After four years of legal wrangling, the Utah Supreme Court has ruled that Hideout can proceed with its plan to annex about 300 acres of Summit County property adjacent to Richardson Flats. For Summit County residents and officials, it is important that we remember how this all transpired.

First, it was a scheme ginned up by greedy developer Nate Brockbank working closely with Josh Romney (son of Mitt Romney) that got state Sen. Kirk Cullimore to insert language into a House bill to allow a spurious annexation of another county’s property. Cullimore, of District 19 had no dog in the fight in Summit or Wasatch counties, but was induced to insert the language into HB359. And it was sold to the rest of the Legislature as just “housekeeping.”

One hundred days later, in special session, the provision in the House bill was reversed. Meanwhile, Hideout and Brockbank and Romney had their field to play on.

Cut to four years later: The Utah Supreme Court ruled that due to the law existing for those 100 days, the annexation can move forward. OK, the law is the law.

We must remember that in publicly released information, when the mayor of Hideout was asked how Hideout planned to provide services to the annexed area — such as fire, police and other emergency services — the response was that they would work with Summit County to provide them.

Hideout, along with Brockbank and Romney (Josh), and with perhaps dim-witted Kirk Cullimore, gamed the system, used the old political crony system to get the bill passed and bullied their way through 100 days.

Four years later, the annexation will proceed.

As I wrote in a letter published in The Park Record back in 2020, Summit County should absolutely refuse to provide Hideout any services. Nada. Zilch. Nothing. Hideout and Brockbank, Romney and Cullimore were completely duplicitous in their efforts and actions, and now that they have won the legal battle, they must shoulder 100% of the obligations that the annexation and additional development activities require.  

This was Utah politics at its worst, and the residents and officials of Summit County should not forget and should absolutely not agree to provide any assistance to this gang of thugs. This is a stain on honest and forthright process, and we must not forget and must act accordingly.

Jim Arnold

Park City