Syracuse City Council Business Meeting - October 13, 2026

The Syracuse City Council held its regular business meeting on October 13, 2026, beginning with an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. No agenda or minutes were available; this summary is based solely on the raw transcript. The council adopted the agenda, heard public comment, swore in new youth court members, approved several resolutions and ordinances, discussed a potential school district property purchase, and convened a brief Redevelopment Agency (RDA) meeting. The meeting adjourned in under an hour.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Brett Milburn, a Centerville resident and unaffiliated candidate for county commission, introduced his candidacy. He expressed concern about county budget control, last year's proposed 30% tax increase that ultimately ended at 14.9%, the use of large COVID funds for ongoing expenditures rather than one-time spending, and commission divisiveness that he said harms county-city relations.
• Brent Burgess, a resident on 3000 West, asked the city for help with a neighbor's loud, bass-heavy music that penetrates his entire one-acre home, sometimes 300 feet from the source. He said his son with severe autism depends on their home and yard as a quiet refuge, that Syracuse's noise ordinance is not strong enough, and he requested an assessment of bass and vibration, a written explanation of what the city can do, and a named responsible official and follow-up date.
• Bonnie Burgess, also from 3000 West, said music was audible half a mile away and shook their windows. She said code enforcement appears to be undermined because the neighbor closes the garage after calls, described the nuisance code as vague and unenforceable, and cited Clearfield, West Haven, and Salt Lake City noise standards that restrict amplified sound audible inside a residence with exterior doors and windows closed. She also raised soccer field noise and lights shining into her house past 1 a.m., noting dark sky expectations, and asked to work with the council on ordinance language.
• An emailed public comment from Eric Willison was read into the record. He supported the goal of attracting established businesses and creating additional parking near Founders Park, but asked for a consolidated analysis of total public contribution and projected public return for the proposed sale of RDA property at approximately 1862 West 1700 South for the Almatador development. He cited a gross land price of $1,096,797, a cash purchase price of $858,647 after parking and easement credits, a proposed property tax rebate of about $9,200 annually for up to 10 years, and reimbursement for certain off-site improvements. He appreciated performance requirements such as beginning construction within one year and opening the restaurant within two years. He also asked about the Costco sales tax distribution issue, noting the packet explained that Syracuse did not directly notify the Utah State Tax Commission of the 2024 annexation until August 2026, and asked what internal controls would prevent future filing delays.

Youth Court Swearing-In

• The mayor swore in 12 new Syracuse Youth Court members. He told them membership is a privilege, not a right, and that they must serve as role models and uphold ethical and confidentiality standards. The new members affirmed confidentiality, impartiality, and faithful discharge of their duties, and were welcomed as judges for youth court serving Syracuse and West Point.

Consent Calendar

• The council adopted the meeting agenda by unanimous voice vote.
• Minutes from the September 8 city council business meeting, the September 8 special redevelopment agency meeting, and the September 8 special municipal building authority meeting were approved unanimously.
• The mayor removed the Davis County Costco sales tax distribution memorandum of understanding from the consent agenda for separate discussion.
• The remaining consent items passed unanimously: R26-37, the interlocal/intercounty automatic aid fire agreement; R26-38, allowing consideration of financial hardship relative to ambulance billing; R26-39, amending the city wage scale for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027; and Ordinance 2026-25, amending park-and-ride lot code provisions.

Discussion Items

• Costco Sales Tax MOU: The mayor said the city did nothing different in this annexation than in its 13 previous annexations, sent required information to the lieutenant governor, and followed state code. He said the Utah State Tax Commission raised the separate-notification issue years later, that he had found no other case like it, and that he believed the commission was using Syracuse to send a message to the legislature. He explicitly declined to take responsibility for a city mistake and commended Davis County for working to fix the distribution. A council member added that changes in bureaucratic leadership can alter interpretation of the law. The MOU then passed unanimously.
• RDA Property Sale and Tax Rebate: A public hearing was held on R26-43, authorizing the sale of 1.526 acres at approximately 1862 West 1700 South to the Syracuse City Redevelopment Agency. No public comments were offered. The mayor said the property was always intended to be part of the parking plan, that parking and easement credits fund city-created parking improvements, that cross-access will create net new parking, and that the property tax rebate is an exchange for services such as snow removal and shared-surface maintenance. A council member noted the vacant property currently produces no sales or property tax revenue. R26-43 passed unanimously. In the subsequent RDA meeting, RDA 26-03 authorizing the RDA purchase from the city, RDA 26-04 authorizing the sale to CT Eats Holdings LLC, and RDA 26-05 authorizing the property tax rebate all passed unanimously. The mayor explained that selling to the RDA first allows the city to receive money up front for parking improvements.
• Budget Amendment: A public hearing was held on R26-40, amending the Syracuse City budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027. There were no public comments and no new information beyond previous discussions. The resolution passed unanimously.
• ACH Fraud Prevention Policy: The council adopted the automated clearing house fraud prevention and fraud monitoring policy. It was initially introduced as R26-40, but the motion and unanimous approval cited R26-41, a discrepancy contained in the transcript. Staff clarified that this is a new written policy required by a recent federal-level rule and that the city already follows most of the practices in it. The policy passed unanimously.
• Davis School District Surplus Property: The council reviewed a potential acquisition of Davis School District surplus property for which cities generally receive a first right of refusal. The property was purchased for a school that is no longer needed in the district's master plan. The mayor said it does not fill a parks or green-space need and noted that extra density was already allowed in the area in exchange for green space and a school. Council member Watson said acquiring the property just to prevent higher-density housing would be a large expense that could strain the city and that zoning authority could be used instead. The mayor agreed. Consensus was not to pursue acquisition, to allow the property to go to the public market, and to control future development through zoning. No vote was taken.

Announcements

• At the second public comment period, no members of the public spoke.
• Council member Andrea promoted the ChARM recycling event on Saturday, October 17, from 9 a.m. to noon at the park-and-ride lot to recycle hard-to-recycle items, and encouraged residents to check the city website for Halloween events.
• Council member Julie announced a Communities That Care event during Red Ribbon Week featuring Dr. Jason Kilmore, a University of Washington researcher, on how marijuana and THC use affect the developing teen brain. The event will be at Clearfield High School auditorium; the date was to be announced.
• The mayor reported on WFRC transportation meetings, contrasting a successful greenway planning process in Southern Davis County with another city whose poor communication led to public backlash and electoral change. He praised Public Works Director Robert Whitley for listening to residents. He also noted that West Nile virus has been detected and that the mosquito district will spray when called.

Key Outcomes

• The agenda and the September 8 minutes were approved unanimously.
• Twelve new youth court members were sworn in.
• R26-42 appointing Evan Brown to the Disaster Preparedness Committee passed unanimously.
• The remaining consent items, including R26-37, R26-38, R26-39, and Ordinance 2026-25, passed unanimously.
• The Davis County Costco sales tax distribution MOU passed unanimously.
• R26-43, R26-40, and R26-41 all passed unanimously.
• RDA 26-03, RDA 26-04, and RDA 26-05 passed unanimously.
• The council did not vote to acquire the Davis School District surplus property; the consensus was not to pursue acquisition, to let it go to the public market, and to rely on zoning authority over future development.
• The meeting adjourned in under an hour.