Candidates for Logan City Council ask for votes

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Although Jeannie Simmonds has had a seat on Logan’s Municipal Council for the last two years she is running to be elected to that office for the first time. Simmonds was picked out of 16 applicants to replace former councilmember Tom Jensen when he left for an international assignment.

Simmonds is asking voters to elect her to a four-year term on the council where she now serves as chairman.

“My job is to represent the citizens of Logan in advancing and sustaining this wonderful community,” says Simmonds. “I don’t perceive that it’s my job to come with answers. In the past two-plus years I have also served on several city and county boards.

“I believe it is my job to come to each meeting prepared, actively participate and champion the results through adoption in the city and council. Examples include enhancement to the golf course, the city-wide solar farm rate plan, the bike and pedestrian master plan and other things.”

Simmonds has previously served on the Logan City Planning Commission and on the Historical Preservation Committee. 

After serving one four-year term on the council Karl Ward said he hopes to be re-elected on November 3rd. During a candidate forum recently Ward said he wants to help keep Logan on a sound financial footing and he feels his job as a Zions Bank executive helps qualify for doing that.

“I also want to continue the work to help all areas of the city be family-friendly, attractive and safe but with as little government oversight as possible,” said Ward. “Every neighborhood should be a safe and pleasant place to live. At the same time we need to be business friendly.

“Certainly we need planning, direction and guidelines to help ensure that our neighborhoods and community are not hurt by irresponsible actions. This needs to be done without applying unreasonable requirements placed on businesses.”

Tom Jensen was elected to the council four years ago but then left to accept a year-long assignment in Jordan. Jensen said he hopes to get elected again and he believes he is well qualified for the job.

“I’ve led six major planning efforts that have been both county-wide, city-wide and city focused. I think the things that I bring (are) that I’m a good listener, I’m responsive and I have a passion for what the city can become.”

Jensen said he formed his own architectural firm which was ranked 30th in the nation for a time. Although he grew up in Wisconsin he says since coming to Logan in 1976 he has been glad to call Logan his home. 

Herm Olsen said he has lived in other places and although they were nice places there is not another place like Logan, which he considers to be a real treasure.  Olsen said he hopes Logan residents will support him in his bid to serve another four-year term.

“Like so many other things there are some challenges that we face, not the least of which,” Olsen said, “is undertaking two of the most aggressive and most substantial projects in Logan’s history: the waste water treatment plant that we are required to construct and the new countywide landfill that is well underway. These things take time, they take money, effort, energy and we need to do it right.”

Olsen said he would like to remain on the council to help bring those projects and others to completion.

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