Ryan Barker was sworn in to the City Council. Barker was born and raised in North Ogden. He is the Fire Marshal at the North View Fire District and he has seen the city grow over the years. In his job he has worked with the Planning Department in reviewing projects as they are presented.

Recycling discussion

A poll on the City’s and Mayor’s Facebook pages showed that people are willing to pay something but not an unlimited amount for recycling according to City Attorney John Call. He said people want curbside recycling and half the respondents said they wouldn’t use a second garbage can.

Susan Clements said people who have a second garbage can run a small business in their home. She said she thinks they should pay as much as the other cans. Steve Rasmussen said he has two cans and doesn’t have a business, “I don’t know how people live without a second can.” He asked the city to be careful with raising utility rates especially when considering people living on a fixed income.

Charles Wright said the occasional windstorm blows his garbage and recycling cans over. He said he has been told not to bag it but sometimes when he doesn’t, the contents end up blown across the street. Wright suggested doing away with recycling. Kurt Child also said he favored getting rid of recycling.

Changes in the budget for the next fiscal year

Evan Nelson presented the tentative budget which is the first draft the council adopted. Nelson said the final budget will be adopted in June. Budget calendar.

Nelson highlighted changes that were not in the previous year’s budget. The city will have one new full-time police officer. A parks position is moving from part to full-time. The city will have a grant funded victim advocate position. There will be a market salary increase for life guards. The budget includes merit wage adjustments for city employees and Utah retirement benefits for part-time employees. The city will have one new full-time storm water department position and one new full-time water department position. There will be funding to support the vehicle replacement program.

Money is also set aside for preliminary work on the 2700 N intersection project and the storm water basin/ community pond project. The budget includes funding for continued work on the Barker Park Amphitheater project which is partially funded through grants. The budget includes money to complete phase three of a street lights project and replacement of a North Ogden playground.

There are additional funds set aside for regular road maintenance, completion of a solid waste storage building,  and continuation of the sewer pipe relining project.

Public hearing for surplus property

The council held a public hearing for the surplus property where the existing detention pond is located at 190 E 2700 N. They are proposing to move it so they can bring businesses to the property. The council later declared it as surplus property.

The council is still deliberating on who will be responsible for filling in the detention basin which could cost up to $100,000. Call said the city will not provide the funds but the CDA funds will. They are considering selling it for less than $1,638,727 and shifting the responsibility for filling in the property to the developer. Call said, “If we use the CDA funds, the water funds will end up with $100,000 more.” The council will bring this item back for the next council meeting.

Contest Winner

John Reynolds announced Naomi Elmer as the winner of the Youth City Council Freedom essay contest. This contest was inspired by a young soldier who died in Iraq. She made a collage of all the service projects she has been a part of and the groups she has been a part of as well.

This contest offers scholarships to Youth City Council members, Weber High School graduates and there will also be a public contest in the North Ogden Connection and Ogden Valley News