There’s a lot of things going on in North Ogden. It’s good to have an awareness of what’s happening around us. It’s important that we don’t let all the negativity in the world drown out the good things that are happening. Today (July 20th), I took a few minutes and viewed the Gold Star Monument that was delivered to the North Ogden City Office Plaza. What a positive event that we can be proud of for years to come! This monument is a culmination of a community effort to honor military families who have lost loved ones in the service of our country. It was funded by donations with no cost to the city. It will be officially dedicated on August 1st, after which, it can be viewed at your leisure.

I also want you to be aware that, on August 4th at 7:00 PM, the city will be holding a Truth in Taxation Hearing at the Senior Citizens Center or via the Zoom meeting app. The purpose of the hearing is to propose a property tax increase equal to an amount that was previously collected from our citizens as a Transportation Utility Fee. Starting in 2015, $3 per month was added to your utility bill. Earlier this year, the court declared this fee in another city was a tax and had been illegally enacted. Although this decision is being appealed, we made the decision to stop collecting this fee. At the Truth in Taxation hearing, we will be simply suggesting this fee be reinstated in its proper classification of a tax. Also, for the first time in several years, there will be no increase in charges for water, sewer, garbage, and storm water fees. I view this as a positive!

I hope you have heard about the discussion taking place regarding the proposal to build a new Public Safety Building. Mayor Chugg is the chairman of a citizen committee that has addressed deficiencies in the current facility and has made recommendations for needs in a new facility. A preliminary plan has been presented to the City Council, but the plan has not been thoroughly reviewed by the Council, and no decisions have been made while we wait for citizen feedback. I encourage you to express your ideas and concerns to the committee members. A list of committee members can be found on the city’s website. As your Mayor, I am focused on providing quality essential services, and I feel public safety is the number one priority. Our current facility is inadequate, and we can no longer ignore the need to provide a safe working environment for our officers.

I’m a realistic optimist, and although many positive events are happening, I understand we are facing adversity in our country. When we feel threatened in any way, we can develop an attitude of paranoia, confidence, or desperation. Without being complacent, I would recommend we choose confidence. There are tremendous opportunities available if we have an open mind and understand what worked in the past may not work in the future. Let’s continue the mind-set of keeping North Ogden a great place to live!

Be Safe!
Mayor Berube