District 3 Council Member Kay Hoogland
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Chime In on City Officer and Manager Pay
By District 3 Council Member Kay Hoogland - 13 September 2026 Tuesday, September 15, at 6:00 p.m., Huntsville Town Hall — mark your calendar. We're holding public hearings on how our city will compensate its elected officers, statutory officers, and senior leaders. My Bottom Line People deserve fair pay for their work. It's not complicated. Nobody ever suggested that Ogden Valley City would operate entirely on volunteer labor, and anyone who thinks that's realistic hasn't run a business or a city. It doesn't work. It's a formula for failure. Since January, our elected officers, officials, and managers have logged extraordinary hours—for no compensation. Many put in the same effort before launch. Most have dipped into their own pockets for supplies and donations. That's extraordinary commitment. It also shouldn't be permanent, and it certainly shouldn't be the expectation going forward. Two Hearings, Two Different Legal Frameworks Elected and statutory officers (Mayor, Council Members, Recorder, Treasurer) operate under different compensation rules than department heads and other administrators and senior personnel (City Administrator, Public Works Manager, City Clerk). So, we're holding separate hearings for each group rather than one public hearing. What We're Proposing Most positions will receive annual stipends—compensation for the office itself, not hourly work. No employee benefits; just the stipend plus a tax gross-up so officers receive the stated net amount. The City Administrator will be retained as a contractor. The Public Works Manager will be hired as a full-time employee or possibly as an independent contractor. STIPENDS AND SALARY SUMMARY (See full spreadsheet with tax and benefit amounts at ogdenvalley.gov)
Total estimated annual cost to the city, including projected taxes and benefits: approximately $214,000 to $315,000, depending on where we ultimately set the two unfilled positions (Administrator and Public Works positions). And by the way, we hope no one believed the Facebook fable claiming the mayor alone would be paid over $200,000. In fact, OVC will be getting the work and dedication of eleven individuals for about the same amount. Not a bad deal. As always, please get your news from legitimate sources, not the Facebook rumor mill. How We Arrived at These Numbers During the pre-incorporation transition work in 2025, a professional compensation analyst volunteered to conduct a market study of comparable Utah cities—those of similar size operating under the same six-member council form of government as Ogden Valley. More recently, the city's contracted municipal finance firm reviewed current market rates for these positions. Between those two analyses, we have a solid foundation for setting compensation that's competitive without overspending relative to similar municipalities. These figures reflect the budgeted cost of operations, yet they still understate the actual contribution our public servants are making. Several individuals are putting in 40 to 60 hours per week to get this city established and operational. The proposed stipends are based on legitimate market data, but they don't fully capture the magnitude of that effort during this crucial startup phase. One practical point: some elected officers have indicated they might decline compensation. If they do, the income remains taxable to them personally—which is one reason why the tax gross-up is built into the structure. Whether the stipend is returned to the city or kept is a personal choice for the person and their family, not a choice to be judged by others. Why This Approach Makes Sense This pay proposal is straightforward and reasonable because:
Where to Find the Details The full compensation schedule, which includes benefits, taxes, and total cost, the effective budget (which includes no property tax increase), and the adopting ordinance are available at the Ogden Valley City Office (Maintenance Building, 167 S 7500 E, Huntsville) and at ogdenvalley.gov. Your Opportunity to Be Heard You're welcome to contact any of the elected officers with your questions or concerns. You can also submit written comments to Sharon Robbins, City Recorder, at [email protected], or speak in person at the September 15 hearing. The Zoom link will be provided in the public notice of the meeting, at least 24 hours in advance, and will be posted on the website. Note that the public hearings themselves were duly noticed seven days before the September 15 date. After we hear from the community, the Council will consider adopting the compensation schedule by ordinance. If approved, it will take effect for fiscal year 2027 (July 26–June 27). We genuinely welcome your input and engagement on this matter. Note: This update was provided by Ogden Valley City as a community service and is independent of The Ogden Valley News. |
