OPEN LETTER

February 4, 2016

RE:   INVITATION to CH Mayor Gary Gygi to prove allegiance to Cedar Hills residents desire to preserve & protect American Fork Canyon from Snowbird encroachment of our public lands at Utah County Board of Adjustments meeting TONIGHT

Cedar Hills Mayor Gary Gygi,

You claimed at Tuesday’s February 2, 2016 City Council meeting that “everyone knows my position” regarding those who want to preserve and protect American Fork Canyon vs. Snowbird development efforts.  You also stated the same at the July 7, 2015 City Council meeting and that you’ve now heard the desire of the majority of Cedar Hills, and will set aside personal desires regarding AF Canyon (including your hope for the construction of a gondola) and will represent the will of CH citizens.  Whether you’ve done so remains open to debate, but you have a wonderful opportunity at the Utah Count Board of Adjustments Committee meeting tonight to be clear, as they consider a very important decision regarding the future of American Fork Canyon.

Unless you can provide a recorded public declaration of your leadership in favor of your citizens desires to preserve and protect American Fork Canyon against environmentally compromising development efforts by Snowbird, your claim rings hollow.   As the lead Researcher in behalf of Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government, not aware of any actual documented declarations to date.  (www.CedarHillsCitizens.org) 

To the contrary, there are many documents including emails and your own Mayor’s Minute from the July 2015 city newsletter (http://www.cedarhills.org/node/3753) which indicate that you are more favorable to your agenda and Snowbird’s efforts, than to the desires of CH residents.   Many are confused, and left to conclude you have not been fully honest with Cedar Hills and Utah County residents. 

INVITATION:  May I invite you to personally and definitively make your position abundantly clear tonight, at the much discussed 5:15 p.m. Utah County Board of Adjustments meeting (Utah County Commission Chambers / 100 East Center street, suite 1400, Provo http://www.co.utah.ut.us/Dept/ComDev/Planning/BOA.asp).  I propose the you make public comment along the lines of: 

I, Gary Gygi, as the Mayor of the City of Cedar Hills and an original member of the now disbanded American Fork Canyon Vision Committee declare my disappointment that Snowbird officials did not initially inform me of their intent to secure land swaps up American Fork Canyon and their intent to use my influence, as well as other Utah County mayors and Utah County Commissioners to whom they made campaign contributions and provided various considerations — to their benefit against the greater interests of Cedar Hills & Utah County residents.   

 

Therefore, I respectfully request that this Utah County Board of Adjustments Committee table this agenda item regarding Snowbirds’ development request, until such time as Snowbird’s efforts to develop and encroach on public lands and water sheds, and other interests, can be fully and properly investigated and Snowbird's research claims vetted.  Thank you.

 

This clear and definitive declaration at tonight’s meeting will not only help me and many others believe you represent the desires and interests of Cedar Hills and Utah County residents on this issue, but more importantly help to curtail the efforts by Snowbird to secure greater advantages over the desires of thousands of Cedar Hills and Utah County residents to preserve and protect the unique and pristine nature of our public lands.  

Respectfully,

Ken Cromar – researcher for 
Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government
former elected Cedar Hills Councilman (1994 to 2000)
9870 N. Meadow Drive
Cedar Hills, UT  84062
801-785-5900