October 15, 2025
Ogden City Council District 3 candidate Heath Satow says one issue stands above all others as Election Day nears — communication.
Speaking with the Standard-Examiner editorial board, Satow emphasized that Ogden residents deserve a clearer understanding of how the city budget is created and how tax dollars are spent.
“Looking at my own projects in other cities, their budget layouts are far easier to follow,” Satow said. “Ours is at the lower end of understandable. It’s really hard to dig through and see what we’re actually spending money on.”
He believes accessible budget reporting would help citizens hold local leaders accountable and participate more effectively in city decisions.
“We shouldn’t view government as just the people paid to be there,” he said. “It’s the entire community, and everyone should be involved in some way.”
Bringing Residents Into the Process
As a regular attendee at Ogden City Council meetings, Satow has been proactive about increasing public awareness.
“A few of us started a Facebook page to help get information out,” he said. “Every single City Council meeting for the past year, I’ve posted summaries. The city uploads long packets, but they’re dense — sometimes longer than the Bible. Nobody wants to sift through that.”
His goal is to make complex city issues digestible and relatable for everyday residents, encouraging more people to speak up.
“I tell people, if you’ve got something important, bring a few friends,” Satow said. “When 15 people show up to talk about an issue, you’ve got their ear.”
He praised recent efforts by city officials, including Mayor Ben Nadolski, to improve public communication but believes there’s still more to do.
“I’m glad Ben is prioritizing communication,” Satow added. “As a council member, I’d want to break down each issue clearly — who it affects, why it matters, and how people can get involved.”
Addressing Ogden’s Housing Challenges
Satow also addressed one of Ogden’s toughest issues — housing affordability. He argued that the city’s housing data has long been misinterpreted because it’s based on the Ogden–Clearfield metro area median income, which skews higher than Ogden’s actual figures.
“That made it look like Ogden had 4,000 too many affordable units, which wasn’t true,” he explained. “The data lumps in areas from North Ogden to North Salt Lake, which don’t reflect Ogden’s realities.”
To better meet residents’ needs, Satow supports developing higher-density housing near transit lines, aligning with the city’s Union Station Campus redevelopment plan.
“If we place housing closer to FrontRunner and other public transit, we make living in Ogden more affordable and sustainable,” he said.
A Platform Built on Participation
At the heart of Satow’s campaign is a belief that local government should be transparent, accessible, and collaborative.
“I want people to see that their voices matter,” he said. “You can make a difference — but it takes showing up, asking questions, and staying engaged.”
Satow faces incumbent Ken Richey for the District 3 seat in the 2025 Ogden City Council election, and communication — both between city leaders and residents — remains the central theme of his campaign.
