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2026-06-09 - City Council Work Session

Summary

Built from the official minutes (approved August 18, 2026). The minutes are not a full transcript.

  • Council work session, called to order at 1:37 p.m. and adjourned at 6:26 p.m. Present: Petro, Puy (Chair; joined during item 3), Wharton, Carlsen, Dugan and Young. Mayor Mendenhall and Administration leaders attended.
  • Briefing on Addendum No. 10 to the Utah Transit Authority interlocal agreement for Frequent Service Network routes (200 South, 900 South, 2100 South, 1000 North). See Frequent Transit Network Interlocal Agreement.
  • The Fiscal Year 2026-27 911 Department budget item was moved to a written briefing only; no discussion.
  • Reviewed legislative intents and interim study items: three new intents added (UTA ridership performance benchmarks, citywide communications standards, recycling and yard waste can fees) and several old ones closed or kept open. See Fiscal Year 2026-27 Legislative Intents Review.
  • Unresolved budget issues follow-up: Council agreed to meet Thursday, June 11 to discuss budget reductions. Straw poll: all members present supported reducing the Council Office operations budget by 5 percent. See Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget Unresolved Items.
  • Property Tax Impact Schedule: Puy noted the item was posted as state law requires and the schedule was online. See Fiscal Year 2026-27 Property Tax Increase.
  • Interviewed Kate Fairchild and David Quealy for the Judicial Nominating Commission; they were placed on the Consent Agenda that evening. See Judicial Nominating Commission Appointments.
  • Interviewed 20 applicants for the vacant District Four seat and chose Jennifer Napier-Pearce by coin toss after a 3-3 second round. See District Four Council Vacancy Appointment.
  • Closed meeting 3:10 p.m. to 3:32 p.m. on pending or reasonably imminent litigation and attorney-client matters (Wharton/Dugan; 6-0). The Council exited the closed meeting by Dugan/Carlsen; 6-0.
  • Chair and Vice Chair and Executive Director reports: none.

UTA Addendum No. 10 (Frequent Service Network)

Kira Luke introduced the item. Nichol Bourdeaux (UTA Vice President of External Relations) and Lynn Jacobs presented City-sponsored services under the interlocal agreement, the addenda history from 2018, an overview of Addendum No. 10, and ridership, affordability and equity data. Members discussed how routes were selected, expanding the network through State and neighboring-city partnerships, and sharing the results with other jurisdictions. The agreement signed in 2018 runs twenty years. Council action followed on June 16 (2026-06-16 - LBA, CRA and Council Formal Meeting).

Legislative intents and interim study items

Allison Rowland introduced the review. Outcomes by department:

  • Attorney's Office: FY24 pay parity among attorneys, close and continue.
  • Community and Neighborhoods: FY26 Don't Block the Box, ongoing evaluation and incorporation into street reconstruction with more enforcement during special events; FY23 Youth and Family Program Streamlining, close with a request to review the department's strategic plan.
  • Finance: FY27 report on push carts and other mobile vendors, keep open, include any mobile service and gather information on state legislation; FY25 zero-based budgeting policy goals, close and review the Public Lands strategic capital, acquisition and asset management plan before completion; FY25 Consolidated Fee Schedules, sidewalk and lane closure fees stay open and reducing push cart license fees to close.
  • Mayor's Office: FY26 street bonds funding options and FY26 diversified response team efficiencies, both stay open.
  • Public Services: FY25 neighborhood district signs and FY15 maintenance of business districts, both stay open.
  • Council-led: FY27 privacy ordinance, FY25 Council Member compensation, FY24 Legal Defenders Association and FY23 rotating outside audits, all stay open.
  • New requests agreed: UTA ridership performance benchmarks; citywide communications guiding principles and department baseline assessment (with cost savings, efficiencies and definitions of success); multiple recycling and yard waste can fees.

Unresolved budget issues follow-up

Jennifer Bruno reviewed that new state law requires the Council to identify the specific purposes funded by any property tax increase and list them in the Property Tax Impact Schedule; hypothetical options to modify or reduce the proposed increase (new growth figures not final until June 12, updated figures promised before budget adoption); and the Key Expense Changes spreadsheet. Council agreed to meet June 11 (2026-06-11 - City Council Work Session); Puy asked members to research reductions and decide whether funding should come from the property tax increase or the General Fund. Discussion covered this year's separate review of General Fund and property tax increase items (combined next year), consensus building before adoption, items to restore, add or keep reduced, and removal of the Fleet Fuel item. Mary Beth Thompson said a 1 percent budget reduction equals about $5 million and the upcoming fund balance report would not include revenue projections.

Judicial Nominating Commission

Kate Fairchild and David Quealy reviewed their qualifications. Puy said their names would go on the Consent Agenda; the Council approved them 6-0 (one abstention) the same evening (2026-06-09 - City Council Formal Meeting).

District Four vacancy interviews

Puy explained the process. Applicants interviewed (each up to five minutes): Austin Taylor, Kaytlynn Scott, Lilah Rosenfield, Jeffrey Wilbur, Brenda Scheer, Javier Chavez Jr., Clayton Scrivner, Pamela Silberman, Jennifer Napier-Pearce, Gavin Serr, George Hofmann, Tom Merrill, Thomas Christiansen, Benjamin Draleau, Julian Jurkoic, Kallin Glauser, Nicholas Pensari, Nathan Carlin, Scott Lyttle and Jennifer Starley. Puy thanked all applicants and encouraged them to stay involved or run for office.

First round (verbal votes): Wharton, Carlsen and Dugan for Napier-Pearce; Young and Puy for Scott Lyttle; Petro for Javier Chavez. Keith Reynolds read the tally: Napier-Pearce 3, Lyttle 2, Chavez 1. Remaining candidates were asked one of six questions chosen at random by Puy; Napier-Pearce spoke on common ground, perspectives from other districts and mutual trust, and Lyttle on collaboration, consensus building and working with stakeholders.

Second round: Wharton, Carlsen and Dugan for Napier-Pearce; Petro, Young and Puy for Lyttle. The 3-3 tie was decided by a coin toss run by Reynolds (heads Napier-Pearce, tails Lyttle). The coin landed heads and Napier-Pearce was selected. She was sworn in and appointed that evening (2026-06-09 - City Council Limited Formal Meeting). Members thanked the applicants.

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