Brynn Mortensen, from The Salt Lake Chamber, said housing affordability is an issue that needs attention. She said their concern is they don’t want to price firemen, nurses, and teachers out of the Utah market.  “Utah is leading the nation in population growth and economic growth.” She said the broad business community is trying to get a head of this so their employees can afford the costs of living. She said the Policy Institute at the University of Utah conducted a study so the state can address this before the issue hits. She said their data shows there are more households than houses and since 1991 the average home costs have outpaced the inflation rate.  She said their goal is to figure out how residents feel so they can launch a media campaign to combat nimbyism (not in my backyard) so more affordable housing will be included within cities.

Miss North Ogden

Hannah Goodrich, the Miss North Ogden pageant director introduced Miss North Ogden and attendants to the council.

Rachael Alder, who was recently crowned as Miss North Ogden, said she encourages youth to choose their own statistic. “Children in the foster system tend to follow the footsteps of their parents.” She plans to visit schools and encourage youth to break the cycle. “We all face a statistic or an odd we want to break through.”

Jaycee Dunyen was crowned as the Outstanding Teen and she hopes to encourage all to get hooked in a book. She said she struggled with reading in third grade but eventually a teacher helped her fall in love with reading. She has plans to help kids learn to love reading by visiting schools and donating books.

Later in public comments, Greg Merrill suggested to bring back the little Miss Cherry days which includes 7 to 8-year-old girls.

City accounting and cleaning contracts

Evan Nelson, the Finance Director, said the accounting service Christensen, Palmer, & Ambrose have been helping prepare financial reports while the accounting service Davis and Bott have performed the audit on those reports.  For the fiscal year of 2018, Davis and Bott hired a hired a city employee as an intern. Nelson said they originally were concerned about a conflict of interest but decided to move forward because they didn’t think it would be a problem. He said it turned out to be a problem and they will no longer be the city’s auditors; although the city plans to use their services for the next fiscal year.  Christensen, Palmer, and Ambrose will carry out the auditing for 2018, but the council will revert to the contract with Davis and Bott the next fiscal year. The council accepted the agreement

City Attorney John Call said Jensen Custodial Services have been the successful bidder. He said other cleaning business are a couple grand more expensive. Their contract costs $35,800 annually which includes carpet cleaning, blind cleaning, wall scrubbing, and tile floor waxing. The council approved the three year agreement.

Public Comments

Keith Ashdown said most of the answers they got concerning the Nordic Valley project were “we have to study it.” He said he wanted answers. Bret Hamblen said he just came from the gondola presentation and said the only plus for North Ogden he caught is tax revenue. Trevor Earl said recently purchased land for his home and doesn’t want the gondola. Another resident said he does not think the city has the infrastructure to take on a project of this magnitude. Two council members were able to claim a seat for the meeting although Council members Ryan Barker and Cheryl Stoker were not allowed in because the room was packed.

Steve Rasmussen expressed his gratitude for the North View Fire Department for putting out a fire outside their home in their wood pile. He said he doesn’t plan on giving them any more business.

Rasmussen also expressed his concern with traffic. He said the expansion project of 2600 and Washington blvd should be looked at again. “We need to think ahead… If we do this and don’t take it far enough, it could bring more trouble.” He suggested to take the merge onto 2600  further up the road to keep traffic flowing.

Greg Merrill suggested the council visit the park across from Layton Highschool. “Their amphitheater is very well hidden.” He also hopes the city can find a way to draw long term home owners in instead of short term.

Keith Ashdown said he lives across the street from the city shops and was promised landscaping on the property. His wife Brenda Ashdown said the city promised extra trees. He said he would prefer not to see the rusty dump truck and rusty back hoe.

Brent Taylor, who is home for a couple weeks of leave, said he has five more months of deployment.

Kim Christensen expressed her gratitude for the council’s decision last week to not approve the pond.

Councilman Carl Turner said the mosquito bug count is down by half even though they have found west Nile virus.

Call said they are no longer under a time crunch to build a new water detention basin because the company who was going to purchase the land where the current retention basin is located backed out. He said there are other people who are interested in the commercial benefit of the old detention basin location.