Town of Mantua Council Meeting Minutes
Working Meeting
For February 19th, 2026
Location: Town Hall, 409 North Main, Mantua, Utah
Council Members Present: Mayor Annette Ash, Mayor Pro Tempore Matt Jeppsen, Council member Scott Ross, Council Member Cheryl Burgan
Recorder: Sherita Schaefer
Audience Present: Janis Johnson, Harper Johnson, Don Ruhl, Pam Eaves
The meeting was opened by Mayor Annette Ash.
The February 19 meeting was a productive work session dedicated to sharpening the town's internal procedures and defining our long-term priorities.
1. A 10-Year Strategic Vision
Mayor Ash proposed creating a formal 'Town Vision' to serve as Mantua's 'North Star' for the next decade. The goal is to move from being reactive to external pressures-particularly financial and operational influences from neighboring entities-to becoming more independent and self-reliant. Using a framework inspired by Crossing the Chasm, the Mayor presented a draft vision statement and a performance dashboard to track our progress.
2. Defining Success (OKRs)
To turn this vision into reality, the mayor introduced five 'Objectives and Key Results' (OKRs) to measure the town's health and growth:
- Independence & Self-Reliance: Strengthening our autonomy as a municipality.
- Fiscal Sustainability: Maintaining sound finances without over-relying on outside funding.
- Quality of Life: Prioritizing the resident experience and community environment.
- Managed Growth: Proactively managing the town's current 4.7% annual growth rate.
- Infrastructure Resilience: Ensuring our water, sewer, and road systems keep pace with demand.
3. Next Steps for the Council
The Council has been tasked with reviewing the mayor's draft or developing an alternative vision statement. These proposals will be the centerpiece of the next quarterly work session in May.
4. Procedural Improvements
To make our meetings more efficient and respectful of everyone's time, the Council agreed to several updates:
- New Meeting Rhythm: We will continue regular monthly meetings but add quarterly work sessions (February, May, August, and November) for deep dives into long-term projects.
- Smarter Agendas: To prevent 'meeting fatigue,' we are adopting a 'time box' approach. Presentations will be limited to 5-10 minutes, with a firm 90-minute cap on the entire meeting.
- Clearer Deadlines: Agenda items must now be finalized at least one week prior to the town council meeting. This ensures residents have ample time to review topics before the public comment period.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Pro Tempore Jeppsen motioned adjourn the closed meeting. Council Member Burgan made the second.
Yes votes: Mayor Annette Ash, Matt Jeppsen, Scott Ross, Cheryl Burgan
No votes: None
Abstained: None
Absent: None
MOTION PASSED
Time of Adjournment: 6:00 P.M
Notice of Special Accommodations (ADA)
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, persons needing auxiliary communicative aids and services for this meeting should contact the Management Services Department at 629-8701 (TTY/TDD: 711 or 888-735-5906) or by emailing town recorder at sschaefer@mantuautah.gov at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting.
Notice of Electronic or Telephone Participation
Public meetings may be held electronically in accordance with Utah Code Annotated 52-4-207 to allow Council members to participate via teleconference. The anchor location for the meeting shall be held at the Mantua Town Hall 409 North Main St, Mantua Utah 84324
Other Information
Certificate of Posting
The foregoing agenda was (1) posted on the Utah Public Notice Website created under Utah Code Section 63F1-701. (2) Town of Mantua website, and (3) posted in Town of Mantua City Office on 3/20/2026 by Sherita Schaefer - Town Recorder