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- Mayor's Update 2001
Mayor's Update 2001
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January 2001 Can you image a time in the history of man, when electricity was more critical than it is today? Almost from birth, many of us have just assumed that abundant, reasonably priced electricity would be available to meet our every demand. In recent months, local and national news reports have been filled with accounts of significant rate hikes for electricity in one community after another. While states like California seem to be the hardest hit, the State of Utah has also had its share of communities where rate increases have been called for. Most communities receive their electricity from either an Investor Owned Utility or a Municipal Public Power Utility. Investor Owned Utility (IOU) - are companies owned by investors who sell electricity to make a profit for their shareholders. In Utah the major IOU is Scottish Power, formerly known at PacifiCorp or Utah Power and Light. Municipal Public Power Utility - are utilities owned and operated by local municipalities. Provo City has operated the largest Municipal Public Power Utility in Utah since 1940. Scarcity of power supply and the current round of price hikes is significantly impacting both investor owned and public power utilities in many communities. As a public power city, we produce or purchase our electrical energy in cooperation with five other Utah cities (Levan, Manti, Nephi, Salem, and Spanish Fork). The cooperative organization formed to oversee generation operations and power supply purchase for member cities is the Utah Municipal Power Agency (UMPA). Under the direction of a highly capable and savvy UMPA staff, we operate the Provo Generation Plant, Bonnett Geothermal Plant at Cove Fort, and several other miscellaneous generation resources including small hydros and wind turbine. In addition to these, we own a portion of the Hunter Unit 1 Power Plant in Castle Dale and the Bonanza Unit 1 Power Plant in Vernal. We also receive power from the Colorado River Storage Project, Deer Creek Reservoir, and other contract resources, under long term, fixed rate, power supply purchase contracts.! Thanks to many good decisions and the hard work of a lot of dedicated people, past and present, we are fortunate to own, or to control under long term purchase contracts, the sources of power we need to meet the demands of our residents. As a result, unlike many other public power cities, we very seldom have to go to the “spot market” to purchase power to meet our customer load and demand. In other words, since we own and/or control under long term contract, we are not affected by the wide fluctuations of the market. I am pleased to report that we do not anticipate proposing any electrical utility rate increases in the near future for Provo residents. |
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While our operational philosophy has been to own when possible, ownership of generation capacity is not without its challenges. In November, our Hunter Unit 1 experienced a major mechanical/electrical failure, thereby shutting down all generation at this plant until repairs are made. While this was not a planned outage, activities are being implemented by UMPA to mitigate the cost-impact of this Hunter Unit 1 outage. We regularly schedule planned outages to allow for maintenance and service of our generation systems. During these periods we generally use high cost power to make up the loss of capacity from our own generation. The added costs associated with such outages are already factored into the current rates. California officials are aggressively looking for ways to lower monthly power bills for their residents. Some want to take power, generated by federally controlled projects, away from current users in other states to solve California’s problem. If this were to occur, Provo would be greatly impacted in that a large portion of our contract power comes from federally controlled projects such as Flaming Gorge and Lake Powell. We will continue to work closely with our Federal and State Legislative Representatives to insure the fulfillment of existing, long-standing contracts, while also seeking to identify alternatives to reduce the high costs of power to neighboring communities in our own and other states. Most experts attribute the current electrical utility crisis to a lack of sufficient supply to meet the existing demand. While we believe we have the energy resources needed to meet the requirements of our residents, we also believe this is a good time to begin thinking and talking about reasonable conservation practices. City workers will be asked to review our operations and to see that lights and other electrical loads are reduced or turned off when not needed. I am enclosing a few conservation suggestions for Provo residents and will ask you to consider implementing many of these in your own homes and businesses. By doing so, not only will you be reducing your own power rates, but you will be helping those in other communities who are paying higher utility rates, cue to a general shortage of power in the market. This is an important issue to Provo residents. We are working hard to see that your interests are protected and to insure that you have access to competitive user rates for all Provo City utilities. On behalf of Provo City, I wish you and yours a wonderful and prosperous New Year! |
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February 2001 Root, Root, Root, for the Home Team One of the highlights of 21000 was the announcement that the Helena Brewers will soon be our team - complete with a new name, mascot and a soon-to-be built stadium in Southeast Provo. Our new team is part of the Anaheim Angels system. The first year of play will take place at the new Larry H. Miller Baseball complex at Brigham Young University. Dedicated community volunteers, B.Y.U. officials, Provo’s office of Economic Development and Provo baseball fans all worked hard to make the goal of professional baseball in Provo a reality. I have always said that I was not willing to raise taxes to build a stadium nor was I willing to go to court to get a team. We have met both of these conditions. Soon we’ll all be enjoying peanuts, cracker jacks and great Pioneer League baseball here in Provo. Safe at Home Provo - Utah’s Second Largest City - remains one of the safest cities in Utah and the nation. In Utah alone there are thirteen cities with crime rates higher than Provo’s. While our goal is to have no crime, we are pleased with how safe our city is. This is thanks in large part to the continued dedication of our Provo Police Department and numerous neighborhood volunteers. Last year we expanded our COP (Community Oriented Policing) program so that we have one police officer now assigned to every neighborhood in the city. Each officer works with those in his/her assigned neighborhood to address the specific issues most of concern in that neighborhood. Many neighborhoods are having tremendous success with this program. Our police professionals become so much more effective when they are supported by our residents. If you have not yet met your neighborhood officer, we invite you to do so. We are equally proud of our fire fighters and paramedics. We continue to maintain one of the highest ISO ratings in the state of Utah. This rating not only means we’re protected by some of the state’s best trained and equipped fire fighters and paramedics, but it also can result in a significant savings on fire insurance costs for businesses and homeowners. A New Home for our Library The Academy Square renovation continues on time and on budget. Late this spring, books should be leaving the current library for their new home at the beautifully restored Academy Square. There have been many challenges with the renovation of a building of this size and complexity, but nothing that hard working construction crews, library staff, LCOC and library board members have not been able to handle. Our ongoing thanks goes out to all who have e worked hard to make the project a reality. Once the project is complete, look for one of the “grandest” grand openings in the history of Provo - as a building from the late 1800's begins its new role housing our high-tech library of 2001. Provo Power Celebrates 60 Last year, Provo Power celebrated its 60th year in operation. The foresight of city leaders in the 1930's and 40's in establishing Provo Power has provided city residents with our own stable, reasonably-priced supply of power. While California and other areas in the Wet are experiencing severe power shortages and dramatic spikes in the cost of power, no immediate rate increases are proposed or anticipated in Provo. Last century, Provo leaders planned ahead to make certain power would be available for residents. Today, many in our community are working hard to establish a city-wide Telecom system that will form the high-tech fiber-optic backbone for continued economic growth as well as helping to connect our traffic control systems and emergency response stations. 2000 was a great year for our city. Working together we also helped establish an airport master plan, implemented programs to help bring more home owners in to the Pioneer neighborhoods, held an Enforcement Summit to deal with zoning challenges and made SCAMP (South Campus Area Master Plan) a reality. In 2001, we’ll continue to build on our successes of the past while following the sound economic policy of keeping expenses and spending in line with revenues while not increasing taxes. |
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March 2001 Provo City is very fortunate to have a long tradition of planting trees throughout the City. In the May 4, 1891 issue of the Millenial Star a brief report states, “Eight hundred children took part in the Arbor Day Exercises in Provo and two hundred and fifty trees were planted.” Take a drive, walk or hike on the East bench of Provo and look at the vast tree canopy that protects the City. When people hear the term forest, they do not think of the trees that grow in and around their homes, neighborhoods, and community. The term forest typically conjures up images of places such as the beautiful forests in the High Uintas. We in Provo are fortunate to have a healthy urban forest in which to live. In addition to all of the trees on private property, Provo City also has a large Urban Forest planted and cared for by the City’s Forestry Programs. We have approximately 10,000 street trees, 13,331 park trees, and 30,020 trees along power line corridors the City is responsible for maintaining. Trees provide many benefits which include; air purification, oxygen regeneration, groundwater recharge, storm water runoff retardation, wind protection, shade - which lowers cooling costs and conserves energy, habitat for wildlife, privacy, and beauty to the landscape. Energy Conservation Current research has shown that cities with a well developed urban forest canopy are sometimes as much as 5 to 7 degrees cooler than areas without this benefit. Proper placement of trees in a community, businesses, and homes not only lowers the City’s temperature but can also lower homeowner cooling costs and energy consumption by up to 50%. Provo City, in the past five years, has worked very hard to help inform homeowners how to properly plant and place trees on their property to maximize their cooling benefits and reduce energy consumption. Provo City provides four hundred trees each summer to property owners to help them reduce their cooling costs and energy consumption. Almost 2,000 trees have been planted since this program was introduced five years ago. Power Line Clearance Provo City Utility Forestry Crews work very hard to maintain clearance of trees that grow beneath and along the power line corridor. Keeping trees from conflicting with the power lines not only prevents long power outages but also prevents the problems that arise from power surges. When proper tree and power line clearance is maintained, energy efficiency is improved because no power or energy is lost or wasted due to trees contacting the lines causing line loss. Tree Replacement Program Part of Provo’s aggressive power line clearance efforts is the Tree Replacement Program. Any property owner with trees conflicting with the primary power system, is eligible for replacement trees. When trees are removed, more suitable low-growing species for planting under or near the lines or larger shade trees to be planted elsewhere in the yard are provided. This helps reduce the number of trees that have to be pruned through the City’s pruning cycle. This program directly benefits the customers because less valuable resources have to be directed to pruning trees and can be utilized in other areas. Tree Planting/Arbor Day 2000 Tree planting is an integral part of Provo’s development. Each year all of the trees planted are celebrated by an annual Arbor Day Celebration at one of the local Elementary Schools. Our schools are an integral part of our community and the City of Provo believes that an important part of each school is the landscape and trees that adorn the school grounds and add to the surrounding neighborhood. Last year an aggressive Arbor Day Program was developed with the goal of planting 2000 trees commemorating the year 2000. On February 26, a tree planting kick-off was held and between that date and Arbor day, April 28, 2000, a total of 2,028 trees were planted. By the end of the year, Provo City’s forestry programs had planted close to 3,000 trees. This lasting legacy will build on what Provo City Founders began so many years ago. An example of Provo City’s aggressive and effective Forestry Program is the many awards the City has won over the years. Provo has been a Tree City USA for nearly 20 successive years, a TreeLine USA City for five years, and has won other various awards for innovative programs and plantings. This is a testament to the hard work of the City’s eight Certified Arborists, seven Line Clearance Certified Arborists, and others working toward making Provo one of the nation’s most livable cities. |
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April 2001 Provo is nestled between majestic mountains and the cool expanse of Utah Lake. Our city is bordered by fault lines along the foothills and under Utah Lake. We face natural risks all the time. There are seasonal hazards, such as drought, flooding, severe weather and windstorms. There are also non-seasonal, unpredictable hazards, such as civil disturbances, earthquake, fire, hazardous materials, and landslides. With potential hazards around us, it makes sense to consider how to reduce daily risks. Earthquake is the most severe, widespread risk in our area. The Federal Emergency Management Agency ranks Utah sixth in the nation for relative earthquake risk. Nearly 90% of Utah’s population live within 10 miles of an active fault line. We share an obligation to prepare self and family. There is no risk in being prepared, and every risk in not being prepared. Earthquakes can’t be prevented, but human behavior and the manmade built environment can be modified to mitigate the results of such events. Recently, Seattle experienced an earthquake. Why was there a less severe outcome? Seattle has utilized Project Impact, a national initiative focused on hazard mitigation at the community level, to further public education. These efforts, combined with aggressive building code enforcement over the last 25 years, paid off. Provo, as the year 2001 recipient of Project Impact, will be utilizing local efforts to build disaster resistance here. Mitigation is an investment in our future. Together, we build our future. Provo City Government maintains the responsibility to protect life and property and to provide essential public services on a daily basis. Government provides a basis for daily emergency operations and restoration of essential systems and services. City resources are distributed to help as many as possible, and will be coordinated with other jurisdictions. In a disaster, current emergency resources will be overwhelmed. Personal preparedness is vital for each resident. Personal Survival Preparation During the month of April, we encourage all residents to focus on disaster preparedness. The nature of disasters that occur ‘close to home’ lead to a reflection on how each of us might respond if we faced the same event. Personal survival experiences from Seattle’s recent event bring to the forefront the importance of preparation. Individuals were able to assist others in the chaotic first few hours. Each of us should assess our current level of personal preparedness. Take time this month to update family plans, and practice to test how the plans work. Visit with your out of state contact about your plans. Review plans at your school and workplace. Include contingencies in your family plan. We each need to plan for three time periods: before (preparedness), during (response), and after (recovery) the event. Planning prioritizes efforts to make a significant difference in the outcome. Start with the focus of preparation, which will also be the foundation of response and recovery. Before An Earthquake: 1) Conduct a home hazard hunt. 2) Bolt down hot water heaters, gas appliances and top heavy objects. 3) Know where, how, and when to shut off utility services (gas, electricity, water) 4) Identify safe areas to duck, cover and hold in each room. 5) Assemble emergency supplies. Have a flashlight, portable radio, and a well stocked first aid kit immediately available 24 hours a day. Store as much water as possible (one gallon per person per day). Develop a portable ‘72 hour home emergency kit’ with nonperishable foods, sanitation supplies, extra ‘life supporting’ medications, and emotional boosts such as games, coloring books, etc. 6) Create, update and practice an individual or family preparedness plan. As in all things, the journey is more important than the destination. It can be overwhelming to consider the impact a disaster could have in our lives. By taking one step at a time from where you are today, you will have started your journey to peace through preparedness. You can start today by talking with your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. Information for Emergency Preparedness is available at our library, Provo’s web page, and under current events and at You may also call Provo City Emergency Management at 852-6310 for additional information. |
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May 2001 You may have noticed over the past few weeks that traffic signalized corridors in Provo are changing. One of our top priorities is to make Provo’s arterial roads easier to travel by reducing the delay for each vehicle. One of the major citizen concerns has been that travel east and west has been difficult because of long delays at many of the traffic signals that are prioritized for the heavier north/south traffic volumes. On many of our corridors, i.e. 900 East and 200 West, the delay to cross-street traffic has been reduced to half of what it has been. At the same time, signal coordination along these corridors has improved, allowing traffic to proceed with fewer stops. Upgrading the Signal Network A new effort to modernize the computerized signal network, upgrade the antiquated underground traffic loops with overhead video cameras, and the use of new computer programs available for synchronizing corridors is making travel in Provo more efficient. Within Provo City limits there are 80 signalized intersections. Roughly half of the signals belong to Utah Department of Transportation who has been cooperating with the effort. Some corridors have as many as 29 signals, each spaced a different length from each other; and, in order to get the traffic to arrive at each signal from both directions at the same time down the corridor is complicated. This signal coordination process is a work in progress and will continue over the next two years. Fiber optic Improvements for Better Connectivity With Provo City’s new telecommunication system, the copper wire connections between signals will be replaced with fiber optic lines that will allow the transfer of information much faster, so that the system can be monitored and operated more efficiently. When the fiber optic system is in place, it will allow the information from our cameras at each intersection to be brought into a central control room so that dispatchers can respond to traffic incidents and have them cleared much quicker to restore flow on our major corridors. The cameras are only used to sense vehicle presence in order to operate the signal, not for traffic enforcement. Automatic Signal Timing Enhanced Currently about 17 of our 80 intersections have video capabilities which allow Provo to automatically count traffic and change timing plans within days rather than the years it has taken in the past. There are six different timing plans on each corridor each day, which changes according to direction and volume of traffic flow. Traffic backups can be monitored and signal timing plans changed if a special event causes severe traffic congestion along a corridor. Once we have high speed data connectivity to each intersection, the process of updating timing plans will become automatic and much more responsive to real need. Each driver should be able to notice that east/west coordination has improved along Center Street, 1230 North, University Parkway, and 2230 North requiring fewer stops. Once a driver has found the speed through which he can proceed without stopping, then it becomes easier to travel a corridor. Drivers quickly figure out the system and modify their speeds to proceed without stopping. Coordinated Traffic Corridors The signal system is a complicated system, but significant progress is being made to make it more user friendly. When corridors are better coordinated they appear less congested from the driver’s point of view because cars travel in smaller groups and there are more gaps for side street traffic and left-turn traffic to get through without long delays. The traffic system is improving and should continue to do so in the future. We remain committed to utilizing the best technologies possible to enhance the livability of our community.
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June 2001
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Provo City Mayor’s Office
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