Orem council allocates COVID relief CDBG funds to water stations, financial counseling and Meals on Wheels

Decisions at a glance

Agenda, item by item

1. Budget

   Budget: operational, fleet and IT (work session)

   Discussed

   Finance Director Brandon Nelson presented general fund revenue adjustments and proposed expansions, including three new firefighter positions. IT and fleet staff presented updates, with fleet expansions and replacements for fire, development services, police, street lighting and water. Ambulance costs and vehicle leasing were discussed.

2. Taxes and fees

   Sewer rate philosophy and ADU sewer fees (work session)

   Discussed

   Public Works Director Chris Tschirki reviewed current and proposed sewer rates. City Manager Jamie Davidson said that keeping the current approach would raise all residents' rates about 30 cents a month, while charging only the 311 registered accessory dwelling units would add about $11 a month for them. Council Member Tom Macdonald opposed raising rates on ADUs, saying it could push rentals to go unregistered. The council expressed support for charging only registered ADUs and asked staff to explore letting owners declare themselves non-renting to avoid the charge. Council Member David Spencer suggested discussing it privately; Davidson said it should be public.

3. Taxes and fees

   Water fee abatement program (work session)

   Continued

   The council agreed to continue the item to the next work session.

4. Other

   Consent: voter participation areas resolution

   Approved · 6-0

   The consent agenda included a resolution adopting the city's voter participation areas.

   Moved by Mayor David Young, seconded by Council Member LaNae Millet. Vote: 6-0

5. Budget

   CDBG-CV COVID relief funding and 2019-2020 Annual Action Plan amendment (public hearing)

   Approved · 6-0

   The city received a second CDBG allocation of $287,940 for COVID-19 response. The CDBG Advisory Commission recommended allocating $7,000 to United Way of Utah County for seven water filling stations, $3,253 to Community Action Services and Food Bank for financial counseling and resources, and $25,000 to MAG Aging Services for Meals on Wheels, from the previously allocated $106,181.68 in CDBG-CV public services funds. Speakers from the three organizations thanked the council; the MAG representative said the money covers about 8,000 meals and that Meals on Wheels use roughly doubled during COVID.

   • Grant$7,000 to United Way of Utah County Seven water filling stations for three buildings. Recommended by CDBG Advisory Commission. Paid from CDBG-CV (federal)
   • Grant$3,253 to Community Action Services and Food Bank Financial counseling and resources. Recommended by CDBG Advisory Commission. Paid from CDBG-CV (federal)
   • Grant$25,000 to MAG Aging Services Meals on Wheels for homebound seniors. Recommended by CDBG Advisory Commission. Paid from CDBG-CV (federal)

   Moved by Council Member David Spencer, seconded by Council Member Jeff Lambson. Vote: 6-0

6. Appointment

   Appointments: Beautification Committee and Orem Neighborhood Commission

   Approved · 6-0

   The council appointed Joshua Daughetee to the Beautification Committee and Cinzia Noble to the Orem Neighborhood Commission.

   Daughetee: moved by Council Member Tom Macdonald, seconded by Council Member David Spencer; Noble: moved by Council Member LaNae Millet, seconded by Mayor David Young. Vote: 6-0

7. Other

   City manager update: Hillcrest Park bids, Palisade survey

   Discussed

   Davidson reported on water meter replacement, general contractor bids for Hillcrest Park, purchase of a bus for the Senior Friendship Center, and the survey on Palisade Drive speed tables and choker islands.

   Follow Hillcrest Park rebuild in the development tracker →

   Follow Palisade Drive traffic calming in the development tracker →

What residents said

Palisade Drive choker islandsAlpine School District splitSewer rates for ADUs

Vanessa Rucker, Benjamin Brooks and Andrea Driggs asked the council to remove the Palisade Drive choker islands, saying they are unsightly, hard to see in snow and push cyclists into the lane; Abby Farrows said the neighborhood survey was biased, with 11 of 13 questions about pedestrian safety generally; Dave Johnston asked why Palisade is the only north-south street with many traffic calming devices. Cissy Rasmussen and Jenna Hyatt asked for parent and teacher input before any school district split study decision.