Last night at the West Jordan City Council meeting, the City formally welcomed municipal leaders from Novovorontsovka, Ukraine, and approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen cooperation between the two communities.

The Ukrainian delegation is visiting Utah to learn how cities provide essential services like water, public works, and fleet operations. During their stop in West Jordan, they toured city facilities, met with staff, and spent time at Public Works.

Mayor Dirk Burton expressed appreciation for the visit.

“I like to visit with other mayors and other cities, and I often do that on my bicycle,” he said. “But me riding my bike to Ukraine is just not going to happen. So we’re fortunate that they have made the time to come out here.”

City Attorney Josh Chandler, who helped coordinate the visit, described watching West Jordan staff connect with the delegation — even with a language barrier.

“There are a few universal languages in the world,” Chandler said. “There’s love. There’s music. Some people say food. I would like to add water infrastructure to the list.”

He shared how the teams bonded over the shared responsibility of maintaining systems that serve residents every day. “The way they were able to connect and bond over this shared endeavor… it was beautiful.”

For Novovorontsovka, those systems carry even greater urgency. The community is located about six miles from Russian positions and continues to operate under the threat of conflict.

Council Member Zach Jacob reflected on that contrast.

“We build pedestrian bridges so our children can walk to school safely,” he said. “They’re building bridges so that their military can get to where it needs to be to defend their country.”

“When they’re talking about water infrastructure,” he continued, “they’re not talking about whether it should be five units per acre or ten units per acre. They’re talking about whether people can drink water, period. It’s a whole different ballgame when the stakes are that high.”

Throughout the evening, council members emphasized both gratitude and perspective — appreciation for the chance to share how West Jordan operates, and for the reminder of the importance of local government.

With unanimous approval of the MOU, West Jordan formalized its commitment to continued collaboration and knowledge-sharing with Novovorontsovka — a partnership rooted in service, resilience, and the shared work of caring for a community.

The same meeting also included a moment of recognition for Trevor Crane, a West Jordan native who died while volunteering in defense of Ukraine. Crane was serving with the International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine at the time of his death.

Trevor came from a family dedicated to public service. His mother serves as a city councilmember in Santa Clara, and his aunt is a member of West Jordan’s Rotary Club. Before volunteering overseas, Crane worked as a deputy sheriff in Salt Lake County.

The Mayor and City Council honored Crane and shared condolences with his family. The evening highlighted West Jordan’s commitment to service, cooperation, and community—both locally and beyond.