LLOYD: A vote of confidence for the new Ogden Valley City
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- Fall foliage is shown in Ogden Canyon and Ogden Valley around Pineview Reservoir and the Art Nord area near Old Snowbasin Road on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023.
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- Jared Lloyd
I can’t say I’ve spent much time in Ogden Valley in the last couple of decades. I’ve visited a few times for recreation but certainly haven’t been all that familiar with the political challenges of the area.
That changed in the last few weeks as I was contacted and invited to be an impartial outside moderator for a series of debates for the new Ogden Valley City, three for city council seats and also for the mayoral debate.
I felt like it was a great opportunity to get to know the area better and get insight into the opportunities and challenges that residents in the area are facing.
Those debates took place on Monday and Tuesday evenings, and I found them to be as intriguing and enjoyable as I expected them to be.
It’s the first chance to see some of the ins and outs of a city that is incorporating, basically starting from scratch. It’s facing the monumental task of figuring out necessary services and organizations while having some major budget challenges.
I learned that the decision to create a new city was driven by frustrations with Weber County and concerns about the balance between growth and maintaining the small mountain-town feel of places like Liberty, Eden and Huntsville. While enough residents felt like incorporating was the right decision, a sizeable number had doubts about whether it was the direction they wanted to go.
But they all know now that, like it or not, this is now the road they’ve chosen and they’ve got to make the most of it.
As I researched the topics and received insight from the community about the questions they wanted the candidates to discuss, I came to see that Ogden Valley City (or whatever the city ends up being called) definitely has a lot of work in front of it.
It’s got to get basic maintenance in place (snow removal is definitely a big deal in winter) and develop methods to communicate. It’s got to see whether it can get past the disagreements and work well with Weber County. It’s got to address growth and water and public safety.
But as I stood in front of hundreds of residents for the debates and listened to the candidates explain their views and perspectives, I came to another conclusion:
These candidates really care.
The eight candidates who I got the chance to listen to in person all bring their own skills, experiences and strengths to the table. They have different backgrounds but I found myself feeling like I could see any of them stepping up to fill the roles and having key insights as things get rolling.
They were prepared, talking about details and vision as each question was brought up.
They have been working together, collaborating as a group and with the Transition Team to attempt to create a solid foundation to start from.
They generally had a lot of respect for each other, despite being opponents in the various races and not always agreeing on the best way forward.
But the thing that struck me most deeply was just how much they want their hometown area to succeed in this new venture. Their passion and energy and determination are the qualities that I think will truly be the most impactful for Ogden Valley.
I think it’s safe to say there are tough days ahead for whoever wins the November elections. There will be mistakes and things that were overlooked and people who are frustrated.
It comes with the job.
But my impressions is that these women and men will face those challenges by giving the new city their very best. What more can you ask?
My takeaway from the candidates and residents that I talked to is that Ogden Valley City has earned a vote of confidence — not for any specific candidate but for the collective group and what I think they are capable of doing together.
I wish them and the citizens of the new Ogden Valley City the very best as they move forward.
Jared Lloyd is the managing editor for the Standard-Examiner.
