Fearful for Lani Wilcox
I have been a member of the Park City Community for 39 years. I was actively involved with the schools and was PTSO president, officer and active volunteer in multiple Park City schools in the late ’90s to 2011.
I am very concerned to learn of the plight of Lani Wilcox, an accomplished and valued coach and mentor of the girls of the Park City High School tennis team. With a history of remarkable success with not only Park City teams, but other Utah school teams, Lani has a reputation for being a principled, dedicated and conscientious coach who has earned the trust and respect of many students and parents.
The unfortunate events that have led to an accusation of aggravated child abuse and and a Class B misdemeanor is outrageous. I do not believe that there has been a fair assessment of the facts of the participation of both parties’ actions to launch accusations that will effectively destroy the life of a person who has an exemplary record of dedication to students.
I sincerely hope the Summit County attorney and prosecuting lawyer will endeavor to revisit and thoroughly examine ALL the facts in this case. If so, I believe some very different conclusions will be reached, and the charges will be dropped.
Suze Weir
Park Meadows
What ridiculous thinking
With regards to the Pacaso business model: First we have the city and county touting affordable housing, and how we need more, and now we have allowed a corporate entity in that supports affordable housing for those who don’t need it — the already rich.
City and county officials open one can of worms that has been a bone of contention among the full-time residents, and now they allow this new venture of corporate infiltration to accommodate outside wealthy people so they can be a further drain on our already limited resources.
Poor Bill and Jill Vantine from Connecticut who wrote in and said they couldn’t decide between homes to buy so they bought into two properties. Just the kind of people we don’t need in our town.
What kind of ridiculous thinking is this on behalf of the city and county? If one can’t afford to buy a second home, then they should go look somewhere else. Maybe Aspen, Breckenridge, Stowe, etc. This town isn’t Burger King, and this “have it your way” mentality has got to go. City and county officials better take a long hard look at the endless destruction they are creating. There isn’t a single positive reason to embrace Pacaso. The reluctance of city and county officials to put any kind of moratorium on growth, and continually taxing our resources to the brink and destroying our land is incomprehensible.
James Smith
Jeremy Ranch
What a cool elections system
I recently met some of the frontline defenders of our democracy: Summit County Clerk Eve Furse and her able team.
They gave me and other interested citizens a nearly two-hour tour of a system that protects the integrity of the foundation of our democracy: our elections. It’s a system mandated by our state legislature, which is controlled by Republicans. It protects the sanctity of elections here in the great state of Utah.
It’s solid. It’s smart. And every once in a while, it is really cool.
Here are a few highlights from my citizens’ tour — which I urge you to do.
No one is ever alone with ballots. Election officials picking up ballots put them in bags that are locked with zip-ties; they record the lock numbers on a tamper-proof tape on boxes holding ballots in a solid red — until the tape is lifted, when it changes to an impossible-to-miss pattern that says Void/Opened/Void/Opened. Repeatedly. Very James Bond, no?
Neither the ballot counting machine nor the computer holding those votes is connected to the internet.
The clerk’s office has impressive protocols and checklists that ensure all of our votes are counted. Fair and square.
Across this great nation, clerks for counties, cities, towns and villages are doing the same kind of courageous work protecting the ballots we cast and the integrity of our elections.
They are brave and dedicated patriots and public servants.
There are a vocal few who falsely claim that our system is vulnerable to fraud. I think they need to spend a little time, as I did, in the offices of one our guardians of democracy: the county, city, town and village clerks who keep this great country’s elections safe and fair.
Kate Rice
Park City
Canice Hart for County Council
I am writing to voice my endorsement of Canice Harte for Summit County Council.
I have known Canice since I moved to town in January 2016 and became a member of Park City Rotary. Having come to personally know Canice these past six years, I have directly experienced his dedicated effort and leadership in support of our PC community in so many ways. As a take-charge volunteer with multiple Rotary projects (notably Miners Day as well as other projects), Kimball Arts Festival, Search and Rescue, Planning Commission, etc. And I must point out Canice isn’t simply an organizing lead with these projects but quite literally rolls up his sleeves and gets his hands dirty doing the ground work to make such projects successful to the benefit of the organizations he supports and to our community as a whole. His friendly calm demeanor belies the passion he always brings to his efforts. The electorate would do well by placing Canice on the County Council.
Roy Buchta
Park Meadows
Mandy Pomeroy for school board
Park City School Board District 4’s best choice for representative is a vote for Mandy Pomeroy. She has children at three schools and is always on top of current issues facing the district.
I’m a parent of two boys attending Jeremy Ranch Elementary and Treasure Mountain. I met Mandy during the decade I have volunteered for PCSD. Mandy has amazing energy, assesses situations where help is needed and never hesitates raising her hand to volunteer. As a community, we cannot ask for a more present and involved member to represent District 4.
Prior to having her children, Mandy taught elementary school. She continued her love of being in classrooms by substituting for PCSD, even during Covid.
Mandy understands how to coordinate and work with people to accomplish goals and tasks. She has been heavily involved with the Jeremy Ranch Elementary PTO, where she was president for three years and led Teacher Appreciation Week for two years. She took on the demanding job chairing the PCEF’s annual Red Apple Gala for five years, where she’s been instrumental in raising hundreds of thousands of dollars that go directly to our teachers and students. If this isn’t enough, she also gives her time to Mountain Life Church where she has been teaching Sunday School for a number of years. Mandy tirelessly volunteers and dedicates her time selflessly. I am constantly in awe of her energy to accomplish anything that comes her way.
Mandy is such an asset as our current District 4 school board representative. I truly respect Mandy Pomeroy. She has my vote and I hope she will have yours.
Leslie Gleason
Jeremy Ranch
That’s a huge error!
This letter is in response to the guest editorial in the October 5-7 issue by Joe Ann Weber. Ms. Weber stated that her Notice of Property Value & Tax Changes indicated that her property taxes were increasing from just over $5,000 to just under $9,000, a “7.7%” increase. Obviously, the percentage increase does not correspond to the dollar increase, as she noted.
I would urge Ms. Weber to contact the Summit County auditor to correct this error! I am comparing my notice to hers because my 2021 tax was similar to hers. Mine was $4,980 last year and the Notice indicated a 7.8% increase for this year. My taxes increased by $390, for a total of about $5,370, certainly nowhere near the $4,000 increase shown on Ms. Weber’s notice!
I would hope she gets this error corrected and does not pay thousands more than the 7.7% increase that was indicated. Her taxes should have increased by $385, for a total of $,5385.
Perhaps there are others that received an incorrect notice as well. Please check that your tax amount corresponds to your percentage increase!
This seems to be a computer error. If the Summit County auditor has sent out numbers of these incorrect notices, they need to be corrected and re-sent!
Susan Sullivan Haymaker
Park City
Words, actions, and experience matter
As an advocate and activist, it is important for me to see people of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives in leadership positions in our community and in all levels of public service and elected government. When we look to elect people to lead our community at the highest levels, we need these people to have proven varied experience so we can have confidence that they have what it takes to make thoughtful decisions in our collective interest — decisions that are often contentious and may invoke backlash. This experience comes from time on the ground, in challenging and ambiguous settings and environments, and in the community in varied positions of involvement and leadership.
Canice Harte has been an active member of our community for 16 years. As working parents, Canice Harte and Katy Wang, spouses, have two daughters in the Park City School district. Having started two businesses, Canice employed more than 30 people in Summit County. He has dedicated his time and resources to supporting the arts, youth sports and our trails. Canice served on the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission (SBPC) for seven years, and on numerous committees helping to guide the growth and development of our community. Canice served as vice chair and chair of SBPC. Previously, he built and led teams in the Outdoor Product Industry, one of Utah’s nine economic clusters, at The North Face, Patagonia, Salomon and AKU Outdoor. He is a veteran of the Marine Corps, having served our country overseas. He is a leader in Rotary at both the local and state levels, personifying their motto of “Service Above Self.” Canice has proven leadership experience in the military, in business as an entrepreneur and executive, in the community and at numerous nonprofits.
Attention to detail is important in both a candidate and a voter.
These are unprecedented times. Times of volatility, uncertainty, change and ambiguity. Every day we see examples of how local and county governments are the foundation upon which our nation is built and sustained. Summit County led Utah in the response to a global pandemic. These positions are not learning laboratories or resume builders. They are where operational leaders make the tough decisions and accept the responsibilities. I have confidence that Canice possesses situational awareness to make thoughtful decisions. Canice Harte is an operational leader with the understanding, familiarity, passion, and commitment that Summit County Council needs right now.
Please cast your vote for Canice Harte in November.
Donna Matturo McAleer
Pinebrook
Canice Harte for County Council
With the November elections just around the corner, I encourage everyone to investigate each of the candidates’ qualifications and vote accordingly. I am writing this letter to express my support for Canice Harte for County Council.
I have had the pleasure to know Canice for several years, initially working with him when he was the President of the Park City Rotary Club. Canice has been actively volunteering in the community for years through Rotary, the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission, Summit County Search and Rescue, Friends of Summit County Search and Rescue (FSCSAR) and more. I have worked with Canice extensively through FSCSAR and found his enthusiasm, knowledge, decision making, energy, and commitment to the community to be top-notch.
Having been a Marine, small business owner, planning commissioner, community volunteer, and worked in the nonprofit arena has given Canice a robust skill set that will serve him well on the Summit County Council. Please join me in supporting Canice Harte for County Council.
Brett Mickelson
Chair FSCSAR, Summit Park