D A T E T U E S D A Y M A Y 17, 2016
THE SALT LAKE COUNTY COUNCIL, STATE OF UTAH, MET ON TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016, PURSUANT TO ADJOURNMENT ON TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016, AT THE HOUR OF 4:02:42 PM, AT THE SALT LAKE COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER, 2001 SO. STATE STREET, ROOM N1-110, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.
COUNCIL MEMBERS
PRESENT: JENNIFER WILSON
RICHARD SNELGROVE
JIM BRADLEY
ARLYN BRADSHAW
MICHAEL JENSEN
SAM GRANATO
STEVEN DEBRY
MAX BURDICK[1]
AIMEE WINDER NEWTON, Vice-Chair
OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE: BEN MCADAMS, MAYOR
By: KIMBERLY BARNETT, ASSOCIATE DEPUTY MAYOR
SIM GILL, DISTRICT ATTORNEY
COUNCIL MEETING
By: RALPH CHAMNESS, DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
PLANNING & ZONING
By: ZACHARY SHAW, DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
JASON ROSE, LEGAL COUNSEL, COUNCIL OFFICE
SHERRIE SWENSEN, COUNTY CLERK
By: NICHOLE WATT & LINDA DUFFY, DEPUTY CLERKS
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Council Member Burdick, Chair, presided.
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Ms. Carol Spackman Moss, State Legislator, led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America.
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Council Member Bradshaw, seconded by Council Member Jensen, moved to approve the minutes of the Salt Lake County Council meeting held on Tuesday, May 3, 2016. The motion passed unanimously, showing that all Council Members present voted “Aye.”
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Ms. Nancy Carlson-Gotts, President, Association of Community Councils Together (ACCT), spoke under “Citizen Public Input” and read the following letter:
At the May 12, 2016, meeting of ACCT, Pam Roberts, Executive Director of Wasatch Front Waste and Recycling, presented a resolution updating the membership of the district board to reflect the impending incorporation of several new municipalities, updating service availability, updating the process related to imposing service fees, and making other technical changes.
The motion was made that “ACCT support the resolution as presented by Pam Roberts.”
“WHEREAS, The Council desires to change the composition of the Administrative Control Board to recognize the impending incorporation of, and to provide representation on, the Board for Millcreek City, Copperton Metro Township, Emigration Canyon Metro Township, Kearns Metro Township, Magna Metro Township, and White City Metro Township, all of which will be incorporated municipalities as of January 1, 2017.”
The vote was unanimous for the motion.
We would appreciate your positive position on this request.
If you have any questions, please contact me.
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Ms. Kimberly Barnett, Associate Deputy Mayor, read the following proclamation recognizing Jeff Smith, Assistance League of Salt Lake City, Cassandra Ivie, and Murray Youth Excel Club.
P R O C L A M A T I O N
WHEREAS, the Salt Lake County Commission on Youth is a partnership of private, public and religious organizations which annually recognizes individuals, teens and groups who excel in service to young people through its COY Awards; and
WHEREAS, Jeff Smith is the CEO of Alliance Health and is the Chair of the ShelterKids nonprofit board. Leading the board, Jeff has been able to create an annual golf fundraiser donating all proceeds to ShelterKids, raising $40,000 last year. Jeff and his colleagues act as mentors in a monthly lunch put on by Alliance Health for clients from Youth Services shelter care homes. Finally, Jeff spearheads the Annual Angel Tree campaign in partnership with Salt Lake County where all donations go directly to clients, and supporting Youth Services’ programs such as Milestone Transitional Living Program and the Afterschool program; and
WHEREAS, Assistance League of Salt Lake City provides manyvaluable services for the youth in ourcommunity. Their program Operation School Bell provides clothing to over 5,000 school age studentsin need in Salt Lake Countyeachyear.Additionally, the Healthy Teeth Program provides urgent dental treatment for vulnerable children in the Salt Lake area, working to alleviate pain and prevent further disease and infection; and
WHEREAS, Cassandra Ivie is a sophomore at Copper Hills and has been involved in First LEGO League as a player for years and coaches younger, Junior First Lego League teams. Cassandra also helped develop a grant to put together kits to introduce kids to civil, chemical, electrical, software, and mechanical engineering. During the school year the kits will be used in after-school program, and in the summer, the kits are available to checkout for use in rural communities that do not have engineering programs available; and
WHEREAS, Murray Youth Excel Club is organized with students volunteering in their community all year, focusing on the prevention of child abuse, domestic violence and participating in service. They have worked with the Murray Chamber and Murray City, painted faces to raise money for the Murray Victim’s Advocate, spent the night at Murray Park raising donations for the Cancer Society, and held blood drives. Last fall, these youth spent weeks putting together the "Murray Haunted Trails,” earning $8,000 to put towards local scholarships. The group serves monthly on the "Burrito Project" to serve food to homeless, help put together winter supplies and a collect food for the homeless.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that I, Ben McAdams, as Mayor of Salt Lake County, recognize Jeff Smith, Assistance League of Salt Lake City, Cassandra Ivie and Murray Youth Excel Club for their outstanding contributions and thank them for the differences they make in the lives of children and youth in Salt Lake County.
ADOPTED on this 17th day of May, 2016.
SALT LAKE COUNTY MAYOR
By /s/ BEN McADAMS
Ms. Barnett presented each recipient with a glass engraved award.
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Council Member Snelgrove spoke under “Report of Council Members” and read the following statement:
I have always felt strongly about the need for openness and transparency regarding how the public’s business is being conducted and how their money is being spent.
Last Tuesday I was troubled to read in the press that the Utah Transit Authority’s committee meetings will no longer be open to the public. That night I posted the article on Facebook, along with this comment:
Unbelievable! UTA wonders why they don't have the public confidence & then they pull a stunt like this. Part of the cure for UTA is more openness and transparency, not less. UTA wants public money but apparently doesn't want public scrutiny on how the public money is spent. The public has a right to know!
On Friday, UTA’s chair wrote to stakeholders, attempting to explain the meeting closures, but the letter merely defended them. This lack of openness and transparency at UTA is unacceptable.
Salt Lake County voters have approved $150 million a year in sales taxes to fund UTA. Currently the Utah Tax Commission collects this sales tax revenue on behalf of Salt Lake County and it appears in our budget. But as a matter of convenience, the Tax Commission sends these funds directly to UTA.
In the days ahead I will propose to the County Council that this county tax money come directly to Salt Lake County. At that point we can consider the timing for its disbursement to UTA. My proposal will not be necessary if UTA simply opens all its committee meetings to the public.
This approach is a work in progress. He had discussions with the Utah State Auditor, who then had discussions with the Utah State Treasurer. He also spoke with the Council’s legal counsel to see if this plan was on sound legal footing, and it is.
Council Member DeBry spoke under “Report of Council Members” making the following comments:
· Couldn’t help but notice the news last week on UTA.
· Proposing to close their committee meetings to the public.
· On the one hand, you have assurances from UTA in a letter to the Council that this move will “improve performance and increase transparency and accountability”
· But then you have the Board Chairman tell the Salt Lake Tribune reporter asking why the meetings are now closed. “Because you screw us up.”
· As Council Members, we all know there are reasons to close meetings: litigation, personnel, and real estate matters occasionally require steps to protect the taxpayer interest. But those closed meetings are last resorts. I think it is safe to say, as a general rule, if transparency “screws you up,” transparency isn’t the problem. Whatever UTA’s problems with the media, the public has a right to know what you are doing with their money. They should be welcome in those meetings.
· The level of scrutiny on UTA is justifiable. Taxpayers in Salt Lake County were pretty clear in their vote against Prop 1 last year. Yes we want more transit service and better roads, but we don’t trust UTA as stewards of our money.
· That message should sting, and cause some re-evaluation at UTA. I would tell them frankly that they’re better off opening those meetings up.
· Regardless, I still have a fiduciary responsibility here in Salt Lake County as a Councilman to make certain taxes levied by the County, be they for Salt Lake County, or for UTA, or anyone else, are appropriately spent.
· We collect about $150 million in sales tax on behalf of UTA here in Salt Lake County. Those are taxpayer authorized.
· With that in mind, I support my colleague Richard Snelgrove in finding ways to remind UTA of our shared duty to the public from whom we collect the taxes to run light rail, buses, trains, and other activities. That duty includes taking public input, and compliance with the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act.
Council Member Wilson stated she also has concerns about this issue. She is waiting to see what UTA decides to do in the next week or two. She also looks forward to discussing the proposal made by Council Member Snelgrove. The Council would like to see UTA have open meetings, dialogue with the community, and the re-establishment of public trust. Those have all been missing in recent years. UTA is in the process of selecting a new Chief Executive Officer. This new executive should be someone who knows transit, growth, and planning, but also someone who brings a record of public engagement. The Council has also discussed some legislative options regarding UTA’s board and governance.
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The Council reviewed a request to appoint Martha S. Stonebrook as a member of the (Peace Officers’) Merit System Commission.
Council Member Bradshaw, seconded by Council Member Jensen, moved to ratify the vote taken in the Committee of the Whole meeting. [Council Member Bradley, seconded by Council Member Snelgrove, moved to approve the appointment and forward it to the 4:00 p.m. Council meeting for formal consideration. The motion passed unanimously.] The Council motion passed unanimously, showing that all Council Members present voted “Aye.”
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The Council reviewed a request to establish an advisory committee to hold a public hearing for the purpose of re-naming the County’s Public Works building the “Randy Horiuchi Public Works Building.”
Council Member Bradshaw, seconded by Council Member Jensen, moved to ratify the vote taken in the Committee of the Whole meeting. [Council Member Wilson, seconded by Council Member Granato, moved to create the five-member committee, go forward with signage, initiate the process to have the committee come back to the Council with recommendations, and hold a public hearing, and to forward the matter to the 4:00 p.m. Council meeting for formal consideration. The motion passed 7 to 1 with Council Member Snelgrove voting in opposition.] The Council motion passed 8 to 1, showing that Council Member Snelgrove voting “Nay.”
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Mr. Brian Maxwell, Senior Policy Advisory, Council Office, submitted letters requesting approval of the appointments of Alexander Tatari and Christopher Holloway as deputy constables under Constable Larry Bringhurst.
Council Member Bradshaw, seconded by Council Member Jensen, moved to ratify the vote taken in the Committee of the Whole meeting. [Council Member Jensen, seconded by Council Member Bradshaw, moved to approve the appointments and forward them to the 4:00 p.m. Council meeting for formal consideration. The motion passed unanimously.] The Council motion passed unanimously, requesting Mr. Tatari and Mr. Holloway take their oaths at the County Clerk’s Office, showing that all Council Members present voted “Aye.”
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Mr. Zachary L. Lancaster, an employee of the District Attorney’s Office, submitted a Disclosure of Private Business Interest form advising the Council that he is employed by Clearfield City as an employee discipline hearing officer.
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Mr. Johnny Meneses, an employee of the Parks and Recreation Division, submitted a Disclosure of Private Business Interests form advising the Council that he is the owner of a private landscaping business entitled Yards Plus.
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Mr. Gavin H. Eckert, an employee of the Parks and Recreation Division, submitted a Disclosure of Private Business Interests form advising the Council that he is a professional golfer with the Professional Golfers’ Association of America.
Council Member Bradshaw, seconded by Council Member Jensen, moved to accept the Disclosure Forms and make them a matter of record. The motion passed unanimously, showing that all Council Members present voted “Aye.”