Mayor Lyle Holmgren

Mayors Message November 2023

In early 2022, Tremonton City conducted two studies to better understand some of our residents’ opinions, concerns, and experiences with the city.  One study was conducted by CMO Brand and the other by Utah State University.  In both studies, there was a direct correlation with the importance of residents feeling connected to their community and a feeling of well-being.

Feeling connected to a community provides a sense of belonging and is important because feeling socially connected can impact our health and overall well-being.  High levels of community connection help us feel safer and lower the prevalence of anxiety and depression.  While personal well-being in Tremonton scored higher than the average among the 33 participating cities, community well-being was below the average.

What is community well-being?

Community well-being includes having a variety of public spaces to enjoy, a healthy economy, opportunities for leisure activities or community events, and public safety.  In short, feeling connected.

Recently, I shared a story told by Jane Jacobs, an urban planner and community activist, from New York City. Jacobs describes a time when she was living on the West Side of New York in an apartment. She was upstairs overlooking the street when she noticed a guy angrily pulling at a young girl. She started heading down the stairs to see what was going on. When she noticed a butcher coming out of his butcher shop. A lady at the fruit stand came out into the street. The locksmith also came into the street. And she writes, “That guy didn’t realize it, but he was surrounded.” There were people there ready to act if he did anything wrong.

The author, David Brooks writes, “Isn’t that what community is? People looking out for each other. People seeing each other. People caring deeply for each other. People willing to enter into a relationship with each other, to depend on each other. People willing to act.”

In the USU Well-being study, respondents were asked about community actions and community connection in Tremonton.  Both questions were scored on a 5-point scale from not at all (1) to a great deal (5).  When asked about the degree to which they act together in response to local problems or opportunities, the score was 3.12, higher than the average for participating communities.  When asked about the degree they feel connected to their community, the average score was 2.92, lower than the average in the 33 participating communities.

In summary, residents of Tremonton overwhelmingly valued the social climate, rural feel, peace and quiet, as well as the surrounding agriculture and the sense of safety but they also shared concerns about the growth and development, that it is currently too fast.  Many expressed concerns about a weak retail district and limited opportunities for shopping and dining.  There were fears the infrastructure was not keeping pace with growth and comments about the government, with many residents worried about not being heard.

This research helps city leaders better understand not only what is going well in our community but where we need to do better.  Since 2022, the city council, mayor, city administration, and employees have worked hard to better communicate about the great things Tremonton has to offer.  We have also addressed major concerns with water, roads, affordable housing, public safety, and public spaces.  We all still have much to do.

I hope we will work together to continue making Tremonton a place where people genuinely care about their neighbors. A place where we watch out for each other. Where people know each other, and where we can count on one another.  I hope we can all work together to make Tremonton a healthier community.