Meet Georgia Beth Thompson for Cedar City Council 2011

Would you support an ordinance to protect individuals from being discriminated against by property owners?

Yes, if the ordinance was related to fair housing practices. It is hard to say specific "yes" or specific "no" without knowing details. Property owners sometimes have taken advantage of programs for tax shelters and other benefits to their business. If you are in the business of renting to the general public, for example, then I feel that if people pay their rent, respect the property, don't have loud parties, then they should be able to rent based on the criteria related to good renters behavior.

Would you support an ordinance to protect private property owners from discriminatory measures pushed by special interest groups or Federal mandate?

I cannot say "yes" or "no" without knowing specific criteria. When the federal goverment expanded civil rights to certain minority groups (e.g. African Americans) some said that was a "special interest" group and providing rights to these folks would discriminate against private property owners. Every week when we say the pledge of allegiance to the flag in City Council we reference "liberty and justice for all." In that context I believe that honoring some special interests may be needed at times to guarantee that ALL citizens have justice.

How do you feel about impact fees?

I feel that impact fees are appropriate to cover the costs of new impacts to the city. Growth means there will be a need for more water, sewer lines, roads, public safety, parks and recreation. I feel that impact fees should pay for those so that current residents are not expected to pay for impacts they did not create. 

I voted to reduce the impact fees for a year to see if this would help stimulate more homes and businesses being built in Cedar City in the present economy, but in the long term, I feel the fees should be realistic, appropriately assessed and fairly applied and related specifically to the impacts the new growth will cause.

How do planning and zoning affect the property rights of property owners?

When we live in a community, we expect to have our rights protected, but we also may not have total open freedom to do just what we want with our property. So, if I want a pen of pigs in my back yard, because I have neighbors who may not like that, zoning in my area may not allow me to have pigs. Planning and zoning help balance the desires and preferences of a property owners with those of his/her neighbors and makes it possible for us to dwell in the same area. If we are neat with our property, we do not like to have our neighbor clutter his/her property. Planning and zoning help keep residential, industrial, business zones somewhat separated and more functional in those contexts and help allow for orderly development in a community.

Why are you running for City Council?

I am Georgia Beth Thompson and I have enjoyed serving citizens as a member of the council and want to continue to do so. Friends from all sectors of the community have encouraged me to run again because they feel I have been fair and open as I have studied the issues before the council and have made decisions. I like the variety of interests in our community and the many skills and talents our citizens share on city committees and as volunteers in such a huge variety of city activities and like the relationships between those and the City Council.

Have you read the Ordinances of your City?

No

Are there any concerns with the ordinances?

Ordinances always need to be reviewed and updated as needed. I have read those which most directly affect the business of the council, such as planning and zoning as well as those which have been added (e.g. chicken ordinance) while I have served on the council.

Ideally ordinances help us live together in a community in a safe, compatible manner.

How do you feel about the Lake Powell Pipeline?

Installation of the Lake Powell Pipeline may be a good decision for Kane and Washington Counties. I have strong reservations as to whether or not Iron County should be a participant in the Pipeline. We know that we are mining our water aquifer in the county faster than we are replacing it, so in the long term we will need more municipal water as we grow. Ways to find additional water will have to be explored. Some of those might include better management in our homes and yards, more water wise landscaping, and as agriculture changes, some of that water may be converted to municipal use. Perhaps we can find additional aquifers with water which can be allotted. I fear that if we try to rely on Lake Powell water, the cost of transporting it to Cedar City and making it safe for municipal use, will be prohibitive for industry, businesses and homes in Cedar City.

How do you feel about the Cedar City Aquatic Center?

I was very pleased that the citizens voted for the bond to build the acquatic center. I feel it provides (coupled with the lake at the hills) some excellent options for the community to enjoy as a recreation center. We partnered with the Iron County School District and Iron County to help assure access to the facility for all county residents and particularly school children and the swim programs in the schools. Building a facility that large did cause some challenges for the neighbors in the planning and construction, but I am glad we have such a nice facility for all of us to enjoy.

What is the best way you feel we can attract businesses to the city?

I feel if we can share the positive benefits of doing business in Cedar City with more companies, this would be the best way to attract them. We have such a good labor pool and people who are honest, good workers; we have good transportation accesses with rail, air, and the Interstate which allows products to move readily to points of distribution and sales and we have affordable land.

If a firm can meet the economic incentives established by the city/county: a certain level of capital investment; a certain # of emplyees and paying 125% above the Iron County average wage, then I favor the granting of the tax incentive.

Is there anything else you would like to say?

When I moved to Cedar City in 1967, I was single and took a position at the University. I thought I would be here three years, maximum. Now, 44 years later, I cannot imagine living anywhere else. I like the size of the community, I like the University and the variety of events we have in arts and recreation. I love the physical setting and our ready access to mountains, the Great Basin, and the State and National Parks. I am always impressed at how much our citizens give the the city as they volunteer with recreation, the festivals, arts and so many other interests. Thank you for this opportunity for me to share my views.

What is the best way to contact you for more information?

I can be contacted by email either at my City Council address:
thompson@cedarcity.org or at thompson@emeriti.suu.edu or by phone:
435 586 6139.