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Washington Terrace council adopts budget amendment, cancels 2025 municipal election and OKs regional active-transportation plan
Summary
At its Sept. 16 meeting, the Washington Terrace City Council approved a fiscal-year budget amendment, voted to cancel the city’s 2025 municipal election because races were uncontested, and adopted the Washington Terrace City Active Transportation Plan. All measures passed without recorded opposition.
Washington Terrace City Council on Tuesday, Sept. 16, unanimously approved three agenda items: a fiscal-year 2025–26 budget amendment, a resolution canceling the city’s 2025 municipal election and formal adoption of the Washington Terrace City Active Transportation Plan.
The budget amendment, presented by city finance staffer Tom, primarily moves unspent capital and “rollover” funds from fiscal 2024–25 into the new fiscal year and adjusts line items in building and inspections after the city eliminated a building official position and shifted those funds to professional and technical services, Tom said. "This generally is just cleaning up the budgetary items or the rollovers particularly in capital," he said. Councilmember motion and a second were recorded and the council conducted a roll-call vote; the motion was approved.
City elections staff member Amy explained the legal basis for canceling the municipal election: under state law, a jurisdiction may cancel a local election when the number of candidates does not exceed the number of open seats and there are no valid propositions. Amy said the resolution certifies that Mark C. Allen will fill the mayor’s seat and that two council seats will be filled by Jack West and Anna Davidson; she also noted the city expects to save roughly $16,000 by canceling the election. "They won't get any ballots," Amy said, describing how staff will notify residents who call to ask why they did not receive ballots in October or November.
Councilmembers also approved adoption of the Washington Terrace City Active Transportation Plan, a multi-jurisdictional effort developed with Riverdale and South Ogden to improve walking and bicycling connections, wayfinding, striping and potential trail links between the three cities. Tom said the plan is intended to make the city more walkable and to provide a framework for pursuing future grant funding. "The nexus of the plan is to encourage active transportation," Tom said. The council approved the plan after brief remarks endorsing it as a living document.
Votes at a glance - Resolution 25-19: Amend fiscal year 2025–26 budget — Motion approved (roll call). Vote recorded as unanimous in meeting minutes. - Resolution 25-20: Cancel 2025 municipal election (state law, uncontested races) — Motion approved (roll call). Vote recorded as unanimous in meeting minutes. Resolution certifies Mark C. Allen as mayor and Jack West and Anna Davidson to council seats, per city staff. - Washington Terrace City Active Transportation Plan: Motion to adopt plan approved (voice vote). Recorded as unanimous.
What the actions mean The budget amendment formalizes year-end rollovers for capital projects and moves funds to pay for contracted building-permit and code-enforcement services after the city eliminated the building-official position, according to Tom. Cancelling the municipal election means the uncontested candidates named by city staff will be sworn in in January 2026 and that residents will not receive ballots in October or November. Adoption of the active transportation plan creates an official, city-endorsed framework for walking and bicycling projects and strengthens the city’s position for future grant applications.
The council had no further business on these items and moved on to other agenda topics.
