We really don’t have any control over how spring comes. But we are very hopeful that it stops snowing soon and begins to warm up slowly. That’s the key to a spring that doesn’t include flooding.

As I said in last month’s Newsletter, we are taking the possibility of flooding very seriously. We have met with Strawberry Water, the High Line Canal, Salem, Spanish Fork and Mapleton. We know that Utah County Public Works has a plan to avert potential flooding and is aggressively putting their plan into action. The south Utah County cities have a history of working well together and this year will be no exception. While each city will take care of their specific needs, we will be ready to assist each other if it becomes necessary.

Fire Chief Scott Spencer is planning an extensive clean-up of Dry Creek which will hopefully involve many of you. We need your help if we are to be successful in preventing flooding. I believe it is scheduled for Saturday, March 18th. More information will be available in the coming weeks.

We are well on our way to planning the Station Area Plan for a Frontrunner station in the not-too-distant future.

Mark Johnston, Daily Herald file photo

Many of you may have seen the sign UVU has recently installed on the property they purchased from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located just east of the UAMP Mt. Nebo Power Plant on the north side of I-15.

The Red Bridge Development continues to make progress and has finalized the donation of 13 ½ acres it has made to M-TECH. The groundbreaking for the college will be in September. If the construction stays on schedule, they anticipate the building will be completed in the fall of 2025.

Construction of the new Payson High School is making quite a bit of progress. As with the M-TECH building, the expected completion date will be the summer of 2025. If the construction stays on schedule the school will be ready for the 2025-26 school year.

Housing starts have definitely slowed down. But we are still benefiting from businesses that want to locate here in Payson.

The engineering of the Payson Main Street project is nearing completion. We have received $5 million from the state to replace the aging underground utilities and rebuild Main Street. Unfortunately, due to post-COVID supply chain problems, the cost of the project has more than doubled. We originally intended to go from 100 N. Main to 700 S. Main, but have had to scale it back. The scope of the project will go from 100 N. Main to 100 S. Main. When the engineering is done, we will be able to get a better idea of the total cost.

While we are rebuilding Main Street in the Historic Downtown business area and the City Council has voted to provide an additional $3.4 million to update the streetscape. We are continuing to work closely with downtown businesses.

These are just a few of the many projects that are ongoing, I don’t have enough room to address all of them. If you have any questions please contact me, members of the city council or our city manager.

Payson City and its citizens have a bright future ahead of us. There will be challenges, but with your help we will overcome them.

Thank you for your support!