BOX ELDER COUNTY – By Cari Doutre – June 28, 2020
Tuesday, June 30 is the last day for registered voters in Box Elder County to mail-in their 2020 Primary Election ballots and the chance to vote for who gets a spot on the November 3 General Election ballot.
House Bill 3006 was passed by both the Utah State Legislature and the Utah Senate on April 16, 2020. The bill requires all Utah Primary Election voting to be done by mail-in only ballots. No polling stations, no same day voter registration and no in-person votes will be cast in the upcoming June 30 Primary Election.
The proceedings were done virtually, and all was aimed at protecting Utah citizens from further spreading of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
All mail-in ballots must be postmarked on or before June 30, 2020. This year election workers will also have more time to count ballots to ensure safety guidelines are met for their protection.
Box Elder County mailed ballots on June 9, and all voter registrations and party affiliation changes must have been completed by June 19, 2020 to be eligible to vote in the Primary Election.
To accommodate those that need extra assistance on election day, a drive-thru location will be available from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the back of the Box Elder County Courthouse (1 S. Main St., Brigham City) on June 30. Photo identification is required. Accommodations will be made for disabled voters in Utah.
Box Elder County also has three 24-hour ballot drop boxes available June 9 to June 30, for voters wishing to utilize that service rather than mail-in their ballots. The locations of those ballot drop boxes are:
· Box Elder County Courthouse (1 S. Main St., Brigham City) at the rear of the building
· Box Elder County fairgrounds (342 W. 1000 N., Tremonton) at the front entrance
· Perry City offices (3005 S. 1200 W., Perry) at the front of the building
For more information on this election visit a BRVNEWS.com previously published article
Box Elder County has four candidates on the Republican Party’s Primary Election ballot – Alden Farr, Stan Summers, Kris Udy and Mitch Zundel. Find their submitted candidate bios below.
ALDEN FARR
“My name is Alden Farr. I grew up in Marriott/Slaterville, Utah. I graduated from Weber High School in 1976. I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chicago, Illinois. I attended Weber State College and graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor degree in Communication.
I worked for Utah Power & Light for 11 years. Upon graduation, I accepted a position with Brigham City Light and Power I spent five years there working as an energy conservation specialist. I then embarked on a new career getting licensed as an investment advisor. I have been doing that for the last 22 years, five years with Edward Jones and the last 17 years self-employed with Raymond James Financial Services.
I have been married to my wife Cheryl for 35 years and we have four children and five grandchildren with another one due in a few weeks. We have lived in Brigham City for 27 years.
I’ve had the opportunity to serve on the Brigham City Council a couple of different times, 2004-2007 which I did not run for re-election and then 2014 to present.
I believe my life experiences and interpersonal skills along with my city government experience provide a strong foundation to serve as your County Commissioner. I am not seeking this position to expand my political career. I did so upon hearing a couple of commissioners talking at a December 2019 luncheon about changing the commission seats from part-time to full time.
I strongly oppose this potential decision and don’t feel like I can sit back and do nothing about it. Making the change would potentially increase the county budget over $120,000.00 a year based on Tooele County and Box Elder County being class 3 counties. Tooele County commissioners make $95,031.00 annually.
After reading a newspaper article in early January about the commissioners maintaining their current commission assignments, I did some research and realized they haven’t changed their assignments for the past five years. I believe commissioners should rotate their assignments annually and should have a general working knowledge of all county departments to help provide input on decision making.
From a budgeting standpoint, I looked at the last three years of the commissioners spending.
Commission Seat A $38,706.50
Commission Seat B $38,952.06
Commission Seat C $58,133.50 (Why the big difference?)
I started attending commission meetings and viewing online past commission meetings. Based on my findings, I put together a platform which I believe would serve the citizens well moving forward.
1. Transparent and honest.
2. Responsible government spending.
3. Work closely with other elected officials in county government and also with department heads.
4. Rotate commission assignments and hold regular meetings with all department leaders.
If I am elected, I would recommend to the other commissioners that some goals or vision be created. An agenda or outline be prepared for the chair of the commissioners to hold regular weekly/bi-monthly meetings to discuss what meetings the commissioners had attended during the week. Then get a report from other elected officials and department heads to review what has been done and what is being worked on in the future.
For example, Box Elder has been selected to be 1 of 4 satellite locations for the inland port. Our economic development director has had limited involvement in discussions regarding this huge project. I would think he should be one of the main contacts for the commissioners to be relying upon to help all businesses in the county benefit from this project.
I would appreciate your vote. Thanks, Alden Farr”
STAN SUMMERS
“Born and raised in Box Elder County (BEC), I have learned from a young age on my family’s dairy farm, that hard work is the formula for success. As one of the BEC Commissioner’s, we’ve come a long way in restoring the county’s financial stability by getting the county out of debt and helping our county fair make money instead of losing it like the Utah State Fair.
The successes of the Box Elder County Fair comes from the amazing volunteers. The fair simply couldn’t be what it is without all of the generous volunteers who put countless hours of making the fair the best in the state of Utah! Part of the significant upgrades that were recently made to the fairgrounds included adding seating in the rodeo arena and improvements to the beef barn and events center.
Knowing that Box Elder County residents enjoyed the rodeo, food, rides and everything else the fair has to offer while also raising money for fairs in the coming years should give us all a reason to smile. As we plant the seeds now to make the fair the best, we are helping the next generation to enjoy it even more!
I’ve dedicated myself to serving the people of BEC by listening to their concerns and finding a solution. I am committed to making sure everyone’s tax dollars are spent appropriately and legally.
During the economic boom we’ve seen the last few years, our county has carefully and frugally managed our finances. We have avoided debt, balanced our budget and have flush funds making the county’s budget healthy and strong due to fiscal responsibility and appropriate use of taxpayers hard earned money.
In fact, an independent auditor evaluated the budget and graded Box Elder as one of best managed municipality budgets in the state. Speaking of the economic boom, some of the lowest unemployment in the country and even the state of Utah. Businesses moved in droves to the county and sought out our citizens for good paying jobs that can keep them here.
As a National Delegate CD1 and officially endorsed by President Trump’s campaign, I work close with local, state and national officials. I am passionate about making sure BEC is debt free and manages growth with tradition to make all who come to BEC feel welcomed.
The last few years, Box Elder has seen an explosion of growth, opportunities and reasons to celebrate. A little over a year ago, we welcomed the world to Promontory Point to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the wedding of the rails. Dignitaries from around the world flocked here as we put on the largest event every year held in our county.
I received countless phone calls, text messages and emails from individuals who participated in that week’s events thanking the county for putting on a professional, fun, and well thought out celebration. Box Elder should be proud and reflect fondly on the festivities marking the sesquicentennial of the completion of the country's first transcontinental railroad.
No one ever drowned in sweat, and it’s a constant flow on my forehead. You will continue to see me working hard and smart for YOU to keep making BEC the best! I have been lucky enough to serve as a Box Elder County Commissioner and played a role through an unparalleled period of economic and cultural prosperity. I am prepared and have the experience to lead us through these difficult times, drawing on a deep well of successes.
I respectfully ask for your vote as I continue to restore common sense over nonsense. Re-elect Stan Summers.”
KRIS UDY
“I am honored to be a candidate for Commission Seat C. I am a lifelong and a 5th generation resident of Box Elder County thus my roots are strong in our valley. I have been a Mortgage Loan Officer for 20+ years. My husband Boyd manages the Northrup Grummon ranch in Promontory and has been with the company 50 years. We have lived in Promontory for most of our married life. We have five children and 14 grandchildren.
I feel like it is good to have change. New skills and talents are good to keep things from becoming stagnant. I bring a fresh perspective, fresh ideas and innovative solutions. The time is right for me to serve and I have the skills to make a difference.
With my business background and experience I have managed and prepared many budgets and am fiscally conservative.
· I am familiar with the county policies and how to maneuver through them.
· Through my experience working with the Women’s State Legislative Council I have worked within the legislative system and with our state government. I will be a strong, effective, and credible voice at the State Legislature.
· I have been proven to be a strong capable leader. I can communicate effectively with others and bring many diverse opinions to a consensus.
· I want to arm the Commission with fresh ideas, updated goals, and introduce positive changes.
· I bring both business and agriculture background and experience.
My goals:
Budgets are one of my top issues. I will work with our other elected officials and department heads to see how we can be more efficient with the taxpayer’s monies. We have continually tapped into our reserves because we spend more than we bring in. It is important to have those reserves (rainy-day fund). Our budget continues grow at a rapid pace. Our Commissioners should be the example of spending wisely, but the personal and travel spending needs to be evaluated. I will commit to find ways to be more efficient with what we have.
I want to work on updating our community development master plan. My plan is to bring our communities and their citizens together for input on the Master Plan. We need to be smart with our growth plans and be sure our infrastructure is in place so as not to cost our citizens more money fixing problems. Being proactive is always less expensive than being reactive.
I will work to do a better job with transparency and communication within our county departments and our citizens. I believe a government that fails to listen to its citizens is a failure indeed. I will listen and be a voice for our citizens. I will work hard to find ways to include our citizens in the process.
For instance, making the commission meetings in the evening so people can attend. Opening our meetings for public comment. We as citizens have a responsibility to be a part of the process. We can’t complain about our tax increases if we don’t show up and be involved.
I am so grateful for all the support I have received. I appreciate all the kind words and hard work people have done on my behalf. I could never express how much I have learned and grown from this experience. I have loved knocking on doors and meeting with each of you.
I am always willing to listen to your concerns as well as your suggestions. We are all better when we can collaborate and work together toward our goals. I love this valley and it would be my honor to serve you.”
MITCH ZUNDEL
“I was born and raised in Box Elder County, Willard City. I’m married with three children. I studied at Utah State University receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Information Systems and Master’s Degree in Business Administration.
I have worked as a Zoning Administrator/Planner for Willard City, a Realtor for Century 21 – Golden Spike Realty, a Pipeline Scheduler and Supply Manager for Flying J, and as the Economic Development Director for Box Elder County (last eight years). I have also served on many boards and volunteer opportunities including Willard City Council for six years and on the Brigham/Tremonton Board of Realtors.
I decided to run because I believe two-terms is long enough, I felt the strong need to run, and I love to serve.
Why me? I feel I am well connected with state, regional, and local representatives and can help make important connections. I feel like I understand the budgeting process, and I have a very good general idea on who does what and why within the county government and feel I can bring the county together to tackle important issues.
I was introduced to a great book the other day that touches on a number of important points that are important for today and for our future. The book is called “A Conservative Heart” by Arthur Brooks. In the book the author talks about the five-essential things we need to progress as a society (America or any society for that matter).
They are:
1. Globalization
2. Free Trade
3. Property Rights
4. Rule of Law
5. Entrepreneurship.
Within each of these points lies the need for people to work and have opportunities on all rungs of the growth ladder. If followed, these five points will bring the opportunity for all to pursue happiness and have the freedom to achieve it.
We have poor people in our communities, and they need opportunities to work and get out of the poverty they find themselves in. Much of what is wrong with America today has to do with an increase in government and government regulations which is stifling entrepreneurs and others who would like to change their lives for the better.
I believe the government can help by going after regulations that limit or take away these five points. I also believe we need to pull together the people to work on issues…to challenge the private sector to help come up with solutions…and to challenge those who believe the government should solve all their problems by increasing self-reliance.
Working together we can come up with plans and priorities which the majority can get behind. This will take an increase in communication within the county government as well as with the citizens of this county. I believe I’m the candidate who can help make this happen.
I’m not perfect and I will make mistakes. When I do, I will need you to voice your concerns with me so we can right any wrong we have done. I believe in the saying, “adoption of criticism moves to progressiveness.”
My promise to you is to listen! To listen to all sides of an issue before making a decision. We live in a time where we demand our elected officials to align so tightly with one side of an aisle or idea that we don’t allow them to think about anything else – to truly listen. There is always another viewpoint and I want to understand it before making a decision. That’s my promise to you…to listen.
I ask for your vote. Thank you. #RunWithMitch”