Travis Mote is mayor of Willard. His most visible municipal work is the negotiation over proposed gravel mining in Willard Canyon. The city's account says that after a mining proposal emerged in 2023, Mote and the council sought land and easements for future water systems, relocation of an existing spring-water line, a reclamation bond, dust controls and continued access to the canyon trail.[1][2]
The city has published the resulting property, access and water agreements for residents to review.[2]
What he told residents about access
FOX 13 reported that hikers found the canyon fenced with no-trespassing signs, and that the city had tried to negotiate legal public access up the canyon but the property owners were unwilling. In the report Mote said hiking there had technically always been trespassing though it was never enforced, described the gravel pits as a long-running burden on the city, citing dust and truck traffic, and told residents at a council meeting there was no guarantee of public hiking access. The report is undated in the version reviewed.[3]
Profile sources
Profile refreshed October 25, 2026. Candidate statements describe the candidate's own experience or positions; official records and reporting are labeled separately.
Willard's council adopted its fiscal 2026-27 budget 4-0 on June 25, 2026, and kept the property tax rate unchanged. Mayor Travis Mote said police budget increases had outpaced population growth and inflation; the police chief said salaries drove them.
