Orem council adopts official city flag
July 11, 2023, 3:30 p.m. · Orem City Center, 56 North State Street, Orem
The council adopted an ordinance making the Brooks Advertising design Orem's official flag. In the work session, council members toured the Walkara Way Trail site, where a state-funded trail project has asked to annex into Orem for utilities, and heard presentations on mental health response and a county prevention coalition. Council Members Terry Peterson and Tom Macdonald were not listed as present.
From the approved minutes. Updated October 14, 2026.
Decisions at a glance
Agenda, item by item
Annexation
Walkara Way Trail tour and annexation request (work session)
Discussed
Council members toured the Walkara Way Trail site. Senior Planner Matt Taylor said the state-funded trail will connect trails from Vineyard to Utah Lake. Consultants from Consor said the trailhead is 1.5 acres with 65 parking spaces, part of a 1,000-acre conservation site led by the Holdway family. The project is asking to annex into Orem for water, sanitation and electric service because Orem is the closest city, and has been through the city's Development Review Committee.
- Trailhead: 1.5 acres, 65 parking spaces
- Conservation site: about 1,000 acres
Public safety
Mental health response and Communities That Care program (work session)
Discussed
A mental health advocate and a police detective described the Mental Health Response Team, which responds to crisis calls, follows up afterward, trains officers and helps homeless residents; CDBG funds pay for hotel stays and supplies. Community Services Manager Kena Mathews described United Way's EveryDay Strong program on children's anxiety and depression. A Utah County Health Department representative introduced the Communities That Care coalition model; if a city starts a coalition, the county would cover the first year of costs and the city would then cover some costs.
Other
Moderate income housing report and 2023 meeting schedule (work session)
Discussed
Senior Planner Grant Allen said Orem will submit its first annual moderate income housing report to the state; it does not need a council vote. City Recorder Teresa McKitrick presented an updated 2023 council schedule reflecting changed state election dates, to be a consent item August 1.
Presentation
311 Help Center recognition
Discussed
Treasurer Kathy Lehrer read a statement marking five years of the 311 Help Center, which combined utility billing with staff from other departments to give residents one place for many city services. Over five years it handled 228,617 incoming calls and 25,655 work orders, created 1,700,770 bills and processed 16,702 passports.
Presentation
Oremfest 2023 report
Discussed
Staff reported more than 25,000 attendees at Oremfest, 21 food booths and trucks, 68 boutiques, 114 parade entries and 56 sponsors. It raised $63,038 in cash donations and more than $15,000 in in-kind donations, with seven new sponsors. Areas to improve include parade crowd control, feedback forms, family day and ride information.
- Grant$63,038
Other
Official Orem city flag adopted
Approved · 4-0
The council adopted an ordinance making the flag designed by Brooks Advertising the official Orem flag. Council Member LaNae Millett said she favored the design from the start and described it as an emblem of positivity, unity and inclusivity. Communications Manager Peter Wolfley said the city would order flags from Colonial Flags and begin flying them.
- PurchaseAmount not given to Colonial Flags
What residents said
Easement rules
A resident said city staff helped him find the relevant city code on improvements in easements and thanked the city for its help with permitting. A Cub Scout leader reported on scouting units in Orem.