GOSHEN — Goshen Mayor Marvin L. Jacobson and challenger Dorothy Sprague agree that growth is the top issue facing the small farming town of Goshen.

The best way to deal with that growth, however, is a point of contention among the mayoral candidates and many of the some 900 residents in the south Utah County town.

"Goshen's got to grow," said Jacobson, who was appointed mayor in July 2004 after Hortt Carter resigned because he was moving out of the town. "A lot of our folks here in town would like to see the change and others are old-time residents who don't want change. But you can't stop growth. We have to put it across to the residents who don't want change that it's unstoppable."

Jacobson said he welcomes growth because he'd like to see Goshen become the type of town where residents' children can afford to settle instead of being forced to move away to find work.

"The biggest concern I have with Goshen is we don't really have any businesses here," he said. "I don't think we're going to be in the situation where big businesses are going to come in here, because we don't have the resources. But times are changing, and we just can't keep these walls up around Goshen."

Sprague agrees that growth is necessary, but says the town doesn't need to grow quickly.

"I think we're going to be forced into changing somewhat," the former town councilwoman said, "but if we can do it a little bit at a time, maybe it won't hurt so many feelings. We can change a little bit at a time. We don't need to jump into it all at once."

And with growth comes additional financial concerns, Sprague said. "We don't have the money," she said. "We're just a little town."

Sprague edged Jacobson in the primary election, 99-92, and said she's been working hard to extend that lead heading into Tuesday's general election.

Three seats on the Goshen Town Council also will be decided Tuesday. Susan L Bettis, Glenda J. Cook, Fred Jensen and Von D. Nelson will be on the ballot for the two available four-year seats, and Patricia Bergener and Rex Kay are seeking the one open two-year term.

Genola

In Genola, a dominating showing in the Oct. 4 primary makes Eric Hazelet the front-runner to take over for Mayor Neil Brown, who opted not to run for a third term in order to spend more time with his family.

Hazelet collected 219 votes compared with challenger Roy Carroll's 20.

"I'm not going to get my feelings hurt if I don't win," said Carroll, who says he's a "little underdog" in the race. "If I do win, I'm going to work my hardest to do a good job and do the things I told the people who voted for me that I would try to do."