Council adopts budget, tax rate, interfund transfers and stormwater master plan; approves new impact fee and higher utility rate

Mapleton City Council approved a package of budget and rate measures and completed several public-hearing items, voting on amendments to the current budget, adopting the fiscal-year 2025'26 budget and position list, setting statutory officer pay, adopting the county-certified tax rate, authorizing several interfund transfers, and adopting a stormwater master plan and accompanying fee changes.

Key council actions taken at the meeting included:

- Approval of an amendment to the current fiscal year 2024'25 budget to reflect approved salary increases, higher volunteer fire pay, revised enterprise depreciation and debt-service figures, and a transfer of an increased surplus to the capital projects fund. Motion: "approve the presented amendment for the current fiscal year 2024, 2025 budget." Mover: Council member Egbert; second: Council member Jones. Vote (recorded): Egbert (yes), Jones (yes), Garrett (yes), Carlson (yes). Outcome: approved.

- Adoption of the fiscal-year 2025'26 budget, position list and fee schedule. Council heard that property-tax revenue is budgeted at about $3.3 million and that total governmental fund revenues are projected at $11,816,000. Motion: "adopt the fiscal year 25, 26 budget, the position list and fee schedule." Mover: Council member Jones; second: Council member Carlson. Vote (recorded): Jones (yes), Garrett (yes), Carlson (yes), Egbert (yes). Outcome: adopted.

- Ordinance setting compensation of statutory officers (public hearing held). Motion to approve ordinance setting compensation of statutory officers. Mover: Council member Jones; second: Council member Egbert. Vote (recorded): Garrett (yes), Carlson (yes), Egbert (yes), Jones (yes). Outcome: approved; increases reported reflect market adjustments discussed during the hearing and take effect with the fiscal year starting July 1.

- Adoption of the county-certified tax rate. City staff reported assessed value growth; the county provided the rate required to maintain the same revenue level. Motion: "accept the county tax rate for this next fiscal year" (adopt the certified tax rate). Mover: Council member Carlson; second: Council member Jones. Vote (recorded): Carlson (yes), Egbert (yes), Jones (yes), Garrett (yes). Outcome: adopted.

- Interfund transfers: Council authorized transfers from enterprise funds to the capital projects fund to participate in citywide vehicle replacement and other capital needs (water fund transfer $101,135; SURF fund $135,835; pressurized irrigation $56,186; stormwater fund $220,277). Motion: "approve the interfund transfers as presented in item 11." Mover: Council member Egbert; second: Council member Carlson. Vote (recorded): Egbert (yes), Jones (yes), Garrett (yes), Carlson (yes). Outcome: approved.

- Stormwater master plan and fees: Council adopted the stormwater master plan and then held public hearings and votes on two separate items required by state law: (1) an ordinance to implement a stormwater impact fee (proposed impact fee: $975.86 per equivalent residential unit; the ordinance establishes the fee; state law makes the fee effective 90 days after adoption); and (2) an ordinance increasing the monthly stormwater utility fee from $5 to $10 per residence (staff said the new rate would be billed beginning in the August utility bill after notification in the July newsletter). Motions: adopt master plan (resolution), adopt ordinance to implement impact fee (mover: Council member Jones; second: Council member Garrett), adopt ordinance to increase stormwater utility fee (mover: Council member Jones; second: Council member Carlson). Recorded vote on master plan and fees: recorded votes show councilmembers voting yes (Carlson, Egbert, Jones, Garrett) across the measures; all items were approved.

Council and staff discussion on stormwater emphasized that much of the city's system relies on retention and infiltration, that older parts of town were built without modern storm drainage and are now at higher risk as surrounding fields are developed, and that the city currently has a single low-capacity outfall (to Dry Hollow). Staff presented a capital plan with estimated in-city improvements of about $12 million and noted a Maple Canyon outfall to Hobble Creek could cost from about $4.8 million to $8.6 million depending on the flood-flow assumptions used with FEMA.

No ballot or ordinance language was changed at the meeting beyond the motions passed; staff will implement the technical steps required (notifications, 90-day impact-fee effective period, and rate changes scheduled with utility billing).