TAYLORSVILLE — Mayor Janice Auger has been involved with city government since Taylorsville became a city in 1996. She's been mayor for the past eight years and was a City Council member before that.
But at the end of this year, she is saying good-bye to city government so she can spend more time with her family.
Auger's retirement leaves a vacancy in the mayor's office that four people — including a man who has worked with her as a City Council member the past four years — are vying to fill in the Oct. 4 primary election. That election will reduce the field to two, who will face off in the general election Nov. 8.
The city is dealing with the growth spurt that has hit the Salt Lake Valley's west side, and Taylorsville has seen a lot of change in recent years. Earlier this year, Taylorsville ended its contract with the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office and formed its own police department. Recent hot topics in the city have included a drive to clean up the overused Millrace dog park and the opening of a new Wal-Mart Supercenter.
The candidates were asked to respond to a questionnaire from the Deseret Morning News. Summaries of their responses follow:
Roger K. Belgard, 69, a retired employee of the Union Pacific Railroad, said Taylorsville's teenagers are among his top priorities. As mayor, he would address the problem of high school dropouts and "help the schoolteachers." He also wants to focus on police officers, who he says "have always been underpaid. Without these officers, we wouldn't be able to sleep at night, but since they are there, we all sleep comfortable." He praised Auger, saying she will be missed, adding, "She was great. Look at her city — a far better place to live now than when she took office. She will always be my role model." This is Belgard's first foray into politics.
Richard T. Morley, 55, said business development and jobs are his top priorities. He said the next mayor should work on "keeping the city safe and friendly to all, including business. I support the police department in this endeavor and applaud all the work that has gone on to work toward that end. But we need to move forward with an even clearer picture of what a city can be and plan for our children's future." Morley has no previous political experience.
David Mouritsen, 41, a counselor with Valley Mental Health, ran for the state House of Representatives District 34 seat as a Democrat last year, garnering 3,690 votes and losing to incumbent Republican Kory M. Holdaway by fewer than 2,000 votes. He said his biggest concerns as mayor would be "to maintain a balanced budget, reduce waste, enforce the ordinances of the city and provide an open forum of government." He said he would evaluate every city department to weed out waste while ensuring that the city hires "the finest possible people to provide optimum services." He also said he would open his office to a public forum at least one day a week and push for residents' voices to be heard in City Council meetings.
Russ Wall, 48, the current chairman of the City Council and a council member for the past four years, said economic development is a top issue in Taylorsville. The heating and air conditioning contractor said the city needs business for "the bulk of our tax revenue. Attracting new and retaining existing businesses are crucial to our economic well-being." He said another area of concern is ordinance enforcement. "Failure to adequately enforce city ordinances breaks down the fabric of the community and leads to decreased property values and increased crime." He said the city needs to ensure it conducts "friendly, fair, fast and convenient" business with its residents. "A city owes its citizens good customer service," he said.
E-mail: dsmeath@desnews.com