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County surveyor asks commissioners to approve three new field positions to protect monuments and manage growth
Summary
County Surveyor Gary Ratcliffe requested three positions to establish proactive monument preservation and field work, citing monument loss in high-growth northern areas, increased workload after state legislative changes, and a need for additional outreach to cities and agencies.
Gary Ratcliffe, Utah County Surveyor, asked the commission to add three positions to the surveyor's office: a two‑person survey crew and a field supervisor to manage field crews. Ratcliffe said growth since 1980 has outpaced staffing and that development and monument loss — including a persistent monument migration issue in Sundance — require proactive field work and records preservation.
Using a long analogy about polio vaccines and institutional memory, Ratcliffe argued that early, proactive monumenting and documentation is less costly than trying to reconstruct lost or moved monuments later. He said the additional field supervisor would free supervisory staff to work proactively with cities and the state and implement recent statutory changes (Senate Bill 104 modifications to Utah Code §17‑23‑14) that increase workload for the office.
Commissioners thanked him for supporting data and performance metrics provided in the packet and indicated they understand the need but did not take final budget action at the work session; the item will be carried to the regular agenda for formal consideration.
