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Council approves election services and public-safety cost sharing; tentative FY26 budget fails
Summary
Sunset City Council voted Tuesday to approve an interlocal agreement with Davis County for 2025 election administration, adopt a public‑safety cost‑sharing agreement for firefighter survivor benefits and approve a summer‑hours pilot — but the council rejected a resolution adopting the tentative fiscal‑year 2026 budget.
Sunset City Council voted Tuesday to approve several routine business items — including an interlocal election-services agreement and a public-safety cost-sharing resolution — but rejected a resolution adopting the city’s tentative fiscal year 2026 budget.
The council unanimously approved Resolution 2025-07, authorizing an agreement with Davis County to provide election services for 2025. The council also unanimously approved Resolution 2025-11, which affirms the city’s participation in a cost‑sharing arrangement for a public safety and firefighters surviving‑spouse trust fund. Council members later approved a summer-hours pilot for city offices running May 26 through Aug. 22 that shortens Friday hours.
Why it matters: The election-services agreement defines how the county will administer local candidate filing and election operations this year; the surviving‑spouse arrangement preserves benefits for families of fallen public-safety employees. The budget vote determines whether the council sends a tentative budget to the county or returns it for further work.
Key votes and motions - Resolution 2025-07 — Agreement with Davis County for 2025 election services. Motion to approve made by Council member Wrigley; second by Council member Thompson. Roll-call: Council member Carlson — Yes; Council member Thompson — Yes; Council member Smalling — Yes; Council member Wrigley — Yes; Council member Bartling — Yes. Outcome: approved (unanimous).
- Resolution 2025-10 — Adoption of the fiscal year 2026 tentative budget and scheduling a public hearing (proposed hearing June 17, 2025). Motion to approve made by Council member Bartling; second by Council member Wrigley. Roll-call: Council member Bartling — No; Council member Wrigley — Yes; Council member Smalling — Yes; Council member Thompson — No; Council member Carlson — No. Outcome: motion failed; the council did not adopt the tentative budget and elected instead to pursue a truth‑in‑taxation approach and schedule further budget discussion.
- Resolution 2025-11 — Local public-safety and firefighters surviving-spouse trust-fund cost‑sharing agreement. Motion to approve by Council member Thompson; second by Council member Bartling. Roll-call: Carlson — Yes; Thompson — Yes; Smalling — Yes; Ridley/Rigley — Yes; Bartling — Yes. Outcome: approved (unanimous).
- Summer hours pilot (staff proposal to adopt 9-hour weekdays and shortened Friday schedule from May 26–Aug. 22). Motion to approve by Council member Wrigley; second by Council member Smalling. Outcome: approved (voice vote).
- Planning commission recommendations (see separate planning article for details): Council approved the appointment of Rodney Page as an alternate planning commission member and recommended approvals for Beehive Motors LLC and Nestor’s Auto Repair. Motions and seconds were recorded on the floor; each motion passed by voice vote.
What’s next: Because the tentative budget resolution failed, council members discussed running a truth‑in‑taxation process and scheduling additional budget meetings; staff said the county deadline for budget submission is early June and pledged to follow up by email with proposed dates. Office manager Nicole (identified in the meeting packet as the city’s office manager) said she will propose meeting dates by email and prepare revised budget materials for council review.
Council remarks and context: Office manager Nicole said the election-services agreement was ready and urged approval because the declaration-of-candidacy period begins in two weeks. On the tentative budget she said, “I didn’t change much in this budget from the last time we talked about it,” and noted the planned public hearing date, which the council declined to adopt as part of the failed motion.
Background: Under the city’s charter and interlocal practice the county typically provides election administration for municipal contests under an agreement; the surviving‑spouse cost‑sharing resolution implements a state program that the city’s staff said is already budgeted.
