Commission advances 2024 budget discussions; debates TRT use and vehicle purchases

The Daggett County Commission continued a lengthy discussion of the county’s 2024 budget, approving the concept of the budget opening while debating several line items and policy options including transfers from 2023, potential use of tourism (TRT) funds to backfill the general fund, and fleet-management choices.

Commissioners agreed the budget could move forward in concept. Speaker 3 recommended leaving certain 2024 numbers as proposed—cushioning some lines so audit write-ups would be avoided—and noted a small number of items that might be transferred from 2023 to 2024. The commission discussed specific budget areas: clinic/hospital transfers and whether adjustments would be needed; TV/infrastructure costs and upcoming negotiation with Uintah County about fiber and shared costs; and a $7,500 TV budget (adjusted from $7,000) to account for a pending bill.

On TRT funds, Speaker 3 said she had built the TRT budget to allow spending up to $680,000 and that there would likely be sufficient funds to cover potential vehicle purchases. Commissioners expressed concern about acting without the tourism tax advisory board’s approval; Speaker 2 recommended placing a request in the 2025 budget to allow time for the advisory board to review written requests and comply with state statute tracking.

Fleet management consumed substantial discussion. Commissioners reviewed lease mileage caps (12,000 miles per year), recent mileage payouts (about $2,300 in annual mileage payments noted), and operational needs. Options included purchasing a third vehicle or adding a capital purchase for a fuel‑efficient SUV (e.g., a RAV4) in the budget to avoid repeated lease overage charges. Several members favored budgeting for a purchase in 2025 to avoid stepping on the tourism board’s authority if TRT funds were used.

Other budget topics covered briefly included a $38,000 matching commitment for a bike path (split $25,000 trails / $13,000 roads) and the question of a 3% versus 5% cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) for employees. Speaker 2 proposed placing COLA choices in the budgets and notifying the tourism board by email so the budget process could move forward while allowing the advisory board time to respond.

The commission did not take final budget‑adoption votes at this meeting; staff were asked to incorporate discussed adjustments, confirm fund sources, and present any required written requests to the tourism board before finalizing transfers.