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Utah League of Cities and Towns board approves appointments, accepts audit and backs dues approach to limit increase
Summary
At its year-end meeting the Utah League approved a midterm Area 8 appointment, confirmed a staff member’s participation on the Utah Housing Coalition board, accepted audited FY2025 financial statements and directed staff to draft dues options that hold increases below 3%. Several other policy directions were approved by voice vote.
The Utah League of Cities and Towns board met in a hybrid session to wrap up 2023 business and set priorities for the legislative session. The board approved several administrative actions by voice vote and provided direction to staff on dues, membership policy for newly incorporated cities and litigation participation.
Board appointments and confirmations were among the early actions. After recognizing departing board member Adlinda Monticello for her service, the board approved a staff recommendation to fill the Area 8 midterm vacancy by appointing Mayor Van Wagner of Castle Dale. The board also confirmed that Carson Eilers will serve on the Utah Housing Coalition board; staff described that as a non-required appointment that the League should endorse.
The board then heard an audit presentation from Jeff Miles, the League’s auditor. Miles summarized the audited financial statements for fiscal year 2025, noting total assets of roughly $3.8 million and year‑over‑year increases in operating revenue tied to recently received grant funding. He cautioned that net pension liabilities can fluctuate with market returns but said the audit identified no deficiencies in internal control and no state‑compliance exceptions. "We didn't identify any deficiencies in internal control," Miles said during his presentation. Following the briefing, members moved to accept the audited financial statements; the motion was approved by voice vote.
Financial planning and membership dues consumed a substantial portion of the discussion. Staff presented three dues scenarios in response to a roughly 9.1% rise in property valuation: (A) keep rates constant, which would have produced an approximately 5.1% dues increase; (B) the staff recommendation to reduce the property‑valuation component so total dues increases would remain under 3%; and (C) broader, open options that could alter the population or sales‑tax factors. The board directed staff to bring multiple Option B sub‑options to the January meeting so members could choose a path that limits dues increases while honoring the League’s adopted strategic objective that dues fund core operations.
On membership policy, staff recommended and the board adopted a new policy to allow newly incorporated municipalities — identified in this meeting as Ogden Valley and Spring Lake — to join the League in January and receive the immediate benefits of membership. The policy requires those cities to pay prorated dues (one‑half year) within 90 days of receiving revenue from the state tax commission; the board amended the language to cover officials who take office "in or prior to January."
The board gave staff a green light to develop a public education and outreach campaign that would highlight municipal services and showcase city programs in short and long‑form video content. Staff said the program would be designed for reuse by member cities and shared distribution.
On litigation, the board voted to sign on to an additional amicus brief in litigation the League has been following. That motion passed by voice vote.
Next steps and key dates: League staff said they will bring dues options back in January, will prepare proposals for the Legislative Policy Committee (LPC) on Jan. 12, and reminded members that the legislative session begins Jan. 20 and Local Officials Day is Jan. 21.
Votes at a glance - Approval of Oct. 27 minutes — approved (voice vote). - Appointment: Mayor Van Wagner to represent Area 8 (midterm) — approved (voice vote). - Confirmation: Carson Eilers' participation on Utah Housing Coalition board — approved (voice vote). - Acceptance: FY2025 audited financial statements — approved (voice vote). - Direction: staff to pursue Option B approach for dues and present sub‑options in January — approved (voice vote). - Adoption: membership policy for newly incorporated cities (prorated dues) — approved (voice vote). - Litigation: sign on to additional amicus brief — approved (voice vote).
What to watch - Staff will return in January with multiple dues scenarios under the staff‑recommended approach. Members and member cities will be asked to review and choose among those options. - Legislative engagement on property‑tax process reform is active; staff said proposals will be developed for LPC in January.
Sources: Board meeting transcript and audit presentation provided to the League board.
