Eagle Scout proposes free community food pantry; council signals support

Jackson Jensen, an Eagle Scout candidate, asked the Santaquin City Council for permission to place a free community food pantry on city property as his Eagle project, saying he had secured an anonymous donor to cover upkeep and that the youth city council would help check and maintain it.

"I would like to pose, plan, and execute a free food pantry in Santaquin as my Eagle project," Jackson Jensen said, describing locations he had considered such as the library and the community garden and noting that Payson’s similar box has been "very popular and just works very well." After he spoke, council members and staff raised practical questions about anchoring the structure, ventilation, and avoiding sprinklers.

City staff and council members recommended coordination with Public Works (Public Works Director Jason Callaway was named as the staff contact) to ensure ADA access, to avoid underground sprinkler lines, and to determine whether a small concrete pad would be necessary. Chelsea Rowley, the new city council mentor, emphasized local need and cited state food-security figures, saying the council could make a prompt decision to help move the project forward. Sourcing and daily rotation of donated items—reported to work well in Payson—were discussed as part of an operational plan.

Councilmembers suggested trialing a location near the library/community garden to balance visibility and monitoring, and encouraged Jensen to secure Scouting America approval before installation. No formal action was required; staff advised that the scout coordinate an on-site meeting with Public Works to finalize placement and technical details.

Next steps: Jackson Jensen will work with Public Works to identify a precise location and complete Scouting America approvals; council indicated informal approval contingent on those steps and on public-works coordination.