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Commissioners Stevenson and Kamalu were present, with Commissioner Elliott excused due to a conference. This week’s Davis County Commission meeting included several action items that were unanimously adopted. However, the most notable part of the meeting came during public comments, where residents of North Salt Lake voiced serious concerns about the potential development of a homeless shelter WITHOUT ANY VOTER INPUT.
Residents provided detailed information regarding Switchpoint, a private organization that operates homeless shelters, noting that the State of Utah had rejected Davis County’s homeless shelter plan and that Switchpoint had made an offer on property in North Salt Lake. They expressed fears that the shelter could be established by the state without any input from voters, particularly given that the meetings of the Homeless Task Force were held behind closed doors.
Commissioner Kamalu, who chaired the Homeless Task Force for longer than her allotted time that State law allowed, repeatedly claimed that there was “misinformation” circulating. However, residents challenged this, pointing out that the closed-door nature of the Task Force meetings left them feeling shut out of the process. One resident shared that their request to attend these meetings was denied, raising further concerns about transparency. Despite Commissioner Kamalu’s assertions of “misinformation,” when pressed for specifics, she has not provided clear answers, leading some to question her commitment to voter involvement.
In the absence of Commissioner Randy Elliott, the meeting continued with the unanimous approval of several key items. These included the approval of a Standard Service Provider Contract with Laurel Hire for Animal Care Veterinary Services, adoption agreements, and donation summaries for Animal Care from March through July 2024. The Commission also passed a resolution to approve additional budget appropriations following a public hearing and initiated contract negotiations for landscape construction services funded by the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF).
Other notable approvals included contracts for upcoming sports tournaments and leagues, which are expected to bring significant activity to the region, and a design services agreement for the new Animal Care Project. The meeting concluded with the approval of minutes from the August 8th and August 13th meetings, wrapping up a session. Chair Stevenson said that he would start a working group to discuss putting Fluoride on the ballot.
