And Finally - Hal Miller

This final installment in a quartet of posts on the Municipal Council blog prior to my exiting the Council follows from reading that was underway prior to my joining the Council four years ago. I express gratitude to Karen Tapahe, the Council’s Community Relations Coordinator extraordinaire, for her kindness is arranging for my posts to appear.

The reading I refer to began many years ago in the heat of an academic controversy over the extent to which intellectual performance (sometimes referred to as IQ) is heritable. Two books by my doctoral-dissertation advisor Richard Herrnstein (including one co-authored with Charles Murray) fueled the controversy. Herrnstein is now deceased, but Murray recently authored a follow-up book entitled Coming Apart in which he explored sociocultural issues, especially those involving social class, more deeply than he and Herrnstein had previously. That earlier work had focused directly on the relation between ethnicity and intellectual performance.

Provology 101 - Parks and Recreation

Provology 101, a series of classes that give a behind-the-scenes look at how Provo City runs, has given City departments the chance to show and tell about what they do for Provo. One of the participants, Anona Sobczak, has been sharing her experiences on Facebook and gave us permission to share them with you.

October 21, 2015

Can I just say that it was the show "Parks and Recreation" that inspired me to learn more about city government and get involved in the city? The world of city involvement was so foreign to me before I watched the show, and it really gave me the framework of how it functioned. Also super funny, of course.

For hour 1 of class last night we got to hear from the director of Parks and Recreation, Roger Thomas. Since I mentally gave him the best PowerPoint presentation award, I was sad to hear that he is retiring in December. The Rec Center was the foremost topic on our minds. The Rec Center was voted for overwhelmingly by citizens (we're so smart!), cost $39.5 million, and they stayed on budget! Director Thomas toured 50 different facilities to combine the best features of each, which has resulted in what he believes is the best rec center in the U.S., and it will hold that title for a few more years at least, until cities coming to check out our center model their centers after ours.

Provo Municipal Council Inauguration

On Tuesday, January 5, 2016, the Provo Municipal Council will hold a formal inauguration of Council members elected in the November 2015 general election.

Gary Winterton, District 1, and Kay Van Buren, District 4, were elected to a second term on the Council. New members Dave Knecht, Dave Harding, and George Stewart were elected to represent District 3, District 5, and City Wide District II, respectively. All will serve four year terms with the exception of Harding, who is serving the final two years in the District 5 seat left vacant by the passing of Stephen Hales. Knecht and Stewart are returning to the Council after having served previously.

The inauguration will begin at 3:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at 351 West Center Street. Bill Hulterstrom is serving as master of ceremonies. The Provo Police and Fire Department Joint Honor Guard will be joined by members of the Provo High School Chamber Singers for the opening ceremony. Provo Justice Court Judge Romney will administer the oath of office.

An open house will be held after the formal portion of the event until 4:30 p.m. The regular Council meeting will commence at 5:30 p.m.

Provology 101 - Provo Power

Provology 101, a series of classes that give a behind-the-scenes look at how Provo City runs, has given City departments the chance to show and tell about what they do for Provo. One of the participants, Anona Sobczak, has been sharing her experiences on Facebook and gave us permission to share them with you.

October 15, 2015

Tonight we met with the moneymaker of the city, Provo Power. While about 50% of property here is exempt from property taxes, (think LDS church & school buildings) everyone has to pay for power, so they rake in about 71 million each year. Out of this, 8 million goes right to the General Fund to pay for police, fire, etc. In comparison, the city brings in only 4 million from property taxes.

Sounds good to be the head of Provo Power, right? Until you have to sign a 4 million dollar power bill each month and set up camp in a decrepit RC Willey building. Yes, their old home is now a construction site, with the towers due to be imploded next spring. First scaffolding will go up and all the asbestos paint taken off so we don't all get lung cancer.

Provology 101 - Community Development and Economic Development

Provology 101, a series of classes that give a behind-the-scenes look at how Provo City runs, has given City departments the chance to show and tell about what they do for Provo. One of the participants, Anona Sobczak, has been sharing her experiences on Facebook and gave us permission to share them with you.

October 7, 2015

In an ironic twist of fate, I was late for the presentation by the Community Development department due to attending a Community Development meeting that ran two hours long. What a fascinating department though--a strange mix of tedious city code interpretation and high drama between neighbors.

What I did make it in time for was a quick education on having project cars parked at your house (two max, behind a screened fence), xeriscaping (you can't just put in rocks), minor and major home occupation licenses (this is what the conflict at my meeting centered around), and over-occupancy (hard to enforce).

Provology 101 - Public Works

Provology 101, a series of classes that give a behind-the-scenes look at how Provo City runs, has given City departments the chance to show and tell about what they do for Provo. One of the participants, Anona Sobczak, has been sharing her experiences on Facebook and gave us permission to share them with you.

October 1, 2015

Council Members tour water tank

Below the glistening sands of the MTC beach volleyball courts lies a buried behemoth, a structure of immense antiquity and cryptic beauty. This little-known piece of construction is the oldest water tank in Provo City, built out of concrete in 1930.

New Energy Conservation Codes for Buildings

At the December 1, 2015, Council Meeting, a joint resolution was passed by the Mayor and Council (5-2) outlining their support for the adoption of the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and other possible air quality enhancements for Utah.

The Utah Governor’s Office of Energy Development reports that adoption of the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) would save each new Utah homeowner $297 per year; and analysis conducted by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory finds that the 2015 IECC is cost-effective for new commercial buildings and homes, resulting in positive cash flow within two years for new home buyers.

Because air pollution gravely threatens the health of the people of Utah County as well as economic development and homes and buildings now account for 39% of air pollution in Utah according to the Utah Division of Air Quality, energy-efficient new homes and commercial buildings represent an important long-term air pollution reduction strategy by reducing energy consumption and resulting pollution emissions over the 100+ year life of building structures.

It is estimated that adoption of the 2015 IECC would reduce CO2 pollution in Utah by an estimated 5.06 million metric tons by 2040, the equivalent of taking over 84,000 cars off of the road every year; and would reduce by 1,502 tons Utah’s emissions of direct pollution and precursors of PM2.5 and ozone, both grave health threats, by 2050. Improved energy efficiency will also buffer against spikes in utility rates by reducing demand for energy by 7.57 trillion BTU, consequently mitigating the need for utility companies to build new energy infrastructure and pass those costs on to consumers. It is far more cost-effective to build-in energy efficient, air pollution reduction technologies during construction, rather than retrofitting a home after it is constructed.

More information on this issue is available from Utah Clean Energy.


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Summary of the December 1 Council Meetings

In the Work Session

Transportation and Mobility Advisory Committee:
Members from the Transportation and Mobility Advisory Committee (TMAC) met jointly with the City Council. Discussions included the Bicycle Master Plan, Transportation Master Plan, and Bus Rapid Transit. TMAC members also explained their priorities and challenges.

Meeting Recordings:
Discussed an update to the video and audio recordings and the Council minutes policy. The Council requested research on digital storage costs as they consider where, in what format, and for how long to retain video and audio recordings of their meetings.

Council Counsel

Strictly, a council is not in the business of counsel but of deliberation and decision making.  Provo City’s Municipal Council advises the City’s administration and consents (or not) to the administration’s proposals through the legislative devices of resolution and ordinance.

The line between advice and counsel (or advise and counsel) admittedly is thin.  The boundary may be limned by reference to the policy governance of the Council.  It is typical that the Mayor informs the Council of potential proposals in order to receive advice from its members—advice offered from the perspective of the Council’s policies.  Revision and further review of a proposal may follow in an iterative cycle.  Ultimately, a proposal is withdrawn, or it proceeds to a Council vote. 

Joint Meeting with the Transportation and Mobility Advisory Committee

Agenda 

Provo City Council Work Session - December 1, 2015

Agenda  (Times have added to the ends of the individual agenda items to help you find them in the video.)