Sanpete County Commission buys poll-print gear, shrinks planning board to five

The Sanpete County Commission approved new in-person voting equipment on Oct. 6 that County Clerk Linda Christiansen said should cost the county only $4,480 from its elections budget after a $25,000 state reimbursement, according to the meeting minutes ^[1].

Christiansen told the commission that two of the county's three KnowInk poll pads are aging out, and that voters stood in line for hours in 2024 even though state code says a voter should not wait more than 30 minutes. The Lieutenant Governor's office suggested poll print equipment that lets a voter check in and print a ballot from one machine. The commission approved two KnowInk invoices, $23,100 from a Special Elections Grant and $6,380, of which $1,900 came from the grant and $4,480 from the county elections budget. Bennett also moved to approve signing an agreement, once Washington County sends it, to accept two ExpressVote machines that county no longer uses, at no cost and as-is ^[2]; the minutes do not record a second or a vote on that motion. The commission approved a $2,130.50 invoice to ES&S for building the ballots and test deck for 29 ballot faces ^[1].

Christiansen said early voting would run Oct. 26 to 29 at the County Building from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and that in-person voting on Election Day would be from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the County Building and the Mt. Pleasant Senior Center. She said Manti and Sterling are the only city offices without a drop box, and expressed concern that turnout is historically lower in midterm and municipal elections ^[1].

The commission voted 3-0 on Resolution 10062026-001, reducing the Sanpete County Planning Commission from seven members to five, plus a non-voting alternate, effective Jan. 1, 2027. Commissioner Mike Bennett said the board was short one member and only one application had been submitted for the vacancy ^[1].

It approved, 2-0 with Bennett abstaining, payouts of $161,291.52 to 91 exhibitors in the 2026 Junior Livestock Show, about $10,000 more than last year. It also approved a three-year, $93,000 service agreement with BCS Mechanical for the Sheriff complex, event center and county courthouse, with a 90-day cancellation clause and quarterly payments. Commission Chair Scott Bartholomew noted that BCS repaired a condemned boiler at no cost after another company quoted $300,000 to replace it. The commission also approved a $25,000 payment to the company for boiler and condenser repairs and a $9,562.57 server room air conditioner for the jail ^[1].

Sheriff Jared Buchanan received approval to apply for and spend a $100,000 uniform bail forfeiture grant award and a $5,000 Intermountain Health grant, and the commission approved signing an RSAT grant application for $229,500 with a $76,500 match, to be ratified at the next meeting. On a locked gate across County Road 549, Bartholomew said former Commissioner Scott Collard had confirmed the road accesses BLM land and is a county road, and the county map identifies it as a Class D road. The minutes state that, in the county's opinion, the lock was illegally placed and the owner had not asked the county for approval to install the gate. The commission voted to have Sheriff's Sgt. Andy Lyon deal with the locked gate, and Christiansen will draft a letter from the commissioners to him ^[1].