I have been following events concerning Orem City Government this year and it seems apparent that there is collusion amongst city officials aimed at promoting a private agenda. There are a total of seven votes between city council members and the mayor when an issue comes to a vote. The collusion to promote a pre-planned and secret agenda involves four out of seven of those people who are voting, giving them the power of majority. Their first agenda item was the rollback of the State Street Master Plan.

The second agenda item is splitting Orem schools from Alpine School District. If this is accomplished, it is guaranteed to raise property taxes significantly. In addition, Discovery Education Consultants (DEC), a company beset by allegations of conflict of interest, bias and lack of experience, was chosen to do the feasibility study for the split. The questionable selection process has drawn criticism from community members.

Should city officials promote an issue like splitting Orem schools from Alpine School District? And yet, it appears that they have hired a Public Relations firm to do just that. The Intrepid Public Relations (aka Intrepid Public Affairs) website states, “How you tell your story matters.  Let us tell your story in the most powerful way.” Are we likely to get an unbiased “story” from those who have hired Intrepid?

As the issue of splitting the school district unfolds, watch for this strategy called Problem-Reaction-Solution. You create a problem, escalate fear (something needs to be done right away or else bad things will happen), then offer a pre-planned solution. I noticed this tactic was used in the rollback of the State Street Master Plan — watch for it with the school issue. The bottom line is this: I hope Orem citizens won’t let themselves be rushed into something by an arbitrary deadline that is meant to escalate fear or by publicity that is biased. Splitting the school district is a serious matter and not to be rushed into.

Virginia Sokolowsky, Orem

Newsletter