Tom Smart - Public Servant

 

Tom Smart was an award-winning, national photojournalist before the yearlong tragedy to triumph kidnaping of his niece Elizabeth Smart.  He became the media - message spokesman for the family and co-wrote the definitive book about the challenge to the family dynamic and the debacle of law enforcement investigation and final resolution.  He was the glue to that heartbreak and the straw that stirred the family cocktail.   He is a stand-up brother and uncle, father and friend.  

I know Tom as a skiing buddy and adventure partner.  He loves the outdoors and horses, skiing and pickleball, not necessarily in that order.  He is a honest guy and a hard worker.

              His next challenge was to become an Oakley City Councilman and push for parks, recreation, trails and open space.  This was an uphill battle with many natives resisting the invasion of the quiet little farming hamlet by those long-haired, bike pedaling yuppies from Park City.  A new resident and carpetbagger himself, Tom had to establish himself as genuine and well intentioned, through community efforts and rodeo results, to become ‘almost a local’. 

Tom stood firm amongst the criticism and personal attacks and turned out to be a master grant writer, garnering funding sources from the city, county and state that would make these projects cost effective and win-win for taxpaying residence. He upgraded the city park and installed several high-quality pickleball courts.  Despite the naysayers, these courts are crowded most mornings with aficionado’s and most afternoons and evenings with amateurs and enthusiasts, hackers and duffers, families and teens.  They even run Challenge matches on Thursday and tournaments for the big holidays and rodeo weekends. 

Tom’s most ambitious project, however, is to connect Oakley Town to the mouth of the Weber Canyon with river rails for hikers, horses and mountain bikes.  These trails wind thru city, public and private plots and Land Conservancy parcels.  Tom enlisted consultants and experts at little cost, because of the power of his personality, and their commitment to a good project.  He gained the permits and permission to repair the river and restore abandoned meanders, while respecting private water rights and crossing the river in several places with light, cheap and strong bridges that won’t impede flood flows.  He patiently listened to and recruited local opinions and their contributions of material and hard work. It is still a work in progress with the goal of contiguous trails from the town to the timber of the river mouth, but Tom stands indefatigable to the challenge.

Tom serves as an example of a citizen committed to a collective vision for his small town, despite the trend that no good deed goes unpunished.  Our elected representatives patiently welcome and withstand our myriad of ideas and opinions, everyday at the Co-op and grocery store, ski resorts and Pball courts. If you think they do it for money, then you should go to one council meeting or try it for a day when it would take you 2.5 hours to go to the corner store for a jog..

Tom is a model public servant who deserves our respect and appreciation and not ridicule and derision.  It’s easy to throw stones at people who live in glass houses and wear their hearts on their sleeves, when we live in stone houses and hide in our anonymity.    We can be better, we can be civil, we can be like Tom Smart.