Four Public Utilities Advisory Committee Members Honored Upon Completing Their Terms of Office
December 23, 1998
Thomas Berggren, Elliott Christensen, Robert Rice and Lon Richardson were presented a "Resolution of Appreciation" from Mayor Deedee Corradini upon completing their terms of office. The resolutions were read by Public Utilities Director LeRoy W. Hooton, Jr. at the December 10, 1998 Committee meeting.
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Whereas, Salt Lake City Corporation encourages and values citizen participation through Boards and Commissions; and
Whereas, the Public Utilities Advisory Committee has been formed under Section 2.40 of the Salt Lake City Code; and
Whereas, the Public Utilities Advisory Committee has the power and duty to annually review the department of Public Utilities’ capital improvements program; annual operations and maintenance budget and expenditures; recommend rate adjustments; review and make recommendations on proposed legislation; consult with the Mayor relative to water resources and sewage reclamation requirements; and to adopt and alter rules and regulations in the public interest to advance, enhance, foster and promote the public utility systems of Salt Lake City and its utility service area; and
Whereas, each member of the Public Utilities Advisory Committee is appointed by the Mayor of Salt Lake City and confirmed by the City Council to act as a member of this committee and to serve on a voluntary basis without compensation, and to perform faithfully, honestly and impartially the duties of his or her office; and
Whereas, Thomas Berggren, Elliott Christensen, Robert Rice and Lon Richardson have served on the Public Utilities Advisory Committee, and have dutifully served the citizens of Salt Lake City Public Utilities’ service area:
Now therefore, with deep gratitude and appreciation, I, Deedee Corradini, Mayor of Salt Lake City, by this resolution express the appreciation of Salt Lake City to Thomas Berggren, Elliott Christensen, Robert Rice and Lon Richardson for their exemplary contribution to the duties and goals of the Department of Public Utilities.
Signed Mayor Deedee Corradini
Mr. Hooton thanked the members for their service and contributions to the success of the Department of Public Utilities.
Mr. Thomas Berggren took the podium and summarized his experience on the committee dating back to 1986. He said that as he had been going over all the reports that had been issued over his eleven plus years, it brought back so many memories of all the issues, problems and questions the Advisory Committee had to wrestle with over the years. He said that it brought back a lot of good memories and he appreciated the opportunity to participate in those.
He said that the worse memory was the public meeting held at the Evergreen Junior High School. It was not the subject of the meeting, but what happened to him. He was a few minutes late and the meeting had already started. There is a floor to ceiling plate glass window dividing the lobby from the auditorium. He was in a hurry and was trying to see if the meeting had started and smashed into the glass and cut his forehead. So during the entire 2-hour meeting he sat at the table on stage with a napkin trying to stop the blood from dripping onto his papers. He said, “ Everyone thought it was a bloody meeting, but for me it was actually bloody.”
Mr. Berggren commented on a long list of what he described incredible accomplishments, including improvements in wastewater treatment and reclamation, capital improvement programs for all three utilities, the creation of the stormwater program, the two tier water rate structure, constant efforts to maintain the City’s water rights and to keep and improve the high quality of the water supply. He said that he wanted to highlight some of those accomplishments that he was the most proud to be involved in:
1. In 1987 we mounted an opposition to congressional efforts to create a National Recreation Area in the canyons. We thought this would be detrimental to water quality because of that designation bringing inevitably lots of people into the canyons.
2. In 1988 we commenced with the first watershed management plan, including a watershed and water rights acquisition fund which to date has meant that almost a 1,000 acres of land that otherwise may have been developed in now in the name of the City and will be preserved in its natural state, hopefully forever.
3. In 1989, there was the annexation of City Creek Canyon into Salt Lake City, and a year later in 1990, Sandy City’s annexation into Metropolitan Water District and in connection with that effort, the adoption by the City the multi-government conjunctive water use plan, a far sighted idea, that has served the City’s interests very well over the years, and in the future even more so.
4. In 1991the enactment of the City’s Canyon Watershed Surplus Water Sales Ordinance.
5. In 1993 the adoption by the City a water conservation ethic.
6. In 1995 after numerable meetings, the adoption of a peak demand water rate that will in the future serve the City well.
7. In 1995 the adoption by Salt Lake City, County, the Town of Alta and the Forest Service a memorandum of understand regarding the future development of the Albion Basin; and this year (1988) the update of the canyon management plan and the many things that have been accomplished in this effort.
8. All the lawsuits that have very grave consequences potentially for dealing with water quality issues.
Mr. Berggren said that he wanted to emphasis that he was very proud of his role in dealing with these issues. He said, “Each of these efforts is a product of a lot of work by a lot of people, and this has been the most enjoyable part -- the associations over the years. With very few exceptions, some, but very few, all of the people that I have worked with on these matters have been terrific. All of the personnel of the other partners in the water, sewer, and stormwater systems, including Metro, the County, the City and County Health Department, the Mayor and her staff and City Council and its staff. Fellow members of the Public Utilities Advisory Committee, they have been numerous over the years, terrific people, each bringing their perspectives to things, and most importantly the staff of the Department. We have occasionally had our differences, but I’ve learned an incredible amount over the years, its been a wonderful experience. I’ve really appreciated the opportunity.”
Questions regarding this article can be directed by e-mail to: leroy.hooton@ci.slc.ut.us