns “there’s really no repercussions for that last campaign finance statement as it is.” Outgoing Mayor Ron Bigelow cautioned this could be a sensitive subject and to approach it slowly and thoroughly to hopefully avoid unintended consequences. “If not done properly, could cause a lot of problems,” he said. Fitisemanu clarified they don’t want to inhibit people from running for office. “We definitely don’t want to dissuade or create any kind of an atmosphere that feels like we’re dissuading anyone to run or that there’s a penalty to an inadvertent mistake,” he said. “But we ask for it, it’s on the books. How do we enforce that? We also don’t want a system that allows people to skirt certain rules or compliance with these things either.” Fitisemanu also wanted further information on the finer details of filing. He used the example of buying pizzas for campaign volunteers, would it be placed specifically as pizza for volunteers or, as others have suggested, grouping it under “campaign supplies.” “I don’t know what the clarity is on that,” he said, noting that detail would be useful “so we don’t have to question where money comes Councilmembers are wondering whether a penalty should be applied if a candidate misses the date to file its campaign finance statement. (File photo City Journals) from or how it’s being spent.” l

Roundtable Talk with Representative Weight Your Role in Legislative Committee Meetings Picture twenty students – junior or senior high – sitting in legislators’ chairs in a committee room at the Capitol. Add another group in the public section of the room, with roles to comment their support or opposition in discussion of real bills. Actual legislators like me are the committee chair and bill sponsors, but students are co-presenters of the bills. This is the stage for committee hearing simulations that began earlier this year, as part of an educational outreach on an important public role in our government. A group of us in the House of Representatives designed the committee simulations to help our young people learn about procedures, experience roles of governance, and even share ideas at home. Thanks to our state education standards, we have a solid framework for simulation objectives and details. Our message is that, while registering and voting are critical, understanding law-making steps and being confident to interact with legislators builds a necessary dynamic for truly representative government.

Liz4Utah.com

From my teaching career, I definitely have an educator perspective on legislators understanding more about constituents and “the people” learning to participate in our government. Few people want an “immersion” level of involvement, but we also have strong distaste for the behaviors of uninformed and unruly people making demands and suggesting threats, with little regard for simple rules of discussion our kids learn throughout school. For legislators, while we are wishing “Happy Holidays, we are also busy getting ready for the 45-day session. On January 18, we will begin the 2022 Legislative Session, with an intense schedule of committee hearings where every bill will be presented for public comment. We invite your emails and calls, but I hope you’ll take note of the committees where everyone can now participate online. It’s easy to join in through our website calendar at www.le.utah.gov. Happy Holidays and I’ll see you on the Hill in January!

Elizabeth Weight, Utah Representative

Page 10 | December 2021

ElizabethWeight@le.utah.gov

@RepEWeight

West Valley City Journal

With Lang moving to the mayor’s chair, vacant council seat to be filled by February By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

hough the elections are over, there remains one council seat empty. West Valley City elections this year featured four races: mayorship, at-large council seat, District 2 and District 4. Karen Lang, winner of the mayoral race, currently serves as the District 3 representative. With her victory, someone else will need to take her seat which covers the northwestern/ north-central part of the city. “I think sooner is better than later and that we should do it at the earliest convenience and notice as soon as we can,” Councilman Lars Nordfelt said during the Nov. 16 council study meeting in regards to filling Lang’s seat. City Recorder Nichole Camac explained noticing could start immediately and once the vacancy occurs (after the oath of office the first week in January), they

could begin accepting applications. The council will then interview candidates in a public meeting, whether it be a regular council meeting or a specially scheduled one. “The code is pretty loose about how that works, but it does have to be public interviews, (the) public can attend,” Camac said. Once Lang is sworn in as mayor, the city will have maximum of 30 days to fill the council seat. Candidates must meet the same qualifications as they would in a regular election such as they must live in the district, lived in the city for at least a year and be a registered voter. Councilman Jake Fitisemanu suggested using as much of the 30 days as possible to give plenty of time for candidates to apply. l

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New incentive program aims to attract GSD subs By Bill Hardesty | b.hardesty@mycityjournals.com

ranite School District (GSD) announced an incentive program to attract and keep substitute teachers in late October. “We are always exploring options to ensure we deliver on what students and staff need,” Richard Nye, district superintendent, said. “I implore anyone who has even considered the job of a substitute teacher to take a look at all Granite has to offer.”

“very serious.” “While we have a larger amount of substitutes in our pool and are filling more positions than ever on a daily basis, the demand and need for personal and sick leave has gone up by over 50% even over last year,” Horsley said. On average, GSD uses 300-350 substitutes each day. When a substitute teacher can’t be found, some district-level employees can step in. In other cases, the school’s administration steps in. A final choice is to pay regular teaches a stipend who step in during their prep period.

THE PROGRAM

The program will pay a bonus to substitute teachers as they hit milestones: hourly subs who complete at least five jobs in one month will be given a $50 bonus on top of regular pay; hourly subs who complete at least 10 jobs in one month will be given a $100 bonus on top of regular pay; and hourly subs who complete at least 15 jobs or more in one month will be given a $150 bonus on top of regular pay. The first payout was Nov. 1 based on substitute teachers’ October jobs. The program is ongoing through the remaining school year. For example, a substitute teacher who works 15 jobs every month will get a $150 bonus each month. GSD decided to install the bonus program rather than raise base pay. “We have a set budget and don’t have

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THE PAY

Granite School District implements a bonus incentive program for substitute teachers. (Photo from Pixabay)

the ability to increase wages long term. We do have lots of one-time money that can help address this problem short term,” Ben Horsley, chief of staff, said.

THE SITUATION

Horsley describes the situation as

A substitute teacher’s pay is based on the education obtained and the length of the assignment. For a person with a high school diploma, the hourly pay is $14.14 ($98.98 per seven hour day). For persons with an associate degree or two years of college, the rate moves to $14.67 ($102.69/day). For a licensed teacher or holder of a master’s degree, the rate raises $15.52 ($108.64). A retired teacher is paid $18.29 ($128.03). If the assignment is 40 to 89 days, the rate is $20.93 ($146.51). If the job is 90 or more days, the rate tops out at $26.86

($188.02). Substitute pay scales differ between school districts. “We find that most of our subs are also in other local district sub-pools, so they will pick and choose opportunities based on the distance to travel and grade level of the sub-job offered,” Horsley said.

THE OPPORTUNITY

According to the GSD website: “Substitute teachers are an integral part of the educational process in Granite School District. They have the opportunity to support the student educational experience. Principals, district administrators, and classroom teachers greatly appreciate the valuable work substitute teachers provide.” Horsley described the ideal candidate as “someone looking for a flexible job, that enjoys being around kids. You get to pick where and when you want to pick up a shift/job and can filter for certain grade levels or locations to meet your needs.” He added, “This is more than just a job but an opportunity to serve your community and support our children in their education.” To apply, call the Human Resources Department at 385-646-4511. l

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West Valley City Journal

GSD combined choir sings at Veterans Day concert By Bill Hardesty | b.hardesty@mycityjournals.com

he 66th annual Veterans Day concert was held virtually again this year because of COVID-19. The video was released on Nov. 11. The concert is online at: Ut.ng.mil; www. facebook.com/utahnationalguard; and www. youtube.com/user/UtahNationalGuard. The concert was titled “Never Forget.” In addition to honoring veterans, the concert commemorated the 20th anniversary of 9/11. The concert featured the 23rd Army Band and Granite School District High School Choirs. The combined choir consisted of more than 500 students from all seven senior high schools. “Granite School District vocal directors have a longstanding commitment to honoring Utah’s veterans. Veterans Day is a great opportunity to provide the ‘why’ for students who are developing their performance skills. Students feel honored to practice and refine the pieces to a level of quality that properly shows appreciation to the veterans and their families,” Noelle Converse, director of curriculum and instruction, said. “This annual event raises the bar for vocal performance across the district. It is also a great opportunity for our choir directors to showcase the quality of their music programs and student performers.” Senior Master Sgt. (Retired) U.S. Air Force Sterling Poulson hosted the concert. The performances were at Olympus High School.

MUSIC

The band and choir performed separately. There were traditional songs such as “America” (Choir), “The Stars and Stripes Forever” (Band), the “Armed Forces Medley” (Band), and the national anthem (Band). There were also new and unique numbers. The 23rd Army Band played “As All of the Heaven Were a Bell,” which was written to honor the NY firefighters for their efforts on Sept. 11. The title comes from a poem by Emily Dickinson titled, “I Felt a Funeral, in my Brain.” The band also played “Forge in Fire.” “This song was inspired by the transforming nature of fire,” Poulson said. “The men and women of our armed forces are forged into sharp swords through heat, fire and the strike of the human spirit.” The combined choir also sang “Oh America,” a song popularized by the Celtic Woman musical ensemble. The combined men’s choir sang, “Stouthearted Men,” a song sung by Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. The combined women’s choir sang “Wherever You Are.” The Military Wives Choir originally sang this song in 2020 as a love song. The combined choir also debuted an original piece by Cecil Sullivan, choir di-

Wvc Journal .com

Students from the Granite School District combined choir sing at the 66th annual Veterans Day Concert. (Courtesy of Granite School District)

rector of Cottonwood HS. His work is ti- the Utah veterans who have served heroically in all of America’s conflicts,” Gov. tled “For the Warriors.” The rock band Article 15 sang “Mr. Spencer Cox said in a video presentation. The Zions Bank Veterans Service Red, White and Blue” by Coffey Anderson, a song telling of the courage and sacrifices of our armed forces. “Taps” was also played to honor all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

SPEAKERS

Brig. Gen. Charlene Dalto, Land Component Command Utah Army National Guard, was the keynote speaker. “On Veterans Day, it is important that we take a moment and reflect on the patriotism, service, and sacrifice of all veterans, past and present,” Dalto said. Dalto also mentioned that less than 1% of Americans have served in the armed forces. The Utah PTA has partnered with the Honorary Colonels Corps and the Utah Army National Guard to sponsor an essay contest for nine years. The contest is open to all Utah students K-12 who have a parent, grandparent, brother or sister who serves now or has served in the military. This year’s theme was “Why Am I Proud of My Veteran.” Kinley Gorringe, a fourth grader from Lehi, won the elementary school division and was awarded a $100 scholarship award. Jaeli Adams, a ninth grader from St. George, won the junior high division and was also awarded $100. McKenna Dillingham, a senior from Bountiful, won the high school division and was awarded a $300 scholarship award. “As governor, I am beyond proud of

award was given to Robert Pagnani. The award is given to individuals who have improved the quality of life for military personnel and veterans. l

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December 2021 | Page 13

The Stars are back at Bruin Arena By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

he Salt Lake City Stars are back playing basketball at Bruin Arena. It has been a long time. “The game and experience is definitely family friendly,” Stars basketball communications manager Derek Ahrnsbrak said. “We have some up-and-coming players on the team this year, including Thurl Bailey’s and Dwayne Wade’s sons, Brendan Bailey and Zaire Wade.” The home opener (Nov. 17 after press deadline) will mark the first time the Stars have played in Salt Lake City since March 6, 2020. They play their home games in Bruin Arena on the campus of the Salt Lake Community College. The Stars began this season by dropping their first three games, all on the road. They hope playing in a friendly environment will change their results. “We have former NBA players on the roster and two current Jazz players, as well as players that spent time in Jazz camp this fall,” Ahrnsbrak said. Derrick Alston Jr. is one of the affiliate Jazz players on the Stars roster. (NBA teams can assign up to four athletes to their G League team.) His basketball career has come full circle. He began as a ball boy for the Houston Rockets. He spent his time grabbing rebounds for the players during warmups. Now he plays the game professionally.

Page 14 | December 2021

He was not highly recruited after high school, but with the help of a junior college coach he convinced Boise State to give him a shot. He averaged 14.2 points per game as a Bronco. He went undrafted out of college, but joined the Golden State Warriors G League team and eventually earned a tryout with the Jazz. His story is typical of what types of players spend time in the G League. Generally it is filled with up-and-coming athletes trying to earn a shot and some players trying to hang on to their careers. Carson Edwards, a 5-foot-11 guard, joins the Stars this season. He was the 33rd pick in the 2019 draft by the Boston Celtics. He played in 68 games over two seasons for the Celtics. Brendan Bailey and Zaire Wade have garnered the most attention this fall as members of the Stars. They have both come off the bench and averaged seven and five points respectively in the first few games of the season. “We have some great talent on the team. Our head coach is a first-class guy. This is officially his second season with the team,” Ahrnsbrak said. Head coach Nathan Peavy is starting his second season in the first chair for the team. He coached last year with the Stars in the G Leagues abbreviated season in Orlando. Because of the pandemic the league played its entire schedule in a one location bubble. He has been an assistant

Carsen Edwards (9) of the Salt Lake City Stars has spent time in the NBA with the Boston Celtics. (Photo courtesy of the Salt Lake City Stars)

coach with the team for five years. “He (Peavy) is really a great guy and very down to earth. All of the staff with the Stars are great people. I encourage everyone to come check it out,” Ahrnsbrak said. Ticket prices for the Stars range from $1035 and can be purchased on the Stars website. The G League functions as a headway league for potential NBA positions such as play-

ers, officials and front office staff. The league began as the developmental league in 2001 and in 2005 they gained a title sponsor, Gatorade, and changed the name to the G League. “This is an opportunity to see the Jazz future players and players from around the league,” Ahrnsbrak said. “The Stars of today can be the Jazz of tomorrow.” l

West Valley City Journal

Big eSports online tournament held for local students By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

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Rocket League is one of the most popular eSports games. West Jordan and Mountain Ridge high schools played an online match. (Photo courtesy of TLE)

he idea of gamers living in their parents’ basement and never seeing the light of day is no more. In the fall festival held in November, 695 Utah high school and middle school students gathered online in a friendly eSports competition. “The ability of eSports to be online at any time makes it possible for us to hold a large tournament,” co-owner and operator of The League Esports (TLE) Danny Jacobson said. “We both got into eSports years ago for a local company, LDS Gamers,” co-owner and operator of TLE Shawn Fisher said. “We decided to open our community and host games. We were contacted by some high school organizations and through networking it has become a national and worldwide opportunity.” The Fall Festival sponsored by Ken Garff eSports was the largest school event held in the state with 221 middle school and high school teams gathered online Nov. 1112. In the 5A and 6A division 24 schools were represented. Teams played Smash Bros Ultimate and Rocket League. Each game can be played as teams and supports quick timed battles. RL (Rocket League) was played in teams of three. It is a vehicular-style soccer game. Both games are popular games with youth competitors and could be adapted to a large online gathering. “My teacher brought it up in a class and Rocket League is a game I like to play, so I signed up,” a middle school student that goes by the user name Elimantor said. “I like competing against my friends.” “A tournament this large had never been held in Utah. Some schools had multiple teams, some schools had as many as 30 kids,” Jacobson said. “The goal would be to hold it as an in-person event eventually, but lots of logistics would need to be figured out. Rocket League and Smash Bros are two of the most popular and they are good family-friendly games.”

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League of Legends is also a popular game that will be introduced into a big tournament, but the speed of games in Rocket League and Super Smash fit better into the large tournament. “The goal of this particular event was not to see who the very best was. We wanted the most participation and the opportunity to get kids to play with others from all over the place,” Jacobson said. Ken Garff eSports, iTeamUSA and Code to Success have pinpointed that gaming can develop potential workplace applicants. Jobs including coding and cybersecurity has many Silicon Slopes companies seeing the opportunity to find possible future employees. “This is a great gateway to introduce these jobs by finding kids that like to play video games,” Jacobson said. “Kids can go on to college and pay for it through games. We also have high school quarterbacks, soccer stars, and even band kids that like to play games when they get home. It is not an absolute that if you play games you live in your mom’s basement. Some of us are older and we own our basements,” Fisher said. The online community has helped many students with mental health conditions. “Just like anything there are negative things if you look for them. The community involvement can help with kids that can be introverted,” Jacobson said. “Gaming is a big sense of community. That is a reason we started TLE was to make a safe place to play and make new friends. Some of my best friends I have never met.” Like a local recreation center, TLE holds gathering points for gamers to gather and play competitive video games. “As we started ‘adulting’ we wanted a place where we could play our games, just like rec leagues play basketball or softball. Gamers can play competitively in college and earn scholarships or job offers. That is how we got started,” Jacobson said. l

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Granger Ute Football wins two championships By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com

ranger youth football teams made plenty of noise amongst the Ute Conference this season. “This season was really good,” Granger district little league president Priscilla Tu’uao said. “We had six teams this season. All of our teams made the playoffs and three played in championship games. It was really exciting. In my seven years serving on the board I am not sure we have done this good.” The youth football program, Ute Conference, is made up of 38 districts. These districts are situated around high school boundaries. Granger had 134 registered athletes this season. They were divided by age group into six teams. The Mity Mite team—11 year olds—had two girls. “They were phenomenal girls. They gave the boys a run for their money,” Tu’uao said. “I think that is what makes Granger special. We are a very diverse league. The kids go to school together and Granger Gridiron, coached by Kaelua Tuitupou. (Photos courtesy of Priscilla Tu’uao) they know each other. The girls were very well respected and treated just like they were part of the team,” Tu’uao said. The number of participants in the group in the past. We have tried to encourGranger is one of the smaller districts The team the girls are on took second program has decreased this year, but their age kids to play where you stay,” Tu’uao in the conference. The high school players place in their division. They were coached determination has not. said. “We feel like winning will help to and coaches have made it a point to be this season by A’ati Tu’uao. “We have had more teams per age bring those kids back to our district.” part of the league.

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West Valley City Journal

“They have really had an influence. Coach Paala (Granger High School) grew up in Compton and reached out to my husband and made an impact in his life. When he got hired at the high school the first thing he did was meet with the little league,” Tu’uao said. The little league program is important in encouraging players to stay and play at the high school. “There is no question to make sure the kids know they are going to Granger. They like to see the kids they see on Friday night lights,” Tu’uao said. The Gremlins—9 year olds—defeated Wasatch 14-6 to win their division championship. They were coached by Isileli Saafi. The 12-year-olds in the Gridiron team beat Viewmont 7-6 in the championship game. They were coached by Kaelua Tuitupou. The Granger football board celebrated with each team for their success this year. “I have loved getting to know the families. This is a thankless job, it is hard to think about what happens when these kids go home. I know life can be hard. The sense of pride they can get from this game. The goal is not the NFL, they can use football to get to college. Then they can come back to the community,” Tu’uao said. “We have such a small board and they are amazing. I think we have made it work pretty well.” l

Granger Mity Mites, coached by A’ati Tu’uao and Granger Gremlins, coached by Isileli Saafi. (Photos courtesy of Priscilla Tu’uao)

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December 2021 | Page 17

Immerse yourself in art at new Leonardo exhibit By Justin Adams | justin.a@thecityjournals.com

here’s a new way to experience classic works of art at the new IDEA space at the Leonardo museum in downtown Salt Lake City. The acronym stands for “Immersive Digital Exploratory Art.” Occupying a large chunk of the museum’s second floor, the new space may seem sparse when the lights are on—large blank walls, a few mirrors, some benches and cushions for visitors to sit on. But turn off the lights and fire up the dozens of projectors strewn across the ceiling, and suddenly you’re flying through Van Gogh’s

“Starry Night” or are nestled peacefully in Monet’s lush gardens. Each scene of artwork transforms seamlessly into the next with animations that bring each piece to life. Accompanying the artwork is an occasional voice-over that provides context for the artwork, but more often a piece of music; from classical music for the Romantic period to jazz music for the post-modern. The exhibit, Immersive Art Series, was created by Universal Exhibition Group and has previously been shown in Moscow, Dubai, Belgium and Switzerland. The Leon-

ardo will be its first home in North America. The series consists of five shows, each centered around a different era or theme. The first show being played at the Leonardo is titled “Monet to Kandinsky” and features the work of “10 artists who revolutionized the art world.” The next show that will be added to the rotation focuses on the Italian Renaissance. “[The Leonardo] is the perfect space for this because it’s all about science, technology and art and that’s exactly what this is all about,” said Steve Boulay, COO of Magic Space Entertainment, a local company who partnered with the Leonardo to build the IDEA space and bring the Immersive Art Series to Utah. Although he’s surrounded by world class entertainment throughout his career of bringing Broadway productions to cities around the world, Boulay said there’s something “different” about this exhibit. In fact, he said he spent three hours just sitting in the space and enjoying the show

all by himself. Although the IDEA space was built with the Immersive Art Series in mind, Boulay and the Leonardo envision many other uses for their investment. “If we have the space, we can also curate local content. We’re going to be able to do things like have shows based on Utah history or shows that highlight Utah artists,” he said. “I think you’re going to see shows here for a decade, which is fantastic.” The new space is also a perfect addition to the Leonardo as the country slowly emerges from the pandemic, said Executive Director Alex Hesse. “This new space is very open, it’s ‘no touch,’ and we can also restrict how many people are inside. It’s a very COVID-friendly experience,” she said. “It also feels joyful, inspiring and uplifting and that feels very important to all of us at this time.” Tickets for “Monet to Kandinsky” are now available through the Leonardo’s website, www.theleonardo.org. l

Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” fills the walls (and even the floor) of the Leonardo’s new IDEA space. (Justin Adams/City Journals)

Page 18 | December 2021

West Valley City Journal

Salt Lake County giving residents opportunity to test out lifeguarding By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

alt Lake County Parks and Recreation is hosting a “Just-Try-It: Lifeguarding” for those ages 14 and up from 3 to 5 p.m. on Dec. 11 at the Dimple Dell Recreation Center (10670 S. 1000 East) in Sandy. “Being a lifeguard was something I always wanted to do and, as a teen, my dreams came true when I was hired by Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation,” said Amber Milne, recreation manager at Fairmont Aquatic Center, in a press release. “I worked as a lifeguard during high school and while in college. Now, 20 years later, I’ve made a career out of doing what I love while serving the community.” The parks and recreation department held the same two-hour event on Nov. 20 at the Northwest Recreation Center in Salt Lake City. It’s aimed to give anyone interested the opportunity to experience what it’s like to be a lifeguard. According the press release, individuals will “try lifeguard skills and activities, shadow a lifeguard, talk with lifeguards and management about the duties and responsibilities of the position, play some

pool games, and apply for a great and fun job.” It is part of the county’s efforts to fill lifeguard positions through employment benefits described as “paid training, flexible hours, great coworkers, professional development, and pay up to $16/hour depending on experience, position, and shift. Hired individuals will work at recreation centers throughout the county.” Parks and Recreation is also offering surge pay to cover harder-to-fill shifts, Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. Employees working these hours will earn $6 on top of normal wages until the end of the year. This comes after a summer when the county was also facing a shortage in lifeguards. Attendees are encouraged to bring a swimsuit, a towel and a friend. Admission fees are waived for participants and no registration is required. Individuals interested in applying for a lifeguard or swim instructor position may apply at bit.ly/slcoguard. l

Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation is hosting a “Just-Try-It: Lifeguarding” for those ages 14 and up. (File photo courtesy Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Center)

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Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation is hosting a “Just-Try-It: Lifeguarding” for those ages 14 and up at the Dimple Dell Recreation Center. (Pixabay)

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December 2021 | Page 19

Beloved ballet returns to Capitol Theatre for the holidays By Peri Kinder | peri.k@davisjournal.com

allet West’s most popular show and annual tradition, “The Nutcracker,” returns to the Capitol Theatre for live performances Dec. 4-26. It’s been two years since the holiday ballet was performed for a live audience, since COVID-19 shuttered entertainment venues in 2020. Audiences are eager to get back to live ballet as more than 13,000 tickets have already been sold and this year’s performance of “The Nutcracker” is expected to bring in the highest level of sales in 25 years. “Following the successful production of ‘Dracula,’ where many performances were sold out, demand for ‘The Nutcracker’ is expected to be high,” said Adam Sklute, Ballet West artistic director, in a media release. “We encourage all ‘Nutcracker’ fans to purchase tickets early so they have a seat and don’t miss out.” Made possible through support from The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, the $3 million production is a classic ballet in two acts based on the fairy tale by E.T.A. Hoffmann. The iconic score by Tchaikovsky will be performed live, featuring the Ballet West Orchestra. Choreographed by Ballet West founder Willam Christensen, “The Nutcracker” has evening performances at 7 p.m., matinees at 2 p.m., and a special holiday matinee on Christmas Eve at noon. Immediately following each matinee (except Dec. 24), Ballet West hosts a Sugar Plum Party where young audience members can join the Sugar Plum Fairy and other favorite characters from the ballet for a special treat. “Each year, hundreds of Utah children from across the Wasatch Front audition for the opportunity to perform

Artists of Ballet West perform in “The Nutcracker” at Capitol Theatre. (Photo courtesy of Beau Pearson)

in Ballet West’s ‘The Nutcracker,’ with just over 100 children being selected for the coveted roles,” Sklute said. “The story tells of a Christmas party at which little Clara, daughter of the house, receives the gift of a nutcracker from her mysterious uncle, Herr Drosselmeyer. After the

party, she falls asleep and dreams of snow castles, sugarplums, and her nutcracker, which has turned into a handsome prince.” Ticket prices range from $25 to $104 and are available at BalletWest.org or 801-869-6900.l

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Page 20 | December 2021 advertorial_102021_final.indd 1

West Valley City Journal 10/20/2021 12:18:52 PM

Former NBA coach hosts basketball camp By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

tah native Barry Hecker, who coached in the NBA for more than two decades, continues to teach the game of basketball to young players. During the winter holidays, he will host a camp Dec. 27-29 from 9-11 a.m. at the Sandy Recreation Center, located at 440 E. 8680 South for boys and girls in grades fourth through seventh. “These camps are all about the basic fundamentals of basketball,” Hecker said. “We focus on quality fundamental instruction, we work hard with a lot of discipline and structure and we have a lot of fun. When these kids walk out of there, they know they’ve been taught and improved.” The cost of the camp is $75. Registrations are open online by visiting www. sandy.utah.gov/registration and clicking on “Activity Registration.” The veteran coach, who lives in Murray, said the values he has learned from his basketball coaching journey—beginning at Oxon Hill High School in Maryland and spanning through Salt Lake Community College and stints with the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies—are in-

valuable. Being able to share those principles of hard work, teamwork, unselfishness and persistence, along with the physical skills of the game itself, with others thrills him. “I don’t care who I coach or when I coach,” Hecker, who has worked with current Jazz players Mike Conley and Rudy Gay, said. “I simply enjoy teaching the game. It’s great to see a smile on someone’s face as they experience success. If you help somebody, you’ll be somebody.” Hecker has conducted clinics all over the world for more than 40 years, including many since his retirement from coaching in the NBA. He said he particularly enjoys working with the youth. “If you teach skills, that leads to confidence and that confidence can allow anyone to do anything they want,” he said. “I have more fun with young kids than with the pros. In the NBA, you have guys who are making millions and they don’t listen. These kids are making nothing and they’ll listen to you.” l Former NBA coach Barry Hecker, who coached current Jazz player Rudy Gay while in Memphis, has been hosting basketball camps for more than 40 years. (Catherine Garrett/City Journals)

As Utah’s Unemployment Rate Hits Record Low, Lack of Labor Lingers By Robert Spendlove, Zions Bank Senior Economist Utah’s unemployment rate hit the lowest level ever recorded in October. The Utah Department of Workforce Services’ most recent jobs report, released in November, shows that only 2.2% of the state’s workers are unemployed and actively looking for work. This historic low comes only 18 months after the state’s unemployment rate reached a record high of 10.4% in April 2020 at the onset of the pandemic. Utah’s job recovery from such a massive disruption has been impressive. Our state’s two-year job growth leads the nation at 3.7%, compared to a 2.2% job decline nationally. The state has added 58,500 jobs added over the past two years, with the construction; financial activities; and trade, transportation and utilities sectors growing the fastest. This job growth is limited, however, by the lack of available labor. Utah, like the rest of the nation, is struggling to find workers to fill job openings. A recent analysis from The Pew Charitable Trusts found that the ratio of jobs-to-jobless in Utah is more than

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Utah Unemployment Rate at Record Low 13.0% 12.0% 11.0% 10.0% 9.0% 8.0% 7.0% 6.0% 5.0% 4.0% 3.0% October 2.0% 2021 1.0% 2.2% 0.0% 1/1/00 1/1/02 1/1/04 1/1/06 1/1/08 1/1/10 1/1/12 1/1/14 1/1/16 1/1/18 1/1/20 Source: Utah Department of Workforce Statistics

2 to 1. Many residents who dropped out of the workforce during the pandemic have not returned. Even so, the labor force participation rate – an estimate of what percent of the state’s population is working or looking for a job – is the fifth highest in the nation. Labor force participation remained steady from September to October at 67.9%, though still below the 68.6% of two years ago in October 2019. The very tight labor market continues to cause wage pressure. Nationally, average hourly earnings were 4.9% higher in

October, compared to one year ago. This wage inflation, which is a welcome trend for workers, is placing more strain on employers, who are facing both the labor shortage and continued supply chain struggles. Despite these challenges, Utah’s economy – and the U.S. economy – continue to improve and recover. More people are returning to work as the latest wave of the delta variant of the Coronavirus subsides, vaccination rates increase, and the impact of enhanced unemployment benefits ends. l

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and the Chipmunks? Let’s use this time to digest more than nine pounds of mashed potatoes and three types of pie. Let’s digest how we’ve treated each other during the last year, and try to do better. Even I, a freakin’ humor columnist, have received more angry emails and phone calls in 2021 than the previous 17 years combined. Whether it’s Democrats, Republicans, Big Bird, mask mandates, cancel culture or fruitcake, our division is growing. Any day, I’m expecting leaflets to be flung out of helicopters explaining how the COVID vaccine is turning us into carnivorous, zombie dinosaurs. Aren’t you tired of it all? Remember when Christmas meant acts of service and goodwill to all mankind? What can you do to return to love this holiday season? Maybe less judgement and more connection. Maybe less yelling and more listening. Maybe it’s taking a plate of homemade cookies to a neighbor. Maybe it’s building a bridge instead of a wall. Maybe it's apologizing and swallowing our inflated egos. This holiday season, it’s your job to love your neighbor, even the one you don’t agree with. Even the ones yelling at the Walmart cashier. They might need the most love of all.

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December 2021 | Page 23

December 2021 | Vol. 7 Iss. 12

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KAREN LANG SAYS EXPERIENCE WILL SERVE HER WELL AS CITY’S NEW MAYOR By Darrell Kirby | d.kirby@mycityjournals.com

Veterans Memorial opens

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Karen Lang will become West Valley City mayor Jan. 4, 2022. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)

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Elections complete

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