Hey everyone! Welcome back to another week of news here on Summit in Six! A new school year is just around the corner, and we’re wondering how summer has passed so quickly.

In today’s episode, we are going to cover the results from primary elections, a few updates from this week’s county council meeting, a heads-up on road construction for I-80, and a deep dive into one of the noxious weeds that plagues Summit County. Alright, let’s get into the news!

TOPIC 1: Primary Election Results

The 2025 Primary Elections took place earlier this week on Tuesday, August 12. Preliminary results as of Wednesday afternoon, August 13, are available through the Summit County Clerk’s Office at: summitcounty.info/2025primaries.

The canvass for the Primary Elections will take place on August 26, 2025, at the entity holding the election, so at Coalville City, Henefer Town, Francis City, and Park City. Our listeners should check their municipality’s website for canvass information.

As a reminder, a canvass is when the governing body of the entity holding an election receives the election results, examines them, and decides whether to approve them as final or request more information, clarification, or documentation. Once approved, the results of the election for that entity are final.

If you’d like to view preliminary results or find out more about the election process, go to summitcounty.info/2025primaries.

TOPIC 2: County Council Updates

At Wednesday’s county council meeting, the work session began with interviews for two candidates to fill vacancies on the Summit County Arts & Parks Advisory Committee (also known as the RAP Tax Cultural Committee).

Joe Frazier, Summit County historian and Oakley City councilman, joined Vincent Novak, a community resident and former member of the committee whose term recently expired. After discussing their qualifications and their ideas for the RAP Tax committee, both candidates were approved by council later in the meeting.

Council also heard from Jess Kirby and Rachael Brard of the County Lands and Natural Resources Department. Kirby and Brard asked the council members to approve changes to the term length of members sitting on the Open Space Advisory Committee. The proposed changes would stagger the terms of board members and allow a couple members currently serving to extend their term for a year or two.

The Open Space Advisory Committee receives recommendations and makes evaluations of properties that the county might acquire for open space, conservation easements, or constructing recreational amenities or environmental and wildlife mitigation measures.

Formerly, the advisory board served as a liaison between regional groups representing North, South, and West Summit County, respectively. However, to simplify the process, the regional groups will be dissolved and the advisory committee will be required to have 3 representatives from each region on the committee.

If you’re interested in learning more about how locals can shape open space preservation in the county, visit: summitcounty.info/osac. The county ultimately approved the suggested amendments to term limits.

Brard and Kirby also provided an update in the ongoing acquisition of the 910 Ranch property. They presented a Baseline Documentation Report that details the ecological condition of the property at the time a conservation easement is established. The conservation easement allows the county to outline certain allowed activities on the property (like recreation, research/education, forest management and grazing) while restricting further development and things like motorized use, deforestation, drone flights, etc.

Council acknowledged the hard work that our county lands staff and state officials have poured into the project, and ultimately accepted the Baseline Report unanimously. If you’d like to know more about the 910 Ranch, go to summitcounty.info/910ranch.

TOPIC 3: UDOT Maintenance on I-80

We have some more updates for ongoing road construction on I-80 between Kimball Junction and Silver Creek. Night owls may have experienced lane closures in the past week while crews worked in the dark. The overnight lane closures will start again on Sunday, Aug. 17 and run through Friday, Aug. 22.

During this time, I-80 will be reduced to one lane for either eastbound or westbound traffic alternating each night on the east half of the project area (closer to US-40).

Later next week — as early as Thursday, Aug. 21 — the US-40 on and off-ramps at Exit 146 will temporarily close overnight for paving. The closest detour will be through Kimball Junction at Exit 145. Finally, beginning as early as Sunday, Aug. 24, crews will be working on the shoulders during daytime hours. Drivers can expect alternating eastbound and westbound shoulder closures as crews install guardrail and the concrete barrier.

To see a map of the project area, visit udotinput.utah.gov/pavingi80 or call (435) 565-6070 for questions. To avoid delays in the project area, we recommend you:

• Plan ahead
• Travel before or after the construction work hours
• Use alternate routes when possible.

Please note that nightly lane closures may still be in place on I-80 during regular work hours. Drivers should expect minor travel delays and follow the posted signage and traffic control.

TOPIC 4: Weed of the Month — Canada Thistle

Up next is a segment we like to call Weeds of the Month! In the studio with us today is Summit County Weed Enforcement Officer, Dan Pena, to talk about Canada Thistle. So, Dan, why is it important to talk about Canada Thistle right now?

Well, right now is actually the best time to be treating this plant. It’s a perennial plant, so the best way to treat this plant is by using a herbicide because you want to get down into those roots. Canada Thistle has a really extensive root system, and if you don’t get all of the root system, most of the time they will come back. That’s not to say you’re going to wipe it out in one shot, but you’re going to put a pretty good dent in it the first year as long as you can time it correctly.

Ok, so herbicide right now, so we’re in mid to late August, is the best way to control this plant. Where can people get the herbicide to tackle this weed on their property?

So that’s a great question. The county offers a loaner program, so you can get the herbicide from us as well as loaner equipment. You have up to two weeks to use the loaner equipment, and then we’ll start harassing you for our equipment back.

And you can get all those details on both the herbicide and the loaner program at bit.ly/sprayrentals. So Dan if our listeners want more information on Canada Thistle, summitcounty.info/idweeds is still the best place to go, right?

Absolutely, or you can even try to contact me, Dave, even Juan, he’s one of our sprayers out and he talks to the public quite frequently. Just let us know what kind of weeds you got, and what kind of issues you’re dealing with, and we’ll try to come up with a solution.

And, even though herbicide is often one of the most effective control methods for these plants, that’s not the only tool in your toolbox right?

No, like I said we’re always ready to talk to our community and find the best solution for your property – whether that’s herbicide, hand pulling or tillage, or more creative solutions like biocontrol, grazing, and so much more. Please reach out anytime or stop by the shop, and find more info at summitcountyutah.gov/weeds.

Yeah, I can speak from first hand experience this team is a GREAT resource for you to take advantage of if you have noxious weeds on your property. They’ve taught me so much!

We are really focused on education. In fact, twice a year, we host a Community Noxious Weeds Tour, visiting sites around Summit County to show how to identify and control specific weeds. Partners like Swaner, Basin Rec, USU Extension, and Utah’s biocontrol expert, Amber Mendenhall, join us. It’s a great event for residents to join because noxious weeds are a community challenge, and we’re tackling them together.

The Community Noxious Weeds Tour is my favorite event of the year! Our next one is right around the corner on Saturday, September 6. If our listeners want more information on that tour, visit summitcounty.info/weedstour25. Alright, I think that’s it for now. Thanks for being here today, Dan, and for sharing all your knowledge on noxious weeds.