Ogden City Council adopts $3.34 million budget amendment, including funds for property purchase and homeless services

The Ogden City Council on Tuesday adopted a fiscal‑year 2025–26 budget amendment that increases the city’s overall budget by $3,342,875. The ordinance passed on a roll‑call vote after a presentation from finance staff and brief public comment.

Justin Sorensen, presenting the amendment, said the package would increase the general fund by $750,007.50 and transfer $350,000 to the capital improvement fund to purchase the property at 952 Childs Avenue. Sorensen told the council the amendment includes a $158,000 increase to the storm‑sewer fund to recognize a Division of Water Quality grant for stormwater improvements near Lester Park; $340,000 moved into fleet and facilities to allow purchase of five additional police units; and an increase in miscellaneous grants to reflect additional state homeless‑mitigation awards, bringing total recognized homeless grant funding to just over $4,300,000. He also said $305,000 in the fleet fund is earmarked for a mobile care unit the city plans to use.

Council Member Meyers moved to adopt the proposed ordinance (referred to in the meeting as the fiscal‑year 2025–26 budget amendment, “proposed ordinance 20 five‑twenty 8”), and Vice Chair Hyer seconded. The roll‑call vote was recorded as: Council Member Chaburka — No; Council Member Graff — Aye; Council Member Meyers — Aye; Council Member Ritchie — Aye; Council Member Blair — Aye; Vice Chair Hyer — Aye; Chair White — Aye. The motion passed.

Several council members and members of the public spoke in support of portions of the amendment. Council Member Blair thanked the administration for allocating mitigation funds to Lantern House and other local services. During the public hearing portion, residents asked how homeless‑mitigation dollars will be used and whether funding would reduce criminalization of people experiencing homelessness; Theresa Bramwell described finding drug paraphernalia near her home and urged resources that reduce harm rather than arrests. Mayor responded that the city’s approach focuses on behavior and services, noting Ogden’s homeless‑advocate and homeless‑medical‑advocate programs and partnerships with Weber Human Services and the Ogden Housing Authority.

The ordinance’s passing directs the city to appropriate the listed transfers and grant recognitions; staff said further details about implementation and timing will be managed through department budgets and grant reporting.

The council adopted the ordinance and moved on to other business; the amendment takes effect according to the city’s normal budgetary processes and any grant conditions.