Pleasant Grove staff present modest revenue growth, pay increases and new staffing proposals in 2025 budget preview

City administrators in a March 2025 work session outlined Pleasant Grove’s draft budget assumptions and several staffing and operational proposals, telling the council they expect modest sales-tax growth and recommending targeted investments in wages and services.

The administration said it budgets conservatively and reported fiscal-year results showing revenues above budget. Finance staff reported the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2024, had been budgeted at roughly $9.6 million in sales tax revenue and closed at approximately $10.1 million. For the current fiscal year staff estimated revenues at about $10.3 million and presented a budget projection for the coming year of $10.4 million.

"When we estimate our revenues, we are conservative," the city administrator said, noting the city typically ends the year with surplus "headroom" — staff cited about $2 million of available headroom that could help absorb a downturn if necessary.

Key personnel and benefits proposals in staff’s outline included a 5.05% overall compensation recommendation (2.7% cost-of-living adjustment and 2.35% merit) and a proposed 2% 401(k) match. Staff estimated the match would cost about $139,000 if 75% of eligible employees participate. Medical and dental insurance renewals returned a 0% increase in the staff presentation; property and liability insurance figures were pending from the Utah Local Governments Trust.

The draft budget also flagged several operational and part-time positions for council consideration: a part-time fire inspector, additional custodial support, and potential code enforcement and parking enforcement roles. Staff described an example parking-enforcement cost at roughly $20 per hour for 20 hours a week, equating to about $24,000 annually for a single position. Council and staff discussed whether existing code enforcement already has authority to issue parking citations and whether available staff hours match enforcement needs, particularly for nighttime parking problems near new townhome developments.

The council asked staff to return with more detailed options on parking enforcement and code authority at the April 8 meeting; staff noted enforcement timing and whether citations would cover new position costs required deeper analysis. The police chief and other staff participants indicated a willingness to authorize code enforcement to issue citations if legal and system processes (recording in the police records system) were clarified.

Staff proposed expanding the city’s communications capacity by increasing hours for an existing part-time staffer to add roughly 10 hours per week of social-media and promotional work, separate from the current staff member who handles press release–style communications. City staff described the new role as producing short profile videos and promotional content to highlight city services and employees.

Other line items discussed included custodial/janitorial changes and a library furniture request. Library staff presented an itemized furniture estimate; they had requested $60,000 and produced a longer estimate that approached $71,000 for a fuller replacement plan. City staff said choices on furniture and janitorial support would be addressed in forthcoming budget hearings.

No formal budget adoption occurred at the work session. The city administrator laid out a schedule: additional staff follow-up at the April 8 meeting, another review on April 22 and a tentative budget presentation on May 6.

Ending

Council members asked for more detail on enforcement authority and the potential revenue or enforcement outcomes that would support new positions. Staff will return with refined cost estimates and operational proposals during the April budget meetings.