Local Issues

The coming four years could see some tumultuous times for Uintah County. With deep concern for the local economy, unemployment, energy, water,government spending, increased-- taxes, budgets, Federal grants and county debt, I pledge I will work with the other elected Commissioners to resolve these issues in a expediant manner that will not jeopardize our energy future. A government that spends and incurs debt becomes an oppressive master and not the Peoples' servant the Constitution intended it to be. The county is made up of over forty six different departments and special appropriation districts with little to no accoutability to the people. As the Peoples' Commissioner, I would like to change this by giving a quarterly reporting to media (newspaper, radio or TV) on each of these entities as to why they exist and what We the People need to know about them as well as the services they provide. Generally speaking, my dealings with county employees has been very positive and their attitudes towards satisfying the customer-the Public-have been very upbeat! I will seek to continue that success!

County Involvement

I am currently involved with the County's network infrastructure and the library. Over the years our IT department has been a leader in the state with its custom software for GIS, property management, accounting, treasurer, appraisal, payroll and recording. I have had the pleasure of working with all departments as well as Vernal City and the State of Utah. My wife, Mimi, and I have five children, four of whom attended Uintah HS and Utah State University Extension. Mimi taught for many schools in the county while earning Utah Teacher of the Year honors in three art categories and special needs.
I attended Foothill College in Los Altos, California majoring in Mass Communications before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force. Later I attained a Bachelor of Science degree from BYU with two majors-Accounting and Finance and post graduate Masters work in Computer Resource Management at Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri and Utah State University in Information Technology, Computer Science, Education and Industrial Technology Engineering. In addition, I have over twenty two years local government experience along with two years of auditing with CPA firms. I also have ten years experience with small businesses in accounting, financial forecasting and tax consulting. One of my hobbies is to analyze large companies in order to determine their liquidation value.

A Vietnam Era vet, I served almost five years for the Air Force active duty as well as working for the Air Force Weapons Lab, Albuquerque, New Mexico. I have also been active in Lions Club (Treasurer) and American Legion as well as community baseball, football and Ute hockey programs.

I am also a history buff and enjoy reading about Uintah County's early settlers and the Browns Park area of Colorado.

If elected, I pledge that I will increase the number of entrants in THE DEMO DERBY and GET THE AIR FORCE TO FLY OVER THE JULY 4th PARADE AGAIN AT A MUCH LOWER ALTITUDE! After all, if we can take all those sirens and horns--a few seconds of jet noise shouldn't hurt.

What is 1 story taller than the county building and wing tip to wing tip as wide as the county building and nose to tail as long as the county building? Answer a B52 (a familiar sight for me in the Air Force) One of the best things our government has done right, the B52 has lasted almost 6 generations and is scheduled for service to 2040!
B52 Fly-by!
You are an American Hero! Vote Tea Party! Here's the Air Force fly-by You Missed
At the July 4th Parade!

Some More Air Force fly-bys ground view
Now Your the pilot looking down! A Higher Power Fly-over!

National Issues

I WILL UPHOLD the Constiution of the United States of America-not by disregard or lip service but by holding government servants accountable starting at the top.
The following statements (modernized) are from the Declaration of Independence refering to the King of England in colonial times-do they sound familiar?
-erect a multitude of NEW OFFICES and send swarms of OFFICERS (IRS Obamacare agents) to harrass our people and eat out their substance. -he has kept among us, in times of domestic peace, standing (foreign) armies WITHOUT THE CONSENT of our Legislatures (including our State Legislature) -he has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction FOREIGN to our Constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretending Legislation:
For imposing Taxes on us WITHOUT OUR CONSENT:
For taking away our Charters (local laws), abollishing our most valuable LAWS, and altering fundamentally the Forms of OUR Governments.

While so many folks are losing their jobs we continue to expand the federal workforce as well as increase government paychecks.  The average federal employee is making $73,000 while the average worker in the private market makes $44,000. Why does Congress have their own retirement separate from social security? The average salary of a Federal Department of Education employee is over $100,000. Ask yourself, do we even need the Federal Department of Education with its ridiculus jumping through hoops paperwork requirements? Ask any local teacher what they think of the NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND PROGRAM. Do you realize that Washington DC students receive twice as much government funding more than Uintah County students? That's why we need Commissioners who will speak up and demand education be handled at the local level instead of a Federal bureaucracy that treats teachers as score keepers instead of allowing them to teach creatively.
During these economic times we need to reduce Federal salaries and freeze all new hiring until we emerge from these economically trying times.  Currently this administration wants to tie corporate compensation to performance.  We should do the same for those in government.  When we balance the budget, reduce our deficits, and restore a surplus, then and only then should we offer increases.  Government is too big and too expensive.