Print Article
cedarvalleysentinel.com sent a survey to each of the City Council and Mayor Candidates for the 2017 election. The questions included ones about roads, education, city issues, city strengths, as well as a few to get to know the candidates on a more personal level. Over the next few weeks, those answers will be published on cedarvalleysentinel.com. If you have missed any, want to catch up, or just review them again, you can do so by visiting the Cedar Valley Sentinel (formerly i84005) Election Center at http://cedarvalleysentinel.com/elections/. Feel free to share these articles on social media. Lets get the word out and increase voter participation in this election cycle. Eagle Mountain is a great city, and it can be made even greater by our elected officials, but they need input from the residents.
The answers for the candidates have not been modified in anyway. We have also randomized the order that the answers are listed in for each question.
Yes and no. We have many talented, committed teachers working in our city, but too often the government gets in their way. The state legislature and the federal government have micromanaged our schools and classrooms to such an extent that many teachers spend far too much precious time teaching to the test. Add to that the pressures of increased class sizes and low pay and it isn’t surprising that we have a shortage of teachers. These problems cannot be fixed on the local level, however Representative Jefferson Moss is already working to help government get out of the way of districts and teachers, and I will continue to encourage him in these efforts.Stephanie Gricius – Part Time Mayor Candidate
Education is an area where the municipal government has minimal control. However, with our young community it is important to work closely with the school district to help ensure the needs of our residents are met.Debbie Hooge – Full Time Mayor Candidate
School administration was granted to Alpine School District who had schools in Lehi and Cedar Fort before the city.. Alpine School district is generally a good district and does adequately provide for our children but maybe too big. We should continue to open our doors to charter schools and other educational solutions like online schools. The city government can to do their part by lobbying the district to hear us and get us the best education for our children; while continuing to look for a variety of educational solutions. I personally would love to see a small Jr. College out here.Jan Preece – City Council Candidate
I feel parents are the ones who are ultimately responsible for their children’s education, whether it be public schools, charter schools, private schools or home schools. The role of government is to support the parent’s choice.Jared Gray – City Council Candidate
The question to me say is our schools adequate. If they are or are not, they are governed by our district, and a council member can’t do much more than any citizen could by being involved. As we grow we will continue to need more schools. (If the question had to do with the number of schools) As for quality, we have lots of choices here in Eagle Mountain with both public and charter schools. So I’d say if someone wasn’t satisfied with the quality, they have options, and that’s what I’d call adequate.Drew Curley – City Council Candidate
While volunteering in the Watch DOGS program at Mountain Trails Elementary and working with teachers at other schools, I have been able to get a very detailed glimpses into the state of our schools in Eagle Mountain. In general, we are doing well, where bright minds are being challenged and opportunities abound for most students. Sadly, I cannot say this is equal for students with special needs, like my sons. Both my sons have Autism, and as a result need special assistance in the classroom or different learning environments. In one school I visited, special needs students from 3 grades were in the same classroom. While I know the teacher was doing her best and there were assistants in the classroom, it seemed a struggle to educate the kids to the best of their potential. We need to be mindful of all students’ needs.Melissa Clark – City Council Candidate
Our schools and homeschools in Eagle Mountain are more than substantial, with award winning public and charter schools, as well as strong homeschool co-ops and commonwealths, and most of all we have great opportunity with a local library, clubs and groups who provide educational opportunities. There is always room for improvement and if there was one key thing that I would love to see happen within our schools and community it would be a synergy between the schools and the members of the community and to bring the great minds and talents of the people of Eagle Mountain within reach of the students with more mentoring programs and in-services. As a mom of an almost senior in high school, there have been many times I have seen how a colleague or associate from the community could be such a great resource for the students of all grade levels. If elected, I want to continue to help make those connections.Matt Visser – City Council Candidate
I believe the education system in EM is great. Would I like to see changes? Yes, but the truth is thru many conversations with our current and previous members of city council I’ve learned there’s not much that the city can do to affect how, where, or what, the schools do.
Mike Kieffer is an IT geek by hobby and trade, with a BS in Information Systems & Technology. He is a proud father of 10, a grandpa, an author, a journalist, and internet publisher. His motto is to “Elevate, Inspire and Inform”, and he is politically conservative and a Christian. Mike has a passion for technology, writing, and helping others. With a wealth of experience, he is committed to sharing his knowledge with others to help them reach their full potential. He is known for his jackassery or his form of self-expression that encourages boldness, creativity, and risk-taking. It can be a way to push the boundaries and challenge traditional norms, leading to creative solutions and positive change.