Spanish Fork works to move park

SPANISH FORK — While some residents are still questioning the deal, city officials in Spanish Fork are moving forward with plans to relocate the city's North Park as part of an effort to bring two major retailers to the north end of town.

If approved, the deal would move the city's 15-acre North Park a few hundred feet to the northeast in the 40-acre plot located just south of the interchange between I-15 and U.S. 6. The move is intended to free up the frontage space along 1000 North for retail development.

Some residents have questioned whether Spanish Fork Mayor Joe Thomas, whose family owns a little more than 3 acres of the 40 acres in question, has a conflict of interest in the deal. His family's land has a market value of just over $250,000, according to county records, and contains a mobile home park with 15 homes on it, whose residents would be displaced.

The potential conflict has been brought up by residents in city meetings, but in an interview last week with the Deseret Morning News, Thomas emphatically denied that such a conflict exists.

"There is no conflict of interest ... this is for the city," he said. "This has nothing to do with me making a dime. I couldn't care less about that."

Thomas said the city had been approached by the would-be developer before he was elected last November. After attending a meeting with developers prior to being sworn in, Thomas said he was convinced it would be a positive development for the city and returned to his father, who had previously rebuffed inquiries regarding the land's availability, in the capacity of mayor.

"My family could have made this money any time, but I asked them to reconsider this time on behalf of the city," Thomas said.

Thomas added that he has not taken part in the negotiations between developers and his family, and every meeting on the issue he has attended he has done so in his capacity as mayor. He added that his father insisted that a provision in the contract be included that would require the developer to find places for displaced residents to go.

"I believe that's in the contract because (Thomas' father) is a good man," said Valerie Shepherd, a resident in the mobile home park.

Shepherd, like many of her neighbors, said she understands that business is business and can see the city's point of view in encouraging commercial development. She just doesn't understand why it has to be over their homes, and like others, is becoming frustrated with watching and waiting.