Most of us don't even think about city government until it steps on our toes. That's the way it was with us.

We moved back to Payson in the seventies and built our home in the corner of my father's horse pasture. Back then it was in Utah County mid-way between Payson and Spring Lake. We were perfectly happy with that arrangement and enjoyed it for nearly twenty years. Raised all of our kids in the Payson schools.

One day we received notification of a proposal to include our property with the annexation of a parcel of land for a new subdivision. We wanted nothing to do with it. We fought the annexation with every tool that we had; letters to the local papers, passionate speeches,
attended every Planning & Zoning meeting, every City council; but, it really was out of our hands by that time.

The end result of that experience was that we determined that even though we couldn't influence that one decision, we would never be surprised again! My wife and I attended virtually every City meeting for the next five years. When an opening came on the planning & Zoning Commission I was appointed to that position. I have been a commissioner for the last six years. For the last ten years I have sat in on nearly every land use deliberation that has come before the Commission and Council.