Sandy City Council Meeting - June 9, 2026 - Budget Amendments and CAO Nomination
Sandy City Council Meeting - June 9, 2026
The Sandy City Council met on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 5:15 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting included a prayer, pledge, introductions, and public comment periods. Key agenda items were the nomination of Martin Jensen as Chief Administrative Officer, an informational item on a traffic signal interlocal agreement, a continued public hearing on the FY 2026-27 budget, and council member budget amendment proposals. The council voted on several items to move them to a short list for final consideration. A closed session was held at the end of the meeting.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the May 5, 2026 and May 19, 2026 draft minutes by unanimous voice vote.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Jeff Silvestrini, Past Chair of the Central Wasatch Commission (CWC), spoke in favor of continuing Sandy's funding for the CWC, emphasizing the importance of Sandy's voice and the benefits of membership.
- Dave Egelund commented on Martin Jensen's appointment and opposed reallocating funds from the Mayor's budget.
- Thomas Fenady urged cooperation and congratulated the city for fiscal responsibility, stressing focus on key services.
- Shawn McMillion expressed support for maintaining the Mayor's current salary.
- Henry Butters questioned the Mayor's salary compared to West Jordan's and raised concerns about Police Department responsiveness.
- Kent Jaffa, former member of the Alta Canyon Recreation District, requested the board stop taxing the district for the recreation center, arguing the district should not be taxed for a city facility that operated only six weeks.
- Doug Vogeler supported continued involvement in the Central Wasatch Commission and opposed the gondola.
- Roger Bourke, Mayor of Alta, supported continued funding of the CWC.
- Margaret Bourke supported Sandy's involvement in the CWC and opposed cuts to the Mayor's salary.
- Steve Van Maren opposed the merger of Public Works and Public Utilities departments.
- Greg LaClaire opposed cutting the Mayor's salary.
- Pat Jones appreciated the respectful budget discussions and supported maintaining the Mayor's salary and adding a grant writer position.
- Iva Williams supported funding the CWC.
- Dawn Sidwell supported funding the Historic Sandy Barbecue.
- Cynthia Crews supported the community barbecue and the printed newsletter.
- Danny Richardson supported funding the CWC.
- Jack Stouss (Save Our Canyons) supported funding the CWC.
- Lindsey Nielson (CWC) supported funding the CWC.
- Mike Marker supported funding the CWC and opposed reductions to the Mayor's salary.
- Roger Bourke (second time) spoke in favor of funding the CWC.
- Written comments from Jude Ingrazia and Shanna Davis were read into the record, both supporting the CWC and the printed newsletter, and opposing cuts to the Mayor's salary and the Historic Sandy Barbecue.
Discussion Items
- Appointment of Martin Jensen as CAO: Mayor Zoltanski nominated Martin Jensen, highlighting his 27 years of government experience. Mr. Jensen addressed the council, answered questions on leadership, communication between branches, and his management philosophy. The council expressed support, and the item was moved to a future vote.
- Interlocal Agreement for Traffic Signal Installation: Public Works presented an agreement with Salt Lake County for a pedestrian signal on Wasatch Boulevard. The council discussed the upgrade from RRFBs to a HAWK signal, fully funded, with installation expected before school starts. This was an informational item only.
- Continued Public Hearing on FY 2026-27 Budget: Brian Kelley, Administrative Services Director, indicated a revised budget would be presented next week including the new Communications Department. Council member Nicholl requested a funding proposal for the Public Safety building study based on received RFPs. The public hearing was continued.
- Council Member Budget Amendment Proposals:
- Christensen-Nicholl Proposal: Included consolidated fee schedule (dumpster fee increase to $310), consolidated staffing schedule (establishing a pay policy linking mayor and council salaries to a formula based on 12 factors, reducing mayor's salary to ~$160,000, with council at 1/4 of that, effective next year), reallocation of CWC funding to mainline replacements, holding fleet funds in contingency, adjustments to Mayor's Office, CAO, Council Office, Community Events, Communications Department, and reduction of non-departmental CWC line item. The proposal also included reducing the videographer contract and printed newsletter, with discussions on quarterly newsletter and funding sources.
- Dekeyzer Proposal: Funding for a grant writer position, initially as a contract or FTE, using one-time funds from the fire tiller truck.
- Stroud Proposals: (1) Seed funding for a revitalized down payment assistance program using $300,000 from the Southtown Ridge RDA increment; (2) Funding for water-wise park strip replacements adjacent to city parks, with funding from parks or public utilities.
- Administration comments: CAO Shane Pace opposed the mayor's salary reduction and the cuts to CWC, videographer, and newsletter. Tom Ward (Public Utilities) and Susan Wood (PIO) spoke in favor of CWC membership and the videographer/communications services, respectively.
Key Outcomes
- Consolidated Fee Schedule: Motion carried 7-0 to move to short list.
- Consolidated Staffing Schedule: Motion carried 6-1 (Dekeyzer opposed) to move to short list.
- Reallocation of Water Fund for CWC to Mainline Replacements: Motion carried 6-1 (Dekeyzer opposed) to move to short list.
- Hold Fleet Funds in Contingency: Motion carried 6-0 (D'Sousa excused) to move to short list.
- Mayor's Office General Fund Adjustments: Motion carried 5-1 (Dekeyzer opposed, D'Sousa excused) to move to short list.
- Reallocation of Lobbyist Expenses to CAO Budget: Motion carried 6-0 to move to short list.
- Council Office General Fund Adjustments: Motion carried 6-0 (D'Sousa excused, but later corrected to 6-0) to move to short list.
- Community Events General Fund Adjustments: Motion carried 5-1 (Dekeyzer opposed) to move to short list.
- Communications Department General Fund Adjustments: Motion carried 5-1 (Dekeyzer opposed) to move to short list.
- Reduction of Non-Departmental CWC Line Item: Motion carried 5-1 (Dekeyzer opposed) to move to short list.
- Dekeyzer Proposal (Grant Writer): Motion carried 5-1 (Sharkey opposed) to move to short list.
- Stroud Proposal (Down Payment Assistance): Motion carried 6-0 to move to short list.
- Stroud Proposal (Water-Wise Park Strips): Motion carried 4-2 (Houseman and Sharkey opposed) to move to short list.
- Closed Session: Motion carried 6-0 to convene a closed session to discuss character, professional competence, or physical or mental health of an individual. The meeting adjourned immediately after the closed session.
Meeting Transcript
Madam Chair, we're ready when you're ready. She said she's only to wait for us. Welcome everyone. This is the Sandy City Council meeting of Tuesday, June 9th, 2026. We start all of our meetings with a prayer and a pledge. Mr. Pace, would you do our prayer for this evening? We'd appreciate that. Be happy to. Our dear Father in Heaven, we come before thee this evening. We're grateful for this day. We're grateful for this community for these elected officials for their willingness to serve our community. We're grateful for uh the citizens who live here for their lives and the way they live. We're grateful for this uh building to meet in and for um the services we are able to provide the public. We pray that thou please bless us tonight that uh as we consider the budget that uh the right decisions will be made be made for our citizens, and we say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Thank you. Will everyone please rise for the pledge? I pledge allegiance to the United States or America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God with liberty and just for all the questions. Thank you so much to those who have joined us tonight, both in the chambers and online. Let me describe how things are going to work, especially for people who want to make public comment tonight, which is very much welcomed. There will be three opportunities for public comment. There will be one at 6 p.m., which is just general citizen comment. You can step up to the podium and just and tell the council anything you'd like the council to hear. Then there are two voting items, a public hearing item and a voting item tonight. Um that's um agenda item number five is just a continued public hearing on the budget, which has not yet been adopted and probably won't be for still a couple more weeks. And then item number six is a council voting item, and those are budget amendments that have been brought forward from council members for our further consideration. We will be voting on those, but only voting to move them forward to a final consideration, not for uh a conclusive decision. There are blue cards in the back of the room. Anyone who would like to make public comment will ask you to fill out one of the blue cards. And if you wouldn't mind, let us know which item you'd like to comment on, whether it be general citizen comment item five or item six on our agenda. Um General Citizen Comment will come as close to six p.m. as we can fit that one in. Don't be surprised if it comes a little bit later than that. All right. We'll move right into our agenda. Did you want to do introductions? Oh, I'm sorry. Let's do introductions. Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh my name is Dustin Fratto. I'm with the City Council office. There's one other council staff member in the back of the room, Justin Sorensen, and then the Council legal counsel, Mr. Cadell will be here shortly. Chris Edwards with the council office. Chris Nickel, District Three. Marcy Houseman, District Four. Brooke Christensen, District 1. Cindy Sharkey at large. Alison Stroud, District 2.
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