Media Questions by Publication
2021 Cedar Valley Sentinel Candidate Questions
In 2021, Mike Kieffer, of the Eagle Mountain news website Cedar Valley Sentinel, asked each candidate to answer 16 questions to get a better feel where each candidate stands on the issues facing Eagle Mountain. For this election, Melissa was running for Mayor. Her answers reflect that candidacy.
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Property Rights
Can you balance property rights while protecting residents from predatory development behavior?
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I always tell my kids, “the most expensive mistakes are the ones we do not learn from.” There have been situations councils over the last 25 years have found themselves in and felt like their hands were tied, by a previous council’s decision, by not foreseeing how a situation would play out, or by constraints that the state has put on cities. The important thing is that we learn from those opportunities and improve. One of the most important ways to protect residents from predatory development behavior is to enforce the code already in place. Another important way to protect both property rights and residents is to regularly review our code and look for inconsistencies and areas that code has not yet addressed. This is an area in which we can lean on both our trained staff and our boards and commissions. We need to be intentional in giving direction to the other bodies in our city and asking them to review a certain area of concern or code and bring a recommendation to the City Council.
Housing - Needs vs. Wants
In your opinion, what type of housing is needed in Eagle Mountain?
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Eagle Mountain needs a balance of housing and one of the types of housing we still lack is “move up” housing. For many years, Eagle Mountain was known as the place you can get more house for less, and “starter homes” for a great price, largely because of the distance to retail, goods, and services, which has steadily improved during the last few years. Many families moved here and grew here, but as they began to outgrow their first or second EM homes, they found themselves looking for a place to move up into. In the last 5 years, we have made a lot of progress in working with the development community to help encourage more “move up” homes. To have a fiscally healthy and stable community we need a mix of housing types. We need to continue to work to make sure the various types of homes don’t get out of balance.
Rural Living
In a survey [from Cedar Valley Sentinel], one of the biggest reasons people move to eagle mountain is for a “rural living”. What is your definition of rural living?
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There are plenty of legal descriptions of rural. Some are based on population, some are based on proximity, and some are based on characteristics. When Eagle Mountain people talk to me about “rural living” they are talking about a place that is rural in character. They are talking about a place where people can still ride their horses or horse power and you see a horse in line at the drive thru of McDonalds.
“Rural Living” is a place where you can raise chickens, and grow fruit trees and a garden.
“Rural Living” means you can step just outside your neighborhood and access a trail to hike a mountain.
“Rural Living” means your kids can just go outside and play on the grass or in dirt because you have space to do so.
“Rural Living” means you can see stars at night. The people of Eagle Mountain may not meet all of the legal definitions of rural, but they are talking about a lifestyle and sense of community.
What Brings People to Eagle Mountain?
What is the biggest factor that brings new residents to Eagle Mountain?
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If you asked this question 15 years ago, the answer would emphatically be more house & land, at less cost. Today people are moving to Eagle Mountain because they are choosing the lifestyle. Eagle Mountain is close enough to both Salt Lake City and the Provo-Orem Metropolitan areas, so our residents can access amenities and services, and yet Eagle Mountain can still boast wildlife, open space, comprehensive trails, and mountainous and valley views. People love the fact that they can run to the local grocery store on an OHV or horseback. People move here for space, fresh air, and something different than what urban areas have to offer.
Vested Density
Eagle Mountain already has more vested houses than houses that are built in the city. What do you feel is the best way to deal with this surplus of vested unbuilt properties?
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If you asked this question 15 years ago, the answer would emphatically be more house & land, at less cost. Today people are moving to Eagle Mountain because they are choosing the lifestyle. Eagle Mountain is close enough to both Salt Lake City and the Provo-Orem Metropolitan areas, so our residents can access amenities and services, and yet Eagle Mountain can still boast wildlife, open space, comprehensive trails, and mountainous and valley views. People love the fact that they can run to the local grocery store on an OHV or horseback. People move here for space, fresh air, and something different than what urban areas have to offer.
Housing Moratorium
There has been some talk about a building moratorium. Do you think a building moratorium is in order, legal, or necessary in Eagle Mountain?
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Building moratorium is a tool allowed by Utah State Law that allows a city to create a temporary land use regulation to have time to create a solution to an extreme problem or emergency. Recently Oakley, Utah enacted a moratorium on all building permit approvals and new landscaping requiring connection to City Culinary water. In Oakley’s case they are unable to provide any additional city culinary water hook ups, so they have halted all building permits. Their mayor said this is about averting a crisis during an extreme drought and if there was a big fire, there is a significant likelihood they would not have enough water to both put out the fire and continue to provide water to residents for home use. Another example is Bluff Town passed a moratorium on all building permits for 6 months while they work on their zoning ordinances. In Eagle Mountain, we would need to show three things: 1. justification and that we cannot continue to serve the public “health, safety, and welfare”, 2. the area that the moratorium affects, 3. the length of time for the moratorium. To the question of “in order, legal, or necessary”, this tool cannot just be used to slow growth; we would have to be creating a solution during the time period. Possible instances where I believe we would need to enact a moratorium include the following: if we needed to install an additional well or make repairs to our water system that could not otherwise be made; if we needed to put in a new road or repair a road that would be safety risk without; or if we needed to revamp code and it couldn’t be revamped without halting building. The reality is, this is a tough issue because a moratorium is merely a “band-aid” while a city works to get “better care.” We still have to address the issue; a moratorium alone doesn’t solve the issue.
City Council Districts
Currently, the city council members are elected by a city-wide vote. What are your thoughts on breaking the city up into districts and having each district vote for one of the city council members?
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This is something that is often done by larger cities. The sentiment behind districting is valid as Thomas Jefferson said “the government closest to the people serves the people best”. The question our city needs to ask every two years is “as representatives of the people, can we still serve the people without living in the same neighborhood?”. I believe right now, we can and have. As a council member, I care about and represent the people of White Hills, Lone Tree, Meadow Ranch, and Pioneer Addition equally. While districting may create a sense of being more connected to one’s districted council member, there are also pitfalls. As we can see in the state and federal governments, there are alliances and other shortfalls that take place. As we grow and mature as a city, we should revisit the idea of districting regularly.
Housing Crisis
What should the city of Eagle Mountain do about the housing crisis, and what is your definition of the housing crisis?
Anyone who is paying attention can see that home prices have nearly doubled in the past few years. This is a widespread issue in the state of Utah and in other states as well. It is a problem that most of us could not afford to go out and buy our homes with the current market prices. It is a problem that people are having to spend a bigger percentage of their income to get into a basic home. Historically, when the government tries to “solve a problem” by intervening or trying to control something like a housing market, there are always additional problems that are created. To quote Jurassic Park, “Your scientists [or in our case, elected officials] were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, that they didn’t stop to think if they should.” Just because a city can do a list of things to intervene, does not mean a city should do all of those things. Look at places like NYC and San Francisco, rent control, housing projects and government intervention have not solved the housing crisis for them. Utah andEagle Mountain are great places to live because we have always upheld principles of thrift, charity, and accountability. Every action that a government takes has broad and long-lasting impacts on the community, so the actions taken should be based on principles and best practices, not on emotion or whims.
The things EM should do about the housing crisis include:
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provide the most important government functions like public safety, fire, clean water, solid waste and sewer, safe and adequate transportation infrastructure;
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continue to preserve and protect our wildlife, clean air, and water resources because they are key indicators of a safe and healthy community;
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keep spending and taxes low to reduce the tax burden on the people,
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look for additional ways to foster small business and entrepreneurship.
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As a result of economic development and community development areas, EM will have money that is mandated by state law to go toward affordable housing. When Eagle Mountain does anything above the basics listed above, the goal should be clear–to get people into a better situation and to help them get to a place that allows them to not need help indefinitely. Should there be some safety nets in the event of extenuating circumstances? Of course. Safety nets are meant to catch you when you fall, and not a web to entrap you forever.
Special Contribution
What can you do for Eagle Mountain that someone else cannot do?
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We have had some really great mayors that have each brought significant talent and skills to the job. Mayor Jackson was masterful at bringing attention to EM and advocating to get things like funding for road improvements and other needs. She worked to build community and was a steady hand after years of tumult. Mayor Pengra was a strong leader with a commanding sense of stewardship and responsibility. He was always accountable to the people and people knew how to access him. He built a sense of community through Cory Wride park and was intentional and resolute in the vision of economic development and building relationships with neighboring cities. Mayor Painter, while he only served a few months, brought experience and helped continue the progress that was made by previous Mayors, and also appointed individuals to help keep that vision and progress going. Mayor Westmoreland comes from a marketing background so he was willing to try new things like a podcast and additional social media presence. His laidback nature made difficult meetings more bearable and allowed for council to work through difficult decisions.
I will take all the good things I have learned from our previous mayors and add my leadership and problem solving skills that I have learned from years in the business world. Our company’s increased revenue and productivity speaks volumes about my ability to manage the operations and projects of several teams and interact effectively with marketing, manufacturing, sales, and logistics and along other divisions. I bring my ability to connect, inform, and relate with people that I learned from years as a teacher. While I am a strong leader and tenacious advocate, I have also learned to be a really good listener; people have come to know me for how much I love this city and the heart that pour into all that I do.
2017 i84005 Candidate Questions
n 2017, Mike Kieffer, of the Eagle Mountain news website i84005, now the Cedar Valley Sentinel, asked each candidate to answer 16 questions to get a better feel where each candidate stands on the issues facing Eagle Mountain. Here are Melissa's answers:
Roads
Roads will be a big issue during this election cycle. With the new High School and the development in City Center, what do you feel would be the best way to alleviate the road problems facing Eagle Mountain?
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It comes down to safety, the great snow storm of 2008 had kids stranded in school gyms overnight because parents could not get to them and many adults spent the night walking around Smiths because the roads home were all shut down, and the roads that were open could not handle the traffic. There was also the evacuation and state of emergency in 2012 due to wild fires, because the number of roads and specifically lanes were limited, there were an increase of accidents and again more traffic than the current roads could handle. Let's not let the territory battle over roads keep any of us from getting home safely, so we have to work together with our state and county leaders to make reasoned decisions to improve the development of roads.
Roads are how most of EM's residents get to work and if we are spending an extra hour in traffic trying to get to work and school, that is an hour we don't get to spend with family or doing the things we love. Family time is sacred and should be protected and ensuring adequate roads and transportation into and out of Eagle Mountain can protect that time and that requires creative thinking and looking into future issues that may arise before they become costly problems.
Property Rights
What are your views on property rights, and how do you plan on balancing the property rights of current residents with the property rights of prospective developers?
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Our country was founded on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness--it all comes to property, personal property rights and freedoms. When we stick to these basic founding principles, we can avoid mistakes made by government. That being said, when it comes to land and property rights, the balance takes a turn when one person's rights or choices infringe on another.
All over Eagle Mountain, we have developments popping up, but the plans for those developments haven't happened overnight. Someone has invested their own money into the land, then the engineering and plans, and amenities and infrastructure. Then they come before the city staff and present their plans, then to the planning commission, and finally the city council. If they are within the law and code of the city and state then they should be allowed to do it. It has been hard losing our unblemished view out of my backyard, but I know that the houses being built across the street also represent the hopes and dreams of another family. It is not my right to stand in the way of that.
The thing that has been very eye opening to me is that not all developers are created equal: some live within our community and want great things for EM and some are known for promising one thing and delivering another. We need people on city council who have studied the code and will look ahead to prevent the undesirable situations we have seen over the last few years, where something is being developed in a way no one likes. We need to be proactive about zoning and codes.
Founding Fathers
Do you have a favorite founding father? If so, who is it, and what is a favorite quote, or ideal that founding father had that you try to emulate? (Notice I did not define founding father, I am leaving that up to your interpretation.)
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I have admiration for all of them and the sacrifices that they made to found this nation. George Washington has always been a favorite of mine because he had glory and power and people wanted him to be king and yet he said “No” and served only two terms. He truly put the good of the nation ahead of his on best interests.
Schools
Do you feel the education system is adequate in Eagle Mountain? If so, what are we doing well, if not, what needs to be changed.
Our schools and homeschools in Eagle Mountain are more than substantial. We have award winning public and charter schools. We have strong homeschool co-ops and commonwealths. Most of all we have great opportunity with a local library, clubs and groups who provide educational opportunities. We have local 4H, both boy and girl scouting programs, the Eagle Mountain Arts Alliance, The Utah State Extension Service Sense classes, and other neighborhood organizations that provide classes on a monthly basis. There is always room for improvement and if there was one key thing that I would love to see happen within our schools and community it would be a synergy between the schools and the members of the community and to bring the great minds and talents of the people of Eagle Mountain within reach of the students with more mentoring programs and in-services. As a mom of an almost senior in high school, there have been many times I have seen how a colleague or associate from the community could be such a great resource for the students of all grade levels. If elected, I want to continue to help make those connections.
Family
Can you give me a brief description of your family, and what it means to you?
My husband Nathan and I have been married for 19 years, and we have 4 beautiful daughters—an 18 year old who will be a senior this year at Westlake, twin 9 year olds, and a 5 year old about to enter Kindergarten. Nathan comes from a traditional family of 9 where dad worked and mom was the keeper of the home front, and I come from a blended family. Our little family is a mix of the two: somewhere in the middle of the two ends of the spectrum. We have had our fair share of trials, from children with special needs and disabilities, to home disasters and within our extended family we have had addictions, legal problems, job loss, small business success and trials, divorce, and other triumphs and trials. In short, we are like everyone else.
Why I'm Running
Can you tell me why you are running for your position?
There comes a time in every person's life where he or she gets that tap on the shoulder and despite all of the reasons not to, the reason for, is more compelling. Eagle Mountain is my family’s home and will be for a long time. I look at everything that has happened in our country and the fighting and disagreements over policy and character and know that the best place we can make the most difference is within our own homes, and the second-best place is within our community. Our city government has to do everything to protect our time, property, and liberty and stay out of the way of our dreams and hopes. I am running because the next four years EM will see unprecedented growth and change and the decisions we make will impact the community for the next century. I am running because I want my kids and all kids to have a chance to have those hopes and dreams, and because so many great people took the time to help me as a kid and a young adult to find my voice and my reason to use it.
The Biggest Issue in Eagle Mountain
What do you see as the biggest issue in Eagle Mountain, and what do you plan on doing to help solve the issue?
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This might come as a surprise, but I actually think the biggest issue Eagle Mountain faces is also one of our greatest strengths: unity, because we are known for our unity within neighborhoods, but we have also faced many divisive battles within the city as a whole. The roads, growth, budget, economic development, parks, and security all really hinge on the unity we have as a community. We hear the debate all the time between political parties and then within EM we also have debate of Ranches versus City Center, and HOA versus sub-HOA, people with kids versus people with no kids, pet owners versus people with no pets, but when it comes down to it, most of us are doing our best to contribute to society and raise our families and live a good, kind life; we just disagree on how to do that. To build unity I believe that we have to work and serve together, we must come to see each other as people and not the enemy; for that reason, I am huge proponent of the volunteer efforts here in EM because it allows us to meet people from different walks of life and see their perspective, (plus there is the added benefit of helping the community.) I would like to see an expansion of the volunteer coordination, perhaps more EM clean-up days, maybe even a weekly text with some of the volunteer needs within Eagle Mountain.
What makes Eagle Mountain Great?​
What do you see as the best thing that Eagle Mountain has going for it, and how do you plan on protecting it for future generations?
The best thing that Eagle Mountain has going for it is the heart of the people. When a family is facing a horrible illness, we rally together to raise funds and show support. When a local elementary school was under attack by a man with history of mental illness, we saw leaders of the business community start a drive of support for the man’s family to show that Eagle Mountain supports all of its residents, including the ones that are usually forgotten about.
Open Space​
Many residents like the open feel of Eagle Mountain. Do you feel we have enough open space, to much open space, or to little open space? What policies will you try to implement to support that view?
I love our open view and open spaces, in general our policies and code support that. There is a certain amount of growth that has to happen to preserve anything and to pay for the basics, but I support that when we walk out of city hall, we see natural desert grasses, and that we have paved trails that wind through the natural desert grasses. I love that our natural features like the mountains will always be a place of beauty.
In my role on the Parks and Recreation board, I have worked with fellow board members and our city staff to maintain that open space feel. We have approved improvements to our parks through the Neighborhood Match Grant. I have spearheaded a project to have signs created for each park so that when an issue arises that needs maintenance; residents know who maintains that specific park and whom to call. For very little cost, this will help both the city and the residents keep our parks beautiful and in good repair, and, if needed, hold accountable the other parties who should be maintaining the parks.
Development
What are your goals for the City in regards to Development?
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The reality of development in a city is we have to have the right blend of industrial, commercial, and residential--within residential we have to have a mix of family farms, single family dwellings, and even some density. The real issue is making sure we have the roads and infrastructure to support each, and, most importantly, that we have each kind of development in the correct place within our city. Development has to happen to increase the tax base and allow us to provide basic infrastructure and the added perks of parks and amenities, but that development has to make sense.
When it comes down to it, businesses will come to Eagle Mountain because we are the 3rd largest city in Utah by land mass and within 18 years we are projected to have 120,000 residents; having that kind of potential in location, workforce, and customer base is exactly the incentive to develop that business owners are looking for.
We need a mayor and city council that will not get in the way of that growth and development and we need to continue to be looking at the type of businesses EM will need and support like more restaurants, light industrial, but also things like a nursing home and memory care.
Cory Wride Memorial Park:
What are your views on Cory Wride Memorial Park, and the city's current plan for the park?
In the beginning, I struggled with the cost and lack of proximity of the Cory Wride park, but in talking with the Mayor and other city staff, I have started to see some of the benefits of building that park where it is, such as more amenities, and the space for more parking, and most importantly that we will not have to have a costly bond to fund this initial phase of the park. Many residents have the additional concern of the other regional parks “not being finished”, and as a council member, I will work to make sure that the larger regional parks will also remain attractive by continuing the standard of maintenance and looking to make improvements as funding becomes available.
Master [General] Plan
The City is currently in the process of updating its master plan. What do you think the master plan should look like, and what do you think of the current changes being made?
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People move to Eagle Mountain for various reasons and the Master Plan or General Plan should not get into the way or change the feel that motivated residents or business owners to settle here. We need to have various kinds of housing to meet the needs of all residents: all options from large acreage lots with animal rights, to starter homes, and even high-density housing. All are needed for a balanced feel and to be able to fund the basic infrastructure. The important part is to keep that overall feel and to have rural areas and still have specifically placed pockets of smaller lots and denser neighborhoods away from the rural areas to accommodate the demand all the while protecting property values. It is also a primary concern to situate business developments in appropriate locations for the type of business.
Programs
What is the best program, that you know of in Eagle Mountain? How does that program make Eagle Mountain better, and how do you plan on making the program stronger?
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There are so many great programs here in Eagle Mountain some of which are the private, non-profit organizations that have sprung up out of the desire to provide services for our residents, such as the Pony Express Events organization and the Eagle Mountain Arts Alliance.
If I have to pick one program that is the best of Eagle Mountain it would be the City Youth Council, for two reasons: one, because it involves the youth of our community, and two because the youth are able and encouraged to help out with other programs, exposing them to great leaders and opportunities. The youth council has been able to help with Eagle Mountain Arts Alliance events, Pony Express Events, City-wide Clean-up day, and library offerings.
I want to facilitate making the program stronger by connecting with more youth and getting more youth involved. I can even see a class offered (or a club at the very least) at the local middle and senior high school with the service and leadership component, like Student Council with a community focus by linking up with the local student councils, and Key Club. In addition to bringing more youth, we need to connect with more adults as mentors, but careful not to have the adults steal the show because Youth Council really is a place for the kids to grow as leaders.
Literature
Name one work of literature that has had an impact on you, and why you think it is important for a guide during this election cycle?
When I was in junior high, I would ride my bike to our city’s library and there was a free box that people could leave books they were done with. In that box, I found a copy of Alex Haley’s Roots. I have read and re-read that book. Why? Because I love the idea that what we do has an impact on generations to come, and that we are stronger than just ourselves, that our ancestors lived, and loved and fought for us to get to where we are at this place in time. When I think about running and serving in Eagle Mountain, I think about the people who are my roots and helped me get to where I am. I also think about the roots that we are establishing here in EM for our generations to come.
Downtime
What do you do with your down time, what leisure activities do you like to participate in?
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My leisure time really is focused primarily around family because that is my season in life right now. I love the peace that comes from being prepared for life’s disasters so my husband and I have been studying to pass the HAM Radio test. I like to travel to small towns where my ancestors once lived and find cool family tidbits in local cemeteries and historical societies. I am also really passionate about baking— I have seriously taken cinnamon rolls to the next level.
Why Eagle Mountain?
Why have you chosen Eagle Mountain as your place of residence?
We moved to Eagle Mountain 9 years ago because we were making a job change and needed an affordable place to rent. We stay in Eagle Mountain because it is where our hearts are. As we have fallen in love with this place and the sense of community and beauty, we have made this place home and bought our family a home here. We raise our kids here, garden here, worship here, serve here and wouldn’t have it any other way.
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*Economic Development has been updated to Economic Vitality