Logan City centemplates improvement districts
Dale Gardner presented the Logan City Municipal Council with information and advice about creating Special Improvement Districts (SIDs) at their meeting Wednesday night.
As a lawyer for Perry, Anderson and Mansfield and former mayor of Riverton, Utah, Gardner said he has organized many SIDs but was not attempting to force Logan’s decisions or take anyone’s job.
“I’m harmless,” Gardner said.
Gardner said SIDs are generally formed for projects brought to the mayor by community groups which would be worthwhile to do but the mayor does not want to use general funds to pay for them.
The creation of a SIDs then puts the burden of payment on those benefited by the improvements, Gardner said.
“In general, people are not in favor of increasing their taxes. They’d rather keep their money in their wallets,” Gardner said. “But when they see a project in their neighborhood, they’re more accepting.”
Logan is looking at creating a SID to improve property from the bottom of Mountain Road up to where development is already occurring, Loraine Swenson, neighborhood council chair, said.
SIDs usually focus on creating structures not services, Gardner said, such as creating parks, widening streets, installing sidewalks, planting trees or upgrading the infrastructure.
When a community group approaches the city with a proposed project, Gardner said the council must publish a Notice of Intent four times to illicit support or criticism from the public.
Gardner said they must also send out written notices to any property owners who will be affected.
The public is then invited to a public hearing or to submit written protests, Gardner said.
“At this stage, if more than one-half of the property owners protest, the party’s over,” he said.
If approved, the project moves forward by establishing assessments on property owners based on items such as frontage, number of lots, area or assessed valuation.
Gardner said assessments are used to ensure “everyone is treated in a rational, equal fashion.”
Property owners are then given the opportunity to protest their assessment, Gardner said, but at this point there is no easy way to avoid paying for the improvements.
Because it was a workshop item on the agenda, no action was taken concerning SIDs.
Mayor Doug Thompson announced National Library Week will be held from April 14 to 20.
Library director Ronald Jenkins said the theme is “Rediscover America at Your Library,” and he encouraged everyone to participate to be reminded of how great America is.
Budget adjustments were passed unanimously after extensive discussion about purchase of a new 15-passenger van.
Council member Stephen Thompson, who was also acting as chairman, said he was against the purchase of the van because he felt it was unneeded and would only add to the traffic and pollution problems Cache Valley has.
Other council members questioned the need, but also said they would support the purchase if it would be used because the purchase was in the budget for next year. Buying it now would save the city $40,000 because the van was slightly used. The city would not have to repair the old van whose roof caved in and the van could serve double purpose for both transporting city groups and towing Logan City Police motorcycles.
“If indeed there is a need and the funds are there, we would probably be a little foolish if we didn’t buy the van,” Alan Allred, council member, said.
Lloyd Barenson gave the Bear River Health Department’s (BRHD) Annual Report and said the organization serves three counties, has an annual budget of $6 million and contains six divisions.
Thompson said BRHD was doing well.
“They have a number of programs that are very well-administered. And they’re working. That’s very impressive,” Thompson said.
Barenson gave credit to the good relationships BRHD has with the city and other departments.
Annexation of Bullen Brothers LLC at 2000 N. 1000 West was approved unanimously.
Thompson presented the Employee of the Month award to Kent Lundberg of the Logan City Police Department, who has been a city employee for eight years.
The council also discussed schedules for July meetings since their usual first Wednesday fell on July 3 during the traditional fireworks display.
Thompson said he was giving a shameless promotion by saying this year’s fireworks will be the best in Utah.
Rosemary Huskey gave the Logan Youth City Council’s March report and said they participated in Logan City’s annual Easter Egg Hunt for a service project and also attended a Youth Conference at USU earlier in the month. Thompson said the Youth Council was a real asset to the community.