Auditing Grantsville
The Ledger's review of Grantsville's budgets, audits, debt and redevelopment money. Every story in the series, sorted by subject, with the figures the records show and links to the official documents.
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Auditing Grantsville: what the city's audit and budget show
The Utah Ledger's Auditing Grantsville series follows Grantsville City's money through its own public records. The fiscal 2025 audit shows a $10.3 million general fund balance, $27 million in total debt and one state-compliance finding, for redevelopment agency spending above its budget. The adopted fiscal 2027 general fund budget is $15.1 million.
Read the explainer →Key figures
- $10.3 millionGeneral fund balance at the end of fiscal 2025Auditing Grantsville: what the city's audit and budget show →
- $27.0 millionTotal debt outstanding at the end of fiscal 2025Auditing Grantsville: what the city's audit and budget show →
- $532,051Redevelopment agency spending above its fiscal 2025 budgetGrantsville's redevelopment agency spent $558,051 against a $26,000 budget in fiscal 2025 →
- $50 millionCeiling on sewer revenue bonds for the new treatment plantGrantsville authorized up to $50 million in sewer bonds for a new treatment plant →
- $43.7 millionVanCon's winning bid for the wastewater plant, with equipmentGrantsville picked the lowest of six bids for its sewer plant →
- 4.98%Property tax increase adopted Aug. 5, after an 84% proposal in MayGrantsville adopted a property tax increase it called 4.98% after considering 84% in May →
- $71,406Proposed added use of general fund balance in fiscal 2027Grantsville proposes drawing $71,406 more from general fund balance →
Debt and bonds
Grantsville authorized up to $50 million in sewer bonds for a new treatment plant
In February the council set a $50 million ceiling for sewer revenue bonds to build a new wastewater treatment plant. An April rate study assumed about $25.2 million in private bonds and a $16 million state loan, and the council adopted new sewer rates the same night. The records reviewed do not show what has actually been borrowed.
Budgets, reserves and taxes
Grantsville proposes drawing $71,406 more from general fund balance
A budget amendment set for an Oct. 21 hearing would raise the general fund's "Use of General Fund" line from $1,593,698 to $1,665,104. The changes add spending for general government, the library, building software and planning, and trim parks and cemetery salaries.
Grantsville adopted a property tax increase it called 4.98% after considering 84% in May
In May the city laid out a property tax increase of about 84%, which it estimated would raise about $1.75 million. In August the council adopted an increase the city described as 4.98%, estimated at $110,832 a year, to pay for one parks employee.
Contracts and spending
Grantsville picked the lowest of six bids for its sewer plant
The council awarded construction of the new wastewater treatment plant to VanCon, whose bid was the lowest of six, in April. In May it chose a different inspection and testing firm than staff recommended, citing about $90,000 in savings and a score difference of less than one point.
Audits and compliance
Grantsville's redevelopment agency spent $558,051 against a $26,000 budget in fiscal 2025
The city's fiscal 2025 audit shows the redevelopment agency fund spent $532,051 more than its budget, and the auditor reported that as the year's one state-compliance finding. The city's later budget lists most of the spending as a $476,869.86 increment payment, without naming who received it.