Announcement from our City Council Member

The following comes from our representative on the Provo City Council Sherry Hall Everett:

Dear Friends, Neighbors and Colleagues,
I want to express my gratitude for your support, your opinions, and your confidence. Serving on the Council has been one of the tremendous experiences of my life. After much consideration, I wish to announce that I will not be seeking a second term to serve on the Provo Municipal Council.
I have a great love for this community. I remain concerned about the challenges that we face and how to best meet those challenges with limited personal and community resources.  In that spirit I will remain engaged and focused on the affairs of Provo City and the surrounding community, howbeit not as an elected official. I am confident that someone from our district will step forward to represent us with strength of character, integrity, awareness and the strong principles that have guided my efforts during the last four years.

My advice to those who will consider tossing their hat into the ring:

• Cultivate a strong desire to serve; be prepared to spend the time.
• Lead by principle and sound policy.
• Research and understand the issues. Be committed to learn.
•  Keep the people informed. Be committed to this despite the efforts of others work in secret.
•  As do all new Council Members, you will inherit some tough problems; some may take years if not decades beyond your period of service to solve. Do your best to advance each worthy cause before handing off the baton to your successor.
• Yours will be a fresh voice. Offer new solutions. Do not let anyone tell you that you must subordinate your voice to “others who have been around longer”. Those who would tell you that, and their solutions, are often the problem.
•  Honor the input, efforts, history, sacrifice of those that have gone before and consider the policy directions that they have set. Course-correct respectfully and intelligently.
•  Nevertheless, remember that you are but one voice in seven and it takes a majority. Master the legislative process, earning the respect of your constituents and colleagues.
•  You will meet many intelligent, well-intended and committed community leaders who are working to better the community. Respect them accordingly.

What I’ll be looking for from my Council representative:

• A balanced approach to honoring neighborhoods and business.
• An awareness of the tremendous growth that is coming to the Valley and how it will impact  our city with regard to local business, schools and neighborhoods.
• A commitment to planning and good growth for Provo as an emerging urban center.
• A commitment to a long-term sustainable budget.
• A commitment to transparency and keeping us informed.
• Strong support for the Provo Vision 2030 plan.
• A commitment to intelligent policies that support Downtown Revitalization.
• An understanding of the role of the Municipal Council in our form of government.
• Someone who is a builder, not a destroyer nor are they captive to ANY special interest group(s).
• Someone with sound principles and full of integrity... without exception.

Thank you again for the privilege that it has been to serve. I stand ready to support any and all who step forward to carry on the work that I have endeavored to accomplish.
Warmly,

Sherrie Hall Everett