"There is an infection that has been festering for many years."
(Note: The following was posted on Cedar Hills Politics Facebook page — a more respectful place where even women and children can feel safe about sharing their opinions without ridicule or harassment — originated by now former CH Councilman Rob Crawley, whose family recently moved to Highland.)
Cedar Hills is very ill. There is an infection that has been festering for many years. The original source of the problem is in the city government not following the proper role of government. The city entering the golf course management business caused two factions to be at odds with each other since it was created. This battled has waged since long before I got involved in politics. When the city purchased the golf course, it created a situation in which a set of residents who feel that their well-being depends on the continuance of the golf course (Golf Group). They feel that their home values will plummet if there is not a golf course next to their homes. I disagree with this. However, it is not possible to say who is right on this issue. Whether it is or isn’t true, the problem is that this issue has created a group that is at odds with much of the rest of the city. There is a large group in the city that does not like that their tax rates increased significantly due to the golf course. They also do not like that they can’t use the course like they could a public park.
The Golf Group that feels that the $500,000+ investment per year in the golf course props up their home values, is a group that has a vested personal interest in the continuity of the golf course regardless of its losses or cost to the city. This is a conflict of interests because there is personal gain that is associated with decisions for the city. When a city council member has a conflict of interest, they abstain from votes regarding the issue. However, rather than abstaining from votes for this issue, those with a conflict of interest in our city have inserted themselves into the political workings of the city at every opportunity. Not only that, they have formed coalitions to ensure that only those that are either part of the Golf Group or that pose no threat to the Golf Group will be elected to political office within the city.
An example is the last city council election. Angela Johnson won handily in the primaries, but because she stated in a meet the candidates night that she thought that looking at the financials of the golf course was a good idea, she was blackballed and a concerted effort by the private Facebook group called “Keep Cedar Hills Green” led to her losing her lead in the final election. The Golf Course Finance Committee was manipulated to help the campaigns of those that were running against Angela. This group has also worked behind the scenes to gather support for having alcohol served at the clubhouse.
The Golf Course group has been working together through the two Cedars HOA’s for years, but the “Keep Cedar Hills Green” Facebook group has been one of the methods of organizing and communicating over the last 2 years. This group included nearly all city leadership including city council members and mayors excluding me (Rob Crawley). Under the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act, city leadership is restricted from holding private meetings. However, the law has not adjusted to Internet issues yet so there is not a specific rule against meeting through Facebook groups and holding private and secret conversations. However, the Keep Cedar Hills Green Facebook group has gone against the spirit of the law by allowing nearly all Cedar Hills leadership to work together to manipulate the political landscape of Cedar Hills blatantly in their tight knit group of 130 members of this group.
Since Council Member Denise Anderson has joined this group, this group now has all city council members and the mayor as well as many city employees, ex-city council members etc. that work together to ensure the Golf Course group goals are promoted by the city. Those with a conflict of interest not only participate in city business, but now completely dominate the process. They use the skills of Daniel Zappala to try to neutralize any threats to the goals of the Golf Group. For instance, as a comment to my last post, Daniel Zappala stated outright lies about the numbers that I have published. See my post at
http://cedarhillsrob.blogspot.com/
See Daniel’s Post about my numbers on the last post in this Facebook Group. Also, nearly all those that are trying to silence my last post are members of the Keep Cedar Hills Green group. I have seen their posts where they make comments about posting purposefully to make my posts appear lower in the line up on Facebook as well as encourage everyone to go against anything I say to minimalize the effects of my research. This is because truth about the golf course is viewed as a threat to the Golf Course group.
I am not interested in engaging with this group like I have in the past, rather I will be making available all the proof I have of their manipulation as well as the facts about the golf course and other issues that I have. I am very concerned that all I have learned about the history of the golf course, the secret groups that are used to prop up spending on the golf course and the true financial picture will be buried by this group as it has been in the past. So I am going to take action to make it all permanently available, after which I will bow out of this conflict, which has been an all-out battle prior to my involvement and will continue long after I bow out.
I don’t live in Cedar Hills anymore so my interest is not for my own well-being, but it is simply a desire to stop unethical manipulation of politics in a neighboring city. I entered politics because I hate the actions of politicians who manipulate the unsuspecting general public for their own gain or for the gain of a special interest group. This is exactly what the Golf Course group does.
Unfortunately Jenney Rees, a current candidate for mayor, is intimately involved with the Golf Course group. She involved herself in conversations regarding making sure Angela Johnson was not elected. She has inserted herself in the manipulative conversations about getting alcohol in our golf clubhouse and now she is an administrator on the secret Facebook page “Keep Cedar Hills Green”. This is clearly a violation of the spirit of the Open and Public Meetings Act. This kind of manipulation should be illegal, but certainly is unethical. All those who value transparency in Cedar Hills should demand that the Keep Cedar Hills Green group be accessible by all residents as city "business" has been conducted on this website for the last two years. If people go through and delete posts on that website now, it will be an admission of guilt. I would encourage those in Cedar Hills that are banned from the Keep Cedar Hills Green Facebook Page to demand access.
PS–I have set up a google drive account where I will put my files on that I will allow those who want access to my research and work. PM me your email address and I will share this drive with you.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/579127932242100/
for Cedar Hills City Council
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