Series 3790

DESCRIPTION:The County Commission serves as the governing body that organizes and maintains county services and that manages all county business and property. Minutes are kept by the County Clerk and include both summaries of topics discussed during the meetings and a listing of all orders and decisions made by the board.

Following the formation of territorial government, the legislature in 1852 passed acts relating to the formation and government of counties. There were no county commissions, but the probate judge in conjunction with the county selectmen were invested "with the usual powers and jurisdiction of County Commissioners" and as such were to be known as the county court. The probate court clerk was to keep the records of the court.

The court was authorized to manage all county business and county property. This included auditing all claims against the county and payments by the treasurer. The court controlled all timber and water privileges and could grant mill sites. The members created election precincts, road districts, and school districts and appointed superintendents of such districts. They located sites and oversaw the erection of public buildings. The selectmen in conjunction with the court were to provide for the maintenance of the poor, insane, and orphans. They levied property taxes for county purposes and after 1892 could call for bond elections. They were also responsible for any litigation involving the county.

All these activities are noted in the minutes. The day's entries are prefaced by date, names of those present, where and when they met, and often who gave the prayers. Bids received, and bills and wages paid, in conjunction with the activities are noted. The predominant activities in the first decades involve laying out roads and irrigation canals. Problems involving the construction of dams on the Jordan River are noted in the late 1870s. The creation of election districts and school districts also become more frequent then. Names of individuals appointed as water superintendents, road supervisors, or other county officials (e.g.. collector, fruit tree inspector, coroner, physician, boiler room engineer) are mentioned frequently, often in conjunction with their specific functions. Individual names and actions taken are also noted for the indigent, insane, and infirm.

In 1884 the legislature mandated that business licenses be obtained from the county courts for operation in unincorporated county areas; initially, most applications were for liquor licenses. Provisions were also made that year for the county court to approve the incorporation of towns. Of note in the late 1880s and early 1890s are detailed descriptive transactions relating to the construction of the joint City County Building and the franchising of utility companies and a rapid transit system. The court's role in tax assessment and tax sales also becomes more apparent by those years.

With statehood in 1896 an actual board of county commissioners was created. The probate judge was removed, but the selectmen continued serving as commissioners until elections were held. The county clerk remained the clerk of the board, recording the minutes. The previous responsibilities were maintained and expanded.

Responsibilities noted in the minutes include supervision of the conduct of all county, district, and precinct officials and employees. The commissioners served as canvassers of elections also appointing election officers, setting the boundaries of voting districts, and assigning polling places. The members continued as a board of equalization for county property assessments with the added authorization to refund taxes erroneously collected. They continued to care for paupers and oversee public health and safety. They maintained a salary fund, granted licenses, passed ordinances, and issued bonds. A major addition to their functions was made in 1941 when the commission was empowered to provide for the development and zoning of unincorporated areas of the county and to appoint a planning commission.

Entries after 1896 are prefaced by the names of those in attendance, including commissioners, clerks, and county attorneys; and the time and place held. The entries continue to become progressively more detailed and inclusive. In particular, major functions of licensing and contracting, taxing, budgeting, and zoning are extensively documented.

While other licenses are mentioned, the major type of licensing was business licensing. Characteristic information includes name, type of business, business location, and action taken on applications. Where the county had a more direct interest, detailed contracts are recorded as in the cases of utility franchises, county leases of property or services, and cooperative agreements made with governmental agencies or private corporations.

Adjustments on individual property tax assessments are similarly itemized. Entries recording the commission's role in tax abatement are ubiquitous in the 1930s. Such proceedings frequently include a brief discussion of the family's personal and financial circumstances as well as the tax amount and the description of the personal property or location of the real property in question.

All personnel actions are recorded, by individual name, for county employees from Neighborhood Youth Corps workers to auditor. Such actions include appointments, hourly or salaried wage increases, requests for car allowances or to use county vehicles, and requests for funds to attend conferences. Requisitions, bid proposals, and apportionments are similarly detailed covering everything from needles and thread for the senior citizens' center, to a single file cabinet for the license department, to vehicles for the sheriff's department, to pipe and road base for major road department construction. Both personnel allotments and departmental purchases form part of audits and annual budgets, although these appear just as a dollar value per category/department or sometimes merely a statement that the annual report has been filed.

By the 1950s, details on zoning changes, layout, and improvements on particular subdivision developments assume a major place in the minutes. Information recorded relates to applications for zoning changes; notices of zoning hearings; requests for street lighting; changes in curb, gutter, and sidewalk requirements; and release of escrow funds following specified improvements.

ARRANGEMENT: Volumes and their entries are chronological. The first twenty-six volumes have been assigned alphabetical labels, A-Z; no labels were assigned thereafter. Indices are chronological with alphabetized entries. Indices to the first twenty-six volumes are identified as belonging with a particular volume(s); later indices are numbered.

RESEARCH NOTE: Given the diversity and extent of the county commission's activities, the minute books should be consulted not only by researchers seeking information on the commission, but by those seeking information on any county agencies, their personnel, or their services to individuals; on private contractors and their plans for work on county projects or private subdivisions; on private businesses operating within the unincorporated county limits; and on private individuals or charitable institutions holding taxable or untaxable property within the county. Virtually any person living in, or any activity taking place in, unincorporated areas of Salt Lake County (up to and including the incorporation of municipalities) was affected by the actions of the county commission and is reflected in the minutes.

RELATED RECORDS: The county commission also kept files of correspondence. Further, while the minute books summarize the meetings of the commission, many other county agencies recorded the particulars. Listings under Salt Lake County should be consulted for such things as ordinance books and tax lists. The assessor also compiled tax lists. The auditor has listings of appropriations of various funds. The clerk has incorporation papers and road and bridges fund registers. Salt Lake County Licensing kept the business license applications. Planning and zoning kept independent records. The county recorder kept plats and franchise books. The surveyor also kept plats. The treasurer has more assessment rolls and tax receipts. Individual agencies such as public works or roads and bridges should also be consulted for particulars relating to a specific agency. The Salt Lake County Archives is the official repository for all Salt Lake county agencies.

FINDING AIDS: The volumes have corresponding indices with alphabetized listings by the first letter of the surname and/or the type of proceeding (e.g.. Appointments, Petitions, Warrants). Within the alphabetized listings, the entries are recorded by date. There is no index to Volume C; the index to Volume X exists only on microfilm.

CUSTODY HISTORY: The minute books were first kept by the probate court clerk (synonymous with the county clerk) for the Salt Lake County Court. The court became the Salt Lake County Commission in 1896 and the minutes continued to be recorded by the county clerk. These records were transferred to the State Archives by the county before the creation of a county archives. Series paper holdings were returned to the county archives 2 October 2001; the State Archives retained a film copy. Any county minutes after 1972 remain with the county.

PROCESSING NOTE: The minutes of the Salt Lake County Court were transferred from the Salt Lake County Commission to the Utah State Historical Society archives in 1958 and were then microfilmed. In 1964, the county clerk requested the transfer of the commission minutes to 1930. In 1968, minutes were scheduled for destruction following microfilming but apparently were never filmed. Governmental records were transferred from the Historical Society to the Utah State Archives in 1969. By 1989 the holdings of commission minute books spanned the period from 1852 to 1972 and were processed by A.C. Cone. Microfilming was done in 1990. Hard copy 1852-1972, and a film copy, were transferred to the Salt Lake County Archives 2 October 2001.

CONTAINER LIST