Tuesday, February 6, 2024
No video available
The February 2024 Budget Work Session was a day-long retreat held at the Public Safety Building, bringing together the City Council, Mayor Mark Johnson, and department heads from across city government to set priorities for the upcoming fiscal year 2025 budget. The session covered a broad range of topics, beginning with team-building and personality assessments before moving into substantive policy and budget discussions. A key financial topic was the Public Power Adjustment Charge, a mechanism designed to pass through fluctuating energy market costs to ratepayers, and broader discussions about rate sustainability for the city's water and sewer utilities. Finance Director Dean Lundell walked the Council through state economic indicators and the challenges of funding city infrastructure in a rapidly growing city where property tax law does not automatically generate proportional new revenue. The Council received a presentation from Alpine School District board members, who shared enrollment projections, capital project needs, and an overview of a proposal to split the district — a concept gaining interest following a failed bond. School safety funding and staffing levels were also discussed. Council members set budget priorities for FY2025 through a structured ranking exercise, with recurring themes including road maintenance, sidewalk construction in older neighborhoods, utility infrastructure expansion to serve new development, and public safety staffing. Staff presented an update on the Dry Creek Reservoir, noting concerns about water rights, evaporation losses, seepage, and funding needs for long-term improvements. The session also included previews of several upcoming capital investments: Family Park's all-abilities playground, described as among the largest in Utah County and slated to open in August 2024; the new Curtis Center for Arts and Education and options for expanding its programming; and a proposed city flag redesign contest to be launched for residents. The fiber internet buildout was also reviewed, with the Fiber Business Manager reporting on service sign-ups and customer satisfaction. The retreat concluded with a closed session to discuss a personnel matter and a real property transaction.