Mayor’s Minute - May 15, 2023

we need your participation 

A message from John Pohlman

This Mayor's Message is to urge residents to participate in the upcoming caucus night, which is part of Fruit Heights’ election process. This week is a critical time for our community, and your help is needed more than ever. If you have any desire to participate in the decision-making process and to help shape the future of Fruit Heights, we need you to attend the meeting and consider running for one of the three available City Council seats. 

As mayor, I have seen firsthand the impact that local government can have on our lives. From the quality of infrastructure to the safety of our streets, the decisions made by our elected officials affect us all. We will fill the general election ballot next week by nominating six people in two different caucus rooms (Pinecone and Sagebrush) to run for the three available City Council seats.

I understand that getting involved and even voting can sometimes seem like a hassle or an inconvenience, but I want to emphasize that it is one of the most important rights and responsibilities we have as citizens. By being involved in the election process, you are helping to ensure that your voice is heard and that our city represents the will of the people.

Please come to the caucus meeting this Thursday, May 18, and be willing to participate in Fruit Heights’ political process. I want to thank you for your dedication to our community and our democracy. Your participation in the upcoming election is essential to ensuring a bright and prosperous future for us all. So please, make your voice heard and exercise your right to vote.

Sincerely,

John Pohlman

Mayor’s Minute - June 15, 2022
 A message from John Pohlman

Change can be very difficult for people, especially when they haven’t been able to listen to all the discussions about a topic. As a city, we have tried to communicate about road and utility projects, UDOT’s highway 89 project, park/playground changes and many other updates over the years. As your Mayor, I hold cottage meetings with neighborhoods to discuss concerns and address specific issues. For the past few years, the city has communicated with residents through the City website, the quarterly Ridgerunner newsletter, Facebook posts, and flyers. We also use the Community Core Council (CCC) and Youth City Council (YCC) to push out information to residents. I would like to ask if there are any other methods we can use to communicate more effectively with you? 
 
At this time, I would like to explain a couple of changes the City has spent countless hours discussing and recently decided to move forward with. 

1) The City has been printing, stuffing, and mailing utility bills to residents on a monthly basis. This service has become too much of an expense when we could easily send an email with the same information. As of August 1st, the city will no longer mail monthly utility bills to residents for free. If you choose to receive a physical copy of this invoice instead of an email, there will be an added $2.00 fee included on your monthly bill. This fee will be automatically included on your statement to cover the costs for printing and mailing out statements. 
 
2) On July 1^st, you may or may not notice the City is going to transition our contracted Fire and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) provider to Farmington City. We have received these services from Kaysville Fire Department since the early 1970s, and they have done a great job providing us with a quality service. At this time, I and the City Council feel it is in our best interest to join or create a fire district that would allow Fruit Heights to have a voice in the future on how the services are provided and how the costs are allocated. 
 
Starting in July, you may see an ambulance located in the city every day, and a fire truck will be stationed within city limits during the peak fire season (July 1st-Aug 1st). We feel these changes will allow us to receive a quick response to our emergencies as well as provide us an opportunity to create or join a fire district within the next couple of years. 
 
If anyone has any concerns with these changes, I welcome the opportunity to have a conversation with you. Please send me an email or call, and I would be happy to listen to your concerns. 
 
Thank you, 
 
John Pohlman

Support, Value, & Appreciation 

Fruit Heights Mayor's Message April 2022

I am very concerned about our teachers! Undoubtedly, the teachers and administrators in our public schools have carried a heavy burden over the last several years, a heavier burden than they were already carrying. On more than one occasion, it has been brought to my attention that we have developed a general lack of respect and overall appreciation for the teachers in our public schools. There is a lot of burn-out felt within the schools, teachers and administrators are required to do more, and many of the students and parents have lost a sense of civility, each wanting to blame someone else for their challenges. The blame is often pointed toward the teachers. This is unacceptable in our community! We must recognize how much we, as a society, need quality educators.

“A country that fails to value its teachers, fails to value its future.” (David Puttnam)

 I took some time to research how I can personally help the situation and a friend referred me to an Instagram post from Brooke Romney, a Davis County resident. She outlined a few things that we (as parents and community members) can do to show appreciation to our teachers and administrators. Below are a few suggestions, and I would ask everyone who reads this message to do one of them within the next couple weeks, even if you don’t have a student in the education system.

• Write a thank you note to a teacher or the principal of a nearby school
• Ask the teachers if there are any concerns you can talk with your child about
• If there are problems with your child at school, be willing to listen, support and solve the problem
• When you see something good happen at a school, share the situation with others
• If you have a difficult child, do all you can to support the teachers and help to improve the learning environment in the classroom
• Volunteer at the school as a PTO member, Community Council member, or as a classroom aid
• Even if you don’t have a child in school, help to supply the classrooms with needed materials (Clorox wipes, glue sticks, Kleenex, pencils, or snacks)
• Write an email to the principal outlining everything going well at the school      

In summary, there is a pressing need to cultivate civility in our schools and to maintain a respectful climate, one where our teachers feel supported and know we value them. We all must participate. Our future depends on it!

Pinecones & Sagebrush?

Fruit Heights Mayors Message Oct 2021

With elections now underway, many residents have asked questions about,  or have made jokes about the unique election process in Fruit Heights City. Afterall, who chooses party names such as PINECONE and SAGEBRUSH!? This “Mayor’s Message” is intended to address some of those questions so all will understand how our unique election process works. I must admit, when I first heard of the “Pinecone” and “Sagebrush” parties, I was skeptical. After becoming more informed, I have learned the benefits of a caucus vs a primary election and I have come to appreciate the heritage that this city continues to value for our election process.  

Many years ago, the Town Council decided that municipal elections should be non-partisan, so national politics did not interfere with our local elections. They also decided to hold a convention to ensure we always had a choice for each vacant position on the ballot. 

According to Forest Barker, Brig Harvey suggested that since he was a sheepherder and had so much open land that one of the parties should be the Sagebrush Party.  Mr. Barker, who lived among the pines, suggested that one of the parties should be the Pinecone Party. They didn’t want to use names like liberty, people’s party, or citizen’s choice party to avoid confusion with national political platforms.  

Every two years, caucus meetings are held at Fruit Heights City Hall to decide who will be running for office.  Party chairs are charged to ensure that each party has candidates who will run for each open seat, so we don’t have an unopposed candidate. On the November ballot you will notice the parties are listed next to the candidate’s name. As a voter, you can choose one Mayoral candidate and two City Council candidates, no matter of their party affiliation, Pinecone or Sagebrush. 

This unique process saves our city significant costs because we don’t have to pay to prepare, print, and mail out all the primary ballots. It also has proven to be a benefit because we are able to fill a ballot with quality candidates and provide choices to our residents, unlike several cities in Davis County who have candidates running unopposed.  

Please take a few minutes to complete your ballot and turn it in before November 2^nd. To help with ballot collection, there is a Red Ballot Drop Box that is safe and secure for residents to drop off their ballot any time, day or night. It is located on the south side of the parking lot at the city office building.  

If you have any questions regarding voting, you can contact the Fruit Heights City Office at 801-546-0861

FIREWORKS 2021

June 24, 2021

Dear Fruit Heights City Residents,

The 4^th of July weekend is upon us, and I want to send out a quick word of caution to everyone who chooses to celebrate with fireworks. Please, please, please do so with extreme caution. The City Council passed a firework restriction ordinance to ban fireworks in areas of the city with lots of vegetation. The City is going to do as much as we can, utilizing the Sherriff, to enforce these restrictions. I would also encourage everyone to be mindful and show respect to your neighbors. Those who have small kids and pets in the house do not enjoy the noise from the fireworks. Please obey the City’s restrictions and show respect to your neighbors.  

Also, we are in the middle of the driest summer in history, and because of such, the City, County and State have all banned open fires on the hillside. Please call 911 immediately if you see anyone with an open fire. 

Let’s have fun celebrating the fourth of July holiday, but please do so using extreme caution and showing respect to your neighbors.

Sincerely,

John Pohlman
Mayor

WINDSTORM 2020

September 16, 2020

Dear Fruit Heights City Residents,

As you are all aware, we had yet another calamity come our way in 2020. The hurricane winds that blew through our region last week left some scars. Every neighborhood and household have been affected by this misfortune in one way or another.

As a city, we handled our response to this storm differently than we handled the windstorm of 2011. In 2011, Fruit Heights City dedicated a drop-off site for residents to conveniently take fallen trees. This seemed like a good decision at first. After weeks, our Public Works team was still working diligently to clear this area. The National Guard was called to help haul everything away because of the size of the project; this cost was substantial. Rather than repeating what ended up being an arduous task with a considerable price tag, we decided not to dedicate a dump site within the city. We felt if trees were already loaded in trucks and trailers, residents could drive a few more miles to the landfill. We negotiated with the landfill for the City to cover the green waste fees so that residents could drop their waste off free of charge. These conclusions were not intended to make you feel abandoned or disappointed. Rather, I hope you feel supported and buoyed up knowing we are conscientious of how your tax dollars are spent. For your information, the landfill reported there were 2,811 vehicles drop off loads on Saturday with little to no wait times or delays. As a comparison, on December 3, 2011, they had 2,481 loads dropped off “and it was complete mayhem.”  It is encouraging to know we can learn from the past as we prepare for the future. I would like to thank the team at Wasatch Integrated Waste for their efforts.   

Regarding outreach, neighboring cities (Centerville and Farmington) had more damage in terms of clearing roads and helping to manage public safety with fallen power lines. We sent staff and equipment in response to their request for help. Neighboring cities rendered service to us after the last windstorm, and we were grateful for their assistance. After our roads were cleared, it was time for us to return the favor. 

On behalf of myself and the City Council, we publicly thank the city’s Emergency Preparedness Committee (Area Coordinators, Block captains, etc.) for their organization and communication efforts. No other city in Davis County has a functioning CCC like we have in Fruit Heights. These individuals volunteer their time and maintain certifications so that we, as a community, can be organized and prepared for disaster. 

Most importantly, I thank you! All in all, I am yet again left awe struck at the goodness of the people in our city. I have witnessed hours of service and countless acts of kindness to neighbors and friends. For me, the cleanup has been exhausting and time consuming, yet rewarding. At first, I was overwhelmed at the daunting task, but after I started working alongside community members, I felt uplifted and sustained in our efforts. I am inspired at what we can accomplish together.  

Sincerely,

/S/John Pohlman

John Pohlman

Mayor