[0:00] Highland City the election is coming up
for City Council and I'm sitting here at
[0:05] Fizz nighttime version with Tim ball Tim
thanks for stopping by my pleasure
[0:10] thanks for inviting me the race is on
tell me a little bit about yourself
[0:20] where did you grow up and how is it that
you ended up here in Island I grew up in
[0:25] Southern California about 20 minutes
from Disneyland in a place called
[0:28] Diamond Bar interestingly enough there's
a whole Diamond Bar community in in Utah
[0:34] County Wow
yeah a lot of people have moved here for
[0:37] the same reason that we moved here and
that is we found a jewel in the middle
[0:43] of what appears to be chaos Highland is
Highland because of the open spaces the
[0:50] low-density the country feel yet were
very close to amenities such as
[0:55] world-class health care transportation
corridors shopping schools but we still
[1:02] are able to retain and maintain that
country feel and that's why I'm here
[1:06] because I believe in the Highland of the
general plan which is exactly that
[1:12] highlands of bedroom community and it's
we want to maintain that country feel
[1:17] forever and that's why we moved here and
that's what I'm gonna fight for
[1:20] excellent tell me a little bit about
your family and what it is that you do
[1:24] um I married my wife Natalie we've been
married for 20 years
[1:29] coming up rapidly on 21 we have four
children ages 17 14 12 and 10 keeps me
[1:37] very busy an interesting thing that
really keeps helps keep me informed is
[1:41] that I have four kids in three different
schools so the ridge line Timberline and
[1:46] Lone Peak and so I kinda have the pulse
and everything going on in school and
[1:51] like tivities and it's it's great it's a
great time to be in Highland and raise a
[1:55] family
yeah you've been serving on the Planning
[1:57] Commission how long have you been on
that a little over a year I was
[2:00] appointed by
man and I have really enjoyed that time
[2:03] but more importantly I think is it's
given me a lot of experience so I can
[2:08] hit the ground running if I am honored
to be elected I can hit the ground
[2:12] running and with that experience really
represent well my friends and neighbors
[2:17] yeah a lot of people don't know what the
Planning Commission does just briefly
[2:21] what what is it that the Planning
Commission does how does that relate to
[2:23] them do you know much we do much of what
the the City Council does in a sense
[2:28] developers etc will come to us with
land-use issues such as zoning and
[2:34] variances to zoning for developments and
both residential and commercial and we
[2:39] will make ret we'll hear everything
we'll study it out and then we'll make
[2:43] recommendations to the City Council and
the City Council actually has the teeth
[2:47] and they will take the vote make the
votes and and effectuate whatever change
[2:52] that they see fit or prevent a change
right they all have to do what the
[2:56] Planning Commission does but they do
look to the Planning Commission to guide
[2:58] and direct them and kind of get these
issues right exactly
[3:01] all right tell me about some of the
other issues that you think Highland
[3:04] residents should be aware of and should
be a part of their consideration in this
[3:08] this campaign there are actually a lot
of really important issues Highland is
[3:13] built out about 75 percent which means
25 percent left of the city to develop
[3:18] non commercial development such as the
War esidential development and so it's
[3:23] very important that we make prudent
decisions and there's a lot of
[3:27] corollaries to this one issue of zoning
and those that know me know that I'm a
[3:32] big Sony person and adhering to the law
adhering to the zoning statutes that are
[3:37] consistent with the general plan so if
we over build that's going to put even
[3:43] more of a burden on our infrastructure
one corollary would be the water
[3:49] situation we live basically in a desert
yeah I think we have the second lightest
[3:54] rainfall in the country out of all 50
states number two in the wrong
[4:01] directions so we water as a really
important consideration I think I heard
[4:08] a statistic that we are at 75 percent
build-out we're already using a hundred
[4:13] percent of the water that was a
for our city yeah so every new house
[4:18] that comes in the really isn't water
that is designated for at our current
[4:23] user current so we have to make some
serious decisions and I'm I'm really big
[4:28] on getting feedback from from citizens
my neighbors and my friends and I plan
[4:32] on doing cottage meetings periodically
in different parts of the city and
[4:36] really kind of putting my ear to the
tracks of me and listening and
[4:42] understanding what the concerns are of
the citizens of Highland and water is a
[4:47] big issue I mean I mean next to to
zoning I've been asked about water a lot
[4:52] and I've knocked on hundreds of doors in
different neighborhoods gone to numerous
[4:57] cottage meetings and that's a big issue
yeah and so we have to make decisions
[5:01] such as are we going to adhere to the
general plan if we do so and do
[5:06] residential large lots low density
development which I plan on vigorously
[5:13] defending then that will put less of a
burden on the water situation if we
[5:18] don't and we don't kind of dial back our
usage voluntarily then we'll be forced
[5:23] to take other measures so I greatly
favor voluntary cutbacks and I think
[5:30] everyone loves the city and I think
everyone will do the right thing I think
[5:33] a lot of people aren't aware that
they're over watering and and really
[5:37] what the situation is I don't think
they're aware of it either and I think
[5:40] for Xavier a really good example I was
knocking on doors two nights ago and I
[5:46] ran into a fascinating lady who's a
landscape engineer but she's also an
[5:50] expert in water usage and water
conservation when it comes to
[5:54] landscaping and she said I'm gonna ask
that
[5:57] I volunteered to go to to address groups
of people and it just hasn't happened
[6:03] and I said can I have your business card
she said yes she wants to teach us about
[6:07] I think it's pronounced xeriscaping
everyone thinks it's zero skiing that's
[6:11] what I thought but it's actually
xeriscaping and it has to do with
[6:14] utilizing indigenous and native plants
in order to minimize water consumption
[6:22] it worked at her yard that she'd just
put in it and it's beautiful with very
[6:26] little grass that's awesome yeah it was
really nice it didn't look like some
[6:29] freaky desert scape or a moonscape but
it looked really nice and so I'm gonna
[6:35] utilize the resources we have in the
community not to get sidetracked yeah
[6:39] but I think there's so much talent in
Highland from the technology sector we
[6:46] have a lot of CEOs CFOs CIOs CTOs all
kinds of talent that we can utilize in
[6:52] different capacities one would be a
committee that that particular lady I
[6:57] mentioned could be part of and we could
talk about appropriate ways to save
[7:01] water through landscaping I think we
should have a technology and development
[7:06] committee and these are all volunteer
positions and they could talk about
[7:10] upgrading infrastructure in ways we
could partner with a lot of the tech
[7:14] companies they're just right in our
backyard and help us perhaps get faster
[7:19] internet speeds and all kinds of
different things that we can do with
[7:22] technology and then potentially a
business development group we have some
[7:27] commercial space left and I know a lot
of people want to develop the commercial
[7:30] areas and minimize the burden on our
infrastructure and maximize the amount
[7:35] of money we can capture through taxes
and so perhaps a committee could be
[7:40] formed with business leaders that live
in Highland and they can determine which
[7:44] businesses would be ideal and optimal to
accomplish just that with minimal effect
[7:49] on us what's your thoughts on open space
open space and trails are part of what
[7:54] makes Highland Highland and it makes it
a community because they a lot of them
[7:58] will interconnect different parts of the
city and I see my neighbors I see them
[8:03] enjoying the trails with their families
taking walks on Sundays and really
[8:08] taking advantage of what Highland has to
offer that being said I think we need to
[8:13] develop a plan that is equitable and
fair to everyone I'm in an open space
[8:18] area and I don't mind paying my twenty
dollars a month if someone lives in a
[8:24] non open space area I'm not sure that
they need to pay that twenty dollars but
[8:28] we need to figure out what's fair but we
also need to do something else I
[8:35] I work in the basically the data field I
work in IOT Internet of Things and it
[8:40] has to do with using machines to capture
data and put that data in meaningful
[8:45] formats so that people can make
intelligent informed decisions based on
[8:50] fact and data and I want to do that for
Highland what I'd like to do is do is
[8:55] we've already done one study but perhaps
augment that study about parks and what
[8:59] we need to do to make more of our parks
usable and then take that data and share
[9:04] it with everyone and let's all make a
decision because we're all in this
[9:08] together
and if it go to people and say look this
[9:13] park is not useable as a city park or a
community park because it lat it lacks
[9:17] restroom facilities it lacks a pavilion
it lacks areas for soccer teams to
[9:24] practice etc if we do this it's going to
cost this much if we maintain it it's
[9:29] going to cost this much and make a
presentation and say what are we willing
[9:32] to do are we willing to donate our time
are we willing to donate funds are we
[9:39] willing to have a fee what are we
willing to do and if we're not it's good
[9:44] to know yeah and then we can put our
money towards something else but we need
[9:47] to determine which is a community park
and which is a neighborhood park right
[9:52] and then treat those accordingly and
make it fair and equitable for everyone
[9:56] how is it that you decided to run for
City Council what brought you to that
[10:01] decision I decided to run for City
Council because prior to my appointment
[10:05] to the Planning Commission I was very
involved in community affairs and I have
[10:10] attended more City Council meetings over
the last three years than anyone I think
[10:16] with the exception of those on the city
council I've been to 35 34 potentially
[10:22] 35 in the past three years so I really
have a good feel of what's going on and
[10:27] I saw the City Council make I think
they're all great men and women but
[10:33] occasionally they take a direction that
I think is contrary to the best
[10:37] interests of the people of Island for
example some high-density developments
[10:41] that were approved and they were kind of
a head-scratcher yeah and I didn't
[10:45] understand why if we already have
burdens
[10:47] our infrastructure and I brought that up
and made my point vigorously in front of
[10:50] the City Council and they did it anyway
yeah and I thought boy this is not good
[10:56] for for the citizenry
so what am I going to do about right so
[11:00] I was appointed to the Planning
Commission and then I thought I just
[11:05] have to run for City Council in order to
ensure that we maintain our standard of
[11:11] living our way of life and keep the feel
of Highland and the spirit of Highland
[11:15] alive and that's the reason that we all
moved here
[11:17] why should residents consider you for
City Council because I think I'm really
[11:24] good I have a good analytical mind on
one side where I can take facts and
[11:29] information and apply that and make
really good strong decisions but on the
[11:34] other end I'm very empathetic I listen
to people I know a lot of complaints
[11:38] I've heard is that people feel that the
city fathers or those representing them
[11:44] don't really listen and they feel
frustrated and so I'm empathetic I
[11:49] listen and I take their opinions into
consideration and kind of combine that
[11:54] with my data side and I think I can come
up with some really good solutions for
[11:58] for for Highland I feel that I need to
go in with everyone knowing who I am and
[12:05] what I stand for I can't I can't hide
facts I can't hide Who I am
[12:10] everyone knows what I feel about
development and density open spaces and
[12:16] keeping highland highland and it would
be unfair to people if I tried to hide
[12:21] any controversial view I might have it's
their vote it's a right to vote and they
[12:28] need to know who and what they're voting
for and what I believe in they need a
[12:32] reasonable expectation that if I say X Y
& Z when I get into office if I get into
[12:38] office then I will honor those
commitments that I've made to them but I
[12:43] need to listen also for example I went
to a cottage meeting about the east-west
[12:47] corridor and some people were talking
about traffic mitigation I don't want to
[12:52] go into all the particulars but I came
away with the same point of view we need
[12:57] the east-west
for many reasons but I came away with a
[13:00] different view and I was influenced by
some of the things that they mentioned
[13:05] about about traffic and speed medication
so I didn't change my point of view but
[13:10] it's a little bit tweet in a sense taken
in consideration their concerns which
[13:16] were very very valid now tell me about
working with the rest of the City
[13:20] Council and in this race there are three
people who are going to be voted in and
[13:25] so that will be the majority of the City
Council how do you see yourself working
[13:29] with other people so I've lived in a lot
of different places under a lot of
[13:33] different circumstances and I've lived
in big cities I've lived in Los Angeles
[13:38] Seattle
I've lived in in South America and
[13:43] Caracas and Bogota and I've lived in
Milan Italy and a lot of places and I
[13:49] understand what high-density can do I
understand what hap hazard planning can
[13:56] do and believe me we don't want it and
we want a city that grows that grows in
[14:04] a responsible and measured way in
accordance with the general plan now
[14:09] that being said that same experience
that I've had has given me the
[14:14] opportunity to work with a lot of people
from a lot of cultures and a lot of
[14:18] backgrounds and I've learned to get
along with just about everyone you can
[14:22] have disagree you know it reminds me of
that movie Bohemian Rhapsody where I
[14:26] don't know if you remember where they
had huge success and then Freddie
[14:30] Mercury the singer was lettle was lured
away by big money to do a solo album he
[14:35] came back to the band and begged them to
take him back and he said well there was
[14:40] good news and bad news because we'll
they said well what was the what was the
[14:44] good news they did exactly what I told
them to do for my record I said what's
[14:48] the bad news and he said they did
exactly what I told me wrong from my
[14:51] record and he said it was terrible
yeah because as a unit we can disagree
[14:56] but if we disagree on an intelligent
level hear each other out we can come
[15:02] and make some great decisions and we can
come together and really maintain the
[15:09] quality of life that we've all
to expect and we can do so in a
[15:13] respectful way but also standing up for
what we believe in and I just thought
[15:18] that comment from our that scene from
the movie was great because what it
[15:22] represented was when people come
together and are passionate about
[15:25] certain things the result can be
beautiful and in their case music and in
[15:30] our case the city of well good luck yeah
prefiguration is like a two-year time
[15:36] [Music]