Residents call for police reforms; council keeps certified tax rate and ends Gold Cross ambulance contract
June 16, 2020, 4:00 p.m. · Held electronically (COVID-19 emergency)
In a brief special session, written comments urged police reforms including an elected civilian review board, body cameras at all times and implicit-bias training. The council accepted Utah County's certified tax rate (no tax increase) with $760,393 budgeted for debt service, terminated the 2015 ambulance contract with Gold Cross Services, and accepted Mount Timpanogos View Subdivision improvements. A Coronavirus Relief Fund agreement was pulled while mayors negotiated with the county.
From the approved minutes.
Decisions at a glance
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Notice of acceptance, Mount Timpanogos View Subdivision | Approved · 5-0 |
| Certified tax rate for FY2021 | Approved · 4-0-1 |
| Coronavirus Relief Fund interlocal agreement (pulled) | Continued |
| Termination of Gold Cross Services ambulance agreement | Approved · 4-0-1 |
Agenda, item by item
Item 2 · Subdivision
Notice of acceptance, Mount Timpanogos View Subdivision
Approved · 5-0
Accepted public improvements and started the durability period with 10% of the improvement guarantee retained.
Item 3 · Taxes and fees
Certified tax rate for FY2021
Approved · 4-0-1
Resolution 2020-06-12R accepted the county auditor's certified rate for general operations and tort liability and set $760,393 in interest and sinking fund (bond) revenue; no truth-in-taxation increase. Barnes recused.
- Budget$760,393
Item 4 · Budget
Coronavirus Relief Fund interlocal agreement (pulled)
Continued
Removed from the agenda. Mayor Frost said about $2.3 million was available to the city, and 17 mayors were pressing Utah County to change the agreement language. Approved June 30.
Item 5 · Contract
Termination of Gold Cross Services ambulance agreement
Approved · 4-0-1
Ended the March 2015 contract (relationship since 2012), which was never fully executed, after the city's licensing change; Gold Cross leaves city offices but still provides billing and paramedic services. Carroll recused.
What residents said
Police reform and civilian review boardBody cameras at all timesImplicit-bias trainingLive public comment during electronic meetings
Jessica Dalton asked the police department to drop phrases such as "all lives matter," train all officers in the Arbinger Institute Outward Mindset curriculum, require body cameras at all times and create an elected independent civilian review board. Claudia Rasmussen made the same requests, adding the board should have subpoena power. Lex Scott, founder of Black Lives Matter Utah, asked that live public comment be allowed, that staff get implicit-bias training, and that council members state their positions on police reform.