The Standard-Examiner Editorial Board recommends that voters support incumbents Joyce F. Brown and Scott Freitag and challenger Dawn Fitzpatrick for Layton City Council.
Brown and Freitag have played an important role in the city's efforts to develop a business environment at the East Gate Business project. We need their continued input and expertise to make sure that tenants are gathered to East Gate and that the city benefits fiscally from it. Both also are innovative thinkers and will work to find ways to mix, in a positive manner, residential living in Layton with business development. We also believe that the pair will continue the council's efforts to take advantage of development opportunities on the city's west side.
The city's economic health is probably the chief issue facing Layton at this moment. Like many other communities, Layton has suffered from the recession. However, it has the potential to bounce back with its many retail areas. Old Downtown is just one example. We like candidate Fitzpatrick's idea of making sure as many Layton residents have input into ideas for revitalization by having focus groups examine the pros and cons of doing business in Layton and finding what works or what needs to be re-evaluated.
Layton still has room for additional parks and other recreational goals. We believe Fitzpatrick, Brown and Freitag are among those committed to making sure priorities and ideas are retained for quality-of-life additions to Layton, including parks, ball fields, trails, etc.
We are also confident that with these three candidates will make Layton city more transparent in its dealings and more open in its government dealings. We believe that the trio can urge the city to take full advantage of social media tools to communicate more effectively with residents, not only in government activities, but as a means of communicating during emergencies.
In the matter of UTOPIA, the high-speed Internet boondoggle that Layton is unfortunately committed to for a long time, we're not thrilled that the city has to pay the tab, but we are confident that Freitag and Fitzpatrick, as well as Brown, will try to do their best to keep costs as low as can be for residents.
Layton is a well-run city, and all its leaders deserve kudos for that. We think the city will continue to be well-managed with Brown, Freitag and Fitzpatrick elected to the city council on Nov. 8.
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