Council adopts fiscal-year budget and approves maximum salaries after weeks of debate

The Nibley City Council adopted its fiscal-year budget and an ordinance listing maximum annual salaries for statutory officers and department heads following a lengthy public hearing and extended council debate about how to divide cost-of-living increases and merit pay.

The vote followed a public hearing on the budget and a presentation by Justin, the city's finance lead, who reviewed revenue projections, proposed capital projects and a multi-part salary schedule. Council members debated whether to set a 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and a possible separate merit pool, or to reduce the COLA and rely more on merit increases tied to performance.

The council adopted the budget with several staff-proposed amendments for capital projects and grant adjustments, including a small increase to bleacher funding tied to grant reimbursements and the moving of incomplete phase payments on multi-year street projects into the coming fiscal year. The adopted budget also carries amendments for the municipal building authority and the community reinvestment agency that were presented and discussed at the meeting.

Why it matters: The adopted…