At today’s meeting, the Council:

Received multiple presentations on proposed budgets for various City departments for the upcoming fiscal year. The Council will continue to discuss the Mayor’s Recommended Budget for Fiscal Year 2020-21 over the coming weeks, with a formal vote expected mid-to late June. The second of two public hearings scheduled to accept feedback on the proposed budget will take place Tuesday, June 2 at approximately 7 p.m. Stay up to date on the City’s budget process, information, and ways to provide public comment and submit feedback here. 

• Mayor’s Update on the City’s Response to COVID-19 and the March Earthquake
  • The Administration updated the Council on various pieces to the City’s continuing emergency response. Watch the briefing here, which included: 
    • Confirmation that CARES Act funding for the Airport expenses will come through a future budget amendment.
    • Details of earthquake damage to City buildings and a discussion of funding and timelines, including an initial budget request that will be discussed more in the Council’s Thursday, May 28 Work Session meeting during the Budget Amendment No. 6 for Fiscal Year 2019-20 discussion. 
    • Review of information for COVID-19 cases among those experiencing homelessness.
    • the City’s potential downgrade from moderate health risk status (orange) to low health risk status (yellow) as part of the Governor’s Utah Leads Together plan. The Mayor shared that while she is working with the County and the State on the anticipated change for May 30, that shift is pending additional public health information. 
      
      
• Department of Public Services Proposed Budget
  • Public Services is one of the largest and most wide-ranging City departments. The increased level of streets maintenance would continue, due to Funding Our Future revenue, and a large portion of the Department’s budget is related to the Parks Division.
  • Discussion centered on the noticeable impacts that budget cuts in other areas of the Department would likely have on maintenance of City property. Due to decreased revenue, the City is forced to be resourceful to maintain a balanced budget, and possibilities discussed for Public Services are: to hold vacant positions until January as the City evaluates the coming months of revenue; potential funding partnerships with non-governmental entities; and additional use of volunteer efforts.
  • Note: The two enterprise funds in the Public Services Department, Fleet and Golf, are briefed separately due to size of those budgets.
    
    
• Department of Economic Development Proposed Budget
  • The department includes the Economic Development Division, the Arts Council, and the Redevelopment Agency (RDA), which is briefed separately in an RDA meeting.
  • Discussion included Council Member questions related to the shift of the City’s Economic Development Loan Fund (EDLF) to the Division instead of at the department level, the addition of a part-time Budget and Operations Manager position for the Arts Council, updates to festivals and programming, and a proposed fundraiser for the local music community.
    
    
• 911 Communications Bureau Proposed Budget
  • The Bureau provides both Police and Fire Dispatch services for the City. Salt Lake City considers 911 Dispatchers to be first responders, and discussion included a possible future pilot program for dispatchers that would provide more time off for dispatchers to address mental health, morale, and to help with retention.
  • Discussion included an update on the bureau being in the first year of becoming CALEA (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies) accredited, and aims to reach that certification in fall 2022. Being CALEA accredited will improve Bureau operations to meet national standards. Director of SLC911, Lisa Burnette, shared that 97.5% of 911 calls are answered within 10 seconds (industry best practice is 90%) and since May 2013 the total number of calls increased 55%. 
    

All agenda-related comments received through any source are shared with the Council and added to the Council public meeting record.

Visit the Council’s agenda page for meeting documents and video or view an archive of prior meeting recaps.