Council opens FY2025–26 budget hearing; staff flags $5.14 sewer rate increase

Finance Director Tracy Probert opened the public hearing on Layton’s tentative FY2025–26 budget and recommended the council continue action to June 19 to allow public comment. Probert highlighted there is no proposed property‑tax increase in the draft (the final tax rate will be set once county/state figures are published). She summarized key figures: general fund just under $49 million, total city budget including utilities about $129 million, proposed cost‑of‑living adjustment 1.5% and an average 3% merit pool for employees, $2.9 million in capital equipment and $23.6 million in capital projects.

Probert said the city plans to implement a scheduled North Davis Sewer District rate increase of $2.50 and a city portion increase of $2.64, for a combined monthly increase of $5.14 passed through to customers. She also described budget changes since the tentative adoption: increasing fire and emergency medical overtime/promotions budgets to account for staff promotions at Station 54, adding $15,000 for new election costs driven by state changes, shifting the pool dome project from the general fund into the RAMP fund (reducing use of general fund balance by about $945,000) and moving a wave‑machine purchase into the current year so equipment can be ordered.

Council kept the public hearing open for the budget and held a separate public hearing on municipal executive compensation as required by state law; Tracy explained executive positions’ increases are set using the same market and merit processes as other employees. No final vote on the budget took place; the council scheduled continued hearing and final adoption for June 19.