[Call to Order]
          [00:00:08]
          LIKE TO CALL THE JULY 20TH, 2026 WEST JORDAN CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER. THE DATE IS JULY 20TH, 2026 AND THE TIME IS 7:00 PM. PRESENT THIS EVENING ARE COUNCIL MEMBERS LAM SHELTON, JACOB HARRIS, BEDAU AND WIGNALL. WE WILL EXCUSE COUNCIL MEMBER WHITELOCK. SHE IS ON VACATION. 
          [Public Comment]
TONIGHT WE'RE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING. OUR ITEM IS TO RECEIVE PUBLIC INPUT AND CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 26-036, EXPRESSING THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL REGARDING THE 24TH OF JULY FIREWORKS RESTRICTIONS AND OUR. OUR PRESENTER IS ZACH JACOB. THANK YOU. THIS CAME UP. 
          YEAH. IS THIS A PUBLIC HEARING? I DON'T I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO CALL THAT. IS THERE A BETTER WORD FOR IT? OKAY. YEAH, I DIDN'T I DIDN'T HAVE THIS LISTED AS A PUBLIC HEARING AND I DON'T THINK WE OFFICIALLY DID. I THINK WE CALLED IT A PUBLIC INPUT AND ON A BUSINESS ITEM BECAUSE OF NOTICING RESTRICT NOTICING REQUIREMENTS. RIGHT. JOSH. YEAH. JOSH AND I HAD THAT CONVERSATION EARLIER. SO IT'S A BUSINESS ITEM, BUT IT'S PUBLIC INPUT ON A BUSINESS ITEM. SO JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND, YOU ARE ALL PROBABLY AWARE THAT ON THE 4TH OF JULY OR SHORTLY BEFORE THE 4TH OF JULY, THE GOVERNOR AND THE STATE FORESTER ISSUED A BLANKET STATEWIDE BAN AND SAID, CITIES, IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, YOU CAN. BUT ON ON FIREWORKS, RIGHT. 
          AND SO CITIES, IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, YOU CAN. BUT THIS IS THE THE DEFAULT POSITION. AND THEN THEY SAID, WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU FOR THE 24TH OF JULY. WE'LL LET YOU KNOW IF CONDITIONS CHANGE, YADA, YADA, YADA. AND THEN TODAY, THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER FOR THE 24TH OF JULY CAME OUT AND IT SAID, BASICALLY, AND DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS, BUT BASICALLY IT SAID, THINGS HAVE GOTTEN BETTER OVER MUCH OF THE STATE. IT'S BEEN VERY RAINY OVER MUCH OF THE STATE, BUT NOT EVERYWHERE. SO CITIES WILL LEAVE IT UP TO YOU. YOU CAN EITHER DO WHAT YOU DID ON THE 4TH OF JULY. YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU DO MOST YEARS, OR YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU FEEL IS THE THING TO DO. THEY LEFT THAT AUTHORITY SPECIFICALLY TO THE MAYOR AND THE FIRE CHIEF, WHICH IS GREAT. AND, AND, AND I LOVE THAT AND EVERYTHING, BUT I REALLY LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE. AND ON THE 4TH OF JULY, WHEN THE 4TH OF JULY NEWS CAME OUT, THE MAYOR DID TALK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS OR COUNCIL STAFF WHO TALKED TO COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND WE WERE ALLOWED TO, OR WE WERE ASKED TO GIVE INPUT ON WHAT THE DECISION SHOULD BE. AND AND THEN THAT, YOU KNOW, MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE WEIGHED INTO WHAT HE DECIDED TO DO. I'LL LET HIM SPEAK TO THAT. BUT THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE FIND OURSELVES HERE. NOW, WHEN THAT HAPPENED, I THOUGHT, WELL, WHY DON'T WE HAVE A CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND LET THE PUBLIC WEIGH IN ON THIS? SO WHEN IT CAME DOWN TODAY, I THOUGHT, WELL, SHOOT, WE WE HAVE UNTIL 1 P.M. TOMORROW TO LET THE GOVERNOR KNOW WHAT WE'VE DECIDED, WHICH MEANS THAT. AND THEY TOLD US THAT AT 1 P.M. 
          TODAY. SO WHICH IS WHY THERE'S NOBODY HERE. I'M SURE IF WE GIVE THIS A TWO WEEK NOTICE AND THIS IS A REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, I WON'T SAY THERE'S NOBODY HERE. I'M SORRY, I DON'T TAKE THAT INSULTING. THERE ARE SEVERAL OF YOU HERE, BUT THE ROOM IS NOT PACKED. I'M SURE IF WE GAVE THIS LOTS OF TIME WITH LOTS OF NOTICE, THE ROOM WOULD BE MORE PACKED. BUT THIS IS THE HAND WE WERE DEALT. THIS IS WHAT WE'VE GOT TO PLAY. SO, YOU KNOW, WE PUT OUT A THERE'S A FACEBOOK POST ABOUT THIS MEETING WHICH HAS RECEIVED SOME COMMENTS FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SAID, I CAN'T COME TONIGHT, BUT PLEASE DO THIS OR DO THAT. AND OF COURSE, THERE'S COMMENTS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN. BASICALLY, IT'S JUST THAT WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. AND THEN WE'LL KIND OF HAVE A DISCUSSION. MAYBE WE SHOULD GO TO THE STAFF FIRST. WHAT DO YOU THINK? HAVE LIKE THE FIRE CHIEF OR THE MAYOR OR EXPLAIN KIND OF THEIR RECOMMENDATION. DO YOU WANT TO DO THAT FIRST? SURE. WE CAN DO THAT. OKAY. WHY DON'T WE DO THAT? LET'S GO TURN OVER TO THE MAYOR FOR A MINUTE, AND THEN YOU CAN DECIDE WHO TO TURN IT OVER TO. THANK YOU, COUNCIL CHAIR. SO COUNCIL MEMBER JACOB IS IS CORRECT. THERE WAS A MEETING EARLIER TODAY AND IT STARTED AT NOON, WHICH IS WHY EVERYTHING HAPPENED AFTER ONE, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW LONG THE MEETING LASTED. AND BASICALLY IN THE MEETING, IT WAS THE STATE FORESTER AND SHE WAS GIVEN US FOUR OPTIONS BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR'S EMERGENCY DECLARATION STILL GIVES THE 
          [00:05:01]
STATE FORESTER AUTHORITY TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS. AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT HIS EMERGENCY DECLARATION DID. SO THE FOUR DECISIONS ARE ONE, AND THESE ARE THE ORDER THEY GAVE THEM TO US. ONE IS WE CAN USE OUR EXISTING MAPS THAT WE APPROVED BACK IN LIKE MARCH OR WHATEVER THAT WAS. TWO WE CAN AND IF WE DO THAT, WE DO NOTHING BECAUSE LAST TIME IN IN INDEPENDENCE DAY, THE STATE FORESTER BANNED FIREWORKS ACROSS THE STATE. AND IF CITIES COULD GO IN AND MAKE SOMETHING DIFFERENT, THEY COULD APPLY FOR THAT. THIS TIME, THEY'RE NOT BANNING ANYTHING. SO IF THE CITIES WANT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, WE NEED TO APPLY FOR IT. SO IF WE DO NOTHING, THEN IT JUST GOES BACK TO THE DEFAULT THAT WE DECIDED BACK IN MARCH. SO OPTION TWO IS WE CAN ALTER THOSE MAPS. AND THEN WE NEED TO GIVE THAT APPLICATION TO THE STATE FORESTER WITH A REASON WHY WE THINK THOSE MAPS SHOULD BE ALTERED THAT WAY, AND THEN THEY COULD APPROVE THAT MAP. OR THREE, WE COULD DO A CITY WIDE BAN. AGAIN, WE HAVE TO GIVE THAT APPLICATION TO THE FORESTER. AND THE FORESTER WOULD MOST LIKELY APPROVE THAT. 
          OR FOUR, WE COULD ALTER THE DATES WHEN FIREWORKS WOULD BE ALLOWED WITHIN OUR CITY. SO RIGHT NOW THERE'S TWO DAYS BEFORE AND ON THE HOLIDAY AND ONE DAY AFTER. SO AFTER THAT MEETING, WHICH CHIEF MAXFIELD, OUR FIRE CHIEF, WAS ALSO ON THAT MEETING WITH ME, WE HAD A CONVERSATION. AND IN THAT MEETING, ONE OF THE THINGS THE STATE FORESTER SAID THAT THE REASON THEY'RE MAKING NOT A STATE WIDE BAN IS BECAUSE LOTS OF AREAS GOT RAIN. AND EVEN THOUGH SOME AREAS DIDN'T GET RAIN, THEY HAVE HIGHER AMOUNTS OF HUMIDITY, WHICH DECREASES THE CHANCE OF FIRE. AND SHE DIDN'T SEE THE NEED TO DO A STATEWIDE BAN, BUT LEAVE IT UP TO LOCAL OFFICIALS TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. CHIEF MAXFIELD AND I, AND DISCUSSING IT, HAD DECIDED THAT THE WAY OUR BAN WAS OUR MAP BACK IN MARCH IS SUFFICIENT, AND HE FELT THAT THEY COULD HANDLE THAT RISK FOR A COUPLE REASONS. ONE, HE THINKS PEOPLE WILL BE MORE ATTENTIVE TO THE WAY YOU'RE USING FIREWORKS BECAUSE OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH IN OUR STATE. 
          AND TWO, HE SAID, GENERALLY, THE 24TH HAS LESS ISSUES THAN THE FOURTH. HOWEVER, THAT MAY BE DIFFERENT THIS YEAR SINCE THEY DIDN'T HAVE A FOURTH. THE. SO THE 24TH WILL DEFINITELY BE DIFFERENT WORSE THAN THE FOURTH WAS. AND THAT'S WHAT HE CAME UP WITH. SO I DECIDED THAT WITH THAT INFORMATION FROM HIM THAT WE WOULD STICK WITH THE SAME MAPS. SINCE THEN, I HAVE CALLED EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER TO GET THEIR OPINION ON WHAT THEY THOUGHT I SHOULD DO, AND SOME SAID TO GO ALONG WITH WHAT THE FIRE MARSHAL AND I DECIDED, AND SOME SUGGESTED THAT WE DO A CITYWIDE BAN. AND COUNCIL MEMBER JACOB ASKED ABOUT HOLDING THIS MEETING AND I SAID, I. IF YOU CAN, I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THE MEETING AND HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY AND SURE, SEE IF YOU CAN CHANGE MY MIND. I'D BE HAPPY TO SEE IF YOU GET ENOUGH INFORMATION TO CHANGE MY MIND. SO BECAUSE I, I CAN'T DELEGATE THIS TO YOU NECESSARILY, BUT I AM OPEN TO HEAR YOUR OPINIONS AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THEM. THANK YOU. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER JACOB. 
          THANK YOU. MAYOR. WHEN WE TALKED EARLIER TODAY, I. I ASKED YOU IF YOU KNEW WHAT OTHER MAYORS OR OTHER CITIES IN THE VALLEY WERE DOING, BECAUSE THAT WAS PART OF WHAT FACTORED INTO OUR DECISION ON THE FOURTH. YOUR DECISION ON THE FOURTH. DO YOU HAVE ANY UPDATE ON THAT? I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF UPDATE. MOST OF THE MAYORS DIDN'T GET BACK TO ME, BUT A COUPLE OF THEM DID. I UNDERSTAND THAT HARRIMAN IS GOING WITH THEIR ORIGINAL MAPS. WEST VALLEY IS GOING WITH THEIR ORIGINAL MAPS. SANDY IS DOING A TOTAL BAN AND THAT'S ALL I KNOW. ARE THERE ANY OTHERS THAT YOU KNOW ABOUT? DRAPER'S DOING A TOTAL BAN. MIDVALE IS DOING A. OKAY. 
          RIVERTON, TAYLORSVILLE, SOUTH JORDAN AND BLUFFDALE ARE GOING BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL MAPS. 
          MIDVALE IS DOING A TOTAL BAN. MIDVALE IS A TOTAL BAN ON THEM AS WELL. THANK YOU. YEAH, I HADN'T HEARD THOSE OTHERS THOUGH, SO THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. I HEARD OH, AND WHITE CITY IS A TOTAL BAN. THAT'S THOSE ARE THE TWO. AND I KNEW ABOUT HERRIMAN WHITE CITY. THAT MEANS IT HAD ONE STREET. YOU KNOW THEY GOT ONE STREET. SORRY. GIVE THEM A LITTLE CREDIT. 
          ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. CHIEF, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT OR DOES THAT COVER IT? I WISH I HAD A CRYSTAL BALL. THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO ADD. NO, I THINK THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD SAY, OBVIOUSLY FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S PERSPECTIVE, WE WANT TO ON THE SIDE OF 
          [00:10:01]
CAUTION. AND WHEN WE PUT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TOGETHER BACK IN EARLIER IN THE YEAR, IN MARCH OR APRIL, WE OBVIOUSLY WERE FOLLOWING THE GUIDANCE AND THE PARAMETERS THAT ARE SET FORTH BY THE STATE CODE. WITH THOSE THINGS IN CONSIDERATION, WE TRIED TO. OUTLINE BOUNDARIES AND RECOMMEND RESTRICTIONS THAT WE FELT COULD BE DEFENDED LEGALLY, BUT THAT WOULD ALSO PROVIDE THE MOST CUSHION AND BUFFER FOR US AS FIREWORKS ARE SET OFF. THAT BEING SAID, I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A AN ISSUE THAT INVOLVES A LOT OF VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS AND DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS AND THINGS THAT THAT ARE THERE. SO AS THE MAYOR AND I DISCUSSED, I, I, I THINK WHAT I WANT TO REITERATE IS THAT, NUMBER ONE, WE WILL SUPPORT AND DO OUR BEST TO BACK UP WHATEVER DECISION IS MADE ULTIMATELY BY ELECTED OFFICIALS, WHETHER THAT'S JUST THE MAYOR OR THE MAYOR WITH INPUT FROM EACH OF YOU. JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ALREADY SCHEDULED EXTRA STAFFING OVER THE HOLIDAY. WE WILL HAVE PEOPLE COMING BACK. WE'LL BE MANNING EXTRA ENGINES AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO, TO BE SAFE. BUT ONE OF ONE OF THE OTHER CONCERNS THAT I HAD THAT I EXPRESSED TO THE MAYOR, AND I'M GLAD, COUNCIL MEMBER JACOB, YOU BROUGHT UP WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE DOING. I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS IF IF IT BECOMES TOO CONFUSING FOR CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS, THAT JUST PROVIDES EVEN MORE DIFFICULTY FOR US WHEN IT COMES TO ENFORCEMENT, WHETHER IT'S SOME PEOPLE SAY, AND I SEE THESE PEOPLE SHOOT THEM OFF, I DIDN'T REALIZE WE COULDN'T. IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL THAT WE CAN'T, BUT THEY CAN KIND OF THING. SO I, LIKE I SAID, I RECOGNIZE THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS AT PLAY. I FEEL MY ROLE IS TO PROVIDE EXPERT OPINION AND GUIDANCE BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE AND, AND MY EDUCATION AND BACKGROUND. BUT WHEN IT COMES RIGHT DOWN TO IT, WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO SUPPORT WHATEVER DECISION IS MADE AND HELP THE RESIDENTS OF WEST JORDAN HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE 24TH OF JULY. 
          CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT CONDITIONS YOU FEEL ARE DIFFERENT NOW FOR WEST JORDAN THAN EXISTED ON THREE WEEKS AGO? I REALLY. FOR WEST JORDAN SPECIFICALLY, NOT A LOT. WE HAVE RECEIVED EXTRA MOISTURE AND RAIN. I WAS LOOKING AT THE FORECAST THIS WEEK. IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME RAINSTORMS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO START DRYING OUT AGAIN BY THURSDAY. FRIDAY. I THINK THE THE VEGETATION IS DRY ENOUGH THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT THE RAIN WILL MAKE TOO MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE. 
          I ALSO WOULDN'T BASE MY RECOMMENDATION ON WEATHER THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. WEATHER FORECASTERS. YEAH. THAT BEING SAID, I THINK A LOT OF THE CONDITIONS ARE PROBABLY THE SAME. I DON'T THINK IN WESTERN. I THINK WEST JORDAN IS A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE. 
          OUR GEOGRAPHY IS DIFFERENT THAN A LOT OF THE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT ARE UP AGAINST THE EAST BENCH. AND SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT ARE HAVE MORE OF A WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE. BUT I, I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE WE WANT TO STRIKE A BALANCE OF SAFETY AND ALLOWING PEOPLE TO ENJOY THE HOLIDAY AND, AND DO WHAT THEY CAN. BUT AS FAR AS SPECIFIC CONDITIONS, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE HAD THREE MORE WEEKS OF DRY, HOT WEATHER THAT THAT DEFINITELY PLAYS INTO THINGS. BUT THE FUEL LOADS HERE IN WEST JORDAN ARE MUCH DIFFERENT THAN A LOT OF THOSE OTHER COMMUNITIES WE'VE GOT. IF YOU LOOK OUT ON OUR WEST SIDE, WHERE WE HAVE ENACTED A RESTRICTION WEST OF U. 111, WE'VE GOT SMALL GRASSES, OCCASIONALLY SOME BRUSH, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THAT BEFORE WE HIT ANY OF THE THE MAJOR FUELS. AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF HOMES INTERSPERSED WITHIN THAT. AND SO OUR, OUR BIGGEST CONCERN AT THIS POINT IS, NUMBER ONE, WE WANT TO PROTECT PEOPLE'S PROPERTY IN THEIR HOMES. BUT THE HARD PART WITH A WILDLAND FIRE URBAN INTERFACE IS THAT IT'S SO TAXING ON RESOURCES. AND SO A LOT OF THOSE COMMUNITIES, THEY MAY NOT BE THREATENING HOMES, BUT THAT'S GOING TO TAP ALL THE RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE. COULD THAT HAPPEN TO US? IT CERTAINLY COULD, BUT WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREVENT THAT. BUT. OKAY. 
          THANK YOU, CHIEF MAXWELL. YEAH. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? OKAY, OKAY. I WILL OPEN THIS TO PUBLIC TO COMMENT. YOU CAN PLEASE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. YOU'VE GOT THREE MINUTES TO TO DO SO. FEEL FREE TO GO UP TO THE PODIUM WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. SORRY. 
          IT'S BEDTIME. SO I FIGURED I'D BETTER RUN UP. NO YOU'RE FINE. OH, AND PLEASE STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME. THANK YOU. I'M GUESSING YOU LIVE IN WEST JORDAN. TAYLOR ARMBRUSTER 
          [00:15:05]
BRYANT. I DO LIVE IN WEST JORDAN. I'VE BEEN HERE MY WHOLE LIFE. I STOOD BEFORE THIS COUNTY COUNCIL FOUR YEARS AGO. I'M GONNA MAKE A VERY CONDENSED VERSION OF WHAT I SAID THEN. 
          I'VE BEEN HERE MY WHOLE LIFE. THE FOURTH WAS MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY. I GREW UP SHOWING HORSES, PARTICIPATING IN THE PARADE, PARTICIPATING IN THE RODEO, CLEANING UP THE ARENA. 
          THERE IS A COMMUNITY IN WEST JORDAN THAT IS FORGOTTEN ABOUT, AND THAT'S THE RURAL, RURAL RESIDENTIAL. THERE IS STILL A VERY LARGE PORTION OF OUR CITY THAT HAS LIVESTOCK. I'M NOT TRYING TO BE A KILLJOY, BUT THE FOURTH NOW TERRIFIES ME. WE'VE HAD TWO FIRES. BOTH WERE RELATIVELY PUT OUT QUICK, BUT IT'S ONE THING TO KNOW THAT A FIRE CAN BE SPREAD FAST. IT'S ANOTHER TO SEE IT WITH YOUR OWN EYES. ONE NEIGHBOR, THE FIREWORK FELL OVER AND ACTUALLY LIT THE GOLF COURSE ON FIRE MOUNTAIN VIEW GOLF COURSE. THE OTHER NEIGHBOR. IT WAS VERY. 
          THAT ONE WAS PUT OUT VERY QUICK AS WELL, BUT IT ACTUALLY WAS IN A RESTRICTED AREA ON THE CANAL. 
          SO BOTH WERE RESTRICTED AREAS, BUT THAT'S OUR BACKYARD. WE HAVE HAD NEIGHBORS THAT WILL LIGHT FIREWORKS IN THE FRONT OF THEIR YARD, AND WE HAVE 12 TONS OF HAY BECAUSE WE HAVE LIVESTOCK. AND THAT IS THE FEAR IS THAT WE ARE SITTING DUCKS EVERY SINGLE YEAR. WE DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE. WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. ARBORISTS HAVE COME OUT. WE NO LONGER HAVE THE DEAD TREES IN THE ORCHARD. WE STILL HAVE WATER RIGHTS. AND SO THE URGING BY THEM WAS TO IRRIGATE, FLOOD OUR YARD EVERY JULY. SO OUR YARD IS FLOODED WITH CANAL WATER. BUT WE CAN'T CONTROL OUR NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE DEAD TREES AS WELL. AND WE ARE ALL CONNECTED. AND THAT JUST IS ONE AREA I WANT YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER WITH THE MAPS. I'M NOT SAYING PLEASE BAN THEM. JUST PLEASE REMEMBER OLD WEST JORDAN STILL EXISTS. WE ARE HIDDEN, BUT WE ARE STILL THERE. AND SO IF THAT COULD MAYBE BE CONSIDERED WITH ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS, IF THE BAN IS LIFTED, THAT WOULD THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO ENJOY THE HOLIDAY AGAIN AND MAYBE LEAVE OUR HOME. WE LEAVE THE HORSE TRAILER CONNECTED. WE HAVE A PLACE TO GO. ALL DOCUMENTS ARE LOCKED UP. THERE'S AN INVENTORY, THERE'S EXTRA STEPS WE HAVE TO TAKE, AND WE STILL DON'T GET TO ENJOY THE HOLIDAY. AND IT SUCKS BECAUSE WEST JORDAN PUTS ON A GREAT 4TH OF JULY. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO RELAX ON THE 24TH. BUT IF NOT, IT IS WHAT IT IS. BUT JUST IF YOU PLEASE, WOULD CONSIDER THOSE OF US THAT COULD NOT BE HERE, THE EQUINE COMMUNITY WOULD HAVE COME OUT IF WE HAD TIME. BUT I'M HERE. JUST PLEASE REMEMBER THE RURAL AREA THAT STILL EXISTS. SO THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS REED SHARMAN AND I'M HERE AS A 40 YEAR RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF WEST JORDAN. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FELT INCUMBENT ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER TONIGHT IS THIS IS A UNIQUE YEAR IN THAT EVERYONE HAS ASKED PEOPLE NOT TO USE WATER. BACK OFF ON WATER. DON'T WATER YOUR LAWNS AS MUCH. DON'T WATER OTHER THINGS AS MUCH. 
          DRIVING HERE I SAW A NICE CALIFORNIA BROWN FIELD OFF 78TH, JUST EAST OF 27TH HUNDRED WEST BETWEEN BUSINESSES AND HOMES, AND THAT WITH TREES THAT WILL SPREAD THAT FIRE. AND IN CASE YOU DON'T THINK WE HAVE VEGETATION THAT'LL BURN, TAKE A LOOK AT A LOT OF THE ORNAMENTAL BUSHES THAT PEOPLE HAVE UP ALONG AND IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE, BECAUSE THOSE WILL GO. 
          SO I WOULD ASK THE COUNCIL TONIGHT TO REALLY CONSIDER A COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE, I APPRECIATE THE DIFFICULT POSITION THAT THE FIRE CHIEF AND FIRE MARSHAL ARE IN. HAVING BEEN IN THAT POSITION MYSELF, MANY OF YOU, I DON'T KNOW. I WORK FOR THE CITY OF WEST JORDAN FROM 1982 TO 2018, AND DURING ABOUT 20 YEARS OF THAT TIME, I WAS THE FIRE MARSHAL. I HAD A CITY COUNCILWOMAN WHO REALLY DIDN'T LIKE ME ONE YEAR BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE FIREWORKS ON THE 3RD OF JULY BECAUSE THE WIND WAS UP TOO MUCH. SOME YEARS LATER, SHE FORGAVE ME, BUT IT TOOK YEARS. SO I GATHER THE KIND OF PRESSURE YOU CAN FEEL AND BE UNDER. I ALSO KNOW AS A FIREFIGHTER, THE CLOSEST I CAME TO DYING ON THE JOB IN A IN AN ACTUAL FIRE SITUATION WAS FIGHTING A GRASS FIRE IN SANDY. ABSOLUTELY HATE GRASS FIRES. I 
          [00:20:07]
WOULD GO INTO A BURNING STRUCTURE ANY DAY BEFORE. I WOULD WANT TO PUT MYSELF BACK IN THE MIDDLE OF A GRASS FIRE. YOU ARE PUTTING FIREFIGHTERS AT RISK. WE LOST THREE FIREFIGHTERS OVER IN THE AREA NEAR VERNAL THIS YEAR. ALREADY. THIS IS NOT THIS IS NOT. WELL, MAYBE IT COULD HAPPEN. IT WILL HAPPEN. ALSO IN THE CITY. WE HAVE THESE WONDERFUL TRAILS. 
          THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT USED TO CALL THEM LINEAR PARKWAYS. I USED TO REFER TO THEM AS FUZES BECAUSE IF YOU LIGHT ONE OF THOSE OFF, THERE'S A REALLY GOOD CHANCE YOU'RE GOING TO SPREAD UP INTO THOSE MOUNTAINS. AND IF YOU DO START A FIRE OUT THERE IN THE WEST WHERE IT'S DRY OUT ALONG WHERE THOSE PEOPLE LIVE, THERE'S A REALLY GOOD CHANCE YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE OUT THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS FOR THIS VALLEY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S SITTING UP ON TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN, RIGHT ABOVE THIS. THREE SORRY, YOUR YOUR YOUR THREE MINUTES IS IS UP. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES, YOU CAN LOSE ALL THE VALUE OF PRODUCTS IN. THE GUYS WITH THE LITTLE BLUE TRUCKS, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BURN IT DOWN TO CONTAMINATE THEIR BUILDINGS WITH THE SMOKE. 
          THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? HI, MY NAME IS BARBARA WOLF. 
          I'VE NEVER DONE THIS, SO I'M REALLY NERVOUS, SO I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE. MY HUSBAND AND I STARTED AND SOLELY OWN WILD WOLF FIREWORKS FOR THE LAST 11 YEARS, AND WE'VE RESIDED IN SARATOGA SPRINGS FOR THE LAST 18 YEARS. WE HAVE NINE LOCATIONS, TWO OF WHICH ARE HERE IN THE CITY OF WEST JORDAN. I AM HOPING TO BRING A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE TO IT TONIGHT FOR YOU GUYS. SO WE HAVE THE NINE LOCATIONS AND WE EMPLOY PEOPLE TO RUN EACH OF THOSE LOCATIONS. THE ONE LADY THAT WE HAVE HIRED IS WORKS AT THE FRONT OFFICE OF ONE OF THE WEST JORDAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. SHE ONLY GETS PAID DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. SO THIS SUMMER, WHEN SHE SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK FOR US AND POTENTIALLY MAKE 12 TO $14,000 TO HELP HER HUSBAND PAY THE BILLS FOR ALL FOUR OF THEIR KIDS, SINCE THEY DON'T HAVE HER ADDITIONAL INCOME FOR THE SUMMER. SHE WAS ALL OVER THAT. THEY WERE SO EXCITED AND REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY. AND WITH THE CITY OF WEST JORDAN PUTTING THE BLANKET BAN THAT REALLY IMPACTED OUR SALES, OUR SALES WERE DOWN 95%, WHICH THEN MADE IT TO WHERE INSTEAD OF HER GETTING A $14,000 PAYCHECK, IT WAS $1,000. OUR OTHER EMPLOYEE THAT WE HAVE WORKING IN OUR OTHER WEST JORDAN LOCATION, SHE TAKES OFF TIME FROM HER NORMAL JOB. SHE DOES NOT GET ANY PAID TIME OFF, SO SHE IS JUST TAKING THAT TIME. BANKING ON THE FACT THAT LAST YEAR SHE MADE $10,000 WORKING FOR US FOR THE TEN DAYS, AND THAT THIS YEAR SHE WOULD BE MAKING PRETTY MUCH EQUIVALENT, IF NOT MORE, TO THAT AMOUNT. AND THEN WHEN THE FIREWORKS WERE BANNED THIS YEAR, HER PAYCHECK AS WELL OF $1,000 ISN'T GOING TO MAKE THE ENDS MEET. IT'S MADE IT TO WHERE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO PAY OFF HER SPOUSE'S STUDENT LOAN FOR NURSING SCHOOL. THEY'RE HAVING TO REFINANCE AND TAKE OUT ANOTHER LOAN. AND JUST IT'S A FINANCIAL HARDSHIP THAT THEY'VE THEY'VE HAD TO ENDURE. I'M JUST SIMPLY ASKING YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER FAMILIES LIKE THESE AS YOU MAKE YOUR FINAL DECISION. I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A WAY TO PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY WHILE ALSO ALLOWING RESPONSIBLE FAMILIES AND SMALL, SEASONAL BUSINESSES LIKE OURS TO CONTINUE WITH THE LONG STANDING FIREWORKS TRADITION. THANKS. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? AND PLEASE, AS YOU COME UP, I DON'T WANT TO ASSUME THAT YOU'RE A RESIDENT OF WEST JORDAN, BUT PLEASE STATE JUST ANYBODY WHO SPEAKS. OH, I'M A 29 YEAR RESIDENT. GREAT. THIS MONTH, LAST MONTH. OKAY, CAN WE GET YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME? MY NAME IS KATHLEEN MATZEK. I'M AT 6740 SOUTH, 3370 WEST, AND I'M VERY CONCERNED. I HAVE PICTURES, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY TO SHOW YOU THEM, BUT MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS DEAD. THERE'S A CHURCH NEAR ME THAT'S 
          [00:25:05]
COMPLETELY THE FRONT YARDS DEAD. THE TREES ARE DYING. MY NEIGHBOR THAT USED TO KEEP AN IMMACULATE YARD, HIS ENTIRE BACKYARD IS DEAD. EVERY NEIGHBOR ON SEVERAL CORNERS IS DEAD. IF YOU DRIVE DOWN 32 WEST FROM 78TH TO 70 OR 62 SOUTH, YOU'LL SEE MANY. I'LL BET 30% DEAD YARDS. THE TREES ARE A REAL CONCERN BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SO MANY AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE A DANGER. THAT'S FOR ANOTHER COUNCIL MEETING OR. BUT I'M I'M ASKING YOU TO BAN THEM BECAUSE IN MY. IF YOU SEE MY PICTURES IN THE CLOSE PROXIMITY TO MY HOUSE, IF THOSE FIELDS CATCH ON FIRE, THE YARDS CATCH ON FIRE, I CAN SEE HOW WHOLE A RESIDENTIAL AREA IS BURNED DOWN. AND MY AREA ISN'T AN AFFLUENT AREA. BUT AT THE 4TH OF JULY AND ON NEW YEAR'S, YOU'D THINK WE WERE BILLIONAIRES. AND I DON'T WANT TO RUIN ANYBODY'S FUN OR TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR MONEY. AND I'M SORRY FOR YOUR SITUATION, BUT IT'S A I THINK IT'S AN EXTREME DANGER THIS YEAR. AND I DO THINK WE NEED TO ADDRESS ALL THE DYING TREES AND YARDS. 
          SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BECAUSE IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE A DANGER. AND REMEMBER, ON THE 4TH OF JULY, IN LATE, I BELIEVE IT WAS LATE. WHEN WE'RE CLEAR FOR WHAT THEY ALLOWED THAT SOME RESIDENCES DID CATCH ON FIRE, SO I IT IS WHAT IT IS. IT'S LIFE AND GOD. AND THAT'S THE WAY IT GOES. DOES ANYBODY WANT TO SEE ANY PICTURES? I BELIEVE YOU CAN EMAIL THEM TO THE COUNCIL COMMENTS AND I'LL DO THAT. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU. EXCEPT FOR I DON'T WANT TO I DON'T WANT TO MAKE PUBLIC BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO MAKE MY NEIGHBORS AT ALL, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT WATERING, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO. OH NO WE DON'T. THOSE GO TO COUNCIL. WE WON'T MAKE THAT PUBLIC. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. HI THERE. 
          PLEASE STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME AND PLACE OF RESIDENCE. LISA DAVIS RUIZ VALLEY. MY NAME IS LISA DAVIS, AND FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS, MY FAMILY HAS OPERATED OUR FIREWORKS STAND AT THE SAME LOCATION RIGHT HERE IN WEST JORDAN. WE LOVE THIS COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO ASK YOU TO NOT BAN FIREWORKS. IN THOSE 25 YEARS, WE HAVE NEVER HAD A COMPLAINT OR INCIDENT INVOLVING FIREWORKS. FROM OUR STAND. WE RUN A CLEAN, SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE OPERATION BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT SAFETY IS. OUR LONG RECORD PROVES WE ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. BUT THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A BUSINESS TO US. WE ARE A FAMILY OPERATION AND THE MONEY WE EARN DURING THESE FEW WEEKS IS OUR MAIN INCOME FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR. IT PUTS FOOD ON THE TABLE AND COVERS OUR BILLS AND HELPS US SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN. A BAN WOULD TAKE AWAY OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE FOR OUR FAMILY, AND MANY OTHER LOCAL FAMILY. BUSINESSES ARE IN THE SAME POSITION. THIS TRADITION SUPPORTS REAL PEOPLE, NOT JUST BIG CORPORATIONS. I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN ABOUT DRY CONDITIONS AND WILDFIRE RISK. THAT IS SERIOUS. BUT A TOTAL BAN ON RESPONSIBLE LICENSED SELLERS PUNISHES THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE PROVEN THEY CAN DO THIS SAFELY FOR DECADES. PROFESSIONAL SHOWS ARE STILL ALLOWED, WHICH IS GOOD, BUT THEY CANNOT REPLACE THE JOY, MEMORIES AND COMMUNITY TRADITION THAT FAMILIES CREATE. 
          TOGETHER WITH FIREWORKS, THERE ARE BETTER SOLUTIONS, TARGETED RESTRICTIONS IN HIGH RISK BRUSH AREAS, STRONGER ENFORCEMENT AGAINST ILLEGAL FIREWORKS, AND CONTINUED EDUCATION ON SAFE USE. 
          AND SPEAKING OF SAFE THIS KEEPING THIS SAFE THIS SEASON, I WANT TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE WEST JORDAN FIRE DEPARTMENT. THEY GENEROUSLY HANDED US FREE BUCKETS TO GIVE OUT TO PEOPLE, SPECIFICALLY TO PUT THEIR FIREWORKS OUT WITH, AND WE HAVE GIVEN THEM ALL OUT. 
          WE DON'T NEED TO ELIMINATE A BELOVED TRADITION AND HURT WORKING FAMILIES TO STAY SAFE. 
          FOR 25 YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN GOOD NEIGHBORS AND RESPONSIBLE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY. 
          PLEASE DO NOT TAKE AWAY OUR LIVELIHOOD AND A TRADITION THAT SO MANY WESTERN FAMILIES LOOK FORWARD TO EVERY YEAR. SUPPORT SMART, RESPONSIBLE FIREWORKS USE INSTEAD OF A BAN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. HELLO MR. GREEN, GOOD EVENING, KELVIN GREEN. I STILL LIVE IN WEST JORDAN. I HAVE HEARD SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE WEST JORDAN CITY COUNCIL IN THE SIX YEARS THAT I SERVED ON THE COUNCIL. SAY, TRUST YOUR STAFF. YOU'VE GOT THE BEST FIRE CHIEF IN THE STATE SITTING RIGHT OVER THERE. TRUST HIM. HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING. I THINK THE REASON WHY THE GOVERNOR RESTRICTED CHANGED HIS EXECUTIVE ORDER IS BECAUSE HE GOT SO MUCH FLACK FROM THE 
          [00:30:01]
FIRST ONE, THAT HE'S TRYING TO PAWN IT OFF ON SOMEBODY ELSE, TO LET THEM TAKE THE HEAT. AND THEY PUSHED IT OFF ON THE MAYOR. THAT'S HIS AUTHORITY IN THE EXECUTIVE ORDER. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THE CITY EXERCISED THEIR AUTHORITY. YOU ALL EXERCISED YOUR AUTHORITY EARLIER THIS SPRING WHEN YOU DESIGNATED THE MAPS THAT HAD TO BE TURNED IN. IF YOU RECALL, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE HAD A PRETTY SERIOUS DROUGHT THEN, AND WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT FIRE CONDITIONS THEN. AND IF I RECALL RIGHT, WE HAD 10 OR 12 SMALL FIRES, AND MOST OF THEM WERE DUMPSTER FIRES WHERE PEOPLE WERE PUTTING THE HOT FIREWORKS IN THE GARBAGE CAN, NOT FIRES FROM SOMETHING ELSE. THAT WAS LITERALLY A DUMPSTER FIRE. AND YOU GOT TO LOVE THE ANALOGY, RIGHT? AT THE END OF THE DAY. HOW DO I SAY THIS? AN EMERGENCY MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NEVER GET YOU A GOOD RESULT. EMERGENCY DECISIONS ARE NEVER GOOD ONES. 
          I'VE BEEN THERE, DONE THAT, BOUGHT THAT T SHIRT AND OTHER PROFESSIONS. EMERGENCY DECISIONS JUST DON'T MAKE IT. THE STAFF HAVE THE INFORMATION. THEY HELPED THE MAYOR MAKE THAT DECISION AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN HERE. DO I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A BETTER DEBATE ON WATER POLICY AT THE WATER POLICY, DROUGHTS AND FIREWORKS AT THE STATE LEVEL TO WORRY ABOUT WHATEVER IT IS? TITLE. IS IT TITLE 63 OF THE THE STATE CODE THAT TALKS ABOUT FIREWORKS? MAYBE WE NEED THAT. BUT JUST THAT YOU ALREADY MADE THAT DECISION. THE MAYOR HAS RELIED ON THE STAFF. I THINK THAT'S THE WAY YOU GO. I THINK IT'S THE BEST DECISION DECISION MAKING. AND LIKE I SAID, IF IF WE WANT TO CHANGE THE POLICY, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE LEGISLATORS FOR. AND THAT'S HOW WE WORK THROUGH THE PROCESS. AND I'M GETTING DOWN INTO THE FINAL COUNTDOWN. SO I THINK I'M DONE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? PLEASE STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE, SARATOGA SPRINGS. AM I ALLOWED TO ASK A QUESTION TO THE. INSTEAD OF MAKING A COMMENT, NO, I DO, I DO HAVE A QUESTION AND I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO IT, BUT I'D LIKE TO MAYBE POINT IT OUT. HAS THERE EVER BEEN A FIREWORK THAT WAS LIT IN LEGAL IN A LEGAL AREA DURING THE LEGAL TIME THAT YOU CAN LIGHT FIREWORKS THAT HAS CAUSED AN EVACUATION OR A LARGE FIRE IN WEST JORDAN THAT YOU CAN THINK OF, NOT THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I'M DONE. THANK YOU. YEAH. HI THERE. PLEASE STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE. 
          MY NAME IS BART HAMMACK. I LIVE HERE IN WEST JORDAN. FIRST TIME I'VE ACTUALLY COME TO A CITY COUNCIL MEETING. SO MY WIFE TEXTED ME AND SAID, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY GET OVER THERE, BUT A COUPLE YEARS AGO, WE WERE LIGHTING FIREWORKS OFF AND WE ACTUALLY HAD ONE START A BUSH ON FIRE ON THE SIDE OF MY HOUSE. RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, IT CAN HAPPEN, RIGHT? AND I, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I DO HAVE FELT EVEN SINCE THE 4TH OF JULY, THAT IT WAS A BIT OF AN OVERREACH TO BAN FIREWORKS AND, YOU KNOW, COMPLETELY, YOU KNOW, I FELT THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE THOUGHT PUT INTO IT THAN AN OUTRIGHT WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, TO A POINT WHERE, HEY, MAYBE THIS YEAR IT'S PRETTY DRY. MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST SAY, HEY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO ALLOW ANY AERIALS SHOT OFF IN THE CITY. BUT THAT, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY BEING IN THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE COUNTRY, IT FELT IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A KNEE JERK REACTION TO A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO FELT THAT THEY NEEDED TO FORCE THEIR VIEWS ON THE REST OF THE THE COUNTY. YOU KNOW, WEST JORDAN HAD COME UP WITH A PRETTY I FELT DECENT MAP TO COVER. HEY, THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN AND CANNOT LIGHT OFF FIREWORKS. I HAVE NEVER. EVEN WITH THE SMALL FIRE WE HAD ON THE SIDE OF MY HOUSE, IT WAS OUT REALLY QUICK. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT THERE, THEY PUT IT OUT, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS A CONCERN WHEN YOU'RE LIGHTING OFF FIREWORKS, THAT YOU AS THE PERSON LIGHTING THEM OFF, TAKES THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT IF YOU LIKE SOMETHING ON FIRE, THAT'S ON YOU AND TO KNEE JERK REACTION 
          [00:35:03]
TO BAN THEM AND SAY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THIS IS GOING TO HURT THE BUSINESSES THAT SELL THEM. AND IT ALREADY HAS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RIGHT NOW SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'LL ALLOW SOME STUFF OR EVEN ALL OF IT IN THE CITY AND HELP OUT THESE FIREWORKS STANDS AND THESE FAMILIES THAT NEED THE MONEY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? MR. SCHMIDT? DO WE HAVE ANYONE ONLINE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? YES, WE HAVE ONE ONLINE. DREW HOWELLS. MR. HOUSE. THANK YOU. 
          GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DREW HOWELLS. I'M A CANDIDATE FOR WEST OGDEN'S HOUSE DISTRICT. 
          BUT I FIRST WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FOR HOLDING THIS MEETING AND GIVING THIS ISSUE THE SERIOUS ATTENTION THAT IT DESERVES. AND I APPRECIATE WEST JORDAN TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR EVALUATING ITS OWN CONDITIONS AND DECIDING WHAT IS SAFEST FOR THIS COMMUNITY. AND I'LL BE HONEST, I ENJOY FIREWORKS. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT PIONEER DAY TRADITIONS MATTER TO FAMILIES, BUT THIS YEAR THE RISK IS JUST SIMPLY TOO HIGH. UTAH IS EXPERIENCING EXTRAORDINARY WILDFIRE CONDITIONS WITH CRITICALLY DRY VEGETATION, DANGEROUS FIRE BEHAVIOR, AND OUR FIREFIGHTING RESOURCES ARE ALREADY STRETCHED THIN. WE'VE LOST THREE FIREFIGHTERS BATTLING WILDFIRES ALREADY HERE IN UTAH, COLORADO BORDER THIS SUMMER. THE DANGER IS NOT HYPOTHETICAL. AND SO THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT A TEMPORARY CITYWIDE BAN ON PERSONAL FIREWORKS. IT SHOULDN'T BE A POLITICAL QUESTION. IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY DECISION. AND WE SHOULD LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND THE RISK ON THE GROUND. THE MAYOR, THE CITY OFFICIALS, AND ESPECIALLY WEST JORDAN'S FIRE PROFESSIONALS WHO KNOW THE CITY AND COMMUNITY AND HOW QUICKLY ONE SPARK CAN BECOME SOMETHING JUST MUCH LARGER. I BELIEVE THEIR PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT SHOULD CARRY REAL WEIGHT. I ALSO BELIEVE CITIES SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS FOR THEMSELVES. I APPRECIATE WEST JORDAN DECIDING WHAT IS SAFEST FOR ITS OWN COMMUNITY, RATHER ALLOWING THE STATE TO DICTATE HOW LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY SHOULD BE MANAGED. THAT'S WHAT LOCAL CONTROL LOOKS LIKE. BUT PERSONAL FIREWORKS ARE OPTIONAL. PROTECTING HOMES, FIREFIGHTERS AND THIS COMMUNITY IS NOT. AND SOMETIMES RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP MEANS SAYING, NOT THIS YEAR. I KNOW THE TRADITION IS NOT GOING AWAY. WE JUST NEED TO SIMPLY RECOGNIZE THE DANGER THAT IS CURRENTLY AT HAND. AND SO YEAH, I SUPPORT THE TOTAL BAN FOR PIONEER DAY THIS YEAR, AND I ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO TAKE THE MOST CAUTIOUS COURSE AVAILABLE. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME, AND THANK YOU FOR CALLING THIS EMERGENCY MEETING. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? THERE'S A FEW OTHER PEOPLE ONLINE, BUT NO ONE HAS RAISED THEIR HAND. OKAY. THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON RESOLUTION NUMBER 26-036. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL COUNCIL MEMBER JACOB, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR COMING ON LIKE A COUPLE HOURS NOTICE. MAYBE IF YOU WERE LUCKY, BART, AND YOU KNOW, A COUPLE MINUTES NOTICE, I GUESS, FROM YOUR WIFE, I APPRECIATE THE I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS AND I APPRECIATE THE, THE CONSIDERATION. MY, MY GOAL IN DOING THIS WAS NEVER ABOUT WAS NOT NOT SO MUCH ABOUT LIKING OR NOT LIKING THE RESULT OF WHAT WAS DECIDED FOR THE 4TH OF JULY. 
          IT WAS THE PROCESS. I FELT LIKE THIS IS A DECISION AND WE HEARD THAT AFFECTS PEOPLE, NOT JUST THEIR FUN, NOT JUST THEIR FREEDOM TO BLOW THINGS UP BECAUSE IT'S AMERICA. WE GET A. 
          WE HAVE THE FREEDOM TO BLOW UP A PART OF IT TWICE, A TWICE IN THE MONTH OF JULY, MOST YEARS. 
          YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT WASN'T SO MUCH ABOUT THE OUTCOMES BECAUSE I KNOW IT AFFECTS REAL PEOPLE AND I KNOW IT AFFECTS REAL PEOPLE ON ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE, MY CONCERN WAS MORE THAT IT WAS FORCIBLY QUICK DECISION WITHOUT WITHOUT THE PUBLIC'S INVOLVEMENT. AND AND KELVIN'S RIGHT. WE WE DO HAVE A GREAT STAFF AND WE SHOULD TRUST OUR STAFF, BUT ULTIMATELY OUR STAFF WORKS FOR THE PEOPLE. AND I WANTED TO HAVE THAT INPUT FACTOR INTO THE DECISION. AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO HOLD THIS MEETING. THAT'S WHY I THREW A RESOLUTION TOGETHER REALLY QUICK TO SO THAT WE COULD HAVE SOMETHING TO VOTE ON IF THAT'S WHAT WE DECIDE TO DO, OR IF WE JUST DECIDE TO SAY, THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT AND MAYOR, DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO, WHICH I GUESS WE CAN DO AS WELL. BUT SO THE RESOLUTION HAS OPTION A, B, AND C ON IT. IT 
          [00:40:09]
HAS OPTION A IS DO WHAT WE DID ON THE FOURTH OPTION B IS DO THE THE MAPS THAT WE APPROVED BEFORE THAT. AND OPTION C IS FILL IN THE BLANK. DO SOMETHING ELSE. IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE. 
          I THINK, MAYOR YOU MENTIONED DATES, RIGHT? AS ONE THING THAT COULD CHANGE. I WAS I HEARD SOMEBODY IN ONE OF THE COMMENTS SAY MAYBE BANNING JUST THE AERIALS MIGHT BE AN OPTION. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S AN OPTION OR NOT. LAWYERS SHAKING HIS HEAD. DARN, I REALLY LIKE THAT OPTION. SOMEBODY DID THAT FOR THE FOURTH. SOME COMMUNITY DID. I DON'T KNOW WHO, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME OF THAT WAS, BUT. SO THERE IT IT I'M JUST SAYING THERE, THERE ARE SOME OPTIONS. SO I'LL LEAVE IT TO THE COUNCIL TO DECIDE IF WE WANT TO HAVE A VOTE ON SOMETHING THAT'S A VOICE OF THE COUNCIL, OR IF WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS FOR THE INPUT AND TURN IT OVER TO THE MAYOR AND DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO. COUNCIL MEMBER LAPP, THANK YOU FOR THOSE IN ATTENDANCE AND FOR THOSE ONLINE. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE UP HERE TONIGHT TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, TO TAKE PUBLIC INTEREST, AND ALSO FOR THE MAYOR TO HEAR THAT AS WELL. WE ARE NOT HERE, THE SIX OF US THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT. WE ARE NOT HERE TO VOTE ON BANNING IT OR NOT. I WILL NOT BE APPROVING OR APPROVING A RESOLUTION. I DON'T THINK IT'S OUR WILL TO PUT TOGETHER A RESOLUTION TO TELL THE MAYOR WHAT TO DO. I THINK WE CAN TELL HIM PERSONALLY. I'VE ALREADY TOLD HIM TODAY, AND THEN WE CAN TELL OUR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL. BUT I KNOW THAT I MIGHT NOT HAVE AGREED WITH EVERYTHING, WITH THE WITH THE SET UP FOR TODAY, BUT I DO AGREE THAT IT'S GOOD TO HEAR THE PUBLIC COMMENT. WE SEE THE PUBLIC COMMENT HERE. WE SEE THE PUBLIC COMMENT ONLINE, UNFORTUNATELY, NOT JUST THIS YEAR. EVERY YEAR IT'S A 5050 PROSPECT. YOU WILL NEVER HAVE PEOPLE THAT LOVE IT AS MUCH AS OTHERS DO, AND YOU'LL NEVER HAVE PEOPLE THAT OTHER PEOPLE GOING TO HATE IT. FIREWORKS FOR THE REST OF THE TIME FIREWORKS EXIST AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATE. ONE THING I WAS THINKING ABOUT TODAY WAS, WELL, YOU KNOW, MAYBE BECAUSE IT USUALLY IS 5050. YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT THE JULY 4TH WAS BANNED. JULY 24TH IS NOT BANNED. MAYBE THAT'S OUR 5050. THAT'S JUST ME SPEAKING OUT LOUD. BUT I, I DO THINK THAT THERE'S NO NEED FOR RESOLUTION TONIGHT. SO WHATEVER THE RESOLUTION HAPPENS TO BE, I WILL BE VOTING AGAINST THE RESOLUTION JUST BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE NEED A RESOLUTION TO TELL THE MAYOR WHAT TO DO. THE MAYOR HAS HIS AUTHORITY. HE'S BEEN GIVEN THAT FROM THE GOVERNOR TO SHARE HIS AUTHORITY, AND HE CAN MAKE THAT DECISION FROM THE INPUT THAT WE'VE HAD HERE TODAY. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER BADOR. SO THIS GETS A LITTLE WEIRD FOR ME BECAUSE MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, I WON A STATE DEBATE CHAMPIONSHIP UNDER THE THE THE THING OF BANNING ALL FIREWORKS COMPLETELY. IT WAS A WEIRD THING. IT WAS ON A CONSUMER THING. AND I ONLY DID IT BECAUSE I KNEW THAT EVERY OPPONENT I WOULD GO UP AGAINST WOULD SAY, YOU CAN'T DO THAT. AND IT HAPPENED. AND THEY COULDN'T DEBATE ME BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO MUCH INTO THE EMOTIONAL SIDE OF IT. AND IT, IT GOT ME A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. 
          DID IT MEAN THAT I DON'T LIKE FIREWORKS? NO. IT MEANT THAT I KNEW WHAT WOULD HELP ME WIN A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, NOT WHAT WOULD GET THAT EMOTIONS WOULD HELP ME WIN A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TONIGHT. WITH THIS, I'M HEARING, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF AND SEEING ONLINE. YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE WAS ABOUT THE TIME WE STARTED ABOUT NINE PEOPLE. I THINK A COUPLE OF THEM WERE REPEATS OVER A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS. BUT. THEIR ARGUMENTS WERE MORE EMOTIONAL BASED. AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT HARD. IT MAKES IT HARD TO REGULATE EMOTIONS AND TO, YOU KNOW, LEGISLATE EMOTIONS. FIREWORKS MEAN SO MUCH TO SO MANY PEOPLE. I WILL TELL YOU, THEY MEAN VERY LITTLE TO ME. I'M ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO DOESN'T GO TO DISNEYLAND FOR THE FIREWORKS. THAT'S WHEN I TRY TO GET IN THE MOST RIDES, BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE ARE WATCHING THAT. I. BUT I KNOW HOW MUCH THEY MEAN TO OTHER PEOPLE. I ALSO KNOW HOW MUCH I TRUST OUR STAFF AND WHAT THEY CAN DO, AND. THEIR DESIRE TO NOT PUT PEOPLE INTO DANGER AND PUT THEIR OWN STAFF INTO DANGER. AND I TAKE THAT THAT VERY STRONGLY. SO IT'S A VERY TOUGH THING. I DON'T CARE ABOUT FIREWORKS. I WOULDN'T MIND THEM NOT GOING FOR A YEAR. BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT I'M ONE PERSON AND THAT THAT'S A DIFFERENT 
          [00:45:01]
THING. I AM ALSO WITH COUNCIL MEMBER LAMB THAT I I'M NOT A BIG PERSON ON RESOLUTIONS BECAUSE THIS REALLY MEANS NOTHING. I DO LIKE THAT WE HAD YOU FOLKS COME OUT AND I DO LIKE WE'VE HAD SOME SOME THINGS ONLINE BECAUSE I WANT THEM TO INFLUENCE WHAT THE MAYOR DOES. 
          BUT I'M NOT SURE I ENJOY THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL ON SOMETHING THAT IS MORE EMOTIONAL THAN, THAN ANYTHING ELSE. SO I'M STILL TRYING TO DECIDE HOW I'LL VOTE ON THIS. 
          BUT I DO KNOW THAT IN THE END, I WILL TRUST WHAT THE MAYOR DOES, AND I WILL TRUST WHAT THE CHIEF IS ABLE TO DO WITH HIS STAFF AND ALSO WITH OUR POLICE CHIEF, WHAT HE'S ABLE TO DO IN, YOU KNOW, THE PATROLS AND STUFF. AND I KNOW IT'S GOING TO ADD EXTRA STUFF TO THEM IF THAT HAPPENS. BUT BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT THOSE NOTES OUT THERE. THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR SHELTON. 
          THANK YOU. I HAD A I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH A FRIEND OF MINE TODAY AND, AND TOLD THEM THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE THIS MEETING. AND SHE TOLD ME ALL SHE GOES THROUGH WITH HER DOG TRYING TO PREPARE THAT POOR ANIMAL FOR THE 4TH OF JULY. SHE LIVES IN WYOMING, SO SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE 24TH, BUT SHE EVEN GIVES THE DOG CBD TREATS. AND I KNOW, AND I WASN'T EVEN THINKING ABOUT THE LIVESTOCK ISSUES. AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES BEYOND FIRE REGARDING FIREWORKS. IT'S IT IS A TOUGH, A TOUGH SITUATION. AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD LOVE TO SEE A COMPLETE OUTRIGHT BAN ON FIREWORKS FROM NOW TO ETERNITY. THAT SAID. I. I FEEL INCLINED TO TRUST CITY STAFF AND ESPECIALLY OUR CHIEF, AND I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT WE GO WITH WITH WHAT THE MAYOR HAS ALREADY DECIDED. THANK YOU. 
          ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS? I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. SO, MAYOR, HAVE YOU ALREADY COMMUNICATED YOUR DECISION TO THE GOVERNOR OR JUST WE KNOW WHAT YOUR DECISION IS BECAUSE OF YOUR INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS WITH US? I HAVE NOT COMMUNICATED BEYOND STAFF AND COUNCIL. OKAY. IT HAS NOT GONE PUBLIC YET. IT DOESN'T GO TO THE GOVERNOR EITHER WAY. IT WOULD. OH, I WANT TO DO. IF I DO NOTHING, THEN IT DEFAULTS BACK TO OUR DEFAULT, BACK TO THE MAP. RIGHT. OKAY. AND IF I DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, IT GOES TO THE THE STATE FORESTER, NOT TO THE GOVERNOR. AND THE STATE FORESTER WOULD APPROVE IT OR NOT. SO IN THE ABSENCE OF ACTION, IT DEFAULTS. THE STATE FORESTER DOESN'T GET INVOLVED. 
          IT JUST DEFAULTS TO OUR ORIGINAL RESTRICTION MAP. THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY, THANKS. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? COUNCIL MEMBER JACOB? THIS IS NOT REALLY AN ADDITIONAL COMMENT, BUT JUST PROCEDURAL. IF. I'M STRAW POLLING HERE, I'M NOT SEEING ENOUGH OPINION TO CHANGE WHAT THE MAYOR IS PLANNING ON DOING FROM THE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO ASK THE MAYOR TO DO SOMETHING ELSE THAN WHAT HE'S PLANNING ON DOING, AT LEAST NOT FROM A MAJORITY. SO I WOULD I WOULD JUST BE OKAY WITH ADJOURNING THE MEETING AND LETTING THE MAYOR DECIDE WITHOUT A VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO PROPOSE THAT BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO PIGGYBACK ON PRETTY MUCH WHAT EVERYONE HERE SAID, I. THIS IS A HARD VOTE BECAUSE I MYSELF, I DISLIKE FIREWORKS VERY MUCH. I HAD A VERY TRAUMATIZING EXPERIENCE AS A CHILD, SO THEY'VE NOT EVER BEEN MY FAVORITE THING. AND I HAVE A DOG LIKE VICE CHAIR SHELTON'S FRIEND WHO I HAVE TO MEDICATE AND WRAP THINGS AROUND HIS EARS BECAUSE HE'S ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED. SO I FEEL BAD FOR HIM AND OTHER LIVESTOCK. BUT I DO TRUST OUR STAFF. I TRUST THE MAYOR. AND ACTUALLY, ONE OF THE 
          [00:50:03]
FIRST QUESTIONS I ASKED WHEN HE CALLED ME TODAY WAS, WHAT DID CHIEF MAXFIELD SAY? BECAUSE I, I FULLY TRUST HIM. SO I DO FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT. COUNCIL MEMBER. HARRIS. YEAH. ANOTHER QUESTION. SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE MOVE TO NOT APPROVE OR THAT WE JUST DON'T ADJOURN PROCEDURALLY? RIGHT. AND WE JUST DON'T MAKE THE DECISION. OKAY. IF WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT. OH, COUNCIL MEMBER, I JUST I WANT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, WATCHING, LISTENING, THE MILLIONS AT HOME TO, TO KEEP IN MIND, AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THAT THE, THE MAYOR IS GOING TO MAKE A DECISION. AND WHAT AND BY HAVING THIS MEETING, I THINK HAS BEEN VALUABLE FOR THE MAYOR AND TO HEAR THOSE. THE THINGS FROM YOU HEAR TO SEE THEM ON SOCIAL. I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE I DON'T KNOW KNOW, BUT I PRETTY MUCH KNOW THAT HE'S BEEN CONTACTED AND HIS OFFICE HAS HAD PLENTY OF PHONE CALLS TODAY. SO I FEEL GOOD WITH THE FACT THAT THE CITIZENS HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO MAKE A SAY. THE HARD PART IS, ALL THOSE WHO LEANED ONE WAY AND IF IT GOES THEIR WAY, THEY FELT THEY WERE HEARD AND IT WAS DONE. AND THOSE THAT IT GOES THE OTHER WAY, THEY FELT THEY WEREN'T HEARD. THE THING ABOUT THIS IS THAT EVERYONE IS HEARD, BUT A DECISION HAS TO BE MADE. AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE ARE IN POSITIONS. THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID, MAYOR, FIRE CHIEF, YOU MAKE THE DECISION. I'M THANKFUL HE DIDN'T SAY CITY COUNCILS. YOU ALL GET TOGETHER AND WHATEVER YOU DECIDE HAPPENS. 
          BUT HE DID PUT THAT. SO AGAIN, JUST KNOW THAT WHATEVER WAY IT WENT, YOU WERE HEARD. AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR ANY THINGS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN SAID IN THIS ONLINE OR TO THE MAYOR HIMSELF. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS. YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER JACOB FOR DO INITIATING THIS AS A NEW COUNCIL MEMBER. I DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULD DO THIS, SO THIS MIGHT BE DANGEROUS INFORMATION FOR ME TO KNOW. YEAH. OH, EMERGENCY MEETINGS. BUT I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR, FOR THAT INITIATIVE AND FOR SHOWING ME THAT THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD DO. AND ESPECIALLY THANK EVERYONE FOR, FOR COMING AT SUCH, SUCH SHORT NOTICE AND GIVING SUCH ELOQUENT COMMENTS. SO JUST THANKS AND THANKS, COUNCIL MEMBER JACOB. AND THEN JUST TO ADD TO THAT, AS KIND OF A PUTTING A BOW ON IT, I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR BEING WILLING TO SAY, I WILL HOLD OFF AND LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC AND TO THE COUNCIL, AND SO THAT WE COULD SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A A TRUE I DON'T WANT TO CALL IT A DEBATE. I THINK THAT'S SELLING BOB SHORT, IF WE CALL THIS A DEBATE. I MEAN, HE'S HE'S THE CHAMP. BUT WE COULD HAVE A, A, A TRUE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO SHOW UP. AND PEOPLE DID. AND I HAD ONE, ONE, SIX, SEVEN PUBLIC COMMENTS. WHICH ON, YOU KNOW, TWO HOURS NOTICE, HEY, WE DON'T GET THAT MUCH ON MANY PUBLIC HEARINGS WITH WEEKS OF NOTICE. SO I APPRECIATE THAT THE PUBLIC CAME OUT. THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN COMMENTING ONLINE AS WELL. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, MAYOR, DO DO WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO WITHOUT A WITHOUT AN OFFICIAL NUDGE FROM THE COUNCIL ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. BUT AT LEAST YOU'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC. SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR BEING WILLING TO TO LISTEN. 
          VICE CHAIR SHELTON, I'D LIKE TO ALSO PUBLICLY THANK MAYOR BURTON. YOU'RE TAKING ALL THE POLITICAL HEAT ON THIS. AND WE'RE JUST KIND OF LIKE, OH, THAT WASN'T ME. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE YOU'RE GOING THE RIGHT DIRECTION. SO. OKAY. THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS. WE HAVE DECIDED THAT WE WILL NOT BE TAKING A VOTE TONIGHT. SO IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I DECLARE THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING ADJOURNED. IT IS
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.