Tag: Provo City Government

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Provo City News

Meet the Candidates for Provo City Council: Wendy Ahlman

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A Note from the Provo Tribune Editorial Team

Election season is upon us. Part of our mission at The Provo Tribune is to help Provo citizens to become active, informed voters who are anxiously engaged in building their community. To further this mission, we’re highlighting every candidate running for Provo City Council this year. These features do not constitute an endorsement, and are done as a public service for the community.

Who is Wendy Ahlman?

Wendy Ahlman is running in the City Wide II – Primary Election for Provo City Council. She has called Provo home for the last 27 years.

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“I have been fortunate to raise all six of my children here,” says Ahlman. “As a teacher and business owner for over 20 years, I started Chrysalis Preschool and Kindergarten in our historic home in downtown Provo in 2004 with a newborn in my arms and my toddler learning at my feet. After a lot of hard work and dedication, I’ve expanded Chrysalis Preschool and Kindergarten into what it is today.”

When she outgrew the preschool space in her home, she bought an abandoned historic pioneer building on University Avenue, and completely restored it in 2017.

“As my business has grown I’ve developed a strong team of employees, which has helped me branch out further into the community,” she says. “I’ve served as PTA president and on several school boards at my children’s schools over the years.”

In 2022 she earned her master’s degree in Educational Leadership from BYU. Her goals for being on the Provo City Council are to keep Provo historic with a small town feel, and growing in a way that’s best for every resident.

She loves spending time with her family, playing the guitar, speaking Swedish, and writing and illustrating children’s books.

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Provo City News

Meet the Candidates for Provo City Council: Stan Jensen

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A Note from the Provo Tribune Editorial Team

Election season is upon us. Part of our mission at The Provo Tribune is to help Provo citizens to become active, informed voters who are anxiously engaged in building their community. To further this mission, we’re highlighting every candidate running for Provo City Council this year. These features do not constitute an endorsement, and are done as a public service for the community.

Who is Stan Jensen?

Stan Jensen has been married to his wife Melanie for thirty years. Together, they’re raising their children Rachel, Ryan, Sabrina, and Athena and serve their neighbors and community.

Stan’s recent service includes serving as Chair of Provo District 1 Neighborhood Executive Board, which oversees neighborhood input on zoning changes, land use, community matching grants, and other key issues for about 1/5th of Provo. He completed the Provo Citizens’ Police Academy program to better understand and support our local police. He also completed the “Provology” course, which is a study of the branches and operation of Provo’s government.

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Stan’s focus is to protect and improve what makes Provo a great place for raising families and building a strong community. He wants to do this through helping Provo’s government focus on its core responsibilities. He believes these are public safety, neighborhood, parks, and infrastructure. He wants to avoid pushing political agendas, avoid contention, and avoid distractions.

Stopping the rapid growth of government spending, debt, and taxes is another main focus for Stan. He believes that effective governance requires listening to and serving the values and priorities of the people and neighborhoods of Provo, rather than telling citizens how to think and what to do.

Stan is passionate about serving his community, his country, and preserving, protecting, and improving on “the many blessings and freedoms for us and for future generations.”

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Provo City News

BYU Student Runs Provo City Council Bid on a $0 Budget

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By Zach Collier

A 24-year-old Brigham Young University student has announced his candidacy for Provo City Council’s City-Wide seat. His name is Tanner Bennett. Running what he calls a “$0 campaign,” his strategy involves taking no donations and instead encouraging people to give back to the community.

Bennett’s campaign centers around what he calls the “silent 50%.” This group consists of individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 who historically have low turnout in local elections and make up roughly half of Provo’s population and tax base. 

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Bennett runs his $0 campaign primarily on social media (@bennett_for_provo). His efforts have already led to thousands of dollars in material and monetary donations to organizations like Food and Care Coalition and Community Action Services and Food Bank.

We asked why he decided to use this approach instead of traditional campaign funding approaches. “I believe it is a politician’s job to serve, educate, and uplift their community,” Bennett says. “I think it’s ridiculous to take thousands of dollars to run when there is so much that could be done with that money to meet others’ needs.”

Balancing his studies with a role as a global sales executive at a multimillion-dollar firm, Bennett brings a blend of youthful vigor and corporate leadership experience to his campaign. He also directs an International NGO fostering US-China relations. This has given him extensive experience in leading and directing non-profits, plus a unique understanding of government, nonprofit, and corporate spheres.

Bennett is running as an independent moderate, focusing on solutions instead of partisan politics. Bennett’s presence on social media has emphasized critical issues from both sides of the aisle while focusing on issues important to the “silent 50%.” These include housing, tenant rights, the well-being of vulnerable renters, and the inclusion of marginalized groups like the LGBTQ+ community. Bennett has made plans to do this all while working to balance resources, opposing higher taxes, and acting as a “careful steward of the citizens’ hard-earned tax dollars.”

“No one understands the value of a dollar better than a full-time student who refuses to take on debt,” says Bennett.

All individuals over 18 years old who have lived in Provo for 30 days or more are eligible to vote without needing a Utah driver’s license. Register to vote for Provo’s primary election today at vote.utah.gov. Provo’s primary election will be held from August 22 to September 5th, 2023.

You can follow Tanner Bennett on Instagram here. Hear him address issues personally below.

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Provo City News

From Provo? You Could Run for Office

Photo by Michael Beener
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By Charlie G. Patreus

Provo City residents, mark your calendars! The time has come for those with aspirations of public service to step up and actively participate in shaping the future of the city. From June 1 to June 7, 2023 (excluding weekends), Provo City is officially opening its filing period for residents considering running for city office.

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Excitingly, four crucial municipal seats will be up for election: Council Districts 1, 3, and 4, along with the Citywide Council II. If you have ever felt the desire to influence strategic decision-making, contribute to policy formation, and truly make a difference in Provo, this is your moment.

Here’s a map displaying the City Council Municipal Districts with precinct boundaries:

In the event that more than two candidates file for a particular office, a primary election will be held on Tuesday, August 15, 2023.

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To officially become a candidate, filing a declaration of candidacy is imperative. This step must be completed in person with the City Recorder during the designated filing period. Office hours are 8 AM – 5 PM, from June 1 to June 7, with weekends excluded.

A filing fee, set at $75, is an integral part of the candidacy filing process and represents a modest investment towards the prospect of making a significant impact on Provo City.

Should you have any questions or concerns, City Recorder Heidi Allman, is available. Reach out to her by phone at 801-852-6524 or via email at recorder@provo.org.

The Municipal Election in Provo City will take place in 2023, with the Primary Election scheduled for Tuesday, August 15, and the general election set for Tuesday, November 7. Similar to previous years, this will be a vote-by-mail election.

Active registered voters can expect to receive their ballots in the mail approximately 2-3 weeks before each election. Ballots can be returned at any of the 25 drop boxes located throughout Utah County. These drop boxes are accessible 24/7 and will accept ballots until 8 PM on election night.

For a comprehensive list of drop box locations, visit voteprovo.com. Alternatively, you may also choose to return your ballot by mail; however, it must be postmarked no later than the day before Election Day.

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