Residents urge Davis County to resolve missing petition-packet stamps and GRAMA appeal tied to gubernatorial audit

During the public comment period at the Feb. 4 Davis County Commission meeting, two residents pressed county officials to address alleged gaps in petition-packet documentation and a separate resident urged county action on fluoride in drinking water.

Tina Horlacher of Syracuse, who asked that her remarks be entered into the meeting minutes, said she has a pending GRAMA (Government Records Access and Management Act) request related to petition-packet materials. Horlacher told commissioners her GRAMA request was denied by the county clerk and that an appeal to the commission appeared to have been ignored; she said an appeal is currently before the Utah State Records Commission. "I would like my statement to be a part of the minutes of this meeting," Horlacher said.

Nate Affleck, also of Syracuse, described the petition-packet process used to collect signatures for ballot measures and to qualify candidates. He said the lieutenant governor’s office supplies petition packets and that petition packets are supposed to be date-stamped when delivered to the county clerk. Affleck said he received stamped packets for February but that packets from March in the records he obtained lacked stamps. He said the lieutenant governor’s office had previously stated to the public that packets were date-stamped and recorded. Affleck said the March packets’ lack of stamps raised two possibilities: either the lieutenant governor’s office provided incomplete or incorrect copies, or the county clerk’s office did not stamp the March packets as publicly represented.

Affleck said, "So either they're giving us false forms or they weren't or Brian's being untruthful and then he said they were stamped. It can't it can't be both." Affleck told the commission the lieutenant governor’s office contracted with Davis County to count petitions and that he brought copies of submitted packets to the meeting for commissioners to see.

Jennifer Garner of Layton briefly urged the commission to be proactive on fluoride in county water in light of legislation under consideration; Garner asked the county to consider local action rather than waiting for the state.

Commissioners did not take immediate action on the petition-packet records during the meeting; the public comment period closed after the residents spoke. No county staff response or timeline for follow-up was recorded in the meeting transcript.

Speakers during public comment who spoke to these issues included Tina Horlacher (Syracuse resident), Nate Affleck (Syracuse resident) and Jennifer Garner (Layton resident).