The Heber City Council will wait until April 14 to decide whether to keep City Manager Matt Brower in charge for three more years.
The contract renewal has attracted some attention online. A petition circulated on social media asking the council not to keep Brower, with some complaining the vote was set for the same night as the Wasatch County Republican convention.
Many locals showed up at a meeting Tuesday, April 7, to share their opinions of Brower’s leadership. More people supported Brower than spoke against him.
Heber City resident Kathy Carr said Brower has led the community with “energy and enthusiasm.”
“Whether it’s being George Washington [on the Fourth of July], setting up policies, giving advice to the council, setting up a Leadership Academy – these are things we never had before, were it not for Matt Brower,” she said.
City planning commissioner Tori Broughton applauded Brower and his family for being active and engaged.
“I see [him] and his wife at so many events,” she said. “They’re at the park; they’re at things they don’t need to be at, on their own time, supporting this community. I think they love to be here, and I think it shows.”
Heber resident Adam Thompson said he didn’t think the city council should accede to “online bullying.”
“If you vote not to renew, you’re setting a precedent that online slander and a toxic culture is what a new manager is going to enter into, and you’re not going to recruit a new manager,” he said. “People are not going to want to come into that environment.”
There were also some detractors in the room.
County resident Bridget Whiting shared the online petition asking the city not to renew Brower’s contract.
Alexandra Fullmer also opposed renewing Brower’s contract, citing concerns about his past city manager roles in Florida and California.
“As time passes, it has become incredibly clear that his leadership is not in alignment with residents’ vision for our valley,” she said.
Mayor Heidi Franco said she was concerned about the amount of protection Brower has.
Three years ago, Franco was the lone vote against renewing Brower's contract. At that time, the city added a requirement that Brower receive severance pay if he is fired without cause. It also requires the city council to conduct an investigation to establish cause if it wants to fire him.
The mayor said Tuesday those terms go too far.
“I feel that we are crossing the line by giving so many protections in his current contract,” she said.
Councilmember Mike Johnson made a motion to renew Brower’s contract, but Franco, along with Councilmembers Yvonne Barney and Morgan Murdock, voted “no.”
Councilmember Aaron Cheatwood made a successful motion to continue the discussion of Brower’s contract to April 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Heber City is a financial supporter of KPCW.
