Editor’s note: This is the third in a three-part series discussing illicit drug use in Tooele County, criminality linked to drugs and treatment and recovery.

Growing up, Adam Baxter knew he didn’t want to use drugs. 

Both of his parents were active drug users and while he drank socially in high school, he stayed away from the harder substances. 

When he was 17, Baxter got his girlfriend at the time pregnant. The pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. 

“So we buried our son and I really, I didn’t have the skills to cope with that type of tragedy, that type of experience,” Baxter said. “So rather than deal with it emotionally or spiritually, I just tried to numb the feeling with drugs and alcohol.”

While he started with marijuana and ecstasy, Baxter said he started using opiates. The opiates led to heroin, which is cheaper and has the same effect. 

Baxter bounced between Utah and Arizona, where he was born, to try and get away from his drug use disorder. He left Utah for 10 years, but remained with an active addiction to heroin.

“Anywhere you go, the drugs are going to be there because you’re a drug user, so you can find them no matter what,” he said. 

Once he managed to get off heroin, Baxter turned to methamphetamine, then started to use both for a three-year period. He was eventually arrested on distribution charges in Grantsville. 

“I did about 33 days in Tooele County (Detention Center) and heard somebody with more distribution charges than me got out on drug court,” he said. “So I immediately hit up my public defender and told him I wanted drug court just so I could get out of jail.”

While Baxter said he joined the Tooele County drug court program in April 2016 as an excuse to get out of jail, he spent just over a year to complete the program. Since February 2016, he has never had a reoccurrence of use. 

The first drug court in Utah was in Salt Lake’s 3rd District Court in 1996, according to the state. Drug courts were established after drug-related crimes have increased and judges saw the same offenders appear in their courts repeatedly. 

“It seemed as if traditional methods of dealing with addicts such as strict probation or mandatory imprisonment did not attack the fundamental problem of addiction,” according to utcourts.gov.

Rebecca Brown, chief strategy officer for Valley Behavioral Health in Tooele County, said the best candidates for the county’s drug court and similar programs are those motivated for treatment. 

“We do want to find people who have a desire to engage,” Brown said. 

When doing an initial screening at intake, however, there is typically more resistance from someone court-ordered to treatment, Brown said. Those candidates are screened and evaluated to determine their level of required care and review risk factors. 

“When we’re dealing with the court-ordered drug court population, most of them are not with us by choice,” Brown said.  

In Tooele County, patients also have access to individual and group therapy, case management services, and jail in-reach services through Valley Behavioral Health. Some of the services are available in Salt Lake because Tooele hasn’t traditionally been big enough to provide some services, such as a residential setting, Brown said. 

The treatment provided by Valley Behavioral Health also includes offering prescription drugs like suboxone or vivitrol to deal with opioid cravings, depending on the client. The treatment process also addresses past trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and other factors, Brown said.

“Really, we can offer a comprehensive continuum of care and we will support that through our other programs throughout all of Valley Behavioral Health,” she said. “So we offer everything from a residential setting to … just the traditional outpatient model of care.”

When looking specifically at drug court, treatment starts with extensive outpatient, which can become general outpatient with the proper treatment and guidance, according to Steve Barrett, operations manager at Valley Behavioral Health. The progress of each drug court attendee is reported back to the court monthly, whether it’s positive or negative. 

Most of the people entering drug court are generally high risk and high need, Barrett said. Those who are too high of a risk for Valley Behavioral to manage usually stay with Adult Probation and Parole. 

Barrett said drug court is a very structured program to hold those in treatment accountable. If they miss a group meeting, for instance, it is reported to the court or Adult Probation and Parole. 

The drug court program does have failures, Barrett admitted, as some don’t want the change. Most are set on getting a reduction in their criminal charges if they complete the program, he said, with some taking as long as three years to finish. 

“It takes time,” Barrett said. “When they first come in, it’s very structured. It’s hard for them to change the lifestyle, the criminogenic thinking lifestyle, for them.”

Despite the failed attempts, Barrett said many do very well in drug court, with some staying for after care and others becoming leaders in groups like Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous. 

“To get them back into the community on a good note, instead of a negative, is always a good thing for us,” Barrett said. “It’s a success for us.”

There’s a waiting list for drug court right now, according to Barrett, with 50 people currently enrolled. 

Another expansion of treatment has been through the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, which was approved by the state Legislature and Gov. Gary Herbert in 2015. The stated goal of JRI is to reduce incarceration and recidivism rates by allowing more low-risk offenders to be treated in the community. 

Under JRI, inmates can receive time cuts of at least four months from their ordered release date by completing programs such as substance use treatment, vocational training, or completing a high school diploma or GED.

Law enforcement has seen some changes as a result of JRI, according to agencies in Tooele County. Grantsville City Police Sgt. Lydon Allred said when someone is arrested, they’re more likely to try to connect it to a drug use problem in the hopes of staying out of jail. 

It hasn’t changed how law enforcement handles arrests, however, according to Tooele County Sheriff’ s Lt. Eli Wayman. 

“The court system can do what it’s going to do,” Wayman said. “That’s kind of out of our hands. We still have to be proactive in our enforcement and do our job to protect life and property. Ultimately what happens in the court system happens in the court system.”

A veteran of law enforcement, Barrett said the focus of JRI is a positive, with keeping low-level offenders out of the jail. 

“It’s always been a positive for us to try to get them back to their families and on the street where we’re not housing them,” he said. “You don’t need to house minimal offenders in the jail or mental health people in the jail. That’s not the place for them.”

Brown said JRI helps provide alternatives to incarceration for those with mental illness or substance use disorder, which can be treated. The initiative has also provided more access to treatment for those disorders and involved more community partners, she said. 

“The number one thing that we’ve seen as a benefit from the JRI initiative has been the interest in law enforcement, sheriff’s department and other community stakeholders in the collaboration of the care for our clients as a whole,” Brown said. 

While the strict nature of programs like drug court provide structure, Baxter said it was hard to sit in a drug court group with someone who used that day and was given community service hours, while he spent the weekend in jail for missing a one-on-one meeting with a therapist because he was attending welding school. 

Drug court did encourage Baxter to join Narcotics Anonymous, at first to gather required signatures to complete the program. 

“I started going just for the signatures but started hearing stuff that really stuck with me,” Baxter said. “Stuff that I could relate to. So I knew that once I didn’t have that supervision of drug court, that if I wanted to stay clean, that I had somewhere to go to do that, with like-minded people trying to do the same thing.”

After graduating drug court, Baxter met the founder of the Salt Lake chapter of Young People in Recovery, a national nonprofit aimed at creating access to resources those with substance use disorder need to recover, get an education and employment, and build healthy relationships. He was encouraged to start a chapter in Tooele County, which he did in November 2017. 

“I knew from my experience in drug court, or I learned rather, what Tooele County was lacking in recovery services,” Baxter said. “So to have an organization backing me that would help bring those organizations around, or help develop them, seemed like a good idea.”

Many of the challenges facing those with substance use disorder go beyond getting clean, Baxter said. Understanding how to apply for a job or financial aid for school, where to find a safe place to live, and even how to have fun without drugs can be challenging for those with long-term substance use disorder, he said. 

“We also do monthly pro-social activities, which is a lot of times, people who are active users don’t know how to have fun without being high or drunk,” Baxter said. “So we put on activities to show them how to do that while they’re in recovery.”

Both Valley Behavioral Health and Baxter agree that a major hurdle for those in long-term recovery is acceptable housing. 

Brown said Tooele County is growing so fast it outstrips funding for the necessary support functions, which are generally based upon the number of residents eligible for the programs or the total population in the county. Another effect of the rapid growth is a lack of available housing. 

“The other thing that I think would exponentially improve our ability to care for clients is the access and availability of affordable housing in the county that can be managed and supported by behavioral health organizations,” Brown said. “That is something that we see providing a great success in our other communities with those partnerships and there is not enough housing, period. Which speaks back to the same thing — the growth problem in Tooele.”

Baxter echoed the sentiment, calling a housing a challenge in Tooele County. 

“There’s no transitional living,” he said. “There’s nowhere for somebody in drug court to go and find somewhere to live that isn’t right above a bar or in a trailer park near where most of the drugs are sold.”

Back in June, the Tooele City Council approved a rezone of the former Harris Elementary School for Skull Valley Health Care to repurpose the building into a drug rehabilitation center. A remodel of the school would create housing for up to 120 patients, with educational group areas and other amenities for those working on long-term recovery. 

Baxter said he was thankful for the treatment facility and said he hopes a transitional housing facility can be constructed in the future. 

In addition to helping provide resources, Baxter’s Young People in Recovery chapter is focused on reducing stigma around those in long-term recovery. While he is in Narcotics Anonymous and identifies as an addict in the program, Baxter said it’s not how you want to present yourself to the general public. 

“Well, you really don’t want to identify as that to someone you’re trying to get a job with or to someone you want to rent from,” Baxter said. “So I introduce myself as a person in long-term recovery versus I’m an addict. That automatically changes the conversation and changes the person you’re talking to’s thinking.”

Baxter said other terms, like abuse or junkie, also create negative emotions around those attempting to recover from substance use disorder. 

Baxter also said someone new in recovery who wants it but doesn’t know how to get it requires support from everyone in the community, including treatment providers, law enforcement, and the courts. 

“I’m just over three and a half years clean, and about two years off of cigarettes, but I still crave a cigarette every now and then,” he said. “I still have dreams about using meth and heroin. There are still situations that might trigger me into thinking, ‘Oh man, I should go use or I could go use’ but because I actively work every day toward the goal of not using, it’s easier for me. But for somebody new, where they don’t know how to cope, they don’t know how to actively work on it, it’s hard.”

Valley Behavioral Health can be contacted in Tooele at 435-843-3520 or 801-530-0950. You can reach out to the Tooele County chapter of Young People in Recovery at tooelecountyut@youngpeopleinrecovery.org. 

A Tooele man who fled police and led them on a chase throughout the city beginning Tuesday morning is now in custody. 

William Ybarra, 32, has been arrested and will be booked into the Tooele County Detention Center on two counts each of possession of stolen vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident, and fleeing. Ybarra was also wanted on a fugitive warrant.  

Tooele City police were first contacted around 10:50 a.m. on a report of a suspicious vehicle in the area of 160 North 200 West, according to Tooele City Police Sgt. Jeremy Hansen. When the responding officer arrived at the scene, the driver of the suspicious vehicle, later identified as Ybarra, immediately fled south on 200 West. 

While fleeing, Ybarra’s car struck a utility pole at the intersection of 200 West and 400 South, Hansen said. He then fled on foot, acquired a red pickup truck in the area, then headed north. 

Residents gave tips to police which pointed them in the direction of McKellar Street, an area Ybarra, who was known to police, has been known to visit in the past, Hansen said. 

Police discovered the pickup truck disabled in the area of McKellar Street and nearby fields were searched, Hansen said. Ybarra was suspected to be in an apartment which he visited prior, however. 

The Tooele County SWAT team was then contacted, Hansen said. When Ybarra would not leave the apartment, Tooele City police obtained a signed search warrant and entered the apartment. 

Ybarra was later located in a back room of the apartment and taken into custody without incident, according to Hansen. 

Ybarra pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of failure to stop at the command of law enforcement and unlawful possession of a dangerous weapon in June 2017 and was sentenced to concurrent terms of 365 days, which he elected to serve in the Utah State Prison. 

A Fridays on Vine staple returns to the stage for the third year in a row, with the unique sounds of Joshua Creek at Tooele’s Aquatic Center Park this week. 

The band performs all of its own original songs, which is a bit of a rarity in Utah, according to lead singer and rhythm guitarist Jeff Hinton. Joshua Creek’s blend of country and Americana is reflected in songs that focus on storytelling about family, nation and faith, Hinton said. He described the music as “feel-good.”

After returning to Fridays on Vine after a seven year absence in 2017, Joshua Creek has made the annual pilgrimage to Tooele City. Hinton had high praise for the concert series, which has featured a number of the state’s established regional acts. 

“It’s really fun to be a part of it,” he said. 

Hinton also mentioned the Fridays on Vine crowd, which has turned out again and again to hear the group’s music.

“There’s always a great crowd that gets into the music,” he said. 

Joshua Creek has released six studio albums and a live performance DVD, Hinton said. Another album, which should be released by the end of the year, is also in the works. 

The band — comprised of Hinton, bass guitarist and backup vocalist Quint Randle, lead guitarist and backup vocalist Ron Saltmarsh, and James Hollister on drums — has played a number of venues and concert series throughout the state this summer. 

Most recently, Joshua Creek performed at the Covey Center in Provo on July 12, playing an evening of songs about Utah, patriotism and family, according to the band’s website, joshuacreekmusic.com. 

Anyone unfamiliar with the band’s music can get a taste by searching for them on YouTube or checking out Joshua Creek Music on Facebook. 

“We’re hoping everyone will come out,” Hinton said. “It’s going to be a fun show.” 

Fridays on Vine starts at 7 p.m. at Aquatic Center Park, 200 W. Vine Street. The concerts are free to the public, but seating is limited. Patrons are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair. 

A Tooele man facing eight first-degree felony charges was back in 3rd District Court Tuesday for a scheduling conference. 

Michael Porter Walden, 31, is charged with first-degree felony rape of a child, first-degree felony object rape of a child, three counts of first-degree felony aggravated sexual abuse of a child, and three counts of first-degree felony sodomy on a child. 

Tooele City police were advised on a report of a child younger than 14 years old who had been sexually molested by Walden over the past two years on July 12, according to a probable cause statement. 

During an interview with investigators, the victim told police Walden had been asked them to remove their clothes in one incident and asked them to touch him sexually during numerous incidents of abuse. 

When the victim did not comply with Walden, he would force them to touch him, the victim said in the probable cause statement. The alleged abuse happened “almost every day,” the statement said. 

When Walden was located by Tooele City police, he was brought in for an interview, according to the probable cause statement. After being read his rights, Walden said he did not want to speak with investigators and was transported to the Tooele County Detention Center. 

During his initial appearance in 3rd District Court on July 22, Walden was appointed counsel and  Judge Mattew Bates set his bail at $250,000. Bates also ordered Walden to have no contact with the victim or the victim’s family. 

At the hearing on Tuesday, Walden’s scheduling conference was continued to Aug. 27 at 9 a.m. and he was again advised by Bates he may not have contact with the victim or the victim’s family. 

Millions of people throughout the United States will take part in National Night Out next Tuesday, a campaign to build police and community partnerships. 

In Tooele County, the event will be hosted by the Grantsville City Police Department, with all local law enforcement agencies coming together at Grantsville City Park on Cherry Street from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 6. The event is free and open to the public. 

The Grantsville City Police Department, Tooele County Sheriff’s Office and Tooele City Police Department rotate who hosts the event each year. 

National Night Out, now in its 36th edition, is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch and co-sponsored by local law enforcement. The nationwide event also focuses on generating support for local anti-crime initiatives and letting criminals know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

Also attending the event will be fire departments from around Tooele County, Stockton Police Department, Wendover Police Department, West Wendover Police Department and Adult Probation and Parole, as well as other local and state partners. 

In addition to serious objectives of crime prevention and community partnerships, National Night Out is family-friendly fun. There will be food trucks, bounce houses, a visit from the AirMed helicopter and K-9 demonstrations, said Grantsville City Police Sgt. Rhonda Fields. 

At least 20 communities throughout Utah participated in National Night Out Against Crime last year, according to the organization’s website, natw.org. 

A Tooele man who fled police and led them on a chase throughout Tooele City on Tuesday morning has been charged. 

William Ybarra, 32, is charged with second-degree felony theft and third-degree felony failure to stop or respond at command of police, as well as misdemeanor counts of unauthorized control of a vehicle for an extended time, an accident involving property damage, and reckless driving.

Tooele City police were first dispatched to 10:49 a.m. on a report of two who were dealing drugs and then about to fight in the area of 160 N. 200 West, according to the probable cause statement. When the responding officer arrived at the scene, they observed two men get into separate black and blue vehicles.

The driver of the black vehicle, later identified as Ybarra, attempted to leave the scene and fled southbound on 200 West at more than 50 mph, the statement said. 

Ybarra’s car struck a utility pole at the intersection of 200 W. 400 South, Tooele City Police Sgt. Jeremy Hansen said. He then fled on foot, stole a red pickup truck in the area, then headed north on 100 West.

Assisting officers pursued Ybarra until he crashed the pickup truck and abandoned it in the area of 680 W 600 North, the probable cause statement said. Witnesses observed him run southbound toward the apartments on McKellar Street and he was seen entering one of the units. 

While officers pursued Ybarra, the initial responding officer searched the black vehicle, which contained men’s clothing and a cell phone logged into Ybarra’s Facebook account, the statement said. The vehicle was registered in his girlfriend’s name. The owners of both vehicles were contacted and both advised the vehicles had been stolen. 

After Ybarra was spotted entering the McKellar Street apartment, officers requested a warrant, which was written and approved by the on-call judge, the statement said. Tooele County SWAT was contacted while law enforcement waited for the warrant and setup containment, Hansen said. 

Once the warrant was received, SWAT entered the apartment and Ybarra was located in a back room of the apartment and taken into custody without incident, according to Hansen. 

Ybarra was questioned by police while he received medical attention for the injuries he suffered in the crashes, the statement said. He told police the keys were in the first vehicle he took, then invoked his rights and said he no longer wanted to answer questions. 

Ybarra is scheduled to make his initial appearance in 3rd District Court on Aug. 5 at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Matthew Bates

An Erda woman is facing criminal charges in 3rd District Court after her baby allegedly suffered from fetal exposure to illegal narcotics. 

Danielle Lynn Shostak, 26, is charged with second-degree felony endangerment of a child and misdemeanor use or possession of drug paraphernalia. 

Tooele County Sheriff’s detectives were notified by the state Division of Child and Family Services of a baby born at Mountain West Medical Center under fetal exposure to illegal narcotics on July 30, the statement said. 

The hospital conducted toxicology tests on the baby, which came back positive for amphetamines and opiates. 

Following the birth, the hospital said Shostak had left the hospital and not returned since, according to a probable cause statement. The baby had undergone two major surgeries and was in the infant intensive care unit, being monitored for life threatening medical conditions. 

After Shostak was arrested on July 31, she was interviewed by investigators and said she had another child born with fetal exposure to narcotics five years ago, according to the statement. She admitted to using methamphetamine and heroin on a daily basis during her most recent pregnancy. 

Prior to being booked into the jail, Shostak was searched and drug paraphernalia, including two syringes, a drug pipe with burn markings and burned tin foil were found, the statement said. 

Shostak is scheduled to make her initial appearance in 3rd District Court on Tuesday morning before Judge Matthew Bates.

A home on Cooley Street in Grantsville was destroyed in a fire Saturday evening, according to Grantsville City Fire Chief Rob Critchlow. 

The fire, which occurred at a residence in the area of 400 South Cooley Street, was first reported at around 6:40 p.m., Critchlow said. By the time crews from Grantsville City Volunteer Fire Department were on scene, the structure was already fully engulfed. 

It took crews about 20 to 30 minutes to knock down the flames from the fire, Critchlow said. Crews from North Tooele Fire District and Tooele City Fire Department assisted in battling the blaze. 

The two occupants of the home were able to get outside and were not harmed, according to Critchlow. With the structure deemed a total loss, the family received help with housing from their church, he said. 

Another home on the lot to the north of the fire was threatened by the flames and was evacuated as a precaution, Critchlow said. 

Fire crews remained on mop up for hours after the fire, according to Critchlow. The cause of the fire is still under investigation and an investigator with the Utah State Fire Marshal’s Office was called to review the scene the following day.

Eight candidates are vying to make the final ballot in the race to be the next members of the Tooele City Council. 

Of those, six will advance beyond the primary election on Aug. 13 to fill three seats on the City Council. City Councilman Dave McCall is the only incumbent running for office; City Councilman Steve Pruden did not seek reelection and City Councilman Brad Pratt withdrew from the race. 

Beside McCall, the other candidates are Wayne Anderton, Justin Brady, Jeff Saunders, Ed Hansen, Jon Gossett, Tony Graf and Ryan Peacock.

The candidates were asked to provide written answers to questions about population growth, economic development and city services, with a 150-word limit to respond. The responses from each candidate, ordered randomly, are included below. The responses were edited for length, spelling and grammar. 

Question: The population in Tooele City, and the county as a whole, continues to grow. What role should Tooele City government play in fostering and directing growth, and what areas of housing are the greatest need in the community?

Saunders: Tooele City should revisit their master plan and plan ahead for future growth. We are having an issue with affordable housing. We need more high density condo/townhome and multi-dwelling duplex and multiplex units in town to bring the rents and house payments down.  These are the things I would work on if elected.

McCall: The population in Tooele City according to the state of Utah is projected at 80,000 by the year 2040. That’s Tooele City, not counting the county, which is projected to reach about 160,000 the same year.  The City Council, working with the mayor and staff, have requested a study to review the city’s infrastructure to ensure we can handle the growth and enhance economic development. Supply and demand is the issue with housing; we have a shortage of homes and the result is higher home values.       

Anderton: Tooele City needs to develop long range goals and plans that will steer the city forward in a direction that is healthy and prosperous. It is also important to have working relationships with other jurisdictions and entities so that we may achieve success. 

Affordable housing is what we need most, but affordable is relative, because what one may consider affordable may be too costly for another. We need to decide what we want — is it high density, single-family units, or mixed use that will provide what we need? The issue we have is our water resources are being stretched to their limit and our infrastructure is aging faster than we can replace it.  

Brady: Tooele City plays a significant role in fostering and directing growth. Growth should be addressed in the master plan. I have read the current master plan for Tooele City and it is unacceptably outdated. We have put ourselves in a position where growth has outpaced the plan for our community. We have failed to prepare properly. The master plan should constantly be evolving and addressing growth, water, infrastructure, transportation, housing needs, etc. 

I will ensure we have a master plan which addresses and directs growth to benefit the overall community. We need a wide variety of housing types and prices in our community. There is a misconception that high density development is the only option to address the housing shortage. I disagree. It is important we maintain a wide variety of housing options in our community. This should include single family homes, town homes, apartments, etc. 

Gossett: The city will need to focus on our growing infrastructure needs. This is key in planned continued growth. The city has the ability to direct future growth, what type and where it goes. We need to be wise, have a clear vision and look to the future. What do we want our city to look like five, 10, 20-plus years down the road? It will require methodical planning. As far as fostering growth, we need to be a city that is efficient and easy to work with. Affordable housing continues to be a huge challenge and will continue to be into the foreseeable future.

Peacock: Tooele City government plays a big role in directing the city’s growth, but it doesn’t have the only role. The government is in charge of planning, zoning, and preparing for the growth the market dictates, trying to balance the needs of homeowners and renters. The city should promote local businesses and work to bring more industry to provide jobs for an increasingly diverse workforce. 

But Tooele City government isn’t responsible for the growth we’re experiencing. The market has dictated our growth. The secret is out: Tooele is a great place to live. People from all walks of life are coming to live here, so there isn’t just one type of housing we should focus on. The city government’s job is to make sure growth doesn’t change what makes Tooele special. We have always been a unique area and the right planning can keep it that way, even as we grow.

Graf: Protecting and promoting the safety and tranquility of our residential neighborhoods must always be our top priority. This is done most effectively through proper zoning regulations, sufficient funding for adequate police and fire protection, and the delivery of water, garbage collection, sewage, and other necessary services. I will also promote affordable housing for young families, individuals, and senior citizens through appropriate zoning. 

Tooele City needs to be proactive in addressing future growth. This means updating the City’s general plan. A well-structured general plan anticipates future traffic conditions, economic conditions, social conditions, public services and utilities, and housing and zoning. Tooele residents are struggling to find affordable housing. Tooele City can address this issue by allowing for apartments, duplexes, triplexes, and senior housing in zones which have minimal to no negative impact on owner-occupied and single-family neighborhoods. These types of neighborhoods need to be preserved and protected at all costs. 

Hansen: Tooele City will need to be proactive in focusing on growth. We need to plan ahead and make sure we have the needed infrastructure to handle future growth. As a city, I believe it will be important to remember our roots when planning for our future. There are those within our city limits who want a rural atmosphere and there are those who are excited about the growth and what it may bring. It will be important to have balance and represent everyone. On the question of housing needs, we will need to find solutions for affordable housing.

Question: Many residents have commented on the need for commercial and industrial development. Aside from property tax incentives, what should city government and the Redevelopment Agency do to foster economic growth in the city? 

Brady: It is imperative we market our community better and demonstrate the advantages of building in our community. We have skilled workers, land, and resources, which are conducive to commercial and industrial development. City ordinances and building codes should also be re-evaluated to determine if we are making it challenging for businesses to be successful and build in our community. 

We can offer other incentives such as discounting many of the fees associated with building permits. Financial incentives should only be offered after determining the long term economic benefit the business will have on the community. We need businesses which bring high paying jobs back to our community and provide services to keep our citizens shopping locally. 

Saunders: We need the city to be more business-friendly and transparent when it comes to dealing with new businesses and inspections. I’ve heard many frustrations from business when it comes to dealing with the city. Some say it is the worst city to do business with. We need to let businesses advertise and help them work on their store frontage to make it inviting and attract new customers. 

We need to make the city the most business-friendly city and a joy to work with, so businesses want to relocate here. We need to promote the shop local campaign and bring a farmer’s market downtown to bring customers to the area. We need to recruit manufacturing jobs whenever possible. We need more high paying jobs in this city and community and the city needs to attract those businesses to town. 

Anderton: Tooele City and the RDA should work to create an environment that promotes and supports businesses we currently have; this could happen through reinvestment opportunities. We need to develop a culture companies want to be a part of. For this reason, some businesses will be willing to build here regardless of tax incentives. Coordination with other jurisdictions on community development and transportation is important to meet our own needs. 

Traffic through Lake Point is one example of a need to work together. One alternative to tax incentives are in-kind incentives such as discounted building permit fees. Another is the development of business support services; this would include ways to help startups find capital. We need to showcase all our assets including the USU extension and Tooele Technical College. Businesses want an educated workforce. This is an area we have a great advantage because of the educational opportunities close to Tooele. 

Peacock: The city already does a lot to attract business, from promoting the city at business fairs to working with individual companies to bring in more industry, but there are limitations. Some nationwide corporations won’t even consider opening a store or branch in cities with less than 50,000, 75,000 or 100,000 people. And when they do, much of the money they make in the community leaves the community. 

I believe the future of business in Tooele is already here, in the people of Tooele. The city should cut red tape which slows down or discourages new small businesses and should do everything it can to promote small businesses already here. Let’s unleash the entrepreneurial spirit already present in our community and help Tooele grow by helping its residents grow their businesses. The combination of national, regional and local businesses will help Tooele and provide a solid base for the city’s growth.

Graf: Commercial and industrial development is important to grow Tooele’s tax base. Tooele City and the RDA should revisit the signage code to allow businesses to better market themselves. Marketing and advertising are the lifeblood of a business, and if the City is committed to growing local businesses, it needs to expand the available marketing options.

Additionally, creating a business advisory board will help commercial and industrial development. The experts on growing and attracting local businesses are local business owners. Consistent feedback from local business owners will assist the Tooele City Council/RDA to make good decisions relating to growing local businesses. Finally, a bid system should be implemented allowing local businesses to compete for contracts to supply Tooele City with goods. This would allow local businesses to earn additional revenue if their bid is the most competitive, and the money spent by the City would be reinvested into our community.

McCall: The City Council and RDA are working to attract industrial development, commercial retail and established restaurants. One of the issues we face with economic development is our population. Although we are growing, we are still short on the number of rooftops needed to attract a large number of big box stores and companies. 

Hansen: We need to develop a reputation of being the type of city when it comes to commercial development, that attracts them and keeps them by supporting them with open arms. Not all commercial development will ask for tax incentives, but many will. We need to be willing to put some on the table, but not give away the farm. As a city we should be known for our ability to work well with not only the businesses that are coming, but supporting those who are already here.

Gossett: Tooele has a unique situation. We as residents would love to see more stores and restaurants to increase our options for shopping local. Being so close to Salt Lake City, many make the drive for items they need by going around the mountain. Higher population numbers are imperative for some of the larger retailers. 

Unfortunately, tax incentives do come into play. One of the things we can do to make our city attractive is by being easy to deal with. We should do all we can to welcome new businesses and listen to their needs, and do what we can to foster their success. Tooele City is uniquely set to grow our industrial development in the industrial depot.

Question: Tooele City government provides a variety of different services to residents and taxpayers. Of the services the city provides, which need to be improved, and are there any services the city should add or eliminate?

McCall: The council is working with the mayor and staff to ensure we improve the city’s street department equipment. We have a lot of outdated equipment that needs to be replaced such as snow plows. I would not add or eliminate any services at this time. 

Peacock: The question is not quite phrased correctly. The city government doesn’t provide services to the taxpayers, the taxpayers pay for services from the city. That’s a big difference. The money that governments use is not the government’s money, it’s the taxpayers’ money, and all elected officials should remember that. Because elected officials are merely stewards of the people’s money, they have a responsibility to spend that money wisely and for the benefit of those who paid it. 

I will look at every city department and find out where the money is going. Are we spending money on successful programs and services, things that really benefit the community (like street repairs and public safety), or are we putting time, money, and effort into pet projects or services we don’t really need? I am sure, with a little investigation, we’ll find some things we can change.

Gossett: Public safety should always be our highest priority. The police are currently understaffed, and that should be part of any ongoing discussion. We should make sure that our first responders are equipped to handle anything we require as a city. Many of the calls that come in are in one way or another linked to prevention. We need to find a way to incorporate more prevention locally to reduce the number of calls that come in. Prevention is what I do. I look forward to the challenge of looking for solutions. There is plenty of room for improvement in all departments. The city budget is something I have been reviewing and look forward to delving into.

Saunders: I think the biggest concern for me is having the city take care of the common areas in town. There are a lot of places in town where the weeds grow and they maybe only get mowed or trimmed once or twice a summer. It makes the town look trashy. We need to beautify our parks and common areas so they are a jewel for our community. This is something I would focus on if elected —  spruce up Main Street storefronts. Finish and maintain the parks. Have crews attend to the weeds a couple times a month. Let’s make Tooele great again.

Brady: We need to improve our city code enforcement in our community. There are many areas in the community which are poorly maintained and do not meet the city code requirements. For example, there are many areas where the weeds are uncontrolled and make the sidewalks unusable. It is debatable who is responsible for some areas and it needs to be clarified so they can be maintained properly. 

Public parks need to be improved and maintained better. For example, several years ago the Gleneagles soccer field was redone with new top soil and grass seed. It has been poorly maintained and all the work done is unrecognizable. Tooele City should add more walking, biking, and running trails in parks and throughout the community. This is a service which would benefit the overall health and well-being of our community. 

Hansen: First responders should be our first priority, followed by improving our infrastructure. The police department and fire department need to be given the tools to keep our community safe. We will need to continue hiring new police officers to handle the coming growth. Much of our infrastructure is aging and will need to be upgraded, repaired or replaced. We will need to have a long-term plan to accomplish all these things within budget. We are seeing a rise in the homeless population. I would like to be involved in finding a solution.   

Anderton: Recycling is an area I think we can do better, but for this to happen, we need citizens to buy into the idea and participate. This will help minimize any subsidy Tooele City may be paying to keep it going. Recreational opportunities could be improved, not only for citizens and visitors, but companies looking to locate their business here. 

New services can be costly to start and maintain and before any new service is added, we should actively seek public involvement and ideas. We can do this with a questionnaire in your water bill to be returned with the payment, town hall meetings, a Tooele City Facebook page, or any other social media outlet. I think it is important to give Tooele City citizens an opportunity to have an active role in their government.

Graf: Tooele City is losing the battle against opioid addiction and secondary crime that accompanies the opioid epidemic. Opioid addiction is increasing crime in Tooele, affecting our workforce, and resulting in the loss of life. One of the most effective methods in treating addiction is inpatient treatment programs. However, no public inpatient programs exist in Tooele City or Tooele County to help those fighting addiction. 

In addition, while private groups and organizations exist in Tooele who offer free or low-cost addiction counseling, no single point of contact is in place to assist family, friends, or those struggling with addiction to find help fight opioid addiction. In order to successfully combat opioid addiction, Tooele City should prioritize working with the state and the county to obtain an affordable public inpatient treatment facility.  Finally, the city should create a referral system for addiction counseling programs that currently exists within the city and county.

Two weeks ago, I escaped the blazing summer heat of Utah for milder temperatures, longer days and cleaner air.

I met up with a pair of college friends, as well as a contingent of friends and acquaintances from New York, north of the border at Banff National Park in Canada. The trip had been discussed for more than a year, following rave reviews from other people who had made the trip. 

Brad, my friend from Colorado, met me in Salt Lake and we drove up in the same vehicle. The drive was about 15 hours, not counting stops for food, a night in a hotel and grocery shopping in Calgary. 

We were tent camping and meeting a friend, Kelly, from Seattle, who didn’t have cell service in Canada. Luckily, we were able to all meet up without incident and get our campsites established for the night. 

The New York contingent, who had flown into Calgary, were staying in fancier camping arrangements with beds, since they weren’t able to bring their camping gear. After a fun evening of fire-cooked fajitas and libations, we turned in at quiet hours to get an early start on hiking the following day. 

We were up and about early in the morning and were able to get a prime parking spot. The hike, rated as one of the more challenging in the park, lived up to its reputation. 

The first half seemingly went straight up, as switchbacks are apparently not popular in Canada. After we took a break for a morning refreshment — and to get our breath back — we were back on the trail to a saddle between some far-off peaks. The rest of the hike was pleasant despite some challenging footing, to the point the final section through a forest was beginning to drag on. 

Right up until Brad saw the bear, anyways. 

When he said he saw one, Kelly and I weren’t convinced he wasn’t yanking our chains. Then I saw it, nearly around the corner up the trail from us. 

It’s haunches, which were all that was visible from our location, were definitely brownish in color. With nothing else visible on the bear, and grizzlies in the area, we were suddenly on edge. 

While we froze for a second, the bear continued down the trail and out of sight. At this point, a couple hiking the same trail caught up to us, and with bolstered numbers, we continued cautiously down the trail, making plenty of bear-alerting noises. 

By the time we rounded the bend, the bear was off the trail and nosing around some berry bushes about 20 feet away. We were finally able to see its face, which thankfully had the lean profile and big ears of a black bear. 

As we passed by, continuing to make our presence known, the bear looked down at us a few times but was far more interested in its snack. It eventually wandered a bit further into the woods but not out of sight. 

Needless to say, the bear spray was definitely at hand for the rest of the trip — and not in the car where I accidentally left it before our first hike. We’d camped in bear country before, so it wasn’t a total surprise. We’d seen a black bear on a trail at Glacier National Park two years prior and, from about a half mile away, a grizzly bear on the same trip. 

While that was our only bear sighting in Banff, the final two days of the trip were in Jasper National Park. Our campsite in Jasper was a few hours north of the site in Banff and we took our time on the trip, looking at the receding glaciers and stunning vistas along the way. 

When we arrived at the campsite, the helpful parks employee at the gate let Brad know there had been seven bear sightings in the campground the day before. With one bear sighting already in the books, we decided to cook at one campsite and put both tents at the other. 

Of course, we started to put up the tents at one site before we noticed the pile of bear scat behind it. We debated whether it was more or less likely a bear would return to the place where it had relieved itself, settled on leaving the tents there and had an uneventful first evening. 

The following evening, we were at the cooking campsite, following a delicious meal of skillet-cooked steak and potatoes. We’d finished all the food and were having a nightcap when we noticed some activity on the east edge of the campsite, with some dogs barking and people milling about. 

A few minutes later, a nice woman from a few campsites away let us know she had seen a bear. We finished putting away our trash and recycling, before partaking in a nightcap. 

While Brad went to grab a few more logs for the fire, Kelly and I were sitting at the campsite when we heard a rustling in the underbrush. She was on high alert but I saw a squirrel clambering into a nearby tree and figured it was the source of the noise. Everyone knows how loud those little buggers can be in an otherwise quiet wilderness. 

So I didn’t think anything more of the noise until Brad, on his way back to the campsite with the wood, pointed into the brush beyond our campsite at a small black bear wandering toward us. 

While it was only a smaller bear, probably only a bit over 100 pounds, we beat a hasty retreat to Brad’s SUV as it walked boldly into our campsite. After sniffing around the cooking area and being redirected from our campsite by a park ranger, the brief brush with nature was over as the bear wandered off. 

Our moment of nature was thrilling and served as a fitting capper to our trip to the Canadian wilderness. If you ever have the opportunity, Banff and Jasper come heavily recommended — bears and all.

The Tooele City Council punted on a final decision for the city’s final budget and certified tax rate during its meeting Wednesday night, scheduling another budget work session for next week. 

Following an 82% tax increase last year, Mayor Debbie Winn and the City Council pledged to hold the certified tax rate steady this year. 

The City’s $23.2 million tentative general fund budget, approved at the City Council’s June 19 meeting, was based around the current property tax rate of .003334. The council received the certified tax rate of .003024 from Tooele County on June 15, which is 10.25% less than the previous year. 

The property tax rate for taxing entities are set based on the certified tax rate, which is calculated by the Tooele County auditor using a state-issued formula and certified by the Utah State Tax Commission. The certified tax rate is designed to enable the taxing entity to collect the same amount of dollars from property as the previous year, plus income from new property added to the tax rolls. 

By sticking with the higher tax rate from the 2018-19 budget, instead of the certified tax rate, the city would generate an additional $492,107 in property tax revenue in 2019-20.

“I think what turned our heads was the difference on the certified tax rate and in conjunction with a property value increase that happened,” said City Councilman Brad Pratt, during the work session prior to Wednesday’s meeting. “ … And I think because of that shock and surprise, I think we owe it to our citizens to go through this again and see if we can’t find a way to lessen that burden.” 

Winn provided the City Council with a breakdown of the deficit to the approved tentative budget if they reduced the change in tax rate from 10.25% to a lesser difference, in 2% increments. 

If the tax rate was only 8% higher than the certified tax rate, the deficit to the tentative budget would only be $84,091. At 6% and 4%, the gap would grow to $192,330 and $296,250, respectively. 

If the City Council adopted a budget with a tax rate only 2% higher, the deficit to the tentative budget would be $396,099. Any deficit to the tentative budget’s revenue would result in cuts to its expenditures. 

City Council Chairman Steve Pruden said the question once the certified tax rate was calculated was if they could lessen the impact on taxpayers. 

“Is there a way that we can meet the needs that you have proposed and that these department heads deserve, but at the same time lessen the burden on the taxpayers after we hit them so hard last year,” he said. 

For a resident in a $280,000 home, the City’s portion of property taxes would be $513 under the tentative budget using last year’s rate. Under the certified tax rate calculated by the county, the same homeowner would pay $466. 

At a difference of 8%, that homeowner would pay $505, while at 6% the difference would be $495. At 4%, the homeowner in a $280,000 home would pay $485, while a 2% difference would be $475. 

Winn said the City’s financial advisors, including an outside advisor, recommended holding the previous tax rate of .003334 to avoid having to use its fund balance.

“We have determined, as a city, with the financial advice that we have received, is that if we do not continue to maintain that rate, we’re going to have happen to us again what happened last year,” she said. 

Winn also told the City Council the budget had already been trimmed during the budget process. 

“There is nothing in that budget we do not need,” she said. “We are not asking for more than we need.”

During a public hearing, residents expressed concern about rising property taxes, residents living on a fixed income and questioned tax breaks for businesses. 

The City Council tabled both the certified tax rate and final budget and a work meeting to discuss the budget was scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 14 at 5 p.m. at City Hall.

Three candidates are vying for an open spot on the Stansbury Greenbelt Service Agency, while another four are competing for a single slot on the Stansbury Recreation Service Agency. 

Only two candidates in each race will advance to the general election, based upon the top vote getters in each primary election on Aug. 13. The candidates who advance will then compete for a spot on the Stansbury Service Agency board in the general election this November. 

Running for the Stansbury Greenbelt positions are Michael Griffeth, Kasey Nobles and Stephen Nelson. The four candidates for the Stansbury Recreation positions are Brian Endicott, Jacob Zollinger, Devon Hansen, and Randall Hinton. 

The candidates were asked to provide written answers to questions about issues important to Stansbury Park residents, with a 150-word limit to respond. The responses from each candidate, ordered randomly, are included below. The responses were edited for length, spelling and grammar. 

Nobles did not return a request for comment by deadline Thursday morning. 

What does the Stansbury Service Agency need to do to improve Stansbury Lake, both the water and the shoreline? What needs to be done differently in the management of the lake?

Hinton: I believe the agency has done many things to make the lake more attractive to the fishermen, as well as boaters and swimmers. There are still more things that need to be done with a lot of hard work from all of us. 

Endicott: I believe that the Stansbury Service Agency is doing a good job of taking care of the lake and the shoreline. I encourage them to keep working at it. They have few employees to manage the lake, parks, and golf course. If we could increase the number of employees then we could increase the management and overall improvement of the lake.

Griffeth: I have been impressed with the work that has been done recently to improve the shoreline around the clubhouse and the work on the weeds. This large man-made lake will always have “issues”. There needs to be continuous study into solving the problems. We have had some successful ideas in the past but as the population grows, other ideas are needed. Perhaps deepening the lake could help with the weed growth. It is important that every household that lives on the lake take responsibility for their shoreline.

Hansen: Stansbury Lake’s water quality, use, resident protection and its future is one of the most critical and controversial questions facing the Service Agency. There are a number of issues regarding the lake such as resident and non-resident use and resident ownership rights. The Service Agency’s authority may be somewhat limited based upon the original agreement between Tooele County and Terracor. The residents of Stansbury Park have the right to know the details of that legal agreement.  Once the terms of this agreement are known and legally recognized, the critical and emotional questions regarding the lake can be determined. The Service Agency needs to take the responsibility to work with Tooele County to determine the extent and impact of legal agreements between the two parties. Until that time, we need to protect this beautiful resource and enjoy the lake, the golf course, clubhouse, swimming pool and parks.

Nelson: My experiences at the lake have been positive. The times I’ve been on the water, I’ve been surprised that more people aren’t out there. However, along the shoreline and right near the clubhouse, the area can get crowded at peak times. Other easily-accessed entry points could be useful. For example, to my knowledge, there are no easy or official access points on the southern or western parts of the lake. This concentrates all public access at the clubhouse or along the northern section. If an objective is to increase usage, other access points might be in order, if they are feasible. That said, the access points we do have (such as the parks on Delgada) should be maintained in such a manner that they’re pleasant and easy to use. My observations are that the grass in those points seems to be unusually yellow.

Zollinger: I know the board has been addressing the issue of cleaning up the lake.  I support them and what they have done up to this point and look forward to assisting them in investigating other options.  I feel the lake is more usable to the community than before.  My only concern that I feel needs to be addressed is the large numbers of geese.  This needs to be addressed yearly.

What other amenities does Stansbury Park need for its residents? Are any demographics in the community not being served well by the existing offerings?

Hansen: The Service Agency could take an active role in expanding arts and music. A community of our size could have for example an art fair featuring some of the local artists.  Display items may include things such as paintings, sculpture, photography, quilting, fly tying, woodworking, etc. We have a number of very talented musicians living in this community.  A music festival would be an activity that would be well received.

Additional activities for the older generation would benefit those important members of our community.

There are proposals being considered for additional amenities in our community. Each should be looked at closely to see that there is a need for these new facilities.  It is easy to spend tax dollars to build new facilities, but before allocating financial, it needs to be shown that there is a need and that they will be used.

Hinton: We live in a quiet, golf cart, biker, jogger, friendly paradise. The fountains, trees, parks, observatory, pool, golf course, and businesses all compliment each other and provide a wonderful experience for all our residents. There needs to be a balance in growth and we should come together in making these decisions as a community. We need to have the county looking out for our interests as well as the other entities in the area. 

Griffeth: I have always felt that a rec center would be beneficial.  That should include a pool that can be used by the schools for competition as well basketball courts and other amenities.  That may require bonding for which some residents are against bit I think it would help engender a sense of community.  There also needs to be more walking/biking trails connecting the different areas of the park.  Additional tax revenue from commercial and retail businesses would be beneficial.

Endicott: Stansbury Park currently provides all of the necessary amenities and is working to add additional amenities such as a recreation center that will be a huge benefit to our community. Personally, I would love to see a splash pad added if at some point it becomes feasible. I am not aware of any demographics in the community that are being underserved. However, if there are any and if I become a board member, I would encourage the underserved to reach out to me so that I could make better informed decisions on their behalf.

Zollinger: I would like to see Stansbury have more lighting on streets and major intersections. To make our parks and greenbelts more available we need more picnic table and facilities that will encourage the residents of Stansbury Park to use these areas. These areas should be made available to our youth’s sports for practices.

Nelson: I think we could use park benches—places to sit and relax, enjoy a cool summer evening. Every time I jog in Stansbury Park, I’m amazed that we don’t have any kind of dedicated trail for joggers or cyclists. I’m also surprised, given the number of dog owners, that we don’t have a dedicated dog park. I do support the master plan’s proposed splashpad, as well as the plans to remove the tennis courts to make room for a bigger pool. I’m not sure if we have enough public basketball courts. The danger with this question is that yes, of course there are tons of things we could add. But will they get used, and who is going to pay for them? It may be better to ensure that our existing facilities are best-of-class, and promote their usage, before collecting funds from residents to build new facilities.

What are your thoughts on the service agency’s draft master plan? What should the focus of long-term planning be in Stansbury Park?  

Griffeth: The current iteration of the master plan is a good place to start.  No one knows the direction that the growth will come but a master plan can help guide that growth.  Public input is essential.  The ideas of the many can help direct the decisions of the board.  I would love to see Stansbury Park more independent and growth will fuel that ability.  The proposed area of Stansbury Park is significantly larger than the current park and so we have the chance to improve our infrastructure if the planning is done in advance of the growth.

Zollinger: After glancing over the master plan I am impressed with the items that have been addressed and agreed upon.  We need to keep in mind the potential of incorporating and making decisions that will benefit the community.  We always need to be looking for ways to improve so our children’s children can experience Stansbury as we did.

Nelson: I view the master plan in a positive light, and applaud the current board for its efforts in assembling the document. Unfortunately, I’ve seen many well-thought-out plans go by the wayside. As with everything, it’s all in the execution. It will be important for the board governance process to ensure that progress is made on the plan. That will likely prove much more difficult that creating the plan. My feelings are that larger parks and recreation facilities are better than smaller ones. These attract more people than smaller parks, which often seem empty when I drive by them. Obtaining larger parks can be difficult, as it (naturally) requires larger pieces of land. Big plots don’t just happen. They must be purposefully acquired. Stansbury Park should ensure that large, cornerstone areas are set aside for parks. Each can offer a different attraction than another, to attract a different population segment.

Hinton: There are some great points in the master plan of Stansbury Park. We need to maintain what is here and focus on the growth that is already upon us. The five to 20 year improvement plan has worthy projects that will allow Stansbury Park to grow with class.  I would love to see neighbors and our community as a whole come together and ensure that’s Stansbury Park is an enjoyable, safe, and clean place to live. Please give Neil (Smart) and Glenn (Oscarson) big hugs every time you see them and thank them for their years of service!

Endicott: The master plan sets good goals and direction for the coming 20 years. It helps the board to have a direction to work towards. The focus should continue to be to keep Stansbury Park a safe and clean community that we can not only be proud of now, but that we can leave for future generations.

Hansen: The Stansbury Park Master plan’s introduction contains this phrase, “More than 410 households in Stansbury Park also deserve thanks for their response to the parks and trails needs assessment survey and for their input and support for these important community resources.”

The current agency members should be complimented for seeking and including residents input as this plan has been implemented. The plan is well done, and implementing the plan over the next years will be important.  The county has the ability to override any plan we have in place.  It is critical that we get the county’s support on the plan. I have the background and experience to work with the county to protect our community. 

In 20 years, the Tooele Valley will be filled with homes which will have a great impact upon Stansbury Park.  I have the experience necessary to help prepare for this growth and the impact.

The Tooele City Council approved a settlement with the former Aposhian Sod Farm during its meeting Wednesday evening, ending a dispute that dates back to 2013. 

The long-running disagreement between the former tenant of the Vernon-area sod farm and its former owner, Tooele City, centered on the value of the crop when the lease agreement was terminated. 

Following a July 23 mediation, the city and sod farm agreed to a $840,000 payment for the value of the sod, including $112,851.37 already paid by the city in May per an April judgment in 3rd District Court. The lump-sum payment from the city will be made using funds from the sale of the sod farm last December. 

The city sold the 1,784-acre sod farm, located near Vernon, for $1.3 million to Six Mile Ranch, Inc., of Grantsville. The city retained the farm’s certificated water rights of 4,181 acre-feet (1.36 billion gallons) per year.

An April 30 ruling in 3rd District Court set the total market value of the sod crop at $1.51 million. The city was awarded $385,600 for attorney fees, breach of contract damages, waste damages and holdover damages, for a net obligation of $1.13 million. 

Both the city and sod farm appealed the decision, however, leading to the July 23 mediation organized by the appeals court. 

After determining it was receiving no rent or other benefit under the particular arrangements of the lease agreement, Tooele City sought to terminate the lease without cause in 2013. The city, following the required notification, was obligated to pay for the value of the mature sod crop under the agreement. 

Aposhian Sod Farm requested $3.2 million, an amount the city could not substantiate, and a lawsuit followed when the lessee refused to leave the property, according to the city’s attorney, Ted Barnes. 

The lawsuit was originally tried before a jury in December 2016. The jury determined Tooele City proved Aposhian committed waste on the property of $137,000 and the market value of the sod crop was $2.77 million. 

In December 2017, the court granted Tooele City’s motion for a new trial in regard to the sod crop value and determined the city suffered holdover damage and Aposhian had revenues totaling $942,719.45 in 2013, which offset the value of the sod crop at the end of the contract. 

Then in May 2018, the court reversed its prior decision that Tooele City was entitled to offset the value of the sod crop with Aposhian’s total farming revenues in 2013.

A new trial on the sod crop issues occurred last December, with the court ruling the value of Aposhian’s sod crop was $1.51 million. In subsequent post-trial memoranda on Feb. 11 and Feb. 15, the court declined to reconsider or denied all requests to adjust the damage or attorney fee amounts.

A familiar closing act will take the stage for the final show of the Fridays on Vine summer concert series. 

Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband will be back on the Aquatic Center Park stage this Friday, closing out the concert series as they did in 2016 and 2017. The band combines the rock side of their music with acoustic instruments; Shupe is an accomplished fiddler, guitarist and mandolin player. 

Shupe described the band’s music as “rock ‘n’ roll bluegrass” or “newgrass” in a 2016 interview with the Transcript Bulletin. The band regularly performs original music, as well as a version of Charlie Daniels’ “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” 

Since its founding in 1996, Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband have produced eight albums, with the most recent release “We Rode On” in 2017. The song, “Dream Big,” debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard charts in 2005 and has more than 1.4 million listens on Spotify and 626,000 views on YouTube. 

While the band performs at festivals, concert series and special events around the country, they’re also no strangers to the national stage, per the band’s website, shupe.net. They’ve performed on Good Morning America, E! TV, and CMT.  

This summer, Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband have performed at a number of venues, with a performance at Canyon Village at Park City set for this Thursday and another at North Ogden Amphitheater next Monday. 

Fridays on Vine starts at 7 p.m. at Aquatic Center Park, 200 W. Vine Street. The concerts are free to the public, but seating is limited. Patrons are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair.

A parade, food trucks, races and car shows will all be a part of Stansbury Park’s annual community days, set to begin this Friday evening. 

Festivities get underway on Friday, with food trucks at Porter Way Park presented by the Food Truck League from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. After grabbing something to eat, attendees can head down to the lawn near the Stansbury Clubhouse for a special showing of Pixar’s “A Bug’s Life,” courtesy of Mosquito Squad. 

The following morning, the Stansbury Days Triathlon begins with the sprint triathlon at 7 a.m., with athletes completing a 500-meter swim, 12-mile bike and 3.1-mile run. Younger competitors aged 13-17 can compete in a super sprint triathlon, while there will be a kids tri for those aged 5-12.

The Stansbury Days Parade will begin at 10 a.m., beginning at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Bayshore Drive, then turning right onto Lakeside Drive. The parade continues to Lakeview, then Clubhouse Drive and past the Stansbury Clubhouse. The route ends where Clubhouse Drive meets with Country Club Drive. 

Following the parade will be a car show, which will be held on the greenspace adjacent to the Stansbury Park Improvement building off Stansbury Parkway. The car show, which runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., will culminate with an awards ceremony at 2:30 p.m. 

There will also be a cardboard boat race, a Stansbury Park tradition, held at noon and 12:30 p.m. at Stansbury Lake. The race is broken into two groups, ages 5-12 and 13 and older. 

Awards will be presented to the first-place finisher in each age group, the cardboard boat with the best overall design and the Titanic, for the best sinking ship. 

Stansbury Days is hosted by Stansbury Park Community Events, a nonprofit that sponsors and organizes events and activities in Stansbury Park.

Significant changes to expand Utah Transit Authority bus offerings in Tooele County went into effect on Monday, giving more public transportation options to residents. 

Route 451 will now offer five buses on weekday mornings with transportation to Salt Lake City, with the first bus at 5:04 a.m. The bus leaves from 307 N. Main St. and will stop at 400 S. Main St., 60 N. 200 West, 1000 N. Main St. and the 2400 North park and ride in Tooele City, as well as the Benson Gristmill in Stansbury Park, and 600 S. State St. and 100 S. 300 West in Salt Lake City. 

The bus will depart about every half hour until 7 a.m., taking up 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach downtown Salt Lake. The first afternoon bus departs from 100 S. 300 West at 3:44 p.m., with buses about every 30 minutes, until the last departs at 5:48 p.m. 

The F453 route, which runs on weekdays, will travel between the Tooele City park and ride at 2400 North and the Trax train stop at 1940 W. North Temple, with stops at Benson Gristmill, the Lake Point junction and the International Center in Salt Lake. The earliest bus leaves from 2400 North at 9 a.m. and the last leaves the North Temple Trax station at 2:55 p.m., with buses approximately once an hour over that time. 

The F454 route, with service from the intersection of Durfee St. and state Route 112 in Grantsville to 402 S. State St. in Salt Lake City, will leave approximately every 30 minutes from 5:11 a.m. to 7:07 a.m. on weekdays. The route includes stops at the intersection of Main and Orchard streets and Main Street and SR-112 in Grantsville, the Benson Gristmill, Lake Point junction, the International Center, Salt Lake International Airport and 300 W. North Temple St. in Salt Lake. 

Route F400 has also been changed, which makes several stops within Tooele City. The route stops at Tooele Technical College, the Utah State University extension, Remington Apartments, 400 N. Main St., 1000 N. Main St. and the 2400 North park and ride, with the earliest stop at 5:35 a.m. and the latest at 6:53 p.m. 

UTA Trustee Kent Millington spoke about the changes to the bus system during the Tooele City Council meeting on Aug. 7. During his presentation to the City Council, Millington discussed the new services and the hopes it would expand ridership in the county. 

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to be of service to those here in Tooele,” Millington said. “We understand that there’s a little bit of growth happening here so we want to be responsive to that growth. We think this will help us be responsive for the next year and we know that there will need to be some additional changes when that time comes as well.”

More information about the changes can be found at rideuta.com/tooele.

The Tooele City Council approved a $2.3 million transfer from its solid waste fund to the capital projects fund during its meeting last Wednesday. 

The one-time transfer followed a mailed public notice and a public hearing, moving a portion of the solid waste fund’s balance to pay for capital projects and equipment. The solid waste fund handles the City’s trash and recyclable collection.

Included in the transfer amount was $500,000 toward interior furnishing and equipment for the new police station. The city’s $9 million loan through the state’s Permanent Community Impact Fund Board to build the police station can’t be used toward internal furnishing and equipment. 

The transfer is also earmarked to cover the costs of four new snowplows, expected to be approximately $960,000, and airpacks for the Tooele City Fire Department. 

The city’s snowplows are aging and in need of replacement, according to Tooele City Public Works Director Steve Evans. 

A structure to store fire department apparatus on 1000 North was also discussed by the City Council during the 5 p.m. work session last Wednesday, but more discussion was requested by Tooele City Fire Chief Rick Harrison. Concerns about the structural integrity of the current fire station were cited as reasons to explore the additional fire apparatus storage adjacent to the AirMed helicopter pad. 

During the public hearing at Wednesday’s meeting, residents questioned how the solid waste fund balance had grown so large, whether the city has implemented a capital equipment replacement plan and if the money could be spent on other projects or equipment.

In the public notice mailed to residents, the City addressed the balance of the solid waste fund, which is funded by fees for trash collection and recycling. 

“Due to the fluctuation in various fees paid by the Solid Waste Fund an excess of Fund Balance has been created over many years in this fund,” the notice said. “This trend is not expected to continue as costs are increasing and new services such as community clean up days are now being provided. There are no proposed changes to the fees paid for this service.”

Firefighters battled a fire that damaged an outbuilding at an Erda residence on Tom’s Lane on Wednesday evening. 

North Tooele Fire District firefighters were dispatched to a brush fire at around 6 p.m., which quickly spread into the neighboring outbuilding, according to NTFD spokesman Jon Smith. Crews arrived on scene, with assistance from Grantsville Volunteer Fire Department, federal Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service. 

Firefighters were able to get water on the fire to prevent it from spreading to the nearby homes, Smith said. The fire was knocked down in about 15 to 20 minutes, with extended mop-up keeping the roadway closed in the aftermath. 

“Anytime that we’ve got flames in the open, obviously it’s a concern,” Smith said.

Fire crews brought two engines, four brush trucks, two USFS engines, a BLM engine and two water tenders, Smith said. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

The subdivision final plat for 53 single-family residential lots at approximately 760 W. 700 South was forwarded with a positive recommendation by the Tooele City Planning Commission during its meeting Wednesday evening. 

The homes, built in the R1-7 residential zone, will be on 14 acres north of 700 South and west of the properties fronting Coleman Street. Properties to the north and east are zoned R1-7 residential as well, while properties to the south and west are zoned multi-family residential, according to the staff report. 

Included in the subdivision final plat is a stormwater detention basin, which the developer, Blue Bison Development, proposes to dedicate to Tooele City for ownership and maintenance, the report said. 

The City may only accept detention basins by a resolution of the City Council; the basin in question would be landscaped by the developer with the intention of low water usage. 

The development would connect to 700 South and the existing stub of 580 South, with a proposed connection to American Way if an easement can be obtained. There would be three interior streets of 760 West, 580 South and 680 South.

The subdivision final plat includes a flag lot in the upper right corner of the property. Flag lots are permitted in the city’s subdivision ordinance, according to the staff report. 

The positive recommendation was unanimously approved by the planning commission on a motion by Commissioner Tyson Hamilton and seconded by Commissioner Melanie Hammer.  

The housing development would be built in the vacant field that was the ignition site for a destructive wildfire in 2016. The July 19, 2016, wildfire that started on the property spread north toward Van Dyke Way and destroyed 11 homes and damaged 17 more. Total damage estimates and initial recovery costs totaled more than $1.3 million. 

A Tooele man is facing felony charges in two different cases, both related to the alleged distribution of methamphetamine. 

Brandon Keith Burr, 37, is charged with second-degree felony distribution, offer or arrange the distribution of a controlled substance and misdemeanor manufacture or deliver drug paraphernalia in one case. 

In the second, he’s charged with first-degree felony distribution, offer or arrange the distribution of a controlled substance and misdemeanor manufacture or deliver drug paraphernalia.

In the first case, a detective in the Tooele City Police Department was contacted by a confidential informant who said they could purchase meth from Burr on Feb. 12, according to a probable cause statement. The detective gave the informant a transmitter and $40 of buy money, following a search, then dropped them off to meet with Burr. 

The informant went into Burr’s residence and then were picked back up by the detective, where they provided a plastic baggie with a white, crystal-like substance identified as methamphetamine, the statement said. When investigators gave the informant a photograph lineup, they identified the picture of Burr as the person who sold them the meth, which weighed in at 2.3 grams. 

A similar methodology was used on April 29 in the second case, according to the probable cause statement. In the second case, however, the probable cause statement did not mention the confidential informant picking Burr from a photo lineup and the amount of methamphetamine purchased weighed 4.0 grams. 

Burr made his initial appearance in 3rd District Court on both cases on Monday before Judge Matthew Bates. He is scheduled to return to court for both cases on Sept. 24 at 1:30 p.m.