March update

Sandy City update from Councilman Chris McCandless  Do you know what’s new? Time is flying by and I’m loving our spring weather.  I just posted a picture of my dog Charli for the March “Where’s Chris” contest.  Take a look and see if you can guess the location to win a gift certificate to eat-out in Sandy.  Simply click this link to my website: http://chrismccandless.me/wheres-chris/ City Council Update: Sandy is growing and I’m happy with the progress I’m seeing. First, Hale Centre Theatre construction is moving along with its scheduled opening still slated for 2017. The aerial picture (above) shows the outline of the two theaters, both the main theater in the round (900 seats) and the smaller thrush theater (450 seats). As the lowest level of construction is substantially below the at-grade ground level, it’s really nice to see some of the vertical walls rising above that grade. Drive by and take a look. Second, some of you may have noticed the massive white big-top tent being raised in the west side parking lot in the Shops at South Town Mall west side parking lot near 10600 south. This is the site for the Odysseo show by Cavalia coming to Sandy. The show is produced by Cavalia which has been developed, created and produced by one of the Cir-du-sole show founders consisting of acrobats, dancers, musicians, 65 horses of differing breeds all performing inside the tent. The tent is the size of an NFL football field will have built in a artificial lake, movie screens as large as three IMAX theaters and other special theatrical affects. The will begin their shows on April 20 and run for several weeks. The performance has been shown all over the world including China, Canada and now Sandy City. For a sneak peek and information go to Cavalia.net and click on the Salt Lake City show details.   If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. I do my best to represent you and I’d love to hear from you. Thanks- Chris  Connect with me

January Newsletter

Sandy City Update from Councilman McCandless January 2016This month has been eventful for me and I would like to share some of the highlights. Also, I would like to reach as many Sandy City residents as possible and would love your help.  Please forward on my emails to your friends and neighbors so we can all be involved in our great city.  Thank you! Where’s Chris? In January we began the Where’s Chris? contest and had good response.  The winners each recieved a gift card to Mimi’s Cafe in Sandy.  Stay tuned later this month for your chance to win. Simply check my website:www.chrismccandless.me to see a photo of me somewhere in Sandy and give us your best guess.  You must be a Sandy resident to win. This was the picture from January at Momentum Climbing. Jordan River Commission Several years ago, Councilwoman Jenny Wilson, Councilman Corey Rushton and I were elected by a large committee to co-chair the work needed to form the Jordan River Commission.In January I stepped down (my term expired) as the Chair of this great organization.The new Chair, Councilwoman Aimee Newton I know will provide the leadership and skill set necessary to continue on improving and protecting the Jordan River Parkway and help it become an even better place – lake to lake! City Council Report January 26, 2016 City Council Report: During the Council member comments portion of the meeting, I gave a report with regards to open space and trails. Since 1996 the citizens of Utah have voted and passed $237 million dollars in bonds for open space parks and trails. Closer to home, the residents of Salt Lake County have three times approved of the ZAP tax which is a tax increase of 1/10th of one percent equating to about $300 million to be used for zoos, arts and parks in Salt Lake County. Additionally and as part of the bonds, the Salt Lake County voters overwhelmingly approved of $95 million in open space bonds, one bond that was approved was during a very challenging economic time in 2012! Pretty sure the voters of Salt Lake County seriously want us to continue moving the open space, arts parks and trails improvements forward in our communities. The next item we passed was a resolution to adopt the Salt Lake County Granite Community Master Plan (adopted by the Salt Lake County Commissioners in 1993) now part of our Sandy City community guidelines moving forward as residents in the unincorporated area annex into Sandy. For my vote, I want the folks in this great area to know that we have no intention of changing the character and feel of the historic Granite community. In fact, I would really enjoy being able to protect, preserve and enhance a couple of the old historic buildings in the area such as the old white church. Lastly, we approved a funding a request I made to the Council for improvements to a second Milestone House. This facility takes “fostered out kids” (those turning 18 in foster care and no longer qualifying for state assistance) and provides them with a safe place to live. They also help mentor them in establishing a budget, getting a job, caring for themselves and other needed skills. The monetary contribution by Sandy City will help the primary sponsor; the Good Shepard Lutheran Church provide improvements to a home they own located on about 725 East 8600 South (see the picture below). The remodeled home will house another five young men thereby totaling ten souls between the two homes. From what I think I remember Pastor James say; 33% of the kids who “foster out” of the state sponsored programs will be either drug addicts, pregnant or dead within a very short period of time after “fostering out”. The percentage of these same young men (and women) saved that they care for in their Milestone Houses tops 77%. They are saving lives! Sadly, the vote was not unanimous but we (four affirmative votes) still prevailed. A couple of the City Council members felt this was not an appropriate use of government funds and I could not disagree more. When the day comes that we as your representatives cannot see a basic human need, wherein we can expend a relatively small contribution to a project that will then continue on servicing the needy for decades is the day I will resign my post. I feel the Council is there to help people and last night, we did just that. Congratulations to the great congregation of the Good Shepard Lutheran Church for stepping up and helping those young men! If you want to help or donate, stop by, I am sure they would consider it a blessing and honor to show you around. I update my Facebook page after each council meeting to try to keep you informed. Please contact me if you have and questions, comments or concerns. Sincerely, Chris

Looking Forward- 2016

Looking Forward with Councilman Chris McCandless

Wishing you good times, good cheer, and a memorable new year. Sandy – Looking Ahead As a City Councilman I obviously have my own personal areas that rise to the top of what I would like to see happen this next year and those beyond in the City. But, it’s not about what I want, it’s about what the citizens want and that seems pretty simple; continue to keep our tax rates lower without compromising our quality of life. Defining the term “quality of life” includes police and fire protection, providing parks, trails and access to various recreational amenities, providing citizens with after school programming, elderly care and other various programs that make life in Sandy safe and enjoyable.   Looking forward First, by 2017 Hale Centre Theatre will be completed, up and running thereby realizing the same or even better success as we welcome a professional arts program into our community. Second, we need to stay focused on our changing revenue stream as a result of dynamic changes to our local businesses especially the retail outlets and our automobile dealerships along our freeway corridor. Third, we need new sources of revenue to pay for aging transportation infrastructure such as roads. And finally, we need to identify and help those who are truly in need. We are seeing more homeless and more residents who are struggling including those single parent households. There seems to be more addiction problems with pornography and illicit drugs, all of these problems ruin lives that can spread into a cancer that lasts for generations. Our challenge in the forthcoming years will be to identify how we as a community can better serve them and help them become productive citizens in our community. Overall, Sandy is a wonderful place and I promise to do my part in continuing to help improve our lifestyles. Again, thank you!   Stay Tuned! This month I am going to start a “Where’s Chris” contest where I post a picture of me in a hidden location and the winner will receive a gift card to dine out in Sandy.  Like me on Facebook and keep reading my newsletters for more info.  This should be a lot of fun- good luck!

-Chris McCandless- visit my webpage: www.chrismccandless.me

November Newsletter

SANDY CITY                                                                                                                              NOVEMBEER 2015 Dear Friends and Neighbors, Thank you for your vote!  I am thrilled to continue serving on the Sandy City Council,  I appreciate your support and faith in my ability to make correct decisions that guide our community. I am truly grateful and humbled to have great friends who have put out substantial effort in my behalf. My door is always open and I look forward to meeting with all of you at anytime I am committed to keeping you informed and will be sending you a monthly newsletter to provide you with updates on some of the pressing issues being discussed. Also as a reminder, our weekly City Council meetings are on Tuesday nights at 7 pm @ Sandy City Hall: 10000 Centennial Parkway.  I’d love to meet you there!  After each meeting I post a brief summary and update on my Facebook page so follow the link below to stay connected.  Here is a link to the City Council for more nformation: http://sandy.utah.gov/government/city-council.html Please contact me if there is anything that I can do to help you. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! Chris www.chrismccandless.me | mccandlessforsandy@gmail.com

Vote By Mail Newsletter

Councilman Chris McCandless
You should have received your ballot by now and I’d love your vote.
This year the Sandy City Municipal Election is all Vote by Mail. Here is a link for more information: http://www.sandynow.com/latest-news/single/article/vote-by-mail.html Remember to send in your ballot by November 3rd.
Take a look at Chris
I have served as your district four City Councilman for two and a half terms. I am anxious to serve another term. I have served in a number of civic positions and taken action on several crucial lifestyle elements in Sandy. This year, my campaign has focused on a report card of sorts demonstrating what I have done instead of campaigning on promises.
My Take on the Tax Increase Over the past ten years for approximately 20-30 hours per week, I have worked with great people as part of the Sandy City Council. As many of you know, the Council recently voted unanimously to increase our property tax rate by 4%; this increase is the cost equivalent of two diet cokes per month! Since everyone, including me hates the thought of a property tax increase, even a small one, I want to put this issue into its proper perspective by comparing our tax rate to our neighbor; Salt Lake City. The Sandy City property tax on an average $275,000 home is $215, including the annual $9 property tax increase! If that same Sandy home was located in Salt Lake City, you would pay $848.66. That a $633 increase, $52 per month more than Sandy’s tax rate. Sandy property taxes are very low! Back to my diet Coke comparison: For Salt Lake City residents, their property tax rate over Sandy equates to 139 more diet cokes per month. Like you, I want to keep our property taxes as low as possible. But I also see the services we are falling behind in, and I know that the Sandy City Council has voted in good faith. We do a lot with less. Summary of Results 1. I and others have spearheaded the formation of the Jordan River Commission which has played a vital role in completing multiple millions of dollars in improvements to the Jordan River Parkway trail resulting in significant lifestyle benefits as requested by our citizens 2. The After School Program in low income areas affecting both Sandy and Salt Lake County children has been established under my leadership 3. The Sandy and Little Cottonwood Canyon Tourism Committee, which I formed has brought millions of dollars in out-of-state tourism funds to our local Sandy businesses 4. As the Council Chair, I had a significant leadership role in the no-kill animal rights campaign wherein Sandy, through its City Council adopted new operating procedures for our animal friends 5. I have aggressively analyzed and sought to understand and then voted upon ten approximately $100 million dollar municipal combined budgets 6. Most recently, I put together the strategic plan that revived and brought Hale Centre Theatre to Sandy. It’s now under construction with a scheduled opening in January 2017 7. And yes, this last year we passed a budget that included a small property tax increase, the first in almost three decades
Thanks for your Support!

August Newsletter 2015

August Re-Cap Councilman McCandless           Sandy City         2015       What Have I Done For You Lately?
Run Elevated Half Marathon August 2013: Helped instigate Sandy’s half-marathon—from Alta to Alta Canyon Sports Center. The quality of life in any city is determined, in part, by its recreational programs. For several years, Chris worked with administration, Alta, Snowbird, Alta Canyon Sports Center, and the Sandy Parks and Recreation department to instigate Sandy’s own half marathon.	Protecting Pets and Communities My Dog: Charlie 2010 – 2015: Protected citizens’ rights in pet ownership and helped establish “no-kill” philosophy. Chris McCandless has diligently pursued the modification of animal control ordinances. He sought to help citizens maintain rights of pet ownership while protecting the public from those owners who disregard public safety. “As Chairman of the Council, Chris was instrumental in moving Sandy City Animal Services to a ‘no-kill’ shelter philosophy. This progressive and humane approach to animal welfare is something all Sandy residents can be proud and excited about.” —Mike Reberg, Director, Salt Lake County Animal Services
City Council Notes September 1, 2015 Lots of emotion last night as residents expressed their concern to the City Council as we deliberated on the demise of the animal control services archaic gas chamber. As you might recall a couple meetings past, we implemented a “no-kill” status for our animal control department. Last night we completed the legislative transition from this archaic system and put in place the legislation needed to completely eliminate the gas chamber from being an acceptable tool to euthanize certain animals. It’s a good thing! The other fun item was the swearing in (by our Municipal Judge) the Youth City Council and the Youth Court. Both of these groups are high school age young adults who help the city in a variety of ways while imitating their respective sworn positions. Lots of other, not very interesting things happened during the rest of the meeting although the Council was further educated on the human resources and emergency management system in place in the event of a disaster.   August 25, 2015 Run Elevated – last Saturday Sandy City’s half marathon from Alta Ski Resort down Little Cottonwood Canyon came off famously! It was great to finish the run with my Daughter Meagan for the third year in a row. A special thanks to Jetta Valentine and her staff from Alta Canyon Recreation for all the hard work.   August 11, 2015: This week the Council is working on reviewing the Police Department budget and touring our law enforcement facilities. Every year, the City Council tours each department in an attempt to become more informed with the intricacies’ of their operations. That way the City Council can be more informed when they request certain allowances for expenditures during the annual budgetary process. Our Police, Fire, Parks and Recreation and the other Sandy City departments are second to none! On a side note, I am looking for campaign sign locations. As most know, I am running for office this year and will in the next several weeks formally begin the “running” process. If you are interested in a Re-elect Chris McCandless campaign yard sign, let me know and I will put it up in the pending weeks ahead Thanks to all of my friends and supporters!

July Newsletter 2015

Councilman Chris McCandless July Re-Cap 2015 Sandy City, Utah
Dear Friends and Neighbors, I hope you are having a wonderful summer.  I took a few days off and explored three national parks this month, the best was Glacier National Park.  The funny thing is, I went backpacking with Susan looking for bears and the only two bears we saw were on the road and in a parking lot. I’m now back to Sandy City Council stuff and weekly updates. I am sure that you are aware campaign season is upon us.  I am looking for locations to post my yard signs and would appreciate your help.  Please respond to this email with your address if you’d like to support me.  We’ll come post the sign at the end of August and it is an easy way to be involved.  Thank you in advance! Finally, I want you to know that I enjoy serving Sandy and take my opportunity to be on the City Council seriously.  I have updated my website with a section titled: What Have I Done for You Lately and I invite you to visit and see the progress.  Click Here. As always, feel free to contact me if there is anything that I can do for you.          What have I done for you lately? As a member of the Sandy City Council, I have received enormous trust from my fellow citizens. I want to be accountable with this privilege, so I frequently ask myself: What have I done for you lately? Sandy After School Programs January 2014: Facilitated the opening of after-school programs for Sandy school children. “Chris McCandless recognized the great need for an after school program for Bell View/Edgemont Elementary Schools and brought together a partnership with the school district, city, non-profit organizations, and county. This program has had an enormous impact in the community by bringing together two different schools and creating a Club where kids now know their neighbors and have created relationships with one another.” —Bob Dunn, Exec. Dir., South Valley Boys & Girls Club Council Meeting Notes: July 20 City Council Meeting was a bit light. With that said, the following items were addressed: 1. A presentation was given by the Wasatch Front Regional Transportation Council and their plan with regards to our local and state roads. The conclusion, we need lots of support and funding in order to keep up with improvements and maintenance. 2. Community Development Block Grant (CDBD) funding was discussed for next year. With the Section 208 loan (used to fund the Senior Center) being paid off this year, it will free up about $300,000 per year in funding that can be used in various ways to fund more community based projects. 3. Hale Centre Theatre update. The subdivision plan for the site (west of City Hall) was approved and recorded by the City and that along with finalizing the bonds last week makes the Hale Centre Theatre (approvals and funding) about 98% complete. The final items needed prior to a ground will be to complete and sign the agreements between the architects; Beecher Walker and the contractor; Layton Construction. The projected completion of the theater is January 2017 (soft opening) and the grand opening in July 2017. 4. An additional sister city relationship was discussed in Cuba! More to come as we think about which city and if it serves a purpose in the future. Presently we have two Sister City relationships in Piedras Negras Mexico and Riesa Germany. 5. Lastly a rezone of property on 1611 East 11400 South to allow for four lots with three new homes was approved. Council Meeting Notes: June 24 The Council heard a few items on activities that are planned for Sandy, Utah and even national participants at a couple events. 4TH OF JULY: If you have not attended this daylong event, you should. The day starts with a flag raising event at 6:50 in the South Towne Promenade. Immediately after there is a 5K race and events go on all day until the best fireworks show in the west and free concerts at 10PM. Stop by my “ChrisMcCandless for City Council booth” for a free cold drink. RUN ELEVATED: This is a half marathon run from Alta to Sandy down Little cottonwood Canyon! We close the canyon to traffic and it’s a phenomenal run. The race is scheduled for August 22, 2015 and is limited to the first 2,000 runners, we have even had advance registration from several states outside of Utah. ADVENTURE WEEK: This event was presented and will be (spring of 2016) the third annual. It’s a week-long event of trade shows (outdoor retailers for the public), races, climbing, service projects and other out activities that celebrate the great outdoor assets we have here in Sandy. During the formal portion of the City Council meeting we saw a power point show summarizing all of the Sandy Pride projects where Sandy residents helped clean up and improve our parks, trails and even some homes for folks who don’t have the health and resources to help themselves. It’s estimated that over the 30 years of Sandy Pride projects performed by residents, it has saved us millions of dollars and helped make Sandy City what it is today.		In this Issue: * What Have I Done for You Lately? * Council Meeting Notes: July 20 * Council Meeting Notes: June 24
		chrismccandless.me                                                                                                   mccandlessforsandy@gmail.com

June Newsletter 2015

Sandy City elections are coming up, please see details below. Also, look for my booth at the Sandy City July 4th celebration at the South Towne Promenade.  Here is a link for more information:http://sandy.utah.gov/whats-new/news-single-view/article/sandy-fourth-of-july-celebration.html Thank you to all who participated in our 2015 Sandy Pride Events. We made a difference!

In This Issue Candidacy and Elections City Council Meeting Notes: June 9th June 2nd May 19th

Introduction At the end of May I officially announced my candidacy for City Council District Four for the next term; 2016-2020.  I want to thank all those who have supported me over the past four years as your City Council representative and hope to obtain your support again. With the City elections converting to a vote by mail only method, it will be important to get registered to vote as that is how the Salt Lake County Clerk identifies those who get a ballot which will be mailed to their registered address. There will not be a primary election this year because two potential candidates have dropped out of the race.  General election ballots will be sent to the residents about 30 days prior to the Election Day on November 3rd. When you get your ballot you can vote long before the designated Election deadline. For information on how to register to vote please go to the Salt Lake County web site at:www.slco.org/clerk or call them at (385) 468-7400. Thank you for being involved! Here is a link to the City Council website:http://sandy.utah.gov/government/city-council.html I’ve also included a link to the Sandy City District maps:http://gis.sandy.utah.gov/CityCouncil/index.html Thanks to all for supporting Sandy City!  Please contact me with comments or concerns or if I can assist you in any way.  I enjoy serving you.              City Council Meeting Notes: June 9th This week was another eventful meeting. First up was a report from the City Reorder on the pending Sandy City Council candidate filings that have signed up to run for the council seats this year. In the “at-large” race six citizens have registered which includes the two incumbents; Linda Saville and Steve Fairbanks. In the district seats, Dennis Tenney and an opponent are running in district two and a local gentleman and I have signed up for the council race in district four. The result is that Sandy should have an invigorating election cycle this year where issues will be debated, vetted and most likely previously made decisions will be discussed. There were a few other major items that we heard in public hearings that the Council subsequently voted in favor of (unanimously) and they are: 1. Public comment was taken and a final approval of the financing method for the $46.5 million dollar bond for Hale Centre Theatre was granted. We also passed a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign a lease agreement between the City and Hale Centre Theatre. The theater lease payments paid by HCT will fund the bond payments and yes, when I signed the final documents in behalf of the City Council and its residents I was a bit nervous. Watch for news on the groundbreaking date! 2. We also heard from the Automall dealers with regards to some changes so they can remain competitive in the marketplace. We voted to have the appropriate paperwork brought back next week for final approval. This will allow our dealerships to provide a fresh new look which is projected to boost their car sales. 3. Lastly, we formally approved the tentative 2015/2016 budget subject to the August public hearing wherein the Council will take public comment as a result of small increase in the property tax rate. It was a short night as we adjourned around 9PM. City Council Meeting Notes: June 2nd The first part of the meeting started with a tour of the old (white) Granite LDS Church located near the intersection of 3100 East and 9800 South. Our Guide and owner of the historical building was Dr. Fairbanks, who is a highly talented artist and sculptor. The building which is begging to be preserved is filled with period art pieces, paintings and bronze busts of various prominent Americans and Utahans. This is a historically significant building which has been part of the Granite community and must be preserved including its over 100 year history. Today, its primary function is a storage facility for the artifacts mentioned, an art studio for Dr. Fairbanks and a spook alley for the local folks around Halloween. After returning to City Hall we heard an update on the Hale Center Theatre pending lease negotiations, health insurance challenges as a result of the national health care impacts and more budget issue clarification. There were several public hearings; the first was to vote on a proposed amendment to create a prohibition on feeding deer in residential subdivisions. As reported by various Sandy residents, the problem is that a Sandy resident, who has good intentions, feeds the deer located near their home which is usually next to or near the mountains. This feeding, over time creates a growing urban welfare deer population. When the person feeding the deer moves from the neighborhood, the deer remain and now, nobody is feeding them. Not knowing what else to do, the deer do what comes naturally, eat everybody else’s landscaping, flowers; they rake their antlers in trees destroying them, etc. These enlarged urban deer herds then cause traffic problems, vehicle accidents and other public hazards. The best solution is just don’t feed the deer and allow them to forage naturally for food. The prohibition amendment was voted by the majority of the Council to be continued for the next twelve months. I voted against this action as I felt we should just adopt or deny the ordinance prohibiting the feeding of deer as there is not much left to discover on this issue over the next twelve months. The next public hearing was a conditional use permit provision reversion request from UTA on their Park-n-Ride lot on 11400 South and the TRAX line. UTA felt that they should not have to report to the Sandy Planning Commission on how they are doing with managing their park and ride lot. The City Council felt otherwise and denied the request to modify their conditional use as it maintains a check and balance system making UTA accountable for the lot as it affects the adjacent residential neighborhood. The last Public Hearing was a presentation on modifying the 2014/15 budget and a public hearing for next year’s budgets. After the 110 million dollar budget was presented, three citizens got up and made various comments about their exceptions with the budget. The pending budget public hearing was continued until the June 9, 2015 meeting. The budget highlights can be found on the City web site including a summary contained in a power point presentation that simplifies the budget. We also voted on various resolutions, one of which restricts fireworks in high fire danger areas of the city such as Dimple Dell, Bell Canyon, foothills and the like (my wife will now probably vote against me for that vote – she loves fireworks). Finally, one of the benefits (although a minor benefit) of living in Sandy is the Movies in the Park programs. Sandy sets up a huge outdoor screen and shows free movies to the area residents. It’s a great night out with Family, friends and your children. Bring blankets, chairs and something to eat. The shows start at dusk and are contingent upon good weather. The first show of the season is on June 12, 2015 at Buttercup Park featuring the animated film; Big Hero. For more information you can go to:www.sandy.utah.gov/movies City Council Meeting Notes: May 19th During the meeting, the Council voted to unanimously approve of the resolution supporting the issuance of a bond which will ultimately construct the new Hale Centre Theatre. After the new building is constructed Hale Centre Theatre will, in a similar fashion to that of their previous building, will lease the new theater building from Sandy for a period of 25 years. The HCT lease payment will match that of the Sandy City bond payment. The day after our Council meeting, we had a small ceremony where Mayor Dolan and I signed the resolution. Even though there are many more steps still to take, it appears Hale Centre Theatre is coming to Sandy! We also heard presentations on the pending City Council and Public Utilities proposals. There is so much information to discuss on the pending budget issues that we have had to hear a department presentation every week over the past several weeks in order to go over basic services as provided by the various departments. The objective is that when we finally get down to approving the City budget, we feel that the process has been more fully vetted and we understand why the departments need (not want) the resources and funding they are requesting. The next item was the long awaited public hearing on the Title Three Amendment to the Municipal Code (Animal Services Control) whereby it was proposed that Sandy City adopt a no-kill policy. A no-kill standard mandates that we not euthanize more than 10% of the animals impounded. This still allows Sandy animal control to euthanize those animals that are terminally ill or injured as well as those animals that are considered not rehabilitative. The ordinance change would also require that the Sandy City animal services provide a TNR program for feral cats. TNR stands for Trap-Neuter and Return. Salt Lake County has been implementing this TNR program for several years and it is working. They trap feral cats, sterilize or neuter them and then return them to where they were trapped where they live out their lives without creating more cats. This is a pretty simplistic description of a very complicated issue, but I think most folks got the idea. We opened the no-kill item up for public comment at the hearing (the entire Council Chambers were filled to capacity including the overflow section with residents, most of whom were from Sandy) after going over our public hearing ground rules. We received over 30 specific comments and of the 30 or so speakers, 28 were in favor of the new no-kill changes to the Code and 2 were against. In the end, the Council voted unanimously to approve Sandy as a no-kill City. The audience provided the Council with their approval by erupting in applause and even a standing ovation. The next day, I met with Councilwoman Kris Nichol (the driving force on this issue) and her dog; Bayjo for a signing ceremony. For the first time in the history of Sandy City, a dog “pawed” its signature of approval as I signed the no-kill amendment officially establishing Sandy as a no-kill city! I have attached a copy of the pawing ceremony picture. The last part of the week (Thursday evening), we held a BBQ at the Hidden Valley park pavilion on Wasatch Boulevard with several dozen supporters to officially announce my candidacy for City Council District Four for the next term; 2016-2020. The event was not nearly as cool as the previous items I wrote about above, but thought it might be noteworthy. I want to thank all those in attendance and to those who have supported me over the past four years as your City Council representative and hope to obtain your support again. Thanks to all for supporting Sandy City!

May Fundraiser 2015

April Newsletter 2015

Sandy City Newsletter from Councilman Chris McCandless
		April 2015
Sandy Pride is approaching fast and we need you! Some of the projects we are focusing on include: *11400 South Highland Drive Corridor *Brandon Canyon *Bell Canyon Estates Equestrian Trail (10600 South) *Dimple Dell Canyon/Park	Sandy Pride Info: May 16, 2015 Saturday Please meet @ at the unfinished Highland Drive corridor property (about 1900 East) which is east of the Fire Station 33 on 11400 South 8 AM	+ April 21 + April 14 + April 7 + March 30
Get Involved www.sandy.utah.gov/sandypride Please contact me with any questions: 801-597-4575
As always, I am committed to keeping you informed.  Check out my Sandy City Council Meeting Summaries below for the month of April.  There are hyperlinks above for your convience. Please feel free to contact me with comments or concerns.Thank you for your involvement- Chris
April 21, 2015 The most exciting item we approved this week was the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding requests. As mentioned in my last message, these federal funds are spent based on the federal guidelines. The majority of the CDBG money goes to pay down the debt on the Sandy Senior Center located on 1300 East and 9400 South. By the way, this is our last payment, which next year will free up $235,229 CDBG dollars. The second allotment of funds went to housing rehabilitation projects. In fact, all of the funds in this category went to an organization named ASSIST and were used for emergency home repair. These funds will help disadvantage Sandy residents including the elderly who have significant housing repair issues such as leaking roof, non-functional furnaces, etc. The last segment of the funds went to various charitable organizations such as: the Road Home overflow shelter, South Valley Sanctuary, YWCA, Big Brothers and Sisters Organization, the Family Support Center and other housing outreach programs. The total amount of CDBG funds spent on helping our residents this year is $367,074. The next item on the agenda was to review the Fire Marshall’s recommendations for changes to a map that restricts fireworks from being used in specific hazardous areas. He recommended a couple of additions to the map in areas of steep slopes and near canyons. If the City Council adopts the recommendations, it will make it illegal in those areas to set off fireworks during the times of the year when they are permitted. In another segment of the meeting, we heard more presentations from non-profit organizations that we traditionally budget funding to help them help us. One of the organizations making a presentation to the City council was the South Valley Boys and Girls Clubs. This year they focused their presentation on reporting about the new After School Programs which, have been a resounding success, not only in the number of kids attending (with a large waiting list) but in the way they are helping them achieve a better level of education, physical fitness, mental well-being and learning to be better citizens and students. A couple of numbers of services (County wide) that they provide are: 76,467 outreach programs; 133 homeless youth served; 217, 937 healthy meals served, internet safety training and over 20,523 hours of service towards 836 community projects. Wow.
April 14, 2015 Once again, we had another difficult decision to make wherein the neighborhood was divided. The issue was to decide if the City should fund a road extension which when completed would cause some historical traffic patterns to change to a more direct route option with a new direct roadway link from the neighborhood through to 700 East. The new access would then be through to a signalized intersection with a controlled left hand turn. For some of the residents, the additional traffic, which is certainly a major concern and issue would create potentially more hazards for residents on the impacted existing roads. They will be forced to absorb the higher levels of cars travelling past their homes. For the other residents, in favor of opening the road, they felt that because the proposed new access road had been on the Sandy City transportation master plan for 19 years, in concert with some new home development traffic that has impacted their streets which has been the in/out roads out of the area, also leading to 700 East which is not and will never be a signalized intersection, it has made their homes and roads more congested and less safe. These two diametrically opposed, very well spoken and educated groups presented details that supported each position. One group even went so far as to hire a traffic engineer to address differences with regards to some of Sandy City’s traffic engineer’s conclusions. That presentation together with a residents power point presentation was one of the best seen in many a meeting. In the end, I voted with the majority of the City Council to allow the City to fund the improvements and open up the new section of road leading into a signalized intersection. My decision was based upon a number of findings and thoughts as listed below: 1. It seemed to me that yes, there will most likely, in the future be vehicle accidents in the neighborhood as a result of increased traffic. But it also occurred to me that the type of neighborhood accidents would most likely be inconvenient with potential for mostly minor injuries. However, the type of accidents for those same residents trying to make left hand turns onto 700 East without a signalized intersection could and would most likely be significantly more injurious and life altering for those folks. 2. Secondly, if, at some point the jurisdictional authority for 700 East (the Utah Department of Transportation) will decide to place a curb/median in 700 East. At that point in time, the two existing residential roads leading out of the neighborhood where people make those hazardous left hand turns, would no longer be available and getting out of the area would be even more difficult. 3. Lastly, the two ends of the new road (leaving only the middle new proposed segment) have been completed and known for years, both visually and in print in the transportation master plan and although this is a minor consideration, a lot of folks in existing homes in the area have been planning on relief based upon those two elements on their streets. In the end, the Council voted six to one in favor of allowing the administration to use budgeted and intended funds to complete the gap in the road connection. Simply put, this was the lesser of two evils and again a hard decision to make. For those that this will affect in a negative way, I am sorry. On a lighter note, we discussed with some anxious anticipation about the future funding that is becoming available known as the community development block grant funds (CDBG). These funds are given to the City through the federal government. This is a great program which has in the past provided our residents with significant financial benefits especially for the elderly and homeless as well as a variety of other community projects. We expect, in the next couple of weeks to continue with that tradition and allocate funds to some great organizations who provide a tremendous service to our residents, young and old alike. Next, the last step in the annexation of the homes located near the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon was achieved and I would like to welcome our newest residents into Sandy City – congratulations!
April 7, 2015 We started the Council meeting with a tour of the new Mount Jordan Middle School located on 9400 South and 300 East. This will be an amazing learning center for our students! The designers have used a design establishing a very creative learning and thriving environment. For our part, the Council voted to approve municipal funds to enhance the stage and theater. The plan is to have our arts guild (now celebrating its 30th year) and community share in the use of this school district owned theater that in the past has used the old Mount Jordan and Eastmont School stages and have every year converted the City Council chambers into a stage for use in its theatrical productions. So, with the new school being completed together with an on-going inter-local agreement with the Canyons School District, the Sandy Arts Guild has announced that their first local production; Into the Woods will be held at the new Mount Jordan Theatre in October. From what we have also been told, the Sandy Arts Guild will soon receive a very prestigious award. Congratulations to all involved! In another presentation, Stan Parrish and Galen Nate from the Sandy Area Chamber of Commerce wowed the Council with their accomplishments from last year. Because we contribute funding to the Chamber, we ask them to present to us annually their accomplishments. Stan spoke briskly for about 20 minutes trying to cram in all of their accomplishments including the statement that our funds were a decreasing percentage of their budget in conjunction with a substantially growing membership. He also announces that the Chamber will be focusing more on promoting Sandy as a tourism destination to help move our cause further along. Great job last year Sandy Chamber! The next item was yet another annexation resolution located in the Granite community. This one is a landmark site known to most as the Granite Chapel located on 3000 East. This building is such as significant and historic structure it will be exciting to perhaps see how Sandy can offer to help preserve it for generations to come. Lastly, and not part of the Council agenda but we spoke about an on-going discussion on how to help improve the Dimple Dell Park and Canyon (formerly called a gully). After that discussion, I decided the next morning to run my yellow Labrador retriever up from the Exposition Center to Granite Park and back. The neat part of this run is it’s located right in the middle of our City and, I only had to cross one road! Other than the great scenery and the quiet nature of the run, we saw deer, cottontail rabbits, mourning doves, quail and other birds. On the return run down the north rim trail I noted what a great place we recreate, live and work. With Dimple Dell Canyon and Sandy City spread out before me and the Wasatch fronts Lone Peak wilderness area behind me I thought to myself, wow, I get to live here! If you have not hiked, rode, run or biked in Dimple Dell Canyon, you are really missing out. Call for tour and join me and the Labrador – Charli. Have a great week Sandy!
March 30, 2015 A special recognition resolution called a Citizen of Merit was presented to one of Sandy’s famous residents: Mr. Johnny Burt. Johnny is a handicapped resident who has lived in Sandy for about the last 60 years. He is always seeking out ways to help, sometimes he gets a bit loud and verbose but his intention is always to help, in his own way. Johnny seems to show up everywhere, all the time, some folks even think he has a twin or was cloned at birth. If everyone had his passion, disableed or not, the world would be a better place to live. The Council meeting was attended by about 100 people and after the resolution was read and presented to Johnny (with his brother Doug standing by) the audience rose in a very loud standing ovation. Congratulations Johnny and thank you for being a Citizen of Merit in Sandy. If you know of anyone who resides or works in Sandy and noteworthy, please give me a call. Other than the resolution above, we discussed Hale Centre Theatre, property, sales tax and budgetary woes, a legislative re-cap from our Capital Hill team and reappointed volunteers serving the City in various committees that also helps make our City a great place to live, work and recreate.