Auditing Gunnison: A $19.8 million budget and a $12.25 million well
Gunnison's council adopted its fiscal 2026-27 budget on June 17, 2026. The budget presented that night lists $3,758,836 in General Fund revenue and a $13,579,000 Water Fund that carries a $12.25 million well and pipeline project. This series follows the city's budget records.
Continuing story: Auditing Gunnison
Gunnison, a Sanpete County city, adopted its fiscal 2026-27 budget at a June 17, 2026 council meeting. The agenda that night also included public hearings on budget amendments, wage adjustments, transfers from special funds and the final budget. [1]
This series reads the city's own budget records: what they propose and what the council approved.
The budget
City Manager Dennis L. Marker's budget message, dated June 12, 2026, says: "The projected general revenues for this budget are $3,758,836, which is $1,134,446 (43%) more than budgeted last year." It also says, "This budget does not include a property tax increase." [2]
The fund summary in Appendix A lists the General Fund at $3,758,836 in both revenue and expenditures, the Water Fund at $13,579,000, the Sewer Fund at $671,000 in revenue and $619,000 in expenditures, and the Pool Fund at $552,700 in revenue and $588,700 in expenditures. Its all-funds rows list $19,831,591 in revenues and $19,811,851 in expenses. [3]
Detailed General Fund revenue and expense appendices in the same packet carry column headers marked "Projected DRAFT." [3]
The well project
The capital expenses table lists "Tarr Canyon Well and Pipeline" at $12,250,000, with the funding source given as "Federal and State Grants/loans." The packet does not break out the individual grant and loan amounts. [4]
Debt payments in the budget
The budget message lists two bond payments funded by transfers: $85,000 from the General Fund to the Municipal Building Authority "to make bond payment for city hall and fire station," and $46,900 from road funds to the Storm Drain fund "to make the bond payment for new construction." [5]
The vote
The minutes of the June 17 meeting record no public comment at the final budget hearing. They state that the budget "does not anticipate going through the truth and taxation process so there is no proposed tax increase." [6]
"Councilor Nielsen motioned to approve 2026-07 adopting the fiscal year 2026-2027. Councilor Pickett seconded the motion. Vote was unanimous in favor," the minutes say. [7]
The copy of Resolution 2026-07 in the meeting packet, titled "A Resolution Adopting the FY 2026-2027 Budget," has blank signature and vote lines and states no total amount. [8]
All figures in this explainer are budgeted amounts from the packet presented for adoption, not audited actuals. This explainer reports no audit opinion, reserve or debt-outstanding figures.
Sources
- Gunnison City Council · June 17, 2026 agenda
- Gunnison City · June 12, 2026 budget message, June 17 council packet
- Gunnison City · FY 2026-27 budget, Appendix A fund summary (June 17, 2026 packet)
- Gunnison City · Budget message, capital expenses table (June 17, 2026 packet)
- Gunnison City · Budget message, interfund transfers (June 17, 2026 packet)
- Gunnison City Council · June 17, 2026 minutes (July 15, 2026 packet)
- Gunnison City Council · June 17, 2026 minutes, resolutions 2026-07 and 2026-08 (July 15, 2026 packet)
- Gunnison City · Resolution 2026-07, as presented in the June 17, 2026 packet
Background explainer by The Utah Ledger. AI-assisted reporting, checked against the sources above.