Election 2009: Bluffdale will pick new leaders to guide growth

BLUFFDALE — As this small city of 8,000 transforms into a thriving residential suburb, Bluffdale residents will be electing leaders to shape their growing city.

Securing a police force, bringing businesses to the city and building solid transportation corridors are top priorities for the candidates for mayor and City Council.

The mayoral race is between two City Hall newcomers who were separated by just five votes in the primaries.

Kim Fuller, an officer with the state Department of Corrections, will face off against Derk Timothy, who works for aerospace company ATK Launch Systems Inc.

The new mayor will replace Claudia Anderson, who was stripped of her administrative powers two years after taking office and then sued the City Council.

Timothy said he wants to restore good communication with the City Council and start a volunteer residents advisory committee and a mayor-for-a-day program. The 19-year Bluffdale resident hopes to realign zoning to keep future transportation routes out of residents' backyards.

Fuller, who has served on the Planning Commission, wants to lower residents' taxes by increasing the commercial tax base. He highlights his 20-year career in public safety as a plus for deciding whether Bluffdale should sign a contract with the Unified Police District or another agency.

Council candidates competing for two at-large seats include incumbents Nancy Lord and Bill Maxwell, and challengers Alan Jackson and Noell Nelson.

Lord and Maxwell, both seeking second terms, want to protect the city's small-town feel with 1-acre zoning.

Maxwell says his background is crucial in bridging the gap between the old and new administrations. And Lord points to her proposal of line-item budget cuts as keeping Bluffdale's taxes low.

Nelson, who served on the Bluffdale City Council for 19 years and as mayor for four years, lists impact fees and franchise tax on utilities as his main points. Jackson said the city should be selective in commercial development and continue to support smaller businesses.

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