6 contend for 3 Orem Council seats

OREM — Six candidates are vying for three positions on the Orem City Council in the Nov. 8 general election.

And whether it's experience, new perspectives or dedication to improvements, the candidates want to show voters they have what it takes to be an effective political cog in what they say is the well-oiled machine of Orem.

Drawing upon 25 years of local government service, Daryl Berlin, 64, is ready to jump into the work of a council member with an open mind.

"I'm not going in the door with any preconceived notions," Berlin said. "I'll go in . . . with my eyes open, see what's going on, listen, collect the facts and decide where I'm going."

Berlin served as Orem's city manager from 1980 to 1994, and before that was an assistant city manager in northern California. "I've had a lot of experience, in particular from the operational side," he said.

Although Berlin doesn't have a specific platform, he has created a list of beliefs, including, "people and their needs are more important than politics," "cultural arts enhance our lives and need to be supported by government" and "economic development is a responsibility of government."

A resident in southwest Orem for 20 years, Berlin said he enjoys the balance of the city. "Orem has very good living areas, residential areas, there's good shopping . . . good quality jobs are being created," he said. "I just find it a pleasant, cordial place to live."

Married with two grown children, Berlin works as a project coordinator for North Gate Village Development, a large mixed-use area under construction in north Orem.

Former council member Kelvin Clayton, 70, says he's ready to jump back into the political arena.

"Having known what it's like to be on the inside . . . and having been on the outside, (I have) a balance," Clayton said. "I'd like to go back with the experience I have on both sides . . . look at policy again, see which is working and which isn't."

Clayton served on the Orem City Council from 1988 to 1996 but said there are new issues he wants to address, such as traffic and street conditions. "(We need to) get our traffic moving," he said. "Do all we can to relieve that traffic congestion."

Clayton and his wife have four grown children and a handful of grandchildren. Now a retired educator, Clayton has more time to spend working in city politics. He also works in the driver's license department of the Department of Motor Vehicles as an examiner, which gives him a good look at traffic and drivers.