City Council Meeting - December 10, 2024

Meeting Summary

The December 10, 2024 City Council meeting was dominated by debate over an amendment to the interlocal agreement governing the proposed Central School District split. City Administrator Jason Walker explained that the amendment would authorize the Central School District cities — including Lehi, Highland, and American Fork — to begin preparatory work before the new school board is elected, such as naming the district, dividing assets among three new districts, and establishing boundaries. The resolution passed with Councilmember Michelle Stallings as the sole opposing vote. Stallings argued that "we were not elected to be the school board" and that the county and existing school district should bear responsibility for these tasks, not the cities. Mayor Mark Johnson and Councilmembers Heather Newall, Paige Albrecht, and Chris Condie supported the amendment, comparing it to an insurance policy and emphasizing that someone must complete the necessary preparatory work before the new board is seated. Both Highland City and American Fork City also unanimously approved the amendment. The amendment requires approval from all cities in the interlocal agreement before it takes effect. The meeting also included year-end budget review discussions and a look at FY2025 priorities. The city's FY2025 budget had been adopted earlier in the year with an estimated 8.4% increase in General Fund revenues, driven primarily by property tax, sales tax, and franchise tax revenues. The council reviewed progress on capital projects and departmental spending as the fiscal year passed its midpoint.