UPEA second vice president elections will be held Feb. 1. Please become familiar with the candidates and make an informed decision. Within UPEA, the second vice president’s responsibilities include:
- Serving as chairman of the Resolutions Committee, which reviews resolutions and makes recommendations to the General Council and proposes a platform for the coming year.
- Representing the State Board as a voting member of the Citizen Action by Public Employees’ (CAPE) Committee.
You will receive a ballot by email when it is time to vote.
Here are the two candidates and their platforms:
Wayne Anderton
Hi, my name is Wayne Anderton. I have been employed by Tooele County for the past 22 years, and I’ve been a member of the Utah Public Employees’ Association (UPEA) for 20 years. I have spent the past several years as an active member of UPEA in Tooele County, working full time and pursuing my bachelor’s degree in natural resource management. The experience I have gained through my employment, my higher education, and the opportunities I have had working with UPEA on issues such as wage disparity, cancellation of post-retirement benefits, and leave compensation changes give me the confidence and leadership skills to help guide the Association for the next four years. I have confidence in my ability to work with UPEA’s officers and leadership to make the organization stronger and more unified. I intend to focus on the following objectives as second vice president:
Recruitment and membership growth
- UPEA has a diverse membership that includes state, county, local government, public safety, and retired members. The Association has something to offer every public employee, and I am committed to work with UPEA staff to create a strong voice for all public employees. Through communication and representation, I will work to increase UPEA’s membership.
Representation
- Utah’s greatest asset is its public employees. As an officer of UPEA, I am committed to create a positive public perception for public employees through education of both the public and elected officials.
Compensation and benefits
- I will work with the excellent UPEA staff and leadership to effectively communicate to elected officials the economic position and needs of Utah’s public employees. I will help create a plan to educate policymakers and other stakeholders about the tremendous work public employees do for the citizens of this state. In return, public employees’ pay and benefits need to be at the forefront of discussions, and I will help organize and implement a long-term plan to address the pay and benefit needs of public employees.
Dennis Kay
Pay and benefits must be fair and equitable for Public Employees. I don’t know how to express my platform and candidacy more plainly. Utah is no longer in a recession. The economy is strong. Revenues are up. For over ten years public employees in Utah have carried the burdens of bringing government through hard times into Utah’s current economically strong position.
Now is the time to repay employees for the sacrifices they and their families have made while helping Utah become one of the strongest economies in the nation.
We must work to elect forward thinking candidates to all elected positions in Utah. Utah must elect Candidates who recognize how far behind pay and benefits have fallen. Candidates who want a team oriented work environment to provide the best government possible. Who will respect public employees and work with employees in providing the best services for Utah’s citizens.
I am running for UPEA 2nd Vice President to help make this happen. It is my way of trying to pay it forward. Of saying thanks to those who preceded us, who worked to make public employment better than they found it.
Currently, I help UPEA in the following positions:
- State Board
- Advisory Council
- Color Country District Board
- CAPE Committee (UPEA’s Political Action Committee)
I am humbled to be able to put my name before you as a candidate for UPEA Second Vice President.