In short
The City Council awarded construction contracts for the 1000 West road and water project and the 1525 West culinary transmission line, and changed city code on cross-connections, irrigation water costs, bike and EV parking, and a 20-foot minimum driveway length. Parks and Recreation closes baseball and softball registration on March 17 and holds the Easter Egg Hunt at Founders Park on March 30. The city wants feedback on its website by March 31. The mayor’s column explains why budget season leaves little room for new spending.
Dates and deadlines
- March 1: Registration opens for “Newsies” audition appointments through the Arts Council.
- March 8: Paint Night, Irish Gnome, 6-8 p.m. at the Community Center, $30, ages 14+.
- March 8: Third term ends in Davis School District; no school March 11 and 12 for a professional day.
- March 9: Kids Painting Class, Ocean Life, 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Community Center, $20, ages 10+.
- March 11: Syracuse Symphony Orchestra plays Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 2 at Syracuse High, 7:30 p.m., $2 suggested donation.
- March 12: City Council meeting, 6 p.m. at City Hall.
- March 13: Pot O’ Gold Bingo Night for the Arts, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Warehouse 22, benefiting the Arts Council.
- March 17: Last day to register for city baseball and softball leagues.
- March 19: Senior bus trip, $2, bus leaves 11 a.m. for lunch at the Greenery Restaurant; RSVP at 801-614-9660, opt. 1.
- March 19, noon: RSVP deadline for the March 27 Seniors Lunch and Bingo.
- March 20: Internet Safety class with the Davis County Sheriff’s Office, 6 p.m. at the Syracuse library.
- March 26: City Council meeting, 6 p.m. at City Hall.
- March 27: Seniors Lunch and Bingo, 12 p.m., $3.
- March 30: Syracuse City Easter Egg Hunt at Founders Park, 1700 S 1904 W; all groups start at 10 a.m.
- March 31: Deadline to answer the city website survey at SyracuseUT.gov.
- April 5: Paint Night, Rustic Spring Flowers and Fence, 6-8 p.m., $30.
- April 10 and 11: “Newsies” auditions by appointment, callbacks by invitation April 13.
- April 17 or 18: Pitch, Hit and Run and Jr. Homerun Derby at Founders Park, free, time to be announced.
Everything else
City Council
- The Council met January 23 and February 13. Mayor Maughan was appointed to the North Davis Sewer District Board and Council Member Carver to the Mosquito Abatement District Board, and the Council made its committee and pro tem assignments. Felix Espinoza and Patrick Oliverson were appointed to the Architectural Review Committee.
- Code changes: cross-connection standards (4.14.450) were repealed and re-enacted; developers must now pay the actual cost of irrigation water the city buys (8.10.090); bicycle parking requirements and electric vehicle parking recommendations were added (10.40.040); and driveways now have a 20-foot minimum length (10.40.070).
- Agendas and meeting notices are available by subscribing to the City Council Notify Me list at syracuseut.gov/list.aspx.
Mayor’s message
- The mayor writes that budget season is underway for the fiscal year that runs July to June, that the city has no “extra” tax dollars, and that most of the budget goes to employee wages because nearly every city service requires people. He says new buildings and parks are paid for by new growth rather than existing residents, and that city wages are set to be competitive with similar jobs in other cities but never the highest in the county.
- He cites a Utah Taxpayers Association ranking that puts Syracuse among the lowest cost of government of the state’s 50 largest cities: 8th lowest in revenue from taxes and fees per capita and 7th lowest in revenue per $1,000 of resident income. City budgets are public documents.
Public Works
- Public Works asks residents to sweep curb and gutters before the rains and put leaves, dirt, and debris in the garbage can, and to keep storm drain grates clear to protect water flowing to the Great Salt Lake. Fertilizer should be applied sparingly and swept up if it reaches the street or gutter.
- Public Works accepts leftover road salt for disposal at no charge; call 801-825-7235, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Road construction updates are posted on the city website.
- Report anyone who is not a city employee using a fire hydrant to Public Works at 801-825-7235, or after hours at the emergency number 801-643-5775.
Parks and recreation
- Adult fitness at the Community Center: Step It Up! Mondays and Fridays at 9 a.m. and Pump It Up! Tuesdays at 9 a.m., both first class free, then $3 drop-in or $20 for a 10-time punch pass. Senior Citizen Yoga is Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 a.m., $1.00 for ages 50+ or $0.50 for 60+, free with a Community Center membership.
- The city needs volunteers to stuff plastic eggs for the March 30 Easter Egg Hunt; call the Community Center at 801-614-9660, opt. 1, to sign up.
Library and classes
- Free programs at the Davis County Library Syracuse Branch, 1875 S 2000 W: Beyond Books Puzzles March 4 at 6:30 p.m., adult book club March 7 at 7 p.m., Chess Night March 12 and 26 at 6 p.m., tween Book Bunch March 14 at 4:30 p.m., Beyond Books for young adults March 18 at 6:30 p.m., Internet Safety March 20 at 6 p.m., and LEGO @ the Library March 21 at 6:30 p.m. Weekly story times are Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. and Play & Learn is Friday at 11 a.m.
- Weber Basin offers free landscape classes on March 2, 7, 14, 21, and 28; register at weberbasin.gov.
City services
- If you have had a furnace, air conditioner, water heater, water softener, roof, pool, or remodel done, check that the contractor got a permit and a final inspection. Questions and inspection scheduling: Building Department, 801-825-1477, opt. 4.
- Passport applications are processed by appointment only at City Hall, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; call 801-825-1477. Requirements and fees are at SyracuseUT.gov/158/Passports.
- Road repairs, street light and sign problems, park maintenance, water issues, garbage pickup, and code enforcement can be reported through the Report a Concern icon on the city website. Job openings are under Government, then Employment Opportunities.
- The Disaster Preparedness Committee recommends adding an emergency radio to your kit, since communication is usually disrupted in a disaster. Radios run $25 to $200; look for multiple power sources, NOAA weather band with an alert alarm, shortwave and AM/FM, and a light. Supply lists are at ready.gov/kit.
- The city profiled one of its Parks Crew Leads, a certified playground safety inspector with a pesticide application license who has worked for the city for five years.
Community and history
- A history feature covers the Syracuse Buddhist Church. Japanese families came to the area as sharecroppers in the early 1900s, 13 families lived on the Barnes Estate between 1925 and the early 1930s, and 45 Japanese families lived in Syracuse before World War II. Land was donated by the overseer of the John Barnes Estate; the 20-by-40-foot building went up starting in the winter of 1923 and took two years.
- Beyond worship it served as a community center for social groups, farm organizations, judo classes, movie nights, and after-school Japanese language and culture classes, and a 1947 newspaper ad invited the wider community to a bazaar and carnival. The last service was held in 1979, the congregation merged with the Ogden Buddhist Church, and the building was demolished in 1990.
- The magazine’s anonymous food column reviewed Chipotle Mexican Grill, a recent addition at 1975 W. 1700 S. in the former Wells Fargo building.
- A pet feature lists adoption contacts for Animal Care of Davis County (801-444-2200), the Weber County Animal Shelter (801-399-8244), and Salt Lake County Animal Services (385-468-7387), plus several rescue agencies.
Unofficial digest of a city newsletter. The official version is linked below.
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