Draper groups escape ax

DRAPER — Draper's neighborhood associations escaped the City Council's ax, at least for now.

The council Tuesday night postponed a decision on whether to eliminate the city's four associations until it could study the feasibility of implementing a system similar to one used in Sandy. The neighboring city has 29 community councils that cover much smaller areas than the Draper associations.

The council was considering the disintegration of the city-sanctioned associations because only two of the four neighborhood groups are active in holding meetings and discussing city issues. City spokesman Jeff Hymas said the two active groups — the Corner Canyon and Willow neighborhood associations — are not functioning properly and are not representative of all Draper residents.

"Some people feel that if they're not performing their function properly, it would be best not to have them in existence," he said. "The city is open to all possibilities to help the neighborhood associations function the way they should."

Summer Pugh, president of the active Corner Canyon Association, said her group more than meets the city's expectations by holding monthly resident meetings to review city development plans and other city issues.

According to the city resolution establishing the associations, the groups were created in 1996 for "the purpose of encouraging and enhancing organized citizen input regarding city planning and administrative services."

"I think we are doing that — maybe too well, it seems, for them. It seems they want to squash citizen input," Pugh said.

As city-sponsored groups, the associations enjoy immunity from lawsuits and receive a small amount of city money for organizational costs. While the money is not an issue, Pugh said the protection from what she called "sue-happy" developers in the area allows citizens to voice concerns without fear of a lawsuit.

Pugh added that while she was happy the council did not nix the associations Tuesday, she does not think creating a lot of smaller neighborhood groups would give citizens a voice. That system, she said, would only diffuse citizens' power.

"It's more of a divide and conquer issue with the city," she said.

Matt Haines, a Corner Canyon Association member, said he believes the attempt to eliminate the groups is a result of several conflicts in the past few months when his association butted heads with City Council members and local developers.