Sandy resident Bruce Blanchard receives empowerment and belonging recognition and urges informed civic participation

Bruce Blanchard, a Sandy resident and retired Intermountain Healthcare finance employee, said he was “receiving the empowerment and belonging recognition award for Sandy City” and urged residents to stay informed about local government.

Blanchard told the meeting he grew up in Southern Bridal, married his wife from Salt Lake and moved into his Sandy home in 1986. He described a 35-year career with Intermountain Healthcare in the finance department and said, after retiring, he began attending city council meetings and speaking with department heads to learn more about municipal budgets and operations.

"I want members of the community to know what's going on and be able to provide feedback both positive and negative about the things that are going on in our city," Blanchard said. He described creating an email list of about 75 people to share balanced information: "I try really hard to say, okay. This is this side and the pros and cons, and this is the other side so people understand. I want more informed voters, not more voters."

Blanchard characterized civic engagement as a responsibility: "Citizens should be involved because our local government has more impact on our lives than any other form of government... I see it as my civic duty." His remarks combined personal background with practical steps he said he takes to inform neighbors and encourage feedback to city officials.

The recognition and remarks occurred during the meeting's public-facing portion; no formal action or vote accompanied the award in the transcript.