VINEYARD, Utah — In a heated Vineyard City Council meeting on Wednesday night, about 150 people filled the room and found to share their opinions about a multitude of issues — including government transparency and the timing of hearings. Some residents said this all felt too rushed.
People took to the podium to share concerns about some ordinance changes and development in certain parts of the city. The meeting room filled up quickly, and people were sitting in the hallway listening on their phones to the live stream to figure out the process of the meeting and understand why it felt like the council was pushing some measures through so quickly.
“If there was any character up behind the microphone, they would say, 'This is too large; people are not able to view what's going on. We’re going to do this at a later time in a bigger place, and end the meeting,' just like that. Because citizens' voices should be heard,” said Keith Holdaway, who lives in Vineyard.
Holdaway was upset because the city posted the agenda with not enough time to digest the information.
The city council and residents heard about an inland port proposal, which would be a 369-acre development in the city. Some residents were worried about the impact this could have on increasing their taxes.
READ: Concern over inland port sites brings outcry from Tooele residents
Ben Hart, the executive director of the Utah Inland Port Authority, explained that they want to work with the community to find the best solutions for this growing city.
“We want to reassure folks that all this money is staying in the community," Hart said. "None of the money is ever going to leave the community, so were a port or ever a project area to develop here, all of the money would stay here locally. None of it would ever leave the community.”
READ: 'Buffer zone' between Great Salt Lake and inland port gets financial backing
Mayor Julie Fullmer said some of the agenda items have been years in the making, and there is still more work to be done — and the priority is always to put people’s interests first.
“It's amazing to see people so impassioned and to care so much — and even on the smallest items, things that I never would have thought would ever come to the discussion," she said. "This is meaningful, and sometimes it's difficult to explain the law or to understand what is exactly coming before you, but just to see that people care, it’s incredible.”
The council voted to table the inland port item and there was no public discussion at this meeting, so that could come at a later time.
