When Santaquin voters head for the polls Nov. 7 they will be deciding whether to keep their current mayor or choose one of two other candidates running for the post.

D. Lynn Crook has been mayor for the past two years and faces opposition from Daniel M. Olson and Clyde Brown.

Keith Broadhead, Lisa Theodore, Gerald "Judd" Fowkes and Elden Greenhalgh are running for two City Council seats. Greenhalgh entered the race as a write-in candidate after Ned Rushton withdrew because of health reasons.

The issue that most candidates feel is important to Santaquin is the city's water system. The candidates say the city's lawsuit against Genola over the water system needs to be resolved. Years ago Santaquin sold water rights to Genola but recently filed suit asking Genola to share in maintenance and chlorination costs. The water system also needs to be upgraded so the city can attract new industry.

Other key issues are street maintenance, child-pedestrian safety, a balanced budget and a progressive attitude among town leaders.

Mayor

D. Lynn Crook, 71, is a retired insurance salesman who has more than 10 years of experience as Santaquin's mayor. He was mayor from 1952 to 1962 and has held the position the past two years. He and his wife have four children and now operate a small orchard.

Crook says he wants to stay in office to see the water issue with Genola resolved. "I think it needs to be straightened out, and it's close to being straightened out," he said.

He also wants the city to construct a pipeline from the irrigation system to the city park and cemetery so more culinary water can be made available to business and industry.

Daniel M. Olson, 34, is a design engineer for Eyring Research. He served as a city councilman from 1981 to 1985 and as mayor pro-tem for six months in 1985. He and his wife, Cauleen, have five children.

Olson says Santaquin needs to strengthen its business district and attract new industry. It needs to spotlight its assets and build a tax base to relieve the current tax burden.

"I want to show new prospects what we can offer because we are a virtual untapped resource . . . because we will not survive on the precept that our few businesses and the peoples' taxes will carry us as it has for so many years," he said.

Mayoral candidate Clyde Brown declined to be interviewed.

City Council

Lisa Theodore and her husband, Tedd, are the parents of eight children. She is a homemaker who feels her concern for children can make Santaquin a safer place to live. She wants to see more emphasis placed on getting children to and from school more safely.

She also says Santaquin needs a more progressive attitude. "I think there needs to be progress in a small town or it will soon start to look like a ghost town," she said.

Gerald "Judd" Fowkes is a retired heavy-equipment operator who served four years as a Santaquin councilman during the 1950s. He and his wife, Martha, are the parents of seven children.

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Fowkes says he is satisfied with the current council's goals and wants to continue those efforts. He wants to see the town's water system improved.

He also says it is important to eliminate all overspending in the budget. "I think that when the council sets a budget that everybody should stick to it," he said.

Keith Broadhead, 31, and his wife, Kim, are the parents of three children. He is employed as a backhoe operator and is serving on Santaquin's volunteer fire department.

Broadhead says he is not taking any stand on any particular issues during his campaign. If elected, he then will research the issues and decide what is in the best interest of the citizens of Santaquin.

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