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Budget review focuses on pool fees, public safety staffing and contingency planning
Summary
Council and the citizen budget committee reviewed draft FY2025–26 budget priorities including a possible 4% property‑tax increase recommendation, pool fee adjustments, whether to add a community service officer, and contingency planning for a potential sales‑tax downturn.
At the April 22 meeting the council received an extended budget briefing from the city's budget committee and staff that highlighted a set of candidate changes to the draft FY2025–26 budget and recommended further council direction.
The citizen budget committee suggested several items for council consideration: require a use‑analysis report on the police FLOCK system; actively solicit donations for a proposed second police drone; weigh the costs and benefits of an additional community service officer (estimated at roughly $80,000–$120,000 depending on vehicle needs); consider tiered business licensing for businesses that require higher public‑safety response; encourage ACH payments rather than credit‑card payments to avoid merchant fees; remove a discontinued “Connection” magazine line item; and explore energy rebates for pool pump upgrades. The committee also recommended council discuss whether recreation programs (pools, leagues) should be expected to pay for themselves or remain subsidized by the general fund.
City Manager John Call and finance staff reviewed revenue and expense assumptions: the draft included a recommended 4% property‑tax increase and an assumed 2% sales‑tax growth, and staff said interest income has been a significant but potentially volatile revenue source. Call described proposed salary adjustments (a 3% minimum and up to 10% maximum in the pay plan to move employees toward market rates) and projected insurance and health‑care cost increases. Call said the general fund currently showed a $60,000 shortfall in the worksheet and that one option for one‑time funding could be to use unspent parks capital funds for an immediate museum request.
Pool operations: Staff reported planned pump upgrades funded by the RDA (borrowing or grant funds) that should reduce utility consumption. Staff proposed a modest admission fee increase (roughly $1 per admission) that could generate an estimated $50,000 in revenue if attendance remains steady; a larger increase (to $11.50) would bring the pool closer to self‑sufficiency but was not recommended at this meeting.
Contingency planning: The committee recommended scenario planning for a 5% to 10% decline in sales‑tax receipts and asked departments to identify where reductions could be made. Staff flagged the risk of relying on interest income if market rates decline.
Next steps: Staff will present a tentative budget at the council's next meeting and the council scheduled a May work session to dig deeper into staffing, the transportation utility fee and pool fees. Citizens who spoke during public comment asked the council to consider funding needs for the North Ogden Historical Museum (public comment provided historical background and requested city assistance for exterior repairs).
