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Public commenter alleges 'cronyism' and questions recent pay increases for Panguitch officials
Summary
A written public comment from Harshad P. Desai submitted to the June 23 meeting packet alleges cronyism in Panguitch city government, lists year-by-year compensation figures for Treasurer Carla Farnsworth and Recorder Tyrissa Howell, and calls for an ethics committee and outside economic expertise; the packet contains the submission but no council response is recorded.
A written submission from resident Harshad P. Desai included in the council packet accuses Panguitch City officials of "cronyism over meritocracy" and requests the creation of an ethics body and a Business Owners Viewpoint Committee.
Desai’s submission lists year-by-year compensation figures for the city treasurer and city recorder and questions sharp increases he says occurred in recent years. The submission names Carla Farnsworth as Panguitch City Treasurer and lists these total-compensation figures (as provided in the submission): 2025 — $78,213.40; 2024 — $59,829.63; 2023 — $59,577.48; 2022 — $55,405.55; and earlier years included in the packet. For Panguitch City Recorder Tyrissa Howell, Desai’s list shows 2025 — $54,521.09 and 2024 — $41,768.60, with earlier years also itemized in the submission.
In the packet Desai proposes that the council form a Business Owners Viewpoint Committee, consider hiring an economic officer on a three-year renewable contract (he suggests $150,000 per year), and create an ethics committee or officer to address perceived favoritism. He also questions why the City Manager (named in the packet as Mat Houston) does not appear in state transparency records, as alleged in the submission.
The filing contains sharp language and direct allegations; because the assertions concern personnel actions and pay, the record in the packet should be treated as an allegation in the absence of corroborating minutes or council response. The transcript supplied with the packet contains the written submission but does not include any recorded council reply, investigation plan or verification of the salary figures. The items raised by the commenter could be referred to staff or an independent review, but no such referral or response appears in the provided transcript.
