SPANISH FORK — While some residents are still questioning the deal, city officials in Spanish Fork are moving forward with plans to relocate the city's North Park as part of an effort to bring two major retailers to the north end of town.
If approved, the deal would move the city's 15-acre North Park a few hundred feet to the northeast in the 40-acre plot located just south of the interchange between I-15 and U.S. 6. The move is intended to free up the frontage space along 1000 North for retail development.
Some residents have questioned whether Spanish Fork Mayor Joe Thomas, whose family owns a little more than 3 acres of the 40 acres in question, has a conflict of interest in the deal. His family's land has a market value of just over $250,000, according to county records, and contains a mobile home park with 15 homes on it, whose residents would be displaced.
The potential conflict has been brought up by residents in city meetings, but in an interview last week with the Deseret Morning News, Thomas emphatically denied that such a conflict exists.
"There is no conflict of interest ... this is for the city," he said. "This has nothing to do with me making a dime. I couldn't care less about that."
Thomas said the city had been approached by the would-be developer before he was elected last November. After attending a meeting with developers prior to being sworn in, Thomas said he was convinced it would be a positive development for the city and returned to his father, who had previously rebuffed inquiries regarding the land's availability, in the capacity of mayor.
"My family could have made this money any time, but I asked them to reconsider this time on behalf of the city," Thomas said.
Thomas added that he has not taken part in the negotiations between developers and his family, and every meeting on the issue he has attended he has done so in his capacity as mayor. He added that his father insisted that a provision in the contract be included that would require the developer to find places for displaced residents to go.
"I believe that's in the contract because (Thomas' father) is a good man," said Valerie Shepherd, a resident in the mobile home park.
Shepherd, like many of her neighbors, said she understands that business is business and can see the city's point of view in encouraging commercial development. She just doesn't understand why it has to be over their homes, and like others, is becoming frustrated with watching and waiting.
"All we've heard is that we'll be compensated," she said. "That doesn't tell us anything. What does compensate mean? I'd rather you just tell me what's going on and I'll deal with it."
Shepherd lives alone and works from home for the state. If she had to move, she said, she probably could afford it. The same isn't necessarily true for other residents, however, such as Brenda Vaifo'ou, a single mother who works at Sam's Club to help care for three children and three grandchildren. Her home is paid off, but she pays $250 rent each month for the spot and utilities. Her home cannot be moved.
"My fear is that I could never rent a place or find a home for $250 a month," she said. "If (the development) comes in, it comes in. I just want to be taken care of. That's what it boils down to."
Thomas said the city has been as open as it can about the process, and made the information public the first chance it got. One of the unnamed retailers has already signed to build on the site, and negotiations with the second retailer are progressing, he said. Once that is in place, he said, residents of the mobile home park will be the first priority, though the developer has already been working on finding a spot for them to relocate.
"They'll know as quickly as possible," Thomas said.
The bottom line, Thomas said, is that the deal is a win for the city overall.
"The tax revenue benefits everyone, but that's not my primary concern here," Thomas said. "I like the idea of being able to shop here in Spanish Fork."
E-mail: jtwitchell@desnews.com