Voters’ Guide: North Logan City Council candidates
October 22nd, 2009 Posted in OpinionBy Amanda Pierce
NORTH LOGAN – Four people are competing for two seats on the North Logan City Council in the general election Nov. 3.
Lucy Peterson Watkins, 60, grew up in Logan and attended Logan High School and Utah State University. She moved to North Logan in 1999 and has lived there since. She decided to run for city council because she believes it is important to give back to the community. Her husband, Cary Watkins, current mayor of North Logan, wasn’t surprised by his wife’s decision to run for council. She said her family has always appreciated her involvement in civic matters.
Watkins said, “I am cognizant to the fact that continuing to plan for the future is of utmost importance. What North Logan will look then is what we accomplish now.”
She said it is important to keep land use consistent so that North Logan can maintain its rural feeling and keep land values high. North Logan is in good financial shape and is heading in the right direction, she said. The commercial development of the city is becoming a reality with projects like the construction of 200 East, the new cemetery and King’s Park, complete with trout pond.
“North Logan has been successful in its development but has also been thoughtful in keeping the rural feel of the city. This type of sensible governing makes North Logan the best place to call home,” Watkins said. She said because she is retired, she has the time to educate herself on the issues and agenda items. She has lived all over the country and has learned what makes a community work, she said.
“I raised two children by myself and developed a very successful career. I had to always look way ahead to form my business plan and goals and I could only depend on myself,” Watkins said. “I am very committed to North Logan. My roots in Cache Valley go back to 1860.”
John Bailey, 66, has lived in North Logan for 36 years. He didn’t consider running for city council until his friends and neighbors asked him to.
“I previously served for 12 years as a member of the Cache County Board of Education and had considered that to be sufficient public office,” Bailey said. “But, having enjoyed living in North Logan all these years, I reconsidered and thought I would try to contribute something back to the city.”
He said North Logan has been a great place to raise his family. He has been given many opportunities to move somewhere else, but has always decided that North Logan is too great to leave. He said that even though all of his children have grown up and moved away from the valley, he has no intention of leaving.
“Trying to decide the best thing about living in North Logan is like trying to pick your favorite food,” Bailey said. He said it is bothersome when people do nothing but complain, without stopping to consider all of the public services they receive.
“I generally consider the public services I receive to be a bargain and wish more citizens would acknowledge the good things our local government achieves.”
Bailey said he hopes his experience as a school board member and as director of a multi-county public service department for 31 years would make him a useful member of the city council.
“I don’t have any particular ax to grind or agenda. I’m just interested in taking my turn in serving the town in an official capacity,” Bailey said. “I will encourage increased citizen participation in our town’s affairs and foster public discussion that is open, civil, logical and creative.”
L. Alan Collins said he decided to run for city council after being nominated by a group of North Logan citizens from three different voting districts.
“I am not seeking office with a personal agenda,” he said. “My commitment to you is to serve the residents of North Logan, to work on the issues we all face and to help keep North Logan a wonderful place to live.”
Collins said he has a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science and an MBA. He has a background in family farming, engineering, and patent law. He said he has co-chaired a citizen’s committee, volunteered in search and rescue, and is Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) trained.
He said he will not add any new taxes without first getting approval from the people. “Your money is your property. While the city may have the legal right to tax you, I believe it does not have the moral right to take your property without your permission.”
One problem in North Logan is the approval of subdivisions without roads that can meet the traffic capacity, which causes congestion on roads that aren’t designed for the increase in traffic, Collins said. He said he will not vote for any new development without first having adequate roads in place.
“Most in North Logan aren’t interested in living in the Salt Lake City area,” Collins said. “North Logan and South Salt Lake are nearly the same size. South Salt Lake has 4 percent open space. North Logan’s master plan calls for 4 percent open space as well – meaning we are on a path to become another South Salt Lake City. My commitment to you is to work to fix our master plan and to protect our open space and agriculture.
Nancy Potter said she has been very involved in North Logan. She was a city council member from 2000 to 2002, has been chairwoman of the Cemetery Committee since 1998, is a board member of USU Community Associates, was a co-advisor for the North Logan Youth Council from 1998-2006, was the director for the North Logan Dairy Princess Pageant from 1989-2007, was a chairperson for the North Logan Pioneer Day Celebration from 1991-1993 and is the president and board member of the North Park Elementary PTA.
Potter said she was raised in North Logan, has lived there for a long time and is now the mother of three children. She is the manager of USU Alumni House and previously owned and operated a retail business in North Logan, she said.
While a city council member, she established the North Logan Economic Development Committee and was involved in starting the comprehensive salary study, Potter said. “We must have a well managed city government that stays within budget. The city needs to fund necessary road repairs and construction and properly plan for future growth.”
It is important to keep the city fiscally responsible. She will support only sound economic development and work hard on the budget, she said. She is running for city council to make the city be fiscally responsible. “I have experience serving North Logan city for many years and I am committed to keep it a great place to live and raise a family.”
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