Council picks Jennifer Napier-Pearce for District Four seat by coin toss after 3-3 tie
June 9, 2026, 1:00 p.m.
At a work session, the council interviewed 20 applicants for the vacant District Four seat. A 3-3 tie between Jennifer Napier-Pearce and Scott Lyttle was broken by a coin toss. Members also reviewed legislative intents, budget follow-up items and a UTA frequent bus agreement.
From the approved minutes. Updated October 14, 2026.
Decisions at a glance
Agenda, item by item
Item 1 · Contract
UTA Addendum No. 10 for frequent bus service routes
Discussed
Kira Luke introduced the resolution, and UTA's Nichol Bourdeaux and transportation division director Lynn Jacobs presented the history of the city-sponsored service agreement, ridership data and equity considerations. Members asked how routes were chosen and how to expand the frequent network with the state and neighboring cities.
Item 2 · Budget
911 Department budget, fiscal year 2026-27
No action
The item was moved to a written briefing only and no discussion was held.
Item 3 · Budget
Fiscal year 2026-27 budget: legislative intents
Discussed
Allison Rowland reviewed pending legislative intents, which are formal requests the council makes of the administration. Members agreed to close the attorney pay parity, youth and family program streamlining, zero-based budgeting and one consolidated fee schedule intent; to keep the mobile vendor report open and broaden it; and to add three new intents on UTA ridership benchmarks, citywide communications standards, and fees for multiple recycling and yard waste cans. Staff recommended keeping several others open, including streets bond funding options, diversified response teams, neighborhood district signs and a privacy ordinance.
Item 4 · Budget
Fiscal year 2026-27 budget: unresolved issues follow-up
Discussed
Jennifer Bruno said new state law requires the council to name the specific purposes funded by any property tax increase, and that new-growth revenue figures would not be final until June 12. Members agreed to meet June 11 to discuss possible reductions. Mary Beth Thompson said a 1 percent budget reduction equals about $5 million. In a straw poll, all members present supported cutting the Council Office operations budget by 5 percent.
Item 5 · Appointment
Judicial Nominating Commission appointees Kate Fairchild and David Quealy
Discussed
The council interviewed the two nominees about their qualifications. Council Member Puy said their names would go on the consent agenda for formal consideration.
Item 6 · Taxes and fees
Tentative property tax impact schedule, fiscal year 2026-27
Discussed
Council Member Puy said the item was posted as state law requires and that the schedule was available online. No discussion is recorded.
Item 8 · Appointment
District Four vacancy: applicant interviews and selection
Discussed
The council interviewed 20 applicants for the vacant District Four seat. In the first round, Jennifer Napier-Pearce received three votes, Scott Lyttle two and Javier Chavez one. After each of the top two answered a question drawn from six options, the second round tied 3-3 between Napier-Pearce (Wharton, Carlsen, Dugan) and Lyttle (Petro, Young, Puy). The tie was settled by a coin toss run by City Recorder Keith Reynolds, and Napier-Pearce was selected.
Item 11 · Other
Closed meeting
Approved · 6-0
The council voted to enter a closed meeting to discuss pending or reasonably imminent litigation and attorney-client matters, and later voted to exit. The meeting ran 3:10 to 3:32 p.m.
What residents said
Property tax increaseFrequent bus service