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Mona council candidates emphasize budgets, roads and resident communication
Summary
Council candidates at a Mona forum highlighted fiscal oversight, local infrastructure and improved resident notice as priorities. Candidates agreed residents should use the council agenda process to seek changes but did not cite a formal statutory appeals path.
At a candidate forum, three people seeking Mona city council seats described their qualifications and told residents they would prioritize financial oversight, roads and better communication.
Jennifer Fox Donaldson, identifying herself as a Mona native and a certified public accountant with nearly three decades of experience in government accounting, said she would scrutinize budgets and financial statements and use her state-level contacts to pursue grants and other funding. “I speak in numbers,” Fox Donaldson said, adding she has experience dealing with Social Security, the IRS and Medicare and the patience to pursue answers from agencies.
Devin Ingram, who said he operates a local excavation company, emphasized hands-on infrastructure experience and team management. “I know quite a bit about infrastructure — putting pipe in the ground, fixing things, roads,” Ingram said, arguing that experience helps with city-level public-works issues.
Tony Openshaw, a long-term resident and former city employee, framed his candidacy around practical knowledge of municipal operations and a desire to serve. He cited honesty and community cooperation as guiding principles and said he would welcome residents to bring issues before the council agenda for discussion.
On process, candidates consistently advised residents who disagree with council decisions to request agenda time and engage directly with council members. Fox Donaldson and Openshaw emphasized communication before and after decisions, while Ingram said he expected parties to work toward resolution. None of the candidates described a formal legal appeal procedure during the forum.
On taxes and economic development, candidates proposed grant-seeking, leveraging intercity relationships (Fox Donaldson referenced the Utah League of Cities) and requiring developers to cover infrastructure upsizing costs. Candidates noted Mona’s limited commercial land and capacity constraints as restraints on rapid business-driven revenue growth.
Candidates also discussed public notice for projects, recommending a mix of methods: posted notices, text messages and Facebook updates, plus door notices or phone trees for households less engaged with social media. The recent water shutoff was cited as an example of current notification practices and limitations.
The forum concluded with candidates answering questions about the most pressing city issues. Fox Donaldson said budgets and accounting were her primary concerns. Ingram prioritized road repairs and infrastructure patchwork. Openshaw described the sewer system — installed in 2008 — as a long-term issue requiring multi-year attention and careful oversight.
The forum did not produce any formal actions or votes; candidates were invited to speak with residents after the event for more detailed conversations.
