By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News
Helper City mayoral candidate Lenise Peterman joined the KOAL newsroom to discuss her campaign, platform and what she aims to accomplish if elected.
Speaking first on her decision to run for another term as mayor, Peterman shared,” It’s a fair question, but the reality is, we haven’t finished all of the good work that we’ve started. Namely, I’d like to see some progress as it relates to the grid. We have some river restoration and rehabilitation to do due to the bear wildfire, road maintenance and cemetery expansion. The list just goes on and I’d love to finish some things before I exit.”
Mayors are required to work with and manage the needs of multiple city departments. Peterman discussed how she would approach this task,” I’m so fortunate to have a great council who works with their departments and surfaces the needs that they have and the issues that they might be experiencing with tools or equipment and what have you. So I really feel like it’s a collective situation where we work together and then we have to prioritize, because that’s what you have to do, what’s most important to benefit the citizens of Helper.”
Managing Helpers presents a unique challenge given the number of nonprofit and charitable groups operating within the city. Peterman explained how she would balance the needs of these different groups while also maintaining the interests of Helper’s citizens. “We’re so honored to have so many nonprofits in our midst, and they tend to focus on different things. The Helper Project focuses on scholarship. You have the Friends of Helper who focuses on the all-access park. So I’m trying to make sure they’re complementary and not competing. And the city is just really looking to support those things, those projects, be it in kind or what have you, so that they can fulfill their needs and objectives.”
Looking ahead to the potential next four years, Peterman shared some projects she would like to undertake if elected: “One big one is to really get the electrical grid through an analysis so that we can build a phased plan to upgrade with the out-of-date transformers, the poles, etc. The next thing is looking at affordable housing. So we have some plots that the city owns. We have an outstanding grant for that. And then maturing the USU Eastern baseball and softball relationships and really building a collegiate arena that people can come and enjoy, both locals and guests.”
With Helper’s government structured as a strong-council, weak-mayor setup, no mayor can accomplish their goals without the council’s help. Peterman spoke on how she would work with the council to advance her vision,” It’s all to me about vision setting and that if we’re all agreeing on the vision of where we’re going, that we want affordable housing, that we need to perform road maintenance, it becomes that much easier to collaborate and prioritize and budget according to those issues. So again, it’s about being communicative with the council, hearing their positions and then collectively coming together to build the next step forward.”
Closing our conversation, Peterman answered why she thinks the citizens of Helper should use their vote this November for her: “I hope my words, my actions, the work that I’ve done on behalf of Helper to date, speak volumes of who I am and what the possibilities are. And I would really be honored to have your vote in this upcoming election.”
This article does not serve as an endorsement for the candidate featured. All candidates in the 2025 municipal election cycle are entitled to one free interview. To schedule, email news@koal.net.