Meet Salt Lake City Council candidate Clayton Scrivner
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Clayton Scrivner. Photo: Courtesy of Clayton Scrivner
District 4 candidate Clayton Scrivner is Park City's communications manager. Incumbent Ana Valdemoros is also on the ballot.
Details: He previously managed marketing and communications for Salt Lake County's Parks Department and Salt Lake City's civic engagement team.
Of note: Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
📲 First tap in the morning: "Usually it's the New York Times suite of word games: Wordle, Spelling Bee, The Daily Mini Crossword and now Connections. Then it's a scan of local news."
😄 Hobbies: "Music — I got my first drum set at 14 years old after my dad hit a royal flush on a slot machine (that's a 'growing up in Las Vegas story'). I had a chance to play in many Salt Lake City bands over the years. I played Kilby Court the first week it opened way back when.
- Also: SLC history and cycling.
🏠 What neighborhoods have you lived in? "I have moved a grand total of four blocks in 28 years. So it is D4 all the way! I live right by Judge Memorial [Catholic] High School."
🐋 What whale-sized sculpture belongs in your district and where would it go? "I'll be looking to the Green Loop as the next excellent opportunity to up our public art game. Let's make it permanent, not pop-up."
🤔 What's the top issue Salt Lakers face? "Growth. Specifically, its ripple effect on everything — from access to affordable housing, livability, the unhoused, our schools, our parks, trails and open space, historic preservation, transportation and more.
- "I want to be clear that I am not an anti-growth candidate. I just want us to grow smarter."
🏠 How would you address affordable housing in Salt Lake City? "We must support the preservation of existing affordable housing and the development of new affordable housing units. ... We also must implement zoning policies that require new developments to include greater community benefits.
- "For example, in District 4 along our TSA zoning (400 South) much of our growth is market rate, over-parked, giant-scale luxury apartments. There is little to no opportunity to build equity and remain in our neighborhoods when we are only constructing one housing type."
🌊 As the Great Salt Lake dwindles, what policy solutions would you recommend to conserve water? "Breaking Utah's agricultural dependence on water-thirsty crops like alfalfa is the elephant in the room when it comes to the GSL. That being said, we can always do more to conserve water. We can start with our parking strips."
🚩 What sets you apart as a candidate: "We are running a People First campaign and that reflects how I would approach the job if I am lucky enough to serve.
- "The cost of running a winning race for council has increased around 400% in the last 15 years because of a deluge of big business and big special interest money. My election is powered by my neighbors, through grassroots fundraising and campaigning. I am going for a City Council race record of individual donations and I think we will get there."
☝ First action as a City Council member: "I would give my son a tour of the new office and find out what the current policy is on dogs in the workplace. Oh, and then I imagine I'll have my first staff reports to read and I'd dig right in."
🏛 Finally, why do you want to be a City Council member? "Because my neighbors deserve a choice. I offer residents an approach that pushes back a bit on emerging norms and instead prioritizes people over politics and people over profits. I want to govern based on guiding principles of livability, accessibility and civic engagement — and not on decision-making that is re-election based."