It may have been a beautiful day in the neighborhood where Mr. Rogers lived, but in Provo, some neighborhoods are having a difficult time.

That is why the Provo City Council voted 5-2 on Tuesday to change the Neighborhood Program to the Neighborhood District Program. That did not come without great debate and question over whether or not a vote would even be held.

The council decided to go ahead, but with the idea they would watch to new program to see how it functions. It will officially start Jan. 1, 2023.

Over the last 50 years, the city boundaries have changed the number of neighborhoods from 19 to 34, a number that council members say is simply too big to work with.

Provo resident and active neighborhood chair Pam Jones told the council that many in her neighborhood don’t want the change, and that residents want to be able to vote on a chair instead of having one assigned by the council.

Some neighborhoods, like South Joaquin and Provost, are very active while other neighborhoods never hold meetings and the chair takes care of whatever they think is necessary.

The Neighborhood District Program is built upon three foundations:

Community Building

• Matching grants available each year for qualified projects.
• Neighborhood residents come together to solve problems and improve the community.
• Working with Provo City to address neighborhood concerns.

Consistent Engagement

• Regular and predictable schedule for meetings.
• Regular meeting location at the new City Hall.
• Consistent processes for neighborhood resident feedback.
• Streamlined process will ensure that neighborhoods hear about important projects and that input gets back to the decision-makers.

Government Transparency

• Getting information to Provo residents.
• Clear public notice and meeting records.
• Meetings will be held with in-person as well as remote participation options.
• Residents can participate at the level that works for them.
• Regular updates and presentations from Provo City departments.

The new program will have no more than five districts, with each district having an Executive Board comprised of residents from within the boundaries of the Neighborhood District. When possible, at least one resident from each neighborhood located within the boundaries of the Neighborhood District shall serve on the Executive Board.

The boundaries of the neighborhoods and districts will be determined by the city council.

Communication will be a key factor for the new program, which provides transparency between the districts and the council.

The new district boards will not be considered a legislative body and the board members are not elected officials, therefore they do not have any implied legislative or executive authority.

According to the new city code, the executive boards will range between 7-11 members and will be appointed by the council. Members of the Executive Board serve at the pleasure of the council.

The full city code with the new Neighborhood District Program can be found on the city website at http://provo.org.

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