EM Academy wraps first round with more engaged residents
Eagle Mountain City recently completed the inaugural session of the Eagle Mountain Academy, a six-week educational program designed to give residents an inside look at the services, operations, and personnel that keep the city running.
Twenty residents completed the course, participating in classroom sessions and guided tours to learn about everything from public safety and infrastructure to local government finance and planning.
The Academy, which wrapped up this week, was developed to help residents better understand the inner workings of the City and how they can play a more active role in shaping its future.
“The goal was to make city government more accessible, and I think we succeeded,” said Natalie Winterton, Eagle Mountain’s Management Analyst and Academy coordinator. “Participants got to ask questions directly to department heads, tour our facilities, and meet others in the community who share a desire to learn and get involved.”
Over the course of six weeks, participants explored a wide variety of city services and departments.
Topics included Finance, Communications, Police, Fire, Emergency Management, Planning, Engineering, Parks, Cemetery, Stormwater, Water, Wastewater, Library, Events, Wildlife, and more. Each session was led by City staff members who provided both overviews and detailed answers to resident questions.
Terrence Dela Pena, a Finance Analyst with the City, emphasized the importance of transparency and education when it comes to local government.
“One of the most common reactions we saw was, ‘Wow, I had no idea all of this went into running the City,’” said Dela Pena. “We want our residents to know where their tax dollars are going and how decisions get made. The Academy helped demystify a lot of that.”
In addition to classroom discussions, Academy participants went on guided tours of key City facilities. These included City Hall, the public works building and machine yard, the wastewater treatment plant, a water pump station, Smith Ranch Park, the City cemetery, the Wildlife Corridor, Fire Station 253, and the Utah County Sheriff’s Office Eagle Mountain Division.
“The tours were a highlight for many participants,” Winterton said. “Seeing the scale and complexity of our operations made it real for people. It’s one thing to hear about stormwater systems, but it’s another to see how they’re maintained and managed in the field.”
Beyond the content, the Academy also created space for residents to build new friendships and connect with others who care about their community.
With a successful first session in the books, the City is already planning its next Academy cohort for summer or fall of this year. While the City would like to see more residents go through the program, Winterton said the class size will remain intentionally small.
“We want to keep it personal,” Dela Pena said. “A smaller group lets us move around the City more easily and gives participants more time to interact directly with staff.”
Interested residents are encouraged to watch for announcements on the City website and social media channels.