Letter of Support from Mayor Chris Hart

Dear Ivins Residents,

I’ve only known Wayne Pennington for a couple of years but have come to respect him highly both for his brilliance and, perhaps even more importantly, for his genuine interest in serving Ivins City. I saw both on full display while we were dealing with the Dry Wash Reservoir issue. The Water District’s proposal left many residents with serious concerns over the impacts it would bring including, among other things, dust and insects. The contouring of the District’s proposed reservoir created a lengthy stretch of “beachfront” that would become increasingly exposed as summer irrigation drew down the water level contributing to both of those aforementioned concerns. While the District moved forward with their planning process Wayne, utilizing his engineering and thoughtful problem solving skills, came forward with an alternative design for the reservoir in full detail. I was stunned. He had sculpted a reservoir with a smaller footprint eliminating the flat beach areas and increasing the slope of the embankments, all of which reduced the promulgation of irritating insects and actually captured much of the blowing dust that would occur on a windy day along its edges. It was brilliant! I shared his plan with the Water District and, explaining that Ivins City had taken on the responsibility for mitigating the dust and insect problems among others, I urged them to have their design engineers review Wayne’s plan and implement his concepts which they did. Had the reservoir actually been built it would have been the new and improved version proposed by Wayne Pennington.

I had received a number of emails from Wayne and had spoken with him from time to time prior to that experience. I listened to him voice his concerns over different issues like I try to do with everyone. But with him they almost always came with proposed alternative solutions, usually good ones. That was uncommon. Usually the serious problem solving part of major issues is left up to the Council and Staff but not with Wayne. As he began to attend City Council Meetings sharing his thought and ideas along the way I thought to myself, Wayne would make a great City Council Member. When he announced his candidacy for a seat on the Council I realized that I continued to feel that way about him, so I thought I ought to share these experiences with you as you make your choices this election.

Chris Hart

Ivins City Mayor

The introduction to the video, written by 435 Podcast host, Robert MacFarlane: “Wayne Pennington brings a scientist’s precision to the Ivins City Council race, drawing on his extraordinary career studying earthquakes from Pakistan to Michigan. As a former university dean and president of major scientific organizations, his analytical approach to local issues offers a refreshing alternative to politics-as-usual.

The conversation reveals how Pennington’s expertise became unexpectedly valuable when Ivins faced a controversial reservoir proposal. When city officials approved the Dry Wash Reservoir without fully understanding technical reports, Pennington volunteered his knowledge, identifying serious flaws including potential contamination risks and structural concerns. His intervention ultimately contributed to the project being tabled after outside experts confirmed his assessment that the reservoir wasn’t necessary for meeting water demands. This experience crystallizes Pennington’s campaign philosophy: details matter in local government. Whether discussing affordable housing, tax policy, or land use decisions, he demonstrates remarkable fluency with complex issues while remaining focused on practical solutions. He articulates a thoughtful balance between maintaining Ivins’ unique character and accommodating necessary growth, questioning state interference in local decision-making and advocating for more strategic coordination with entities like SITLA.

Particularly illuminating is Pennington’s explanation of Ivins’ proposed tax adjustment, which he frames not as an increase but as a restoration of the city’s purchasing power to pre-inflation levels. He notes that despite rising costs for essential services, the typical home’s contribution to city coffers has remained unchanged for 15 years. For voters concerned about thoughtful, evidence-based governance, Pennington offers both scientific credentials and genuine appreciation for Southern Utah’s quality of life. His candidacy represents an opportunity to bring technical expertise to a city council facing increasingly complex challenges requiring more than political instinct to solve.”