Controlling growth and preventing gang activities are the top priorities for expenditures in the West Jordan proposed budget for fiscal 1994-95.
The City Council is planning to make a final budget decision at its meeting on Tuesday, June 14."Gangs are not a big problem in our city now, and we want to make sure that we have enough police force to enforce laws and prevent any gang-related activities," says Penny Atkinson, assistant city manager.
The public-safety budget has increased from $4,948,576 to $5,285,676 for the upcoming fiscal year. The increase will pay two new police officers and three fire-department employees. Additionally, 11 public-safety officers who have previously been providing 24-hour protection to Russian visitors living in the Russian Complex in West Jordan will be reassigned.
For months, the city fought a potential lawsuit and opposition from county ambulance services to acquire its own ambulance service. Beginning July 1, West Jordan will operate two ambulances. "We hope the service will be more efficient and more accessible to West Jordan residents," said Atkinson.
Planning is critical to West Jordan at this time of unprecedented growth, said Atkinson. While its neighbor, South Jordan, has imposed a moratorium on zoning requests and is considering limiting growth to 5 to 7 percent, West Jordan is embracing growth.
"The challenge is not to discourage growth but to plan ahead so growth enhances the city," said Atkinson. There are no plans to impose construction moratoriums, but the city is changing its zoning requirements favoring bigger homes built on bigger lots.
"We're getting away from the smaller homes of the 1980s. We're trying to maintain a balance. We still want to attract new families, but we want to ensure a high quality of life. Developers are building larger homes compatible with our long-range plan for our city," said Atkinson.
The population of West Jordan currently is about 48,000. The city predicts more than 800 new homes will be built this year. To handle growth, the city plans to hire an engineer, a building inspector and a zoning specialist. Also, the city has budgeted for 10 to 15 new employees with background in development.
"The construction approval process is time-consuming. Increase in staff will help us organize the process and share the work load."
The city would like to charge impact fees for new construction of homes. This money, paid by developers, would be used to buy new fire trucks and police cars for the city. However, the city must hold a series of public hearings on the impact fees before making any decision, said Atkinson.
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Additional Information
BUDGET
West Jordan
General Fund: $13,088,139
1994-95
General Fund: $11,729,666
1993-94
Where it comes from:
Taxes: $7,928,126
Last year: $7,019,860
Licenses/ permits: $1,035,950
Last year: $ 708,739
Fines: $ 437,000
Last year: $ 390,877
Service charges: $1,787,263
Last year: $1,545,188
Miscellaneous: $1,899,800
Last year: $1,819,800
Where it goes:
Public safety: $5,285,676
Last year: $4,948,576
Dev. services: $1,182,873
Last year: $ 865,858
Public works: $3,014,936
Last year: $2,895,189
Parks: $ 556,371
Last year: $ 498,651
Finance: $ 552,397
Last year: $ 558,845
Executives: $2,495,886
Last year: $1,962,547
Tax/fee increases:
None immediately planned.