Auditing Beaver: what the council's 2026 records show about recovery and power costs

This series follows Beaver City's money through its own public records: council minutes, budgets and the lists of bills the council approves. Each story links to the record it relies on.

Beaver City's electric utility buys power through the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) and, until this summer, also had hydroelectric generation. Beaver City is a separate government from Beaver County; the two have discussed sharing some recovery costs. ^[2]

Budget votes

On June 23, 2026 the council held a public hearing on amending the city's fiscal 2026 operating budgets. No public comment was received. Council Member Tyler Schena moved to approve the amendment, Council Member Hunter Holt seconded, and all voted in favor. ^[1]

City Manager Monte Hawkins said staff were still reconciling the revised budget with actual figures because some invoices arrived after June 30, and that a no-spend policy had been put in place to limit discretionary spending through year-end. He said he would give the council a full fiscal 2026 budget summary once the amendments were final. The minutes give no dollar amounts for the amendment. ^[1]

At the same meeting the council, sitting as the Beaver Municipal Building Authority board, approved that authority's fiscal 2027 budget of $853,324 on a motion by Council Member Lance Cox, seconded by Holt. ^[1]

Recovery and power

The Sept. 8 minutes say the city lost hydroelectric generation this summer and has been buying power at higher volumes. ^[2]

That night the council approved a Drinking Water Hardship Fund advance agreement of approximately $47,900 for planning and engineering on the damaged Baker Canyon culinary waterline. The agreement is structured as a loan, and the city intends to apply to convert it to grant funding. ^[2]

On Sept. 22, Hawkins reported that the hydro stations were being cleaned out, that the generators would be removed for repair the following week, and that the generator return was expected to take one year. ^[3]

A disbursement listing posted with the Oct. 13 agenda covers Sept. 22 to Oct. 12, 2026 and totals $1,052,339.74. The largest payment, $411,825.75 on Oct. 5, went to the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems. The listing does not give the purpose of each payment. ^[4][5]

Other figures

The Sept. 8 minutes report the city's annual UAMPS margins for the current year at $122,991, which they describe as higher than the typical range. The amount will remain in the UAMPS retention account and can be withdrawn on request. ^[2]

The mayor and city manager reported the same night that the Community Impact Board awarded the city center project 30% grant and 70% loan at 1% interest. On Sept. 22 staff said the CIB funding was expected to be finalized Oct. 1. ^[2][3]