2022 General Election

The 2022 General Election took place this past Tuesday, November 8 and we just wanted to take a moment to review some key local preliminary outcomes. 

To clarify, we’re reporting these as of Thursday, November 10. The canvass to certify the official results is not until November 22. 

Okay so… 

• Summit County Attorney Margaret Olson, Summit County Sheriff Justin Martinez, and Summit County Clerk Eve Furse are positioned to remain in office.  
  
• Cindy Keyes, former Finance Director for the Summit County Health Department, will become the new County Auditor. 
  
• It also looks like Chris Robinson is positioned to maintain Seat D on the Summit County Council, and Canice Hart currently is in the lead for Seat E on the Council. 
  
• As for the School Board seats…
  
  • There were two races for North Summit School Board seats 4 and 5, which Kevin Orgill and Vern Williams are in the lead to win those. 
    
  • Matthew Weller and Olivia Gunnerson are in the lead for the open South Summit School Board seats. 
    
  • And Meredith Reed and Nick Hill look like they’ll take the Park City School Board’s two open seats. 
    
  
  

Again, we’ll circle back on these in a couple weeks after the canvass has taken place. 

RPO Designation 

Ok, moving onto this week’s County Council meeting. First, the Council approved the designation for a Wasatch Back Rural Planning Organization. 

You may be wondering what a Rural Planning Organization is, and you’re not alone! It’s a new concept to me too. bridget, you want to explain a bit more? 

Sure. So, in 2016 Congress elevated the role of local officials in statewide planning so that states (in this scenario, state entities like UDOT) must “cooperate” rather than “consult” with local governments. 

An RPO will do a number of things including: develop regional long-range multimodal transportation plans; prioritize transportation projects they believe should be considered for funding in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan process, and in local transportation improvement programs; foster the coordination of local planning, land use, and economic development plans with State, regional, and local transportation plans and programs; and provide technical assistance to local officials.

The Wasatch Back RPO that Council approved this week will consist of  Summit County, Wasatch County, and the cities within them. Each community will appoint one representative as a member of the board, and Mountainland Association of Governments will act as the administrative and technical staff to the Board, provide coordinating consultant services, and prepare and administer the annual work program and budget.

At the end of the day, the most important thing our listeners should take away from this is that by establishing an RPO, Summit County’s transportation priorities will be elevated with UDOT because we’ll have a seat at the table to advocate for them! 

Mental Wellness Strategic Plan

Next, the Council approved a Mental Wellness Strategic Plan that will address gaps identified in mental health and substance abuse treatment and service within Summit County. The development and execution of this plan is a community-based effort and would not have been possible without the work of countless individuals and organizations in the Summit County community.

This Strategic Plan serves as a document to guide the community’s shared goals in mental wellness. These goals include:

• Expanding community access to mental health & substance use programs and services
  
• Increasing prevention and education around mental health & substance use
  
• Ensuring success and sustainability of mental health & substance use programs
  
• Establishing systems to support life during recovery and reintegration into the community
  
• Ensuring equity of mental health & substance use programs and services for Latino population and underserved community members
  

By addressing issues of mental health and substance use, the quality of life for all Summit County residents is enhanced.

Snow Talk 

Ok, up next, join Summit County, Park City Municipal, and our local resorts (including Deer Valley, Park City, and the UOP) at the Park City Hospital Blair Education Center THIS Monday, November 14, from 6-8 p.m. for a community presentation and open house about the upcoming winter season. Dinner and childcare will be provided.

If you are unable to attend in person, the presentation portion can be viewed live on Zoom. Questions will not be taken via Zoom. Please join us in-person for questions and conversation!  You can find the Zoom link and more information on the summitcounty.org homepage under “Summit County News” and selecting “SnowTalk”. 

Veterans Day 

Finally, this Friday November 11 is Veterans Day.. Each Veterans Day is a remembrance set aside to honor those who have defended our country. 

So, today, we wanted to pause to reflect on the sacrifices of the men and women who have served our nation—ordinary Americans performing extraordinary service. 

We express our sincerest gratitude and deepest appreciation to and for all Veterans. Thank you for your service, sacrifice, and selfless valor.

And, in case you missed it, we’ve been highlighting Summit County Veterans all week! Go to summitcounty.org homepage and find the Summit County Veterans highlight under the News Section to read their stories!