District 3 Council Member Kay Hoogland

Stop Admiring the Problem — Let's Get to Work
By District 3 Council Member Kay Hoogland - 23 May 2026
 
Incorporation continues to be a roller-coaster ride. No one said it would be easy. Think back to the first settlers in this valley — life threw them unexpected challenges, too. They survived. They prevailed. So will we.
 
Incorporation didn't bring us buckets of money, but it gave us something more precious: the right to govern ourselves. As the old Up with People song reminds us, freedom isn't free. Neither is self-governance. We have a seat at the table now: the Olympic Planning Committee, the WACOG association of governments, new connections with state and federal agencies, and prominence among the many entities that affect life in Ogden Valley. We’ve just started, and it's already making a difference.
 
What Happened — And Why
In 2024, voters chose to incorporate based on a state-required Feasibility Study showing the city could operate without raising property taxes. The study got it wrong: it overestimated revenue and underestimated what it costs to run a city. The result is a gap of approximately $2 million.
 
There's also a completely separate problem: a disconnect between Utah's incorporation code and its property tax law — a gap nobody flagged . This legislative flaw means the city can't raise property taxes in year one even if we wanted to. The full story is in the companion article this issue. The short version: it's the process, not the people. The system set us up for this. The system needs to change.
 
So What Do We Do?
Put our shoulder to the wheel. When we hit a roadblock in this valley, we don't stop — we find a way through. We need to figure out what level of services we can sustain, what other revenue sources exist, and how we tap the strength of this community to get there. Those are the questions we need to answer, not just idle rhetoric.
 
Mayor Wampler and the City Council are already working on it. Weber County commissioners have opened the door to work with staff to find solutions. We've reached out to state officials and our legislators in Washington.
 
Your Role
Ideas are already flowing. Residents are developing a "Founders Fund" — loans and donations to help the city this year and beyond. A one-time voluntary contribution of $300 to $500 per property owner would close the gap. If we all get in the game, we have the resources to get through this.
 
What ideas do you have? No idea is too crazy. No dollar saved or earned is too small. Send your thoughts through the Contact Us button on ogdenvalley.gov or email the mayor and city council.  We'll compile every idea and work to put them into action.
 
We also have a secret power: an extraordinary culture of volunteerism. Old timers will tell you it's woven into the fabric of this valley. People here have always pitched in. That hasn't changed.
 
This city got through the four years leading up to incorporation without a single paid employee or paid advisor. Right now, key city functions — City Recorder, Clerk, Treasurer, IT, and the entire city council and mayor — are staffed by volunteers. These are not lightweight jobs. And we are doing them. That's not just community spirit — right now, it's what's keeping this city moving ahead. There is room for more.
 
Let's Talk
Our city council members will be holding town halls in the coming weeks to lay out the challenge and brainstorm our way through the next 18 months. Our community has smart, experienced, creative people. Come be part of it.
 
Saddle up — or hop on your mountain bike, as the case may be — Ogden Valley. Others before us have overcome greater challenges. It's our turn to show we deserve to live here — and to make this city everything we voted for.
 
Kay Hoogland represents District 3 on the Ogden Valley City Council. She serves as pro bono legal counsel to the city and holds the council portfolio for Legal, HR, Finance, Facilities, and Communications. Reach her at 801-348-0026 or [email protected].