Farewell comments by Mayor Toni Turk

It has been my great privilege and honor to serve the citizens of Blanding as their Mayor over the past decade. I have treated this opportunity as a Sacred Trust. In advancing the interests of our City, I have also taken on other assignments, including:
Transitions Board of Directors – Chair
San Juan County Higher Education Advisory Board – Chair
San Juan County Health Service District Board of Directors – Member
San Juan County Homeless Coordination Committee – Chair
Southeastern Utah Housing Authority – Commissioner
While traveling extensively on City business, I never asked for travel reimbursement.
Blanding City Major Achievements (2004-2013) – a team effort of Mayor, Council, Administration and Others:
Communications – Cell Tower; Fiber Optics
Education (USU Blanding) – Administration Building, Adult Learning Center, Dorms, Health Science Building, Library, Maintenance Building, Student Center
Fire – Fire Truck Purchase, Station Expansion
Health – Blue Mountain Hospital
Housing – Crown Homes, Grayson Apartments, New Sub-Divisions, Self-Help Homes
Police – Peace Keeping Balanced with Law Enforcement
Recreation – Park Improvements (Centennial, Central, Pioneer, Skate, Walter C. Lyman); Recreational-Use Annexation of Public Land; Wellness Center
Tourism – Centennial Celebration (2005), Local Expenditure of TRT Funds, Main Street Beautification, Tesla recharging station
Transportation – Airport Improvements ($1.7M); Road Improvements ($5.3M)
Veterans Memorial – Physical Building and Online Memorial
Water – Blue Mountain Tunnel Restoration, Deep Wells, In-Town Waterline Upgrades, Mountain Pipeline Replacement, New Water Treatment Plant, Storm Water
Blanding City Fiscal Status (2004-2013):
Reduced Overall Debt
Significantly Increased Savings – for future major infrastructure projects
Reduced Property Tax Rate nine out of ten budgets
Blanding Mayor Initiatives
Appointments – City Administrator, City Judge, Fire Chief, Police Chief
Fire – Fire Truck Purchase ($325K)
Police – Peace Keeping Balanced with Law Enforcement
Water – Mountain Pipeline Replacement ($2M)
Veterans Memorial – Physical Building and Online Memorial ($35K plus over 1000 hours of effort)
Requests from Citizen Turk to the incoming Mayor and Council:
Please continue advocacy for USU – Blanding and collaborative efforts with the Edge of the Cedars Museum to develop the annexed land adjacent to the college to develop an archeology program
Please continue advocacy for the return of San Juan County Anasazi artifact collections to Blanding
Please continue progressive infrastructure & economic development
Please continue protection of individual home owner rights through vigilant support of zoning ordinances
Please continue equal enforcement of the law without preference or prejudice
Please continue zero tolerance for illegal drugs and alcohol offenses
Please continue to maintain the Blanding Veterans Memorial
Please celebrate the City’s Incorporation Centennial in 2016
In conclusion, I would like to pay special tribute to two Councilmen and one former Councilman who died in the tragic plane crash in August, 2008 – Brian Bayles, Eric Johnson & Kim Acton – and to Fire Chief Kent Hawkins who died suddenly in January, 2011.
I would also like to honor those that died in either Iraq or Afghanistan, who died for us all: Quinn A. Keith, James E. Thode, Nathan L. Winder and Jason Workman.
Finally, I would like to thank our citizens for having afforded me the opportunity to serve. Thanks!!!!