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Widow of slain deputy presses Utah County over taxable survivor benefits; commissioners promise follow-up
Summary
Nan (Nanette) Bridal, widow of Deputy Corey Wright, told the commission she received a taxable 1099 for a survivor death benefit and described delayed HR responses; commissioners said a county tax attorney advised that the benefit must be reported as a 1099 but pledged follow-up assistance and a letter of understanding.
Nan (Nanette) Bridal, the widow of Utah County Deputy Corey Wright, used public comment time to urge the commission to resolve ongoing problems she says have left her family without promised support.
"I was signed up without my knowledge, so I have no idea what my insurance is," Bridal said, describing delays and lack of responses from the personnel department and saying she was receiving a 1099 that exposed her to taxes on a benefit she believes should be exempt. "I get to pay $5,000 in taxes to the IRS for a death benefit. That is not cool. It's not right," she said (SEG 450'SEG 524).
Bridal said her husband, Officer Corey Wright, was killed in the line of duty nearly six years ago and that she had helped push for legislative protections for survivors. She asked the county to honor prior assurances and to provide more timely assistance and clearer processes for survivor benefits and health savings-account (HSA) support (SEG 456'SEG 546).
Retired Utah County Sheriff Jim Tracy urged commissioners to review prior meeting minutes and promises made to the family before any change in benefit practices. "Before anything is done as far as making changes to any benefits ... go back and look at those minutes back in closed meetings and in open meetings about what was said and what was promised," Tracy said (SEG 773'SEG 784).
Commissioners and staff said they had sought and received a legal opinion from a tax attorney that the county must issue a 1099 for the benefit. One commissioner said the county had a legal opinion that required the reporting; another commissioner described efforts to research and to restore administrative processes in HR. Commissioners proposed practical steps: drafting a "letter of understanding" to explain the county's rationale and to document the benefit, providing help to Bridal in working with a CPA, and exploring structural changes (for example, folding the benefit into a self-funded insurance vehicle) to avoid taxable reporting in the future. "I'll send you guys the legal opinion just for a refresher that that we received so you can just take a look at it," one commissioner said (SEG 1240'SEG 1249).
County staff acknowledged earlier administrative failings in personnel and said they would follow up. Commissioners asked HR staff to share emails and records to clarify the communications breakdown; they also agreed to draft a letter of understanding and to meet with Bridal to try to resolve outstanding questions (SEG 1370'SEG 1376).
What happens next: Commissioners committed to share the county's legal opinion with the family and to prepare a letter of understanding for future approval. They also directed staff to provide direct assistance to Bridal with tax filing and benefit paperwork as an interim remedy.
