County attorney says transfer of purchasing duties falls within statutory authority; auditor and county recorder contest legality

Tooele County Deputy County Attorney Nathan Harris told the County Council on Aug. 19 that his office reviewed state law and concluded a line‑item transfer moving a purchasing agent position out of the elected auditor’s office and into the county manager’s department is within the county’s legal authority. The disagreement over the transfer has produced public criticism, a Facebook post from Auditor Autumn McCoy and a request from county officials for clarity on statutory duties.

Harris said the council adopted ordinance 2025‑7 on July 1, 2025, which removed purchasing duties from the auditor’s enumerated responsibilities and that the manager’s July 9 email requesting transfer followed the council’s policy direction. “It is our office’s official opinion that this transfer funds falls within the bounds set forth by by the Utah legislature,” Harris said in the council chambers.

The dispute centers on which duties and supervisory powers belong to the elected auditor versus the county manager and the proper method for transferring a position and associated funds. Harris read a set of statutory citations he said define auditor and manager duties and described prior precedent where the council approved a comparable line‑item transfer in October 2024. “The county has…