Grantsville voters have the opportunity to give Brent Marshall a third term as mayor or award the mayor’s job to two-term city council member Mike Colson when they vote on Nov. 7.
Colson said he doesn’t like to admit it, but he is originally from Rawlins, Wyoming. He came to Utah to attend Weber State College. After a few years in the Pacific Northwest, Colson and his family settled in his wife’s hometown of Grantsville, where he started SC Builders, a Grantsville-based building contractor, with his brother-in-law.
Colson got his introduction to city government 10 years ago when he was asked to serve on the Grantsville City Planning and Zoning Commission. After two years on the planning commission, Colson ran for city council and is now serving his second term.
Marshall, a Grantsville native, worked as a millwright at US Magnesium for 35 years before becoming Grantsville’s mayor in 2010.
Marshall served on the Grantsville City Council for four years before running for mayor. He has led the Grantsville Fire Department and the Utah State Firemen’s Association. He also represented Utah on the National Volunteer Fire Council.
Prior to the August primary, Colson and Marshall responded to questions from the Transcript Bulletin about what they hope to accomplish and what their top three priorities will be if they are elected as mayor. In alphabetical order, their answers are below.
Colson: I hope to foster an attitude that Grantsville’s government is working for the people. I want Grantsville’s future to be smart, planned and efficient. At the end of four years, I would like to have plans in place in each area of government that reflect where we want to be in 20 years and how we are going to get there. We are moving from a small town to a bigger city every day. We need to start planning and doing things that make sense for the future.
I want to end our lawsuit with Tooele County ASAP. I know a compromise can be found if we get our egos out of the way and do what is best for all of our citizens. The youth are our future and should be a priority in our city. I recognize the need for more ball and soccer fields. I want to install lights at existing fields to extend their use time as we did at the little league field. We were able to install a $40,000 light system at no cost to the city by partnering with businesses and citizens. We can do it again.
My first priority would be to actively start long-term planning for all areas of the city. I want to develop five to 20 year plans for our parks, streets/sidewalks, subdivisions and infrastructure. As a council, we have requested a review of all current subdivision ordinances to ensure open spaces and parks. Each year our streets continue to get worse. I estimate that 80 percent of our streets have failed in some manner. I will start a comprehensive street maintenance program to extend the life of our current streets. I will also submit a plan to start connecting our patchwork of sidewalks for pedestrian and handicap access.
My second priority would be our Main Street project. As we move forward with plans to replace the sewer and water lines under Main Street, we must do so with careful planning. This massive project has the potential to not only bottleneck traffic but cause serious harm with water quality and sewer connections. My experience in construction management will allow for careful planning to minimize issues.
My third priority would be to improve employee morale within the city. This includes City Hall and our police and fire departments. I really believe in putting good people in key positions and getting out of their way to do their jobs. I want our employees to adopt the attitude that we are a service organization and citizens are our customers. My goal is to have employees that enjoy working for Grantsville City.
Marshall: My goal is the same as it always has been. I would like the residents of Grantsville to feel comfortable knowing the mayor and city council are working on behalf of the residents and that the business conducted at City Hall is transparent. I would like to always be cognizant that change is necessary to ensure the quality of living meets the expectations of our citizens. Change can happen in a positive manner without the burden being placed on or at the expense of residents in the way of tax increases. I want Grantsville to be a place desirable where people would want to live. I want it to be affordable for all families and also a safe community for future generations to grow and prosper.
My top three priorities are: First, ensure that the city is financially sound. I have not imposed a tax increase since I have been mayor. We can initiate positive steps to continually improve the city without burdening the residents. Second, see the infrastructure, both constructed and planned, continue to be improved upon and upgraded as the budget allows. Third, I would like to continue to engage the public to continue to be involved in ideas or proposals for improvements around the city. I will continue my commitment to transparency within our city government.
A week ago, the Transcript Bulletin sent an additional question to the mayoral candidates. The question was: What have you learned about your town and/or the job of mayor since the primary election, and how will that affect your plans for your first 90 days as mayor, if you are elected? In alphabetical order, Colson and Marshall’s replies are below:
Colson: Growth is a common concern. That is why I spearheaded a development moratorium while we address our vision for Grantsville’s future and make appropriate changes to our master plan and ordinances. I will strive to keep the small hometown feel of Grantsville, while promoting economic growth and business development.
We are rapidly running out of space for our youth to participate in various activities. This isn’t an issue the city can address alone. It is critical that we work cooperatively with our school district and county to plan future recreational facilities.
A common theme voters have shared with me is term limits. Two terms is enough for one person’s influence on our city. Most cities have term limits in place for their city council and mayor. I fully support and will push for future term limits. During my first 90 days in office, I will implement live streaming of our city council meetings. Our website will be updated to be easier to navigate and contain much more information. The moratorium will be released and parts of our new master plan updated. My goal is to make our city government citizen and business friendly and to keep Grantsville a place we all like to call home.
Marshall: Grantsville has a very diverse population. All citizens have needs and concerns. Since the primary election, it has become more apparent that there are people still struggling economically. I will continue looking for grants to secure funds for improvements throughout our community, at little or no cost to the citizens.
I will spearhead the city’s budgeting process and plan. The budget is the mayor’s responsibility; I do not take this duty lightly. I have been conscientious with the budget in the past and will continue to be in the future. I am confident of obtaining funding for the needed water and sewer project.
I will begin implementing changes to the city’s general plan with help from the city council and planning and zoning commission. As a city, we will dedicate the justice center and continue restoration of the Donner Reed Museum.
As mayor, I know the importance of being transparent with finances and letting the citizens know how their taxes are spent. I respond and listen to citizens who call, come in my office, or email me to ensure their concerns are heard and addressed appropriately. All of us working together to make this the wonderful city that we are.