Cottonwood Heights plans citizen budget committee; council to recommend district nominees for Feb. 17 ratification

City manager Jared Gerbert told the council at the Feb. 3 work session that the city received an applicant pool for a citizen budget committee and recommended forming a seven‑member body (one from each council district plus three at‑large). He reviewed candidate backgrounds and said staff would interview recommended nominees with the goal of presenting ratification of appointments at the Feb. 17 business meeting.

Gerbert summarized the selection criteria: residency in Cottonwood Heights, basic municipal budgeting knowledge, willingness to act in an advisory capacity and a time commitment (weekly meetings during the budget cycle). Councilmembers discussed the trade‑off between appointing experienced, known community members and bringing new participants into civic processes. Several councilmembers offered first and second recommendations for district nominees and suggested designating alternates.

Council agreed staff would conduct interviews and return a recommended list for council approval on Feb. 17; the city mayor said she would propose an alternate and staff agreed to email applicants thanking them for applying.