Candidates are required to supply the public with their contribution information for the election cycle. “Each candidate for elected municipal office is required to file a campaign finance statement with the City Recorder containing itemized and total campaign contributions and expenditures.” according to the Candidate Information Packet provided by the city. The problem is, since there is not a Primary election for the Mayoral race we have to wait until October 26, 2021, and then again December 2, 2021 for financial disclosures. But since Tom Westmoreland has run for city office in the past, we can look at his disclosure from 2017 to see where his money came from. “Show Me the Money”
One of the donors that Tom Westmoreland received financial backing from during the 2017 election, his first run as Mayor, was Build PAC Utah. Build PAC is the political action committee (PAC) for the National Association of Home Builders. “Throughout the 2017-2018 election cycle, BUILD-PAC, NAHB’s political action committee, continued to flex its muscle by contributing $2.9 million to federal candidates and committees and supporting 370 pro-housing candidates.” The organization of the NAHB can be confusing and seems like a rabbit hole at times. The National Home Builders Association is broken down into State Associations that are then broken down into smaller groups. The Eagle Mountain area is covered by the Utah Valley Home Builders Association. Ivory Homes and D.R. Horton are a couple of the builders in Eagle Mountain that are members of this organization. This organization gave financial donations to Tom Westmoreland during the 2017 election cycle. 7/27/2017 $200 and 11/03/2017 $300
Tom Westmoreland also accepted donations from The Real Estate Group on 10/10/2017 for $500 which is owned by Mr. Scot J. Hazard, one of the biggest developers in Eagle Mountain. Another donation was from T Square, another construction company in Eagle Mountain that is located in Vineyard UT. T Square donated $500 to the 2017 Westmoreland election fund.
$1,500 may not sound like a lot of money, but when taken into account that Westmoreland collected $6,700 for his campaign and that 22% of it was funded by Developers it becomes a bigger deal.
For full disclosure, I did look at Melissa Clark’s documents for 2017 as well. There were no developer or construction companies that donated to her campaign, according to the filed public documents.
Supporting Documents
All of the candidate’s 2017 campaign finance disclosures can be found on the city website at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rTZWnfsJkSiUSzxU4DNb6Ue81oUgU_f8 Including those for Melissa Clark when she ran for City Council.
Mike Kieffer – Editor-in-Chief, Cedar Valley Sentinel
Mike Kieffer is a dynamic leader and community advocate based in Eagle Mountain, Utah. He serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Cedar Valley Sentinel, a local publication dedicated to informing, inspiring, and elevating the Cedar Valley community through honest and accurate journalism. With a passion for fostering connections, Kieffer has made it his mission to highlight local businesses, provide reliable news, and support community development.
Beyond his editorial role, Kieffer is the owner of Lake Mountain Media, LLC, a company specializing in media and communications, and the co-owner of Quail Run Farms, which focuses on sustainable farming and community engagement. He also actively contributes to the local economy and culture as a member of the Eagle Mountain Chamber of Commerce.
Kieffer’s dedication extends to preserving and promoting the history and heritage of the Cedar Valley area. He often participates in community-centered events and media, including podcasts that explore the unique aspects of life in the region. Through his varied endeavors, he remains a steadfast advocate for the growth and enrichment of the local community.