RDA and Provo City staff clarify proposed services agreement and share-cost model for new RDA director

City and Redevelopment Agency (RDA) staff discussed on March 11 a proposed services agreement amendment that would formalize city staff support for the RDA and have the RDA reimburse a portion of the staff costs.

The agreement under discussion would designate a city employee to serve as RDA director and would have the RDA transfer funds to the city to cover 80% of that director’s compensation (the draft figure shown in staff materials). City attorneys and RDA counsel described the change as bookkeeping and service-accounting: the city provides meeting space, human resources and administrative support to the independent RDA, and previous practice did not require board approval because expenditures were not explicitly documented.

Council and board members asked for accountability measures. Staff noted that existing grant-funded work requires time tracking, and support staff will log time; directors agreed to provide annual accounting of hours spent on RDA business and recommended an early review after the first reporting period. Several members asked staff to produce a simple annual or semiannual report that breaks out time and costs the city has charged or been reimbursed for RDA support.

The RDA and city attorney said the reimbursement arrangement and services agreement amendment will return for formal action in the next days/weeks with a resolution for the RDA governing board and council as appropriate; staff said the reimbursement level can be adjusted if subsequent time-tracking shows a materially different split of duties.