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Mayor Marcus Stevenson's Monthly Message (October 2023)

Marcus’ Message
Mayor Marcus Stevenson

The Upcoming Municipal Election

In my opinion, municipal elections are more important than any other. Your city government impacts the day-to-day of your life much more than any other level of government. From ensuring that our roads are safe to drive on and our water is safe to drink, to determining where commercial buildings, apartments, or single-family homes will be built, and what kind of response times our police and fire will have when called, local government decisions impact all of us in significant ways.

This year’s election is especially critical, with the Midvale Recreation General Obligation (GO) Bond and three City Council districts on the ballot, I plead for every eligible resident to take some time to research the bond and city council candidates.

This year’s Election Day is November 21 with Vote by Mail ballots going out the first week of November.

Midvale Recreation Bond

The Midvale City Council voted earlier this year to place an $11.2 million GO Bond on this year’s ballot to support recreational opportunities in the City. If approved, this recreation bond would provide funding for two recreation projects. More information can be found at engagemidvale.com.

New Recreation Center

$10 million in bond funding could improve Midvale's chances of receiving a new modern recreation center.

Midvale’s current recreation center, Copperview Recreation Center, is one of the county’s oldest fitness facilities, and while it has served the City well, it is nearing the end of its life. A new modern recreation center could provide the City with a community pool, enhanced recreational facilities, and programming to support residents of all ages and abilities throughout the community.

A new recreation center is estimated to cost about $45 million to construct. Like many cities of its size, Midvale can’t afford to build and operate a new recreation center alone. The City will seek funding for the majority of the cost through a variety of sources, including a Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts and Parks (ZAP) grant in 2025. Midvale will be competing against several other communities for this once-in-a-decade opportunity. If the bond is approved, the City plans to contribute $10 million of funding to the budget for the center to help improve Midvale’s chances of securing the necessary funds.

Walking & Biking Paths

Midvale City was invited by the Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC), the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), and the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) to participate in the 2023 RAISE grant application for the First/Last Mile Connections: Improving Communities’ Quality of Life through Access to Opportunities and Healthy Transportation Connections Project. The purpose of the grant is to facilitate active transportation projects that will enhance the safety, comfort and convenience for people who choose a walking or bicycling trip, especially when utilizing transit to reach the destination.

Midvale City was awarded $4.8 million in federal funding, but to receive the funding the City must contribute $1.2 million to the project budget. If the bond is approved, the City will use bond funding to meet this requirement. Here are the four projects that have been awarded:

  • Center Street Protected Bike Lane
  • Fort Union Trax Station to Maple Street Multi-Use Path
  • 700 W/Holden Street Buffered Bike Lane
  • Cottonwood Street Buffered Bike Lane

Potential bike lane map


Midvale City Council Election

Three City Council seats are open for election this year. Council Districts 1, 2, and 3. I’d encourage each voter to take a moment to research each of the candidates and to individually contact them with your comments, thoughts, and concerns.

City Council District Map

Here are the candidates and their contact information.
2023 City Council Member Candidate List

A Ranked Choice Voting Election

A ranked-choice voting system (RCV) is an electoral system in which voters rank candidates by preference on their ballots. If a candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, he or she is declared the winner. If no candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated. First-preference votes cast for the failed candidate are eliminated, lifting the second-preference choices indicated on those ballots. A new tally is conducted to determine whether any candidate has won a majority of the adjusted votes. The process is repeated until a candidate wins an outright majority. To learn more, you may visit utahrcv.com.

Other Election Information

  • Vote by Mail ballots will be mailed out on October 31
  • The deadline to register to vote is November 13
  • Vote by Mail ballots must be postmarked by Monday, November 20
  • The General Election is Tuesday, November 21

Your voice and opinion matter! I hope our residents will take a moment to research the proposed recreation bond and the candidate.