Orem City Council outlines priorities, cites public-safety and infrastructure wins

“Orem is a special place, and as your city council, our mission is to keep it that way,” an unnamed Orem City Council member said in a council address, listing accomplishments from the past year and priorities the council plans to pursue.

The speaker summarized efforts across five broad areas: neighborhood safety and livability; public safety and support services; economic development and business friendliness; infrastructure and utilities; and workforce investment. The address highlighted completed projects, ongoing programs and near‑term policy items the council said it will pursue.

The speech emphasized neighborhood work as a central priority. The speaker said the city launched a My Hometown program to “lift and renew” neighborhoods and cited the Hillcrest Park project as having created a new community gathering place. The council said it planted more than 300 trees this year and awarded a perfect safety inspection score for city parks and recreation facilities.

On public safety, the council highlighted school resource officers, calling them a “gold standard” for policing in schools, and said the Tiger traffic team addressed more than 70 pedestrian and traffic concerns. The address also noted expanded services for victims of domestic violence, updated fire prevention programming, efforts to train firefighters and EMTs, and support for police officers’ mental health.

Economic development was a significant focus. The council said Orem received a AAA city credit rating and completed a citywide efficiency study. The city reported drawing about 2.5 million unique visitors last year, adding 488 new businesses, and supporting nearly 7,000 active businesses. The speaker cited national chains and international firms locating in Orem and highlighted local firms and the Orem Farmers Market, which the council said averaged more than 5,500 visitors per week.

Infrastructure and utilities also featured prominently. The address said the city completed a 10 million‑gallon water tank to strengthen long‑term water supply, invested in an asset management system for roads and utilities, undertook miles of road and sidewalk maintenance, and made park improvements. The council described investments in cybersecurity to protect city systems and said it will pursue a State Street beautification effort, an active transportation master plan and defined trail systems.

On workforce and internal capacity, the council described programs intended to recognize employees and create career pathways. The speech referenced a peer‑to‑peer recognition program, leadership and management training, scholarships for employees, and increased certifications in Public Works and Community Development. The council said it will expand cross‑training opportunities in the coming year.

The speaker outlined several near‑term policy items the council said it expects to finalize, including short‑term rental legislation intended to preserve neighborhood character, updates to the general plan to promote owner occupancy, expanded outreach to minority communities, and continuing partnerships with Utah Valley University and state legislators. The council also said it plans to strengthen the Orem Community Foundation and the Orem Business Alliance and to streamline business licensing processes.

The address mixed accomplishments with forward‑looking goals but did not include any motions, votes or formal decisions during the remarks. Several program names and some internal initiative details were mentioned without formal documents or ordinance numbers cited during the speech.