The sentiment for the City Council at the beginning of 2014 was one of mixed emotions with a 50% change of members. Sworn in were Mayor Brent Taylor, Council Member Lynn Satterwaite and Jim Urry. Citizen Larry Florance, a North Ogden City resident of 51 years, offered his congratulations and appreciation to the new and departing council members. Mayor Taylor proceeded to recognize former Mayor Richard Harris and acknowledged “many things have changed since Mayor Harris first became involved and so many of the changes have his fingerprints on them.” He presented the former mayor with a keepsake and “wished him well in his retirement from City politics.”
Another North Ogden change is the retirement of Community Development Director Craig Barker, after 30 years of service. Craig commented that the City “has a good history of planning” and encourages the new Council to follow the legacy they have been left… planning will impact future generations.”
After two years of transition from the more formal and lengthy process of a volunteer Board of Adjustment (BOA) and Administrative Law Judge “to hear various land use appeals” to a new Administrative Hearing Officer (AHO), Ron Chandler, City Manager, clarified “at that time the City ordinance was changed to crate the AHO position… as more attractive than the BOA.” Ron sees a substantial cost savings to North Ogden since the BOA volunteers were “paid for their time and to receive training” as well as the cost associated “for the BOA to receive legal council.” With the AHO the “anticipated cost per hearing is approximately $300-$400 and the City Attorney will not be needed.”
Councilman Urry commented that he would “like to implement a fee… for a variance hearing… to cause any potential appellant to think seriously before requesting a hearing.” Councilman Kent Bailey reminded him the City already charges a fee for this process and that “it would simply be necessary to increase the fee to cover the cost of the AHO.” Council member Cheryl Stoker stated she had previously “participated as a member of the BOA… new members… did not receive the same training as the initial members and they started to stray from the… five criteria that must be met… for a variance to be granted.” Mayor Taylor presented Meg Ryan as the desired candidate for the AHO position after he and former Mayor Harris, together with Ron Chandler and Craig Barker, interviewed her over the past several weeks. They were collectively impressed with her qualifications with “extensive background in land use… as City Planner for Park City… with a Master’s Degree in Planning from the University of California.” The City Council voted in favor of her appointment.
In a real live teaching moment, Justin Urry, a North Ogden City junior high teacher, together with some of his students made a Power Point presentation to the Council reviewing their research into a more accurate history of “Peter Skeen Ogden’s arrival in the City” and requested a correction to the “monument containing an error located in Oaklawn Park.” The Council agreed on future consideration for this requested modification.
Finally, Finance Director, Bryan Steele, presented a summary of the City Staff proposal to refinance the 2004 Aquatic Center. Due to the low interest rates available now, Bryan indicated there was “a net present value savings of approximately $170,000 to be had on the current principal balance of $2,675,000. He continued “even though the bond is backed by Sales Tax Revenues, the City uses funds from the RDA to make payments.” The Council unanimously agreed to pursue these net savings for North Ogden on this bond.
