Daggett County Commission recesses to begin budget hearings after approving routine finances and discussing pending ordinances

Daggett County commissioners recessed their Dec. 17, 2024 meeting to begin scheduled budget public hearings after taking several routine fiscal actions and discussing multiple pending items.

The commission approved minutes from the Dec. 10 meeting, accepted the county cash summary dated Dec. 16, 2024, approved the open invoice register in the amount of $120,197.10, accepted the reimbursement register for $131.10 and approved the disbursement listing totaling $156,969.26. Each item was moved, seconded and adopted by voice votes recorded during the meeting. Several votes were recorded as multiple "aye" responses on the record; one abstention was called during the minutes approval.

Why it matters: The approved registers clear several near-term payments and authorize staff to proceed with routine expenditures ahead of the county's 2025 budget cycle.

Commissioners and counsel also discussed several ongoing matters that will shape county business in the coming weeks. Counsel Kent Snyder reported he had received materials related to previously discussed closed-session items but had not yet received a substantive response from the external attorney (Craig Smith) and said he would follow up. On the municipal building authority bond for the water treatment plant, staff reported engineers had signed off but the final funding amount had not been identified; staff agreed to check with the water department about the outstanding funding figure.

On a separate property matter, counsel said the paperwork to vacate a right-of-way for the clinic has a prepared legal description and deed language and "shouldn't take long" once executed. Commissioners also reviewed correspondence from Trust Lands Administration about an application to mine common sand and gravel on trust lands (the packet referenced the Phil Pico pit and permit MP687); staff were asked to follow up before the public comment deadline.

Planning and zoning drew focused attention because of a year-end timeline. Planning and Zoning is holding a public hearing that evening on changes to ordinance language; counsel advised that the act requires public notice and availability for comment and that the commission must place the finalized ordinance on its agenda for adoption. At one point counsel stated the relevant statutory citation aloud in the meeting as "52 4 1 0 3" while explaining notice and comment requirements. Commissioners agreed to continue finalizing county-formatted ordinance language off-line and to agendize the item for action as soon as notice and documentation are in order so compliance with the statutory deadline can be met.

Airport operations and staffing were discussed at length. Commissioners flagged increasing federal regulation and debated options for airport management, including whether to engage the airport engineer (SIPCO) to play a larger management role or to assign oversight to buildings and grounds staff. No formal decision was made, and staff were directed to gather more information.

The chair moved, and the commission seconded, to recess the meeting to hold multiple public budget hearings scheduled for the day; the motion passed by voice vote and the commission recessed.

What’s next: Commissioners tabled one policy item with Sunrise Engineering until Jan. 7 at the engineers' request, asked counsel to follow up on the closed-session items and directed staff to obtain the outstanding funding details for the water treatment plant bond. Planning and zoning language will be finalized and placed on the commission agenda for adoption consideration before the end of the year or at the next available meeting.