Council adopts $301.9 million tentative budget 6-0 and Business Depot Ogden ordinance changes; Taylor Canyon park funding put on hold

Decisions at a glance

Agenda, item by item

1. Budget

   Ordinance 2026-8: tentative Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget

   Approved · 6-0

   The tentative budget totals $301,918,250 after a RAMP revenue adjustment and a $335,000 hold for a traffic signal pending a community plan change. It uses the certified property tax rate with no rate increase, a 2.18 percent cost-of-living adjustment, merit raises up to 4 percent, 4 percent steps for sworn staff and 698 positions after 10 eliminations and seven additions, with about $37.8 million for capital projects. Council Member Richey asked why bills may still rise without a rate increase; Executive Director Symes explained the revenue-based property tax system. Speakers asked why sworn staff get flat steps while others are merit-based, and urged caution on pay and unconfirmed grants; the mayor said steps are needed to compete with other agencies. A final-budget hearing was set for June 16. Council Member Washington was excused.

   • Budget$301.9 million Tentative FY2027 budget total. Paid from Property tax at certified rate, sales tax, fees, utility transfers, bonds and grants
   • Budget$37.8 million Capital projects: about $4.1 million Business Depot Ogden revenue and $33.6 million other sources. Paid from BDO lease revenue, utility funds, bonds, grants

   Moved by Vice Chair Dave Graf, seconded by Council Member Kevin Lundell. Vote: 6-0; Council Member Alicia Washington excused

2. Budget

   Ordinance 2026-11: FY2025-2026 year-end budget amendments

   Approved · 6-0

   The amendments raise revenues and appropriations by $22,020,900, mostly internal transfers, grants and one-time items rather than net new spending: about $3.8 million for fleet replacement, $2 million of interest income to the capital fund, $2 million to cover police wages above budget, $157,000 and $7,000 for the airport South Apron project, $150,000 for the Merci Box Car enclosure and funds for contracted encampment cleanup. Finance Director Justin Sorensen and Mayor Nadolski said the South Apron is a $4.5 million project largely federally funded, with the city covering work ineligible for reimbursement. One resident asked about airport transfers.

   • Budget$22.0 million FY2026 year-end budget amendments, gross increase. Paid from Grants, interest income, fund balance, retained earnings

   Moved by Council Member Shaun Myers, seconded by Council Member Flor Lopez. Vote: 6-0; Council Member Alicia Washington excused

3. City code

   Ordinance 2026-12: Business Depot Ogden lease revenue and DDOU conveyance rules

   Approved · 6-0

   The ordinance, revised after Council concerns in December, adds language for previously approved commitments, renews $1 million a year for the Quality Neighborhoods Initiative for five years from FY2027, removes the CBD Mall debt reference and removes named debts (Marshall White Center, parking towers, WonderBlock) so each year's budget identifies amounts subject to Council approval. Lease revenue has grown from under $4 million in FY2013 to about $16 to $17 million a year. Chair Hyer favored reserving the funds for one-time uses; Mayor Nadolski said the Council should stay open to using it for stable ongoing needs if grants offset other costs. Speakers supported protecting the fund; one asked how Quality Neighborhoods money would reach East Central. Mayor Nadolski said the Capitol Square developer was chosen in a prior administration and substantial tax increment requests are being scrutinized.

   • Budget$1.00 million Quality Neighborhoods Initiative annual funding, five years from FY2027. Paid from Business Depot Ogden lease revenue

   Moved by Council Member Ken Richey, seconded by Vice Chair Dave Graf. Vote: 6-0; Council Member Alicia Washington excused

4. Other

   Joint Resolution 2026-1: Quality Neighborhoods Initiative renewal, FY2027-2031

   Approved · 6-0 · Citywide; North Jackson Avenue; Madison Avenue

   The joint resolution of the Council and mayor renews the 2016 initiative as a citywide, needs-based framework, renames Community Development as Neighborhood Development, shifts from property acquisition to public improvements, preservation assistance and private partnerships, and directs more federal funds to public improvements. Community Development Director Jeremy Smith said median home prices doubled from under $200,000 to about $400,000. A North Jackson Avenue property is out for proposals, and a Madison Avenue site has no plan after an earlier proposal request. Land sale proceeds return to the fund.

   Moved by Council Member Kevin Lundell, seconded by Council Member Shaun Myers. Vote: 6-0; Council Member Alicia Washington excused

5. Budget

   Public hearings set for June 16: compensation, utility transfers, capital plan, salaries, arts grants

   Pending · 6-0

   The Council voted to hold June 16 hearings on executive officer compensation, transfers from the water ($3,810,475), sewer ($1,923,500), storm sewer ($830,825) and refuse ($972,750) funds to the general fund, the FY2027-2031 capital plan (Ordinance 2026-9), salary schedules (Ordinance 2026-10) and arts grants of $158,300 (Resolution 2026-5). Each motion passed with all present voting aye.

   • Fee$7.54 million Proposed FY2027 utility fund transfers to the general fund (water, sewer, storm, refuse). Paid from Utility enterprise funds
   • Grant$158,300 Proposed FY2027 arts grants. Paid from City allocation plus returned funds

   Each moved by Council Member Ken Richey, seconded by Vice Chair Dave Graf. Vote: All present voting aye; Council Member Alicia Washington excused

6. Parks

   Taylor Canyon School property funding and trail funding (work session)

   Discussed · Former Taylor Canyon School site, Ogden

   Executive Director Symes said about $700,000 was programmed for the Taylor Canyon purchase with $200,000 to $250,000 more needed; a $5,000 earnest money deposit was due about June 17. Council Members Richey, Graf, Lopez and Washington wanted a parks utilization study and maintenance projections first; Council Member Lundell argued park space has value beyond tax revenue and preferred leaving funds in. Consensus: remove the funding, hold it, and bring a separate budget amendment after the budget cycle. The Council also agreed by consensus to raise funding for the Trails Foundation of Northern Utah from $30,000 to $100,000, and left five floating police positions as proposed after Chief Jacob Sube explained a FY2026 overrun from lateral hiring. At public comment, six speakers largely supported preserving the park; the mayor said the split approach avoids a larger maintenance burden.

   • Grant$100,000 to Trails Foundation of Northern Utah Trail maintenance funding, raised from $30,000 by consensus. Paid from To be identified in the budget

   Follow Taylor Canyon School property purchase in the development tracker →

7. Other

   Public comment: Taylor Canyon park, protest policing costs and other issues

   Discussed

   Speakers backed acquiring the park. David Belnap and Thor Dorosh objected to remarks about police overtime for protests and any idea of charging for police at protests. Mayor Nadolski apologized if a prior look at Belnap was offensive, said the city protects First Amendment rights but that staffing protests costs resources, and said large professional events should offset police costs. A candidate for House District 9 introduced herself.

What residents said

Taylor Canyon park cost and needPolice costs for protestsPublic safety pay stepsUse of BDO lease revenue

Six speakers, including Stacia Ryder, Arlo Kunzler and Laura Lewis, urged preserving the Taylor Canyon site as open space; one preferred private funding or a split with housing. David Belnap and Thor Dorosh raised immigration enforcement and charging for police at protests. On the budget and BDO ordinance, Laura Lewis, Linda Sanchez, Thor Dorosh and Teresa Bramwell asked about pay steps, WonderBlock debt, grants and East Central funding.