A summit between county leaders and some city mayors at the Alta Club Wednesday has stifled efforts to redirect $15 million in annual restaurant-tax revenue from the county to the cities.

Some insiders worried the threat was retribution for the county's refusal to help fund the Sandy soccer stadium.

"Reasonable minds have prevailed," announced County Councilman Randy Horiuchi, who attended the lunch.

The compromise calls for the county to establish an advisory committee - similar to the group that allocates Zoo, Arts and Parks cash - to recommend how to distribute the money.

The agreement means SB64, sponsored by Sen. Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, could be changed as early as today. Worries that the county would have to sell or shut down recreation centers appear moot.

"Everyone agrees a regional approach with the money is better," said Councilman Jeff Allen, who joined the lunch party along with Horiuchi and Councilman Michael Jensen.

Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan, who had led the push to shift the county's restaurant taxes to the cities, is pleased with the compromise.

The advisory committee - expected to be a nine-member panel - would be appointed by mayors and include representatives from unincorporated Salt Lake County, Dolan said. The County Council still would have the final say in how the funds are distributed.

In addition to Dolan, Taylorsville Mayor Russ Wall and Cottonwood Heights Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore participated in the meeting, which was held at the request of Waddoups, who, Dolan said, is "willing to support whatever we work out."

And, Dolan expects other Salt Lake County cities, including several that did not support the original bill, to be pleased.

"It builds a closer relationship [between] the mayors of Salt Lake County with the County Council. It opens up a better dialogue between us."

Horiuchi agrees, calling it "good public policy" that is probably overdue. Even Wall, who earlier accused Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon of playing favorites with the money, concurred, calling it a "great solution."

The committee idea first was raised by Corroon, who told Waddoups and a Senate panel last month that he supported the move.

"I'm a firm believer in trying to include the cities whenever possible," Corroon said Wednesday. "I didn't really think there was any other route we could go at this point."

But a day earlier, the issue led to an expletive-laced argument among county Democrats who huddled behind a closed, albeit thin, door. Afterward, Councilwoman Jenny Wilson said some members disagreed with the compromise.

"The feeling was: we already took our lumps on soccer," Wilson said. "We're done negotiating."

The other rationale: SB64 may have been headed to defeat anyway.

djensen@sltrib.com

rwinters@sltrib.com