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Park City Council candidate’s signs ‘stomped into the ground’

Jeremy Rubell says nothing points to a rival in vandalism case reported in Thaynes Canyon

Political signs in Thaynes Canyon supporting Park City Council candidate Jeremy Rubell were vandalized over the weekend. Two signs were broken and one was kicked over in the incident, Rubell says.
Courtesy of Thomas Hurd

A vandal or vandals last weekend targeted political signs in a yard on a tucked-away street in Thaynes Canyon, the Park City Police Department said, an early act of intrigue in a Park City Council campaign that has thus far been a largely amiable contest.

The Jeremy Rubell signs were in a yard on Silver Queen Court, a small street off Payday Drive that is close to Rotary Park. The Police Department received the report at 8:45 a.m. on Saturday. The police were told the signs had been vandalized in the overnight hours. Public police logs indicated there were pieces of the signs missing and “they were yanked out of the ground and thrown all over.”

The Police Department on Monday said it did not have information about a suspect and there was little evidence left at the scene. Phil Kirk, a police captain, said the signs were last seen undamaged at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Friday. There are no known witnesses, Kirk said. If a suspect is ultimately arrested, there is the possibility a criminal mischief charge would be filed against the person, he said.



Kirk said the case on Silver Queen Court is the only known act of vandalism against campaign signs during the City Hall election this year.

Rubell, who lives in Thaynes Canyon, is campaigning for a City Council seat as a political newcomer. He is campaigning on a platform involving issues like balanced growth, fiscal responsibility, respecting the outdoors and promoting livability.



He said the signs were in a yard fronting Thaynes Canyon Drive. Two signs were broken and one was kicked over, he said. Rubell said there are numerous political signs in visible locations in the community, but said his were the only ones targeted. He said other signs in support of his campaign in Thaynes Canyon were not vandalized. Rubell said the signs were repaired and posted again.

“Truly have no idea,” he said about the case, adding, “Hopefully it was nothing malicious.”

He said he does not consider the vandalism to be a personal attack and nothing leads him to a conclusion that another candidate or another candidate’s team is responsible.

The targeted signs were on the property of Thomas Hurd. He said the signs were “stomped into the ground.” Hurd said he hopes the vandalism was the act of a “bunch of young people and maybe just decided they were a target” rather than a politically motivated statement.

Hurd said he supports Rubell after speaking to him and finding him to be a “level-headed” candidate rather than an ideologue.

Hurd had posted new signs in support of Rubell by Monday.

Rubell is among a group of eight City Council candidates seeking one of the two seats on the ballot in November. There are enough candidates to force a primary election, scheduled in August, to reduce the field to four for Election Day. There is also a primary election scheduled in August in the mayoral contest.

The vandalism in Thaynes Canyon occurred shortly after the close of the period when candidates were required to file paperwork at City Hall formalizing the campaigns.

Park City


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