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Council opens public hearing on compensation disclosure ordinance, tables final action for more discussion
Summary
Price City opened a statutorily required public hearing on an ordinance to disclose compensation for elected, statutory and manager-level employees (per 2024 state law) and later voted to table the ordinance for further discussion and to align it with the budget process.
Price City council opened a public hearing June 11 to receive comment on an ordinance required by a 2024 Utah law that mandates municipalities disclose the compensation of elective and statutory officers and manager-level employees.
City staff said the ordinance is intended to comply with the state statute and increase transparency by listing compensation elements such as COLA (cost-of-living adjustments), deferred compensation and allowances. Staff noted the exhibit attached to the draft ordinance showed a 1% cost-of-living adjustment for the listed officials effective July 1, but several council members and members of the public urged more discussion about how to present current pay versus projected increases and whether the 1% COLA should be included in the ordinance text or displayed separately.
Members of the public questioned whether the public notice could state the dollar impacts to the city's budget so residents could quickly see cost implications. Jeff Richens, a resident, asked the city to include calculations showing how the ordinance would affect the budget and to publish clearer information online before future hearings. Another commenter, Wayne Jackson, asked whether the disclosure applied to all city employees; staff clarified the statute applies to elected officials and certain designated managerial positions, not all city employees.
After public comment and council discussion, a council member moved to table the ordinance to the next meeting so council and staff could separate Exhibit A (detailed figures) from the ordinance and prepare clearer dollar-amount impacts for public review. The motion to table carried by voice vote.
City staff referenced the 2024 Utah legislative change implementing the disclosure requirement (identified in the meeting as SB 91) and said the ordinance can be revised before final adoption. The council discussed timing: the tentative budget was adopted the same night; staff said the final budget and the ordinance could both be revisited at the next council meeting prior to final adoption.
No final compensation ordinance was adopted June 11; the council formally tabled the item for further discussion and for staff to provide clearer dollar amounts and budget impacts ahead of final action.
