Committee debates ‘Home to Adventure’ versus ‘Hometown’ as Payson drafts vision statement

At a meeting of the Payson City Economic Development Committee, members discussed a proposed city vision statement and core values as part of a rebranding effort and assigned follow‑up work to refine language for possible recommendation to the City Council.

Brian, a committee member, presented a draft tagline and statement generated with an AI tool that opened with the tagline "Home to Adventure" and described the city’s goals to preserve small‑town character while managing smart growth. "So basically, we'll preserve a small town charm while embracing smart growth as as the home to adventure," Brian read aloud from the draft.

Committee members debated wording and tone. Several members suggested the word "hometown" might better capture resident preferences identified in earlier surveys. "That survey that was done years ago ... specifically says small town," one committee member said, urging that the vision retain small‑town language. Another member argued core values should be short—three or four concise phrases rather than a long list—and that each brand word could have a brief explanatory statement for outreach materials.

The group discussed next steps: committee members will meet with staff (Brian said he would coordinate with Dave and Robert) to refine the draft language and return for another committee review. If the committee settles on final wording, members said they would consider a formal vote and then present the statement to City Council for approval.

No formal vote occurred during the meeting; members framed the discussion as draft development and public‑engagement preparation.