GOOD NEWS

 COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO MAYOR’S CALL FOR MASTER PLAN

CITY MANAGER INSTRUCTS COUNCILTO IMPROVE ADMINISTRDATION OF CITY BUSINESS

March 25^th City Council Workshop Meeting marked the implementation of Mayor Pike’s call for MASTER PLAN….. Delineated planning….. A teaching moment put forth by City Manager for benefit of Council and City staff.

City Manager up to challenge…..Begins with basic review of where city has been and moved forward to new items….. Seeking to establish the foundation for the building of what can be called the First Phase of the Long Term Plan envisioned by Mayor Pike.

The Council, Department Heads and Key Personnel were in attendance and appeared eager to gain the knowledge necessary for implementing a fiscally responsible budget. City Manager outlined sources of revenue…..Detailed How and Where money comes from…..How it MAY and IS to be used….. How it is DISTRIBUTED and MITIGATING circumstances and conditions that come into play from various City Departments…. that in totality make up the City Budget.

It became apparent to me that….. City Mgr. Esplin had Changed/Matured in his acceptance/understanding of the benefits afforded by greater TRANSPARENCY in budgetary planning and in his approaching in EDUCATING new Council Members on how to successfully achieve City Goals.

In discussing which FUND does what IMPACT FEE’S/CAPITAL PROJECTS moved to center stage. Mr. Esplin cited the importance of knowing plans for the next 5 to 10 years…. And the effect these items have on the budget(s) that are to be introduced.

Mr. Jason Burningham was introduced as the City’s Financial Advisor and he proceeded to present the most interesting and comprehensive explanation of IMPACT FEE’S and how they are regulated…..Utah Code Title 11 Chapter 36A

Each City Department was identified……Current and Future financing for each Department was touched upon and the In’s & Out’s on how IMPACT FEE’S are distributed to each Department was discussed.

Each Department may/should project future growth for 6 to 10 years and should consider a population increase from 3 to 6 percent. It becomes a real balancing act that we can all appreciate. The importance of IMPACT FEE’S and RESERVE FUNDS (Important for getting Bond money) cannot be overstated.

Can you imagine that building a large Supermarket…..say 30,000 square feet can cost the builder in excess of $100,000 in Impact Fee’s.  (You have to look at each category that a particular Department may come under to see how much money it may draw from set IMPACT FEE’S) That is why it is so important to know that State Legislation sets the frame work and City establishes number of categories in determining Impact Fee’s…. City is required to have a Public Hearing prior to enactment of established Impact Fee’s. (Percent of Impact Fee’s to go to Fire, Police, Transportation-Roads-Bus, Water-Culinary-Sewer-Storm Drain-Treatment, Energy, Parks, Trails, Recreation, etc.)

Clearly Mayor Pike’s influence is being felt as he seeks to establish Long Term Planning Mechanism for the City and more firmly establish an open door….. Team Approaching in receiving and discussing issues of importance. (Much yet to be done on Code Enforcement Issues)

NOTED PERFORMANCE: The steady hand of Councilman Bowcutt is becoming more apparent as he asks pertinent questions……Councilwoman Arial is revealing her broad knowledge and understanding of Administration/ Public Service issues…..Councilwoman Randall is doing well with Veteran issues.

City Manager Esplin knocked it out of the Ball Park with this Budget Discussion for year 2014-2015. By far the best presentation and training session I have seen and heard over the last 10 to 12 years. 

Please continue to forward your thoughts and concerns. 

Thank You, Ed Baca