Welch has been active in Summit County’s GOP since moving to Hoytsville. He’s a precinct chair, county delegate and a representative to the State Central Committee of Utah’s Republican Party.
As a councilmember, he’d like to limit government overreach and taxes, encouraging fiscal responsibility. He says fees and regulations affect important issues like affordable housing.
“One thing that we don't really talk about is the hidden taxes that make housing more expensive,” Welch said. “Whether you're talking about developers doing hundreds of homes or even just a single person building a home or doing an addition to a home.”
He says building permits are one example. Welch recently paid the county $15,000 for a building permit on his property.
Welch says he’s seen those kinds of “hidden taxes” firsthand since founding a construction company that specializes in utility excavation and power line installation in 2017.
He has also worked for Rocky Mountain Power in the past. He deployed in the army twice during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Welch was born in Arizona but grew up in Morgan, graduating from Morgan High School. He traveled across Utah while working for Rocky Mountain power and moved to Hoytsville in 2013.
“I'm excited for the opportunity to be a part of the conversations that matter and to represent the people of the entire county,” he said, “especially to make sure that the interests and concerns of rural Summit County are being represented.”
Welch has filed to run for seat A held by Democrat Roger Armstrong. Welch is the only Republican to file for that seat and says he isn’t interested in a primary fight with another Republican.
Armstrong will face a challenger from within his party, LGBTQ+ advocate Cami Richardson. Whoever wins at the Democratic convention will face off against Welch in the general election Nov. 5.
