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Salt Lake County's CAT Labs have won a temporary reprieve.

Taking advantage of a rare Democratic majority, County Council members this past week revived a pared-back "Community Access to Technology" program recommended for elimination by Democratic Mayor Ben McAdams, who was backed by council Republicans.

With two of five GOP council members (Richard Snelgrove and Aimee Winder Newton) missing the meeting, Democrats prevailed 4-3, voting to allocate $70,000 to keep a shrunken CAT Lab program open for the rest of 2015 while the county determines if its services can be provided at places such as libraries.

The final vote came just an hour after the council voted unanimously, but unofficially, at its work session to follow the mayor's suggestion to shut down the program because it did not provide enough return for the investment — and to revive it only if the county's review this fall determines its services cannot be replaced.

"In my five years [on the council] this is a first," Republican Councilman Steve DeBry said of the council's about-face. He toyed with the idea of voting with the Democrats so he could bring the matter back up again Tuesday, when his missing GOP colleagues are expected back, but ultimately he decided not to. "My heart says that's duplicitous."

What changed between the work session and the council's formal vote was an impassioned outpouring of support for the CAT Labs from a manager, a staff member and several of the 3,500 people who use the program.

"Homeless people don't show up at the polls but they are people, too," said Robert Huish, a disabled man who lives across the street from the Central City Recreation Center, one of four rec centers where the 20-year-old program remains (the others are at Redwood, Copperview and Northwest).

"You have to consider all populations that are being affected by this decision," he added. "Every citizen has an equal right to be heard. I know there are services at this center that will help people achieve things they couldn't achieve otherwise."

Testimony by Huish and others opened the door for Democratic Councilman Jim Bradley and Councilwoman Jenny Wilson to lead the charge to resurrect the program. It was established to narrow the digital divide between rich and poor by providing access to computers and training in locations close to where those in need live.

"The goal of this program is admirable, valid, and the need continues," Wilson said. "This is a population where one little touch can keep somebody out of jail down the road or lead someone to self-sufficiency. The people who come through the door for this service are the ones who benefit."

The trouble, according to McAdams and county Human Services Director Lori Bays, is that not enough people come through those doors to justify continued use of the $270,000 remaining in the CAT Lab budget this year.

Bays cited figures showing the CAT Labs were used 24 percent of the time they were open and that classes averaged 3.1 students. She said computers are accessible at libraries and that librarians provide assistance in their use, points affirmed by county library Director Jim Cooper.

"The CAT Lab is a good program," McAdams said. "Our recommendation does not say that it's money wasted. But after looking at the return on investment to the people of Salt Lake County, it would be better to use those funds elsewhere," namely at the Midvale Senior Center, opening July 15, and to hire an analyst to look for other programs with borderline returns.

But the council opted instead to support CAT Lab Manager Roger Ranney's proposal to keep the program open for the rest of the year at Central City and Redwood centers, to discontinue a children's literacy program but continue other summer-camp partnerships and to keep computers in place at the rec centers for use by volunteers who help low-income people fill out tax forms.

Although he voted against extending the CAT Labs' life, Republican Councilman Max Burdick said he was not troubled by the flip-flop on the vote because it was based on public input.

"I value the fact we had individuals come and give us their thoughts and feelings and their innermost emotions," he said. "You have to take this and internalize it and re-evaluate decisions. That's been done and some here on the council have decided to change their mind. You have to respect that."

The CAT Labs' future will be on the block again in November, when the council assesses the 2016 budget.