Emigration Canyon council debates mayor pay and MSD budget after members cite $319,000 shortfall

Emigration Canyon council members spent a large portion of a recent meeting discussing mayor and council compensation and the financial relationship between the city and the Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District (MSD), citing what staff and councilors described as a roughly $319,000 budget shortfall.

Council members and staff reviewed a packet of MSD budget materials and municipal wage comparables. At the start of the discussion one councilor said, "Review. It's currently $1,500 a month," referring to the mayor's current pay. A city staff member suggested raising the mayor's pay, saying it "probably ought to be to a minimum of 4,500." Other councilors proposed smaller increases in the $2,500–$3,000-per-month range during the discussion.

The council also reviewed how the MSD compensates board representatives. Staff and councilors said MSD pays representatives $100 per meeting and that the MSD holds two meetings a month, creating about $200 in monthly compensation for a representative. Participants noted that not all MSD representatives are mayors; some cities send council members or contracted administrators.

Several councilors and staff relied on figures shown in the MSD packet while debating the city's finances. At the meeting staff walked the council through the packet's summary lines and cited an expenditures total of roughly $257,002.35 for the coming year and discussed a line described in the packet as "transfers out" (appearing as $5.77 in the packet excerpt discussed at the meeting). Speakers repeatedly described the district and the city as being "in the hole" by approximately $319,000 and asked MSD staff to explain the calculations and how pooled MSD revenues are allocated among member entities.

Councilors compared Emigration Canyon's pay and staffing arrangements with neighboring jurisdictions during the discussion. Attendees noted that the mayor of Springdale reportedly received $6,500 a year (as cited during the meeting), that some jurisdictions (for example Kearns, Magna and Brighton) include staff positions such as city managers or administrators in their compensation line items, and that cities that employ administrators tend to show higher overall wages in the packets reviewed.

Council discussion also covered the city's recent transition from a metro township form to city status and what that means for decisions such as whether the mayor votes as a council member and whether an ordinance must be passed to finalize changes in the city's form of government. Staff explained there are variations among municipalities about whether the mayor votes, how many council seats remain, and whether an ordinance is needed to settle the local implementation details.

Next steps agreed at the meeting included staff inviting MSD finance staff to a future meeting to explain the packet numbers and provide at least two to three years of reconciled budget information. A staff member said they would invite Stewart or Daniel from MSD and include Marla, who has served as general manager and a CPA, so councilors could ask detailed questions about the MSD revenue, transfers and the apparent $319,000 shortfall.

The meeting closed with a procedural motion to adjourn that was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.