2009 Election: Curtis Broadbent profile

<em>Editor’s note: CacheValleyDaily.com sent a questionnaire to all of the candidates for mayor and municipal council in Logan. We will publish the responses as we receive them.</em>

<strong>Candidate: Curtis Broadbent Position: Logan Municipal Council</strong>

<strong>1. Why did you file as a candidate for city service?</strong>

1. I care about Logan and desire to utilize and apply my 40 years of Business and Financial Management experience and expertise to help make a great city even better. 2. I retired in July, 2008 after 22 years as financial Controller at Nucor Steel in Plymouth, and the Vulcraft Division in Brigham City. I now have the time and energy to devote to the City Council. 3. Both my wife, Marilyn, and I were born and raised in Logan and have raised our family here. We have lived in our Island area home for 39 years. 4. I have served on various citizen committees (Financial Advisory, Citizens Compensation Advisory, and currently chair the Audit Committee in which we review the city’s quarterly financial statements, internal controls and other financial matters). As such I have a good working knowledge and grasp of the city’s financial condition, procedures and affairs. 5. Having served as a Director of the Utah Manufacturers Assn., the “Voice of Industry” in Utah, and Board Chairman in 2007, I know the needs of the businesses in our local community and state. 6. My experience in procuring and dealing with an electrical load comparable to the city of Logan’s should be of value to the Council and city as a whole.

<strong>2. What do you feel are the key issues facing Logan in the next four years?</strong>

1. The economy and Infrastructure – City revenues will most likely continue to be negatively impacted. We have infrastructure needs, especially in the older areas of the city that must be addressed. We may face new federal taxes on our purchased energy. Our challenge will be to find ways to continue to maintain the level and quality of services provided to our citizens without burdening them with increased taxes and fees, which many of our citizens can ill afford at this time. 2. Statistics show that the average wages of our citizens is considerably below the average for the State of Utah. We also have a higher education level than the average for the State. In short, too many of our citizens are underemployed. We must maintain a business environment (taxes, utilities, infrastructure, education and training, etc.) that will facilitate our current employers to expand. In addition, we need to attract new employers with professional and higher paying jobs to employ our well trained citizens who choose to live here.

<strong>3. Please describe one or two examples of decisions made by city leaders in the past five years that you disagree with, explain why you disagreed and how you would have handled the situation if you were serving in an elected position at the time.</strong>

I am generally supportive of our city leaders and have no major issues to discuss here. However, decisions in the past to defer needed work on the aging infrastructure (water, sewer, roads) in the older areas of the city over many years have made this need more acute now.

<strong>4. Please describe one or two examples of decisions made by city leaders in the past five years that you completely agreed with and supported, and if the issue is a lingering issue, you would continue to support if elected.</strong>

1. Finance and Budgets – Our current city leaders are committed to live within their established budgets and, to my knowledge, are doing so. This is critical to a well run city and I would continue this discipline. Our city leaders have eliminated the deficits that have burdened us in the past and have established reserves where needed. In these leaner times, the city is now benefiting from this wise decision. I would continue the practice of maintaining prudent reserves for use in emergencies and difficult times. 2. Traffic Flow and Roads – I support the ongoing efforts to alleviate Main Street traffic congestion. The city’s proactive involvement with the State on the 10th West upgrade will provide for improved traffic flow as well as safety in the area. Other improvements such as the 100 East to Providence project will also help to improve traffic flow.

<strong>5. Describe in your words what you believe the role of city government is.</strong>

City Government’s role is really the same as for any good and successful business, which is to take care of its customers, who are our 50,000 citizens. It does this by being the safest, most efficiently operated, having the lowest costs, and providing the highest quality of service that it possibly can, and by being a good steward of the environment in which we live. The best ideas and solutions will invariably come from its customers (citizens). City government listens and then acts responsibly in the best interests of all. City Government is never completely satisfied in its role, but continually looks for ways to improve and become better at what it does.

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