Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Highland City Council Preview: 18-May-2021

Below is the most recent “2-Minute Tuesday” video from Utah’s Highlander summarizing the May 4th council meeting. Fans of the movie Caddyshack will especially appreciate this edition.

There are several interesting agenda items including:

  • A proposed increase to the culinary water fee.
  • Proposed changes to the city fence code.
  • A resolution to start the process for putting a RAP tax on the ballot this fall.
  • Approval of this year’s road rehabilitation contract

Highland East-West Connector History

This post was originally developed to support a May 26, 2016 with Representative Kennedy and Senator Dayton, where the East-West Connector road was be discussed. As the road was opened on May 15th I’ve updated the document to reflect the important milestones since 2016 that led to the completion of the project. 

For over 40 years an East-West Corridor road has been a part of Highland’s Master Plan. The 1980 Master Street Plan below shows two alternate routes (highlighted in yellow).

1980-06-13 Street Master Plan

Monday, May 10, 2021

Civility in Politics

I wrote the following regarding civility in politics nearly eleven years ago (July 19, 2010). It is probably more relevant today than it was then. The lessons I learned apply not only to elections but also to the day in day out battles over issues. Civility does not mean compromising on principles but does mean listening, being willing to see things from another’s point of view, looking for common ground, and often taking the high road when opponents don’t.


It has been about a month since the primary election, and I feel settled enough to have a good mental review of my experience. Even though the candidate I worked to support lost I would do it all again. Of course, there are things I would do differently. It would be sad if this were not the case because that would mean I learned nothing. Let me share with you some of the positives.

Monday, May 3, 2021

Highland City Council Preview: 4-May-2021

Here's the most recent two-minute Tuesday video from our council meeting on 4/20. For those of us who are not “hip” 420 is a noun which is used to refer to marijuana or to the act of smoking marijuana (eg. "a 420-friendly hotel").

For Tuesday’s meeting there are several interesting agenda items including:

  • Tentative budget approvals for the city and Lone Peak Public Safety District. The final budget is generally on the agenda on the first meeting in June.
  • A preliminary plat for Sunrise Farms - 13.57 acres located on the north side of the “long horn” property which is across the street from the city cemetery.
  • A change in nuisance ordinances relative to noise. The change will make our code more consistent and more enforceable.