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Transportation And Transit Will Be Large Chunk Of Summit County Budget

The Summit County Budget Committee is ready to present their proposed budget to county manager Tom Fisher. Part of their focus is on employee retention and transportation issues.

Summit County finance officer Matt Leavitt says that the budget committee is working to increase efficiency’s especially in recruitment and retainment.

“We’re looking to do a lot of different things. That’s one of the things that makes working at Summit County exciting is all the different things that county council is looking at trying to accomplish.” Leavitt continued, “In order to accomplish those things, you need some sharp individuals to come work for the organization. That’s part of your recruitment factor. When you’re in an economy with low unemployment rates you have to make yourself attractive to those individuals to want to come to work for you as opposed to a different organization.”

Leavitt says that increased pay and benefits are just part of a decision that county employees make to work there.

“It’s a little bit of all of the above. It’s not always all about the money, if it’s a fun place to work it’s a good place to work.” Leavitt said, “Where there’s a good, positive working environment and you’re getting compensated and treated fairly then I think people will want to come and work for you.”

Leavitt says the county’s big-ticket items on the budget are transportation and transit.

“Transportation and transit are going to be the big key items for the next several years. We just recently bonded in 2018 for about $19 million for transportation related type projects.” Leavitt explained, “That’s where you see some of the construction going on at the Ecker park n ride. There will be some projects out by Jeremy Ranch in those areas to try and alleviate some of the congestion in key areas of the county.”

In 2017 the two revenue bonded taxes went into effect. The county collected $2.5 million dollars in 2017. In 2018 they anticipate collecting between $4.5 and $4.8 million dollars on each bond. One is transportation related, such as road projects. The other is for transit projects, such as additional busses. Local government expect that in the next decade $100 million will be spent on needed projects.

“The public works administrator in coordination with the transit director and also with Park City and with the COG.” Leavitt continued, “They’ve all identified over $100 million worth of projects that need to be completed in the next five to 10 years. There’s some significant stuff looming on the horizon. This initial $19 million is to cover the first three to four years’ worth of projects.”

KPCW reporter David Boyle covers all things in the Heber Valley as well as sports and breaking news.
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