Those lights were put up by city employees over the course of a month between their other duties. If you visit the park, you’ll also notice beautiful Christmas trees that were decorated and donated by local businesses. You’ll see a stunning stage built and donated by a local arts group where Santa and I turn on the Christmas lights and where performers sing songs for all to enjoy. The chamber of commerce coordinates activities every Monday night with food vendors and other booths. Additionally, our adjacent library has a myriad activities taking place for people to enjoy. And of course, there are the residents who come to support these events. It is no single person or group of people that make all this happen. It takes a community.

As a mayor, I feel it’s important our residents have all their basic needs met. Our police and fire operate 24/7 in our community to keep our residents safe. Our engineers and inspectors make sure all homes and businesses built are safe for occupants. Our public works ensure clean water is available for everyone. We make sure residents have a way to remove their trash, sewer, and storm water. These systems are complex with thousands of miles of pipe covered by tons of material in both public and private spaces. Does every aspect of our city work perfectly? Certainly not. But we more than meet standards and continually work to improve. One of the basic utilities we spend the most money on are our roads, which take the greatest beating from use and development than any other service. Like in all cases, it’s still a work in progress, and we will continue to make great strides and improvements.

In addition to the basic infrastructure that builds our physical community, there is also social infrastructure we provide that builds our sense of community. Social infrastructure is something that an entire community enjoys, including children and seniors alike. The Christmas lights and corresponding events at our park downtown is a great example of social infrastructure. While these things are not required to keep a city running, they are essential to help unite our community together and foster a feeling of harmony, satisfaction, and improved quality of life. For some, just knowing these events are taking place, even if they don’t participate, is enough to give them a sense of community.

As mayor of American Fork, I also feel it’s important to be the very best steward of our taxpayer’s dollars. Waste is unacceptable and we need to try our hardest to be as efficient and as lean as possible. As someone that sees the day-to-day operations, I feel we are running lean and efficient, with plans to be even better. “Do More with Less” is our proverbial mantra within our City. Of course, that doesn’t mean everyone will agree with our spending choices. I can have one resident tell me we are wasting too much money on a specific service immediately followed by a different resident saying we aren’t funding that same service nearly enough. Both think the city is currently making the wrong decision and both have diametrically opposed views on the direction the city should go. Sometimes this can be difficult to manage but it’s what we signed up for and we would much rather hear our residents’ opinions than not. Its people’s input that help us make the best possible decisions for the greatest good.

Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald

I meet regularly with our city council, other mayors, and even our state legislatures. We discuss and tackle issues together, always trying to come up with what’s best for our respective residents. I ask residents everywhere to also work with these people, know who they are, and understand what they do for you. We are all working together to make this a community. Looking beyond your home at those around you and getting involved in ways to help them is what Christmas, and community, is all about. I hope all residents realize that “community” is more than just Christmas lights at a park… but it’s the Christmas lights too!

A sign reading "Seasons Greeting" hangs above State Street in American Fork as cars drive below it on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022.

Electric snowflakes hanging off light poles on State Street in American Fork are photographed on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022.

A sign reading "Happy Holidays" hangs above State Street in American Fork as cars drive below it on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022.

Christmas trees and lights on display at William S. Robinson park in American Fork are photographed on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022.

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