Orem joins new agency to help fund UTOPIA

OREM — The Orem City Council agreed Tuesday night to become a member of the Utah Infrastructure Agency — a first step toward allocating more funds to UTOPIA, a fiber-optic telecommunications network that currently serves 11 Utah cities, including Orem.

Council members voted unanimously to join the agency.

"It's another way to accommodate some additional financing to create some additional opportunities to expand and grow the system," said city manger Jim Reams, who also serves as UTOPIA's executive board vice chairman.

Orem has about 2,800 customers using UTOPIA.

Tuesday night's action involved no money, but UTOPIA has announced plans to seek additional funding from its member cities.

— Marc Haddock