By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News
As the Price City Council met for their biweekly meeting on Wednesday, June 11, the 2025-26 budget again took center stage among the items of business. One more step remains before the budget is set for the fiscal year: a public hearing on Wednesday, June 25, in the council chambers.
Council member Joe Christman opened the meeting with a safety seconds presentation, speaking on the importance of staying out of the heat and hydrated as temperatures continue to rise.
Moving into the business items, longtime volunteer firefighter Sid Nelson – who had recently announced his retirement – was honored for 43 years of service to the department. Following a rousing round of applause, Nelson was presented with a certificate of recognition from the city.
Following this, Mayor Pro Tempe Layne Miller provided an update on the new Pickleball courts making their way to the city. Miller stated that if funding could be fully secured for the project, construction could begin in the fall.
Next, the Council moved into a public hearing to discuss an ordinance establishing the compensation of Price City elective officers, statutory officers and manager-level employees. Council member Christman explained that this public hearing was required by state law as established by SB91, which requires officials to hold a hearing for compensation increases within these offices.
The increase in question is the yearly cost-of-living adjustment received by each city employee. At the time of the meeting, it was set at 1%, with the exception of the city council, which isn’t set to receive any increase.
Jeff Richens addressed the body,” I think it would be a great idea to put something either as part of the advertisement or prior to the public hearing so that the public understands how this will affect the city’s budget.” He continued,” Miles (Nelson) is a friend of mine. We talked on the phone today. The public works director will get a 1% raise as COLA, the city council will not get anything. That would be information for the public to say, OK, great. I appreciate that.”
Price City Police CPT. Brandon Ratcliffe also took the podium to address the COLA: “So you guys were talking about a cost of an increase across the board, 1% for all employees. So if somebody’s a director making $100,000 a year, he gets the same percentage as the Parks Department. Can you guys see the disparity?”
After receiving this public feedback, the Council tabled the matter for further discussion in their next meeting.
The budget items continued, with the Council adopting a tentative fiscal year 2025-26 budget. “The tentative budget is just that: a tentative budget, which means changes still could happen between now and the final budget,” said Council member Terry Willis. “So this tentative budget right now is based on the numbers we have. But again, that is still something that can be in motion. If something comes up that we have not expected, it may go in. If we still find places to save, they may come out.”
The final budget will be approved on Wednesday, June 25, at 5 p.m., during the Council’s regularly scheduled meeting.
Another monetary change is coming to the city in the form of charging fees for the electric vehicle charging pedestals. Due to contract language through the Utah Department of Transportation grant that funded the pedestals, they had to provide free charging for the first five years of operation. With five years passed, the Council moved to start charging for their use.
The changes are as follows:
Rounding out the meeting was a series of bids being awarded for various needs across the city. First, B Hansen Construction was approved for work on the Wood Hill flood mitigation project. The bid was for $373,380.
Next was the approval of a 2024 Can Am Outlander Pro HD7 for dual use between the Streets Department and the Parks Department. This vehicle will be used for projects such as plowing snow in the winter and watering flowers in the spring and summer. The item will cost $9,501.65 and is budgeted through the city’s capital improvement plan.
Finally, the Council approved the purchase of two 2025 Dodge Durangos for the Police City Police Department. The cars will cost $47,980 and $50,101, for a total of $98,081.
During the public comment period, Zena Robinson addressed the Council, speaking in favor of the PCPD,” I watched the last meeting by video, and I felt like CPT. Ratcliffe brought this item back to the city council, and I was very disturbed and disappointed by the way that he was treated by the Council. He was not thanked for his input. It takes a lot to come, and I don’t have anything to do with law enforcement, but I’m grateful that they’re here. I just was really upset by it, and I thought that you know he should have at least shown the dignity of an appreciation for standing up for himself and his department.”
Following this, the meeting was adjourned.
The next meeting of the Price City Council will be held on Wednesday, June 25, starting at 5 p.m. at Price City Hall.