In short
The Municipal General Election is Tuesday, November 2, with mail ballots arriving about three weeks early and the Syracuse Library serving as a vote center. The mayor writes that Utopia, not the city, is offering high-speed fiber lines to Syracuse residents within the next two years, and joining will be optional. The RV dump closed October 1 for reconstruction and is not expected to reopen until May 1, 2022. The Pumpkin Walk runs October 21 to 23 at Founders Park, and the city needs volunteers to carve more than 1,000 pumpkins for it.
Dates and deadlines
- October 1: RV dump closes for reconstruction; reopening anticipated May 1, 2022.
- October 4: Library activity, “Are Yeh a Harry Wizard?”, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- October 6: Registration closes for the Antelope Island Bison Roundup first phase.
- October 6: NASA Night for the James Webb Telescope launch at the library, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- October 6 to 7: Parent-teacher conferences and early out at Syracuse, Bluff Ridge, and Buffalo Point elementary schools.
- October 7: Syracuse Museum talk on Shoshone perspectives in the Syracuse area, 5 p.m.
- October 8: Public test of voting devices and tabulation equipment, 10:00 a.m., Davis County Administration Building, 61 South Main Street, Room #202, Farmington.
- October 8: Heart and Soul Paint Night at the Community Center, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., $30, ages 10 and up.
- October 9: Antelope Island marathon, half marathon, 10K and 5K at 7 a.m.; Ogden Astronomical Society star party at the Rocky Bay / Backcountry trailhead at 5 p.m.
- October 13: Senior monthly movie, “Queen Bees”, 1 p.m., free with RSVP.
- October 14 to 15: Fall break for Davis School District schools and Syracuse Arts Academy.
- October 15: Pumpkins available for Pumpkin Walk carving volunteers.
- October 15: Last day to view the magazine’s photo contest entries at connectionpub.com/photocontest.
- October 19: RSVP deadline, by 10 a.m., for the October 27 seniors lunch and bingo.
- October 19: Senior book club, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
- October 20: Carved pumpkins must be returned to the Community Center.
- October 21: Free Medicare 101 class at Centerville Library, 6:30 p.m.
- October 21: “Spooktacular” spooky stories at the library, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Clearfield Community Band fall concert at North Davis Jr. High, 7 p.m., free.
- October 21 to 23: Pumpkin Walk at Founders Park, vendors at 6 p.m. and the walk from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., with Late Night at the Museum.
- October 22: Senior bus trip to “Hunchback of Notre Dame” at Hopebox Theatre in Kaysville, bus leaves 6:45 p.m., $17 per ticket.
- October 23: Clearfield Branch Library grand opening, 1 North Main St., Clearfield.
- October 27: Seniors lunch and bingo, 12 p.m., with Medicare open enrollment help 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., suggested $3 donation.
- October 29: No school, professional learning day, district wide.
- October 30: First phase of the Antelope Island Bison Roundup.
- October 31: Last day to register for the second session of Jr. Jazz Basketball.
- November 1: Syracuse Cemetery cleanup; anything left on a grave is thrown away.
- November 2: Municipal General Election; polls open 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., with the Syracuse Library at 1875 South 2000 West as the local vote center.
- November 3 to 4: Parent-teacher conferences and early out at Cook Elementary.
- November 5: Election audit, 10:00 a.m., Davis County Administration Building Room #202, open to witnesses.
- November 12: Heart and Soul Paint Night, “Let It Snow”, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., $30.
- November 18: Free Medicare 101 class at Syracuse Library, 6:30 p.m.
- December 16: Free Medicare 101 class at Farmington Library, 6:30 p.m.
- May 1, 2022: Anticipated reopening of the RV dump.
Everything else
Election
- City Recorder Cassie Z. Brown issued the official notice of the Municipal General Election for Tuesday, November 2. Voters must be U.S. citizens, residents of their voting precinct, and 18 or older by the general election.
- The sample ballot lists Dave Maughan and Michael Gailey for mayor, and Paul Watson, Jordan B. Savage, Jennifer Carver, and Brett D. Cragun for two city council seats.
- Election information is at DavisVotes.com, Vote.Utah.gov, and Syracuseut.com/Elections, or by calling 801-614-9633. Accessible voting machines are available at vote centers.
City Council
- In meetings on August 24 and September 14, the council canvassed and certified the primary election results, approved culinary water access for two unincorporated Davis County properties along 2700 South, denied a donation request from city funds to the Kiwanis Club, and adjusted the wage scale for full-time park maintenance workers.
- The council directed the Park Advisory Committee to find a location for a potential BMX bike track that does not use the current equestrian park.
- The council appointed Kenneth Hellewell to the planning commission with James King as alternate, renewed an Arts Council appointment, and removed newspaper noticing requirements for land use hearings and meetings.
- Land use actions: rezoned 2400 West 2700 South from A-1 to R-3, rezoned 1343 S. Bluff Road from R-1 to R-2, amended the Town Center Overlay Zone text, and cut the in-ground swimming pool setback from 8 feet to 6 feet.
- The council also authorized an MOU with the Utah Department of Workforce Services so residents can take part in a temporary water assistance program, and signed a letter supporting a North Davis Sewer District ARPA grant application.
- Residents can take part in council meetings in person or over Zoom, and public comment is taken from both.
From the mayor
- The mayor writes that Utopia, not the city, is offering residents high-speed glass fiber lines, available within the next two years. Residents choose whether to join and which internet service provider to use.
- The column traces local telephone service as history: the first telephone was installed in a Syracuse store in 1901 on a line from Hooper that cost $300, the first party line reached the lower store in 1903, and service ran $1.00 a month with up to nine customers sharing a line.
Public works and utilities
- Winterize your sprinkler system before freezing temperatures burst undrained pipes and valves.
- Keep water meter lids and secondary water valve lids clear of landscaping and overgrowth so the city can shut a valve off quickly in an emergency.
- Store chemicals, petroleum, and fertilizers closed, labeled, off the ground, under cover, and with secondary containment to keep pollutants out of storm drains.
Parks and Recreation
- Jr. Jazz Basketball second session registration runs through October 31. Cost is $52.00 for 1st to 4th grade boys and 1st to 6th grade girls, and $57.00 for 5th to 12th grade boys and 7th to 12th grade girls. Older divisions must register as a team.
- The city needs volunteers to carve more than 1,000 pumpkins for the Pumpkin Walk. Call the Community Center at 801-614-9660 opt. 1 to reserve pumpkins.
- Adult fitness classes at the Community Center: Pump It Up on Tuesdays at 9 a.m., Step It Up Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 a.m. ($3 drop-in or $20 for a 10-time pass), and High Fitness every Wednesday at 6:10 a.m. ($5 drop-in or $30 pass). The first class is free.
Seniors
- Senior yoga runs Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 a.m., and pickleball Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9 a.m. Both are free with a Community Center membership, otherwise $1 for ages 50 and up or $0.50 for 60 and up for yoga, and $2 for adults or $0.50 for seniors 60 and up for pickleball.
- Think Tuesday game mornings are October 5 and October 19 at 10 a.m., free with an RSVP.
- Register for senior activities by calling the Community Center at 801-614-9660 #1. The senior newsletter is at syracuserecreation.com.
Arts
- Tickets are on sale for the Arts Council’s junior theater production of “Matilda Jr.” at Syracuse Arts Academy on Antelope Drive, north campus. Shows usually sell out; tickets at syracuseutaharts.org.
- The Arts Council jazz band will perform as a pre-show at the Pumpkin Walk. Interested musicians can email [email protected].
Public safety
- The fire department canceled this year’s annual open house. Fire Chief Aaron Byington writes that the decision was made with the health department and city officials as COVID-19 numbers rose again, and that the open house will return next year.
- An emergency preparedness article walks through building a 72-hour go bag: water, food, radio, flashlight, first aid kit, batteries, whistle, dust mask, plastic sheeting and duct tape, sanitation supplies, a wrench or pliers to shut off utilities, a can opener, local maps, and a charged phone with backup battery. Full guidance is at ready.gov/be-informed and ready.gov/car.
City services
- Passport applications are processed at City Hall from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and take 20 to 30 minutes each. Appointments are required Monday and Friday and recommended Tuesday through Thursday, when walk-ins are served in order of arrival. Forms, photos, and payment must be complete before 4 p.m. for same-day acceptance, and fees must be a check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of State.
- The Syracuse Library at 1875 S 2000 W is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; phone (801) 451-1850.
- Report road, street light, sign, park, water, garbage, and code issues through the “Report a Concern” icon on the city home page. Job openings and job alerts are under Government, Employment Opportunities, at syracuseut.gov.
- This month’s employee spotlight is Holly Thurgood, who handles payroll in Administration.
Library and schools
- Storytime is in person Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. at the Syracuse branch and virtually Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.; register for a link at bit.ly/3whpJIe.
- October school calendars for the local high schools, junior highs, and elementaries list fall sports, concerts, and state tournaments through early November.
Community stories
- A look back at the Syracuse Cemetery, laid out in 1896 and measured with a tape measure and stakes, which modern surveying later found accurate enough that no grave had to be moved. Improvements began after the town organized in 1935, work on the front ditch started in 1939, and the Memorial Day dedication program begun that era still continues more than 80 years later.
- The cover feature profiles a local family that trains and handles animals, including horses, dogs, and birds, for movies and church-produced video series, a business their parents moved into film work in the early 1990s.
- The magazine announced its annual photo contest winners and opened voting for its second annual readers’ poll on November 1, with results in the March 2022 issue.
Unofficial digest of a city PDF. The official version is linked below.
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