Councilman asks residents to ‘make Cedar sparkle’ for Mormon temple dedication

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Cedar City temple under construction. More than 200 people showed up to see the steeple installed, Cedar City, Utah, May 10, 2016 | Photo courtesy of Glen Cox, Cedar City News / St. George News

CEDAR CITY –The upcoming dedication of the Cedar City Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in October is motivating one city councilman to call on the public and city staff to get the town “cleaned up,” an action he argues is long overdue.

The dedication of the LDS temple, slated for Oct. 27, is expected to draw international attention and bring in thousands of visitors, giving Cedar City an opportunity to show its best side to the world, Cedar City Councilman Fred Rowley said.

Rowley read a self-penned letter Wednesday night during council meeting calling on the community and the mayor, with the support and assistance of the council and city staff, to “begin a campaign to make Cedar sparkle.”

“Regardless of one’s religious convictions,” Rowley read, “I believe that these events will have a profound positive impact on our community due to the publicity and financial infusion we will receive. Thousands of people from Utah, and surrounding states will be coming to Cedar City to take a tour. I expect that hundreds of former residents will be coming from event farther distances to visit their hometown.”

While Rowley said he believes the city is already “beautiful” in its present state, he said he feels there are areas of town that need work. He also pointed to various projects he said would improve the cityscape, including painting signs and decorative light posts along Main Street, installing directional signs, repairing sidewalks and refurbishing well-worn home exteriors.

The councilman said he wants visitors to want to come back to Cedar City but, at the same time, wants the community to remain a small rural area.

“I hear people say they want a Costco in Iron County,” he said, “but to have a Costco you have to have a population of at least 200,000 people. I don’t ever want to be that big – ever. What I want is, people to want to come back to Cedar City and bring their families and stay in our hotels and eat in our restaurants.”

Councilwoman Terri Hartley said she hopes the community will answer Rowley’s call to action by volunteering and pulling together to help get things ready for when the temple dedication will showcase the town on the international stage.

“We really do have areas that need some work and cleaning up, and while we have ordinances that we can use, we’d rather have people step up on their own and take responsibility rather than having to send in enforcement,” Hartley said.

Rowley reiterated those same sentiments.

“We want the public to care and want to do this because they’re proud of their community and want the world to see us at our best,” Rowley said. “I’m hoping that’s what will happen.”

Rowley said he would like to see Mayor Maile Wilson launch a clean-up campaign to get people excited and motivated.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @tracie_sullivan

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.

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13 Comments

  • Real Life March 9, 2017 at 12:09 pm

    In other words, hide your meth pipes and recycle all of those pabst blue ribbon cans.

    • comments March 9, 2017 at 2:55 pm

      lol, that was what I was thinking

    • ladybugavenger March 9, 2017 at 5:23 pm

      LOL…And put the dogs up!

      • comments March 9, 2017 at 7:07 pm

        so it’s not just meth and druggies, they got a dog problem too? someone needs to clean house LOL

    • .... March 10, 2017 at 5:08 pm

      12:09 pm ? get a job. !

  • Rainbow Dash March 9, 2017 at 6:17 pm

    Looking at this one is forced to wonder 2 things;

    1.) How many millions of dollars this shrine cost to build and;
    2) How many homeless and starving men, women and children are still homeles and starving because this shrine was built?

    • comments March 9, 2017 at 7:15 pm

      Silly you, this is a temple for the Holy Lord of —–> The One True Church™. Not for starving men, women and children. We aint no socialists. Socialisms is the roots of all evil, never forget. Muh socialisms.

      • .... March 10, 2017 at 5:11 pm

        and you are the root of ignorance

    • mesaman March 9, 2017 at 9:05 pm

      Dear Twinkie, it’s none of your business what the cost was and this church, that you so eagerly try to bash, has spent more millions on those in need than you can count, even on your rainbow colored Samsung. their welfare program is state of the art, like it or not.

      • comments March 10, 2017 at 12:34 pm

        There he is, the socialist creampuff himself. Why don’t u give us a lecture on the evils of socialism as u cash your socialist pension check.

      • Rainbow Dash March 10, 2017 at 3:28 pm

        Dear Nolan,
        I love Twinkies so thanks for the compliment! They are little bundles of cream filled deliciousness.

    • Badshitzoo March 10, 2017 at 2:46 am

      I can answer both questions with the same single non-word, “Alot”. In Cedar City though, it’s usually the pets that are homeless and starving. Not too many homeless up there; too cold, too windy, and no jobs!

  • voice of reason March 10, 2017 at 7:47 am

    Dear Councilman Rowley,

    I’d been on the fence about what to do with the accumulated junk piling up on the side of my house. Your letter has made my decision much easier.
    I shall continue to let it accumulate and when the dedication of this edifice to Mormon Jesus commences, I shall pile it onto a trailer and drive it around the temple, with the radio in my truck playing “Stairway to Heaven” as loud as it can, during the dedication proceedings.

    muchas gracias!

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