Volunteer Citizen Budget Committee Member - Cottonwood Heights, UT

City of Cottonwood Heights Citizen Budget Committee Member (Volunteer)

The City of Cottonwood Heights is seeking qualified, community-minded residents to serve as volunteer members of the Citizen Budget Committee.

This committee provides an independent, community-based perspective on the City's annual budget and five-year strategic financial plan. Committee members will work with City leadership and Finance staff to review financial information, evaluate historical trends, and provide thoughtful, data-driven recommendations that support transparency, long-term financial sustainability, and community priorities.

This is an excellent opportunity for residents with professional experience in finance, accounting, budgeting, forecasting, municipal finance, or related fields to use their expertise while becoming more involved in their local government.

Key Responsibilities

Citizen Budget Committee members will:

• Review the City's annual operating and capital budgets, including revenues, expenditures, capital planning, reserves, and fund balances
• Learn about the operational and financial needs of City departments
• Analyze historical financial trends and identify factors influencing changes in the City's budget
• Review and provide recommendations related to the City's five-year strategic financial plan
• Consider long-term service delivery, infrastructure needs, liabilities, and fiscal sustainability
• Compare current budgeting practices with alternative frameworks and approaches
• Assist in developing clear findings, recommendations, summaries, and financial analyses
• Attend committee meetings, review materials in advance, and actively participate in discussions with City staff and fellow committee members

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants must:

• Be a current resident of Cottonwood Heights
• Be able to understand, analyze, and summarize complex financial information
• Have experience in one or more of the following areas:
• Municipal ACFR/CAFR or similar financial reporting and auditing
• Long-range financial forecasting
• Capital planning
• Sales tax revenue projections
• Municipal development budgeting and forecasting
• Debt or bond analysis
• Understand organizational and personnel operations and the budgeting or funding processes needed to support them
• Be proficient with spreadsheet modeling and data visualization tools, such as Excel

Preferred Qualifications

Preference may be given to applicants with:

• A bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Public Administration, or a related field
• An advanced degree or professional certification, such as CPA or CGFM
• Experience with municipal finance, financial forecasting, capital planning, or debt and bond analysis
• Knowledge of municipal funding sources and opportunities
• Familiarity with performance-based budgeting or similar analytical frameworks

Special Requirements

• Must pass a pre-volunteer background check

Why Serve?

Serving on the Citizen Budget Committee is an opportunity to use your professional knowledge and experience to make a meaningful contribution to Cottonwood Heights.

Committee members will gain greater insight into City operations and municipal finance while helping City leaders evaluate financial trends, long-term needs, and opportunities to strengthen the City's financial planning. Your perspective can help support informed decision-making and responsible stewardship of community resources.

How to Apply

Interested Cottonwood Heights residents are encouraged to submit an application online.

Please include information about your professional background and experience related to budgeting, finance, accounting, forecasting, capital planning, municipal operations, or other relevant areas.