Friday Facts for August 14, 2020

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Utah League of Cities and Towns

Friday Facts for August 14, 2020

Greetings! This week brought news about college football in Utah-does anyone have suggestions for what your correspondent can do on fall Saturdays?!?--and our announcement of a re-imagined Annual Convention in September that will be primarily virtual. As mentioned in yesterday's blast email about Annual, we weighed many considerations (including the fact that Salt Lake City is still in the orange risk level, Salt Lake City Schools will be virtual through October, and many of our members and sponsors told us via survey that they would not attend in-person events) and we know some of you are disappointed. We are committed to ensuring that the convention still provides opportunities for you to connect and network virtually, benefit from insightful training, and watch a gubernatorial debate. Registration will open next week so stay tuned for more details.

Today’s email will also preview next week’s legislative interim, the special session, and LPC, link to Monday’s town hall and materials with a COVID-19 update, and spotlight ULCT Board member, Mayor Jeff Young of Richmond.


Legislative Advocacy

Legislative Advocacy

LPC Monday, Aug. 17, 3pm

Please join us Monday for the virtual Legislative Policy Committee. We will discuss the special session and housing issues, community trust in police (our Love, Listen, Lead initiative with the Utah Chiefs of Police Association) an update on Cares Act funding, and more. 

ULCT Resolutions

Each September the Legislative Policy Committee considers resolutions submitted by members at its monthly meeting. Resolutions are then presented to the entire League membership at our Annual Conference. Each resolution includes a recommendation from the Policy Committee. If you would like to submit a resolution for consideration, you can find previous resolutions and the submission form here.

Legislature: Interim and Special Session

Next week the Utah Legislature will meet as interim committees and then convene Thursday and Friday for this legislature’s sixth(!) special session. Appropriations and interim committees will meet Monday-Wednesday. The Business and Labor Committee will discuss ADUs and a political subdivision’s ability to adopt fire code appendices. The Political Subdivisions Interim Committee will discuss eminent domain. You can review the calendar and committee agendas on the Utah Legislature website.

The call for the special session has not been issued yet, but we anticipate bills on annexations, incorporations, local referendums, CRAs, and tobacco retailers. And by the way, this special session is to just focus on COVID-19 issues…

COVID-19 UPDATE

Thanks again to Sen. Mitt Romney and Utah State Treasurer David Damschen for joining our Economic Impact Town Hall on Monday. You can see the link to the town hall HERE and Treasurer Damschen’s presentation HERE.

Not much has changed in DC since we chatted with Sen. Romney (beyond the announcement of Sen. Kamala Harris as the Vice Presidential nominee). Negotiations between the House, Senate, and White House are still far apart and both parties will hold their nomination conventions over the next fortnight. This Forbes article entitled “Are Democrats Demanding Too Much or Are Republicans Being Stingy?” nicely articulates how additional aid to state and local governments is in the middle of the battle. The House and Senate are scheduled to return in September—unlike much of college football—so we’ll watch and wait.


Jeff Young

Spotlight-Meet the ULCT Board

Richmond Mayor Jeff Young 

Get involved!  That's the way you can have an influence in the future of our communities.  And Richmond Mayor Jeff Young knows that well.  He was raised in a farm community during a time when the family home had no power...  and, thus, no television. Now, the small city of Richmond is growing fast, but he knows by being involved he is able to help direct change and growth in a proper way.  Meet ULCT Board member and Richmond Mayor Jeff Young.

Learn more


ULCT Upcoming Events

Annual 2020 gen

September 21-25

After much analysis and discussion, ULCT has decided to offer our members a “reimagined” 2020 Annual Convention that will run the entire week of September 21-25th. During the week we’ll offer virtual workshops and general sessions as well as a live-streamed gubernatorial debate, one of only two scheduled debates between the candidates for governor.  This year, to start the conference week off,  we’re adding statewide mobile tours which will run in smaller groups to get a first-hand understanding of opportunities and best practices near you.

Registration will open next week, so watch your inbox for details.


Resources and Training

UAH

Temporary Food Assistance- Pandemic EBT Open for Enrollment

In March 2020, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act which provides a temporary food assistance program called Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT). Pandemic EBT are replacement benefits families received when school was dismissed. Students who were getting free lunch (but not on SNAP) or who received reduced price meals on or before March 16 will need to apply to continue to receive benefits. There are more than 77,000 households who will need to apply. City leaders can find a promotional toolbox to get the word out in their communities at PEBTUtah.org. Families can apply at jobs.utah.gov and enrollment ends on August 31st.


Research Landscapes

Research Landscapes, Utah State University

“National Parks, Forgotten Resources, and Growing Wisely”

In case you missed Tuesday's USU Research Landscapes, you can now view the YouTube video presentation.


Newstand

The Newstand