Willard Council reinstates transit tax, adopts interlocal agreement with UTA

Willard City Council voted on March 26 to repeal Ordinance 2024-03, reinstate Ordinance 2007-B(Rev) and adopt an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement with the Utah Transit Authority (UTA). The council said the change was necessary to keep the city in compliance after a prior repeal was found to be legally problematic.

Mayor Pro Tem and Councilmember Mike Braegger opened the public hearing and explained that about two years earlier the city had attempted to repeal the UTA tax but later learned the repeal was not legally valid. Braegger said the city negotiated to avoid paying back taxes but concluded it must reinstate the tax to remain in compliance with UTA requirements.

During public comment, resident Mark Murphy urged the city to consider legal action, saying he was frustrated that a promised Willard transit stop originally targeted for 2030 has been pushed back to 2035. Murphy also said he expected the council to approve the ordinance despite his objections.

Council discussion referenced prior legal review and a similar unsuccessful challenge by Perry City. Councilmember Jacob Bodily moved and Councilmember Jordan Hulsey seconded a combined motion to repeal the 2024 ordinance, reinstate the 2007 ordinance and adopt the interlocal agreement. City Manager Jeremy Kimpton confirmed the items could be handled in a single action. A roll-call vote was recorded: Bodily Yes; Rodney Mund recorded his vote as "Not a happy yes"; Mike Braegger Yes; Rex Christensen Yes; Jordan Hulsey Yes. The motion carried.

The action restores the city's participation in UTA's local taxing arrangement and formally adopts the interlocal cooperation agreement. The council did not specify an implementation timeline in the meeting record.

What happens next: the ordinance reinstatement and interlocal agreement were approved at the March 26 meeting. Any legal or procedural follow-up was not described in the meeting minutes.