Herriman voter guide 2023

City Council candidates

District 1

Jared Henderson

Occupation: Certified financial planner.

If elected, what would you do to provide more affordable housing options to your residents? Would you support higher-density housing?

Higher-density housing is not affordable housing. The biggest problem with high-density housing especially in areas like Herriman is that the state has forced it on cities without the supporting infrastructure such as roads, public transportation and water.

What is your city’s responsibility in addressing homelessness, and what would you do within the boundaries of your community to help unhoused Utahns?

I affectionately refer to Herriman’s location as the “cul-de-sac” of Salt Lake County. We are effectively cut off from essential services and resources that the homeless population depends on (shelter, public transportation, health/wellness services, etc.). As a city, we support the efforts of the county and other cities that do have those resources. Our residents pay a lot of taxes to the county and others that fund those county and state programs.

Besides affordable housing or homelessness, what is the biggest challenge your city faces, and how would you address it?

The biggest challenge Herriman faces is the rapid growth and extreme high density forced on us by the state and Salt Lake County without the supporting infrastructure like roads and public transportation. We need to balance residential land use of all sizes with a commercial tax base. I have fought hard to preserve the few commercially viable areas we have and attract more substantial businesses. I have and will continue to seek partnerships with the other entities to fund a regional athletic center and recreation in the mountains that surround us. This will bring visitors to our cul-de-sac to spend their money here and return to their home city for their services.

What is a fun or unique fact about yourself?

I love sports but especially soccer. I played from a young age through college. I currently coach three youth soccer teams and enjoy every minute of it. I am a huge Manchester United fan. You will often see me wearing something with the team’s logo.

Chris Roberts

Occupation: Law enforcement.

If elected, what would you do to provide more affordable housing options to your residents? Would you support higher-density housing?

Economic growth and affordable housing are hand in hand. I look forward to helping Herriman find economic opportunities and create jobs that will support the housing market. Multifamily housing needs the right infrastructure to support the community. Some areas of Herriman fit multifamily housing well. A common concern of residents in these areas is the lack of transportation. I want to focus on improving transportation and work with stakeholders to continuously balance housing affordability and economic growth.

What is your city’s responsibility in addressing homelessness, and what would you do within the boundaries of your community to help unhoused Utahns?

As a City Council candidate, I believe that it is our responsibility to work with other local, county and state governments to find solutions for the unsheltered, and support emergency shelter services that provide safety and resources for those who are experiencing homelessness.

I am committed to educating the public about the root causes of homelessness, such as poverty, mental illness, substance abuse and domestic violence. These are topics I know a lot from my experience in law enforcement. I believe that we must provide solutions that are based on compassion and accountability. I will work to help Herriman get more involved in supporting nonprofits that are the right fit to assist those who are unsheltered.

Besides affordable housing or homelessness, what is the biggest challenge your city faces, and how would you address it?

Infrastructure to support our growth is a major issue. I want to focus on moving forward with driving economic growth and ensuring we are addressing the transportation needs, traffic congestion, water conservation, open spaces and commercial growth in our city. I want to open doors and bring the right people to the table to get our goals accomplished. I have experience navigating through government issues and want to target the right solutions at the right time.

What is a fun or unique fact about yourself?

I have been named the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT Utah) Officer of the Year twice, in 2018 and 2022.

District 4

Matt Bello

Occupation: TV producer.

If elected, what would you do to provide more affordable housing options to your residents? Would you support higher-density housing?

Herriman is already full of high-density housing (with affordable options). It wouldn’t be a problem except that the city didn’t plan for any public transit until years down the road, and we are in desperate need of it now. The Utah Transit Authority “Via vans” (UTA On Demand) are not a viable solution for this many people living densely.

What is your city’s responsibility in addressing homelessness, and what would you do within the boundaries of your community to help unhoused Utahns?

Since Herriman doesn’t see quite as much homelessness being this far south in the valley, we can still do our part. We can do things such as educate younger generations to help our homeless (without enabling, since I know some people would say that’s what helping does). Other things we can do are volunteer in our sister cities’ homeless areas to bring a sense of unity — that we are all in this together.

Besides affordable housing or homelessness, what is the biggest challenge your city faces, and how would you address it?

Our city is struggling with getting commercial businesses to settle. We aren’t a destination city and so, if elected, I would love to make it a priority to make us more visible to all types of businesses (not just soda shops and car washes).

What is a fun or unique fact about yourself?

I found out three years ago through an Ancestry DNA test that my father is not my biological father (yep, I’m one of those people).

Steven L. Shields

Occupation: Vice president/relationship manager.

If elected, what would you do to provide more affordable housing options to your residents? Would you support higher-density housing?

There is no correlative data between density and housing affordability. I would continue to support a wide variety of housing types to fill all levels of housing relieving pressure on the market demand. I would also continue to support economic development to attract higher-paying jobs to make housing more accessible.

What is your city’s responsibility in addressing homelessness, and what would you do within the boundaries of your community to help unhoused Utahns?

There is little to no homelessness in Herriman. However, we have an excellent organization of community support to provide assistance to all who need it.

Besides affordable housing or homelessness, what is the biggest challenge your city faces, and how would you address it?

Growth. We continue to see unprecedented rates of growth, and we lack the transportation infrastructure to support the growth. State leaders need to prioritize regional connectivity projects, like the Mountain View Corridor, to facilitate traffic demands. I would continue to work with legislators to encourage their support of these kinds of projects.

What is a fun or unique fact about yourself?

I’m the experienced candidate who helped lead the fight against the Olympia development.