Weber County Commission candidates discuss focuses in campaign for seat C

Ballots are on their way to voters and the Weber County Commission’s seat C will be among the races local voters will decide on.

The race includes incumbent Jim Harvey (Republican) along with challengers Steve Van Wagoner (Democratic) and Brian Rowley (Libertarian).

The Standard-Examiner sent each of the candidates a list of questions. The following are their emailed responses.

Leadership and political experience

Rowley: “My leadership experience started when I was in the Army from 2008-2014, while I was never officially in a leadership rank, I was trained on how to make the tough decisions when they came up, and to accept the fallout from those.

“Since that time I have been a foreman for various construction jobs as well as a General Manager at a bar and Management in restaurants where my stores have outperformed expectations at every turn.

In my spare time I am also the Vice Chair of the Weber County Libertarian party. My main focus in my time has been homeless outreach. Something I have been very proud of as every year we have grown and done more.”

Van Wagoner: “Born and raised as a farm boy in Utah, Steve learned the value of hard work, integrity, and community service from a young age. After serving in the United States Marine Corps, Steve continued his commitment to service, becoming a successful small business owner and an active community member. Over the years, Steve has worn many hats, including coach, mentor, and advocate for local youth.

“Resilience and Adaptability: Throughout his life, Steve has demonstrated resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity. Whether it was facing the challenges of farm life, navigating the rigors of military service, or venturing into the unpredictable world of entrepreneurship, Steve has consistently shown the ability to overcome obstacles and thrive in dynamic environments.

“Leadership and Service: From his time in the Marines to his role as a coach, Steve has embodied principles of leadership and service. He understands the importance of putting others first, fostering teamwork, and leading by example. These values have guided his actions both on and off the battlefield, as he works tirelessly to serve his community and empower those around him.

“Community Building: Steve’s experiences as an entrepreneur and coach have allowed him to play an active role in building and strengthening communities. Whether it’s creating job opportunities through his business ventures or fostering camaraderie and teamwork on the soccer field, Steve understands the power of community engagement and collaboration in driving positive change.

“Empathy and Mentorship: As a coach, Steve has had the opportunity to mentor and guide young athletes, instilling in them the values of discipline, perseverance, and sportsmanship. His ability to empathize with others and provide support and encouragement has made a lasting impact on the lives of those he has coached, demonstrating his commitment to nurturing the next generation of leaders.”

Harvey: “I’ve led teams of over 130 for more than 40 years. Decades ago I led a team of 130 at Morris Travel / Morris Air (now Southwest Airlines) Then between 1994-2016 served as the General Manager at the Golden Spike Event Center that hosted 500+ events annually with a team of over 170. In 2017, our community elected me to my first term as a Weber County Commissioner. Since then, the Weber County team of over 1480+ employees has upgraded Weber County’s financial security to the top 2% of all counties across the United States.

“PUBLIC LIBRARIES: The Salt Lake City Library spends $104/per person/year for their Library system and their buildings are in poor condition. The Weber County Library spends $48.11/ per person/year and we have incredible buildings, resources, employees, and programming. Have you been to a Public Library lately? Our Library enjoys a double digit percentage visitor increase year after year with more than 1,000,000 visits anticipated this year. Additionally, we have 3 times the book collection of our neighbor County to the south. This is what you have when you have quality leadership and allow the employees to positively serve the public.”

Why are you running?

Harvey said he brings experience to the position.

“As the only candidate in this race who has spent their lifetime in Weber County,” he said. “I bleed purple and hope to be remembered as a person who took the good from many wonderful leaders & teachers of my past and incorporated bits and pieces of them into myself.”

He added that his experience has also built up trust.

“It’s important to me that we preserve our feel and western heritage while providing attainable housing alternatives for our kids (the next generation),” he said. “This includes smart and well planned communities with active transportation routes moving toward the future. Additionally, I’ve spent a lifetime building what are now trusted relationships. These relationships are now leveraged in both the state and federal governments to help fund these plans.”

Van Wagoner said he’s hoping to “roll up his sleeves” for the county.

“Steve Van Wagoner knows we need more hands-on engagement and proactive leadership. From farmboy to the Marines, and now small business owner, coach, and community advocate, Steve is committed to getting things done and making a real difference in the lives of Weber County residents,” he said in his submitted response. His sleeves are already rolled up, ready to tackle problems head-on and work alongside residents to find real solutions. From revitalizing local businesses to strengthening community ties, Steve’s campaign is all about making a difference where it matters most. He is dedicated to collaborative solutions, community engagement, and a relentless focus on the needs of the people. By rallying together and working side by side, Steve knows that Weber County can overcome any challenge and create better opportunities for residents today and tomorrow. With Steve Van Wagoner, it’s not about talk–it’s about action, improvement, and rolling up our sleeves to get the job done, for Weber.”

Rowley said he’s running to bring a change to the county commission.

“I am running because there seems to be a break in what the County Government should do and what it does do,” he said. “They take in more money than they need and once they write a check they wash their hands of what happens with it instead of holding every solitary penny that is taken from our county as a valuable that was given to them to cherish. I hate taxes and more than that I hate wasting money. I want to make sure that our citizens know where their money is going and that they don’t feel swindled and taken advantage of.”

Main focuses

Rowley said he’s focused on three words during his campaign.

“Audits, audits, audits,” he said. “Find the break in respect for the hard earned money of our people, and solve it. While I’m at it, I want to bring some integrity and fear to public officials who take advantage of their position.”

He added experiences from his own life drive a desire to involve the county more with aiding people out of homelessness.

“Also, having been homeless for a short time and climbing out of that; I want to do more with local charities and businesses getting the ones who want help and are willing to accept it, another chance at their dignity and future,” he said.

Harvey said he has a focus on Weber County’s employees.

“No matter where you work, every employee loves to be respected and valued,” he said. “I’ll continue to embrace that culture at Weber County Corporation so that the business of government runs efficiently.”

He added that he’s also interested in upgrades to the Weber County Fairgrounds.

“Because taxpayers have already paid for a fairgrounds that is now 35+ years old, the property underneath it is valued in the $ billions,” he said. “Furthermore, millions of dollars in repairs are needed to keep current. At the developers expense, I’d explore the possibility of relocating that Golden Spike asset further to the west so that the grandchildren of our grandchildren have a place to participate in our western way of life. This will give the people of Weber County a new place to participate and celebrate in their heritage.”

Van Wagoner said his priorities include:

• Property tax relief: Addressing the burden of rising property taxes, especially for retirees and working families.
• Public safety: Supporting our first responders and ensuring that our communities remain safe and secure.
• Responsible development: Protecting our natural resources and ensuring smart growth that benefits all residents.
• Community engagement: Being transparent as an accessible and responsive leader who listens to the people and acts on their behalf.
• Respectful collaboration: The Weber Way. Enhancing communication with our city officials, and creating more opportunities to work closely with our 15 mayors, 7 town leaders, and their community councils. By prioritizing teamwork, we can bring greater efficiency and effectiveness to our county’s initiatives.

Ogden Valley incorporation and inland port

Harvey noted that he remains neutral on the Ogden Valley incorporation as a currently serving commissioner, as per state statute.

Of the inland port, Harvey said it has been long in the works.

“For me, the Great Salt Lake and protecting migratory habitat is vital for our area including water and its usage,” he said. “Zoning for the inland port actually started more than 40 years ago with Western Zirconium and GSL mineral and it’s important to note that a rail spur was built off of Union Pacific’s main railroad track line. That point is important if you want to mitigate truck traffic in the future. Because the Inland port is merely a finance mechanism that would help build critical infrastructure ensuring any water usage would be treated to a standard higher than what flows downstream and maximizes the flow or drainage into the Great Salt Lake. Additionally, unlike other inland ports, Weber County has chosen to be a Renewable Energy Hub through zoning and code amendments. This zoning earns us coveted federal carbon credits and ensures best environmental practices coupled with growing projections moving forward.”

Van Wagoner said he looks forward to working with residents of Ogden Valley, however the incorporation vote may go.

“Steve believes that the issue of Ogden Valley incorporation is deeply concerning to its residents, stemming from a lack of transparency and representation by the current commissioner,” he said. “Steve has received endorsements from people who support the incorporation, as they want to work with someone who will listen and cooperate during the transition. At the same time, Steve has also been endorsed by those who oppose the incorporation, as they value a representative who will listen, show up, step up, and voice their concerns. Steve is committed to bringing the community together after the vote by representing all residents and looks forward to serving as your next Weber County Commissioner.”

Rowley said he’s most worried about affordability and preparing for growth.

“There’s 1 thing I think worries the people of Weber County the most, and that’s access to affordable living,” he said. “There needs to be a balance between making sure we can accommodate the growing population and still give everyone the basic necessities. That means starting smart. Planning for growth, not just dealing with it once it’s a problem. As Ogden grows, access in and out of it gets worse and worse. Proper planning needs to be a top priority as we add homes and apartment to our community.”

Hidden issues

Candidates were also asked what issues they’ve heard about from voters that may not have received the notice they deserve.

Rowley said he’s afraid many voters are in the dark about just what’s happening in the county.

“On this subject I would say that the biggest issues I’ve seen from voters is a lack of knowledge about what is even happening at the county level,” he said. “The water, for example, isn’t a county issue; but it’s what a lot are worried about. Maybe the county should be getting involved with the state reps to make sure that we are all on the same page instead of saying that “it’s not my job”. If my job is to take care of my community then everything in my community is my job and I’ll make sure to do it to the best of my ability. Even if I do have to ruffle some feathers.”

Harvey said growth is among the biggest issues he’s heard from constituents.

“More than 60% of our growth still comes from within our own county,” he said. “Creating opportunity for home ownership allows individuals and families the opportunity to create wealth. My hope is that first responders, teachers, tradesmen, HAFB workers and such can afford home ownership. While renting has established a place within the county, my focus will be on deed restrictions that say that homes must be home owner occupied.”

He added that he’s also heard concerns related to veterans, tourism and jobs.

Van Wagoner said he’s been hearing concerns about the length of time people spend in office.

“Steve has been approached by many voters who are concerned about the term limits for a County Commissioner,” Van Wagoner said. “His Republican opponent has already served 8 years as the current County Commissioner, which is two full terms, and is now asking voters to elect him for another 4 years, bringing the total to 12 years. Weber County Commissioners have historically followed a self-imposed term limit of two terms. Voters are calling for an official term limit of two terms to align with this historical trend.”

Endorsements

Harvey listed the following endorsements:

“The local Weber County Republican party, Congressman Blake Moore, Sen. John Johnson, Sen. Ann Milner, Sen. Greg Buxton, Rep. Cal Musselmman, Rep. Katy Hall, Rep. Matt Gwynn, Rep. Ryan Wilcox, Paul & Deb Widdison, Bruce & Diane Jardine, Ken Ritchie, Shaun Myers, Dave Graf, Jessi Chadwick the MAJORITY of (the) MAYORS in the CITIES of Weber County, the 500+ private property owners around Weber County that have allowed my to place my signs on their property and hopefully most of YOU through voting!”

Van Wagoner listed the following as having endorsed his campaign:

• Brent Davis, West Weber farmer
• Eldon Davis, West Weber farmer
• Leil Davis, West Weber farmer
• Kelly and Dave Howard, Ogden
• Jamie and Michael Blodgett, Ogden
• Annell and Andy Blodgett, Ogden
• Lisa Arbogast, Eden resident
• Miguel Hernandez, global entrepreneur
• Ed McKinney, pilot and president of Ogden Airport Association
• Laura Warburton, Live Hannahs Hope, director (NO Valley Incorporated)
• Brandi Hammon, small-business owner (YES Valley Incorporate)
• Kristen Healey, Ogden Valley
• Taylor Knuth, community advocate
• Sheryl Cox, retired/former America First Credit Union vice president of government and community relations
• Jan Zogmaister, former Weber County commissioner
• Jon Beesley, mayor of Plain City
• Ken Phippen, mayor of Farr West
• Dale Fower, Hooper City Council
• Katie Williams, Farr West City Council
• Debbie Marigoni, Hooper City Council
• Amy Wicks, former Ogden City Council member
• Weber Fraternal Order of Police
• Weber County Fire District Firefighters 1878
• Ogden Fire Firefighters 552
• American Federation of Teachers
• American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees
• United Steel Workers of Utah District 12
• Teamsters 222
• Northern Utah Labor Council
• AFL-CIO
• Operating Engineers Local 3
• SMART (Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, Transportation) Workers of Weber County
• Postal and Letter Carriers Association
• Utah Forward Party
• Utah Democrat Party

Rowley noted he has received no endorsements over the course of the campaign.

“I feel that most companies who have been endorsing our candidates are doing that for a goal, and I have not wanted to make any promises that will negatively effect any citizen, or go against my values,” he said.

Additional thoughts

Harvey: “I’m your only candidate that is FROM HERE and chose to work and build a career here. I’m a graduate of Weber State University and love HAFB.

“Being a local has afforded me an in-depth understanding of our values and ways.; I was educated here (not just by the school district but by its PEOPLE.) and I’m the ONLY CANDIDATE choice with BOTH private & valued government EXPERIENCE.

“Of the candidates you consider, my hope is that it will be easy to recognize my positive experience service throughout my entire life here.”

Van Wagoner: “It has been a genuine honor meeting, listening to, and connecting with you, Weber.”

Rowley: “During the one debate we had, the question was asked if we would raise taxes. The subject of the tax isn’t important to me, the answer was. There was 1, yes. 1, have before and will again. And 1 no. I will cut the fat including my own salary before voting yes on anymore tax increases on this over taxed community.

“And to those who think property taxes only effect the homeowner; how many landlords get a $150 a month tax increase without passing that on to the renter when the lease renews? Home owners pay 55% if they live there. Renters pay 100% even if it’s not shown in the bill.”

For more on the candidates, visit their individual websites at https://votejimharvey.com, https://www.rowleyforweber.com and https://www.steveforweber.com.