2023 was a GREAT year for Orem! I’d like to give a big shout out to our amazing Staff and Orem City employees who were able to execute the vision of the City Council, a vision that was built through collaborative discussions and ideas from our residents. We are listening to residents, working countless hours and basing our decisions on the vision of: Family City USA: Creating an Environment Where Families can Thrive. The creative efforts of our Staff definitely flourished in 2023 and from what I hear, our employees are enjoying the new vibe in Orem City offices.
As we begin 2024, I’d like to welcome our newest City Council members, Jenn Gale and Chris Killpack. I look forward to serving with them and continuing to serve with Jeff Lambson. The City Council recently held our annual retreat and much of our focus was on “renewal.” Orem City Council and Staff will be prioritizing renewal efforts as we continue to establish our community character. We had a productive retreat and set five areas of focus for 2024:
-Safe, Livable, Connected & Engaged Neighborhoods
-Thriving and Balanced Business Environment
-Dependable Infrastructure
-Community-Focused & Effective Government
-Skilled & Talented Workforce
I want to focus briefly on the area of Safe, Livable, Connected & Engaged Neighborhoods. I believe Orem’s strength comes from our neighborhood connections. I look forward to working with community members in ways that will reconnect and strengthen our neighborhoods. As a new year begins, many of us typically contemplate our own renewal and connections–renewal of heart, mind, and body. As a community, we can pursue these same connections. We often talk of collaboration and unity—which are important words. However, I’d like to add a new word to contemplate, Dignity.
This year as we seek to create connections in our community, let’s remember that our ability to treat everyone with dignity is what creates uplifting and collaborative discussions and brings the resulting best outcomes. True unity and collaboration begin with dignity. Even when disagreeing—especially when disagreeing—we should seek to understand, we should seek truth from the source, we should seek to be kind, we should seek to live the golden rule. We should seek to maintain dignity–our dignity and the dignity of those with whom we disagree. As we do this, we will all emerge as a stronger and more connected community, and positive outcomes will follow. We will all emerge as friends.
As we enthusiastically begin 2024, let’s keep our positive momentum going. I’m looking forward to 2024! Stay tuned and you’ll see—GREAT things will continue happening in Orem!
– Council member LaNae Millett
