City Council

Minutes of the Millcreek City Council May 20, 2024 5:00 p.m. Special Work Meeting The City Council of Millcreek, Utah, met in a special public meeting on May 20, 2024, at City Hall, located at 1330 E. Chambers Avenue, Millcreek, UT 84106. The meeting was live- streamed on the City's website. PRESENT: Council Members City Staff Jeff Silvestrini, Mayor Mike Winder, City Manager Silvia Catten, District I Elyse Sullivan, City Recorder Thom DeSirant, District 2 Francis Lilly, Assistant City Manager Cheri Jackson, District 3 John Brems, City Attorney Bev Uipi, District 4 Kurt Hansen, Facilities Director Rita Lund, Coinmunications Director Aimee McConkie, City Events Director Jim Hardy, Building Official Jom Miller, City Engineer Lisa Dudley, HR-Finance Director Attendees: No public attendees. SPECIAL MEETING - 5:00 p.m. TIME COMMENCED - 5:06 p.m. Mayor Silvestrini called the work meeting to order. He said this was an infornnal meeting between the council and departinent heads to discuss the FY 2024-25 tentative budget the council accepted at their prior meeting. 1. Discussion of the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Budget Lisa Dudley said the main focus of the budget was the General Fund. She described the columns in the budget as the FY 2022-2023 actual, FY 2023-2024 projected, and FY 2024-2025 tentative, She walked through the revenues in the tentative budget. The big difference between this budget and budgets in the past is including all types of revenues. The original budget has to be tied to the certified tax rate. Finance did not include an amount for property delinquent tax and fee in lieu of property tax in prior years, but they were separated out in this budget. She felt the numbers in the tentative budget were reasonable but conservative. She also separated the Comcast and Google Fiber franchise taxes. Millcreek had imposed a cable franchise cable fee when Comcast was the only provider, but now Google Fiber is a provider. The other fee is telecom fee. Mike Winder said there was wisdom in adopting a telecom franchise fee, as otlier Millcreek City Council Meeting Minutes 20 May 2024 Page 2 of 4 cities do. Council Member Jackson brought up that CenturyLink was another cable provider. Dudley said research was necessary to find other providers. Winder suggested Dudley look at neighboring cities to find others. The original budget the council adopted the prior fiscal year was $29.7 million. The tentative budget for the next fiscal year was $33.4 million. Winder pointed out that the budget notes column was self-explanatory. Mayor Silvestrini said another potential revenue source was a transportation utility fee. The money from that has to be dedicated to street improvements. There is a study done to detennine the amount needed to address the problems. It would capture entities that would not otherwise pay taxes, like churches and schools. The other option is asking residents to vote on a general obligation bond. Council Member DeSirant asked how the fee would be levied. Mayor Silvestrini said through a utility bill, likely Rocky Mountain Power. He noted the fee type had previously been legally challenged in Utah courts but upheld as a legitimate source of revenue. That study would cost approximately $250,000. Council Member Jackson asked if an obligation bond could be divided by areas of the city as opposed to city-wide. Mayor Silvestrini said normally it would be city-wide, however a special service district could be created. He suggested a special sersAce district to raise the additional $5 million needed for the debris retention basin b ecause it would specifically benefit his neighborhood. Mayor Silvestrini said there were road needs all over the city. Council Member Uipi would lean towards a neighborhood special district for the debris basin. Mayor Silvestrini expressed concern about special service districts for equity reasons. Council Member Catten asked about the timeline of a transportation utility fee. Mayor Silvestrini said the fee could be temporary or permanent. Winder said if cities have a manageable fee, then they can stay caught up on road maintenance which saves money in the long run. Miller said a bill that passed in the state legislature suggested that the fee end every 10 years with an option to renew. Winder pointed out other sources of revenue, such as recreation and sales from the skating loop and public market in the budget. The group then reviewed the General Fund expenditure budgets and any needed changes. The budgets included: Mayor and Council, City Management, Justice Court, Legal Services, Public Safety, Promise Program, City Recorder, Building Services, Corni'nunications and Infornnation Center, Emergency Management, Economic Development, Comi'nunity Life Administration, Coinmunity Life Events and Programs, Corninunity Life Public Markets, Community Life Adventure Hub Operations, Finance, Human Resources, Business License Administration, Non- Departmental, Facilities Administration, Fleet, IT Management, Planning and Zoning, and Public Works. Council Member Jackson brought up the membership fee costs of the Utah League of Cities and Towns (ULCT) and Central Wasatch Coini'nission (CWC). Mayor Silvestrini explained that the CWC has been the same annual amount since joining, $75,000, and the ULCT membership fee is based on population and taxable value. Council Member Uipi asked what the benefit of those memberships were. Mayor Silvestrini said the ULCT was a lobbying and training organization for cities. They constantly lobby to prevent legislation that would interfere with cities being able to provide services for their residents on a local basis. The CWC is an advocate group among the cities that are affected by the canyons and involves the protection of the central Wasatch watershed and recreation area. He principally advocated for Millcreek to join it to ensure the protection of Millcreek Canyon. He felt it was an investment for the city to belong to it. Millcreek City Council Meeting Minutes 20 May 2024 Page 3 of 4 Winder pointed out the employee census and how it would be reflected in the final budget. The department directors then described each of their budgets and goals for the coming year. Mayor Silvestrini noted that the Unified Police Department contract would increase 7.16% from the prior year. Tliere would be a 20% increase with the Salt Lake County Animal Services contract. Mayor Silvestrini noted he preferred small incremental increases and not large ones. Winder pointed out that the Promise Program would become its own department in the coming fiscal year, and they would take on the Youth Council. The Recorder budget would not have a municipal election this fiscal year. The Building Department was requesting a business license inspector. The Coininunications Department included a new marketing manager and a public information officer, and one fewer Information Center technician. The E'i'nergency Management budget was requesting additional equipment for the Emergency Operations Center and to outfit the trailer. Aimee McConkie explained the multiple budget pages for Community Life Events and Programs, about $2.5 million in expenditures and about $1 million in revenue. Council Member Catten asked about ticketing events versus having them be free. McConkie said ticketing was helping with crowd control and offsetting costs. The Finance Department was requesting a full time employee for additional workload, additional software purchases, and additional training/travel. Council Member Uipi asked if the Tuition Reimbursement Program line item was for the whole city or specific to the HR budget. Dudley said the whole city. The Non- Departmental budget included all staff meetings and generally shared equipment/supplies for everyone. Kurt Hansen said there were still aspects of the new city hall that needed to be completed. Mayor Silvestrini asked about the debt service on the city liall. Dudley noted it under "Other Financing Uses" as the Series 2021 Debt Service ($1,779,500). Council Member DeSirant asked about the benefits line item in Facilities. Hansen noted that additional staff was included in the department. The Fleet budget included a new vehicle. Electric vehicles would also be purchased through grant funding. The Planning and Zoning budget included $15,000 for large scale mailings which had previously been coded elsewhere. The Public Works budget for the Salt Lake County Public Works Operations contract increased 1.57%. Winder highlighted property purchases and sales. Dudley and Miller then reviewed the Capital Ii'nprovement Fund revenues and expenses. Dudley mentioned that there was legislative funding, $940,000, listed but that it was a mistake and would be removed. Winder pointed out there was a fund started for Millcreek Corninon Phase II. He briefly described the Community Reinvestment Agency fund budgets, Millcreek Coini'nunity Foundation budget, and Parks Impact Fee budget. Council Member DeSirant moved to recess the meeting at 7:12 p.m. Council Member Uipi seconded. Mayor Silvestrini called for the vote. Council Member Catten voted yes, Council Member DeSirant voted yes, Council Member Jackson voted yes, Council Member Uipi voted yes, and Mayor Silvestrini voted yes. The motion passed unanimously Council Member Uipi moved to reconvene the meeting at 7:23 p.m. Council Member DeSirant seconded. Mayor Silvestrini called for the vote. Council Member Catten voted yes, Council Member DeSirant voted yes, Council Member Jackson voted yes, Council Member Uipi voted yes, and Mayor Silvestrini voted yes. The motion passed unanimously. Millcreek City Councn Meeting Minutes 20 May 2024 Page 4 of 4 Winder said the tentative budget had a projected 36.24% fund balance, though the maximum was 35%, so there were funds to free up to bring that percentage down. The department directors and council reviewed potential projects and associated costs to pursue. The projects included: setting aside funds for Millcreek Coinmon Pliase II, replace inigation system at Canyon Rim Park, improvements and art on 2300 E/I-80 roundabout, relocate the fee booth in Mill Creek Canyon, a bronze or a fiberglass eagle statue at the Skyline High School roundabout, non-digital district sign at Chambers/Highland, feasibility study for tlie transportation utility fee, playground equipment at Fortuna Park, playground equipment at Scott Avenue Park, Millcreek Common flower towers (17), overrun for the Jordan River Trailhead, bus shelters and benches, replace broken chillers on Millcreek Common, additional signage on the east side of City Hall, outfit the Emergency Operations Center and emergency management trailer, permanent beer garden fence, cabin walls in the public market, repave Scott Avenue parking lot, public works feasibility study, and pavement preservation. Hansen said the flower towers were currently being constnicted. The council discussed the list and decided to give high priority to projects already underway, and ones deemed necessary. This included fixing tlie chillers and paying for the overnin of the Jordan River Trailhead. They also approved additional city hall signage, outfitting the EOC, pavement preservation, playground equipment, feasibility study for transportation utility fee, beer garden fencing, public market cabin walls, Millcreek Common Phase II savings, and Scott Avenue parking lot repaving and replacing playground equipment. They said staff time could be spent fundraising for the Skyline eagle and getting a concept for a roundabout improvement on 2300 E. The council gave staff direction to amend the tentative budget. Council Member Uipi asked about staff benefit costs. Dudley noted they were flat amounts, not based on wages. She explained benefit loads. ADJOURNED: Council Member Uipi moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:56 p.m. Council Member Jackson seconded. Mayor Silvestrini called for the vote. Council Member Catten voted yes, Council Member DeSirant voted yes, Council Member Jackson voted yes, Council Member Uipi voted yes, and Mayor Silvestrini voted yes. The motion passed unanimously ,vpnovbn31 Jeff Silvestrini, Mayor nate4io-10"1 Attest: Ebu!, Recorder