Lynn Ballard for mayor of North Salt Lake
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ften voters are asked to judge a candidate who is a new face with no track record. Lynn Ballard is the opposite. He has a long history of service to North Salt Lake. A member of the city council, he has participated in much of the dull, but important work that makes a small city function.
An unpretentious man with a good sense of humor, Ballard is a well-informed and experienced community leader. He's setting his sights higher this fall, running for mayor of North Salt Lake, and the Standard-Examiner Editorial Board recommends North Salt Lake voters cast their ballots for Ballard.
Ballard understands many of the challenges that face North Salt Lake. He wants Davis County's southernmost city to attract economic development. He will make it a high priority for the mayor, city manager and others in city government. Among his ideas for the city are sales tax incentives and making sure that longtime businesses are treated fairly.
Also, Ballard wants North Salt Lake to have a strong mayor, willing to make tough decisions. In order to promote development or more transit access in North Salt Lake, he's willing to take the time to meet with the governor and state his city's case. He will work hard to lobby the Utah Department of Transportation to get more transit options to North Salt Lake's growing west side.
Speaking of the name North Salt Lake, Ballard favors a name change for the city but only if voters cast ballots for it.
If elected mayor, Ballard strikes us as a leader who would be willing to listen to different ideas about how to improve his city.
Whether the subject is fire or police consolidation of services, or a new waste-transfer station in North Salt Lake, both sides would get a fair hearing from a city leader determined to make sure all checks and balances are covered.
There are a lot of good leaders in North Salt Lake, from the mayor on down. And we hope that Ballard will listen to all ideas if elected, including suggestions from the city manager. We think he will, and we think Ballard deserves serious consideration from North Salt Lake voters.
(View the editorial board's interview with Ballard at www.standard.net. His opponent, incumbent Mayor Shanna Schaefermeyer, was out of the country and unavailable to meet with the board.)
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