Rocket Road widening went to the lowest of 18 bids; a councilmember who disclosed a family tie to the winner voted yes
Tremonton awarded the Rocket Road widening to Rupp Trucking for $1,034,650 in January 2026, below the engineer's $1.13 million estimate. Councilmember Beau Lewis disclosed that his brother works for the company and said he wouldn't take part in the discussion. He voted for the consent agenda that included the award.
Continuing story: Auditing Tremonton
On Jan. 6, 2026, the Tremonton City Council adopted Resolution 26-01. It awards the Rocket Road Widening Project to Rupp Trucking Ent., Inc. for $1,034,650. The project widens Rocket Road, also called 1200 South, between 100 East and 300 West. [1]
At the council's work session that evening, Interim City Manager Linsey Nessen said the project had been budgeted at $1.5 million and the engineer's updated estimate was $1.13 million. She said 18 bids came in, from $1.03 million to $1.87 million, and staff recommended Rupp as the lowest qualified bid, the minutes say. [2]
The award is about $95,000 below the estimate as staff described it. [1][2]
The disclosure and the vote
At the start of the work session, Mayor Bret Rohde explained that a member, or anyone in the member's household, who has a financial benefit must declare a conflict and excuse themselves from the discussion, according to the minutes. [2]
Councilmember Beau Lewis then said his brother works for Rupp's Trucking and that he would not take part in that part of the discussion. At the regular meeting, he again declared a conflict of interest, saying his brother works for Rupp's Trucking. [2]
The award was part of the consent agenda, with the Dec. 2, 2025 minutes. Brent Jex moved to approve it and Kristie Bowcutt seconded. Bowcutt, Jex, Lewis, Sharri Oyler and Blair Westergard all voted yes. The minutes don't record Lewis abstaining or leaving the room. [2]
The road budget
The city's transportation capacity fund budgeted $1,507,000 for city road construction and $330,000 for right-of-way in 2025-26. [3]
The budget document printed June 16, 2026 shows $569,961 recorded in the road construction line for 2025-26 to that date. It doesn't break the figure down by project. [3]
For 2026-27 the fund budgets $2,000,000 for road construction and $330,000 for right-of-way, paid from $2,330,000 of fund balance. [3] At the June 16 meeting, the finance director described $2.3 million in capital projects for 1000 West and BR Mountain Road. [4]
An award is a contract amount, not a final cost. The minutes don't say Lewis was required to abstain, and this story doesn't suggest he received any benefit.
Sources
- Tremonton City Council · Jan. 6, 2026 packet, Resolution 26-01
- Tremonton City Council · Jan. 6, 2026 minutes
- Tremonton City · Fiscal 2026-27 budget document filed with the state, transportation capacity capital projects fund
- Tremonton City Council · June 16, 2026 minutes
Reporting by The Utah Ledger from the public records above. AI-assisted, checked against those records.