WebCo Progressive Caucus General Meeting Minutes
Date: August 21, 2025
Location: Wild Shaped Bakery
Attendees:
● Jacob (Vice Chair)
● Jarron (Chair)
● Eric (Treasurer)
● Niki (Historian)
● Jonny Larsen
● Alicia Washington
● Flor Lopez
● Zach Ward
● David Brown
● Grace
● Erica
● Holly Evans
● Rob Johnson
● Aurora
● Mel
● Lea
● Chase
Meeting Summary
The meeting began with a discussion about getting people signed up on the mailing list and a
call to order. The group celebrated a successful trail cleanup event where they collected 15
bags of trash in an hour and noted they currently have a $10.10 balance. The main part of the
meeting featured three candidates for local office: Alicia Washington (Ogden City Council at
large, seat A), Flor Lopez (Ogden City Council, District One), and Zach Ward (North Ogden).
The meeting also covered the importance of local elections and community involvement, with
discussions about getting out the vote, and different ways to participate, such as canvassing,
phone banking, and attending city council meetings. The meeting ended with a discussion of
an upcoming march and parade.
Action Items
● Candidates: Share information on social media.
● Volunteers: Help with texting and phone banking.
● Zach Ward: Will share a printable list for people to use when talking to council members.
● Grace: Pass out ‘know your rights’ cards in the community.
Announcements and Decisions
● Trail Cleanup: In July and August, a few people were able to collect 15 bags of trash in an hour.
● Financials: The caucus currently has $10.00 in the bank.
● Candidate Endorsements: The caucus endorsed Alicia Washington, Laura Lopez, and Zach Ward.
● State of the Caucus: There is a plan to do more marches and protests.
● Parade/March: There will be a march on September 6th with Invisible Box Elder and
another group for Katie in Perry. The lineup is at 9:00 AM on Main St. in Brigham City.
Key Discussion Points
● Candidate Pitches:
○ Alicia Washington (Ogden City Council at large, seat A):
Running on a platform to fix infrastructure, restore the balance between City Council and city administration, and invest in neighbors and neighborhoods. She noted she is a small business owner and has been involved in community initiatives since before she could vote. She is currently leading a third-term incumbent by 23 votes.
○ Flor Lopez (Ogden City Council, District One):
A single mom and business owner who came to Ogden in 2016 from Mexico. She has been involved in several community initiatives and believes leaders need to listen and take action. She hosts Saturday texting and calls events in her office and has a newsletter for updates.
○ Zach Ward (North Ogden):
He is a union steward and chair of the Weber County Labor Caucus. He believes unions build a great workforce and is tired of the government not taking care of people. He plans to focus on the Northeast area of North Ogden in the next couple of months.
● Community Involvement: The candidates and attendees emphasized the importance of
community participation in local elections, noting that local politics affect everyday life,
from streets to taxes. It was stated that two or three people consistently show up to city
council meetings in North Ogden. The idea was proposed to have a coalition in each of
the Weber County municipalities that attends council meetings to gather and share
information.
● Political Engagement: Attendees discussed how to engage people who are tired of
politics and noted that a lot of new faces are getting involved. They also discussed how to
get younger voters, noting that only 7% of Gen Z are registered to vote.
● ICE and Surveillance: The group discussed the renewed contract between Weber
County and ICE. It was mentioned that a reporter from KUSR, Macy Lipkin, recently did an
article on the topic. They also discussed increased surveillance in the community and the
rise of private security companies. Resources for tracking ICE activity, such as the app
Coki, and ‘know your rights’ cards were mentioned.
● Utah Cares: There was a discussion about the Utah Cares initiative, a version of
socialized medicine that was initially pioneered by Republicans. The group noted that the
initiative was shut down after a second study, manipulated by the legislature, showed it
would not be viable.
● Voting: The new mail-in ballot process for the current election was discussed, with a
reminder that ballots must be in a drop box or at the County Court by 8:00 PM on
Election Day. There was a discussion about the “track your ballot” system.