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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Provided Information - 2/3/2026 (2)CITY COUNCIL OF SALT LAKE CITY 451 SOUTH STATE STREET, ROOM 304 P.O. BOX 145476, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84114-5476 SLCCOUNCIL.COM TEL 801-535-7600 FAX 801-535-7651 COUNCIL STAFF REPORT CITY COUNCIL of SALT LAKE CITY TO:City Council Members FROM: Jennifer Bruno, Lehua Weaver, Austin Kimmel, Kira Luke, Allison Rowland, Sylvia Richards, Michael Sanders, and Kate Werrett DATE: February 3, 2026 RE: FY2026 Budget Amendment 4 PROJECT TIMELINE: Briefing: January 13, 2026 Set Date: January 13, 2026 2nd Briefing: January 20, 2026 3rd Briefing: February 3, 2026 Public Hearing: February 3, 2026 Potential Action: February 17, 2026 NEW INFORMATION At the January 20 briefing, the Council was also briefed on, but did not take action on the following items: A-1: Vehicle Replacement for Urban Services Division A-2: Trailer for Facilities Division A-3: Wildland Firefighting Expansion Funding A-4: Public Lands One-time Personal Services Budget Rescope for Equipment Purchases A-5: Park Land Acquisition A-6: Pedestrian Bridge Over the Surplus Canal at Glendale Golf Course A-9: Public Services Facilities Division: Old Library Immediate Facility Needs A-11: Old Library, Plaza 349 and Justice Courts Capital Improvements A-12: Trailer for Public Services Streets Division A-13: Funding for Gap in Homeless Resource Center Grant Funding for Salaries A-18: Parking Wayfinding Signage The Council took an affirmative straw poll on the following Council-added item: Council-Added Item: One-time $50,000 to match what the mayor’s office provides for legal support to our community from the General Fund. At the February 3 briefing, the Council may consider a straw poll on the following item: A-6: Pedestrian Bridge Over the Surplus Canal at Glendale Golf Course. Page | 2 At the February 3 briefing, the Council will be briefed on the following items: A-20: Funding for Fisher Mansion D-2: Engineering Planning and Design Housekeeping and Expansion D-3: Refuse Fund Carry Revenue Budget for Lease Agreement D-4: Community Events – Rescope D-6: California Avenue Safety Improvements Rescope D-7: CPTED Streetlighting– GF to CIP Transfer E-1: Trail Maintenance for Salt Lake City Portion of the Jordan River Trail The following information was provided for the January 20, 2026 council meeting. It is provided again for background purposes. NEW INFORMATION A-10: Backhoe for Public Services Streets Division & Tractor for Public Lands Parks Division A-17: Council support to proceed with the appointment process for a sixth Justice Court Judge D-5: Streets GO Bonds Interest Reallocation for FY 2025-26 A-14: Police Overtime Funding in FY2026 A-15: Police Retirements Cost A-16: Police Mobile Command Center D-1: Legislative Affairs Operations Funding ISSUE AT-A-GLANCE STRAW POLL REQUESTS Page | 2 Page | 3 UPDATED FUND BALANCE CHART The Administration provided the following fund balance and revenue chart reflecting the proposed changes included in Budget Amendment 4. If the proposed budget amendment items are approved, the fund balance is projected to be 16.91%, which is 3.91% - or $20,026,782- above the target fund balance of 13% of projected General Fund revenue. Page | 3 Page | 4 IMPACT FEE UNALLOCATED “AVAILABLE TO SPEND” BALANCES AND REFUND TRACKING The table below is current as of June 30, 2025. Impact fees must be encumbered or spent within six years of the City receiving them. Expired impact fees must be returned to the entity that paid them with interest over the intervening six years. Note: Encumbrances are an administrative function when impact fees are held under a contract The Administration provided the table below with updated revenue details. ADDITIONAL & BACKGROUND INFORMATION Section A: New Items The Administration is requesting $37,000 to replace an Urban Services compliance vehicle that was totaled in April 2025. In June 2025, the totaled vehicle was auctioned for $142.50, and those funds were placed in the Fleet Replacement Fund. To offset the loss of the vehicle, the division has been using Fleet loaner vehicles and a bicycle; however, a designated vehicle is essential to Urban Services’ operations. The division has proposed transferring $37,000 from its operational budget to Fleet for the replacement electric vehicle. Page | 5 A-2: Trailer for Facilities Division. (General Fund: One-time - $30,000) The Administration is requesting $30,000 to purchase a drop-down trailer to support Clean City Team work. The trailer will primarily be used to carry sidewalk scrubbing equipment. The Clean City Team has been borrowing a Facilities trailer, however, the use for both functions has grown such that it is impractical for the teams to split trailer usage. The formation of Clean City has generated efficiencies that have reduced the need for contract labor; supporting them with the requested trailer will continue to increase call response capacity. A-3: Wildland Firefighting Expansion Funding. (General Fund: One-time - $13,000 & General Fund: Ongoing - $75,000) The Fire Department is requesting $88,000 in General Fund funding to strengthen wildland fire preparedness and response capabilities. This funding request will include $75,000 ongoing in the FY2027 budget. This funding will support: Increased staffing during red flag days Expanded wildland fire training opportunities Acquisition of wildland personal protective equipment (PPE) and tools Replacement of aging wildland operation radios Below is a line-item budget summary of the request. Category FY2026 Request Ongoing Request Personnel $25,000 $40,000 PPE & Equipment $28,000 $25,000 Radios $35,000 $10,000 Total $88,000 $75,000 Increasing Wildfire Risk Wildfire risk is increasing both statewide and within the City, particularly in the wildland-urban interface (WUI). In 2025, approximately 160,000 acres burned statewide, nearly double the acreage burned in 2024. This growing risk underscores the importance of preparedness and rapid response. Goal 1 of the Fire Department’s Strategic Plan “provide unparalleled public safety service” calls for expanding WUI capabilities. Increased Staffing During Red Flag Days The requested funding will support increased staffing during periods of elevated fire risk. On red flag days, additional personnel will patrol the WUI and wildland areas to conduct prevention, detection, and initial suppression activities, to improve the City’s ability to respond quickly before fires escalate. Wildland PPE and Tools The department is requesting funding for wildland PPE and tools, including hoses, nozzles, and hand tools. Currently, this equipment is primarily housed at stations closest to the WUI. This proposal would make wildland PPE and tools available at all fire stations, for potential “all-hands-on-deck” wildfire events. Wildland Operation Radios The department is also proposing to replace its existing 10-year-old Bendix King radios, which are no longer manufactured. These radios are critical for wildland firefighting operations and are the standard radios used by state and regional partners. Replacing them will ensure reliable communication and interoperability during multi-agency wildfire incidents. The Council may wish to ask the Administration if this request could be delayed to the FY2027 annual budget. Page | 6 A-4: Public Lands One-time Personal Services Budget Rescope for Equipment Purchases. (General Fund: One-time - $163,900) One-time transfer from GF to Fleet, $163,900. To fund new capital equipment purchases, the Department of Public Lands (DPL) proposes to use $163,900 in FY2026 personnel funding from attrition and vacancy savings in the past six months. The equipment includes: One Kubota RTV Utility Vehicle ($50,300) to water newly planted trees in maintenance district 2, freeing up a one-ton dump truck to be used by the Restrooms and Garbage crew, which provides daily restroom cleaning, pulls trash cans to the curb and back into the parks, and picks up trash in parks. One Toro Dingo trencher ($47,500) to replace a unit that was stolen sometime in Fall 2024. The theft was reported to the Police Department as soon as it was discovered missing, but it has not been recovered. The City’s insurance does not cover the theft or damage of non-real estate assets worth less than $100,000; therefore, the Department must pay for the replacement. Aerator ($15,600) for use exclusively at the Regional Athletic Complex rather than borrowing the Parks Division’s existing unit. Caterpillar model 302 C3 small excavator ($50,500) to allow the new, highly experienced machine operator on the Trails Team to perform in-house trail construction and maintenance. This would save $4,000 per month on rentals and provide improved consistency and results. In addition, the excavator would be used for restoration projects, fire mitigation efforts, and vegetation management on other Department properties. Policy Question: The Council may wish to ask whether this excavator will be used on Foothills Trails construction, and if so, what the planned timeline is for this work. A-5: Park Land Acquisition. (Parks Impact Fees: One-time - $405,000) The Department of Public Lands (DPL) would use this amount to purchase 1.09 acres of open space land. Note: the December 23, 2025, transmittal erroneously lists CIP as the funding source, it is instead Parks Impact Fees. A-6: Pedestrian Bridge Over the Surplus Canal at Glendale Golf Course. (General Fund: One- time - $250,000) This amount would cover construction costs associated with SLC Engineering installing improvements under an existing pedestrian bridge, which spans the Surplus Levee, at the Glendale Golf Course. This structure was flagged by the United States Army Corps of Engineers several years ago as an unpermitted encroachment and the Corps recently issued approvals for City permitting and erosion control at this site. The improvements would treat existing erosion and prevent further erosion around the pedestrian bridge piles that support the structure, as well as protect the structural integrity of the Surplus Canal banks. Project bidding and construction is considered urgent, so the Administration prefers funding this in a budget amendment rather than waiting for the next Capital Asset Planning process. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) updates their Flood Insurance Rate Maps based on levee conditions reported by the Corps, so levee deficiencies—like the ones that will be rectified by the proposed project—can lead to increased flood insurance rates for homes and businesses protected by the levee. A-9: Public Services Facilities Division: Old Library Immediate Facility Needs (General Fund: One-time - $195,000) The Administration is requesting $195,000 for several maintenance and security items associated with the Old Library, the former location of the Leonardo. $130,000 will be used to replace the defunct access control system and install security cameras. $65,000 will be used for: Grounds maintenance Security Repairs to doors, plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems Page | 7 Janitorial Services Moving services Funding will come from the General Fund. Grounds maintenance, security, and janitorial services will be incorporated into the FY2027 budget as ongoing expenses. A-10: Backhoe for Public Services Streets Division & Tractor for Public Lands Parks Division. (General Fund: One-time - $292,819) The Administration is requesting $292,819 to replace a Streets Division backhoe and a Parks Division tractor. Both pieces of equipment have suffered catastrophic failures, and the estimated repair costs significantly exceed their remaining value. These assets were originally scheduled for replacement in FY2027. Upon replacement, both assets will be auctioned, with estimated sale proceeds ranging from $9,700 to $17,900 per unit. The proceeds will be deposited into the Fleet Replacement Fund and used toward future vehicle replacements in accordance with the annual budget process. The FY2026 Fleet Replacement Fund has been fully allocated to other purchases and is not available to offset the cost of these replacements. Additionally, neither division has sufficient funding within their current budgets to absorb the replacement costs; therefore, a transfer from the General Fund is requested. The Administration is requesting a straw poll which, if affirmative, would authorize staff to proceed with ordering the replacement equipment in order to receive it in time to support late spring and summer projects. The Council may wish to consider straw polling this item. Sample language: "I propose a straw poll to allocate funds from the General Fund in the amount of $292,819, for the purchase of replacement equipment for the Streets and Parks Divisions." A-11: Old Library, Plaza 349 and Justice Courts Capital Improvements. (CIP: One-time - $5,498,741 & General Fund: One-time $889,800) To address personnel space constraints, the Administration is proposing capital improvements at the Old Library, and Plaza 349 to support the Justice Courts and other city staff. These improvements are intended to meet the space needs of the Justice Court and certain General Fund departments for several years. The requested funding will support the following projects: Old Library Improvements: Infrastructure upgrades, including elevators, HVAC, and related systems Conversion of existing galleries and classrooms into mixed-use space, including offices and meeting rooms Plaza 349 Improvements: Upgrades to aging building systems Relocation of a portion of Justice Court staff Capital construction costs will be funded using accrued interest from tax-exempt bonds. Because furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) are not an eligible use of this bond interest, $889,800 from the General Fund Balance is requested to cover FF&E expenses. A-12: Trailer for Public Services Streets Division. (General Fund: One-time - $58,000) The Administration is requesting $58,000 to replace a Streets Division trailer that has experienced a permanent failure. This trailer is used by the asphalt crew to transport equipment for overlay work and larger pothole repair Page | 8 projects. Although the trailer was originally scheduled for replacement in FY2027, heavy utilization and higher- than-anticipated wear and tear have necessitated an earlier replacement. A-13: Funding for Gap in Homeless Resource Center Grant Funding for Salaries. (General Fund: Ongoing - $292,833) , consisting of three squads and a supervising Lieutenant. What if future State funding continues to be reduced? A-14: Police Overtime Funding in FY2026. (General Fund: Onetime - $3,810,941) Maintain minimum shift coverage, particularly during high-demand summer months Support mitigation and proactive enforcement efforts Staff special events and large-scale community activities Budget assumptions and vacancy savings Overtime trends and workload In FY2025, the Department incurred $8,244,009 in overtime costs, representing approximately 115,593 overtime hours. For FY2026, overtime is estimated at approximately 109,600 hours, a reduction in total hours compared to FY2025. While fewer hours are predicted, overall overtime costs are projected to increase due to higher overtime pay rates in FY2026. Page | 9 The Department reported it is reviewing mitigation staffing logistics and evaluating potential reductions in shifts and shift durations as part of its effort to manage overtime usage. Organizational restructuring and long-term strategy The Department has undergone recent changes to its organizational structure, staffing levels, and deployment models and is actively working to rightsize operations and implement longer-term strategies to reduce reliance on overtime. The department’s stated goal regarding overtime is to reduce the number of overtime shifts while maintaining the ability to respond to emergencies and other operational demands. A-15: Police Retirements Cost. (General Fund: One-time - $977,286) Category Amount Total One-Time Request $977,286 Historical context and budget timing Current budget impacts Anticipated retirements and funding strategy Longer-term structural considerations Page | 10 to consider either the creation of a dedicated departmental budget line for retirement and severance payouts or an increase to the City’s centralized non-departmental reserve. A-16: Police Mobile Command Center. (General Fund – one-time - $1,000,000) Operational Need Natural disasters (earthquakes, wildfires, floods, severe weather) Mass casualty events Large public gatherings and/or civil disturbances Planned events with worldwide participation Infrastructure failures and emerging cybersecurity-related incidents Enhanced on-scene coordination and faster decision-making Improved situational awareness during critical incidents A secure, centralized location for command-and-control operations Improved interagency coordination during multi-jurisdictional responses Increased public confidence in emergency preparedness during major events Additional Context and Notes Page | 11 The Department is in the process of applying for grants which if awarded may be able to reimburse some of the cost to the General Fund. A-17: Justice Court, City Prosecutor's Office and Legal Defenders Association (LDA) Staffing Increases. (General Fund: Ongoing - $189,749 for FY2026 & IMS Fund: One-time - $9,000) Fiscal Impact Summary FY2026 Budget Amendment $189,749 ongoing General Fund (personnel and operations) $9,000 one-time IMS Fund (computers) FY2027 Ongoing Impact $1,554,826 General Fund for fully loaded annual costs Includes staffing across all three offices and a sixth Justice Court judge Positions Included in the Proposal Justice Court Justice Court Judge (Appointment process approval only; funding deferred until FY2027) Clerk of Court Judicial Assistant (2) City Prosecutor’s Office Associate Prosecutor (3) Paralegal (1) Legal Defenders Association Attorney (2) Case Manager (1) Straw Poll for sixth Justice Court Judge The Council may wish to consider straw polling this item. "I propose a straw poll to indicate Council support for the Administration to proceed with the appointment process for a sixth Justice Court Judge.” Justice Court Staffing and Operations Clerk of Court (new supervisory position) o $50,891 ongoing (4 months) Page | 12 o $3,000 one-time (computer) o Fully loaded annual cost: $152,672 o For more information on this position, see Attachment 2 of this staff report Two Judicial Assistants (Level 2) o $46,294 ongoing (3 months) o $6,000 one-time (computers) o Fully loaded annual cost: $185,177 total o These positions would directly support the sixth judge once appointed. Operating Costs o $6,529 ongoing (3 months) o Primarily for interpreter services and minor operational expenses If all Justice Court positions (including the sixth judge) are approved, the FY2027 annual budget need would be $630,411, and total staffing would increase to 48 FTEs (approximately a 9% increase). City Prosecutor’s Office Staffing The City Prosecutor’s Office is requesting $43,920 of General Fund ongoing funding to add four FTEs to reduce attorney caseloads and improve case processing. Additions include: Three Associate Prosecutors o $33,699 ongoing (1 month) o Fully loaded annual cost: $404,383 total One Paralegal o $10,221 ongoing (1 month) o Fully loaded annual cost: $122,657 If approved, the FY2027 annual budget impact would be $527,041, increasing office staffing to 36 FTEs (a 13% increase). Legal Defenders Association The Administration is proposing $33,115 of General Fund Funding to fund to increase the City’s contract with the LDA, which provides legal defense services at the Justice Court but whose employees are not City staff. The contract increases will include: Two Attorneys o $25,467 ongoing (1 month) o Fully loaded annual cost: $305,607 total One Case Manager o $7,647 ongoing (1 month) o Fully loaded annual cost: $91,767 o Would support the Familiar Faces Court, diversion programs, and Project Rio. If approved, the FY2027 annual contract amount would increase to $2,191,184 (a 22% increase), requiring $397,374 annually for the added positions. A-18: Parking Wayfinding Signage. (General Fund: One-time, $584,495) The Administration proposes to repair or replace a total of 54 way-finding signs that were once located downtown. Of these, only 17 remain in service. Because the City does not have the equipment needed to produce these large signs, the Administration proposes the Council consider two potential options for repair or refurbishment: 1. Using a vinyl overlay to repair the 17 existing signs, at $3,100 each, totaling $52,700; or 2. Refurbish the 17 signs, at $4,900 each, totaling $83,300. This method is considered more attractive. The Administration also notes that some of the foundations of the 17 existing signs also may need refurbishment, at $1,700 each, which would cost a maximum of $28,900. Page | 13 The remainder of the total $584,495 requested for this item would then be used to pay for new signs to replace the 37 signs that no longer exist, at $12,400 each. Policy Questions: If the Council agrees to fund this item, which of the two options listed above is preferred? The Council may wish to ask whether all of the original 54 signs are needed, given the ubiquitousness of electronic way-finding methods used today. A-20: Funding for Fisher Mansion. (CIP: One-time - $500,000) Section B: Grants for Existing Staff Resources None Section C: Grants for New Staff Resources Section D: Housekeeping D-1: Legislative Affairs Operations Funding. (General Fund: Ongoing - $80,000) Access and parking at the State Capitol Travel associated with legislative coordination and advocacy Professional development and training Support for legislative and intergovernmental events D-2: Engineering Planning and Design Housekeeping and Expansion. (General Fund: Ongoing - $350,000) D-3: Refuse Fund Carry Revenue Budget for Lease Agreement. (Refuse: One-Time - $8,918,482) Page | 14 D-4: Community Events - Rescope. (General Fund: One-time - $400,000) The Administration is requesting a rescope of the $400,000 FY2026 Open Streets funding. Council Members will recall this funding is in the City’s Non-Departmental budget and was shifted to ongoing funding in FY2026. The Administration states the funding would be used for the following community events: $100,000 for the DTA Blocks program; $200,000 for a watch party; and $100,000 for America 250 events, which celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America’s founding. Any unused funds will drop to fund balance. According to the Administrative Transmittal, money is being raised to support these events. Council staff has inquired about the Administration’s plans for future Open Streets events and how much it hopes to raise through fundraising. Answers have not been provided at the time this report was published, and staff will follow up with more information as it becomes available. In Budget Amendment 2 of FY2026, over $6 million in interest from unspent proceeds of multiple bonds, including the 2018 Street Reconstruction General Obligation Bonds (2018 GO Bonds), was accounted for and added to the CIP budget. For General Obligation bonds, the interest revenue may only be spent on the project types the voters approved – in this case, street reconstruction. Accordingly, in the present budget amendment, the Administration is proposing to spend the $1,735,515.83 interest from the 2018 GO bonds on street reconstruction projects, including a long-planned segment on 1700 East from 1700 to 2100 South. According to the Administration, "When the City borrows at a low tax-exempt interest rate and does not spend the bond proceeds within three years, any interest earned at a rate higher than the bond’s issuance rate is considered 'excess' and must be repaid to the U.S. Treasury to preserve the bond’s tax-exempt status." Because of this time sensitivity, the Administration has requested a straw poll for this item. Projects using the 2018 GO bonds are chosen according to the values reflected in Engineering's 2022 Six-Year Plan, which prioritizes streets with the worst pavement condition (the "worst-first" approach) for reconstruction. The proposed segment of 1700 East is currently shown in "poor" condition on the City's pavement condition map. The administrative description notes that the project will be coordinated with other agencies, like Public Utilities, to upgrade infrastructure and minimize disruptions in the near future. Note: the budget request anticipates additional interest accruing in FY2026 from the same bonds, which could generate approximately $560,000, to be accounted for in a future budget amendment. If funding permits, the Administration proposes adding 2100 to 2700 South to the reconstruction on 1700 East, which was in the original project plan. The Council may wish to consider straw polling this item. Sample language: "I propose a straw poll to allocate the interest from FY2025 BA#2 for Streets GO bonds in the amount of $1,735,515.83, for rebuilds of city streets as determined by the Engineering Division's Six Year Pavement Plan and the Roadway Selection Committee." The Transportation Division proposes to rescope this funding, which was initially a constituent request funded by the Council in Fall 2024. The rescope would use existing funds to provide additional improvements and expand the project area to include two nearby schools. Potential improvements include landscaping, lighting, traffic calming, pedestrian safety improvements and/or school crosswalks. Page | 14 Page | 15 D-7: CPTED Streetlighting– GF to CIP Transfer. (CIP: One-time - $300,000) As part of the FY2026 budget, the Mayor’s Recommended Budget included a proposed $300,000 transfer to the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) within the Non-Departmental section to fund CPTED lighting along the Jordan River Trail. This transfer was not reflected in the Key Changes document or the CIP Funding Log. To allow the Administration to proceed with the project, the City Council approved the $300,000 CPTED funding request at its July 8, 2025 meeting and agreed to update the Key Changes document through a future budget amendment. This item recognizes the City's funding availability grant award in the amount of $57,600 for the purpose of removing dead and dying trees and other woody vegetation to improve navigability, safety and beautification of the Jordan River between 1700 South and 900 South. The Public Hearing for this grant was held November 21, 2025. None None None New Ongoing Costs to the General Fund Clerk of Court Job Description ACFR – Annual Comprehensive Financial Report BEMS – Bureau of Emergency Service CIP – Capital Improvement Program FTE – Full-time Employee / Equivalent FY – Fiscal Year GF – General Fund IMS – Information Management Services MCC – Mobile Command Center Page | 15 Page | 16 Attachment 1: New Ongoing Costs to the General Fund Council staff has provided the following list of potential new ongoing costs to the General Fund. Many of these are new FTE’s approved during this fiscal year’s budget amendments, noting that each new FTE increases the City’s annual budget costs if positions are added to the staffing document. Note that some items in the table below are partially or fully funded by grants. If a grant continues to be awarded to the City in future years, then there may not be a cost to the General Fund but grant funding is not guaranteed year-over-year. BAM#2 D-3 IMS Fund Budget Carry Forward $159,414 Ongoing -0- CCAC recommended funding for multiple departments to address compensation for positions lagging behind market rate. Changes & funding weren’t included in annual budget. BAM#2 D-4 Language Access Transfer from Mayor’s Office $50,000 Ongoing -0- Contract language access services funding was inadvertently left out of IMS budget when it was transferred from Mayor’s to IMS during the annual budget. BAM#3 None. BAM#4 A-3: Wildland Firefighting Expansion Funding $88,000 One-Time, $75,000 Ongoing -0- Reflects additional resources needed for red flag days. A-13: Funding for Gap in Homeless Resource Center Grant Funding for Salaries $292,833 Ongoing -0- The State HRC grant funding was reduced by $292,833. Funding to maintain the HRC functionality levels matches the reduction. A-17: Justice Court, City Prosecutor's Office and Legal Defenders Association (LDA) Staffing Increases $1,554,826 Ongoing 8 Annualized, the additional FY2027 staffing costs are $1,554,826. NOTE: Council staff is working with the Administration on clarifications. Page | 16 Page | 17 Attachment 2: Clerk of Court Job Description Page | 18