‘We're just asking for a vote:' Vineyard residents launch referendum against new $35M city hall
VINEYARD, Utah () — A group of concerned residents in has launched a referendum against a resolution to finance up to $35 million for a new city hall.
On April 3, the held a special session, during which they voted on Resolution 2025-15. David Robertson, a financial advisor with Lewis, Robertson and Burningham (LRB), presented it to the council.
'Vineyard City intends to finance the acquisition, construction, equipping, and improvement ofthe Vineyard Center — a multi-use building that will house Vineyard City Offices, theMountainland Association of Governments ('MAG'),' the background of the resolution reads.
It continues: 'To that end, the City proposes to issue Sales and Franchise Tax Revenue Bonds in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $35,000,000 (the 'Series 2025 Bonds'), pursuant to the Utah Local Government Bonding Act and the Revenue Bond Act.'
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After more than an hour of discussion on the resolution, a motion to adopt the resolution was passed, with all but one council member's vote.
'My understanding is that we'll come back to the city council on May 14 and present numbers and — all the various numbers we talked about — and if the city council likes it, we'll continue chugging forward. And if not, we'll stop,' Robertson said shortly before the vote.
The council will meet again on May 14, where the resolution will be reviewed, and the council can finalize a decision on whether to move forward with the resolution.
In a release from the concerned residents launching the referendum, they share their concerns about the city council meeting. Jacob Holdaway, the one council member who did not support the resolution, is quoted in the release.
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'We were told this vote wouldn`t happen over spring break, and we were promised public comment before any decision,' Holdaway is quoted in the release. 'None of those commitments were honored. This kind of process erodes public trust.'
The release from concerned residents further states that this Sales Tax Revenue bond could cost between $920,000 to $1.7 million annually. They are concerned that the city will not be able to keep up with payments without increasing taxes or removing public services.
'This isn't about politics, it's about principle. This decision was made without the basic financial transparency Vineyard residents deserve. Now we're just asking for a vote,' said Zack Stratton in the press release. He is named as a Vineyard resident and business owner.
ABC4.com reached out to Vineyard City for more information. In a joint statement from Mayor Julie Fullmer, Councilmember Mardi Sifuentes, Councilmember Sara Cameron and Councilmember Brett Clawson, they clarified their stance on the resolution.
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'The project has strong community support, does not increase property or sales taxes, and passed with the support of all but one council member. It is designed to provide essential civic services to our growing community with maximum efficiency,' it reads. 'We've worked carefully to ensure we minimize the financial impact to avoid escalating interest, construction and land costs in the future.'
The full statement can be read below:
On April 3, 2025, the Vineyard City Council voted to initiate a bonding process to fund the long planned and critically needed Vineyard Center. The Vineyard Center project is the culmination of years of public process and extensive planning. It will establish a civic and community center to support Vineyard's unprecedented growth. The project has strong community support, does not increase property or sales taxes, and passed with the support of all but one council member. It is designed to provide essential civic services to our growing community with maximum efficiency by sharing the building cost and space with numerous community partners. We've worked carefully to ensure we minimize the financial impact to avoid escalating interest, construction and land costs in the future. Additional financial analysis is in progress to confirm the city's safe financial position. We are concerned that the efforts of a small, vocal minority to mislead the public and push for a referendum on this will be a waste of city resources and taxpayer dollars and will ultimately cost the city much more in the future and sacrifice the City's ability to deliver day-to-day services to our growing community.
Joint Statement on Vineyard Center Bond from Mayor Julie Fullmer, Councilmember Mardi Sifuentes, Councilmember Sara Cameron and Councilmember Brett Clawson
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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