Council Reviews Proposed Mission Statement, Vision Statement

At the Council’s work meeting on Tuesday, November 19, 2013, Council Members agreed a draft of the mission and vision statements (link here) as they move forward with the policy governance model.

The content of the draft is still subject to modification or change, as the Council continues its review of the content.

Below is the text of the documents presented to the Council in draft form:

Provo City Municipal Council

7 November 2013

Draft Mission Statement

The Municipal Council exists as the policy steward and overseer of executive performance in

municipal governance, much as a board of directors in a corporate structure. In this dual role,

the Council seeks a far-ranging and far-sighted perspective and is responsible for asking

regularly, “What is in Provo’s best interest—economically, culturally, environmentally, and

socially?”—in order to cultivate Provo’s desirability as a multi-faceted place to reside, work,

study, innovate, recreate, and raise a family. To that end, the Council nourishes a workable

vision of the City’s future, adheres to high ethical and operational standards, engages the

creative energies of the Mayor and Executive Director, and encourages their success—all the

while maintaining an open, accessible, transparent, accountable, and citizen-friendly culture.

Draft Vision Statement

Provo’s celebrity as a smart, hospitable, well-supplied, innovative, energetic, and peaceable

community continues to receive global notice, not least because its mayor-council government

remains vigilant—tracking trends, identifying potential resources, and actively supporting new

and provident synergies in its business, educational, cultural, and recreational sectors. The

municipal government’s insistence on the sustainability of the City’s budget, infrastructure, and

natural environment is matched by its untiring commitment to the quality of life for all who

reside, work, seek services, and tour within its limits. Diligent in its legislation of property

rights, the Municipal Council is equally attentive to the general welfare and provides a dynamic,

inspiring model of governance that is affirmed locally, regionally, and nationally

If you have feedback or comment on the Council’s vision or mission statements, let them know by either leaving a comment on this article, or by contacting your Council Member directly here.

Council Initiates Exploration of Possible Non-Discrimination Ordinance

Council Initiates Discussion and Research of Discrimination

At the Provo Council’s work meeting on Tuesday, Council Members voted unanimously (Council Members Gary Garrett and Laura Cabanilla not present), to direct staff to further research a possible ordinance to protect individuals in Provo who feel they have experienced discrimination in employment or housing as a result of their gender orientation or sexual identity.

The item was co-sponsored by Council Members Hal Miller and Sterling Beck, who both spoke briefly in favor of the Council exploring the issue.

Brian Jones, the Council’s attorney, also provided background information about efforts by other cities in the area to address this issue. He highlighted Salt Lake City’s non-discrimination ordinance passed in 2009 as an example.

The Council’s intent in authorizing further research is to understand the extent of the issue in Provo, and if Council determines legislation is necessary, to find the right fit for Provo’s unique community.

For more information, check out the Salt Lake Tribune’s account of the Council Meeting here.

Feed America Day Proclamation

At Council Meeting on Tuesday, November 19, the Council joined with the Mayor to issue a Proclamation regarding "Feed America Day".

According to the proclamation, Feed America Day will take place on Thursday November 21, 2013 in honor of the spirit of selfless giving symbolized by the coming American Holiday Thanksgiving.  On that day, residents of Provo are called upon "to sacrifice or fast for two meals and donate the generous equivalent in money or food to a charitable or religious organization of their choice for the purpose of feeding the hungry."

If you care to participate you may bring food and money donations to the Council Offices on by the date specified, and the Council will see the funds are donated to the Community Action Services and Food Bank.

You can view the text of the Feed America Proclamation here.

Thank you for your support!

Provo Council Work Meeting November 19, 2013

Policy Governance as the Way Forward, For Now - Council Member Guest Post Hal Miller

The Provo City Municipal Council has begun a test run of an alternative model for its operation in the city’s government. The model is known as “policy governance” and was developed by the organizational psychologist John Carver. Basically, the model views the Municipal Council as similar to a board of directors who interact directly with two chief executive officers—the Mayor and the Council’s Executive Director. Thus the Council’s functions include reviewing, evaluating, authorizing, suggesting, and supporting the work of the two CEOs in their duties, much as in the past. Though the Executive Director serves at the Council’s discretion, the Mayor serves at the voters’.

Policy governance refers to the Council’s primary role in municipal government, which is the legislation of municipal policy. The model carves policy-making into four sectors. The first is Ends, that is, the short- and long-term consequences envisioned for each policy the Council adopts. In other words, Ends policy is guided by “Provo Future”—what complexion and personality the City will take on in terms of its growing populace, cityscape, infrastructure, economy, culture, environment, amenities, and community feeling.

Once the Council agrees to its Ends policies, it will turn to the other three sectors of the model. First is its own governance policy, that is, the policies by which it will conduct its own business. Next is its policy of delegation to the Mayor and her or his administration, and also to the Council’s Executive Director and her or his staff. Finally, there are the Council’s policies limiting the Mayor and the Executive Director in specific aspects of their work.

There are many sources of the Municipal Council’s policy making, including federal, state, and county statutes, the Provo City Municipal Code, the Provo City General Plan, Provo City Vision 2030, the Municipal Council Handbook, and Municipal Council legislative intent statements. Proposals from individual citizens of Provo and from citizen groups, as well as policies opted by other municipalities also are valuable sources of potential policy-making. Public forums and hearings, social-media correspondence, neighborhood meetings, and public media likewise enhance the Council’s cornucopia of potential policies.

By carefully adhering to a policy-making role, the Municipal Council will avoid a hands-on, over-the-shoulder posture in its relation to the Mayor and Executive Director. They will be entrusted to develop and deploy their full creative energies, in concert with their respective administrative staffs, in thoughtful, devoted service to the City’s well-being and vibrant, sustainable future. The Council will receive their reports regularly, inquire about project status and plans, reason jointly to solve problems, and offer its counsel and encouragement.

Aside from slight reconfiguring of the agendas for public meetings of the Municipal Council, there likely will be little outward evidence of its move to the policy-governance model in the near future. 

However, over time, the virtues of the model may be expected to show themselves in the enhanced creative energies of the City’s employees, in emerging synergies among the City’s constituent entities— traditional and start-up, and in the City’s steadily-enlarging prominence as a peerless place to live, work, be educated, engage a wide array of cultural, culinary, and recreational assets, and raise a family.

Hal Miller

Member, Provo City Municipal Council

10 November 2013

Public Comment and Feedback Invited Prior to Council Action on UTF

The Council is scheduled to address the proposed Utility Transportation Fund (UTF) during their meeting on November 19 at 5:30p.

The Utility Transportation Fund which they will discuss (UTF) aims to provide a solution to Provo’s road funding which is long-term, sustainable, fair, and transparent.  There have been several public meetings, as well as online Town Hall gatherings and discussions about this issue over the last few months.  Members of the public are invited to once more voice their thoughts, feedback, and comment on this issue before and after the Council takes any formal action during Council Meeting.

If you have thoughts or concerns about the UTF, you may read more about it on the Council’s blog here. Provo Mayor Curtis also has an informational post about UTF on his blog here.

You may contact your Council Member directly here, or share your thoughts on this issue by adding a comment on this article.

Here is a link to a presentation offered to the Municipal Council on October 29, 2013 if you're interested in further details.

You can also watch this video about the proposal.

Utility Transportation Fund from Provo City on Vimeo.

Unveiling Provo River Murals

Members of the Council with North Park Neighborhood Chair Jim Pettersson

On Saturday two murals along the Provo River Trail were unveiled by local artist Jess Smart Smiley, who donated his time and skills to the project. The Provo Council provided the funding as part of their Neighborhood Matching Grant program, which is designed to beautify neighborhoods and provide opportunities for neighbors to serve each other and their communities.  

The goal of the murals is to beautify the area and bring more people to the Provo River Trail, and in so doing, also deter crime in the area. To read more about the hoped for crime deterrence aspect of the murals and see a Google map of their location, check out this great story on KSL.com here.  

You can also view some before and after pictures of Smiley’s progress on the murals at Provo Mayor Curtis’ blog here, and see more of Smiley’s work at his own website here.

The idea for the mural’s construction was initially brought up at a neighborhood meeting, where it inspired Janna Lee Haigh of the Provo Police Department, who together with the Neighborhood Chair Jim Pettersson and Sargent Crosby of the Provo Police helped to make it a reality.

You can find the mural where the Provo River Parkway meets Columbia Lane.

Sergent Crosby and Janna Lee Haigh of the Provo Police Department

Council Offers Congratulations to Participants, Looks Forward

The Council would like to offer congratulations and well-wishes to the participants in this year’s municipal elections for their courage to participate in the electoral process, and willingness to discuss their ideas with Provo residents.

I and my colleagues look forward to working with the new council to shape the future of our city.

We would also like to offer our sincerest thanks to Council Members Rick Healey, Sterling Beck, and Laura Cabanilla for their work and service to the community, and wish them the best.

Council Member Gary Winterton

For those interested in reviewing the details of the election returns, please visit Provo’s election map page here, where you can review a breakdown of voter turnout and response.

Winners of Council Elections:

Citywide I: Dave Sewell

Council District 2: Kim Santiago

Council District 5: Stephen Hales