September 18, 2019 Minutes

Location: Glendale Library
7:00 pm (meeting started 7:07 ended 8:35)

Item 1: Mayoral Candidate Forum

Topic 1: Access to High-Quality Education

Erin Mendenhall:
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Explained that the City admin doesn’t control funding.

Pledged to work with the Salt Lake City School District, which has capacity, towards more efficiency.

Pledged to explore more public-private investment partnerships.

Luz Escamilla

Cited a large number of existingprograms and pledged to work toward improvements in all of them.

Topic 2: Parks, Open Space, and the Jordan River Parkway

Erin Mendenhall:
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Explained that city departments compete fiercely for Capital Improvement Plan funds.

Declared that right now eastside has better trees and walkability and she pledged to  address this when she is Mayor.  

City admin needs to be more proactive in seeking federal funds and grants as well as potential bonds in the future. 

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Luz Escamilla

Does not want to see property tax increases.

Pledged to encourage public-private partnerships.

Shared that she understands Eastside Westside funding disparities on infrastructure and lighting because she has been Senator since 2008.

Pledged that her budget would address Westside-Eastside disparities.

Topic 3: Eastside and Westside Disparities

Explained her position zoning policies have to be corrected to promote geographic housing equality.

Shared her belief that the West Side has paid its dues and time for more a more
equitable distribution of resources and costs throughout the city. 

Topic 4: Community-Police Relations

Shared that Salt Lake City is in a time of transition and operational changes that allows for progress to be made. 

Pledged to prioritize better training and mental health facilities for officers. 

Stated the need for more accountability and transparency at the Salt Lake City Policy Department, she will work with activists to do this. 
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Chief Brown has made a positive difference through his presence and willingness to carry a dialogue with citizens. 

Topic 5: Raging Waters

high cost of improvements
solution will be a public / private partnership

will look to improve recreational and cultural
amenities on westside including Fairground

Topic 6: Air Quality

This issue is her reason for public office in the first place.

Explained that air quality impacts everything from climate change to our local neighborhoods.

Pledged to actively seek science-based education for leaders to bring more understanding of the issue. 

Noted that the city will renegotiate city contract with Rocky Mountain Power, she pledged to use the meeting to make sure that clean energy by 2030 is a reality. 

She stated her desire to recruit more new economy businesses to Salt Lake City. She stated that Silicon Slopes should be in Salt Lake City. 

Pledged to put emphasis on upgrading public transit. She outlined her successful efforts to require stricter monitors to gather and measure air quality data at the Utah Inland Port.

​Pledged to seek to engage state for additional incentives to improve air quality. 

Topic 7: Inland Port

​Shared that she feels that the state is willing to act catastrophically with an unelected board that isn't representative of local needs.

City has now worked with private land owners to maintain some control.

The inland port has never been a good deal but we now have the best of the bad scenarios, we have to stay at the table to make this happen.  

She encouraged public activism on the issue. 

City in a horrible situation but will continue to work with private property owners. 

Stated the importance of preserving and building working relationships with State Legislature. Shared that she already has these lines of communication established.

Shared that her most important priority is to get land use authority back and is in a better position to get this done because of her legislative experience. 

Prepared by Jeremy King, please send any corrections or additional information to the board at: council@glendalecouncil.org or chair@glendaleutah.org.