The Deep End of the Pool

There is THAT much stuff on the road?

2007-11-10T12:39:00.001-07:00

Yeah, I know there is because I see it when I am walking and riding my bike. But it is interesting to see numbers put to the stuff on the road. And only two (albeit long) roads. Kudos to Orem's Public Works Department and its efforts to keep the hundreds of miles of streets clean.

Part of an email I received from city staff:

"Wanted to let you know that we swept State Street and University Parkway, including the along the medians, last Sunday. It took all three sweepers 12 hours to sweep these two highways. They estimate they picked up between 45-50 tons of material (sand, dirt, rocks, garbage, leaves, etc.)"

More signal heads are coming on 800 North

2007-10-18T10:01:00.000-06:00

Hooray!

This is part of an email I received from Dave Nazare, UDOT Region 3 Director. Thank you, UDOT for working to make 800 North safer.

"The Department gave direction to the contractor to install additional signal heads at Main St. and State St. on Tuesday. We will work with the contractor to make sure that for the balance of the project there are signal heads as close to being in line with traffic as possible."

Latest 800 North Information

2007-10-12T16:02:00.001-06:00

Greetings,

In last week's update from Justin Smart, he informed you that your weekly 800 North updates would be coming from me at chulet@langdongroupinc.com. Justin and I are working together on the project, but the contact phone remains the same (801-360-4944). If you would like to contact us via email, feel free to email Justin or me at any time.

Sincerely,
Carri Hulet800 North Public Information Teamchulet@langdongroupinc.com www.udot.utah.gov/orem800north801-360-4944

Changes are coming on the 800 North project this week, including shifting westbound traffic to the north side of the road between 400 East and 800 East. Please take note of the coming construction activities listed below, and exercise particular caution in the work zone in the coming weeks as traffic shifts and temporary lane closures change the flow of traffic. Provided weather and other scheduling issues cooperate, crews hope to shift all traffic to the newly paved north side of the road from 400 West to 800 East the week of Oct. 22. Details will be provided in the coming weeks’ updates.

Please note that for your safety, pedestrian traffic should use the south side of 800 North for the time being. Even though sidewalk is being placed along the northern side of the road, construction activities in this area continue to pose potential safety hazards to pedestrians.

Thanks to all for your patience with construction activities. The project team is very aware of the inconvenience and delay the project causes and is working to keep progress moving.

Construction Activity Update – 10/12/07
The following are planned activities for the coming week. Please note that due to weather, project conflicts, or equipment/supply issues, schedules are subject to change.

400 West Intersection: Paving in this area should be complete by the weekend, with final signal pole placement taking place next week. Crews hope to activate this signal by the end of October. Please watch for workers in the area.
400 West to State Street: Paving along the north side of the road in this area is substantially complete for now. Crews plan to place sidewalk and concrete driveways in this area during the week of Oct. 15.
Canal Crossing at 375 East: Crews plan to begin work on the canal beneath 800 North, located at approximately 375 East, the week of Oct. 15. Reconstruction and paving in this area has been on hold pending the end of the irrigation season. With canal irrigation scheduled to end on the 15th, crews plan to finalize the roadway work on the north side of 800 North in this area as quickly as possible.
400 East to 750 East: Sunday, Oct. 14, crews plan to shift westbound traffic to the north side of 800 North, onto the new pavement. Westbound traffic will shift to the north just west of the 800 East intersection and remain on the north side until just west of the 400 East intersection. Eastbound traffic in this section will remain on the far south side of 800 North, with crews working in the middle all week. Please use extra caution and reduce speeds in the area for your safety and the safety of the construction crews. On Monday, Oct. 15, eastbound traffic in this section will be restricted to one lane to accommodate asphalt removal operations. Watch for flaggers in this area Monday. By Tuesday, eastbound traffic should be back to two lanes. Tuesday, Oct. 16, through Friday, Oct. 19, crews plan to prepare the middle section of road for new asphalt and pave. Even as left-hand turns have been restricted in this area for some time, please be aware that lefts remain restricted given work that will take place in the middle of the road and given the fact that the old pavement will be lower than the new pavement.
Sound Wall Installation: Installation of two wall sections remains pending as various property and utility issues are resolved. Wall staining and other finish work will proceed this week on installed sections.
Water Line Installation at 1000 East: Crews are installing a water line in the area of 1000 East. Please be aware of traffic shifts and intermittent lane restrictions in the area through the end of next week.
More Information
Project updates and background can be found online at www.udot.utah.gov/orem800north. This site will be updated as the project continues and details become available. For specific questions or concerns, contact the Public Information Team at 801-360-4944 or by email at chulet@langdongroupinc.com.

Neighborhood meeting next Thursday!

2007-10-12T15:38:00.000-06:00

From Orem City:

A message from your
Cascade
Scera Park North
Scera Park South
Sharon
Neighborhoods in Action
Dear Neighbor,

You are invited to attend a special ‘Town Meeting’ for the citizens of your neighborhoods.
The meeting is designed for you to learn more about your Neighborhoods in Action organization, Neighborhood Preservation Officers and their program, Emergency Preparedness, CERT Training and what we are doing in the City to coordinate all of these programs to better help you in your neighborhoods.

We will have a panel, which will include Mayor Washburn, City Council Members, set up to address your questions. The meeting will be much more productive if you submit your questions in advance to your Neighborhood Chair.

When: Thurs, October 18th
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Where: Orem Senior Center

Cascade Chair - David Cherrington - 224-2811
Scera Park North - Monta Rae Jeppson - 225-1516
Scera Park South - Paul Overson - 223-9981
Sharon - Anne Kendall - 225-5174

Not on my list but,

2007-10-11T17:46:00.001-06:00

being in politics, I wonder if I may end up with something from here for Christmas. . .

Premade Decisions? Not!

2007-10-10T09:01:00.000-06:00

We councilmembers get along pretty well. Our meetings run smoothly and many times, decisions are unanimous. However, some have taken our peace and tranquility to mean we premake our decisions prior to the meeting, and the public hearing and public decisionmaking are mere formalites.

Thankfully, that isn't how business is done in Orem. We don't work behind the scenes trying to get four votes on issues before it comes to the Council. Generally, I may discuss an issue with one other councilmember, but how the Council will vote on an issue is a mystery to me until the vote is taken.

If you feel decisions are premade, you should have been at the first public hearing on last night's city council agenda. It was and still is an innocuous topic-flagpoles. It was put on the agenda because the current ordinance allows a conditional use to be granted so a flagpole can go up to 120 feet. I am very patriotic, don't mind flagpoles, but I don't like conditional uses. I was interested in establishing a permitted height and not have a conditional use process. Utah law has changed to the point where cities must approve conditional uses unless very rigorous findings are made. There was a long discussion about the issue and the city council voted to not make any changes.

I thought "I bet there are people in the audience who think this is a HUGE non-issue." It isn't a pressing issue with the City Council, there aren't a plethora of 120 foot flagpoles waiting to be approved, but the City has had bad experiences with conditional uses. In fact, most have been eliminated from the city code. But the City Council needed to discuss it. The discussion was healthy. I was so glad to learn how my colleagues felt and I respect their opinions.

The public process is-public! It may be boring, it may not be the shortest way of handling city business, it may not be the most stress-free way of handling city business, but it is the right way of handling city business and it is a way I will continue to support and defend.

Bumper Sticker Wisdom

2007-10-05T09:17:00.000-06:00

Latest 800 North Information

2007-10-02T10:51:00.000-06:00

From Justin Smart:

"As the temperature cools, the window of time when paving and other project work can be done begins to narrow. Construction over the next couple of weeks will focus on getting the north side of 800 North ready for travel so traffic can switch from the south half of the road to the north half. Accordingly, lane shifts and/or closures will occur sporadically to accommodate the finishing work in specific areas along the project. Please decrease your speed and raise your level of caution for your own safety and the safety of your fellow motorists.

UDOT crews are proceeding according to schedule. Provided weather allows for the completion of the majority of paving on the north side and crews can shift traffic to the new pavement by late October or early November, they will then begin utility work on the south side of the road. This work will last throughout the winter, with roadway work expected to resume on the south side in early spring of next year.

Construction Activity Update – 9/28/07
The following are planned activities for the coming week. Please note that due to weather, project conflicts, or equipment/supply issues, schedules are subject to change.

400 West Intersection: Signal work has resumed at this intersection, primarily on the south side. Signal poles are now installed on three of the four corners. In the coming week, UDOT crews will place the final pole on the southeast corner of the intersection. Crews will also begin prepping the south side for repaving in early October. During the signal activities, access may be limited or restricted and travel lanes will be narrowed in the area. Once the signal is installed and operational- likely by mid to late October – crews will analyze the possibility of permitting left turns at this intersection.
400 West to State Street: Paving was expected to begin today, but a weather-related issue on another area project in Provo canyon has delayed the paving company. Paving between 400 W and State will begin early next week, and will last 2 – 3 days. Please watch for access shifts to area businesses, but access will be maintained.
400 East Reopening: The 400 East intersection on the north side of 800 North will reopen on gravel tonight. Future paving operations will require a brief closure to this intersection again in several weeks. Please watch the updates so you can anticipate the re-closure.
400 East to 700 East: Crews have placed most of the curb and gutter in this section. Excavation and preparation for asphalt will continue in this area all week. Anticipate lane shifts and brief periods when travel will be limited to one lane in each direction. Paving in this section is anticipated in early to mid October.
Sound Wall Installation: Most of the sound wall on the project is now installed. A few areas are pending installation as various property and utility issues are resolved. The walls will be painted a carmel color on the 800 N. side, and both sides of the wall will be sealed with an anti-graffiti coating that allows for easier removal of any markings in the future. Wall painting and other finish work will proceed this week on installed sections.
More Information
Project updates and background can be found online at www.udot.utah.gov/orem800north. This site will be updated as the project continues and details become available. For specific questions or concerns, contact the Public Information Team at 801-360-4944 or by email at jsmart@langdongroupinc.com."

Chocolate cake for my brain-yum!

2007-09-28T11:01:00.000-06:00

As part of Orem's Big Read, I have begun reading My Antonia by Willa Cather. I am embarrassed to admit this is the first Willa Cather book I have read.

I am used to reading books rather quickly, but this one is a slower read for me and that is OK. I feel like it is literary double super duper chocolate cake. Cather's descriptions of the landscape and people are so good that it takes time for me to read and digest it all. Like cake, it is rich and I can only read 15-20 pages at a time before my brain says "Let's take a break so I can digest what was just read." My brain is happy and full, and as with chocolate cake, it will be ready for more in a little while.

Thankfully, calories aren't involved :)

The Orem Arts Council website

2007-09-28T10:59:00.000-06:00

Do you want to know what arts events are happening in Orem? Go to http://arts.orem.org

Thanks to our new Orem Arts Council and the City's webmaster for creating the site!

Traffic Signal Bids

2007-09-25T07:48:00.000-06:00

I get asked about which intersections are going to get signals. I saw the bid advertisement on the Orem.org website where it lists the intersections up for signals:

SITE OF WORK: The site of the WORK are at the following locations: Geneva Rd and University Parkway, 800 North 980 West, 400 South 1200 West, 800 South 400 West, 800 South Main, 400 North 400 West, 1000 South 800 East.

Traffic signals generally cost $200,000-$300,000 per intersection, depending on property costs.

Responses to your questions and comments, Part 1

2007-09-24T11:35:00.000-06:00

As a councilmember, I get all sorts of questions and comments. I thought I would share my answers to some of the questions/comments I have received.

No, I am not a member of the Eagle Forum nor have I ever been a member.

No, I am not a Democrat.

Yes, I am somewhere in between.

Yes, I am a triathlete. However, I didn't do any this year, but plan on a fun season next summer.

Yes, I love serving as a councilmember. It is a privilege and a humbling experience.

No, I am not publicly endorsing any city council candidates.

No, I do not have any political signs in my yard for this campaign.

I have yet to form an opinion on the voucher issue. I am still learning about it and am not planning on endorsing one side or the other.

Yes, I did vote last August to put the school district split question to Orem's residents. If you want to know why I did, please visit http://www.orem.org/ and look at the August 22, 2006 City Council minutes.

No, I am not "anti-public school". My kids attend public school, I attended public schools and I come from a public school teacher family.

The Big Read is almost here!

2007-09-20T19:16:00.000-06:00

Orem is participating in the Big Read. It is a program where the community reads the same book and we get get to discuss it, meet about and participate in related activities. The event kicks off a week from tonight with a visit from Sunil Iyengar. I have my copy of My Antonia and am ready to go!

Click here for a calendar of events.

Betty Perry

2007-09-19T14:51:00.001-06:00

I have received a flood of new emails regarding Ms. Perry's case. Some emailers have demanded I use my elected office to stop the prosecutor from proceeding with the case.

Two things:

1. I am not responding to the emails or phone calls because I will not comment on an ongoing legal action. Those with questions/comments may contact the Orem City Attorney's office at 801-229-7097.

2. I think it absolutely inappropriate for an elected official to influence or interfere with a prosecutor's work.

Mothers in Politics

2007-09-14T08:46:00.001-06:00

Today's Deseret News has an article about women/moms in politics. I never read Mayor Anderson's op-ed piece about Ms. Wilson, but today's article brought back memories of experiences and thoughts I had while running for office.

I was appointed to the Orem City Council in 2001 when my children were 4 and 10 years old. Since then, I have successfully run two times. My youngest doesn't really remember what it was like "pre-City Council", but my oldest does.

During my campaign, I remember a resident asking me how I felt "leaving your adorable children at home" and running for office. I told the resident that my family fully supported my bid and I would not run without their support. I also told the resident that the leader of my church has encouraged members to participate in the community, including running for office. I explained my church leader didn't say "men only", but left gender out of the equation.

Do I feel my family has suffered because I have served as an elected official? No. There have been hectic times where dinner was take-out, a birthday celebration was extended a day (much to the delight of the birthday celebrant), parts of vacations were spent electronically participating in city council meetings, or Mom was a stress puppy about something she couldn't discuss (closed door meeting items), but I hope they have learned a lot by my participation. On a lighter note, my youngest learned that one doesn't eat Cheetos while stapling rubber bands onto campaign literature. My kids roll their eyes when Mom or Dad say "Look! Remember campaigning in this neighborhood?"

I want my children to know while being a councilcmember has had its hard times, I have loved serving. I want them to understand they can make a difference in their community. I want them to see their mother have courage to do something she feels is right, though politically unpopular. I want them to see that I care about them enough to be on the occassional firing line to make the community we live in a better place. I want to teach them by example. I believe my reasons aren't reserved for only women to think about.

Do I think about gender (or ethnicity, or hair color, or height) when I support candidates? No. It honestly doesn't cross my mind. It doesn't matter how God made them, I want them to be people of integrity, have common sense, have a passion to serve and will play well with others.

Addtionally for me, the keys were to realize to every thing there is a season, make sure one has complete family support and have your favorite take-out restaurants on speed dial.

Primary Election

2007-09-13T19:29:00.001-06:00

Twelve people ran for the three open seats on the City Council. Six were elminated and six moved on. I congratuate all who ran. To paraphrase one candidate, "I didn't realize how much work it takes to run." Ain't that the truth!

Some may call me sick, but overall, I really enjoyed running for office. I liked visiting with residents and walking through Orem's neighborhoods. There are so many good people in Orem. Now I didn't like asking people for money, removing signs in rainstorms, and dealing with the untrue and unkind rumors that inevitably crop up. Even with some negatives, I certainly don't regret running for office. It is a privilege to serve.

Yay! Blogtime!

2007-09-13T19:26:00.000-06:00

I finally have some time! I want to use my blog as a way to communicate my thoughts about Orem, Utah County, Utah and my experiences as an elected official.

Salt Lake Tribune Article About Me

2007-02-04T20:29:00.000-07:00

Eight years ago, I never thought I would be in the paper.
It is nice to be in a non-controversial story :)

Toil of two cities
Orem councilwoman holds day job as Mapleton planner
By Todd Hollingshead The Salt Lake Tribune

OREM - Or Mapleton? Ask Karen McCandless where her allegiance lies and you've put her in a bind. That's because the three-term Orem City Council member recently was hired as Mapleton's planning and zoning director. "I get teased because sometimes I call Mapleton Orem and Orem Mapleton," McCandless says. "The two jobs have complemented each other." Yet the two Utah County cities couldn't be more different. Orem boasts a population of 90,500, according to state estimates, and is nearly built out. Mapleton has barely 7,300 people and is starting to fill in. Orem has a massive commercial corridor through the heart of the city along State Street while Mapleton has hardly any business development at all. “Mapleton doesn't have freeway access and wants to keep a rural flavor, where Orem is pretty much built out and is starting to go up,” McCandless says. “Each has different needs.” And her roles in both cities are quite different - a reality that forces her to focus on wearing one civic hat at a time. As a councilwoman, she can use her discretion and her opinions to make decisions. As a city planner, she simply generates objective information and lets others decide. Having both sets of skills makes her refreshing to work with, says Mapleton City
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Administrator Bob Bradshaw. “It's a very enriching experience,” he says. “She's a qualified planner, but she also has the additional dimension of seeing city issues in a totally different light.” The two positions are considered part time but, nonetheless, require a serious time commitment. McCandless works Tuesdays and Thursdays in Mapleton and has meetings in Orem at least twice a week. And you won't see her on Tuesday evening unless you're at Orem's or Mapleton's city hall (the cities' respective councils meet on alternating weeks). McCandless insists she hasn't tired of all the meetings yet. “They go faster if you're sitting as a staff member or council member,” she says. Even so, she has had to drop some pursuits - like playing in an orchestra - to make time for everything. Still, her husband, Donald, a real estate attorney, says his wife's endeavors haven't left him or their two children, ages 17 and 10, hanging. “Her life is a little hectic, but it's really no different than a person who has a job and works on the council,” he says. “She just has more night meetings than they do.” Orem City Manager Jim Reams applauds McCandless for not neglecting her council duties since taking on her Mapleton job. And, for the record, he says he never has heard her call Orem Mapleton. “She does a great job balancing her family, her position on the council and her job in Mapleton,” Reams says. “She has a real talent for what she does.” What McCandless does professionally is land planning. She graduated from Brigham Young University in 1986 with a degree in geography and an emphasis in land-use planning. She has worked for private developers and even logged a previous stint with Mapleton's planning department. It was that prior employment that made McCandless an early candidate when the former Mapleton planning director resigned last fall. “I find all of it makes me a better council member,” McCandless says. After all, she acknowledges, that's where her allegiance truly lies. “That's something that I discussed with [Mapleton],” she says. “When I was elected, I made a commitment that I would give my very, very best to Orem.” Mapleton officials say she is giving them her best, too. toddh@sltrib.com

It has been a while!

2007-02-04T20:23:00.000-07:00

The state legislature is in session and as I city official, I am curious to see what new laws may be coming my way. The one of most concern for me right now is HB282 with its elimination of transit and other local sales taxes on food. Its effect will reduce county transit monies by tens of millions of dollars over the years. I am also concerned about its effect on Orem's CARE tax. Voters supported both of these tax proposals and now the legislature wants to do something that dilutes what the voters wanted. The bill passed the house last week and is now with the Senate.

2006-05-18T22:05:00.000-06:00

Editorial on SB 170

2006-02-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

Click on the title to go to the article. All I can say is A M E N !!

January 24, 2006 City Council Agenda

2006-01-23T11:56:00.000-07:00

Click on the title to go to the agenda.

Public comment wanted on railroad bridge

2006-01-23T11:54:00.000-07:00

Contact: Geoff DupaixOffice: 801.227.8006Cellular: 801.830.9599
http://www.udot.utah.gov
Jan. 23, 2006
For Immediate Release

UDOT To Hold Public Hearing For Railroad Bridge Crossing at U.S. 89 in Pleasant Grove
Public encouraged to review preferred alternative at meeting Pleasant Grove -

UDOT invites residents, business owners and commuters to attend a public hearing to review the preferred solution for improvements at the railroad crossing at U.S Highway 89 (State Street) in Pleasant Grove. The meeting will be held:Wednesday, Feb. 1, 20065:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.at the Jacobs Senior Center242 West 200 South in Pleasant Grove

The meeting will be in an open house format to allow the public to attend at their convenience. Project staff will be available to answer any questions or concerns. "The bottleneck needs to be fixed, so for the past 18 months, we've conducted an in-depth analysis of several options that could alleviate the bottleneck, cross the tracks safely and minimize impacts to the surrounding community," said Craig Hancock, UDOT project manager. "Now it's time to present to the residents and businesses in the area the solution we feel best addresses these issues and reduces congestion." In this area, State Street narrows from a five-lane highway to a two-lane highway between 100 East and 200 South in Pleasant Grove and crosses under the Union Pacific Railroad.

The bridge, constructed in 1937, is only wide enough for two travel lanes. UDOT's preferred solution will widen the highway to five lanes and build a new bridge over the railroad. Persons who cannot attend and would like additional information regarding this study may contact Craig Hancock, UDOT project manager or Geoff Dupaix, UDOT public involvement coordinator at 227-8000, or Nicole Tolley, Horrocks Engineers, at 1-800-662-1644 or via email at nicolet@horrocks.com.

The document is also available for review at the following locations:· Pleasant Grove City offices at 70 South 100 East· Pleasant Grove City library at 30 East Center Street· UDOT regional office at 658 N. 1500 West in Orem. Written comments must be received by March 3, 2006. Comments can be mailed to Horrocks Engineers, P.O. Box 377, American Fork UT 84003.

January 10th City Council Meeting Agenda

2006-01-09T18:21:00.000-07:00

Click on the title of this post to go to the agenda.

The Deep End of the Pool

There is THAT much stuff on the road?

More signal heads are coming on 800 North

Latest 800 North Information

Neighborhood meeting next Thursday!

Not on my list but,

Premade Decisions? Not!

Bumper Sticker Wisdom

Latest 800 North Information

Chocolate cake for my brain-yum!

The Orem Arts Council website

Recommended reading

Traffic Signal Bids

Responses to your questions and comments, Part 1

The Big Read is almost here!

Betty Perry

Mothers in Politics

Primary Election

Yay! Blogtime!

Salt Lake Tribune Article About Me

It has been a while!

Editorial on SB 170

January 24, 2006 City Council Agenda

Public comment wanted on railroad bridge

January 10th City Council Meeting Agenda