Eve Christensen has lived in Heber City since 2021 and, since she’s raising five kids there, wants to be involved in “making Heber as awesome as possible.”  A freelance structural engineer, she thought maybe the best way to do that would be serving on the Planning Commission. But she quic kly realized when she started watching public meetings that she “(didn’t) even have the vocabulary to get involved.” Despite her engineering expertise, she knew very little about the inner workings of city government.  That changed after a friend told Christensen about the Heber Leadership Academy, a nine-month city program giving residents a behind-the-scenes look at public works, the police and fire departments, Heber Valley Tourism, the Intermountain Health Heber Valley Hospital, the Wasatch County School District and much more. The program culminates in a project chosen and organized by students. Christensen’s class last year designed an America250-themed geocaching scavenger hunt around town, which is still being implemented before its public launch. Past class projects have included the splash pad outside of the city building and a historic walking tour. Now that Christensen has participated in the program, she’s attended public meetings and voiced her opinions much more often. She’s also been a more informed voter, in no small part because her Heber Leadership Academy class organized a candidate forum with KPCW.  The Heber Leadership Academy, Christensen said, bridges the gap between city and county administration and residents. “There are no conspiracies. Everyone that lives here loves here,” she said. “It makes you proud of Heber and the care and effort that goes into keeping it running by good, down-to-earth people.” Heber Leadership Academy participants operate a backhoe during their class with Heber City Public Works. Credit: Photo courtesy of Heber City With the Heber Leadership Academy now accepting applications for its sixth class, Christensen has texted all of her friends, urging them to get involved. “The more informed that people are, the more aware they are of their city leadership and the leaders of the utilities and other public services, the better off we’d be,” she said. Plus, there’s a lot of fun to be had in the program. In the class devoted to public works, Heber Light Power Company brings out wire and creates searing electric arcs to cook hot dogs and marshmallows. Meanwhile, the city public works department lets participants operate a backhoe. “We’ll actually go out into our yard and get a piece of pipe, bury it up with some road base and let the academy attendees get inside the backhoe and experience taking a scoop alongside of a pipe without actually touching the pipe,” said Public Works Director Matthew Kennard. “It’s a real-world demonstration of the skill that’s involved with operators.” The Heber Leadership Academy, Kennard said, helps participants gain a greater appreciation for the little miracles of electricity, sewer and running water. He’s always impressed by “how much they want to learn and understand about how society actually works.”  Heber City Police Chief Parker Sever said the same. He said there are always questions about “what we do to keep the officers sane.” Sever explained that officers can also book therapy through BlomquistHale and are required to see a counselor once per year and after “serious events.” “At my last agency (in Hanford, California), we had an officer that had to do CPR on a baby that had just had open heart surgery. Imagine doing compressions on a baby that has sutures all the way down its stomach. Horrible,” he said. “So, we made an appointment with him to see a counselor to talk.” Beyond officers’ mental health, Sever has also taught Heber Leadership Academy students about everything from the Police Department’s SWAT team to youth mentorship opportunities.  The Heber Leadership Academy Class of 2025-26’s final project was an America250-themed geocache scavenger hunt. Credit: Photo courtesy of Heber CityThe Heber Leadership Academy Class of 2025-26 listens to a presentation by Fourth District Judge Jennifer Mabey. Credit: Photo courtesy of Heber City Students kick off the Heber Leadership Academy with an introductory lesson about leadership from former history and politics professor Matthew Heimburger. He focuses on all the various ways one can be a leader in one’s community.  That’s a lesson he personally learned while lobbying against the construction of Heber City’s 105,000-square-foot Walmart in 2007. The city did not allow retail outlets larger than 60,000 square feet until the City Council changed zoning ordinances to approve the store.  Seeking to overturn that decision, Heimburger organized a citizen group that put the issue on the ballot. But voters narrowly approved the new zoning, paving the way for the Walmart still standing today. “There were a lot of weird feelings there,” Heimburger said. “But it was totally worth it for us because we think we helped the community understand that they had a right to be involved in decision-making, whether they’re in office or not in office, that they have a right to go to meetings and to express what they prefer, to be a part of vision boarding for the community.” Heimburger loves the Heber Leadership Academy for its fostering of civic engagement. “It seems like a lost art, but it’s not. It’s just that people are crazy busy. They want to leave the politicking to the politicians until the wrong decision gets made,” he said. “Then, they’re up in arms. Well, then it’s too late.” Heimburger said informing residents about the inner workings of the city empowers them to guide their elected officials, not just react to the decisions they make. “You’ll have a businesswoman next to a real estate developer next to a stay-at-home mom next to a construction management guy next to an environmentalist,” he said. “The fact that you can bring those people into a room and get them talking about cooperating and the building of a community, I think, is a tremendous concept.” Applications for the Heber Leadership Academy close Aug. 17. The program runs Aug. 20 through May 20. Program tuition is $275. Learn more at envisionheber.com/leadership. The post Heber Leadership Academy creates a civically engaged public appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less