This week we’ll talk about: 

• Important information for the 2022 Primary Election
  
• The Community Renewable Energy Agency
  
• Summit County Open Space Advisory Committee Update
  
• Long Range Transportation Plan Virtual Feedback Opportunity
  
• Community Noxious Weed Tour
  
• THRIVE Teen Wellness Program
  
• Living with Wildfire Learning Series
  

ELECTION  

Alright! First up we want to take a moment to talk about some important information regarding the upcoming Primary Election, which is happening on Tuesday, June 28.  

Your ballots were mailed earlier this month. Completed ballots can be returned one of two ways. 

The first is to place your ballot in a Drop Box by 8 PM on Election Day, June 28. There are 10 Drop Box locations throughout the County and their hours vary, check out an up-to-date list at bit.ly/2022dropbox. 

You can also return your ballot by mail. Ballots must be postmarked by Monday, June 27. All ballots have a preprinted return envelope, so voters don’t need to worry about a return address.  

If you plan to vote in-person on Election Day, you can do so at Coalville City Hall, the Marsac Building in Park City, and at the Kimball Junction and Kamas branches of the Summit County Library. All of these locations are open on Tuesday, June 28 from 7 AM to 8 PM. 

And, finally, if you need to vote early, don’t stress! Early voting (which requires no excuse here in Utah) will take place at the Summit County Courthouse and the Kimball Junction branch of the Summit County Library on June 23, June 24, June 25 and June 27 from 8 AM to 5 PM.

COMMUNITY RENEWABLE ENERGY  

Moving on to some clean energy news, unincorporated Summit County and four municipalities (Coalville, Francis, Oakley, and Park City) in Summit County have joined a community renewable energy program that aims to launch a default net-100% renewable electricity option for Rocky Mountain Power customers in their communities. 

The program, formally called the Community Renewable Energy Agency (or the “Utah 100 Communities”) formed in response to HB 411, a 2019 bill called the Utah Community Renewable Energy Act, that created a pathway for interested communities served by Rocky Mountain Power to collaborate on creating this first-of-its kind renewable electricity program.  

Several steps remain on the path to creating the new renewable electricity program. The Agency hopes Rocky Mountain Power will file a Program application with the Utah Public Service Commission later this year. Should that application be approved, interested communities will each need to adopt ordinances to finalize their participation. The new renewable electricity program could launch as soon as 2023 or 2024. 

 OSAC UPDATE  

Up next, we have a quick update on the Summit County Open Space Advisory Committee.  

58 applicants were received for the 21 seats available across the three regional subcommittees.  

From here, the County Manager will sort through these applications and make final appointments to the Committees. These appointments will then need to be ratified by the Summit County Council.   

We can expect that the regional subcommittees will start meeting in July.   

LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION  

Did you miss the Engineering Open House event last month? No worries! Visit bit.ly/LRTPRecs to review projects in Summit County’s Long Range Transportation Plan which spans the next 30 years. This virtual feedback opportunity will be open until Monday, June 20.  

COMMUNITY NOXIOUS WEEDS TOUR 

Noxious weeds come in many varieties but are all a threat to our county’s natural beauty and native vegetation. 

Summit County’s Weed Control program is hosting a Community Noxious Weeds Tour on Saturday, June 25 from 10 AM to 12:30 PM to educate residents on the “most-wanted” weeds here in Summit County.  

At this event, residents will join Dave Bingham, Weed Superintendent, and Dan Pena, Weed Enforcement Officer, at three different locations (Richardson Flat, Jeremy Ranch, and Summit Park) to learn to identify and control noxious weeds on their own properties.  

Transportation will be provided for up to 14 people. Gloves are suggested, but not required. Coffee and pastries will be provided before the tour begins. 

If you would like to join, please RSVP here: bit.ly/weedsRSVP  

 FREE TEEN WELLNESS PROGRAM 

 Heads up, Summit County parents! This summer our friends at Live Like Sam are offering THRIVE, a FREE program that will help strengthen and empower your child this summer.  

 THRIVE is for 9th-12th graders in Summit County and works to build confidence, leadership skills, and resilience. The program will take place the week of July 3rd  through the week of Aug 7th. There are six weekly virtual sessions that are one hour long. 

Visit livelikesam.org/thrive for a more in-depth schedule and registration link.  

 LIVING WITH WILDFIRE  

Last but not least, we wanted to remind you about the Living with Wildfire series happening NOW through October. 

Here in Summit County we live with the threat of wildfire all year long and so it’s important to stay informed and prepared about what it means to “live with wildfire.”  

Earlier this month, a learning series called Living with Wildfire began. The series takes place all throughout the county and the events will teach you about planning for a fire evacuation, how fire affects our watershed, the impacts of the changing climate on our local landscape, and MORE!  

The series is FREE and OPEN to the public. The next event is July 12 at the Jim Santy Auditorium where you’ll learn from emergency management experts about how to plan for an evacuation.  

For a complete list of events throughout the year, visit: bit.ly/wildfireseries.