Uinta County commissioners on July 1 approved Resolution O7012025R1 to increase multiple department budgets and accept outside revenue sources, including a $700,000 Community Impact Board (CIB) grant toward a new cemetery building and related local contributions that bring that project’s total to $1.4 million.

The increases cover the road department ($200,000), economic development ($20,000), a travel-and-tourism/transit room-tax account ($57,500), a transfer from the B Road fund, and the capital project for the cemetery building (Fund 43) with $700,000 from CIB, $500,000 from a revitalization grant and $200,000 from Vernal City for a $1,400,000 total.

The changes, presented to the Board of County Commissioners by Mike Wilkins, adjust line items and record revenue sources that will pay for the increases. Wilkins said the county received specific grants and contributions earmarked for projects, and that the transfers and appropriations are intended to reflect that new revenue.

Wilkins also explained the county’s recent room-tax adjustments: “That is only a tax on people that rent hotel rooms, bed and breakfasts for up to 30 days,” he said, and said the county added a local 0.25 percentage point to the 0.75 percent state room tax so the county will receive a portion of the tax revenue. Wilkins said the county had spent nearly $50,000 in the last three years on search-and-rescue operations involving visitors and that the room-tax revenue is intended to help offset those costs.

The county opened a public-comment period tied to the budget item. Resident Sonia Ray questioned the size and purpose of the budget and argued against what she called “legal plunder,” and read from the Declaration of Independence. Ray said, “Governments were instituted among men to secure men's unalienable rights of life, liberty, and property.”

Resident Carol Kendall urged improved public access to county documents and calendars online, saying it was difficult to find budget documents and meeting notices on the county website. Commissioners said a separate county site contains minutes, agendas and budget documents and that county IT staff will be asked to improve discoverability.

Following the public hearing, a motion was made to approve Resolution O7012025R1 as presented by Mike Wilkins. The commission voted to approve the resolution.

The resolution cites Utah Code Section 17-36-26 for the public hearing and adoption process and records the specified revenue sources and appropriations. The county clerk will record the resolution and the accounting adjustments will be reflected in departmental budgets.

Commissioners said they will continue to work on website accessibility and to monitor the use of room-tax revenue for search-and-rescue and tourism-related needs.

Details from the meeting: the cemetery building appropriation in Fund 43 totaled $1,400,000, with $700,000 from a CIB grant, $500,000 from a revitalization grant and $200,000 in local city contribution. The road department increase was $200,000; economic development received $20,000; a travel-and-tourism fund received $57,500. The motion to approve Resolution O7012025R1 carried.