Overview

My objectives as Commissioner will be to continue to provide core services of government in the most efficient and effective way possible. We need continued conservative leadership to support businesses, job growth, and Hill Air Force Base. I believe I can provide that leadership as I make the following issues my top priority:

• Review all areas of the county budget and analyze cost-effectiveness in order to keep costs low

• Manage growth while maintaining a high quality of life

• Attract new business and commerce to Davis County

• Work with small businesses to provide an environment with growth and opportunity

• Support and defend Hill Air Force Base

Economic Development

Davis County is a bedroom community. This means that most residents commute out of Davis County for their jobs. After meeting with many of our mayors before my first term, there was a consensus that Davis County could be working harder to capitalize on our economic development potential. I spearheaded this issue by helping create the Northern Utah Economic Alliance. Its core mission is to bring high paying jobs and target industries to Davis County in order to sustain long term growth.

As a County Commissioner, I will continue to prioritize recruiting businesses to locate themselves in Davis County. I believe that we need to facilitate a business-friendly environment that promotes small businesses already trying to grow within our community.

Last year we were pleased to welcome the expansion of Northrop Grumman Corporation by Hill Air Force Base, bringing 5,000 new high paying jobs to our area. As Commissioner, I will continue to support these opportunities for job growth in our county.

Open Space

I am advocate for open space preservation.  I currently work with the Davis County conservation district to preserve our county’s farm land. I have also made it a priority to help enhance our Davis County trails.

Taxes

The County Commission has the power to levy local taxes. As a conservative, I will continue to look for ways to make government more efficient. Our elected officials should always actively work on stretching tax dollars that are available to them and avoid tax increases whenever possible. I have found a great way to achieve this by making the county entities more profitable. I was proud to take part in getting our conference center paid off, changing the center from a liability to a profitable revenue stream for our county.

Hill Air Force Base

I will continue to place high importance on supporting and defending Hill Air Force Base. I will work with our state and federal elected officials to keep the base a key player in America’s national defense. Hill is one of Utah’s largest employers with a payroll of $960 million. The recent $120 million expansion to accommodate new F-35s, along with 72 jets, pilots, and support staff, has been beneficial for our local economy. Hill is an important piece of the Davis County community, and as a Commissioner, I will not back down from the important fight for Hill Air Force Base.

Smaller Government

I believe that smaller government is more efficient, allowing businesses both large and small to grow prosperously. I believe that there are always places to streamline and reduce costs. One way to do this is looking for opportunities for public and private partnerships. For example, Mack McDonald, the former Davis County Facilities Director, when hired took it upon himself to make the county more efficient by hiring a third-party janitorial company. In doing so, he is saved the county $500,000 over the first three years alone! Clearly there are opportunities in our county to reduce costs and the size of our county government. Through duplicating Mack’s example, working with the heads of
departments I am confident we can find more innovative solutions to save costs.

Smarter Government

Davis County is always working to make improvements. If you haven’t recently visited the new county website, you owe it to yourself to see the new look and layout. It is much more user-friendly to residents and easy to navigate. By utilizing technology and social applications, we can continue to reach out to residents and be a transparent governing body. As Commissioner, I have spearheaded live streaming our commission meetings and moved the meeting from 10 am to 4 pm, making it easier for the working public to attend.

Knowing the importance of creating a smarter, more cost-effective government, I look forward to continue bringing new innovative ideas to our county.

Conservative Leadership

As a conservative leader, I believe that government should be constrained to its proper role. A county government’s role is to provide for the common well-being of its people, allowing them to move freely from their property and earn a stable living. Advocating for public safety, maintaining roads and trail-ways, improving transportation, and managing our waste stream are a few of the primary responsibilities of country government. My commitment is to assure Davis County remains focused on its duties, working to keep costs low and provide excellent services, so that we can provide for all of the families who live in our community.

Administration

An important part of the commission is administration. The commission oversees services including, but not limited to public works, road maintenance and zoning, property registration, and building code enforcement. I believe that one of the best things we can do for our community is to look at the big picture and plan for the future. As a commissioner, I will continue to find ways to best serve Davis County residents and the betterment of our community, while also looking at our county budget and how we can best utilize citizen tax dollars.

Parks and Trails

In Davis County, we love to get out and enjoy nature and our beautiful surroundings. As a member of the Davis County Commission, I will work with city leaders to ensure that we continue to create and maintain access to our local mountain trails. I will also work to improve access to trailheads and parking, so that we can take advantage of the recreational spaces already in place along our mountains.

As Commissioner, I was proud to support an upcoming project to improve the Adams Canyon Trail Head parking area. Upon completion, the trail head will have proper lighting and much-needed bathrooms for the enjoyment of Davis County Residents.

Davis County will soon be receiving funds, which will be used for road and trails. I believe that a portion of this funding should be spent to extend the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, to run from South Weber to North Salt Lake. Currently, the trail is irregularly constructed with little to no maintenance, making access difficult for first responders and recreational users. By allocating funds for this trail, we will provide much-needed support for first responders and create a recreation outlet for our growing county.