Wasatch County animal services board recommends FY2026 budget, discusses expansion and vehicle funding

On May 5, 2025, the Wasatch County Animal Services Advisory Board voted 6-0 to recommend a proposed fiscal year 2026 budget that includes an overall 5% increase, mainly to cover a cost-of-living adjustment for staff and planned vehicle purchases. The meeting took place at the Heber City Police Department conference room and online.

The recommended budget totals $436,515. Assessments for member jurisdictions are allocated by population; Heber City would carry the largest share (just over half), Wasatch County about 30%, with Midway, Hideout and Interlaken covering the remainder. Hideout’s share in the proposal was shown as approximately $12,078. Board members were told current-year spending sits at about 73% of budgeted amounts, leaving roughly $58,000 unspent so far.

Board members and staff discussed how to handle underspent funds going forward. The finance director advised against routinely “trueing up” to budgeted amounts midyear; instead she recommended creating a recurring revenue line item that would be billed each year so the fund balance could grow in a predictable way. Staff said billing is done on actuals and billed quarterly; the board expects the first billing for the new fiscal year to follow the end-of-quarter process.

Board members also reviewed the vehicle plan. Under the proposal, the city that purchases replacement vehicles will fund the upfront cost; animal services would repay that city over the next five years via depreciation entries in the operating budget. Members discussed keeping any year-end carryover restricted to animal services if the board chooses to build a reserve for a planned facility expansion.

The board reiterated that its vote is an advisory recommendation. Under the current memorandum of understanding (MOU) and bylaws, Heber City ultimately adopts the service budget; if the advisory board does not approve a proposed increase the MOU still allows Heber City to proceed within a specified maximum increase. Board members emphasized this meeting was the advisory body’s formal recommendation to the participating jurisdictions.

Members also reviewed other operational steps ahead of a likely future proposal to expand shelter facilities. That expansion would trigger a separate assessment process, with each jurisdiction responsible for its agreed share if the project proceeds.

The advisory board also approved the consent agenda (minutes from the April meeting) earlier in the session; that motion passed with five votes in favor and one abstention. The board set its next meeting for July 8, 2025. No public commenters spoke at the meeting.

Votes at a glance: - Approval of consent agenda (April minutes): passed, 5 yes, 0 no, 1 abstention (Mayor pro tem of Hideout abstained because of noninvolvement). - Recommendation of FY2026 Animal Services budget to member jurisdictions: motion passed, 6 yes, 0 no, 0 abstentions.

Several items flagged for follow-up included distributing the budget packet to member jurisdiction contacts (the board asked staff to send the proposal to Hideout mayor@hideoututah.gov), providing jurisdiction-level billed amounts to municipal staff upon request, and continuing work to align animal services fee schedules across jurisdictions for a future vote.

The meeting adjourned after the votes.