Mayor's Message: Proposed Budget Facts: Separating Assumptions from Reality
By Mayor Janet Wampler - 28 August 2026
There has been considerable discussion about the proposed FY27 budget, particularly the Administration section. I believe residents deserve clear, accurate information about what the budget does, and does not, propose.
Several claims circulating online suggest that the proposed tax increase is primarily the result of excessive salaries for elected officials and administrative staff. Others suggest that I am driving the tax increase or that the budget provides a $200,000-plus salary for the Mayor.
Those claims do not accurately reflect the budget or the respective responsibilities of the Mayor and City Council.
The Mayor Is Not Being Paid $217,000
The City Council has approved a future annual gross stipend of $13,671.55 for the Mayor, consisting of a $12,700 stipend, plus $971.55 to cover income tax on the stipend. There has never been a proposal to pay the Mayor $200,000 or $217,000 per year.
So where does the $217,000 figure come from?
It represents the estimated fully burdened cost of a potential full-time City Manager position. That is not the same thing as a salary.
The proposed $217,080 total includes:
In other words, $217,080 represents the estimated total cost to the city of employing a City Manager, not compensation for the Mayor.
Salary and benefit estimates were based on market analysis, and the budget uses both pay and benefit costs for these positions. These details are explained in the FY27 Budget Book available on the City's website.
Part of the confusion appears to have come from the budget notation, “Managerial Position – City Manager or FT Mayor.” This was intended to identify two alternative organizational models – managerial work done by a City Manager, or in the alternative, the Mayor. It was not a proposal to pay both positions, and it was not a proposal to pay the Mayor $217,000.
What Is the Current Proposal?
The Council has now moved away from the concept of a full-time City Manager and is instead pursuing a contract or part-time City Administrator under the adopted “skeleton budget,” which does not include a tax increase.
Under the current direction, I would continue handling external relationships, intergovernmental coordination, and other executive-facing responsibilities. A part-time administrator would provide support with day-to-day municipal operations and administration.
Residents have reasonably asked why the City would add an administrative position when the elected Mayor already has both the statutory authority and capability to perform executive functions.
That is a fair question. The answer is that the city's organizational structure is a decision for the City Council. Some Council members have expressed interest in reducing the scope of the Mayor's administrative role and shifting some responsibilities to hired staff.
The Council—not the Mayor—makes that decision.
Who Controls the Budget and Taxes?
It is also important to understand who has authority over the City's budget and taxes.
The Mayor does not have the authority to impose a tax increase or adopt the City's annual budget. While I can participate in discussions, provide information, and make recommendations, I do not vote on these decisions, which rest with the City Council.
What Is Actually in the Administration Budget?
Another source of confusion is the $1.7 million Administration category that has been referenced online.
That figure should not be interpreted as $1.7 million in salaries. The Administration category encompasses far more than employee compensation.
Nearly $1 million of the Administration expenses is debt associated with the startup loans the City had to take out to establish and operate the new municipality. Another few hundred thousand is attributable to IT, accounting, and legal services.
These costs are part of establishing and operating a municipal government.
The FY27 Budget Book provides the detailed breakdown, and I encourage residents to review it rather than relying on individual figures presented without their surrounding context.
We Are Now Responsible for Operating a City
Ogden Valley City is a new municipality, and incorporation brought legal and financial responsibilities with it. Regardless of how any individual resident feels about incorporation, the Mayor and City Council are now required to comply with federal and state requirements and fund the basic functions of municipal government.
That means establishing the infrastructure, services, professional support, and administrative capacity necessary to operate a functioning city.
The proposed budget is about meeting those obligations. It is not about creating an extravagant government. It is about funding the basic responsibilities that come with being a municipality.
Please Ask Questions
Budget documents can be complicated, and I understand why residents have questions. When looking for answers, I encourage everyone to check the reliability of their sources.
Social media can be useful for sharing information, but misunderstanding is rampant. If you have questions, please ask the people responsible for the City's finances and operations. Our phone numbers and email addresses are public, and residents can attend weekly City Council meetings and monthly town halls.
This subject was discussed extensively during the August 18 City Council meeting, including an effort to provide additional context about the Administration budget and address misinformation circulating online. I encourage residents to review that meeting recording and the FY27 Budget Book for the most complete information.
Transparency and open communication are paramount to me. If you have questions about the budget, the proposed administrative structure, or the respective responsibilities of the Mayor and City Council, please reach out.
You deserve accurate information about your government and your tax dollars. I believe the best way to have these conversations is through facts, transparency, and a willingness to ask—and answer—questions.
Mayor Janet Wampler
By Mayor Janet Wampler - 28 August 2026
There has been considerable discussion about the proposed FY27 budget, particularly the Administration section. I believe residents deserve clear, accurate information about what the budget does, and does not, propose.
Several claims circulating online suggest that the proposed tax increase is primarily the result of excessive salaries for elected officials and administrative staff. Others suggest that I am driving the tax increase or that the budget provides a $200,000-plus salary for the Mayor.
Those claims do not accurately reflect the budget or the respective responsibilities of the Mayor and City Council.
The Mayor Is Not Being Paid $217,000
The City Council has approved a future annual gross stipend of $13,671.55 for the Mayor, consisting of a $12,700 stipend, plus $971.55 to cover income tax on the stipend. There has never been a proposal to pay the Mayor $200,000 or $217,000 per year.
So where does the $217,000 figure come from?
It represents the estimated fully burdened cost of a potential full-time City Manager position. That is not the same thing as a salary.
The proposed $217,080 total includes:
- $160,000 salary
- $12,240 in payroll taxes
- $23,840 in URS retirement
- $21,000 in health benefits
In other words, $217,080 represents the estimated total cost to the city of employing a City Manager, not compensation for the Mayor.
Salary and benefit estimates were based on market analysis, and the budget uses both pay and benefit costs for these positions. These details are explained in the FY27 Budget Book available on the City's website.
Part of the confusion appears to have come from the budget notation, “Managerial Position – City Manager or FT Mayor.” This was intended to identify two alternative organizational models – managerial work done by a City Manager, or in the alternative, the Mayor. It was not a proposal to pay both positions, and it was not a proposal to pay the Mayor $217,000.
What Is the Current Proposal?
The Council has now moved away from the concept of a full-time City Manager and is instead pursuing a contract or part-time City Administrator under the adopted “skeleton budget,” which does not include a tax increase.
Under the current direction, I would continue handling external relationships, intergovernmental coordination, and other executive-facing responsibilities. A part-time administrator would provide support with day-to-day municipal operations and administration.
Residents have reasonably asked why the City would add an administrative position when the elected Mayor already has both the statutory authority and capability to perform executive functions.
That is a fair question. The answer is that the city's organizational structure is a decision for the City Council. Some Council members have expressed interest in reducing the scope of the Mayor's administrative role and shifting some responsibilities to hired staff.
The Council—not the Mayor—makes that decision.
Who Controls the Budget and Taxes?
It is also important to understand who has authority over the City's budget and taxes.
The Mayor does not have the authority to impose a tax increase or adopt the City's annual budget. While I can participate in discussions, provide information, and make recommendations, I do not vote on these decisions, which rest with the City Council.
What Is Actually in the Administration Budget?
Another source of confusion is the $1.7 million Administration category that has been referenced online.
That figure should not be interpreted as $1.7 million in salaries. The Administration category encompasses far more than employee compensation.
Nearly $1 million of the Administration expenses is debt associated with the startup loans the City had to take out to establish and operate the new municipality. Another few hundred thousand is attributable to IT, accounting, and legal services.
These costs are part of establishing and operating a municipal government.
The FY27 Budget Book provides the detailed breakdown, and I encourage residents to review it rather than relying on individual figures presented without their surrounding context.
We Are Now Responsible for Operating a City
Ogden Valley City is a new municipality, and incorporation brought legal and financial responsibilities with it. Regardless of how any individual resident feels about incorporation, the Mayor and City Council are now required to comply with federal and state requirements and fund the basic functions of municipal government.
That means establishing the infrastructure, services, professional support, and administrative capacity necessary to operate a functioning city.
The proposed budget is about meeting those obligations. It is not about creating an extravagant government. It is about funding the basic responsibilities that come with being a municipality.
Please Ask Questions
Budget documents can be complicated, and I understand why residents have questions. When looking for answers, I encourage everyone to check the reliability of their sources.
Social media can be useful for sharing information, but misunderstanding is rampant. If you have questions, please ask the people responsible for the City's finances and operations. Our phone numbers and email addresses are public, and residents can attend weekly City Council meetings and monthly town halls.
This subject was discussed extensively during the August 18 City Council meeting, including an effort to provide additional context about the Administration budget and address misinformation circulating online. I encourage residents to review that meeting recording and the FY27 Budget Book for the most complete information.
Transparency and open communication are paramount to me. If you have questions about the budget, the proposed administrative structure, or the respective responsibilities of the Mayor and City Council, please reach out.
You deserve accurate information about your government and your tax dollars. I believe the best way to have these conversations is through facts, transparency, and a willingness to ask—and answer—questions.
Mayor Janet Wampler