Why I would vote for Thomas Cooke for Summit County Council

We have an important election before us. That is for a seat on the Summit County Council. With all due respect to Ari Ioannides who is running on the Republican ticket, the winner of the Democratic Primary for Summit County Council will likely determine the Council Member. This decision is important.

On the Democratic party side, the primary election concludes on June 25. There are two choices: Megan McKenna and Thomas Cooke. By all accounts, they are both good people. I know Thomas, and he is a caring individual with years of planning experience. I don’t know Megan, but everyone I have spoken with about Megan indicates she is a wonderful teacher — inside our schools and out.

Why do you care?

Most things that impact our day-to-day life around Park City are about land use. What should happen with Dakota Pacific? What should happen with Cline Dahle? What should happen with the 810 Ranch (East Canyon dirt road)?

Those are all land use issues. How do we use the land? You think it would be easy, but it’s not. As we have seen over the last year, the Utah Legislature has become involved, and it has become more of a mafia event than you’d expect. Understanding planning is more important than ever when it comes to Dakota Pacific. If not done well, it could be a disaster for our entry corridor.

As a NIMBY, I am personally invested in the outcome of 810 Ranch and Cline Dahle. I live in Jeremy Ranch. If you are in Pinebrook or Jeremy Ranch, you should likely be concerned too. I want the best possible experience for the thousands of people who will be impacted by County Council decisions in our area.

What I know is I don’t want housing at Cline Dahle. I think it should be a park. There are no public parks within miles of thousands of our residents. We need Cline Dahle to be a park with fields, tennis, and pickleball. It won’t impact our schools.

Likewise, I want

That is a topic where Thomas Cooke excels.