Many Orem residents have been disappointed by Mayor Young’s overbearing approach to running the City Council–seeking to limit the voices not only of Orem citizens, but even other members of the Council. Orem cannot afford two more years of an uncompromising City Council majority.

While all six City Council candidates this year are polite, accomplished, and well-spoken, what clearly sets them apart is who and what they support, and who supports them. Most to whom we have spoken about the City Council race have two key questions, each with a clear answer:

1. Did the candidates support Proposition 2 last year?

2. Do they support the Mayor’s approach to governing?

Crystal Muhlestein, Matt McKell, and Spencer Rands openly align with Mayor Young’s approach and are endorsed by the groups that worked to get him elected. If any one of them is elected, they will take Terry Peterson’s place on the Council, likely voting in lockstep with LaNae Millett and David Spencer to give the Mayor unchecked power.

These three candidates also advocated and voted for last year’s Prop 2, which would have created an Orem-only school district. That proposal was overwhelmingly opposed by teachers, the PTA, and 72% of Orem voters.

Voters should also know that Crystal Muhlestein took a leading role in suing Alpine School District. This mirrored the same antagonistic behavior fostered by the Mayor and his allies against the school district. Voters should recognize that a vote for Muhlestein, McKell, or Rands is effectively a vote for the Mayor’s agenda.

We need a Council who will work in good faith with partners like Alpine School District on matters of mutual concern. The way back to a culture of respectful collaboration in Orem is to elect Jenn Gale, Chris Killpack, and Jeff Lambson.

Like the majority of Orem’s citizens, these candidates did not support Prop 2 and do not align themselves with the Mayor’s problematic tactics. They have been transparent in their policy positions and will owe no allegiance to anyone other than voters. They each model the kind of leadership we can trust and of which Orem can be proud.

Suzy Baller, Sam Lentz, Meagan Lloyd, Alyssa May, Quinn Mecham, Dale Olenik, Amy Poole; Orem

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