Thursday, December 16, 2021

Thursday December 16 2021 Update

Happy Thursday.  As I mentioned yesterday, I will be out of the office next week and the week after using some "use-or-lose" vacation time.  I'm looking forward to some time away to reconnect with family and enjoy the holidays.  

I know we are likely to be into a couple of additional snow events over the next week or so; please stay safe, especially for the men and women who are working when others are celebrating with family.  We appreciate you!  

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

Teen Dungeons & Dragons Club I December 16 6:30 pm
A Christmas Carol I December 20 7:00 pm
Teens Talk: Share Your Hobby I December 30 7:00 pm
Countdown 2022 Party Animals I December 31 7:00 pm
Alice, A Leader in Wonderland I January 4 7:00 pm
Teen Volunteer Board I January 6 6:30 pm
COPA Pop Concert I January 10 7:30 pm
Artistic Dance Winter Concert I January 11 7:00 pm
Cinderella by The Dance Conservatory I January 14 - January 15
The Alibis I February 7:30 pm 

NEWS YOU CAN USE

  • Mr. Charlie's Chicken Fingers in Murray was robbed not once but twice over the weekend, prompting the business to cut off cash transactions to avoid being a target for criminals.
  • An atmospheric river is forecast to deliver up to a foot of rain and feet of snow to California.
  • Bike theft in Utah is ‘off the charts,’ cyclists say, with bolder thieves and less police enforcement.
  • For healthcare workers across Utah this year has been busier than ever. However, before many patients are admitted to the hospital, they call for help. This means many fire departments across the state seeing an uptick in emergency calls. For the Ogden City Fire Department, 2021 will be a record-breaker.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

YOUR VOICE

We love what you share! Please keep them coming, we love seeing all of the fun pics and news!!

UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!

MAYOR'S WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

This week Mayor's highlight is getting to meet about and tour the new City Hall building!

FUN STUFF




















I hope you have a wonderful holiday!  We'll touch base again in 2022!

Wayne

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Wednesday, December 15, 2021

December 15 2021 Update

As I mentioned yesterday, the Municipal Council held their last meeting of the year and congratulated Councilors Harding and Sewell on their service of 6 and 8 years on the Council respectively.  We will miss them and their energy and passion for the job.  But we are also excited to welcome two new councilors in January.  More about Councilors-elect Rachel Whipple and Katrice Mackay in January!

Last evening, the Council voted to modestly expand the areas in the City in which accessory dwelling units will be allowed.  After state legislation passed in the last legislative session, the City needed to have no more than 67% of the land mass of residential zones exempted from the state requirement to allow ADU's.  Provo was close, but not in full compliance.  While the Council's action brings us into compliance with state law, there is still an interest in exploring further expansion of eligible zones for ADU's to allow more affordable housing units in Provo and the new council will likely consider that issue in the new year.


UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

Conversaciones/Conversations I December 14 7:00 pm
Holiday Paint Night I December 15 7:00 pm
Teen Dungeons & Dragons Club I December 16 6:30 pm
A Christmas Carol I December 20 7:00 pm
Teens Talk: Share Your Hobby I December 30 7:00 pm
Countdown 2022 Party Animals I December 31 7:00 pm
Alice, A Leader in Wonderland I January 4 7:00 pm
Teen Volunteer Board I January 6 6:30 pm
COPA Pop Concert I January 10 7:30 pm
Artistic Dance Winter Concert I January 11 7:00 pm
Cinderella by The Dance Conservatory I January 14 - January 15
The Alibis I February 7:30 pm 

We will also be hosting the inauguration of the mayor and three councilmembers on January 4 at 4:00 p.m. in the ballroom of the Provo City Library at Academy Square.  Mark your calendars for that big event!

NEWS YOU CAN USE

  • University of Utah has launched a scholarship program for all Utah valedictorian, salutatorian graduates.
  • For a bit of irony for your day, the federal agency that measures racial diversity is led mostly by white people. 
  • While college enrollment is mostly down across the country, attendance in Utah has largely gone in the other direction. But there’s one area of growth in particular that points to the larger shifts taking place across the state’s higher education landscape. All but one of the state’s eight technical colleges had more students this year compared to last, according to data from the Utah System of Higher Education.
  • Utah may be overusing its Colorado River allotment. That could lead to unprecedented cuts in water use.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

YOUR VOICE

Thanks for sharing all of your exciting news! Please keep sharing, we love to hear what you have to share!!

UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!

EMPLOYEE / DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHT




Catherine Draper from IS shared these photos of her kids out enjoying  the first big snow of the season. Pictured are Ace and V playing in the Orem snow.


FUN STUFF

Have an excellent day!  On a side note, I am needing to use or lose some vacation time at the end of the year, so I will be out of the office after tomorrow until January 4.  So, the Daily Update will take a short break for that time period as well!  

Wayne

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Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Tuesday December 14 2021 Update

 It is the final City Council meeting day of the year, and the final meeting for Councilors Dave Sewell and David Harding, who chose not to run for re-election last month.  After 8 years for Councilor Sewell and 6 years for Councilor Harding, I have come to appreciate their skills and passion for public service.  We will miss them among our elected officials.

Like most election year Decembers, there is a lot of emphasis in getting some key priorities finalized at this Council meeting, so we expect a bit of a marathon.  But the topics this afternoon and evening are critical to the future of Provo.  I will try to do some summaries before the end of the week to share some thoughts about the results of the discussion and implications for the future.

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

Conversaciones/Conversations I December 14 7:00 pm
Holiday Paint Night I December 15 7:00 pm
Teen Dungeons & Dragons Club I December 16 6:30 pm
A Christmas Carol I December 20 7:00 pm
Teens Talk: Share Your Hobby I December 30 7:00 pm
Countdown 2022 Party Animals I December 31 7:00 pm
Teen Volunteer Board I January 6 6:30 pm
The Alibis I February 7:30 pm 

NEWS YOU CAN USE

  • At least 88 people across five U.S. states have been confirmed dead after a swarm of tornadoes tore through communities in the South and the Midwest over the weekend. There were at least 44 tornadoes reported across nine states between Friday night and early Saturday morning.
  • Russia says it may be forced to deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe.
  • It turns out all children who have been adopted from other countries are not US citizens. "Many adoptees have been shocked to learn decades later that their parents or legal guardians did not complete the naturalization process." Congressman John Curtis is the lead co-sponsor of the House version of HR1593, the Adoptee Citizenship Act. Rep Burgess Owens is also a co-sponsor. 
  • Officials with Salt Lake City Schools confirmed three students were detained following a lockdown at West High School yesterday on Dec. 13, 2021.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA


YOUR VOICE

Have any exciting news? Birthdays, babies, weddings, fur-babies, graduations? Share about it in the section on the right --> and upload pics below!

UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!


TUESDAY TIP

What have you done lately for the people you still have? 

Team members who have not left during the Great Resignation need to know what their future with the organization will be like, writes Tammy Perkins, chief people officer of PMI Worldwide. Perkins offers four actions for leaders, such as creating a more engaging culture as well as implementing stay interviews and pulse surveys that allow employees to give their bosses feedback on their needs and concerns.


FUN STUFF

We had the first Christmas carolers of the holiday season last night - a delightful family in our neighborhood who delivered a treat, with the youngest child saying that they were "bringing us good tidings of great joy" to the eye roll of his older brother.  But, thank goodness, our experience was nothing like this family's.  



Hope you have a great rest of your day.  Back at you tomorrow!  

Wayne

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Monday, December 13, 2021

December 13 2021 Update

Well, we got our snow last Thursday and Friday, which ended up being a great event for the mountains, a bit less intense in the valley than we feared (6.5" at our house).  But we are grateful for moisture to support our water supply.

Today has been a good Monday - I have attended meetings on insurance renewals, on issues related to the Wasatch Elementary School rebuild, and staff meetings.  

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

Conversaciones/Conversations I December 14 7:00 pm
Holiday Paint Night I December 15 7:00 pm
Teen Dungeons & Dragons Club I December 16 6:30 pm
A Christmas Carol I December 20 7:00 pm
Teens Talk: Share Your Hobby I December 30 7:00 pm
Countdown 2022 Party Animals I December 31 7:00 pm
Teen Volunteer Board I January 6 6:30 pm
The Alibis I February 7:30 pm 

YOUR VOICE

One of the ideas that came through the earlier survey was the desire to make the update more interactive. So, today we are asking you to check out this section (on the right -->) where we will include polls and questions for you, as well as a form where you can highlight a coworker or tell us about what you do for the city! This can range from new babies or weddings to just wanting to give a shout-out to a fellow employee. Fill out the questions on the left, then upload pictures for us to share using the link below! We will post your responses in upcoming editions of the update.

UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!

NEWS YOU CAN USE

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

HOT-BUTTON ITEMS IN PROVO

I suspect some of you may wonder how we assign city employee holidays when the actual holiday falls over a weekend.  The general rule is that if a holiday is on a Friday or Saturday, we designate Thursday of the prior week as the city employee holiday, and if the actual day falls on a Sunday, we designate the following Monday as the holiday.  But occasionally, in an effort to avoid closing our offices for two consecutive Thursdays in a row or having the city offices open only 1 or 2 days in a week, we might adjust the schedule.  So, this year, with Christmas on a Saturday, we celebrate the holiday on Thursday.  New Years Day is on the following Saturday, so we shifted the City employee holiday to Monday January 3 so that we didn't have two Thursday holidays in a row and two short weeks in a row for our residents.  

Confusing - yes.  It took me several years to actually ask the question!   So, now you know.  We actually make decisions on these things almost a year in advance, so departments that schedule leave only once a year can help employees make informed decisions.

FUN STUFF

Ever wondered about how to better manage the last minute wrapping on Christmas Eve?  This new invention might be just the trick.  



Have a great rest of your day!

Wayne

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Thursday, December 9, 2021

December 9 2021 Correct

So, the snow is falling - a little slower coming than was predicted, but current forecasts suggest 4-8 inches by Friday evening.  So, make sure you stay safe and be careful over the next couple of days as we adapt to the first significant snow of the season!

Also, if you haven't had a chance to walk through downtown Provo and into Pioneer Park, this would be a good weekend for that.  The lights are amazing, and the snow on the ground will just amplify the beauty.  

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

Teen Writer's Group I December 9 7:00 pm
Emergency Home Power Presentation I December 11 8:30 am
Holiday Recipe Swap I December 11 1:00 pm
Conversaciones/Conversations I December 14 7:00 pm
Holiday Paint Night I December 15 7:00 pm
Teen Dungeons & Dragons Club I December 16 6:30 pm
A Christmas Carol I December 20 7:00 pm
Teens Talk: Share Your Hobby I December 30 7:00 pm
Countdown 2022 Party Animals I December 31 7:00 pm
Teen Volunteer Board I January 6 6:30 pm
The Alibis I February 7:30 pm 

NEWS YOU CAN USE

  • Today is National Pastry Day and Christmas Card Day!
  • The island of Tasmania will soon be home to a large steel installation that will house real-time scientific updates about some of the biggest challenges humanity is facing. The project, which is being built at an undisclosed location, is seen as a sort of compliment to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway. It is meant to be virtually indestructible in order to tell the future what happened to us.
  • Utah County Commissioners voted 2-1 to split the Clerk/Auditor roles, a single position currently held by Josh Daniels. The one no vote was Amelia Powers Gardner, the former county Clerk/Auditor. She also made a motion to have a public poll or survey done prior to the split but did not receive a second. “It’s a solution in search of a problem," said Taylor Williams, the Deputy Clerk/Auditor.
  • This sounds like a fake article, but it turns out, it is real. Dozens of camels have been barred from a Saudi beauty contest over Botox.
  • Supply chain chaos, labor shortage, inflation: How has it impacted holiday shopping in Utah? A new poll seems to have answers.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

YOUR VOICE

Share with us your fun news, snow pics, traditions, hobbies, and news! Fill in the form on the right and upload pics below!

UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!

MAYOR'S WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

 This week Mayor's highlight was sharing a JDawg and getting to see all of you!

FUN STUFF

This week's favorite Internet memes.













Have a great weekend and stay safe and well.  And, if you are like me, good luck on the majority of your Christmas shopping still to be done.  :)

Wayne

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Wednesday, December 8, 2021

December 8 2021 Update

Today has been a good day to get some of my projects moving forward again after what has seemed to be several weeks chock full of meetings.  I got some solid work done on a couple of my longer range projects, was able to meet with our doctors' panel on the city's vaccination promotion plans, and review some important documents related to the Provo River Delta Restoration Project.  It is just nice to have some time to put my head down and get some work done.

Tomorrow, we are likely to have our first winter storm of the season.  Our crews will be out with snow plows and sanders engaged, will be clearing parking lots and sidewalks at city facilities and parks, will be responding to accidents and medical emergencies, and will be watching our utilities to keep them functional during the first cold and snow of the winter.  Everyone - stay safe out there and keep up all of our efforts at keeping our community and commuters safe! 

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

Teen Writer's Group I December 9 7:00 pm
Emergency Home Power Presentation I December 11 8:30 am
Holiday Recipe Swap I December 11 1:00 pm
Conversaciones/Conversations I December 14 7:00 pm
Holiday Paint Night I December 15 7:00 pm
Teen Dungeons & Dragons Club I December 16 6:30 pm
A Christmas Carol I December 20 7:00 pm
Teens Talk: Share Your Hobby I December 30 7:00 pm
Countdown 2022 Party Animals I December 31 7:00 pm
Teen Volunteer Board I January 6 6:30 pm
The Alibis I February 7:30 pm 

NEWS YOU CAN USE

  • Today is National Brownie Day! Yum!!
  • Experts in British Columbia, Canada, have identified a new kind of earthquake that rocks and rolls slower and longer than conventional quakes. The new kind of quake was detected in what's known as "injection environment," which is an area where earthquake are triggered by hydraulic fracturing that is part of oil and gas extraction operations.
  • Penguins, (a few people) enjoyed a rare total solar eclipse. Well, "enjoyed" might be the wrong word as most total solar eclipses usually throw the wildlife in the area for a bit of a loop. Maybe the penguins in Antarctica marched in the wrong direction for a minute or two.
  • Utah's own Hill Air Force Base has a new functional 5G network that is the first of its kind on a US military installation.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

YOUR VOICE

Keep the fun going in the section on the right! And don't forget a picture is worth a thousand words, so submit one below!

UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!

EMPLOYEE / DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHT

Here are the results of our controversial holiday quiz!  And, once again, I am in a minority on both questions.  Hmm.  



FUN STUFF

So this year, and last, Santa and the elves have had to take some extraordinary measures in light of the pandemic.  This little video from the North Pole was intended to help us feel better about Christmas Eve being a superspreader event.  Not sure I feel a lot more secure.



Have a great rest of your day.  Stay safe tomorrow and slow down on your commute.  

Wayne

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Tuesday, December 7, 2021

December 7 2021 Update

I really appreciated the opportunity to see about 475 or so of you today at our little holiday shindig featuring the legendary J-Dawg.  It is always fun to connect with members of the Provo family and have a chance to interact.  And I really appreciate our Mayor's Office staff and the facilities team for making it all work!

I was reminiscing a bit this week about the passing of Senator Bob Dole.  Our flags are appropriately flying at half-staff in honor of his service.  I first met Senator Dole when he was the senior senator from Kansas when I was the city manager in Merriam, Kansas and we were working on some federal funding issues.  He was a legend in Kansas and had just a few years before been President Gerald Ford's running mate.  He later ran for President in 1996.  He was the consummate gentleman, and had a knack for working across the aisle with his democratic colleagues to get good things done.  Among his many credits were saving the social security program from impending doom in the 1980's and sponsoring and securing passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  He had a bit of a hard edge to him occasionally, but my impression was that that edge came from politics and not how he generally interacted with others.  And while there remain many questions about whether the republican party has "moved on" from the Bob Dole republican model, I really miss the days when partisanship never stood in the way of statesmanship.  

I thought I would share a link to Senator Dole's last column written for USA Today about three weeks ago.  I think you would appreciate, as I do, his take on the nation's challenges today and what might begin to make a difference.

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

Teen Writer's Group I December 9 7:00 pm
Emergency Home Power Presentation I December 11 8:30 am
Holiday Recipe Swap I December 11 1:00 pm
Conversaciones/Conversations I December 14 7:00 pm
Holiday Paint Night I December 15 7:00 pm
Teen Dungeons & Dragons Club I December 16 6:30 pm
A Christmas Carol I December 20 7:00 pm
Teens Talk: Share Your Hobby I December 30 7:00 pm
Countdown 2022 Party Animals I December 31 7:00 pm
Teen Volunteer Board I January 6 6:30 pm
The Alibis I February 7:30 pm 

NEWS YOU CAN USE

  • A real life "Moby Dick," has been spotted off the coast of Jamaica. Sailors aboard the Dutch oil tanker Coral EnergICE glimpsed the ghostly cetacean and after confirming with experts that the whale was indeed a sperm whale, shared a brief video of the elusive whale.
  • Senator Bob Dole passed away at age 98. After overcame disabling war wounds, he spent 36 years on Capitol Hill and ran for president 3 times. In 1945, he was hit by a shell fragment that crushed two vertebrae and paralyzed his arms and legs. He never regained the use of his right hand. His later years were devoted to the cause of wounded veterans.
  • Doctors recently found autism rates among Utah children are higher than they previously thought. Researchers speculate that improvements in testing and diagnosing autism could be one reason for the increase.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA


YOUR VOICE

Have any exciting news? Birthdays, babies, weddings, fur-babies, graduations? Share about it in the section on the right --> and upload pics below!

UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!

TUESDAY TIP

Checkout this podcast called The Art of Giving Good Feedback

https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/podcast-the-art-of-giving-good-feedback


FUN STUFF

We are now on the countdown to Christmas, so I thought you might enjoy this new addition to the large catalog of Christmas music.  So this is Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion and Jimmy Fallon with It Was a Masked Christmas!



Hope you have a great day.  And thanks again for dropping by at noon today! 

Wayne

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Monday, December 6, 2021

December 6 2021 Update

Happy Monday!  First official day of work for Chief Fred Ross!  Welcome, Chief, to the Provo Team!

It was a bit of a poignant weekend for me.  I spoke at the funeral Friday for one of my best and lifelong friends.  He has had some serious health struggles over the last couple of years, and he passed away a week ago Sunday morning from a secondary infection and left a family of eight children and about 10 grandchildren.  His son commented that he had lived a very "normal life" by the world's standards, but had an enormous impact in the life of his family and people he worked with.  There is probably no greater tribute than that one.  


We also received news over the weekend that our good friend and former colleague in the city council office Bryce Mumford passed away from Covid-related complications due to his long standing struggle with kidney disease.  Bryce had been the deputy county executive in Cache County and worked with my friend David Zook, the county executive.  Our hearts go out to Bryce's wife Lissa and their four young children.  

These moments cause us all to reflect on our own mortality, and if we use them well, they help us find ways to live our lives better.  

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

Utah Valley Handbell Ringers I December 6 6:00 pm
Teen Writer's Group I December 9 7:00 pm
Emergency Home Power Presentation I December 11 8:30 am
Holiday Recipe Swap I December 11 1:00 pm
Conversaciones/Conversations I December 14 7:00 pm
Holiday Paint Night I December 15 7:00 pm
Teen Dungeons & Dragons Club I December 16 6:30 pm
A Pioneer Christmas I December 17 - December 20
A Christmas Carol I December 20 7:00 pm
Teens Talk: Share Your Hobby I December 30 7:00 pm
Countdown 2022 Party Animals I December 31 7:00 pm
Teen Volunteer Board I January 6 6:30 pm
The Alibis I February 7:30 pm

YOUR VOICE

As I showed you on a previous update, we have our Christmas lights up and going! That led to a little discussion in our office. Do you put up Christmas decorations or listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving?

Don't forget to still upload pictures and share news! :)

UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!

NEWS YOU CAN USE

  • If you want your holiday package to arrive on time, here are the deadlines to know.
  • Giving Machines are up and going across the world, and started here in Utah. It's gaining attention from many, including Drew Barrymore who talked about the #LightTheWorld Giving Machines on her TV show.
  • Dozens of people were stranded overnight in an IKEA store in Denmark last Wednesday night after a snowstorm dumped 12 inches of snow. There was food and plenty of beds - once shoppers made it through the maze of a store to find them. Honestly, if there's one store to be stuck in overnight, Ikea might be it! All the great furniture and no assembly required!
  • Utah Valley University announced Thursday the opening of the new Gateway Building, which will be funded by a $5 million donation from prominent business leader and UVU alum Brandon Fugal.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

HOT-BUTTON ITEMS IN PROVO

Today, let's talk about potential transit expansion.  The City has been involved in three very important studies that have the potential to expand the viability of transit in Provo.  These include:
  • the addition of a UVX stop near the BYU Creamery on 900 East.  This stop was originally included in the original BRT project design, but was eliminated due to substantial opposition in the Wasatch Neighborhood and replaced by two stations, one on 900 North and one near the MTC on University Parkway.  We presented the results of a study and two open houses last week at the City Council meeting, and the Council expressed interest in continuing the review and data gathering to consider adding a stop at this location.

  • the central corridor study which has been looking at a new BRT route from the Point of the Mountain down State Street (with a short detour to connect the new Vineyard FrontRunner station) to the Provo Intermodal Center.  This would connect Utah Valley Hospital and the medical center area to a new UVX line.

  • the south valley corridor study which explores extending FrontRunner from Provo south to Payson and perhaps to Santaquin.  
All of these projects would require funding, which clearly becomes a challenge, but there is hope that the new Federal Infrastructure Bill might help jump start some of these projects in a meaningful way.  So, stay tuned.  There is much more to come on these potential projects.

FUN STUFF

OK - so this is a weird one, but occasionally something like this just grabs my attention.  Can a puppy and a rooster get along?  If so, maybe that give us hope in a time of national division over almost every issue. 

I hope your day goes well.  Thanks for all you do to make Provo City such a great place to work!

Wayne

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