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Utah County Fire asks commissioners to fund chipper, staff to meet state wildfire mitigation match
Summary
Utah County Fire told commissioners the county must meet a $377,587 participation match and requested procurement and funding help for a $104,714 tracked 15-inch chipper and related equipment; commissioners discussed multiple funding options but made no binding appropriation in the work session.
Jamie Nelson and Nathan Trujillo of Utah County Fire presented a plan to meet the state ivision of Forestry, Fire and State Lands participation match and asked the commission for help securing funding for equipment and staffing.
Jamie Nelson, Utah County Fire, said the county's participation-match target for the year is $377,587 and reported the department has captured about $60,000 of fuels-reduction work so far. Nelson told commissioners a tracked 15-inch chipper with a trailer, priced at $104,714, is central to completing the remaining work and that, if purchased, hand crews could complete an estimated 23 days of mitigation to meet the state's match.
Commissioners pressed for details about funding sources, procurement, and staffing. Staff said some county budget lines previously paid insurance deductibles and that the county has Title 3 (SRS) funds that might be relevant but later noted federal SRS funds cannot be used as the county's match for the state program. Commissioners suggested options including using program-generated revenue, reallocating existing county funds, buying equipment with county funds and then determining whether funds qualify for SRS, and coordinating quotes with purchasing and public-works staff.
Because the item was presented in a work session, the commission provided guidance rather than making a binding appropriation. Commissioners directed fire staff to coordinate immediately with the auditor and purchasing manager to secure quotes and explore the Title 3/SRS and county-budget options, and to return with procurement and funding recommendations.
The presenters described additional mitigation tools and processes they would use once funds were secured, including hand crews, volunteer coordination and data capture to account for match hours. Commissioners emphasized safety limits on volunteer use for chainsaw and saw-intensive projects and noted that some mitigation work requires certified fire crews.
