OGDEN — As he runs for Ogden City Council, Jase Reyneveld feels that private citizens need to take the lead on the direction of the city while the city puts its focus on the bread-and-butter of municipal responsibility.

Among his top priorities if elected to the council, Reyneveld cited improving infrastructure in his district.

“For the next 4-5 years in Ogden, I think we need to make some strategic investments back into infrastructure that’s been dilapidated, especially in the district which I would like to represent — District 1,” he said. “That covers the central business district, a lot of small businesses and material suppliers out in West Ogden and of course the residents. I think that presents a lot of opportunity but also a lot of challenges.”

He said he wants many of the basics of infrastructure made a priority in central Ogden.

“I would like to see more of the budget dedicated to sidewalks, filling potholes, resurfacing streets, making central Ogden feel more like a neighborhood and encouraging people through our actions to clean up their yards and make it a better place overall,” he said.

Reyneveld also said that his vision lines up with the mayor’s on taxes.

“I think the mayor’s efforts are in a really good place,” he said. “I think he’s committed to slowing down any property tax increases. I believe a lot of our residents are struggling, living paycheck-to-paycheck or on a fixed income, so I think those property tax hikes can really affect people’s bottom line.”

He said the city needs to be creative in how it budgets.

“I think this is an extremely challenging time to be in local government,” he said. “We don’t have the luxury of printing money and just borrowing to no end. I really respect what our leaders are doing and I appreciate the challenges of managing a budget. I’m a small business owner and so I know you have to prioritize things. I think the mayor’s heart is in the right place.

Reyneveld also said he’d like to see Ogden grow “organically.”

“I think we can actually do things that are low-cost, but high-impact type of things when it comes to zoning, regulatory policy, fees, licensing and those kinds of things,” he said. “I am a believe in the free market and letting folks do good things and kind of trying to get out of their way.”

He added that he doesn’t see a need for a huge deviation in city policy, but feels that it should be largely driven by the citizens.

“I think there’s a lot of great people who are very committed to this city, I would just like to see a lot of the spark and the innovation come from private citizens, private developers, small businesses because they’re the ones that make the town,” he said. “The corporation of Ogden City is there to facilitate and keep the peace, public safety, infrastructure and things, and then I think you let the small businesses and the people of Ogden pour in.”