Mike Farrar's Plan

Water infrastructure – We cannot let the recent Cedar Point disaster happen again.  I want to secure grants and funding to connect our three water systems.  We will need a pipeline from Apple Valley Proper to the Cedar Point system.  This is my top priority.  My second priority is to lead a pipeline from Canaan Springs to the Cedar Point system, granted we determine it is beneficial for the town.  I have already been working on and doing research for both of these connections. I want to have engineers blueprint our entire water system and all our wells for future use.  During the recent Cedar Point disaster the lack of a uniform blueprint of our system became a big issue when trying to make the repairs.  We need blueprints of our system and wells so outside contractors can make repairs with just referring to the blueprint.  We need to build a system so we no longer rely on one man to have everything in his head.

I want to work with the state and potential developers to obtain funds for additional water studies.  We must be sure once and for all of our water situation.  We must know how we stand on water and not go back and forth.  We must ensure our aquifer has adequate water for the current residents before we allow any additional large growth.  The developers do not care if we have water.  They only care about profits.  We must protect our homes, our town and our water supply.

I suggest we hold monthly or maybe bi-weekly coffee with the mayor meetings.  This would be a casual atmosphere where all residents can sit at the table with me and discuss any and all concerns.   I want to hear from everyone.  Your voice matters.

Unite the town once again.  I think this can be achieved by good leadership.  Being fair to everyone, listening to everyone and treating everyone equal.  The past is the past and we have to put it behind us.  I have no history in the town.  I am new and fresh and I do not have a history here.  Personal feelings will never be involved in town business or decisions.  Everyone has a clean slate.  Lets build off of that, stop the division and the hate and again be a small friendly town.  We can accomplish so much united and together.

I would like to establish and Ordinance Review Committee.  This group would be responsible for reviewing, creating, and advising on town ordinances or the elimination of town ordinances.  This board would include the Fire Chief, Town Engineers/Building officials, Planning Commission Chairman, Public works and myself.  We would meet and discuss ordinances to ensure everyone involved approves and we are all on the same page.

Create a poll/vote system where the residents can vote on decisions, ordinances, and other town issues.  This would not be on every little decision or issue, but more of major town decisions.  Not everyone wants to come to a town meeting but I still want to hear from everyone.  Everyone has a voice and a vote.  I want to make it as easy as possible to hear what the majority of the town wants.  We all live here and we are all in this together.  We should all make major decisions with good factual information.  I want to be 100% honest and transparent.

Establish a Board of Appeals -  This board would consist of residents and not town administrators.  They would review any and all disputes that come up.  This could help cut back on lawsuits against the town and stop the residents from feeling like we have a king ruling over the town.  This spreads out the authority and doesn’t give any individual too much power.  Again we all live here and we should all be involved.  It wont be my way or too bad.

I would also like to create a resident advisory board.  Maybe get two residents from each area of town that will meet with me once a week and give me feedback and ideas from the residents.  Maybe even have a volunteer list and rotate residents every month.  

We have to stop wasteful spending and get the town finances under control.  Start finding ways to invest town money and make it work for the town.  Try to re-structure the town loans to reduce our monthly payments.  Most loans are 0 t o1% interest.  There is no need to pay them off fast when we can use that money, to invest and get 6 to 10% return for the town.  This town is a business and that is how I will run it.

Restructure the town council meetings.  I believe we need to allow residents to speak as we discuss each subject not just in the beginning of the meeting.  Once residents have input then the town Town Council can discuss and then open it back up to town discussion before voting.  This will help ensure voices are heard and residents have input.     

I would like to wave all fees for property owners to switch from OST zone to AG zone.  This will encourage more agricultural rural zoning and less zoning for developers.  Or in special circumstances if you feel your zone was changed in the past without your knowledge, we will wave fees to switch it to AG.

Eliminate half acre lot sizes from our zoning.  This will help keep our town small and rural.  

We need to make purchasing property and building a home on your property easier and more economical.  We need to encourage small growth.  A family or a couple that would like to put a home on their 5 acre lot is good for the town.  I have a few ideas to make the process easy and economically efficient.

We need to encourage small business growth in our town from locals.  We need to help our residents with their small businesses and help them be successful.

I want to require developers to use local labor for building their projects in our town.  I am a firm believer in keeping business and money local.  I can “request” that developers that want to build in our town utilize our local contractors and labor.  If we are forced to have these developers growing our small rural town we need to figure out ways for the town and the residents to benefit from it.

Sidewalks – To encourage low density housing for our area and keep our town rural I would like to poll the town and see how the residents feel about not requiring concrete sidewalks on any developments with lot sizes that are greater than one to two acres.  This will encourage future developers to keep larger lot sizes.  This will also keep the town rural. 

I will donate my mayor’s salary back to the town.  I am a volunteer and I will never make any money on this town or its residents.  This money can be used towards road maintenance.  

The fire hydrants on top of Rome Way do not have the required pressure for fire concerns.  I will work with Chief Gross to ensure he has the proper funding to rectify this issue.  I am here to assist him and make him successful.  

Rome way is too steep and is very dangerous in wet and icy conditions.  I will work on obtaining grants and we can use impact fees to fix this road and make it safe for residents.

Gooseberry needs roadwork.  We need a good grade for drainage and installation of UDOT certified road base.

We need to address emergency exit situations for certain areas of Apple Valley where there is only one entrance and exit.  I will work with Chief Gross to ensure our residents have a safe and accessible emergency exit for evacuations.

Highway safety – I want to meet with the administrations from Hurricane, Hilldale, Colorado City and any other neighboring communities.  I want to form a group to work on the safety of the highway.  There is power in numbers.  I am more than willing to spearhead this committee and work with UDOT to make the highway more safe.  I would love them to make it a four lane highway.  

Highway Safety – Work with the Washington County sheriffs department to increase more patrolling of the highway.  We must stop the speeders and the illegal passing.  More officers and patrols present on the highway will help.  Zero tolerance.  Citations must be issued.  I must protect the lives of Apple Valley residents.