Brigham City Council tables $500,000 budget amendment for gym design, schedules work sessions

The Brigham City Council voted to table a proposed $500,000 amendment to the fiscal year 2026–27 capital projects fund that would pay for architectural and engineering plans for a new city-owned gymnasium.

City Administrator Derek Oiler told the council that staff is not asking to build the gym tonight but to fund a complete set of bid-ready plans so the council can get real construction bids and avoid large change orders later. "What we're trying to do is put together the plans that have been discussed in, you know, multiple, public meetings in the past and and come up with the actual cost of what this would would take to get done," Oiler said during the discussion. Staff estimated 4–6 months to prepare the bid package and said the plan work is intended to inform the next year’s budget process.

Public testimony was sharply divided. Some speakers urged caution about the upfront and ongoing costs; Marcy Andrews said the facility appeared underused in cited data and questioned the expense: "That's literally 48 days... 48 days is an awful lot, or is not very many days for usage for something that's gonna cost 10 to $12,000,000," she said. Others argued the city needs indoor space for growing youth programs and recommended pursuing grants and partnerships.

Council members voiced concerns about timing, transparency and procurement. One council member moved to table the item for 60 days and schedule work sessions; the motion passed and a schedule will be set at the council’s Oct. 1 meeting to identify topics and public notification for those sessions. The tabling leaves the amendment unresolved but commits the council to further public outreach and follow-up work before any appropriation is approved.