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Incumbent mayor and challenger debate growth, water and taxes in Mona
Summary
Mayoral candidates Randy Christiansen (incumbent) and Troy Painter debated strategies to manage growth, pay for infrastructure and respond to a recent water outage; Christiansen emphasized grants and long-term planning while Painter stressed preservation and practical fixes.
Randy Christiansen, the current mayor of Mona seeking re-election, told residents he has not raised city taxes during his tenure and said he favors planned growth and pursuing grants and impact fees to expand the town's economic base. "We haven't raised taxes in Mona ever since I've been on council and as mayor," Christiansen said, adding that he is negotiating for additional park space that could host tournaments to bring revenue to town.
Troy Painter, who described himself as lifelong Mona resident and an excavation and farming professional, emphasized preserving affordability and using practical infrastructure work to reduce future disruptions. After a recent water outage, Painter proposed adding two valves on either side of a pressure-regulating valve so future repairs could isolate sections of the system. "So the next time, it can just be killed and fed the other from the other side," Painter said.
Both candidates acknowledged constraints on development in Mona. Christiansen noted the Central Utah Water Project is arriving and urged planning 10–20 years ahead. "We've got to plan for it," he said, referencing long-term water availability as a planning driver. Painter and other candidates said limited city-owned commercial land and natural-resource constraints make it difficult to rely on new development for revenue.
On the municipal budget, Painter said he would prioritize streets and sewer repairs if elected, but acknowledged limited knowledge of the formal budget process. Christiansen described the mayor's role in Mona as overseeing a small-city budget and noted enterprise funds for water and sewer must be self-supporting. "So we look at the year's budget and we see, okay, we've used this much for inflation, this much we might need, this much for repairs," Christiansen said.
The forum closed with the moderator thanking participants and inviting attendees to follow up directly with candidates. Voters were reminded ballots will be mailed Oct. 14 and Election Day is Nov. 4.
