Morgan County (Utah). County Commission Minutes, 1862-

These minute books record the actions of the county commission, the governing body of the county. The commission was authorized to manage all county business and property. This includes budgeting, equipment purchasing, and auditing; use of county lands; districting for schools, roads, voting, drainage, etc.; taxing, specifically acting as an ex-officio board of equalization; business licensing; arranging for the construction of roads, public buildings, etc.; contracting for services; supervising the conduct and payment of all county personnel; providing for basic health care, public safety, and care of the indigent; canvassing the election returns and appointing certain officials; incorporating municipalities; and by the 1960s, zoning and planning. All these activities are noted in the minutes. The day's entries are prefaced by the date, names of those present, and where and when they met. Attachments to the minutes, such as election returns, correspondence, proposals, etc. areincluded.

The commission was authorized to manage all county business and county property. This included auditing all claims against the county and payments by the treasurer. Bids received, and bills and wages paid in conjunction with the activities are noted. By the 1950s, annual budgets are regularly recorded. The commission levied property taxes for county purposes and could call for bond elections. The members served as a board of equalization for county property assessments.

Responsibilities noted in the minutes include supervision of the conduct of all county, district, and precinct officials, boards, and agencies. Personnel actions are recorded, by individual name, fro county employees from janitor to sheriff. Such actions include appointments, hourly or salaried wage increases, requests for funds to attend conferences, and resignations. Requisition and bid proposals for supplies and equipment are similarly detailed.

The commission created election precincts. Commissionersserved as canvassers of elections also appointing election officers, setting the boundaries of voting districts, and assigning polling places. The commission also created road districts, school districts, and sanitary districts and appointed superintendents of such districts. Laying out roads and providing for their maintenance was a major activity noted in the minutes. The airport also became a regular topic after 1957.

The commission was responsible for public health and safety and care of the indigent. Care of the indigent increases noticeably as a topic in the 1930s. In conjunction with neighboring counties, the commission also provided for health care, waste disposal, fire control, flood control, and detention services. The commission provided for recreation in the county, including a library, fairground, playgrounds, TV towers, and a county historical society.

The legislature mandated that business licenses be obtained from the county commission. Where the county had a moredirect interest, more details are recorded as in the case of franchises for telephone, electricity, or pipelines. A major addition to commission functions was made in 1941 when the commission was empowered to provide for the development and zoning of unincorporated areas of the county. Entries regarding the zoning of subdivisions begin in 1962 with the appointment of a planning board and a building inspector. Entries become more frequent in the 1970s and 1980s with discussion of building and zoning code enforcement.