Mayor accuses city officials of failing to file financial disclosures, calls for moratorium and investigation

Roy Hall, identified in the meeting as Lewiston’s mayor, used the public-comment period to allege that several city officials — including council members and planning-and-zoning commissioners — have failed to file statutorily required financial and conflict-of-interest disclosures for at least five consecutive years.

"I've confirmed that for at least 5 consecutive years, all of our city public officials from the mayor to members of this council to the entire planning and zoning commission have failed to file their required financial and conflict of interest disclosures in direct violation of Utah code 10 3 13 and 67 16 5," Hall said. He added that if the claims are accurate, "such actions could possibly void entire ordinances, subdivisions, and land use approvals." He also referenced potential criminal statutes including perjury and official misconduct.

Hall called on the council to enact three steps: a moratorium on nonessential city business (no subdivision approvals, rezoning, or fee waivers) until the alleged violations are investigated; a public agenda that lists each official and the years of alleged violations and proposed resolutions (resignation, reprimand or referral); and a public request for citizens to provide evidence of conflicts of interest tied to the alleged nondisclosures.

Council members did not take immediate formal action in response to the accusation during the meeting. The transcript records Hall’s remarks as a public-comment allegation; the council did not vote to impose a moratorium or to open an investigation at that session.

The meeting record does not contain independent confirmation of Hall’s claims; his remarks identify the statutes by number and ask for further scrutiny and public transparency.