Inaugural Message

Bret Rhode – Mayor

January 2026

Friends and Neighbors,

The first 30 days of any new journey set the tone for everything that follows. First and foremost, a sincere thank you is owed to everyone who showed up to vote and placed the trust of this community in this office. That trust is not taken lightly, and the goal for this month is simple: build a foundation where the community’s voice is heard and where the city operates like an open book.

Before looking at the road ahead, there is a sincere debt of gratitude owed to Lyle Holmgren, Wes Estep, and Brandon Vonk. Lyle has served Tremonton for 20 years—16 on the City Council and four as Mayor. That’s a massive commitment to this community. Thanks are also due to Wes for his time on the Council and to Brandon, who stepped in this past year and brought a solid perspective to the table. We thank all three of these men for their years of work and their dedication to Tremonton.

As the city moves forward, it is a privilege to welcome the new City Council. Please join in welcoming Brent Jex and Beau Lewis to four-year terms, and Kristie Bowcutt and Sharri Oyler, who are joining as City Councilmembers for two-year slots. It is also great to have Blair Westergard continuing his service on the Council. This is a capable group, and there is a lot of good work to get done together.

The Council and city staff are teaming up to focus on immediate priorities this month. Tremonton is adopting the Dignity Index, which is an 8-point scale used to hold public meetings to a higher standard of respect. It isn’t about stopping tough conversations; it’s about ensuring that even when there is a disagreement, it is handled with the professionalism you expect from your leaders. You can see the scale at DignityIndex.us.

At the same time, the Tremonton City website is getting an overhaul. The goal is to make it interactive and much easier to find exactly what is needed. City information should be at your fingertips, not buried in a filing cabinet, and you can check in for updates at tremontoncity.org.

Community involvement is also a major focus as plans move fast for a Citizens’ Advisory Committee, an Emotional Wellness Committee, and a Neighborhood Committee. These are on the agenda for approval this month, and you can keep an eye on the Tremonton City Facebook page and the city website for information on how to volunteer and get involved.

There is a lot of excitement for the next four years. The mission is to bring balance to the city—listening to the voice of the people and supporting that voice through the work of the city staff. The people working at City Hall have been impressive during this transition. They have an incredibly important role and have embraced this new chapter with a real willingness to serve. It is truly exciting to work alongside this staff; they are the ones who keep the wheels turning, and their expertise is highly valued. When a dedicated staff is paired with an actively engaged community, there’s nothing that can’t be accomplished.

The first City Council meeting of the year is set for January 6th. During this meeting, a date will be finalized for a community Town Hall. This Town Hall will be the time to provide a full update on progress, lay out the facts and figures for the year ahead, and, most importantly, listen to you. Keep an eye on tremontoncity.org and the Tremonton City Facebook page for that forthcoming date.

It’s an honor to serve this community. Let’s get to work.