Lehi City Council Meeting: FEMA Emergency Management Training and Closed Session

On February 10, 2026, the Lehi City Council convened for a regular meeting that included a comprehensive FEMA emergency management training session led by Utah County Emergency Manager Peter Quittner, followed by a unanimous vote to hold a closed meeting. The training covered the National Incident Management System (NIMS), incident command structure, roles of senior officials, and coordination between local, county, state, and federal entities. No agenda or minutes were available for this meeting.

Discussion Items

• FEMA Emergency Management Training for Senior Officials: Peter Quittner, Utah County Emergency Manager (15 years of experience), presented a FEMA course designed for elected and appointed officials. The training emphasized:
  • The National Incident Management System (NIMS) as a consistent template for managing incidents of any size, ensuring all responders are trained uniformly.
  • The legal basis for NIMS (Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 and 8).
  • Local control: The city retains authority over its incident even when outside assistance is requested; the mayor has ultimate responsibility, but can delegate authority to an incident commander.
  • The roles of multi-agency coordination groups, emergency operations centers (EOCs), and joint information systems (JIS) for coordinating messaging and resources.
  • The distinction between a “declaration of emergency” (preparation) and a “disaster declaration” (response), which can suspend normal procurement rules.
  • Recent changes to federal disaster thresholds: Utah County’s threshold increased from approximately $3 million to $15–20 million, and the state threshold also rose significantly.
  • The importance of documenting all costs and volunteer contributions to qualify for FEMA reimbursement (75% federal, 25% local match).
• Council and Staff Discussion: Councilmembers and city staff engaged in a Q&A session, including:
  • Councilmember Newell asked about confusion over command during the UVU incident; Quittner explained that while incidents may appear chaotic, internal organization is often structured, and communication is key.
  • Councilmember Lockhart asked when a delegation of authority is needed; Fire Chief (name not provided) explained that authority is already delegated to department heads, and further delegation to outside entities (e.g., for the Dry Creek fire) occurs when city resources are overrun.
  • Mayor (name not provided) noted that the council’s role during emergencies is to stay at the EOC or broadband room to approve funding, not to be on scene.
  • Emergency Manager Scott and Cameron (liaison) emphasized they would be the point of contact for the council during incidents.
  • Quittner recommended tabletop exercises to help officials understand their roles and to draft delegation of authority documents in advance.

Key Outcomes

• Unanimous Vote to Hold a Closed Meeting: The council voted unanimously (5–0) to hold a closed meeting in the council conference room to discuss “character, professional competence, or physical or mental health of an individual” (motion by Councilmember Stallings, seconded by Councilmember Lockhart). No further details were provided in the open session.
• Training Takeaways: The council gained awareness of NIMS, incident command structure, and the importance of exercising emergency plans. No formal action was taken on the training itself.

Note: The meeting began with a prayer and a brief technical difficulty with the presentation equipment. No consent calendar or public comments were included in the transcript.