Someone once said, “You gotta do what you HAVE to do before you can do what you WANT to do. It’s called priorities.” A priority is simply something that is regarded as more important than another. As I have served as your mayor for the last twelve months, I have learned citizens have differing opinions on what’s impactful when it comes to keeping North Ogden a great place to live. Because the city has limited resources, we have not been able to act on every request we have received and, for that, I apologize. The lack of action on our part does not minimize the importance of your suggestion or request. It simply means we must prioritize the availability of our resources.

I strongly believe the number one priority for government is and should always be the safety of its citizens. North Ogden is experiencing substantial growth, and to continue to have a safe and secure community, it is time to plan for the future and address the inadequacies in our existing public safety building. During the next several months, the city council will consider the need to construct a new public safety facility. Discussions will include topics such as why the existing facility is inadequate, what needs to be included in a new facility, what the cost would be for constructing a new facility, timing of building a new facility, and how the city would pay for it. These discussions will take place in public meetings and in the spirit of total transparency. Notice of all public meetings is published on the city’s webpage, and you can obtain additional information on meetings by contacting the city office. I extend a personal invitation for you to participate in these meetings.

It is anticipated citizens will have many questions. It is our intention to address them in a publication of a Frequently Asked Questions document. The city council has already received many questions that are being researched, and I encourage you to submit your questions and concerns via email to ccmm@nogden.org or call council members at the numbers listed in this publication (North Ogden Connection).

Because attendance at the two scheduled public safety open houses/tours was minimal, a video of the facility has been made available to the public on YouTube. You can find the link to the video on the city web page. The police department would also be happy to schedule a personal tour if you would like to contact them directly.

I believe providing a safe and conducive working environment for our officers is essential. To maintain the safety of our growing community, we need to retain and attract quality police officers. This is becoming very difficult in today’s environment. As the city grows we need the proper infrastructure, which includes a facility that can house an increased number of officers.

In conclusion, the public safety building is a priority because it is something we HAVE to do and not what we just WANT to do. We need to hear from you!

Mayor Berube