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Liberty Broadband Endorses

Michael Zindel

The Liberty District
Ogden Valley

Message To My Constituents

Incorporating The Valley is a monumental milestone in our growth and autonomy. We should all be very proud our community has grown enough to reach it! Who we choose to execute this new city of ours will have long lasting effects for all of us over the next decades.

 

Many people are running in this election, with just as many opinions on the future of The Valley. We need the mayor and members of our council to be those who have a vision in line with our culture and have served, strengthened, and protected our community.

 

I have served our community for nearly a decade. First, with my ongoing service in maintaining Over-The-Air Television for The Valley with our TV Special Service District. Through this service I have gained tremendous experience in local and state government operations and operating a government council.  Second, expanding and improving internet access in The Valley through our efforts with Liberty Broadband.

 

Prior to settling in The Valley, I was retired from active duty by the US Army after sustaining injuries during my 12-month combat deployment in Afghanistan after 7 years of total service. Through this service I learned comradery, discipline, resilience, commitment, and sacrifice. 

Vision for The Valley

 

I believe we all want The Valley to continue being a fun, wide, open place to live, work, play, and raise a family. We can preserve this while we grow! We simply need to enshrine it in our Master Plan! I will make sure that happens when you vote for me!

 

A Lifetime of Service

Boy Scouts of America

 

During his formative years, Michael spent much of his time outdoors. Boy Scouts provided an educational and structured environment to explore this passion, which was highly encouraged by his loving parents. Michael participated in service projects, hikes, backpacking trips, campouts, volunteer counseling, and leadership training. 

 

Michael’s parents instilled in him a strong desire for excellence. This has served him in scouting and throughout his life. He has served as Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, Merit Badge Counselor, and Cubmaster. 

 

He has earned various awards and badges, including the Arrow of Light, Sachem (Tribe Chawanakee), and the rank of Eagle Scout. 


Michael completed a 200+ mile hike in two weeks at the age of 14 years old along the John Muir trail in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This was a major journey that instilled an unreal amount of confidence and candor in him. 

 

US Army

 

Shortly after marrying his beautiful and intelligent wife, Michael signed up for the US Army. After completing basic training and medic training, he was assigned to MEDCOM. There he learned advanced and intermediate medical skills from excellent and experienced leaders so he could better serve his comrades-in-arms. 

 

After MEDCOM, Michael had a short stint with 19th Special Forces Group to attain his goal of becoming a special forces medic “18 Delta.” The result of this training and testing made Michael realize he and Special Forces were not compatible. 

 

No longer interested Special Forces, Michael specifically requested transfer to an infantry unit. He was transferred to 1/26 INF 3/1 IBCT at Fort Hood, TX. He would deploy with this unit, resulting in major changes to his life. Some of these changes resulted in his medical retirement in 2012.

Liberty Broadband


After medical retirement, Michael earned his Bachelor’s in Science at Western Governors University. When he graduated in 2017, and after some discussion, he and his wife Kathy decided to move from West Jordan to Liberty to their log cabin home in which they have since resided.

 

Knowing the internet was a major issue in The Valley, Michael got to work with Kathy to solve their internet problem. He tracked down a nearby fiber node and completed the steps necessary to connect to it. This provided his family with a fast reliable internet connection.

 

Working with his parents, he created a wireless link to his nearby parents in Bailey Acres. Connecting them made it possible to connect their neighbors. It wasn’t long before the community started to work together with Liberty Broadband to solve The Valley’s internet problem. 

 

Michael still champions the importance of fast, reliable, inexpensive internet.

Ogden Valley TV

 

In 2018, Michael and Robert VanScoyk first met when their mail had been mistakenly mixed up. Robert mentioned serving on the TV site above Wolf Creek. Michael had great interest in learning more about the site and how he could help. 

 

It wasn’t long after Michael attended a public meeting for the Ogden Valley Transmission/Recreation Special Service District. He learned the district needed a lot of work done, and so did the site. Seeing an opportunity to serve, he volunteered without hesitation.

 

During his time on the Ogden Valley TV Board, Michael aided in a complete overhaul of the District’s policies and procedures. Together with volunteers and board members, Michael completed the transition of the site equipment from a sea-container on railroad ties, to a concrete communications shelter on a proper concrete foundation. Working with the County, District, and vendors to complete this single project involved hundreds of hours of unpaid labor and leadership on Michael’s part.