Fowler elected 2021 Council chair, Rogers vice chair, in work session that also held straw polls on budget amendment funding

Decisions at a glance

Agenda, item by item

1. Item 1 · Other

   Nomination of Council chair and vice chair for 2021

   Discussed

   After a nomination and electronic polling process, Council Member Amy Fowler was unanimously elected chair and Council Member James Rogers vice chair for 2021. Outgoing chair Chris Wharton thanked members and gave each a wooden bowl made from city trees felled in the September 2020 windstorm.

2. Item 2 · Presentation

   Updates from the Administration

   Discussed

   Mayor Erin Mendenhall reviewed COVID-19 effects on city employees, with a moment of silence, vaccination and infection rates, Raise Up SLC ($849,000 to 1,698 residents), homeless shelter statistics, the overflow shelter program and the 2021 Public Safety Plan. Council and staff discussed whether the plan addresses businesses that draw criminal behavior. Police Chief Mike Brown described sensory inclusion training.

3. Item 3 · Presentation

   Racial equity and policing update

   Discussed

   Staff gave dates for the Commission on Racial Equity in Policing's Jan. 6 meeting and a Jan. 13 community conversation open to public participation.

4. Item 4 · Roads and utilities

   UTA South Davis Connector to Salt Lake City

   Discussed

   UTA representatives briefed the Council on the planned bus rapid transit connector between South Davis County and downtown. Discussion covered timeline, North Temple improvements, number of stops, State Street and North Temple congestion, and possible Capitol Hill routes.

5. Item 5 · Presentation

   Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute homeless services assessment

   Discussed

   Policy Institute staff presented the 2020 Utah Homeless Services Assessment, which proposes a new governance structure and funding model. Council and staff discussed the size of the state homeless council, funding sources, input from people with experience of homelessness and speeding payments to providers.

6. Item 6 · Presentation

   Open Meetings Act and GRAMA annual training

   Discussed

   The City Attorney's Office and the City Recorder gave annual training. Council Member Amy Fowler asked for a breakdown of general records requests; staff agreed to provide a written memo.

7. Item 8 · Presentation

   Emergency management update 2021

   Discussed

   Emergency management staff gave the annual report; Council commented on the number of people involved in emergency services.

8. Item 9 · Budget

   Budget Amendment No. 6, fiscal year 2020-21

   Discussed

   Staff reviewed the amendment, which funds cost increases for the Fisher Mansion Carriage House recreation hub, a Glendale Waterpark redevelopment plan and a City Innovations Team. By unanimous straw poll of members present, the Council supported $300 million in interim financing for the airport construction project, moving Funding Our Future housing money from the Community Land Trust and Landlord Assurance Program to Incentivized Rent Assistance and Service Models for the Most Vulnerable, and $750,000 for a temporary housing program. These were straw polls, not formal votes.

   • Bond$300.0 million Interim financing for the Airport construction project (straw poll support)
   • Budget$750,000 Temporary housing program (straw poll support)

9. Item 10 · Presentation

   State legislative briefing

   No action

   Moved to a future meeting.

10. Item 13 · Other

    Motion to enter closed session

    Approved · 6-0

    The Council voted 6-0 to enter closed session to discuss a real property purchase, exchange or lease under Utah Code 52-4-205(1)(d). The minutes record Council Member James Rogers as absent for the vote after he had left the meeting. The closed session adjourned at 6:30 p.m.

    Moved by Council Member Amy Fowler, seconded by Council Member Daniel Dugan. Vote: 6-0; Council Member James Rogers absent

What residents said

HomelessnessAirport financingHousing