Riverton council restores part of training budget, approves National League membership
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Summary
Riverton City Council voted to reverse half of a proposed $52,000 cut to the city's training and conference budget, restoring $26,000 and authorizing funds for a one-year National League of Cities membership to allow local elected officials to attend the national conference in Salt Lake City.
Riverton City Council voted on a change to the mayor's proposed budget that partially restores cuts to the city's education and conference line item and authorizes a onetime payment to join the National League of Cities.
The council approved restoring $26,000 of a $52,000 reduction that staff had identified after a review of department requests, and directed that part of that restored amount be used to pay the National League's membership fee so elected officials could attend the national conference to be held in Salt Lake City this year.
The item grew out of the budget work session, where council members and staff discussed the value of membership in the Utah League of Cities and Towns (ULCT) and other training opportunities. A council member summary in the work session noted staff originally proposed a total education and training budget of $229,005.85; the mayor's proposed budget reduced that by about $52,000 (to $177,585) after department-level cuts. Council members debated whether to restore all, none or some of the reduction.
Councilmember McKay, who described the ULCT training as "extremely helpful," advocated adding funds back and noted longstanding council practice of membership. A separate council member said the perceived value from some conference years is low and said the city could prioritize targeted training or lobbyist support over league dues.
After discussion, council members settled on a compromise: restore $26,000 of the cut and use part of that to pay a one-year National League of Cities membership. The council recorded the motion and conducted a roll-call vote in the meeting; the motion carried.
The council asked staff to reflect the change in the budget materials to be presented at the next public hearing.
Ending: The budget change will appear in the materials for the council's upcoming hearings; councilmembers said they expect to re-evaluate training spending if unused funds accumulate next year.