[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6582318,"mediaKeyId","3114858-1d105796507a9933c85149c24c68be11","parentId",3114858,"title","Forum speakers warn that recent bills could centralize water control and records","audioSeconds",62,"startMs",4536000,"endMs",4598000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3114858-1d105796507a9933c85149c24c68be11&start=4536&end=4598","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3114858-1d105796507a9933c85149c24c68be11/thumbnail_4536000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6582318/Utah/Forum-speakers-warn-that-recent-bills-could-centralize-water-control-and-records","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6582318-d530b49eb0566c51955d124adf6e3021/orig.mp4?Expires=1770585239&Signature=KhFRCVAwDQZp3xmXbNSYGRvYxtMEErCjTnnRHCD06KB~sis1tm5LR2eSvVk97cN08c8HB4MzDgHq2stR9~d068HdBJCabUUaYetoVhD8Y1vIKfhViz3xLAOj0vjCe0boUIpEZEmE1pLZfJi4YNa07LIqp5uU~N~KtkdKTeAdGVnCpW0nr0~9-ZR2ngI8C9PT2SCVJYKnGwlL~R9w0H581qlDCvPJGaX4hIPg2J--sKh0jKJj2gctWgjcrb9v02ZgDu5txe53xLK~wiAR6EdJIZOXqRGhC~lyV9DzvHtG6HN~qahZJ2FgWW1MWvbEeuYJzfQsC4eikQd6TzcMDQ6uXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-24T23:50:04.923Z","article","At the forum, Phil Lyman and other speakers raised concerns about state bills they said would centralize control over water resources and public records, citing committee votes and named legislators.

Speakers said proposed language (referred to during the forum as SB 277) would transfer control from local water districts to state-level authorities, enable telemetry (remote monitoring) of water meters and potentially allow remote shutoffs. One speaker said, \"They take your emergency water rights, then they create emergency with the Endangered Species Act, and then divert the water...\" and warned such changes would centralize control of a critical resource.

Why it matters: Water is a core local resource in Utah; changes in oversight or in infrastructure that increases remote control of distribution would shift decision-making from local water districts and users to state-level administrators, speakers said. Forum presenters linked the legislation to broader concerns about transparency and state authority.

Speakers also linked the bill's sponsorship and committee action to local political networks. At one point a speaker said the sponsor of SB 277 \"just happened to be Governor Cox's brother-in-law\" (a claim made at the forum and attributed there to participants). The forum did not provide legislative text or a bill number beyond the verbal reference; attendees were urged to contact state legislators and to follow the bill's progress.

What the forum did not establish: The forum did not present bill text, committee records or enacted law; it relayed speakers' concerns and reported perceptions about sponsors and effects. The comments reflected speakers' policy interpretations and political arguments rather than enacted changes.

Next steps: Speakers urged local engagement with county clerks, legislators and water boards and encouraged audience members to attend hearings and press for local control and transparency.

Ending: Organizers framed the water-bill concerns as part of broader themes from the evening'centralization of authority, transparency of records and the need for constituent involvement in upcoming legislative and party processes.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025.02.27 Davis County Conservatives - Special Event with Phil Lyman","oneSentenceSummary","Former county commissioner Phil Lyman and others told attendees they are concerned by legislation they said centralizes state control over water and public records (referred to as SB 277 in the forum) and by proposals they described as enabling remote telemetry and automated shutoffs on local water systems.","taxTitle","Davis County Citizen Journalism, Davis County, Utah","taxId",79917,"location","Utah","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6582322,"Local organizers urge delegates to defend caucus system, debate party leadership and SB 54",4970,330000,5300000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3114858-1d105796507a9933c85149c24c68be11&start=330&end=5300","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3114858-1d105796507a9933c85149c24c68be11/thumbnail_330000.jpg","/articles/6582322/Utah/Local-organizers-urge-delegates-to-defend-caucus-system-debate-party-leadership-and-SB-54","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6582322-0942c63ca3b2190f2c84cad5e4323705/orig.mp4?Expires=1770585239&Signature=FifBHdPALIE-CY~CRBVWnkGS5-UGMRaymX~6WP0seNPm5ImI4qbR5d-~SCWiG4e~aNHvuniSGGml7MEavD3D4-adm0IQVEqpHpHWq2he-lWt4VIJKlIBRXGYR6cp-rtELCEqoWWbELLuBM4RulrgjBM7Nl6O-eD4a0IZwVnH8B~1vL049QYQrOsJCTVzdH9AEczmINRm3wjq7J~gZu2TyzQ3wrgU9BXHqZ-Ss9~mbG6rocgTlX9i6EZjInk6vSEXmPpkD3UVDMZOH41m3OKb-uOOXfx02XMIZfOJ6ZTdqyKuqm5JnWUAkawT-UWcgHxTPZqySPDymHVIG88R-j26Yg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Davis County Conservatives chair Tina Horlacher and former San Juan County commissioner and gubernatorial candidate Phil Lyman used a county forum to press attendees to participate in the Republican precinct and county convention process and to oppose the signature-gathering approach embodied in SB 54.

Why it matters: The forum speakers framed the April 12 county organizing convention and internal party bylaws as decisive for whether local Republicans rely on the precinct-delegate system or allow candidates to reach the primary ballot through paid signature gathering. Speakers argued the choice affects party autonomy and who controls nominations.

Horlacher opened the forum with procedural requests and asked attendees to sign up as delegates and to support the county party. She told the room, \"We need to donate to the party because we need to run our own elections... it is very important that you go to this convention and that you find the right people to elect.\"

Lyman and others recounted a multi-year internal party struggle over a bylaw (referred to at the forum as \"bylaw 8\") intended to penalize candidates who use paid signature gathering so they would not carry the party's label; speakers said that rule was passed at one point and later repealed amid leadership changes. Lyman described efforts by successive state party leaders and the state central committee (SEC) to block or reverse those changes, saying those internal fights show the stakes of leadership elections.

Lyman said he and allied activists believe a strong party organization and precinct-level engagement could blunt outside spending in signature drives and preserve the caucus/delegate method. At the forum he said he and others are preparing for possible state-party leadership bids: \"We are running for the state chair... I don't want to be the chair of the GOP, but it feels like that has to happen if you're sincere with your family.\"

Speakers described concrete steps for listeners: attend the county organizing convention on April 12, consider running for precinct positions, and support party fundraising. The forum also included references to earlier votes and internal party actions; speakers said those governance choices interact with state law (SB 54) and with litigation over signatures.

What the forum did not do: The event was advocacy for a particular organizational approach within the GOP; it did not present formal party decisions taken at the meeting itself. Attendees were urged to take action at upcoming formal meetings.

Ending: Organizers asked participants to recruit delegates and volunteer for county-level party work; they framed the coming weeks as pivotal for who will control candidate selection and party rules in Davis County.

","At the forum, Davis County Conservatives leaders urged members to attend the county organizing convention and to oppose signature-gathering rules (SB 54), described by speakers as a threat to the caucus/precinct delegate system; speakers also described past party bylaw fights and signaled interest in state party leadership contests.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6582327,"Local conservatives allege irregularities in signature-gathering and primary returns",256,3092000,3348000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3114858-1d105796507a9933c85149c24c68be11&start=3092&end=3348","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3114858-1d105796507a9933c85149c24c68be11/thumbnail_3092000.jpg","/articles/6582327/Utah/Local-conservatives-allege-irregularities-in-signature-gathering-and-primary-returns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6582327-8fbfdfe5ea542f918f55948bba00a4e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770585239&Signature=lB7mUYOnyCoKFW3cids4jAvpNpn4~H1w59CZqjiAD1i9pxLhQ0-S--dIeS~UuLlOXwqA-iQF8I9-9jG4mO3wSfiKmnG9LIr85nOihFsK2qAZPynksanrY47hpsZCphsVCNZ8NOgetU44KXZqEVq2YBCRHq3hd4s5SUgJLHfKmvaRblgwkHIB7XMkfW8gbP3--UhmBRfbXI4GmmNe7HjgoQma~DqV4~A4Ed12gunJ6tFTbW9KekgD0g8ounFKyDSo9-0AIJoqxK9Z8-ixlBKBB6INeX9xIcR61QIsKyuBPHxbOGqWWKBua98IGZOmPN41Sboppn~3a3R5fpo8jfmdZg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a Davis County Conservatives community forum, former San Juan County commissioner and 2024 gubernatorial candidate Phil Lyman said he and others have uncovered gaps and inconsistencies in signature packets and primary-election returns and urged continued legal and public-records scrutiny.

Speakers said independent and legislative audits, public-records requests and pending court filings have not resolved basic questions about who collected and retained signature packets and whether vote totals in the Republican primary match expected statistical patterns.

Why it matters: The speakers framed the issue as central to election integrity in Utah's party nominating process. They said missing or unverifiable signature packets and unexplained vote tallies could affect which candidates appear on ballots in future elections and could undermine public confidence in party-run nominating procedures.

Lyman described three separate audits' findings about \"spare\" signature packets that were reported to state election officials. He told the audience: \"You start off with Natalie Clausen getting an email ... saying there's 592 spare signatures. Then we find out ... there's only 391 that could be verified. And then the next month ... the legislative auditor tells us, well, there's actually 492.\" He added, \"They lied,\" describing agency responses as circular and incomplete.

Independent researcher Michael Claire (identified at the forum as working through public-records requests) said he had obtained packet cover sheets and other materials he said deepen the discrepancy. Claire summarized the records he had obtained and told the audience that the available documentation \"still don't add up.\" He also said he was pursuing further GRAMA/public-records requests and that some related litigation is pending.

Lyman and others also referenced statistical analysis of the GOP primary night returns. Lyman said, \"I think there's 40,000 votes that were that were fraudulently put into the system,\" and later cited an estimate from analysts he consulted of roughly 46,000 anomalous votes in particular counties. He described minute-by-minute vote-share graphs he and statisticians examined and said they showed patterns he called unlikely without irregular inputs.

Speakers repeatedly distinguished between allegations and proven facts. Michael Claire told the forum he was \"staying disciplined and just staying focused on signature verification,\" and said his publicly posted videos and GRAMA requests seek to make the records and audit work transparent.

What is happening now: Forum speakers said several legal actions are active or pending: a quo warranto-style litigation tied to the \"Brunson\" case was mentioned as being before the Utah Supreme Court, and other district-court cases and records requests remain unresolved. Speakers urged attendees to support ongoing legal work and public-records efforts; they also cited the state auditor and legislative auditors as having produced reports they interpret as incomplete.

What the forum did not establish: Forum remarks contained assertions and interpretations by participants and researchers; the forum did not present court rulings that validate the allegations. Several officials named in discussion, including county clerks and election officials, were described as refusing or not being able to provide access to some signature packets; forum speakers said that, in their view, that refusal is part of what needs scrutiny.

Next steps noted at the forum: speakers urged sustained public-records requests, legislative audit follow-ups and litigation. Attendees were directed to several ongoing projects and websites referenced during the event and asked to contact elected delegates or to attend county-level party meetings to press for transparency.

Ending: Organizers and speakers framed ongoing records requests and litigation as the immediate avenue for testing the claims raised at the forum and said they expected more documents and possible court rulings in the coming weeks.

","At a Davis County Conservatives forum, speakers including former San Juan County commissioner and gubernatorial candidate Phil Lyman and independent researcher Michael Claire described unresolved questions about petition signatures and statistical anomalies in Utah's GOP primary returns and said multiple audits and lawsuits are under way.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Forum speakers warn that recent bills could centralize water control and records

Local organizers urge delegates to defend caucus system, debate party leadership and SB 54

Local conservatives allege irregularities in signature-gathering and primary returns