Orem council certifies primary election results after residents raise complaints about a political committee
September 19, 2023, 3:00 p.m. · City Council Chambers, 56 North State Street, Orem
Acting as the Board of Canvass, the Orem City Council voted 7-0 to certify the 2023 primary and advance six City Council candidates to the November general election. Several residents spoke during public comment about a political issues committee called Stronger Together, and one council member said he had concerns but would vote yes on the advice of legal counsel. In the work session the council heard about a garbage-can billing audit, a new fire inspection fee model, a campaign-disclosure proposal and the Transportation Master Plan update.
From the approved minutes. Updated October 14, 2026.
Decisions at a glance
Agenda, item by item
Item Canvass · Other
Certification of the 2023 primary election
Approved · 6-0
City Recorder Teresa McKitrick reported 45,366 eligible registered voters and 12,825 ballots counted. 206 ballots were not counted: 31 returned unsigned, 74 with signature discrepancies, 102 returned after the deadline and one empty envelope. 104 people voted in person and six provisional ballots were issued and counted. Council Member Terry Peterson said he was concerned about approving the canvass given the comments about the political committee, but that he would vote yes on the advice of legislative counsel and the deputy city attorney. The council certified the results and declared the six highest vote-getters eligible for the Nov. 21 general election: Jeffrey Lambson, Jenn Gale, Chris Killpack, Crystal Muhlestein, Matt McKell and Spencer Rands.
City code
Campaign financial disclosure for incumbents (work session)
Discussed
Deputy City Attorney D. Jacob Summers described a proposed ordinance that would require sitting elected officials to file an extra annual statement with the City Recorder reporting contributions received and expenditures made since their last disclosure. The stated goal was greater transparency for residents. The council discussed the proposal and said the city would otherwise follow the state disclosure calendar. It returned as an ordinance on Sept. 26.
Public safety
Fire inspection program and fee structure (work session)
Discussed
Fire Chief Marc Sanderson and Deputy Fire Marshal Brandon Valley presented a revised annual fire-inspection program for home-based and commercial businesses. Fees would be based on an Inspector II rate of $46.80 per hour, with one hour charged for a home-based business and two hours for a commercial business. The department said it would change how inspections are billed, add a digital review and modify the fee structure. Business owners had raised concerns that the fees looked like a money grab and were too expensive. Council members asked questions and discussed the program.
- Fee$47
Contract
Waste Management garbage can audit and film pilot (work session)
Discussed
Blake Leonelli of Waste Management said an audit found about 4,500 garbage cans being collected that were not on Orem's billing records; those cans will be correctly billed over the next few months. He also reported that Orem is the pilot city for a plastic-film recycling program, running a little over a month, with positive early press.
- FeeAmount not given to Waste Management
Other
Healthy Utah Community designation (work session)
Discussed
Grant Specialist Heather Cox and Management Analyst Carson Hardy outlined the Get Healthy Utah designation, a program of the lieutenant governor and the Utah League of Cities and Towns. Orem's proposed focus areas are active living, access to healthy food and mental health, with ideas such as sidewalks in new subdivisions, a farmers market, first-responder mental health training, community gardens and trail expansion. The council approved the resolution on Sept. 26.
Budget
COVID-era Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV) update (work session)
Discussed
Community Services Manager Kena Mathews and CDBG Commission Chair Ken Ransom reported that Orem received $699,923 in federal CDBG funding for COVID-related projects, on top of its regular annual grant. Projects included critical home repairs for low-income homeowners, touchless drinking fountains, a food bank at Centro Hispano and meals and programs through the Boys and Girls Club. The Orem Senior Friendship Center used $89,154.82 for meals, online activities and facility upgrades.
- Grant$699,923 to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Grant$89,155 to Orem Senior Friendship Center
Roads and utilities
Transportation Master Plan update (work session)
Discussed
City Engineer Sam Kelly presented the 2022 update of the 2015 plan, including updated traffic counts and a travel-demand model extended from 2040 to 2050. The Planning Commission recommended removing the 800 East, 1600 North, 800 South and 800 West widening projects and the 800 South and 1200 North overpasses. Staff recommended removing the 800 East and 1600 North widenings and the Center Street widening, and offered to prepare pros and cons for the rest. Council members raised bike lanes, safety, road expansion and medians, and asked for a timetable of planned projects.
What residents said
Stronger Together political issues committeeElection integrityFire inspection fees
Six residents spoke about the Stronger Together political issues committee. John Barrick, Karen Adamson, Heather Fry, Mike Carpenter, Greg Carlisle and Scott Iscombe said they believed the committee had violated state campaign law and had unfairly helped some candidates, referred to complaints filed with the lieutenant governor's office, and asked the council or attorneys to pursue or investigate the matter. Mayor Young also used the manager's report to say that several Daily Herald articles about the city and about him were misleading.