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Highland staff outline budget shifts, staffing changes and new truth-in-taxation steps required by state law
Summary
Staff presented reallocated line items (including an $80,000 shift for an Alpine Highway fence), an events coordinator position conversion ($47,000), a $100,000 placeholder for building security work, IT inventory corrections and the newly prescribed truth-in-taxation schedule required under House Bill 326; staff said packets and notices will follow to meet May–August deadlines.
Staff walked the council through a series of technical changes and requested policy directions in the tentative budget, and flagged new statutory steps required by recent state law changes to the truth-in-taxation process.
Key adjustments and proposals included moving $80,000 for the Alpine Highway fence from the council department to planning and zoning (no net citywide impact), reserving $100,000 for potential security improvements to city facilities (bids and specifics pending), and converting an events coordinator from part time to full time at an estimated $47,000 in additional annual compensation and benefits to stabilize event programming. Staff also reported small cross-fund shifts after IT asset-inventory work discovered an undocumented computer and noted the current IT vendor has had a difficult handoff that may trigger a future rebid.
On enterprise funds, staff left $33,000 in the culinary-water fund as a chlorination contingency and adjusted pressurized-irrigation and culinary water revenue forecasts upward after receiving another month of utility data. Staff also corrected a $74,000 double-counted storm-sewer item.
Legal and calendar implications: Jay (finance/legal staff) explained that House Bill 326 imposes stricter truth-in-taxation notice requirements. The city must declare its intent to raise property taxes at the council meeting on May 5, publish impact schedules in late May/early June, adopt a tentative budget (June 16 public hearing) and hold the truth-in-taxation hearing and final budget adoption on Aug. 18 as a stand-alone meeting. Jay said the city will document the process carefully (resolutions, screenshots of public video) to avoid invalidation of any tax action.
Public engagement: Council members emphasized repeated outreach and education — staff plans an open house on May 13 featuring library and budget displays and will make budget materials continuously available on the city website.
At the end of the work session the council approved a motion to recess into a closed session to discuss a personnel matter under Utah Code Annotated §52-4-205.
