Joe Burgess

Tell us your name, what you like to be called,

Joseph Clive Burgess is my legal name  and I go by Joe.

Tell us a little about yourself.

My wife beverly and I moved to Cedar City 33 years ago to start Zion Plumbing, our plumbing and heating business. Since that time, all four of our children have been born and raised, educated, and all currently live here, along with our seven grand children, and two more grandchildren on their way. Beverly and I love Cedar Citty and it's a great place to live and to raise our children.  

Why do you want to run for Mayor?

As I said, I've lived here 33 years, and a few years ago I was complaining to Beverly about some of the decisions Cedar City was making, and my wife told me that I couldn't complain about the elected officials unless I was willing to run for office myself. So I took her up on that suggestion and I ran for City Council.  And while on the council, I soon realized that the majority of the decisions, that were made and talked about on the council, had to do with land use issues, infrastructure issues, and construction and the construction bidding process.  These are the things that I have done for the last 33 years in my occupation.  Along with those items, I have had 100's of employees over the years and I also have a lot of experience with budgets and financial matters, not only with my own businesses, but as a bank director at State Bank of Southern Utah, which I have been there for the past ten years, and also as a trustee at Valley View Medical Center. And then, of course, as my four years experience that I had on the City Council.  With this experience I felt that I was as well qualified as anyone to be Cedar City's next mayor. I also know along with the current economic times that we have to have a strong, conservative mayor who can make the tough decisions and make sure that the things that have to be done during these  economic times are done and that financially they stay within their budget.

Who are three people that you really admire?

I just finished reading a book about George Washington, and so he has to be one of the people. I've always admired him but as I finished this book I really admire George Washington. Also, Thomas Jefferson,  I think that he's made a big impact in our country and making sure that people's freedoms are protected.  And then, of course, the one that I probably admire the most is my wife Beverly.

What do you think are the biggest issues in our community right now?

With the current economic times that we live in, I'm sure that not only here in Cedar City, but maybe clear across the country, that the biggest issue that cities have is that we need more jobs.  We need to protect jobs, and create jobs so that we can get people back to work. Utah doesn't have as high an unemployment rate as other places. We also have seen shrinking revenues in the city.  We can control the revenue that we generate from property tax, but we can't control the money that we generate from sales tax,  which is one of our biggest revenue makers.  So, we need to be able to live within the city's  budget. We also need to make sure that during these economic times that we continue to maintain our infrastructure, our sewers, waters, streets, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, those kinds of things.

When you think of Cedar City 5 or 10 years from now, what do you see?

I see Cedar City in 5 or 10 years from now still as a great place to live, like it is now. And I also see its citizens protected with a strong police force and fire department and, of course, with a quality infrastructure, with sanitary water systems, sewer systems, and storm drainage systems.  Hopefully, I see Cedar City with enough quality jobs that our children and our grandchildren, and also the graduates that move here to go to SUU, that want to stay here and raise their family, have that opportunity to do so.

What would you like to see more of in Cedar City?

As I've said before, I'd like to see more quality jobs. Over the years, we've had some good jobs and we've lost some good jobs. So, I'd like to see more pollution-free companies come to town that will create more jobs.  I'd also like to see the citizens of Cedar City more educated so that when we do get job opportunities, and companies to come to town, that we have a better work force through more educated people.  


What would you do to help that happen?

I would work hard with the economic development person that is here.   Number one, I'd start with making sure that that economic development person has talked to each of the major employers in town that are here right now.  Make sure that he has a relationship with them so that when they have struggles or have things that they need to make them more efficient, that the city can do to help them, they will feel comfortable with calling and asking for help and asking how to solve some problems.  I also think on the education front, that we would do everything we could to work not only with the University, but also with the Iron County School District, and doing what we can to make sure that if they have any obstacles with education, that have to do with the city, that we can work together and  solve those challenges. The other thing that the city has, that I don't know that we always take advantage of, is that Utah State University has an extension agency here that has a lot of educational things.  And I just think that we need to do what we can to make sure that our citizens use that resource to better educate themselves.  Those things that they have training in are everyday things that we as citizens would use in our lives.  So I think that we need to make more people aware of opportunities for education.


If a conflict of interest were to arise between city interests and your own personal or business interests, how would you handle it?


Of course, I would always put the city first.  If there were items that directly affected myself and my family, then I would recuse myself from any discussion and even being in the room when those items come up and are discussed, so that there wouldn't be any appearance or any reality of me having a benefit from having that position.

What do you see as your top priorities if you are elected?


I've got like four or five things, we talked about some of them.  First, of course, would be job creation and saving existing jobs.  Budget control, making sure that we're financially responsible with the resource that we have.  Maintain and enhance our cities infrastructure.  Promote education, of course, for everybody.  And I think that one of the challenges that whoever the new mayor is going to be is dealing with some challenges with this new Aquatic Center.  You know, as you've read the paper the last few days, you know they have some cost overruns, and time delays. And as you talk to some of the people that are involved there, there's going to be some operating expenses that are going to be considerably more than any revenue that it's going to generate.  So, that too is going to be something that is going to need to be dealt with and that is to make sure that thing is run as efficiently as it can.  And, of course, like I say, it's going to be an added strain to the budget.  Also, I see that we need to continue to support shopping local.  I think the city on this Aquatic Center, they made a step in the right direction, by giving any local contractor or subcontractor a 5% advantage in their bid pricing, if they were from Cedar City.  I think that that's good, but we need to shop local, and we need to start by making sure that the city shops local on the things that they purchase.  It's kind of a fine line because the city has to be financially responsible, so they can't buy light bulbs from a Cedar City resident for a dollar, when they can buy them somewhere else for fifty cents, but they have to at least give the local people an opportunity and do what they can to purchase things locally.

Why should a person vote for you?


I think a person should vote for me because of my desire to leave the city better, if elected, than when I found it.  Also, because of my business experience, not only with budgets and financial controls, like I talked about, but also my experience with managing employees, and managers.  And also my ability to make sound decisions.  I think that I have a track record that shows that I do have that. I think that, like I said before, in our economic times right now, if ever, it is a time that we need to have a business person that has actual practical experience with employees, and with budgets, and with making ends meet, in bad times and not just in the good times.   I think with all those things I have the expertise, and the ability to be the next mayor of Cedar City. 

What is the best way for people to learn more about you?

As I said, I've been in business here for 30 years. Not just my plumbing business, but a number of businesses.  So, I think that there's a lot of people here in town, especially a lot of the business people here in town, who have dealt with me and who have known me for the past thirty plus years.  I think that would be one way for people to get to know what type of person I am better, to talk to people who have dealt with me and who do know me.  Also anybody, anytime they want could contact me by phone.  My phone number is (435) 691-4001, that's my cell number.  Or any question you may have, they could email me at joeburgess53@hotmail.com

What's your favorite dessert?

My favorite dessert is just plain old vanilla ice cream topped with hot chocolate and pecans.







Joe Burgess has answered a few supplemental questions with regards to issues that in our city. 

To see what he had to say, go to the supplemental question section here.