Neighborhood Districts

All-Districts Neighborhood Meeting with Mayor Michelle Kaufusi and Provo City Department Directors February 5, 2025 - Meeting minutes Mayor Michelle Kaufusi welcomed everyone and expressed appreciation for their attendance. She emphasized the importance of the meeting as an opportunity to report to the citizens and provide updates on city initiatives. Provo City Report Card by Mayor Michelle Kaufusi Mayor Kaufusi began by highlighting Provo's recent accolades, including recognition for having the third-best water in the United States. She emphasized that these achievements were not due to her efforts alone, but rather the result of the hard work of city chiefs, directors, and staff. The mayor then discussed the Provo pillars, which form the foundation of the city's governance. These pillars are: • Welcoming • Safe and sound • Economically vibrant • Forward-looking A video was shown to illustrate these pillars and their importance to the city's vision. Mayor Kaufusi addressed the funding of city projects, stating that she has never recommended a tax increase and never will. Instead, she highlighted the city's success in securing grants and building partnerships to fund initiatives. She presented a graph showing a significant increase in funding from 2018 to 2024 compared to previous years, with a total of $311 million committed to Provo. The mayor discussed her “Big 5” projects that have been accomplished during her tenure: • Fire Station #2 • Provo City Airport Terminal • Provo City Hall and Public Safety Headquarters • Wastewater Treatment Plant • Quail Orchard Park The mayor then discussed her “Big 6” projects: • Regional Sports Complex • The new Fire Station #1, built without taxpayer dollars • Airport Terminal Expansion, including international access • Securing a grocery store for the west side of Provo – upcoming Super Walmart development • Water treatment plant / aquifer recharge • New city website and app Mayor Kaufusi provided details on each of these projects, emphasizing their importance to the community and the efforts made to secure funding and support. Introduction of Provo City Department Directors Mayor Kaufusi introduced the city department directors and had each of them stand to introduce themselves and provide a brief description of their roles. • Josh Ihrig - Head of IS • Scott Bunker - Director of Provo City Power • Carla Gordon - Director of the Library • Troy Beebe - Chief of Police • Jeremy Headman - Fire Chief  • John Borget - Director of Administrative Services • Brian Jones - City Attorney • Gordon Haight - Public Works Director • Brian Torgerson - Division Director for the Provo Airport • Bill Peperone - Director of Development Services • Amanda Ercanbrack - Director of Provo 311 Customer Service • Foster Watabe - Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation • Scott Henderson – Chief Administrative Officer • Daniel Softley - Director of Human Resources • Isaac Paxman - Deputy Mayor • Nicole Martin - Communications Director • Kaye Neves - Assistant to Mayor Kaufusi • Heidi Walstad - Mayor's Office Support Staff Breakout Groups for Residents' Questions Public Works' Gordan Haight in Council Chambers Gordon Haight, the Public Works Director, remained in the Council Chambers to address questions from residents. Topics discussed included: • Recycling issues at Kiwanis Park: Haight acknowledged the problem of contractors filling recycling bins with non-recyclable materials. He mentioned plans to relocate the recycling bins to a gated location on city property to better control access. • Sinkholes: Haight explained that a recent sinkhole was caused by an old water pipe leak and discussed the city's efforts to implement a GIS system to identify and replace aging pipes. • Public transportation to Provo Airport: Haight mentioned ongoing discussions with UTA and UDOT about extending public transportation to the airport, especially considering the airport's expansion plans. • Water rate increase: Haight discussed the need for a water rate increase to fund the replacement of aging infrastructure and accommodate city growth. He mentioned an upcoming public hearing on the matter. • Speed bumps on public streets: Haight explained why the city doesn't use speed bumps and discussed alternative traffic calming measures. • Water conservation efforts: Haight detailed the city's plans for a new water treatment facility and efforts to recharge groundwater supplies. Department Directors in Various Locations of the City Hall Lobby Other department directors were stationed in various locations throughout the City Hall lobby to address residents' questions and concerns. Specific discussions from these breakout sessions were not recorded in detail in the transcript. Return to the City Hall Council Chambers After the breakout sessions, attendees reconvened in the Council Chambers. Mayor Kaufusi thanked everyone for their participation and emphasized the importance of community engagement. She presented a video showcasing Provo's attractions and amenities, which was originally created to welcome Big 12 Conference visitors. The mayor concluded the meeting by encouraging residents to reach out with any questions or concerns. She also mentioned the availability of a city highlights report detailing achievements and focuses from the previous year.