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Audit finds excess phone lines; Council questions $185,000 annual bailiff expense for Justice Court
Summary
City Recorder Sara Bell reported the Justice Court had been billed for 13 phone lines though only seven were active; eliminating unused lines reduced telephone costs. City Manager Quinn Bennion flagged an approximately $185,000 annual cost for bailiff services and asked whether staffing could be reduced to one bailiff.
City Recorder Sara Bell reviewed the Justice Court budget and reported that an audit discovered the City had been billed for 13 telephone lines while only seven were actively used; staff worked with Uintah County and court clerks to eliminate the unused lines and reduce future telephone expenses.
City Manager Quinn Bennion raised concerns about the annual cost of bailiff services — about $185,000 for one full-time and one part-time deputy assigned through the Uintah County Sheriff's Office — and questioned whether a single bailiff could meet the Court's operational needs. The Sheriff's Office advised that two bailiffs are necessary to maintain courtroom security; Councilmembers agreed to continue evaluating the issue in future budget cycles.
