Ogden Valley City Council hopefuls for districts 1, 2 outline platforms ahead of primary election
-
- The Eden area in the Ogden Valley, photographed April 4, 2022.
-
- Ogden Valley City Council candidate Chelsea Argyle.
-
- Ogden Valley City Council candidate Chris Caldwell.
-
- Ogden Valley City Council candidate Tia Shaw.
-
- Ogden Valley City Council candidate Michael Zindel.
-
- Ogden Valley City Council candidate Peggy Dooling-Baker.
-
- Ogden Valley City Council candidate Rick Kelson and family.
-
- Ogden Valley City Council candidate Abe Wangsgard.
The 2025 municipal primary election will be held Aug. 12, bringing with it the first opportunity for Ogden Valley residents to take part in the shaping of their new local government. During November 2024’s general election, Ogden Valley voters overwhelmingly supported incorporation and opted for a five-member city council to be selected by district and an at-large mayor.
Voters are now tasked with narrowing the field of candidates for the 2025 general election.
To help readers better understand their respective platforms and qualifications, the Standard-Examiner asked each City Council candidate a series of questions. Candidates were asked to provide answers of roughly 150 words. The responses from candidates in districts 1 and 2 are presented below.
Some responses have been lightly edited for stylistic purposes or clarity.
This feature is part of a series; information on candidates from districts 3, 4 and 5 will be published at a later date.
District 1 (two-year term)
Chelsea Argyle
What (if any) prior or ongoing political/organizational experience do you have?
“This is new to me, other than attending legislative sessions sponsored by the Utah Education Association.”
Why are you running for this position?
“I’m running for city council because I believe it’s not enough to sit on the sidelines — we need leaders who are willing to listen first and speak second. I don’t come to this campaign with a personal agenda. I believe the government should reflect the people it serves. I am committed to listening with respect, considering all perspectives and working collaboratively.
“Ogden Valley isn’t just where I live — it’s home. I’ve been part of this community for over 25 years, and my husband is a lifelong resident. Together, we’ve raised our family here, and I am blessed to have the opportunity to teach at our local elementary school.”
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing your municipality?
“Our biggest challenge will be unity in creating all the parts a new city requires. It is going to take time, research and open minds. We can make this city successful with kindness and respect to one another as we try to work out differences and really try to understand one another.”
If elected, what would be your priorities?
“If elected, my top priority will be to get together as a council to look at what the transition teams in our valley have put together with hours of research in different teams and sub-groups. These teams have pulled together recommendations for administration, public works and information technology, and planning and land use. In these teams, there have been sub-groups who have researched finance and revenue, admin and organizational design, city operations such as roads, snow removal, animal control, and building inspection permits. We have had a group, which all are welcome to join, that is going over county ordinances regarding zoning, land use and other codes which we will need to make our own as a new city.”
Where should people go to get more information about your campaign?
“https://www.facebook.com/share/19KNRQ8JcP/”
Chris Caldwell
What (if any) prior or ongoing political/organizational experience do you have?
“I have been attending the Ogden Valley Volunteer meetings. I also watched and volunteered along with my father as he volunteered in the incorporation of West Haven. I also grew up helping my grandpa in his mayoral duties as mayor of Sugar City, Idaho.”
Why are you running for this position?
“I’m running for this office to help focus on our future. I want to preserve the historical and agricultural aspects of our city while building up our future. This place is a piece of Heaven, and the preservation of it to give to our children motivates me. ”
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing your municipality?
“No. 1 — utilities and being able to support the future. No. 2 — pressure from developers. No. 3 — initial gaps in services due to startup pains.”
If elected, what would be your priorities?
“No. 1 — new city ordinance that reflects the unique needs of the valley. No. 2 — interlocal agreements for city services. Usually, cities initially contract with the county for services and negotiate other sources over time as needs and resources arise. No. 3 — budget. Get with the transition team and see where the concerns and gaps are. No. 4 — see where we are with the general plan. Bring it up to date and put it into law. No. 5 — utilities to support the future.”
Where should people go to get more information about your campaign?
Tia Shaw
What (if any) prior or ongoing political/organizational experience do you have?
“No prior political experience, but as a retired school counselor, I have extensive organizational experience.”
Why are you running for this position?
“I am running for this position because I want to have a voice in what happens with the newly incorporated Ogden Valley. I would like to see responsible growth that keeps the rural charm of Ogden Valley and aligns with what the people who live in the valley want for their community.
“I have lived in this valley for over 37 years on land that has been in the Shaw family for over 100 years. My family’s roots run deep in this valley. My husband and I raised our children here. They also love their valley roots. They don’t live here because they have been priced out of the valley. The Ogden Valley general plan was created to address issues like this, but it has been used more as a guideline than a regulation. I would like to see that changed. ”
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing your municipality?
“I think the biggest challenges facing our municipality are infrastructure and water. Our infrastructure is not sufficient for the proposed growth. Our roads aren’t sufficient for increased traffic. Our community is agricultural and I want to see it stay that way. With building comes the need for water. The water in the valley is limited. Building that will take away from the already existing water rights of the current valley residents shouldn’t be approved.”
If elected, what would be your priorities?
“My priorities are the rising taxes here in the valley. Our taxes increase every year due to increased property values. My house is overvalued in my opinion. High property costs with the accompanying high taxes make it so only those who are wealthy enough can afford to live up here. If I didn’t already live here, I wouldn’t be able to afford to now. Another priority is keeping the rural charm of our valley. People come here for the beauty of this place, but irresponsible growth will change that. We have an Ogden Valley general plan that may need a few tweaks, but is pretty well thought out overall. It’s only been used as a guideline and I would like to see it enforced more.”
Where should people go to get more information about your campaign?
“https://tiashaw.my.canva.site/”
Michael Zindel
What (if any) prior or ongoing political/organizational experience do you have?
“County Special Service District.”
Why are you running for this position?
“I will ensure our new city is established and operated in a way that reflects the valley’s culture and vision for the future.”
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing your municipality?
“How we establish our city will directly determine the next 20 years of our valley’s future. We need to make sure we pick the best person for the job. Vote for me and we’ll get it done!”
If elected, what would be your priorities?
“Ensuring our city is established in a fair fashion that prevents unfair schemes or situations that result in the transfer of taxpayer funds to special deals, special interests and anything else that contradicts the interests of our community.”
Where should people go to get more information about your campaign?
“https://www.libertybb.net/michael”
The Standard-Examiner did not receive a response from District 1 candidate Raymond Higuera.
District 2 (four-year term)
Peggy Dooling-Baker
What (if any) prior or ongoing political/organizational experience do you have?
“I am a retired school administrator from the Ogden City School District with 36 years in education. I was privileged to be an elementary school principal, then a high school assistant principal. Next, I was asked to go to a junior high school as their principal, and I finished my career as the director of special education. These were all growing experiences in leadership, organization, working with teams and community building.
“As I think about the council seat, I see many similarities to the responsibilities I had as a school administrator. Skills such as building and managing budgets with tight resources and accounting for every dollar, making sure we are staffed with quality employees, being compliant with state and federal laws, involving community members, writing plans and ordinances, and moving the team toward our shared vision. I believe my skills in running schools will make me a great council member for our new city.”
Why are you running for this position?
“I am running so our residents in District 2 have a voice in the future development of our new city. As a 40-year Nordic Valley resident, I have worked with neighbors to share our concerns and ideas with the county commissioners about the massive resort proposed for our neighborhood. Unfortunately, fifty-two acres of open space were rezoned to allow for the building of 800 short-term rental units. We did not support this rezone, nor did we support the massive plans to develop in our neighborhood.
“The large scale of this development will destroy our area with increased hardscape, leaving fewer natural surroundings. It will have future consequences for everyone with increased traffic, air and noise pollution and loss of natural spaces and wildlife habitats. I am running to ensure massive development in our valley does not tear other neighborhoods apart or detract from the natural beauty and character of our valley. I am running to represent the residents in District 2 to balance residents’ needs with tourism and short-term rentals.”
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing your municipality?
“The biggest issues we face as we build our new city are water availability, development and infrastructure, and short-term rentals. All three issues are complex and will take a ‘valley’ to solve. Much work has been done by the transition teams, and we should build on that work. However, much more work needs to be done in a very short period of time.
“We need to write effective ordinances, starting with current data and facts. For example, we have not received complete water information. We need to get the facts, then face the facts as a community to create a sustainable plan. Same with development and infrastructure; we need to know what has been approved and where to coordinate infrastructure construction. We need to know the facts before we move ahead. Regarding short-term rentals, we need to review current data on where they are located, how many units are operating, and know the enforcement concerns.
“When we can answer the current trends, then we write effective ordinances. As a retired educator, I have the skills, work ethic and time to ensure our new city is functional in a very short, two-month time frame.”
If elected, what would be your priorities?
“Tremendous amounts of work need to be done in a very short period of time, starting with setting up the city’s organizational structure. I will prioritize creating citizen advisory groups to advise on major issues. The first assignment will be working with the community to select a name for our new city! Meanwhile, the elected city council members will need to set up an organizational structure, including staffing and land-use ordinances. This is a unique opportunity for elected officials to set up the inner workings of a city while simultaneously building on the excitement to capture the vision for our future!”
Where should people go to get more information about your campaign?
“Peggy Dooling-Baker on Facebook.”
Rick Kelson
What (if any) prior or ongoing political/organizational experience do you have?
“I don’t come from a political background — and I think that’s a good thing. What I bring is 15 years of experience as a teacher and vice principal, where I’ve worked to solve real problems, listen to all sides and build common ground. In education, there’s no room for grandstanding — just patience, planning and working with people from all walks of life to get things done. That’s the kind of steady, practical leadership I want to bring to city council.
“I don’t have outside influences or special interests pulling me in any direction. My only priority is what’s best for Ogden Valley. I’m a valley-first candidate because I live here, have worked here and raise my family here. I care about preserving what makes this place special and making thoughtful decisions that serve our residents — not agendas. ”
Why are you running for this position?
“I’m running for city council to protect what makes Ogden Valley special — its community, values and way of life. I’ve lived here since junior high, bagged groceries at Valley Market, cooked at The Oaks and now I’m raising my own family in the same valley that shaped me. I want my daughters — and everyone’s kids — to grow up with the same opportunities and sense of pride in this place that I had.
“I bring 15 years of experience as a teacher and vice principal, where I learned how to listen, build consensus and solve problems without the drama. I’m not tied to developers or political interests — I’m here to represent the people who live and work in the valley.
“I’ll fight to keep taxes fair, guide smart and balanced growth, and ensure local voices are heard. I’m running to keep Ogden Valley, Ogden Valley.”
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing your municipality?
“Ogden Valley is facing real challenges, and I’m running to help address them head-on. First, property taxes are becoming unbearable for many — especially retirees and families who have lived here for decades. No one should be forced to leave their home just because they can’t budget for rising taxes. We need to keep taxes fair and in line with when we were part of Weber County — the revenue is here already. We need smart spending.
“Second, construction and traffic planning are frustrating and inefficient. Projects need to be coordinated so we’re not stuck in unnecessary delays or back-to-back road closures.
“Lastly, healthy growth means finding a balance — not giving in to unchecked development or freezing the valley in time. If developers are unhappy and long-time residents are uneasy, we’re probably doing something right. Real compromise means listening to everyone, not just the loudest.”
If elected, what would be your priorities?
“Keep taxes fair — protect residents from being priced out of their homes by keeping property taxes no higher than when we were part of Weber County. Smarter infrastructure planning — coordinate construction and road projects to reduce traffic headaches and increase efficiency. Balanced, healthy growth — support thoughtful development that respects both long-time residents and future needs. If both sides feel a little uncomfortable, we’re likely in the right spot. Put the valley first — no special interests, no outside pressure, just practical, community-focused leadership to protect what makes Ogden Valley special.”
Where should people go to get more information about your campaign?
“My email: rickkelson@hotmail.com”
Abe Wangsgard
What (if any) prior or ongoing political/organizational experience do you have?
“I have over 20 years of municipal experience.”
Why are you running for this position?
“My family has been farming and calling this valley home for six generations and counting. This is something I am proud of and would like to see continue for hopefully many more to come. I fear for the direction this valley could be headed. At the current pace, this won’t be possible for my family and others. It is my goal to preserve open space and support slow, smart growth while keeping taxes low and not pricing locals out. I believe my over 20 years of municipal experience working in various positions gives me a unique and strong perspective to help accomplish these goals.”
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing your municipality?
“In my opinion, overdevelopment and high taxes are the biggest challenges this valley faces. I understand there will be other challenges that will come with each issue. For example, with development comes the challenge of water usage. I have decades of water experience, and I’m currently serving as water superintendent for a fairly large city. I’ve also worked for several systems here in the valley — being a farmer, water is our lifeblood.
“Running a city can be costly between buildings, equipment and employees. We are inheriting aging and in some cases failing infrastructure, and most everything we want to change will come with a cost. I have dealt with many of these issues while helping to oversee budgets and find solutions.”
If elected, what would be your priorities?
“Our main focus needs to be working with transition teams to take all of the great information they have gathered to get the city up and running. This in itself will be an enormous task. I would encourage slow, smart development, overseeing development to ensure we keep the unique small-town feel that we all enjoy.
“I will advocate to preserve open spaces for the enjoyment of everyone. With the loss of our open space, we will lose what makes this valley so special. I would strongly push for affordable taxes. Every improvement we want to make will come with a cost, but I believe by making well-thought-out decisions, we can accomplish quality improvements at an affordable cost.”
Where should people go to get more information about your campaign?
“https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578588003371“
Local News
Briefs: Fraudulent text messages targeting Utah motorists
Ogden Valley City Council hopefuls for districts 1, 2 outline platforms ahead of primary election
