Goals set at first Cache County Council meeting of 2015 impact the final meeting of the year

At the beginning of the year, Cache County Council Chairman Kathy Robison asked each of the council members and the county executive to set goals for the coming year. Three of the

council members set goals relevant to the current budgeting process: 

— Robison wanted to review job responsibilities and salaries of county officials before the first council meeting in August.

— Greg Merrill wanted each council member to be given an opportunity to work with major departments and to meet with department heads three or four times a year, in order to help with the budgetary process. 

— David Erickson wanted to visit with each department head in order to learn the functions of their departments. 

As the year draws to a close and the budget gets finalized, many of those goals were accomplished. According to county attorney James Swink, “This is the most active council that I have seen since I was elected and it shows in the work that they have accomplished this year.” 

Robison’s goal to analyze salaries and job responsibilities came full circle during Tuesday night’s meeting, when the council discussed whether or not to raise elected official salaries. 

“We know every one of our elected officials deserves a raise, we just need to make sure we can afford it,” Robison said. “They are all extremely hard working and have done their jobs really well this year.” 

Merrill’s goal to give each council member an opportunity to work with the departments and department heads has positively impacted the manner in which budget discussions have progressed at the end of the year. 

Starting Nov. 17, budget workshops were held so that each department head had a chance to meet with the council and the public to discuss their revenue and proposed budget for the year. Having had the opportunity to meet with council members during the year, the process of discussing discrepancies in the budget was made easier for both the department heads and the council members. 

“The council has been nothing but helpful this year,” said Chad Jensen, the county sheriff. “It is much easier to make proposals to a council that is up-to-date with what we have been doing this year and who will work with us to make next year even better.”

Erikson’s goals to learn the functions of each department has also eased the budgetary process for the council. 

“I have met with each of the council members throughout the year and had a chance to get to know them,” Swink said. "When they understand what we do, it becomes much easier to discuss issues with them.” 

The final council meeting of the year will be held Dec. 8 to announce the finalized 2016 budget and to act on any outstanding legislative proposals. Council meetings will start again at the beginning of January, at which time the council will begin planning the 2017 budget.

Cache County Council meeting focuses on potential salary increase for council members and elected officials

At Tuesday’s meeting, as part of its 2016 budget process, the Cache County Council discussed the possibility of a 1 percent salary increase for elected officials. In the wake of so much vocal opposition from Cache Valley residents over potential tax hikes to fill budget deficits, the council decided to table the decision until the next meeting while it further reviews the available information. 

“I’ve been here since 2000, when the salary for elected officials was $45,000. Now it’s up to $75,000,” said Kathy Robison, the council chair. “I’m not saying that we shouldn’t increase salaries, but we need to look at how much they have already gone up and gain some perspective before we make a decision.”

The council also discussed possible alternatives to annual salary increases, including salary evaluations midway through, and at the end of an elected official’s 4 or 6 year term, and making decisions accordingly. 

“This comes up every year, so we need to finalize something that works for everyone,” said Craig Buttars, the county executive. “We have some elected officials who are making less than their employees, and that’s never good for morale. Something needs to be done.” 

Three Cache County elected officials have lower salaries than their employees and the other three only earn slightly more than their employees.

“I speak for the elected officials when I say it’s nice to be appreciated. I know that the salary increase isn’t huge, but it lets the officials know they are doing a good job and that their work is being acknowledged,” said James Swink, the Cache County Attorney.

Many citizens are very concerned about proposed tax increases to fill budget deficits, so the council is unsure if now is the right time to make a decision about raising elected officials’ salaries. 

“I went to my grandson’s basketball game and the entire time I was bombarded by concerned citizens saying ‘please don’t raise taxes,’” said Greg Merrill, the council vice chair. “When $10 or $20 is make or break it for some people, how can we focus on raising salaries? I’m just not sure how to handle it.”

The budget is set to be completed on Dec. 8.  Because no decision was made on the salary issue, Buttars has drafted one budget with increases in salaries and benefits, and one without, so that the council can immediately finalize the budget as soon as the salary decision has been made.

Cache County Sheriff’s Office and Attorney’s Office both increase revenue in 2015

At the budget workshop held Nov. 17, the Cache County Sheriff’s Office announced it was asking the council for a budget of $13,762,000 on top of a $700,000 increase in revenue so it can work to improve the county jail.  

In 2014 the sheriff’s office requested a budget of $13,737,000. 

“We have to plan for the future,” Jensen said. “As soon as the new prison opens in Draper, our inmate population will shrink and our revenue will decrease significantly. We have to take care of the jail and fix it up while the money is available.”

While all county departments receive the bulk of their funding through Cache County tax revenues allocated by the county council, they are able to generate additional revenues from non-tax sources.

In 2014 the sheriff’s office had a revenue of $3,855,185, compared to $4,573,492 in 2015. 

The Sheriff’s Office has been able to spend its extra money to make improvements to the jail and to purchase a snowcat for its search and rescue team, expenditures which might have otherwise gotten bogged down in the County Council budgeting process. 

Sheriff Chad Jensen attributed the income change to an increase in the inmate population, an increase in daily fees paid to house federal inmates and an increase in fee generating rehabilitation programs. 

The Cache County jail population increased from 40 inmates in January to 71 inmates in June, while the daily fees to house federal inmates increased from $47 to $58. The state pays daily fees of $60 per inmate to fund rehabilitation programs. 

“The more inmates we have, the more money we make on our own, leaving more for the council to use for other purposes,” Jensen said.

The Cache County Attorney’s Office reported non-tax revenue of $356,735 which was slightly more than $345,894 in 2014.

“99 percent of our budget goes to employee pay and benefits, so what extra we have we used to hire a private investigator to help us do our jobs better,” said James Swink, the county attorney. 

The Attorney’s Office is funded with a Victims of Crime Act grant, a Violence Against Women Act grant, its contract with the city of Logan and its funding from the Cache County Council. 

The final budget for the Attorney’s Office has yet to be announced due to several salary discrepancies, but it will be finalized before the 2016 budget is completed. 

“We are very pleased that all of our county departments are running well and not spending excessively,” said Cory Yeates, a Cache County council member. “It’s very un-government like.”

The 2016 county budget is set to be finalized at the Dec. 8 county council meeting. 

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. 

Tax hike concerns expected to draw more people to county budget workshop

A workshop to review the budgets for the Cache County Sheriff’s Department and Attorney’s Office is expected to be well attended by those who are concerned about the prospect of further tax increases.

The workshop, which will begin at 3:30 p.m. today in the Cache County Council Chambers and comes in addition to the regular council schedule, is the first of several meetings that will be held before finalizing next year’s budget.

“These workshops help the council to evaluate all of the departments so we can determine if changes are needed in next year’s budget,” said Craig Buttars, the county executive. “The budget workshop provides county residents with the time and opportunity to interact with council members on budget matters, which are not available during a regular council meeting.”

At recent council meetings, a 1.3 percent increase in county employee salaries and a 5.6 percent increase in employee benefits were discussed. Additionally, the council anticipates a 13.9 percent increase in insurance costs based on new hiring and premium hikes. In total, the currently proposed budget contains a 6.1 percent increase from the 2015 budget.

The council is hoping to raise taxes to fill the gap between anticipated revenues and the proposed budget expenses, but it has been met with opposition.

“I went from making a couple dollars renting out a residential property I own, to losing money because of last year’s tax increase,” said Dewey Richardson, the manager of the Cache County Mall and a local property owner. 

“Now I have to charge my tenants more, which means they’re going to have less money to spend at the mall, which makes it harder for the mall to pay its increased taxes. It’s all a vicious circle.”

The County Council Chambers are located at the Cache County Historic Court House, 199 North Main, Logan.

A SAAVI insight into domestic violence

Education about domestic violence was the main topic of the Abuse Prevention Day discussion between students and SAAVI volunteers that took place in the Taggart Student Center Sunburst Lounge, Wednesday. 

The best way to prevent abuse is to educate people,” said Stephanie Bagnell an adviser at the Center for Women and Gender.

The discussion was facilitated by questions posed to the students by Bagnell and Bret Nielsen as they encouraged those attending to think about the components of abusive relationships so that they could learn to recognize the signs for themselves.

“We want to empower survivors and victims to use their own self determination to get out of abusive situations and we want to educate everyone else to avoid abusive relationships in the first place,” said Nielsen a SAAVI intern. 

SAAVI, CAPSA and the Center for Women and Gender work to educate Cache Valley residents and USU students about abuse and ways to prevent it and the Abuse Prevention Day event was intended to reach people who were not already searching for help. 

“Women often come into SAAVI to get educated about abuse and then realize that they are already in an abusive relationship,” said Jenny Erazo the SAAVI program coordinator.

To attract attendees into the Sunburst Lounge, the event organizers broadcast a repetitive gong sound from loudspeakers every 12 seconds to symbolically represent the nationwide frequency of attacks against women. 

“That eerie sound really caught my attention. I had to stop by to see what it was all about,” said freshman Lauren Walker.

Also inside the lounge was a display by the Clothesline Project and numerous sponsor booths dispensing domestic violence information and pamphlets. The Clothesline Project is a national movement that gives voice to those affected by domestic abuse by allowing them to write anonymous experiences on shirts that are then hung on clotheslines. USU’s Clothesline Project is in its 25th year and its display featured shirts made by Cache Valley residents who had experienced first or secondhand domestic abuse. 

“We are really glad that Bret and Stephanie opened up the conversation about domestic abuse, because it’s extremely important,” Erazo said. “Having the conversation here in front of the Clothesline Project display and our sponsor’s booths helps us spread awareness of the variety of resources available at USU for victims and survivors of domestic violence.”  

Comedians Drew Lynch and Sam Comroe laugh away their disabilities

As the finale to Disability Rights Week at Utah State University, disabled comedians Drew Lynch and Sam Comroe gave their comedic perspectives on living with a disability.

“Stand up is hard for anybody, it’s not just because of my voice that it’s difficult,” said Lynch after being asked if it took bravery for him to stand up in front of crowds and do comedy.

Lynch, this year’s runner-up on America’s Got Talent, was hit in the throat with a softball four years ago, damaging his vocal chords and leaving him with a stutter. His partner, Comroe, was diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome while in the third grade.

“It was hard to book Drew due to his recent America’s Got Talent fame, but we were very happy that he agreed to perform,” said Shane Johnson, the development officer for the USU Center for Persons with Disabilities. “We had plenty of options for people to finish out the week but we chose these comedians because they relate to both college students and people with disabilities, making it a fun experience for all involved.”

Both comedians use self-deprecation and their unique experiences as people with disabilities to entertain and educate their audiences about disabilities. 

“Seeing people with disabilities in the spotlight makes me feel like I too can do anything,” said freshman Melissa Roeder, who has struggled with a stutter for most of her life. “I’m so thankful that people like Drew and Sam are out using comedy to spread awareness for people with disabilities.”

The show began with routines from both of the comedians, followed by an audience Q&A session where the two comedians came together and encouraged everyone with questions to speak up. Both comedians said they are frequently asked questions about their experiences with fame and disability, so they like to open up the conversation in front of the entire audience to help spread awareness about their disabilities. 

“This show is the culmination of a week celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act,” Johnson said. “These two comedians continue to help us spread awareness about disabilities, while providing a really great time for the audience.”

USU inaugurated Disability Rights Week this year in order to celebrate the ADA’s 25th anniversary.

The week began with lawn signs around campus pointing out handicapped accessible features at USU, followed by an information fair in the Taggart Student Center. The week finished with the comedy show and birthday cake for all in attendance, to celebrate the ADA’s anniversary.