Eight municipalities in Utah County are now one step closer to forming their own school districts.

On Tuesday, city councils convened to decide whether or not to put what could be a three-way divide of the Alpine School District on the general election ballot in November. All of the bodies voted unanimously in favor of putting the decision to a public vote.

Under the proposals, cities in the northern and eastern portion of the county, including Alpine, American Fork, Cedar Hills, Highland and Lehi, as well as a section of Draper would become what’s being tentatively called the Central District.

Schools in Cedar Fort, Eagle Mountain, Fairfield and Saratoga Springs, meanwhile, might become known as the West District.

The votes followed a required 45-day comment period during which municipalities gathered input via public meetings and online outreach.

In Alpine, the first of over a half-dozen meetings on the matter, city officials said that with growth happening across Utah County, a split may be inevitable down the road. “We knew that the westside cities were already (wanting to) create an interlocal (agreement), and it still would leave us with a large district. And we felt like it’s time … that we probably need to split again,” Mayor Carla Merrill told reporters.

Alpine School District as it sits currently is the largest in the state, with over 84,000 students. The new Central District could provide more representation for students due a smaller enrollment, backers of the plan say.

“We feel like this will be a good resolution. And if the people decide that that’s not what they want, that’s up to them to decide,” Merrill said.

In Lehi, the meeting lasted less than 15 minutes and council members voiced overwhelming support for the measure.

“I think it’s the best route because it puts it right into the hands of the voters,” said Councilwoman Heather Newall. “I think that’s what was always most important, is that the voters had the option to be able to decide what was going to be the best placement for them and their families.”

Newall said it’s been positive to hear opinions from those who favor the option as well as others who may have reservations. “You know, there’s a lot of concerns that are really important, and it’s really great that they’re being brought up now. Because if this proceeds forward, these are the questions that we need to ask those who represent us and how they’re going to solve those issues,” Newall said.

Lehi Mayor Mark Johnson encouraged citizens to carefully study why the matter is being sent to the ballot in order to make an informed decision come Election Day this fall.

In the event a split were to be voted in favor by voters, American Fork representatives expressed the opinion that partnering with neighboring cities provides the best option for students. “This offers the best scenario in terms of finances, school boundaries and division of assets. Voting for the interlocal agreement is the only way to keep this possibility,” City Council member Staci Carroll said.

However, American Fork leaders also echoed the sentiment of other cities about making sure the community understands the matter.

“There are very good reasons to split into a Central School District, and there are very good reasons not to split. At this point, I encourage residents to consider the reasons on both sides and make a decision for themselves on what they think is best. Voting for the interlocal (agreement) allows our residents to do that,” Carroll added.

The move also gained resounding support in Draper, Highland and Cedar Hills.

If approved by voters, the name Central School District may change.

Regarding the proposed West District, during a meeting in Saratoga Springs, Alpine School District Board of Education member Joylin Lincoln expressed her gratitude to the council for their persistence in getting the measure on the ballot.

“I just want to thank you guys for all of the due diligence you’ve done through this process and (for) providing the citizens of Saratoga Springs an opportunity to vote on this,” she said.

Eagle Mountain followed suit, voting unanimously to put it on the ballot.

Cedar Fort will not vote on the matter, but city leaders are in support of the split. Fairfield will take a vote next week on Aug. 14.

However, even if city officials there vote against the measure, the question will still go before voters because the majority of cities are in favor.

In each municipality, adopting the resolution authorizes city recorders to notify the Utah County clerk and place the option on the ballot.

The cities that voted Tuesday opted to explore going off on their own after seeing the results of a feasibility study conducted by Florida-based MGT Education. The company was hired by Alpine School District to look at the viability of a split, and it presented the district with six options in February.

As the Daily Herald previously reported, the remaining cities in the Alpine School District — Lindon, Orem, Pleasant Grove and Vineyard — have not formed an interlocal agreement to band together into a new district. The four cities could stay together by default if other interlocal agreements move forward after the general election.

The Alpine School District released a statement regarding the decisions made Tuesday. “We acknowledge that several municipalities have approved measures that would allow voters to consider the creation of a new school district in areas that are currently part of the Alpine School District. While municipal leaders and residents in those areas consider these important issues, we maintain our focus on providing excellence in education to the students in our 92 schools,” the district said in an email sent to the Daily Herald. “As a district, we remain committed to our mission to achieve our vision for learning for each student and to ensure Alpine is a rewarding learning environment for our students, teachers, staff, and administrators.”

Voters will have the final say at the polls on Nov. 5.

If the split moves forward after the election, changes wouldn’t take place until 2027.

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