Ogden council sets August 6 hearings on final budget, salary schedules and arts grants; residents question downtown paid parking

Decisions at a glance

Agenda, item by item

1. Item W1 · Budget

   Compensation study and proposed salary schedules (work session)

   Discussed

   Malayna Halverson-Mayes of McGrath Consulting recommended 23 pay grades with 7-10% separation, a 45% minimum-to-maximum spread, police and fire step systems of six to 12 steps with 4% between steps, an annual inflation-based adjustment and market updates every three years. Police Chief Eric Young, Fire Chief Mike Mathieu and Public Services Director Justin Anderson told the council that below-average pay makes it hard to keep employees.

   • Budget$4.66 million to McGrath Consulting, Inc. Set-aside for compensation and benefits adjustments in FY2024-25. Paid from General fund $3,131,275; other funds $1,526,675

2. Item W2 · Roads and utilities

   Downtown paid parking plan and Parking and Mobility Enterprise Fund (work session)

   Discussed

   Deputy Business Development Manager David Sawyer outlined a timeline: hire a parking and mobility operations supervisor in July, publish a request for proposals for the parking system in late summer, present a parking ordinance, award contracts in fall, install first-phase equipment on 25th Street and Kiesel Avenue in late 2024 and start paid parking in early 2025. The plan follows the 2020 MAKE Ogden downtown master plan and a Kimley-Horn study, and supports the WonderBlock parking structure now under construction. Comptroller Justin Sorensen said the administration proposes a new Parking and Mobility Enterprise Fund, which would require a code amendment and a resolution.

3. Item 1 · Budget

   Ordinance 2024-21: salary schedules for city employees

   Continued · 5-0

   The council set an August 6 public hearing on adopting salary schedules for all employees, including elected officials, based on the McGrath study.

   Moved by Council Member Shaun Myers, seconded by Council Member Dave Graf. Vote: 5-0, all voting aye, to set an August 6 hearing; Vice Chair Marcia White and Council Member Richard Hyer were not present

4. Item 2 · Budget

   Resolution 2024-6: fiscal 2024-25 arts grants

   Continued · 5-0

   The council set an August 6 hearing on arts grants. The Arts Advisory Committee reviewed 31 applications requesting $248,500 (11 for $130,000 in general operating support and 20 for $118,500 in project support); the budget is expected to be $150,000.

   • Grant$150,000 Arts grants budget, FY2024-25. Paid from City budget

   Moved by Council Member Shaun Myers, seconded by Council Member Dave Graf. Vote: 5-0, all voting aye, to set an August 6 hearing; Vice Chair Marcia White and Council Member Richard Hyer were not present

5. Item 3 · Budget

   Ordinance 2024-22: final fiscal 2024-25 budget

   Continued · 5-0

   The council set an August 6 hearing on the final budget. Further changes are expected to implement the compensation study, the certified tax rate and the Business Depot Ogden lease revenue transfer.

   Moved by Council Member Shaun Myers, seconded by Council Member Dave Graf. Vote: 5-0, all voting aye, to set an August 6 hearing; Vice Chair Marcia White and Council Member Richard Hyer were not present

6. Other

   Closed session

   Approved · 5-0

   The council voted to go into a closed session at 6:26 p.m. and reconvened at 7:28 p.m. The minutes do not state the subject.

   Moved by Council Member Bart Blair, seconded by Council Member Dave Graf. Vote: 5-0 on roll call; Vice Chair Marcia White and Council Member Richard Hyer were not present

What residents said

Downtown paid parkingTaylor Avenue traffic near Weber StateAccess to work session presentations

Four speakers opposed or questioned downtown paid parking. One said examples from other cities are not success stories and differ from Ogden in population, free shuttles and free-parking hours. Another said taxpayers who paid for downtown government buildings should not pay to park near them and that fixed-income residents cannot afford it. A third asked whether businesses and the public were polled and said shoppers may go elsewhere; she asked that work session presentations be posted before meetings. A fourth said paid parking would drive people and businesses to nearby free alternatives. Chair Ken Richey said final details are not decided, including a possible 15-minute free period, but past actions committed the city to some form of paid parking. Chief Administrative Officer Mara Brown added a free downtown trolley is planned.