April Slaughter | American Fork Citizen

As the nation nears its 250th birthday, the American Fork Library is helping residents celebrate — with local stories, familiar places, and shared community memories.

The library is participating in several America 250-related efforts this summer, including the Spark the Spirit Challenge and the American Fork Memories Project, a community storytelling effort running from May 1 to Aug. 31 that invites residents and others with ties to American Fork to submit positive memories about living, working or spending time in the city.

Kirsten Baynes, a clerk and member of the library’s programming team, emphasized that while the Memories Project is not the library’s central contribution to the 250th celebration, it naturally complements the library’s mission.

“We are a place of stories,” said Baynes.

The idea for the American Fork Memories Project came from David Rodeback, who is collecting stories through the project’s Substack page. To mark the anniversary, the goal is to gather 250 memories during the summer. To support this effort, the library is helping spread the word and will host writing workshops during this period to encourage more people to participate.

Rodeback, who was named Writer of the Year by the League of Utah Writers in 2025, has published books, written locally and taught writing across Utah, making the project a natural fit for the library’s memory-writing workshops.

The project seeks short, positive stories from people connected to American Fork — about schools, teachers, neighborhoods, businesses, homes, parks, traditions or events.

Baynes said the stories do not have to be grand or historically dramatic to matter. A memory could be about Parker’s Drive-In, the Steel Days parade, a meaningful teacher at American Fork High School or time spent in a grandmother’s garden.

“It could be anything to celebrate, really, American Fork,” Baynes said.

To submit, participants can use a Google Form linked at afmemories.substack.com, with each story around 200-300 words. Rodeback publishes the submissions on Substack, and the collection will remain available digitally. Baynes also noted that, depending on community response, the memories could eventually become part of a more permanent printed collection.

The project began May 1, but Baynes shared that submissions have been slower than organizers hoped, with only about 10 received so far. She hopes that, as awareness grows, more residents will contribute.

The library will host American Fork Memories writing workshops for teens and adults on June 29 and July 30 at 7 p.m. Attendees can bring a memory and receive feedback from the Good AF Writers, a local writing group.

Baynes said the workshops are intended not only to help people polish their submissions, but also to make the writing process less intimidating.

“They are going to give feedback on people’s contributions, or maybe sit and talk with people who come and ask them questions to help them think of ideas and ways to communicate their stories,” Baynes said.

Participants can draft and submit their memories during the workshop. Baynes hopes these events will foster connections among writers in the community.

“It will be great to highlight both collaboration and networking, bringing together writers at all levels for meaningful conversations,” she said.

The library is also promoting the Spark the Spirit Challenge, which also runs from May 1 to Aug. 31, encouraging residents of all ages to explore American Fork by completing community-based tasks through Beanstack.

A bookmark distributed by the library invites residents to “celebrate America’s 250th birthday by exploring our incredible community together.” Participants can sign up at americanfork.beanstack.org and choose the Spark the Spirit Challenge.

Baynes said the challenge guides participants to landmarks such as the boat harbor, parks, the library, and city council meetings, helping residents engage with the community.

“It takes you throughout all of American Fork,” Baynes said.

Despite these special America 250 programs, the library’s main focus this summer remains its summer reading program, which encourages reading across all age groups and includes a variety of activities. The America 250 efforts, though, offer the library a unique chance to connect reading and writing with civic participation and local history during a milestone year.

For Baynes, American Fork’s long history makes it a meaningful place to gather memories. She noted that the city has been central to the lives of many people in surrounding communities as well.

“It just shows how central American Fork really is because it’s been here for a really long time,” she said.

While America’s 250th anniversary is national in scope, these library initiatives invite residents to consider how the country’s history is composed of smaller, local stories — the places people gathered, the teachers who shaped them, the traditions they remember, and the everyday experiences that made a city feel like home.

Residents interested in submitting memories can visit afmemories.substack.com. Those who want help shaping their stories can attend the American Fork Memories writing workshops on June 29 or July 30 at 7 p.m. at the American Fork Library.

Rob Shelton | American Fork Citizen

Brielle Anderson watched smoke from a brush fire roll over her neighborhood on June 9 and thought about her children. Then she went to City Hall.

Anderson lives near 900 W. 420 S., a newer development near the American Fork FrontRunner station. That afternoon, a fast-moving brush fire near the I-15 Pioneer Crossing exit shut down the road serving her community. For Anderson, that was the whole point.

“The road that connects to that entire community, there’s only one road, and it’s 200 South,” she told the council during the public hearing on the city’s FY2027 budget on June 9. “They had to close off one road, so there’s only one outlet and inlet. If that fire had spread, our community would have been trapped.”

She described a densely packed stretch of condos and town homes flanked on two sides by farms, with thousands of homes depending on a single road and no secondary exit. The fire, she said, made the stakes unmistakably clear.

“Today was very scary with my children, knowing there were tons of people,” Anderson said. “If we all tried leaving at the same time, people would have ended up dead. If it turned into a serious fire situation, it’s all condos right there at the beginning. Those caught fire, that would spread like crazy into those town homes, home to home to home, with no way to get out.”

Anderson asked the council to push for additional access roads into the area before any expansion or closure of the existing route. She noted rapid residential growth in the corridor and said nothing has been done to add new access points. City officials did not respond to her request during the meeting.

The fire that prompted her comments broke out near the FrontRunner station and the Pioneer Crossing I-15 exit. Flames spread rapidly on both sides of the on-ramp and moved quickly toward the FrontRunner and Union Pacific rail corridors, according to a department statement. American Fork Fire & Rescue, Pleasant Grove City Fire Department, and crews from several other agencies mounted a coordinated attack from multiple positions.

FrontRunner UTA service, Union Pacific rail operations, and the freeway on-ramp were all temporarily shut down to give crews safe access. A bus bridge ran briefly between Lehi and Vineyard. Firefighters gained control of the blaze and completed mop-up operations to prevent any further spread. No injuries were reported. The cause remains under investigation.

Anderson’s comments came during a packed council session focused on the city’s proposed FY2027 budget, which includes a 9% property tax increase tied to staffing a new fire station on the south side of the city, adding roughly $2.83 per month to the average homeowner’s bill.

The access road concern isn’t the only infrastructure worry tied to south side growth. Resident Mark Walker told the council a $20 million bond for southwest development infrastructure ultimately exceeded $22 million, and called for a moratorium on new development until planning is completed and cost-sharing agreements with developers are in place.

Relief may be coming, but not soon. Utah County Commissioner Skyler Beltran announced this week that the Mountainland Association of Government’s 2030 project list, adopted at a recent regional meeting, includes the Pony Express Parkway expansion in Saratoga Springs and its future extension into American Fork. American Fork and Lehi approved a cost-sharing agreement in August 2025 for the Pony Express Extension – Phase 2, which carries a 2030 inflated project cost of $25.5 million according to MAG’s potential funding scenario. Right-of-way acquisition from private property owners remains pending before construction can begin.

Even when it arrives, the extension won’t fully solve the problem. At a January council work session, City Administrator David Bunker warned that the road as currently designed reaches 700 West but has nowhere to go from there, requiring a further connection to 1500 South before it can effectively return traffic to the freeway.

Council Member Ryan Hunter echoed the concern, saying at the time, “The last thing we want to do is push that traffic into this area that’s already catastrophic.” The MAG funding table also includes two additional American Fork road projects, a 620 South Connection at $9.8 million and a 700 West Connection at $11.5 million, both identified as potential investments that would help close that gap.

In the meantime, 200 South, the road Anderson identified as her neighborhood’s only lifeline, is undergoing its own improvements. According to the American Fork City website, last updated in February 2025, a $25 million project will reconstruct and widen portions of 200 South near the FrontRunner station to two lanes in each direction and add a multi-use trail from Mill Pond Road to I-15. Phase 1 is complete; Phase 2 has secured funding as of early 2025 and is in final design with right-of-way acquisition still underway. The project improves the existing road but does not add a second access point to the south side.

The cause of the June 9 fire remains under investigation.

Rob Shelton | American Fork Citizen

Three American Fork police officers showed up at a resident’s door at 10:15 p.m., and when the family didn’t open up, a supervising lieutenant suggested charging them with obstruction.

That’s the account presented in a June 10 video published by the Lackluster Channel, an accountability journalism outlet on YouTube, documenting an incident involving an American Fork family identified only by the husband’s first name, Eric.

The incident began with a five-year-long mail dispute. Eric and his wife shared a house number with a neighbor on an adjacent street, which caused packages and letters to be sent to the wrong address. In 2020, American Fork police got involved and had a “keep the peace” meeting with both neighbors. In 2024, mail mix-ups continued and Eric sent an email to the neighbors. 

About five months later, in early 2025, Eric’s wife crossed paths with the neighbor’s husband at their shared place of worship, the local temple. According to the Lackluster video, they had a brief conversation and parted ways. The neighbor’s account differed sharply, she told police her husband had been approached without warning and confronted about the mail dispute, though she wasn’t present herself. Hours later, she called police on the non-emergency line.

Officer Bronson Kitchen was assigned the call. He phoned the neighbor, heard her account and committed to issuing Eric’s wife a warning — all before speaking to anyone on Eric’s side.

“I will definitely give her a call and let her know that it’s a warning this time, but that if the harassment continues, she can be arrested,” Kitchen told the neighbor, according to audio in the Lackluster video.

When Kitchen called, Eric answered. He told Kitchen the department had no legal basis for the call and hung up. Kitchen called back. Eric threatened to report him for electronic communication harassment and hung up again.

“You have no business calling, so leave us the hell alone and stop calling here,” Eric told Kitchen during the first call, according to the video.

Officers Kitchen, Jensen and Richardson then drove to Eric’s home and knocked on the door. The family didn’t answer. Eric called 911 and requested a Utah County sheriff’s deputy, citing prior unsatisfactory encounters with American Fork Police in connection with the ongoing neighbor dispute.

“We have a crazy neighbor who called the police on my wife,” Eric told the 911 dispatcher, according to audio in the video. “They’re using police as a way to harass us, and this is what they’re doing.”

While Eric stayed on the line with dispatch, officers continued knocking. Body camera audio caught Richardson outside the door: “Ma’am, my name’s Officer Richardson, American Fork Police Department. Can you just come talk to me?”

The family didn’t come to the door. When the Utah County sheriff’s deputy eventually arrived, Kitchen, holding citations already in hand, summarized the situation himself.

“This started off as just a harassment call that the neighbor didn’t want her cited or arrested, so I just tried to call, just to warn her,” Kitchen told the deputy, according to body camera audio. When the deputy noted they had hung up, Kitchen replied, “So I called back again.”

What happened next is captured on body camera footage reviewed in the Lackluster video. Lt. Quinn Adamson, the same officer involved in the disputed “Reckless Ben” case covered previously by American Fork Citizen, communicated from off-scene and suggested charging the family. Officer Jensen relayed the suggestion on camera: “Quinn was wondering if we go obstruction with it too, because she’s refusing to answer the door. She hung up on you twice. She stared at me through the door and then ran away.”

A disorderly conduct citation and an obstruction citation were written and mailed to the family. They never opened the door.

Neither charge appears to have gone far. According to the video, which is based in part on government records requests, Detective Cory Maxfield later told Chief Cameron Paul the case wasn’t strong. Local prosecutor Cherylyn Egner reportedly agreed, saying she did not feel good about moving forward with the charges.

The Lackluster video also raises a more serious allegation: that after Eric filed public records requests related to the incident, records specialist Adam Ellison sent a fax and a follow-up email to Eric’s employer. Mayor Brad Frost allegedly called Eric’s manager directly, a conversation lasting approximately one hour, and 83 pages of records related to Eric’s communications with the city were transmitted to his employer rather than to Eric.

Mayor Frost did not respond to a request for comment on those allegations. The American Fork Police Department declined to comment on the Lackluster Channel video.

Body camera footage from portions of the incident was muted or redacted. The Lackluster video plays audio captured on Eric’s Ring camera system during periods when officers had muted their body cameras.

You can view the approximate 36 minute video by Lackluster at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUjH12tPW1A.

Rob Shelton | American Fork Citizen

The fight over zoning for the south side of 300 North east of North County Blvd. didn’t start at the June 9 city council meeting. It started in February, when hundreds of American Fork residents packed city hall to oppose a sweeping rezoning proposal that threatened to alter neighborhoods across the entire city.

The public pushback was decisive. By April, Development Services Director Patrick O’Brien told the council the original proposal was dead. “That zoning map that we had proposed initially, we scrapped it,” he said. “It’s done with. We’re not even remotely near moving forward with that.”

What survived the citizen revolt was a short list of targeted changes and one of the most contested, the stretch of 300 North just north of American Fork Hospital.

The 300 North issue carries history that predates the general plan update by more than a decade. When American Fork Hospital received approval for a major expansion in 2014, city officials saw an opportunity to address a long-standing infrastructure concern: All hospital access ran through North County Blvd, leaving no secondary route if that corridor ever became blocked or overwhelmed. As part of the approval, the hospital agreed to work with the city to facilitate the extension of 200 North to the east into Pleasant Grove, which would provide an alternate access point to the campus.

That road was platted, easements were granted from willing neighbors, and the plan sat on city maps for years. Then it quietly disappeared.

Carol Bell, who addressed the council June 9 along with a petition signed by 28 neighbors, remembers giving up land for that promise.

“We’ve lived on 300 North for 40 years,” Bell said. “When we annexed into the city, we had a lot of discussions about the road 200 North. In 2008, the city approached us regarding an easement for the extension of 200 North. We weren’t offered any compensation for this 3,600 square feet of our property, but they asked us if we would like to have the road back there, and we said, ‘Yeah, we want the road,’ so they took an easement on it.”

Then nothing. “We’ve never been informed when or why the planned extension of 200 North was removed from the city map,” Bell said, “but I saw various maps with 200 North on it, despite all the years of discussion.”

Her requests to the council were straightforward: Restore the planned extension of 200 North, preserve the residential buffer zone along the south side of 300 North, and maintain the longstanding zoning rule that “buildings don’t extend all the way out onto 300 North on that south side.”

The rezoning under consideration is a city initiative, not a hospital application. The proposal would reclassify a handful of residential lots on the south side of 300 North into a professional office designation, squaring out the boundary of the zone that already covers the southeast corner lot of 300 North and North County Blvd. In a March city council work session, Mayor Brad Frost said homeowners wouldn’t be forced to leave, residences could remain as long as current owners choose, but when a property sells, the new designation would allow conversion to the professional office space uses.

For residents directly across the street, that distinction offers little comfort. A letter from Caitlin Blakely, who lives at 1195 East 300 North and couldn’t attend the meeting, was read aloud to the council:

“My husband and I have lived at 1195 East 300 North for five years now. … We have two young kids and enjoy playing outside, and two dogs that we take for walks along the road. If the property across from us is fully rezoned … then we will be pushed out due to safety concerns. Our neighbors will be pushed out for the same reason. We have several families with young kids and several with dogs as well. The safety of the citizens in the area should take priority over business wanting to expand.”

Blakely did propose a middle ground: “I feel it would be appropriate to rezone the back half of the land to allow them to do some work, but the front half that is against 300 North should stay residential to allow the buffer to stay in place.”

Cindy Miller, who has lived in American Fork for 36 of her 49 years, raised a process concern as pointed as any of the zoning arguments.

“In talking to these neighbors that live on 300 North, many of us are not receiving these notifications that they are saying have been mailed out,” Miller told the council. “I’m not sure what the disconnect is there.”

She said a zoning open house appeared to be scheduled for June 24 but couldn’t be confirmed anywhere on city calendars. “We spent good hours on the phone calling to get a hold of somebody to find out if this would be happening, or if it wasn’t.”

Miller cited Utah Code Section 10-2205, arguing it requires first-class mail notice and physical signs posted on affected properties. She also flagged the summer timing. “So many people are out of town during the summer for vacations, for festivals, for all sorts of things. It might not be the best time.”

Several speakers pushed back on the framing that commercial medical expansion along a residential street is simply progress the neighborhood must absorb.

John Bell stated, “What is the soul of the city? It’s not the hospital that comes in, they progress, they grow, they buy, and then they petition or gerrymander. It’s the people in the city that provide the soul of the city. The people that live along 300 North bought those properties, and they want to maintain that buffer zone. They want to maintain their livelihood, the protection of their kids.”

Felicia Green added that when she spoke to a planning commission member about where exactly to draw the new zoning boundary, the answer itself was telling. “They said it’s difficult to ascertain whether to do the zoning boundaries behind a residential home or in front along the street,” Green said. “I would just suggest that in that case, heavy deference is given to the property owners who have invested both finances and time and relationships in those areas.”

Mark Bell was direct: “People that have lived in those neighborhoods for 10, 20, 30, 40 years  just ask that you be respectful of those that have raised their families here and not give in to big corporations or how the hospital wants it.”

According to the city website, the city plans to hold an open house on June 24to discuss the zone, general plan and code changes. No specifics other than the zone change information has been provided. The city did not provide any further details about the general plan or code rewrite changes when requested.

Elizabeth Spencer | American Fork Citizen

Hundreds gathered in the Alpine Tabernacle on Memorial Day to honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. This year’s program recognized and celebrated the 250th anniversary of the birth of our nation. Each year, American Fork City and the Cemetery Committee hosts the patriotic event.

The Master of Ceremonies for the event was Lloyd Togisala, a local retired Army Major who served 22 years of active duty. He began the event by reminding patriots, “Freedom is not free.”

“To conduct the Memorial Day Program was a privilege, as we, as a community, honored the 53 from American Fork who gave their lives in combat,” shared Togisala. “The magnitude of respect and sincerity from the community was amazing.”

The American Fork City Honor Guard, made up of our American Fork fire and police departments, posted colors. The American Fork Marching Band then performed “Salute to America’s Finest.” The musical arrangement featured songs from each branch of our military. Veterans stood when their branch of music was played, so the crowd could honor and thank them with a huge round of applause.

Special guest speaker Carl Draper spoke of all the blessings citizens enjoy because of our freedoms. “I can decide what kind of friend, husband, citizen, grandfather, I want to be,” said Draper.

“Ordinary moments start to feel normal, and we think we earned them just by where we live. Let us be people worthy of what we inherit,” he added.

Draper encouraged citizens to be grateful for their freedom, reminding them that “freedom is a chance to be better.” He then shared ways we can strengthen our city, such as giving a simple smile or wave, holding the door, not wasting opportunities we’ve been given, supporting our schools, helping neighbors, and checking in on someone who is sick.

“Real freedom isn’t ‘I can do what I want.’ Real freedom is ‘I can choose what is right,’” said Draper.

Miss American Fork, Whitney Wilkins, shared, “This year was one of my favorite Memorial Days. I am constantly blown away by the community of American Fork and how they always come together and show up for each other. At the Tabernacle memorial, I was reminded of the freedoms I often take for granted and the people who gave everything for them.”

Togisala said, “I also think it helps keep our community grounded in gratitude rather than entitled. It connects current generations to its historical legacy, remembering the names of local soldiers who fought in these wars and their families who are still here. To them, this loss is a daily reality, not just an annual event. I think it helps them heal when the community honors their soldier. We’re in this together.”

American Fork veterans who lost their lives in combat were remembered during the reading of the Honor Roll. Each was remembered with the posting of a small flag, a moment of silence, and a personal salute.

“I love how Mr. Draper reminded us that this freedom is also a responsibility that we all need to fight for every day,” Wilkins added. “I was very touched as we honored our veterans, placed memorial flags, and celebrated America’s 250 years. Tears were shed as I met the families of these fallen soldiers. Words cannot express my gratitude for them. I’m grateful for this country and our amazing community. God bless America.”

The program concluded with the VFW Post 4918 and American Legion Post 49 conducting a 21-gun salute, followed by “Taps” played by two members of the American Fork Marching Band.

“It’s an honor to be here representing the POWs and the MIA, those who never made it back,” said veteran Harvey Taylor, who belongs to the Timpanogos Honor Guard.

“The importance for American Fork citizens to remember these fallen soldiers helps confront the reality that these privileges are not free, but paid for by individuals who gave their lives or entire future for this country,” shared Togisala.

Brynn Carnesecca | American Fork Citizen

Intermountain Health’s American Fork Hospital was recently recognized for its commitment to having and maintaining trees on campus. The award was presented by The Arbor Day Foundation, a global nonprofit dedicated to encouraging trees in communities.

The recognition comes as an acknowledgement of effort in different areas of landscape on campus, particularly with trees.

“Trees play a vital role in supporting healthier environments and stronger communities,” said Glen Garrick, Intermountain Health director of system sustainability. “At Intermountain, sustainability is closely tied to our mission of helping people live the healthiest lives possible.”

Earning the title of Tree Campus can be a layered and sometimes difficult process. Applicants must meet five core areas, including establishing a committee, creating a tree care plan and hosting an Arbor Day observance. Once the criteria are met, an application can be submitted on behalf of the organization.

The Arbor Day Foundation recognizes a variety of organizations, such as schools, universities and healthcare facilities, that use green spaces to support health and strengthen communities.

Trees and green spaces have been shown to reduce stress and improve health outcomes for patients, visitors and caregivers. Patients have reportedly enjoyed the new trees and commitment to beautifying the campus.

In addition to their health benefits, trees also provide important community benefits, including improved air filtration and quality, greater campus cooling during extreme heat events, and better stormwater management.

Trees also require significantly less water than traditional turf, making them an important part of long‑term water conservation efforts.

“Through ongoing investments like planting trees and expanding green spaces, we are improving campus environments in ways that support healing, conserve water, and benefit both people and the planet,” said Garrick.

Throughout the year of 2025, American Fork Hospital sought to follow their plan and create a campus with more trees and education surrounding them. Their efforts have included planting 50 new trees, expanding shaded areas and beautifying the campus.

Other work included the addition of a new green space, a caregiver patio. The area is meant for use by staff and caregivers, giving them an outdoor area to rest and recharge. The green space is available throughout the day for workers to use.

“At Intermountain American Fork Hospital, we see firsthand how a thoughtfully designed environment can support comfort, healing and connection,” said Jason Wilson, president of the hospital. “This recognition reflects our commitment to caring for the whole community, our patients, our caregivers, and the place we are proud to call home.”

Patients and caregivers alike have been enjoying the updates.

“Our landscaping team takes great pride in maintaining the trees and green spaces around the hospital,” said Keith Pennington, who leads the landscaping team at American Fork Hospital. “We’ve seen how these spaces are used and appreciated by caregivers and visitors, and it’s rewarding to know our work is contributing to a healthier, more welcoming environment.”

For more information about American Fork Hospital, visit intermountainhealthcare.org/locations/american-fork-hospital. To learn more about the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Campus program, visit arborday.org.

Brynn Carnesecca | American Fork Citizen

American Fork was recognized at the April 14th city council meeting for its dedication to supporting volunteerism, being designated a JustServe City. This honor highlights the city’s efforts to help organizations secure volunteers and promote the JustServe program.

Hugh and Karen Johnson, the JustServe representatives for AF, presented the award to Mayor Brad Frost and the city council.

JustServe is an online platform launched in 2012 that connects volunteers with organizations and projects in need. It now operates in 17 countries with over 100,000 organizations involved. In American Fork, 72 wards of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints participate.

“[JustServe] gives anyone an opportunity to find things to do,” Hugh explained. “It’s a marvelous opportunity.”

Funded and sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the resource is free and non-denominational for all. Local organizations such as the Utah State Developmental Center, Harrington Center for the Arts, and Helping Hands International use the platform to raise awareness and recruit volunteers.

To earn the JustServe City designation, the Johnsons applied through the website, demonstrating American Fork’s effort to promote JustServe among local organizations and volunteers.

Hugh shared, “In February, the City Council resolved to support and endorse volunteerism, specifically mentioning JustServe. We then applied for American Fork, and JustServe awarded us a certificate.”

American Fork joined Lehi, Lindon, Orem and Spanish Fork as JustServe cities in Utah County.

Since being asked to work with JustServe in November, the Johnsons have seen firsthand how service can help unite communities and strangers.

“If you have ever volunteered for something, you walk away from those opportunities with a feeling of having done something good. Something that served more than just yourself. The serving of other people, no matter what setting it’s in, awakens in each of us a sense of joy,” Hugh expressed.

In addition to witnessing the volunteers, the Johnsons have loved connecting with leaders of service organizations.

“Personally, what I’ve seen is leaders of organizations who are so dedicated. They are people we never hear about, people who dedicate hours and their lives to doing things that benefit others,” Hugh said. “It amazes me because they go unsung and unrecognized. That is the nature of volunteerism, many times.”

Karen added, “There is a feeling you get that you’ve done something good. I feel strongly that it improves people’s self-image and mental health.”

By becoming an AF JustServe City, the Johnsons hope to bring people together through service and attract more volunteers and organizations.

“When we’ve seen individuals participate in these activities, it doesn’t matter their profession, religion, age or background,” Hugh said. “When you stand shoulder to shoulder with someone and do something that’s not for yourself, it creates a connection and a bond that remains. That’s the power of volunteerism.”

In the future, the Johnsons and the AF city council hope to promote American Fork to a Global JustServe city. The recognition is harder to earn, but it requires a long-term commitment to publishing volunteer opportunities, recognizing JustServe heroes each year, and striving to better align with JustServe’s goals.

JustServe is available as a free resource via the JustServe App, the LDS Tools App, or by visiting www.justserve.org. The website can be used by both individuals seeking service opportunities and organizations seeking volunteers.

Rob Shelton | American Fork Citizen

For the first time in two decades, families heading to the Steel Days carnival in American Fork will pay more per ride, but organizers have built in a discount window for residents who plan ahead.

The City of Fun Carnival, a Steel Days staple since 1968, will move from $1 per ticket to $2 starting this summer. The Melendez family, which owns and operates the carnival, drove the change, citing rising operational costs. But the Steel Days Committee negotiated a middle ground: American Fork residents who purchase tickets online between June 7 and June 20 can lock in a rate of $1.50 per ticket. Those looking to purchase tickets online should check the Steel Days website, http://www.steeldaysaf.com/carnival, for a link that will go live on June 7 to purchase the tickets.

Rod Martin, chairman of the board for the American Fork Chamber of Commerce, said the operator didn’t leave much room for negotiation on the long-term price.

“Pretty cut and dried, the carnival operator just said they can’t do the $1 tickets anymore and we needed to go to $2,” Martin said. The Steel Days committee members pushed back, proposing the resident-only online window as a compromise for this year to ease the shock of the new ticket price.

“Steel Days committee members asked if we could do online only for a period of time at $1.50 for residents only, and they agreed. But next year, it’s going to be $2 across the board.” Martin added, “American Fork businesses are great at stepping up and really supporting the city and our celebration.”

The $1.50 resident rate is online only, and tickets purchased during that window won’t be available for pickup until June 21 at Historic City Hall, 31 N. Church St. Starting June 21, all pre-sale tickets, both online and in-person, go to $2. Retail locations, which will accept cash only, will be announced soon.

Even at the higher price point, the deal remains one of the better values in the state. Each SteelDeal ticket covers one carnival ride, even if the ride sign lists a higher ticket count, a perk that has defined the event’s reputation for affordability since the Melendez family first proposed the discounted model to American Fork city leaders back in 1968.

That history runs deep. The carnival started in 1959 with just two rides, the Wild Mouse and the Junior Speedway, and the family approached American Fork with an empty week in their schedule, offering to let the city sell tickets for 15 cents instead of the standard 25 cents. The arrangement stuck, and the City of Fun has shown up every Steel Days since.

This year’s carnival runs four days at Mary & Art Dye Park, 1000 N. 550 E. Hours are 6-10:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 22; 4-10:30 p.m. Thursday, July 23; and 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 24-25.

Tickets are sold in increments of 25, with a maximum of 200 per online order. There are a limited number of StealDeal tickets available and have sold out the past few years. All SteelDeal tickets are non-refundable.

Rob Shelton | American Fork Citizen

Homeowners in American Fork would see about $2.83 more per month on their property tax bills under a tentative fiscal year 2026-2027 city budget totaling nearly $209 million. City leaders say that money is non-negotiable if they want firefighters staffing a new station by October.

The city presented the tentative budget May 12, outlining a 9% property tax increase that would generate $660,000 in additional annual revenue. Every dollar goes toward one thing: partially staffing Fire Station 53, a third fire station set to open in the Lakeview area south of Interstate 15.

Finance Director Anna Montoya was direct about what happens if the increase doesn’t pass.
“Should the proposed tax increase not be passed, the new fire station will not have full shift coverage, leaving only five of the nine positions filled, resulting in gaps without staff at the new station,” she told the council.

The public hearing on the budget is set for June 9 at 7 p.m.

Property taxes and the new fire station

Station 53 will require nine full-time firefighter-paramedics to run properly. The 9% property tax increase equates to $34 annually, or $2.83 per month, on a median-value home assessed at $492,300. This increase covers four of those nine positions. The remaining five get funded by squeezing savings from elsewhere in the budget.

“We’re trying to grab every dollar we can, squeeze every dollar we can out of this budget to fund the staffing for this new station,” Montoya said.

Councilmember Ryan Hunter noted the scale of that internal effort. “You had to find $750,000 in addition to this tax increase just to kind of break even right now,” he said, thanking Montoya and her team publicly during the meeting.

Montoya also pushed back on the notion that 9% is steep. The city’s last tax increase came in 2022 and, since then, the Consumer Price Index has climbed 18%. “We’re asking for 9%,” she said. “We’re not even meeting CPI to cover inflation.”

The city went more than 14 years without a property tax increase before 2022, which resulted in about a 33% increase.

Mayor Brad Frost framed the immediate goal simply: Getting bodies on the south side of the city before a permanent station can be built. “We’re just getting bodies down there,” he said. “It’s our primary responsibility.”

The temporary station: Coverage now, construction later

Station 53 won’t open in a purpose-built facility. The city spent $200,000 in last year’s budget securing a temporary location in the southwest portion of the city, in the Lakeview region south of Interstate 15, and this year’s spending is entirely about getting firefighters inside it.

That temporary setup was a deliberate choice. Mayor Frost told the council the city hasn’t yet hit the population density to justify breaking ground on a full permanent station. The goal right now is coverage, not construction.

What that permanent station looks like and what it will cost remains an open question. The fire department’s own goals listed in the tentative budget include a line that underscores just how early-stage the planning is: “Develop plan for Fire Station 53. Determine scope and cost and timeline.” No price tag. No groundbreaking date.

In the meantime, staffing the temporary location requires 11.25 new full-time equivalent positions: three new captains, three new lieutenants, three new firefighter-paramedics and 2.25 part-time ambulance transport staff. Montoya noted the $1.4 million cost covers salaries and benefits only, uniforms and equipment for the new hires come on top of that.

The urgency behind all of it comes down to geography and growth. Fire Station 51, the city’s original station, currently ranks as the busiest single-station fire facility in Utah County.

American Fork’s population has nearly doubled since 2010, climbing from 26,263 residents to an estimated 48,536, and the bulk of new development is pushing south and west, far from Station 51’s response area.

A deficit that shows the pace of growth

There’s a number buried in the back of the budget that tells a broader story about what rapid growth costs a city trying to keep up.
The Fire Impact Fee Fund, the account that collects fees from new home and commercial developers to help pay for fire infrastructure made necessary by growth, is projected to end fiscal year 2026-27 more than $1 million in the red. Specifically, the fund is on track to carry a negative ending balance of $1,036,074.

That deficit isn’t a crisis, but it is a signal. The city is building and staffing fire infrastructure faster than developer fees are coming in to cover it, spending down reserves to make sure public safety keeps pace with the rooftops going up.

It’s the same dynamic playing out across the budget. American Fork has an anticipated buildout of 80,000 residents by 2041, nearly double today’s population. The city is already racing to widen roads, extend water lines, build parks and plan a $40 million public works facility, all while managing a population that has grown 50% in the past 12 years.

The fire impact fee fund deficit puts that race in concrete terms: Right now, the city is investing ahead of the revenue that new growth is supposed to generate. Whether that gap closes depends on how fast development, and the fees that come with it, continues.

Roads: $15.7 million in work

Road repair and connectivity has been the top resident priority in city surveys and the budget reflects that. Total road work expected to begin or continue in fiscal year 2026-27 reaches $15.7 million across multiple projects.

The biggest single item is the first phase of Lakeshore Drive, a $3.72 million extension from the existing road terminus to 1500 South and 100 West. Also on the list: a $2.59 million extension of 700 North from 100 East to 200 East, a $780,000 roundabout at 300 West and 200 South carried over from the prior fiscal year, $775,000 in improvements to the 1100 South and 100 East intersection, and $1.15 million in improvements to 100 West from 100 North to 700 North.

Road funding draws from multiple sources: Utah Department of Transportation Class C Road Funds, a quarter-cent sales tax dedicated to roads and transit, and a local portion of the county public transit tax. The Class C Road Allotment alone hits $2 million this year, up from $1.8 million in the prior year.

Fitness center: A $4 million fix

The city’s fitness center needs work, $4 million worth. That’s the single largest general fund capital expenditure in this year’s budget and will draw the general fund balance from a near-maximum 35% of revenues down to 25%. City officials describe it as a one-time outlay.
The fitness center question doesn’t end with the $4 million repair. Scott Roudabush, chairperson of the city’s Parks and Recreation Committee, told the council during the May 12 public comment period that his committee is unified behind pursuing a bond for an entirely new recreation center.

“We are on the same page and supporting doing a bond for a new rec center,” he said, noting the facility ranked second in the community survey behind roads.

The fitness center already operates with a 35% general fund subsidy, a rate that has held steady for the past six years.

Public safety beyond the new station

The police department isn’t standing still, either. The budget adds two full-time officers and two part-time crossing guard positions, with total increased personnel costs of nearly $695,000. Fleet spending jumps $432,000 as the department shifts from leasing vehicles to purchasing them outright.

Councilmember Hunter, who praised staff for finding budget savings wherever possible, pointed to the fleet decision as an example of the kind of line-by-line work happening behind the scenes.

What’s next

The City Council unanimously approved the tentative budget May 12. Final adoption requires a public hearing, set for Tuesday, June 9, at 7 p.m. and a council vote no later than June 30.
A truth-in-taxation hearing on the proposed property tax rate increase, required by state law any time a city seeks a rate above the certified tax rate, is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 11.
One note from the May 12 meeting: Zero residents attended the city’s budget open house on May 5, but the tentative budget was not released until after the public hearing.

Residents can view the full tentative budget at http://www.americanfork.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19313/FY-2027-Tentative-Budget.

Rob Shelton | American Fork Citizen

A legal opinion dropped into the middle of American Fork’s PARC Tax Advisory Board review process is drawing scrutiny, not just for what it said, but for who it targeted.

City Attorney Heather Schriever raised federal Establishment Clause and Utah State Constitution No Aid Clause concerns during an April 15 PARC Tax Advisory Board meeting, calling into question whether public funds could be directed toward the Harrington Center for the Arts’ Living Bethlehem event.

Living Bethlehem is an immersive, 20‑minute theatrical experience at the Quail Cove Amphitheater. Guests walk through a recreated ancient Bethlehem, following a narrator and meeting characters such as a shepherd family and the angel Gabriel as they search the streets for the Christ Child and eventually arrive at a nativity scene. This custom scripted theatrical experience has over 150 volunteers, live animals and historically researched sets designed to resemble authentic ancient corrals that entertain about 8,000 visitors a year.

Schriever’s advice, delivered by phone partway through the committee’s deliberations, applied only to the Living Bethlehem event. No other organization in the 2026 funding cycle faced the same constitutional standard.

That asymmetry didn’t go unnoticed.

“This is the third year that this question has been posed by legal counsel, and I still don’t understand the rationale for it,” said Spencer Stevens, representing the Harrington Center. “We are not a church. We qualify as an arts and culture organization, so we are not seeking funding as a religious entity.”

What the attorney said

Schriever acknowledged during the call that federal courts have recently “loosened the reins” on what qualifies as an Establishment Clause violation, noting that if an event is not coercive and serves a secular purpose, it generally passes constitutional muster under U.S. law. But she argued Utah’s state constitution and case law remain “a little bit tighter,” and said the safer approach would be to restrict public funds to clearly secular portions of the festival.

“I just always think the safest thing is to say, hey, we’re going to use public money for this,” Schriever told the board. “Let’s find ways to allocate those public funds to the secular parts of the festival, as opposed to the religious parts of the festival.”

From Schriever’s comments and questions, she has not attended the event prior to offering that characterization. According to those present at the meeting, the attorney’s understanding of the event came entirely from questions posed to board members during the call and side conversations with City Council member Staci Carroll.

A scripted reenactment, not a worship service

What Schriever described as a “potentially religious festival” is, by the Harrington Center’s own framing, a scripted theatrical experience, closer in form to a stage production than a church service. Attendees make timed reservations, walk through scenes that include choir performances and live animals, and exit through the Christmas market. The event is part of a broader celebration that also includes Santa Claus, a holiday market, food trucks, a community stage featuring local dance and musical groups, and outdoor bonfires.

Stevens pushed back on the framing directly. “It is a play,” he told the board. “We do have actors. The story content is religious in nature, similar to other religious plays and songs performed by other artistic groups in this city.”

His point landed. Board member Hugh Johnson agreed. “I do see it as a play, culturally,” Johnson said, drawing a comparison to “Fiddler on the Roof,” and questioning whether the city’s caution amounted to overcorrection.

The selective standard

What Stevens and others found hardest to accept wasn’t the legal argument itself, it was the fact it was applied to one organization, mid-process, without warning.

“I don’t see her evaluating the artistic merit content of every artistic and cultural organization that’s an applicant here and saying, ‘If you say the word Jesus in a Christmas program, you cannot receive funding,’” Stevens said. “So I don’t understand the level, the threshold of legal review that this event is receiving versus the rest.”

PARC tax dollars have historically funded Christmas concerts in American Fork where religious pieces are performed or played. Past grants have supported productions like “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” and the annual Steel Days art show has accepted and displayed artwork with overtly religious themes, all without triggering the same constitutional review. None of those applicants faced mid-cycle opinions from the city attorney.

Nothing in the rulebook covers this

The PARC Tax Policies and Procedures, in both the 2023 version and the February 2026 amendments, contain no language about religious content, constitutional limitations on funding faith-adjacent events, or any standard for evaluating the religious character of a cultural organization’s programming. The published criteria cover nonprofit status, qualifying operating expenses, arts and culture definitions, and funding priorities.

Nowhere do the policies mention the Establishment Clause. Nowhere do they mention the No Aid Clause of the Utah Constitution. There is no published framework that would have put any applicant on notice that the religious character of their programming could disqualify, or partially disqualify, a funding request.

Stevens raised exactly that point. “There’s a big question on why this concern keeps being raised, but not allowing us to actually address the merits of the legal arguments,” he said.

Ohio watched this movie last year

American Fork isn’t the first U.S. municipality to fumble this particular legal question. In October 2025, the city of Pataskala, Ohio denied local resident Susan Conley’s permit to set up a live nativity scene at a holiday-themed farmers market, allowing Santa Claus and other Christmas displays while singling out the religious content. First Liberty Institute fired off a demand letter arguing the move violated both the U.S. and Ohio constitutions. Within days, Pataskala reversed course, allowing the nativity with a simple disclaimer that the city wasn’t officially endorsing it.

The lesson from Pataskala wasn’t that nativity scenes are unproblematic, it’s that selectively applying constitutional standards to religious expression, while waving through everything else at the same event, creates its own legal exposure. Singling out one applicant, or one display, tends to invite the very litigation officials are trying to avoid.

Committee navigates around the controversy

The board ultimately chose not to financially penalize the Harrington Center for a legal dispute it had no hand in creating. After discussion, members landed on a solution:

recommend $25,000 to Living Bethlehem, with language limiting those funds to the secular components, the Christmas market and winter community stage. To offset the portion the city attorney flagged, the board increased the Harrington Center’s Fork Fest allocation by $10,000, a separate event large enough to absorb the shift without disrupting the organization’s overall programming.

Board Chair Scott Okelberry framed the workaround plainly. “The big goal is that the community likes the event. We generally support it,” he said. “The attorney says we shouldn’t use public funds for the religious side. Spencer can debate that with her separately, and that’s fine.”

One board member said she didn’t want to risk losing the event to another city. “I would hate to have them think they have to take it to another city because we’re being sticklers about it,” she said. “I think it’s a benefit for this community.”

The vote to approve the full recommendations passed without dissent.

Questions that remain

What the committee could not resolve, and what the workaround cannot paper over, is a set of process failures with real consequences.

The city attorney’s opinion arrived mid-cycle, after Harrington had already completed the published application process in full. No policy put them on notice. No rubric warned them their programming might be evaluated on constitutional grounds. And the attorney never reached out to the organization directly, never attended the event, and never reviewed the scripted content of the reenactment before rendering a judgment about its religious character.
That’s not a small thing. The PARC grant process runs on clear, published criteria. Applicants invest time and resources preparing proposals against those criteria. Introducing a constitutional standard that exists nowhere in the published policies, applied to one applicant at the 11th hour based on a description of the event rather than direct knowledge of it, raises legitimate due process questions the board acknowledged but was not positioned to answer.

The committee did right by the Harrington Center in the final allocation. But the underlying question remains heading into the city council’s review: Why does Harrington keep facing a legal standard no other applicant encounters, and who gets to decide when that standard applies?