The City Council met in Work Session on Friday, May 31, 2013, at 2:00 p.m. in Room 326, Committee Room, City County Building, 451 South State Street.
In Attendance: Council Members Carlton Christensen, Kyle LaMalfa, Luke Garrott, Jill Remington Love, Charlie Luke, Stan Penfold, and Søren Simonsen.
Staff in Attendance: Cindy Gust-Jenson, Executive Council Director; Jennifer Bruno, Executive Council Deputy Director; Lehua Weaver, Council Research/Policy Analyst; David Everitt, Mayor’s Chief of Staff; Edwin Rutan, City Attorney; Gina Chamness, Budget Director; Kurt Cook, Fire Chief; Eric Shaw, Community and Economic Development Director; John Naser, City Engineer; and Scott Crandall, Deputy City Recorder.
Councilmember LaMalfa presided at and conducted the meeting.
The meeting was called to order at 2:11 p.m.
AGENDA ITEMS
#1. 2:11:28 PM HOLD A DISCUSSION WITH COUNCIL STAFF REGARDING UNRESOLVED BUDGET ISSUES RELATING TO THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET FOR SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013-14. Items to be discussed may include a review of any of the proposed departments’ budgets, proposed Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budgets, and revenues or expenses in the Mayor’s recommended budget for the coming fiscal year. Discussion may also include implications for future years. View Attachments
Jennifer Bruno, Lehua Weaver, Gina Chamness, John Naser, Eric Shaw, David Everitt, and Kurt Cook briefed the Council from handouts. Discussion included property tax increase, Class C bonding, bus shelter revenue program, one-time Landfill dividend to fund CIP sustainability projects, business improvement district maintenance, $15 million per year needed to address road improvement/maintenance backlog, hiring delays, park/playfield maintenance costs, providing core/basic services, annual operation/maintenance costs omitted from ten-year capital facilities plan, increase revenues or decrease services, revenues do not match service levels, one-time/ongoing revenue scenarios, Citywide transit plan, public engagement issues, masterplan streamlining, public services tracking software, replace Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles at a faster rate, business incubation program, volunteer coordinator efforts, boards/commission training, youth athletic grant, special event issues, historic planner restoration, life safety issues, parking fee options, use parking revenue for specific downtown improvements, identify core City services, community input needed to help prioritize projects, get serious about addressing critical services/infrastructure needs, utilize opinion question tool to get public input, disproportionate fees paid by City residents, potential to raise local sales tax, indentify multiple revenue streams, and analyze CIP separate from main budget.
Discussion was held regarding bonding for major road construction projects using Class C funds. Councilmember Penfold requested a prioritized project list. Mr. Naser said using Class C funds for debt payment would eliminate funding for annual pavement overlay projects and affect other impact fee eligible projects.
The Council requested percentage information about how outstanding bonds such as the soccer complex and libraries would impact property owners and the percentage of County/School District taxes City residents would bear. They also requested that all other anticipated fee increases (Citywide) be included such as water rates and trash fees.
Straw Polls were taken on property tax scenarios listed in the handouts. A majority of the Council opposed Scenarios 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7. A majority supported Scenario 4. A second Straw Poll was taken on Scenarios 3 and 6 with a majority voting in opposition. Some Council Members expressed concerns about advancing only one scenario that included a tax increase. Councilmember LaMalfa said this was a general starting point for further discussion/analysis and asked staff to prepare options/scenarios that preserved the Council’s ability to remove property tax increases.
Additional Straw Polls:
•A majority of the Council was in favor of having staff investigate Class C fund bonding.
•A majority of the Council was in favor of restoring $350,000 relating to Fire Department overtime buyback/fourhanded staffing and $600,000 relating to 2014 Police Class staffing.
•A majority of the Council was in favor of investing bus shelter advertizing as a new revenue source. Councilmember Simonsen said this would include ordinance amendments and a Request for Proposal (RFP) through a future budget amendment. Councilmember Love expressed concerns about potential visual pollution.
•A majority of the Council was in favor of directing the Administration to explore ways to charge business districts for City services. (See Section B2-“Business Districts” - include Items i, ii, iii, and exclude iv).
•A majority of the Council was in favor of raising “across the board” fees relating to credit card charges to cover full expenses incurred by the City.
•A majority of the Council was in favor of Councilmember Love’s sports grant program proposal.
•A majority of the Council was in favor of not reducing Economic Development Corporation of Utah (EDCU) funding. The Council requested additional analysis on the City’s relationship/benefits with EDCU.
Councilmember Christensen requested having policy related discussions on ways to utilize fees generated from recycling and other refuse programs. Councilmember LaMalfa said that would be added to “unresolved budget issues” discussions.
The meeting adjourned at 4:37 p.m.
This document is not intended to serve as a full transcript as other items may have been discussed; please refer to the audio or video for entire content.
This document along with the digital recording constitute the official minutes of the City Council Work Session meeting held May 31, 2013.
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