Briefly outline your work history, education, and personal (family) information.

I'm a computer scientist specializing in Internet communication security. I've worked in the research and development divisions of several companies, in the computer science department at the University of Arizona, at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and as a consultant through my own corporation, Purple Streak.

What major factor has prompted you to seek the position of city councilperson?

My decision was formed over a period of several years as an observer and participant in civic activities. The City is at a nexus regarding finance and development, and the next City Council will shape character of the City as it reaches its boundaries. I think that my

moderate views will be useful in team building and consensus on legislation.

What particular strength, ability, or perspective do you bring to the council?

My mantra is modernization through technology: high tech and low cost. Beyond that, I'm a sound and reliable decision-maker, a practical person with the ability to cut through to the core of an issue. I've managed projects of many kinds in both a professional and volunteer capacity, and my style is a carefully researched, cost-effective, and timely approach to getting the job done and getting it done well.

What do you consider to be the two most important responsibilities of a councilperson?

Listening and reasoning. Council members need to know their constituents' concerns about the City, whether those concerns are about taxes, roving dogs (one of the most ubiquitous problems in city government across the United States!) or the effect of development on

property values. Decision-making, though, is the primary responsibility of the Council, and council members must make reasoned and fair decisions for the common good.

What do you believe to be the two most challenging issues that will face the city during your four year tenure on the council?

The looming issues are growth and revenue. We want a community that remains affordable, but we also want to attract people who share our vision of a relaxed and contemplative hillside community. I have no doubt that we can achieve this, but we need a determined attitude and a careful economic analysis. If we look at our competitive position with respect to any other part of Utah County, it is clear that Woodland Hills has a unique character, and we can draw on this while the City fills in over the next several years. Waiting out the current downturn is painful, but recent tax increases put us in good shape to weather it while continuing to make improvements.

Are you satisfied with the manner in which the city budget is developed and administered? Yes___ No___; If no, how would you change it?

The budget is only part of the overall financial picture. Currently the City seems to lurch from one emergency to another, from one spending plan to another. The City has a planning commission and a finance committee, but neither one can develop a realistic long-term plan in isolation. The city needs a comprehensive approach to planning that involves all stakeholders and draws on more data. For example, each major spending category (roads, water, safety, etc.) should have a leader who develops a 5-year maintenance and improvement plan and a 3-tiered spending plan. The planning should use demographic data and input from developers, citizens, engineers, and financial experts. This will take work and time, but it is an essential task if the City intends to control its own destiny.

Do you believe that city residents should be more involved in the decision making process? Yes ____No____. If yes, please indicate how you would achieve this.

Residents should be more involved in all levels of city government, certainly, but I believe that residents first need more information from their city. I would greatly increase transparency in government by making more information easily available to residents, through regular town hall meetings, greater use of the city website, expanded announcements of council meetings using plain English, and encouraging regular office hours for all elected officials. A more deliberately inclusive process for seeking volunteers for city committees and projects would go a long way towards helping to build the involved citizenry that is the basis of good government.

The city's water system seems to be a constant source of problems; how would you address this problem?

It has been getting better, and that is due the engineering and management skills that Bob Fisher has brought to the water department, which now uses the public works department to keep a keen eye on the tanks, pumps, valves, and pipes. Our main priority must be to do everything necessary to prevent the citywide outages that have plagued us in the past. We have only one source of water, only one main pump, and we share that system with Salem. I want to see more cooperation with Salem on improving the monitoring technology and more planning for quick repairs. Within our own infrastructure, we need to coordinate our automated monitoring with a detailed computer model of the whole system so that we can isolate problems quickly and help the fire department plan their hydrant use during emergencies.

But that is only for the current system. Our growth plans rely on an unexamined and uncertain aquifer for the mountain slope. We need assurance that we have water under all foreseeable contingencies.

What percentage of the council meetings do you anticipate missing due to family, work, or other obligations? How do you envision this affecting your effectiveness as a councilperson?

I expect to have a 90% attendance rate, but effectiveness depends on not just "being there," and I will be spending several hours per week gathering and organizing information prior to discussions and voting.