Uintah County commissioners approve routine business, boost court security contract and set common polling place

Uintah County commissioners met in the commission chambers in Vernal in April 2025 and approved a set of routine items, including minutes and warrants; authorized a $20 refund for a vehicle-registration fee; approved a road classification change on Moonshine Arch Road; approved a $30,000 amendment to the court security bailiff services contract; named Treasurer Wendy Long to the Multi-County Appraisal Trust (MCAT) board; and designated the Uinta County Building as the county’s common polling place for this election period.

The meeting opened with a prayer from Alicia Colthorpe and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Ty Duncan. The board then approved the minutes of the April 8, 2025, meeting and the April 9, 2025, work session with no discussion. Commissioners then approved warrants from April 10 totaling $327,650.19, which the clerk described as “nothing out of the ordinary, just regular bills this time.”

Janet Brooks, Uintah County assessor, requested a $20 refund of a county assessment fee for a vehicle registration that renewed automatically after the owner sold the vehicle. The commission approved the refund.

The commission approved Resolution 4092025 R1 to change the classification of two sections on private property on Moonshine Arch Road from a Class D road to Class 1B (grama). County staff noted the land remains under Bureau of Land Management (BLM) oversight and that a right-of-way determination is still pending.

The board considered a revised court security bailiff services contract amendment that increased the contract by $30,000. At the meeting staff said the prior contract amount was $173,828.34 and that the amendment added $30,000; the transcript contains an inconsistent full total figure, but commissioners approved the $30,000 increase. The amendment covers court security services and runs July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025; commissioners authorized signatures to finalize the amendment.

Commissioners approved Resolution 04152025 R1 to designate Wendy Long, the county treasurer, to serve on the Multi-County Appraisal Trust (MCAT) board at MCAT’s request. Mike Wilkins told the commission that MCAT had recommended a seat for the county and that Long had indicated she was willing to serve.

The commission designated the Uinta County Building as the county’s common polling place for this year, a formality required for counties that conduct countywide mail voting. Staff said the county typically uses the commission chambers for in-person voting but designated the entire County Building to allow flexibility to move to the conference room or another space if needed.

Public comment was brief and the meeting adjourned after the scheduled agenda items were completed.