In 2004, the Eagle Mountain City Council dissolved the city's arts board, but didn't repeal the law organizing it. The council recently discovered the oversight and got rid of the law, but now they're debating what role the arts play in the community, and what role the city should play in supporting the arts.

The debate has come up in cities across the state. Voters in some cities, including Orem, have agreed to raise sales tax to fund arts and recreation projects.

Other cities provide funding from their general budget for arts programs.

Eagle Mountain officials are now discussing whether arts in that city should be publicly funded or supported.

"I am undecided," said Councilwoman Heather Jackson. "Should the city be funding the artsfi There is a debate over what the arts board should be."

In the past, the arts board consisted of people who organized and performed in plays in the city.

But there was a poor turnout for the plays, and the city decided to do away with the board.

In other cities, however, the arts council does a lot more than just put on plays.

"I think it is essential to have government support of the arts, because fine arts are not really self-supporting," said Jean Hatch, president of the Lehi Arts Council. "It is important to have government support to have them available to the public. It is like the government support of museums and recreation."

The Lehi Arts Council sponsors many programs each year. There is a large board of volunteers who oversee programs such as Arts in the Park, children's' musical theater, a children's choir, and music, theater and dance programs for the city.

The Arts Council has a dedicated building in Lehi where the performances are held. On occasion, other facilities such as school auditoriums and the park are used. The arts program has a budget of $60,000 per year.

With that money, they produce four major performances, eight children's plays and 10 Arts in the Park programs, along with various smaller programs.

Hatch said, "It takes a lot of cooperation and a really strong volunteer base. That is the only way we have been able to survive. The arts tend to take a back seat to the sports programs.

"When you have 300 or more children in the sports program and only 50 in a play that is understandable, but it doesn't make the interest for the children in the play any less important."

In Eagle Mountain the debate continues among the city leaders, but nothing will be decided until public interest can be measured.

"Historically the arts have not been part of the role of government, but when you have a majority of citizens who want that, we should revisit it," said Councilwoman Linn Strouse.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D3.