Ogden council hears public safety pay appeals and reviews budget, Business Depot lease funds and water rates

Decisions at a glance

Agenda, item by item

1. Item 1 · Budget

   Municipal Building Authority budget for fiscal 2024-25

   Discussed

   Comptroller Justin Sorensen said the proposed Municipal Building Authority budget totals $3,678,500. All but $5,000 held for financial reporting costs is debt service on the bond for the WonderBlock parking structure. Sorensen said downtown paid-parking revenue would go into a new enterprise fund and be used for that debt service. Council members asked where money for the Marshall White Center and Union Station would come from; Management Services Director Lisa Stout said it is planned in the city and RDA budgets.

   • Budget$3.68 million Municipal Building Authority FY2024-25 budget, mostly WonderBlock parking structure debt service. Paid from Paid-parking revenue via a new enterprise fund

2. Item 2 · Budget

   Public safety employee groups ask for higher pay

   Discussed

   Representatives of the Ogden fire fighters' union, the police benefits association and the Fraternal Order of Police told the council that wages trail other agencies. The fire union said Ogden has about one-third of Salt Lake City's fire fighters but three-quarters of its call volume, cited a wage study of 16 Utah departments in which Ogden pay was below average, and asked for 15 more fire fighter positions. Police representatives described recruiting and retention problems and asked for a system that ensures competitive pay each year. Council Member Shaun Myers said he had heard them and was on their side.

3. Item 3 · Budget

   General fund revenue estimate and enterprise fund transfers

   Discussed

   Sorensen reported estimated fiscal 2024-25 general fund revenue of $90,106,375, including $58,889,625 in property tax, a 2.05% increase over the current adopted budget. Chief Administrative Officer Mara Brown said the administration would recommend reviewing the property tax rate every year and at minimum keeping the certified rate. Stout said transfers from utility enterprise funds equal 17% of those funds: 5% for administrative costs and 12% as payments in lieu of franchise and property taxes. Council Executive Director Janene Eller-Smith said the city's financial advisor has drafted a study of the transfers.

   • Budget$90.1 million Estimated general fund revenue, FY2024-25. Paid from Property tax, sales tax, franchise tax, fees in lieu of taxes, utility fund transfers

4. Item 4 · Taxes and fees

   Utility bill discount program expansion

   Discussed

   Financial Analyst Gabe Johns said the city now gives a 50% water base-rate discount and a $2.50 refuse discount to participants in the county's property tax relief program. The proposal would extend the program to people who are blind, disabled veterans and deployed service members, with a set $15.50 monthly discount indexed to inflation. Council members discussed eligibility and the idea of letting other customers donate to help pay neighbors' bills.

5. Item 5 · Budget

   Business Depot Ogden lease revenue

   Discussed

   Sorensen said the mayor proposes appropriating $17.2 million in accumulated Business Depot Ogden (BDO) lease revenue to bonded debt and other obligations, arts, 24 capital projects, the airport and golf funds, a critical contingency and other projects. Council Member Dave Graf said he was concerned about accounting for the lease revenue and wants the city to prioritize economic development that could create something similar to BDO as other entities pursue competing projects.

   • Budget$17.2 million Proposed appropriation of accumulated BDO lease revenue. Paid from Business Depot Ogden lease revenue

6. Item 6 · Taxes and fees

   Water rate increase for 36-inch Ogden Canyon waterline

   Discussed

   Eller-Smith said the proposal would raise water rates for all users 4% a year for five years, on top of the annual inflation adjustment, to pay debt service on about $77 million in federal and state loans for the 36-inch canyon waterline. Fred Philpot of Lewis Robertson Burningham, the city's financial advisor, presented options showing the long-term effect of different rate structures. Council members discussed what action to take.

   • Bond$77.0 million Federal and state loans for the 36-inch Ogden Canyon waterline. Paid from Water rate increases of 4% a year for five years

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What residents said

Public safety payUtility ratesBusiness Depot lease revenue use