Francis City Mayor Jeremie Forman lives half a mile away from the house where he grew up — and he doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon.
His family moved to Francis from Draper in 1989 when Forman was in elementary school. He’s been in the area ever since, working for the Summit County Sheriff’s Office as the head of its K-9 unit before transitioning to Mounted Patrol, a specialized group of deputies and volunteers on horseback who typically assist in search and rescue operations.
Francis residents likely recognize Forman’s name for another reason, though — his almost 15 years of political service.
“I had someone say to me years ago, and I’ve tried to live by this since then, that everybody’s always saying, ‘Somebody should do something. Somebody should fix that.’ If somebody should do something, maybe that somebody should be you,” Forman said.
Forman has served as the city’s mayor for three years, obtaining the position by appointment after his predecessor, Jan Brussel, moved away and resigned. Prior to that, Forman had approximately 12 years of experience on the Francis City Council.
“I’ve basically given my entire life to public service whether it’s at the city level or the county level,” Forman said. “It’s who I am and what I do. … I see it more as a role of service, not something that makes you important or anything like that. It’s more that you’re the guy who’s willing to go out there and do some work for the people because it’s really about the people and the city itself, not about me.”
Forman is running for a second mayoral term this year, although he said it may be his last stint in local politics. He said he opposes career politicians and recognizes that with 15 years of experience under his belt, it may be time to step aside in the future. Right now, though, Forman said there are a few things he wants to see through before leaving office, namely the city’s continuing commercial development.
“We have some commercial projects coming online, and I think it’s change and it’s difficult for the city, especially for those of us who have been here for a long time, but also the impact that those projects are going to have long term for the city are huge,” Forman said.
The most notable projects within city limits lately have been the two proposed hotels, one of which includes space for other commercial businesses and drive-thru restaurants.
“Having that commercial base becomes super important because now people who are coming through here are going to leave a little bit of their money here,” Forman explained. “That will help us with some of that impact that’s created, and then we can maintain and build our infrastructure without it being solely on the backs of the residents. A thriving city needs to have some commercial base, and we’re reaching those goals.”
Forman said he also wants to focus on attainable housing if he’s re-elected, hoping to make a dent in the state’s and Summit County’s housing shortages by providing solutions for local families who want to stay in Francis despite the ever-increasing cost of living.
“We want our kids to be able to stay here,” he said. “We want our families to be close and to be able to live here, and the only way we can do that is if we work toward providing some attainable solutions in the housing market.”
He added that he doesn’t view the creation of affordable housing as solely a city responsibility, but he acknowledged that the city often needs to be involved in discussions with developers and other stakeholders in order to encourage housing construction while still advocating for open spaces and the community’s rural environment.
“I don’t have all the answers, and there are some really smart folks out there who might come to the table with ideas and solutions that we’ve never considered or thought about,” Forman said. “Maybe they’re good, maybe they’re not, but I think you’ve got to be willing to hear those ideas and look at what those solutions might be.”
Forman said he would love it if Francis “didn’t change one bit,” but he understands that’s not the reality the Kamas Valley is facing. For that reason, he said he’s always open to discussing potential projects with developers, community members and anyone else interested in the city’s growth, although it doesn’t mean he’ll be on board with every proposal.
“This is my home, and it’s been my home for a long, long time,” Forman said. “I don’t think you’ll find anyone who cares more about what happens here and what this city will become than me. I’ve basically devoted my entire life to public service, and I’ve always been the guy that you can count on. If someone calls and needs something, I’m there, whatever the occasion may be.”
Forman is competing with Byron Ames, who served as mayor from 2018-22, for the city’s top seat. They will both appear on the general election ballot on Nov. 4.