Here are a few newspaper articles that you might find interesting.

Community Celebration for Geneva Road Completion

http://mayor.orem.org/community-celebration-for-geneva-road-completion/

 

Memorial Day 2012

http://provo.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=172

Toward a Strolling Environment

http://provocationutah.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/toward-a-strolling-environment/

Biking and Walking are the Keys to Attracting Youth

http://provocationutah.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/biking-and-walking-are-the-keys-to-attracting-youth/

What To Do If You Don’t Have a Waterfront

http://provocationutah.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/what-to-do-if-you-dont-have-a-waterfront/

Provo Restaurants Offer 2012 Bike Week Discounts 5/14 – 5/19

http://www.bikeprovo.org/provo-restaurants-offer-2012-bike-week-discounts-514-419/

Provo tech company Qualtrics announces $70 million venture capital infusion

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865555876/Provo-tech-company-Qualtrics-announces-70-million-venture-capital-infusion.html

Provo OKs temporary ban on electronic billboards

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/54121534-90/signs-moratorium-billboards-council.html.csp

New Mormon Missionary Training Center building plan upsets residents

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54118360-78/building-church-residents-heaton.html.csp

Cougar found in Provo backyard

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54116295-78/police-cougar-animal-backyard.html.csp

Civics Central: Taylorsville considers police services, 2013 city budgets

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/54096582-90/agenda-council-http-tuesday.html.csp

Council formalizes liquor license process

http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/central/provo/council-formalizes-liquor-license-process/article_60b51361-6fdf-5237-8646-036ec9e65807.html

Dozens of riders join mayor in biking to work

http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/central/provo/dozens-of-riders-join-mayor-in-biking-to-work/article_5f7228b9-e46b-51d7-8dde-48152c089127.html

MTC building a blight or blessing?

http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/central/provo/mtc-building-a-blight-or-blessing/article_67475822-38dd-50fe-9a70-82258cd29863.html

Provo Council Inauguration Ceremony

The Provo Municipal Council will hold an inauguration ceremony and reception to swear-in newly elected Council Members Hal Miller, Kay Van Buren, Gary Garrett and Gary Winterton on Tuesday, January 3, 2012.
The inauguration ceremony and reception will take place at the Covey Center for the Arts, at 425 West Center Street, Provo, UT 84601 in the dance studio room on the upper level from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. (this meeting will be held before the Municipal Council meeting which will be held in the same room). The public is welcome to attend.

Your Trip to the City Center

Customer Service is moving from the Provo City Power office to the City Center lobby. Remodeling started last week and will continue until early February. During that time, the public will need to use the east and south entrances to the building. Please keep that in mind as you come to meetings, etc. Also, council meetings (study and regular) during January will be held at the Provo School District office. There's more information about the Customer Service move on Mayor Curtis' blog here: http://provomayor.blogspot.com/2011/12/whats-happening-at-city-center.html.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

It is that time of year to look for an outstanding Provo home that displays pride of ownership and contributes to the visual holiday lighting, decoration and beautification of their Provo Neighborhood. 

Every year, the Provo Neighborhood Program, under the direction of the Municipal Council, sponsors an award for Residential Holiday Lighting and Decoration. Neighborhood Chairs are allowed to nominate home for consideration of this award.

Help us identify great nominations! Email your suggestions for this award by Wednesday, December 14th. 

Winners will receive their awards at the first Council meeting of the year, January 3, 2012 at 7:00 pm. 

Do You Own a Business?

The Provo Municipal Council will hold a public hearing on proposed changes to the city's business license fees in its meeting on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Municipal Council Chambers of the Provo City Center, 351 W. Center St.

The city has been evaluating the appropriateness of its business license fees for several months. State law allows cities to use business license fees to recover the cost of administering the licenses and the "disproportionate" cost of providing services to certain businesses. "Some businesses require more police, fire, sanitation or other services compared to single-family homes," stated Provo spokeswoman Helen Anderson. "If not recovered in fees, those costs come out of the city's general fund."

After months of analysis, including two professional studies, the city found it is only recovering about 36% of its costs in this area. As a result, the Municipal Council is considering a proposal to adjust fees to more accurately reflect the city's costs. Some fees would decrease while others would gradually increase to the point that the city would be recovering about 57% of its costs in five years.

"It's the city's intent to find the right balance between two important interests," stated Anderson. "The city wants to encourage business without overburdening taxpayers in general. It's part of developing a long-term, sustainable budget. If not addressed now, it could cause serious problems down the road."

The first phase of increases would apply to new businesses starting in January, 2012, and to existing businesses in November, 2012.

More information can be found on the city's website, www.provo.org.

Your New City Council Representative

Congratulations to Kay Van Buren on his election to the Provo Municipal Council! 
Kay has been our Neighborhood Chair for several years and will now represent our section of Provo on the City Council.  Best wishes to our friend and neighbor!

Open City Council Seat

Mr. Steven Turley resigned his seat as the City-Wide District II Council Member on September 27, 2011.

Any registered voter whose principle residence is within the City of Provo and is interested in being appointed to fill this vacancy through January 3, 2012 may submit their name and a letter of intent for consideration by the Municipal Council to Matthew Taylor, Municipal Council Executive Director at:

Mail: P.O. Box 1849, Provo, UT 84603;

Email: mtaylor@provo.utah.gov; or

Fax: (801) 852-6121

Letters of intent submitted later than October 27, 2011 will not be considered by the Municipal Council.

The Municipal Council will hold an initial public meeting on November 1, 2011 to select two applicants for final consideration. The Council will then hold a public meeting on November 15, 2011 to consider the final two candidates and select one to fill this vacancy through January 3, 2011. Both meetings will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the Municipal Council Chambers, 351 West Center Street, Provo.

Municipal Primary Elections

In order to vote in the Municipal Primary election, you must be registered a month in advance.  That means you must be registered by the end of this week! 
The Primary elections for City Council members will be held on September 13th.  You should take the time to get to know something about the candidates who are want to be your representative on the City Council.
Here are some websites with valuable information:  Click here to find out who all the registered candidates are. Click here to find the map of the Council Districts.  On the map site, click on the district drop down menu and choose District 4. 
Remember that the Primary election is only for districts that have more than two candidates.  The Grandview South Neighborhood is in District 4 and we will have a Primary election.

No Property Tax Increase

At the City Council Meeting last night, the Council members voted unanimously not to raise property taxes this year. 

From Your City Council Representative

I am posting information from our City Council Representative, Sherrie Hall Everett. 

The Municipal Council will decide Tuesday Night whether or not to raise your Property Tax. I just posted a blog entry discussing the proposed property tax increase. [see it here]

In that post I talk about three reasons we are having this discussion. I want your informed decision about the level of services we offer in our city, the timing of these proposed increases and the reality of the city budget issues we are trying to help our citizens understand.

At the bottom of that post is a survey. I hope you will take it.
I hope you will get your neighbors to take it, too. It will provide me with some valuable insight as I work to make a decision for the community and for you.

I'm not anxious to raise taxes for a lot of reasons I cover in the blog. A paramount concern is the current state of the economy and the rates and fees that have already been adjusted in the budget. We've held multiple information meetings and have had some very good discussions with many throughout the city. I've heard from many of you that you have appreciated the transparency and effort. The audio from the Lakeview Information Meeting will be posted on the city website sometime this morning. <Note from Neighborhood blogger: I looked for the recording and couldn't find it Monday afternoon>

It is time for us to all understand and engage in the opportunity to decide together where we want to go as a city. Taking this survey and leaving your thoughts in the comment section will be a great help.
Here's a link to the information posted by the Council.

The final decision

You may also come to the public hearing on Tuesday, August 9th.

   Truth in Taxation Hearing
   Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 6:00 p.m.
   Council Chambers
   351 West Center Street
 
Working to keep you informed,
   Sherrie Hall Everett

Property Tax Hike Proposal

The Provo Municipal Council will hold a public hearing considering up to a 16% property tax increase on August 9, 2011, 6:00pm, at the Provo City Center, 351 West Center Street.

A series of public informational meetings will be held with Council Members to discuss your specific questions regarding the proposal at the following times and locations:

Tuesday, July 26 at 6:30 pm, District 5, Sterling Beck, Municipal Council Chambers, 351 W. Center St.

Wednesday, July 27 at 6:30 pm, District 3, Midge Johnson, Spring Creek Elementary School Wednesday, August 3, 6:30 pm, District 1, Cynthia Dayton and District 2, Rick Healey, Timp High School Thursday, August 4, 6:30 pm, District 4, Sherrie Hall Everett, Lakeview Elementary

The meetings have been arranged as close to the neighborhoods of these Council members as possible.  However, residents are invited to attend any of the meetings that are convenient for them. So, although Sherrie Hall Everett is our City Council Member, attend a meeting that is convenient.

More information regarding the impacts of a property tax increase may be found at http://council.provo.org.