Heber City Council renews manager’s contract amid public backlash

Heber City town hall. Photo: Town Lift // Will Scadden

HEBER CITY, Utah — The Heber City Council voted Tuesday to extend City Manager Matt Brower’s contract for three years, approving a deal with a base salary of about $214,000 despite mounting public criticism, a petition calling for leadership review, and pointed testimony from residents.

The 4-2 vote followed weeks of debate over Brower’s leadership, including an online petition urging the council to reconsider his role when his contract was set to expire in April 2026. Petition organizers frame the effort as a loss of confidence tied to concerns about transparency, growth, financial oversight and the city’s long-term direction.

Brower has served as city manager since 2018. Mayor Heidi Franco opposed the contract renewal, raising concerns about the level of protections built into the agreement, including provisions requiring severance if he is terminated without cause and a formal investigation process to establish grounds for dismissal. She has previously warned that those terms may limit the council’s ability to hold the city manager accountable.

Tuesday’s decision capped a prolonged and at times tense process. What began as a brief agenda item earlier in April was delayed for further review, culminating in a special meeting that drew more than 100 residents and included hours of closed-door evaluation before the public session.

Public comment reflected a divided community but leaned sharply critical during recent meetings.

“I want you as council members to realize we are the taxpayers,” said longtime resident Tammy Mayer during an April 14 meeting, urging officials to “keep these things in check.” Mayer, a former city employee, also referenced past reporting and concerns raised in other states, asking the council to scrutinize Brower’s record and decisions more closely.

Brower, who has served as city manager since 2018, previously worked in Lincoln, California, where a 2019 audit by the California State Auditor found years of financial mismanagement by city officials, including improper handling of public funds, questionable transfers and practices that masked deficits. The audit concluded those issues threatened the city’s financial stability and contributed to a loss of public trust after concerns raised by residents went unaddressed.

Heidi Harmon, a Heber City resident, criticized what she described as disproportionate protections and benefits for a single employee. “I don’t think it’s fair that one person receives a contract that has all these stipulations in it that nobody else gets,” she said.

Harmon also expressed concerns about growth and development.

She believes the city is moving away from the qualities that drew people to the area. “We don’t want development. We want open space,” she said, adding that many residents do not support transforming Heber into a larger, denser city.

Former mayoral candidate Mike Hewlett delivered some of the strongest criticism, urging council members to move on from Brower after eight years in the role. He said recent elections signaled a desire for a different direction and warned that continuing current leadership would not bring change.

“You’re in an abusive relationship with Matt Brower,” Hewlett said. “It’s not going to change. He’s not going to stop. You need to just move on.”

Council members received roughly 160 written comments ahead of the vote, according to officials.

Despite the criticism, some residents and council members have expressed support for Brower in earlier meetings, pointing to his experience and continuity in managing a fast-growing city.