Volume VII Issue 1 Marriott-Slaterville City Newsletter January 2005 1140 West 400 North - Phone 627-1919 State of the City Keith H. Butler, Mayor Another year brings another report on the state of the City. It takes time, effort, and care to operate a municipality. As many of you know, I represent the community on four different boards. The first board I serve on is the Weber Area Council of Governments (WACOG). This board consists of all the mayors and county commissioners in Weber County. We discuss issues that affect the county as a whole such as transportation. This board also approved the grant funds for the proposal submitted by city staff for our new office and senior center. It pleases me to say that our new office to be built on 0 North this year will be free and clear of any debt. Second, I serve on the board for the Weber Fire District. This district serves several cities, including our city, and the unincorporated county. The fire district will also expand into a new station in the next several years on 1900 West in Farr West. This new station will better service our community and is designed to improve response time. Bona Vista Water District provides culinary water to our community and others. I serve on that board as well. This district has worked to encourage and implement water conservation practices for its users. In 2004 water users used 468 acre feet less water than the year prior. This month I attended my first meeting on the Central Weber Sewer Board as a full voting member. For the last year I was only a non-voting member. Before that our city had no representation on the board even though the facility is in our city. On that board I serve the long-range planning committee where I emphasize the need to mitigate impacts in our community created by the facility. I am happy to report that our finances are doing well. We have been able to generate revenue without imposing a municipal property tax on our residents for years now. However, there will be some growth in our community over the next year with residential construction. As new homes are built and residents arrive, costs increase. Our impact fees and building fees help, but these fees are one time. Ongoing expenses for roads, law enforcement, and public works present a challenge which requires constant oversight and management. Also, the city is careful to accommodate the interests of the residents seeking to maintaining a rural, smalltown atmosphere and those of property owners. Zoning limitations are beneficial to control development, and conservation practices imposed preserve a potion of our wonderful open space in the community. Such area can be preserved and maintained at a lower cost in its natural state for future generations to enjoy. Our community should also receive a portion of the county's new R.A.M.P. tax for recreation on an annual basis to assist in this area. This tax was just approved by the county's voters at the November 2004 election. For the coming year, I am interested in a recent invitation from West Haven City to join with them and Hooper City to look into providing increased ambulance services. Last year our city had over 100 medical calls. Of these 97 were transported to the hospital by ambulance. In Weber County we only have one ambulance for every 14,000 people. Davis County has one for every 7,000 people. A proposal on this subject should be coming to me soon. I look forward to another year of service to this wonderful community. Thank you for those who volunteer and take time to contribute to this city. It is an enjoyable place to live and raise a family.