August 2024

Mayor's Message | August 2024

In this month's message, Mayor Young explains why the city has taken community events to the next level and invites you to join us at the many family-friendly events coming up over the next three months.

You can read the full message here.

City Council Message

from Councilmember David Spencer

I’m excited to share that the Orem’s own American Legion Post 72 is hosting a benefit Car Show on Monday, August 19th from 4-8 PM at Scera Park in Orem. This event will be filled with awards, prizes, food trucks, live music, and a whole lot of fun for the entire community!

What makes this event even more special is that all proceeds will go to support the incredible work of Post 72. Their efforts include providing military rites for veteran funerals, supporting veteran mental health, and fostering a sense of patriotism in the next generation.

I'm proud to be an American and supporting the American Legion is vital to ensuring that we continue to honor the service and sacrifice of our veterans. The work they do strengthens our community by providing essential services and honors to those who have served our country. By attending this event, we have a chance to show our gratitude and support for these incredible men and women. 

If you’d like to participate in the show, you can register your vehicle by emailing your name, full address, phone number, and the year and make of your vehicle(s) to Kelly Kirkpatrick at leprechan1869@outlook.com.

It’s going to be a wonderful evening, and I hope to see you all there as we come together to enjoy the cars and support American Legion Post 72.

Councilmember David Spencer

The rainstorm this past Tuesday night is being classified as 100-year flood event because so much water fell is such a short matter of time. Mayor Young and Public Works Director Chris Tschirki report on clean up efforts and the state of the stormwater system. Special thanks to everyone who came to the aid of neighbors during the past couple of days.

Upcoming City Council Meetings

AUGUST 27 | SEPT 10 | SEPT 17

You can join Orem City Council meetings in person or online. Just visit orem.org/meetings to see the agendas and start times for upcoming meetings.

Gold Star Family Monument Project

We're building Utah County's first Gold Star Family Monument to honor those local families that have lost a loved one in armed conflict and we're accepting 100% tax deductible donations to help make it happen.

Donors at the Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels will have their names engraved on a granite wall in the Freedom Plaza. Donations of all amounts are of course welcome as we want these families to know they are not forgotten.

Donations are 100% tax-deductible and can be made online.

We've totally revamped our Orem Youth Council experience and now is the time to join!

Orem Youth Council (OYC) is an extracurricular program for young leaders to learn about and participate in local government, develop professional skills and expand their network within the community. Established with the aim of empowering youth, the council serves as a bridge between young people and their community.

OYC consists of 20 high school students grades 10th-12th, that must be Orem residents.

OYC will meet the first Thursday of the month 3:00PM- 4:30PM at Orem City Center in the Council Chambers. The program runs September 2024 – June 2025.

Upcoming Events

We're partnering with Utah Live Concerts to bring you the Come Together Rock Festival on August 16th & 17th. It will be two full days of great live music, food, and so much more. This year we're adding a farmers market, a car show, a community breakfast, and fireworks. It's an event you don't want to miss!

Adopt A Spot

You can care for a little piece of Orem through the Adopt-A-Spot program at Nielsen's Grove Park. It's a great way to give back to the community as a family, group, organization, or individual. Just fill out the application.

The Orem plastic film recycling pilot is still underway so keep putting stretchy plastics in the recycling bin. As part of an effort to measure the plastic film, we discovered that proper recycling of other items has increased as well! Keep up the good work! It's making a difference.

Orem Gives you MORE!

MorningStar ranked Orem #2 among all cities up to 99,999 in the United States for the fastest internet speeds. Having excellent internet options available is key to the city’s economic growth, business recruitment, and education opportunities.

In Orem, the safety of residents is a top priority. We strive to proactively identify and resolve hazards before they become safety risks.

Annually, the Utah Risk Management Agency (URMA) conducts robust inspections in Orem to evaluate the safety of parks, pools, the fitness center and much more. We are pleased to report that Orem received a perfect score in this year's inspection.

However, this achievement would not have been possible without the help of citizens like you! While departments work daily to identify and address hazards, we also rely on residents to report any potential issues they observe around Orem. If you encounter a hazard or suspect one, please text us at 801-229-7000.



It takes everyone to keep Orem safe!

Orem Is For Artists

Lia Collings - Orem Arts Council

“The only thing better than singing,” asserted Ella Fitzgerald, “is more singing.” Entering into their 78th year singing in Orem, the Chauntenettes Women’s Chorus couldn’t agree more. Drawing singers as far south as Nephi and as far north as South Jordan, the Orem-based Chauntenettes also have members hailing from each of Orem’s nine neighborhoods. And they come to stay: though some women have been singing with the chorus for just eighteen months, some have been with the group anywhere from eight to twenty-nine to fifty years! What is it that brings them together for a weekly, two-hour practice year after after, through sleet and shine? “The love and comradery shared among each member,” brings one singer back. “The friendship and service to others through music,” brings another. “Beautiful arrangements” that are “fun, fun, fun,” and “better singing skills learned through outstanding directors” secures the allegiance of some more. Choir and audience alike love the Chauntenettes concerts, with guest speakers ranging from Sheri Dew and Susan Easton Black to Lloyd Newell and Michael Ballam.

“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words,” observed Victor Hugo. The Chauntenettes concur. Wrote one member: “Some of us recently went on tour to Idaho. In Pocatello, we sang at a Veterans Home. We always sing ‘Let There Be Peace On Earth’ as our closing song. One of the [veterans] asked us to sing it again. Such a sweet feeling in the room.” That sweet feeling isn’t only for the audience. “I was in a very dark place in my life [when I first heard about the Chauntenettes], just having finalized my divorce,” remembered one member. “[A friend] told me about being a Chauntenette and what this singing group has meant to her and lifted her. I joined that season.” Surely Orem is buoyed in more ways than one by having these wonderful women rendering “service through song” to our community. Come catch their next concert or join them in making it; interested women can stop by the Piano Gallery from 6-8 pm any Wednesday night and look for Karen Rogers or Laura Pickett. As the ancient poet Virgil prescribed, “Let us go singing as far as we go; the road will be less tedious.”