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Uintah County approves $1.37 million refund to Mid America Pipeline, signs off on smaller tax refunds and a data‑analytics agreement
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Summary
The Uintah County Commission accepted a settlement requiring a $1,372,795.93 refund to Mid America Pipeline covering tax years 2018–2025, approved additional tax refunds including a Strata Networks adjustment, authorized annual warrants, and renewed an analytics agreement with Tribute Insurance/Springbrook; officials said the funds were previously budgeted.
Uintah County commissioners on Dec. 2 voted to accept a settlement that requires a $1,372,795.93 refund to Mid America Pipeline covering tax years 2018–2025, county clerk/auditor Mike Wilkins told the board. Wilkins said interest on the refund will be calculated later and estimated to be about $198,000.
The settlement resolves a multi‑year central‑assessment appeal handled by the state Tax Commission and affecting five counties. “This has been dragging out since 2018,” Wilkins said in explaining the county’s decision to settle rather than continue litigation. Commissioners voiced reluctant approval but said the refunded money had already been budgeted in county accounts.
In related tax business, county staff presented several smaller refunds and abatements. A request from UBAG for abatement of $2,884.93 for a BTA bus serial was approved as presented. Staff also presented a refund for Strata Networks for tax year 2023 after an audit reclassified assets; staff stated a refund amount of $43,475.81 but the transcript later records a different figure when the motion was read back (see clarifying details). Commissioners approved the Strata refund after confirming that audit adjustments are limited to three years.
Commissioners also approved warrants dated Nov. 26 totaling $1,674,680.36, which Wilkins said included annual payments such as a Caterpillar lease for road equipment and a $558,690.60 payment to Tri County Health Department.
Separately, the board approved an agreement to continue sharing claims data with Tribute Insurance so the insurer’s analytics vendor (identified in the agenda materials as Springbrook Inc. in the packet) can provide loss‑trend analysis and recommendations to the county’s self‑insurance program. County staff said the arrangement was reviewed by the county attorney and carries no direct cost to the county.
The motions were made and approved by voice vote; no formal roll‑call tallies were recorded in the meeting transcript.
What’s next: County staff said legislative outreach and work with the state Tax Commission will continue to address systemic issues in central assessed appeals; interest and final refund calculations will be completed before payments are issued.
