Attendance expected to return to normal at this week’s county council meeting

Tuesday’s Cache County Council meeting is expected to return to normal attendance levels following the heavily attended council meeting on Nov. 10.

That meeting was contentious because the council discussed a potential raise in property taxes to help fund a 6.1 percent increase in the 2016 budget as employee salaries and benefits increase. The meeting drew the largest crowd since 2012 when higher taxes were imposed in conjunction with the creation of a new water conservancy district.

“The public hearing on Nov. 10th was particularly well-attended because it was well publicized in advance that we would be discussing a property tax increase,” said Greg Merrill, the county council vice chair. “I predict that things will return to normal this week as we return to a discussion of more mundane budget issues. People don’t show up to listen to us talk about numbers.”

Regardless, some Cache County citizens still feel the need to attend the meeting because they see it as a continued opportunity to have their voices heard on the 2016 budget issue. 

“I will definitely be at Tuesday’s meeting,” said Josh Crane of North Logan. “Taxes keep going up, and I’m sure not making any more money to fill the gap. It’s frustrating, and I want to have a say in the council’s decision on the matter.”

Tuesday’s meeting is set to include:

— Budget reports from the Finance Office and the Developmental Service Office. 

— Discussion of potential property tax relief.

— Approval of the meeting schedule for 2016. 

— Salaries for elected officials including Cache County Council members. 

— The 2016 budget. 

— Setting the public budget hearing for 6 p.m. on Dec. 8.

“We are predicting the council meeting on Dec. 8th will draw similar crowds to the Nov. 10th meeting because the budget will be finished,” Merrill said. “People always show up when a new tax is potentially getting passed.”

Tuesday’s Budget workshops will be held from 3-4:30 p.m. and the main council meeting will start at 5 p.m. in the Cache County Historic Courthouse, County Council Chambers, 199 N. Main Street, Logan.