Salt Lake County Council to take up EV charging fees and a $150,000 open space buy

The Salt Lake County Council meets Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 12:30 p.m. in Council Chambers, Room N1-110, with a packet that sets up three decisions on money: a county-wide electric vehicle charging policy and fee schedule, a public hearing on pay for ten top county appointees, and a $150,000 land purchase for open space. The Council also holds a 2027 budget workshop, with a time-certain emergency services segment at 3 p.m. ^[1]

**Electric vehicle charging fees.** Item 9.2 would adopt a countywide policy for county-owned charging stations. The agenda summary says the policy sets up centralized management by Facilities, a standard vendor, fees for agencies, employees and the public, and a dedicated fund for operations, maintenance and replacement. Council Chair Aimee Winder Newton and Council Member Laurie Stringham are listed as presenters, with county staff. ^[1]

Item 9.3 would set the fees, which the agenda says recover costs from users instead of the general fund. Effective Jan. 1, 2027, the public and employee rates would be $0.30 per kilowatt-hour at Level 2 chargers and $0.50 at Level 3 fast chargers, plus a $1.00 session charge and an idle charge of $10 an hour, or $0.167 a minute. County fleet vehicles would pay $0.16 per kilowatt-hour at Level 2 and $0.50 at Level 3. The agenda says the schedule would be approved or reviewed at least annually. ^[1]

**Hearing on appointee pay.** Item 8.1 asks the Council to set a public hearing for Nov. 10 at 4 p.m. on possible compensation increases for "executive county officers." A 2024 state law, Utah Code 17-66-401(2), requires the hearing before a county can adopt a budget that includes such an increase. The staff report says the officers are the deputy mayors, associate deputy mayors and department directors appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the Council, ten positions in all. ^[1]

The Mayor's proposed 2027 budget includes a 3.25% salary adjustment for appointed, non-merit employees, which the report describes as the same as the adjustment proposed for other county employees and elected officials. The attached table lists a 2026 salary and a 2027 funding allocation for each position. The ten 2026 salaries range from $153,961 to $261,376, and the 2027 allocations total $1,971,749, about $62,500 more than the 2026 total of $1,909,223. The deputy mayor of finance and administrative services, who is also the chief financial officer, has the highest figure, at $261,376 in 2026 and $269,936 allocated for 2027. The staff report says that under county ordinance the Council does not approve specific salaries for appointed employees; it votes to fund adjustments in the budget. ^[1]

**Open space purchase.** Consent item 4.1 would buy a parcel at about 3072 Sherwood Drive in Salt Lake City from Don L. and Teresa A. Skaggs for $150,000 from the Open Space Fund. The agenda says the purchase supports the county's open space program and could provide additional connections to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. The parcel has been leased since at least 1993 for the Sheriff's Office radio transmission equipment; the lease would end on purchase, which the agenda says would end the lease payments. ^[1]

Another consent item, 4.2, would set a $20 hourly rate for Council members-elect during onboarding as part-time temporary county employees. The Council is also asked to approve an interlocal agreement with the University of Utah for research by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute (9.1) and to take a first reading of an ordinance that writes into county code the procedures for adopting legislative intent items during the budget process and issuing proclamations (9.4). ^[1]

Public comment is limited to one hour. The meeting is also available by Webex and on the Council's Facebook page. The packet is a plan for the meeting, and the Council can change or table items; outcomes will be reported once the Council votes. ^[1]