People often ask me if I enjoy being mayor and my response is absolutely! Being mayor is one of the best jobs in America. It is exciting and very rewarding. No two days are the same and I am honored to be able to meet and work with many amazing people who care deeply about the success of Heber City.
Our municipal government has three main functions: to provide services, to pass ordinances and to create a sense of place. As for that sense of place, cities have different things that make them unique and give residents a sense of identity and connection to their hometown. We all want to have pride and a sense of ownership in the city we are from.
This is way I am so passionate about beautifying and improving Heber City’s Main Street. Downtowns are important symbols of a community’s economic health, community pride and history. Downtown is the heart of the community. It provides people with social gathering places and creates civic pride by embracing local history.
Downtown is the key to economic competitiveness and can provide affordable locations for small businesses. Downtowns that support local independent businesses in turn support local families, community projects and keep more profits in the community.
The decisions we make now about our Main Street will determine its viability for decades to come. I recently attended a meeting where people from throughout the state discussed the national Main Street America program. Referring to this program, the author of “The Economics of Historic Preservation” said, “There is simply no more cost-effective economic development program of any type, on any scale, anywhere in the country than Main Street…”
The data speaks for itself. Now is the time to put the effort into planning and investing in a Main Street that will be vibrant, support economic development and help create that sense of place that makes us all proud to call Heber our home.
