This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Ogden • While no one is breaking out the bubbly yet, this northern Utah city appears to be inching toward economic recovery.
Management Services Director Mark Johnson presented the 2012 tentative budget to the City Council this week, along with the good news that this year's sales tax revenues improved almost 3 percent over the previous year.
"We feel good," Johnson said. "We've had six months in the black, which is better than we've had since 2007."
That small uptick helps shield Ogden residents from any increase in the city's property tax rate. However, certain fees will rise as part of the proposed $153.3 million budget, including a 1.8 percent bump in sewer, sanitation and water bills starting in January.
Water hook-up fees will also increase, along with a new charge for hydrant flow testing. Registered sex offenders in the city also must pay a new fee per a recent state law.
No employee layoffs are planned, but 13 full-time positions were eliminated with the transfer of animal services to Weber County, the hand-off of Dinosaur Park to its private foundation, and the reduction of four jobs in Management Services and Community and Economic Development.
The proposed budget does not include merit increases or cost-of-living raises for city workers.
Health insurance costs for 2012 will rise by 12.5 percent, but the city will pick up that tab. However, employees will see an increase in out-of-pocket deductible costs.
"We told our employees there wouldn't be raises months ago and told them why," said Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey, noting that the city also presented a conservative 10-year plan as a path to financial security.
"I believe our employees are grateful to ... not have the layoffs and significant reductions that other cities are experiencing," Godfrey said. "We have also maintained their benefits, for which they have expressed gratitude."
Godfrey credited his economic development team with recruiting businesses to the city during a difficult recession.
Ogden's entertainment-oriented Junction development — several years in the works — along with the recent addition of a WinCo Foods were key to the city's upturn, Johnson said.
"If it weren't for that," Johnson said, "I think we'd be laying off 25 to 35 employees." —
Ogden's proposed 2012 budget
• $51.5 million general fund, up 1.7 percent over 2011
• $80.3 million enterprise fund, up 6.2 percent
• $20.9 million redevelopment agency fund, up 17.7 percent
• $645,000 municipal building authority fund, up 6.7 percent
• total combined budget $153.3 million, up 6 percent over 2011
Upcoming budget sessions:
• May 10, presentation of proposed redevelopment agency and municipal building authority budgets
• May 12, employee group input
• May 19, department-specific issues
• May 24, redevelopment agency, municipal building authority and capital improvement projects
• May 26, citywide and general issues
• June 7, public hearing to adopt the tentative budget
• June 21, public hearings for salary schedule, final budget and fees
For more details, visit tinyurl.com/42r39fu