Ogden council drops joint resolution on community trust after attorney cites state immigration law

Decisions at a glance

Agenda, item by item

1. Presentation

   Visit Ogden 2025 annual report

   Discussed

   President Sara Toliver reported a 6 percent drop in 2025 transient room tax collections, with total tourism taxes of $9,268,556, citing federal budget cuts, a shutdown, canceled Forest Service events and poor snow. Visitor spending reached $559 million in 2024. Visit Ogden handled 55 events with more than 40,000 attendees and nearly $20 million in economic impact. Members asked about the Ice Sheet's bid to keep curling in the 2034 Olympics, which the Salt Palace is slated to host for capacity reasons.

2. Taxes and fees

   FY2026 mid-year fee amendments: golf

   Discussed

   Golf Director Todd Brenkman proposed raising the 9-hole green fee by $1, small punch-ticket increases, the adult 7-day season pass from $1,100 to $1,200, and a tournament rate of $2 per person Monday to Thursday and $4 Friday to Sunday. Peak 18-hole rates with a cart would be $54 weekdays and $56 weekends. Council Member Shaun Myers worried expenses are outpacing a 6 percent revenue gain; Brenkman said cart lease costs have doubled. He described a $150,000 project to replace screening along the ninth hole at Mount Ogden after a constituent report of stray golf balls. Council Member Kevin Lundell asked about $1.3 million in capital funding; Brenkman said big infrastructure usually needs city funds or bonds.

   • Budget$150,000 Replace screening along the ninth hole at Mount Ogden Golf Course

3. Presentation

   Administrative update: Archie chatbot and Ogden Serve app

   Discussed

   Management Analyst Jess McClelland described the Archie chatbot, which draws only on city web content and supports 72 languages, and the Ogden Serve app and request-tracking platform. Response targets range from immediate for water leaks to about three days for code enforcement. Council Member Lundell said Archie could not find the Council's rules and norms; McClelland said it does not search documents and new reporting tools are coming.

4. Other

   Council initiative: joint resolution affirming community trust through public safety

   No action

   Council Member Alicia Washington said the resolution would not move past this work session after Council Member Kevin Lundell found Utah Code 76-14-205 and City Attorney Gary Williams advised on it. Williams explained the statute bars local governments from limiting police assistance to federal immigration enforcement through ordinances, regulations or policies, though officials may make statements and the police chief may decide not to enter a 287(g) agreement. Council members gave differing views. Vice Chair Dave Graf said he trusts the mayor's and chief's statements that Ogden will not join 287(g) and noted the Council's budget authority. Council Member Flor Lopez said the community event had not reached the most affected residents. Chair Richard Hyer reported the sheriff said the county's 287(g) jail and targeted models are preventing sweeps; Lundell disagreed, citing an Idaho case. Council Member Shaun Myers urged proactive messaging about what Ogden does. Members discussed inviting the sheriff to speak elsewhere.

5. Other

   Council: ethics and open meetings training

   No action

   The training item on the work session agenda was not discussed.

What residents said

ICE and immigration enforcementStanding water at 1200 WestPolice complaint processPolice evidence storage policies

Six residents asked for transparent reporting on ICE detentions involving Ogden police and the county sheriff, written policies on civil immigration enforcement, an ordinance barring city resources for it and an expanded PATH citizenship program. One resident questioned police equipment; one asked the city to address standing water at 1200 West; one described a complaint about a police officer and the complaint process; another urged review of law enforcement records policies; and another said she saw no local data supporting ICE enforcement claims and trusted the mayor's and chief's assurances. Mayor Nadolski said he would not break the law, read a federal list of 47 people with serious criminal records removed from Ogden, and said the police department owns no grenade launcher. Vice Chair Graf said the joint resolution was withdrawn, not killed, because it ran counter to state statute.