Council debates what 'responsible growth' should mean for Payson

Assistant City Manager Robert Mills framed the session portion on responsible growth by asking councilmembers to consider how Payson can "gain trust in the community" while keeping pace with growth rather than reacting to it. Mills listed transportation, sales tax and education as core components to consider when defining responsible growth.

Council members raised concerns about infrastructure capacity and disconnection among developments, and discussed examples of communities that had grown both responsibly and irresponsibly. The exchange emphasized the need to align growth expectations with infrastructure planning and invited staff to identify comparative examples and next steps the city can adopt.

Speakers referenced in this article: Robert Mills, Assistant City Manager; Dave Tuckett, City Manager.