In their June 18, 2019 Council Meeting, the Ogden City Council adopted the FY2020 City Budget, which includes merit pay increases for general employees, step increases for public safety employees, 11 additional positions throughout the City, and no increase in property taxes for Ogden residents.
“This budget focuses on addressing public safety needs, infrastructure improvements and incorporating cost-efficiencies to allow for additional resources to be allocated to the city’s recreation programs. We are pleased with the opportunity to reflect the Council’s priorities in the budget and are always looking for ways to improve,” Council Chair Ben Nadolski said. “As a Council, we want to provide a high level of service for Ogden residents, and hear about what they’d like to see in the budget.”
Merit pay increases of up to 4% were included in the budget for eligible employees, as well as 4% step increases for public safety employees. To provide Ogden residents with the level of service they expect, the Council focused on the City’s ability to hire and retain qualified individuals, and the merit increase is one facet of the City’s efforts to do so.
The Council also approved new positions throughout the City, including a three-person crew for field maintenance and two Recreation Supervisors who will improve the experience for those involved in Ogden’s Recreation Programs. The budget also includes funding six new positions to enhance public safety in Ogden, three for Police and three for Fire.
The Strategic Planning Advisory Committee, working with the City’s outside consultant, was actively engaged with the Ogden community over the last few months through focus groups and surveys to determine the significant needs and concerns of Ogden residents. The full report from this study was not available in time to be considered for this fiscal year budget, but the Council will refer to the results for the FY2021 City Budget.
Funding was withheld for some Redevelopment Agency projects by the Council with the expectation to be better informed about future developments early in the process.
Unlike the last three years, the Council decided to adopt the Certified Tax Rate instead of maintaining the current property tax rate. This means Ogden City will receive the same amount of property tax revenue and residents will not see an increase in the City’s portion of property taxes. The decision came with a discussion of considering the Truth in Taxation process on an annual basis starting with Fiscal Year 2021.
Council members, acting as Redevelopment Agency (RDA) board members and Municipal Building Authority (MBA) trustees, adopted the FY2020 RDA Budget and FY2020 MBA Budget on June 11, 2019.
Additional Information:
There were several opportunities for public input on the budget, including hearings and a Facebook Live Q&A Session.
For additional information, please contact Ogden City Council Executive Director Janene Eller-Smith, JaneneEller-Smith@ogdencity.com; 801-629-8153.
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