Assistant Heber City manager Luke Searle works on projects like the Heber City Leadership Academy and community outreach on behalf of the city and airport. He’s also now running for Wasatch County Council Seat A, representing the entire county. It’s his first time running for public office.
He acknowledged the city council could determine he can’t hold both a full-time job at city hall and an elected county council seat. If that happens, he said he would choose to serve on the council.
The state lieutenant governor’s office said it’s up to cities to determine conflicts of interest.
Searle is a Republican who lives in Heber City with his wife and 1-year-old daughter. He said as the county continues to evolve, he wants to preserve what gives cities and towns community-oriented character.
“There are things that are going to change,” Searle said. “I mean, [my daughter’s] growing up is going to be different, even if it's in the same Heber Valley, and that's a reality. But what are ways that we can preserve that character, what are ways that we can work together as a community to ensure that is maintained, because there's just great strides that are happening within the city, that school district, the county, but it if we choose not to fight to preserve that that character, then it could quite easily turn into something that that is different.”
Searle said since he started working for the city full-time in November, he’s formed relationships with people at the city and county levels. He said that would help him promote cooperation between the two and have awareness of county issues like property taxes and the ongoing Future Schools Project.
One issue he called a priority is sustainable growth. He said it requires balancing residents’ quality of life with maintaining the character of the valley, including its natural beauty, and he supports preserving open space.
He said he would also focus on using the city’s community reinvestment area, a 20-year economic development strategy wherein projects that contribute new property taxes in and around downtown fund investment in things like parking and infrastructure.
Heber City has no precedent of a city government employee holding elected office on the council. According to City Attorney Mark Smedley and City Recorder Trina Cooke, the city has no policy prohibiting Luke’s candidacy, nor would anything prevent his employment with the city if he is elected.
Cooke said if elected, he may face decisions where he should recuse himself from voting.
“I think [we should set] some really good guidelines, some good guardrails in there, and just being open about that process and continually just helping people understand that so that they don't think there's any kind of conflict of interest,” he said. “But again, it will be determined by everybody, and I hope that we can come up with a good solution there.”
Searle received an endorsement from the office of Congressman John Curtis, who represents Utah’s third congressional district.
In a statement to KPCW, Curtis said, “In his public and party service, Luke has established warm and productive relationships with residents and elected officials alike.”
Kim Facer and Mary Williams also filed to run for county council seat A.
For more information about Searle’s campaign, go to the Luke Searle for Wasatch County Council Facebook page.
