Herriman safety and fire districts adopt tax rates above certified levels

The Herriman City Safety Enforcement Area, which funds city police, and the Herriman City Fire Service Area, which contracts with Unified Fire Authority, are separate taxing entities that each levy a property tax. Both boards are made up of Herriman City Council members, and the mayor chairs them. ^[1][2][3]

Both boards held truth-in-taxation hearings on Aug. 12, 2026, and voted 5-0 to adopt rates above the certified rate. No one from the public commented at either hearing. ^[1][2]

Safety district

Finance Director Kyle Maurer said the certified rate was 0.001423, down from 0.001440 in 2025 because of rising property values. The board adopted Resolution R26-08, setting a rate of 0.001491, which he described as a 4.76% increase over the certified rate and $512,970 in additional revenue. ^[1]

For an average $652,000 home, the minutes put the tax at about $534 a year, about $24 more than at the certified rate; the state schedule lists $24.38. ^[1]

Maurer said the increase covered personnel costs, including a 3.21% cost-of-living adjustment and step-plan increases, and operating adjustments. The board then adopted its fiscal 2027 budget, Resolution R26-09, which includes paying 40% of a new police commander position. ^[1]

Fire district

The fire board adopted Resolution R09-26, setting a rate of 0.001364 against a certified rate of 0.001334. Staff described $205,560 in additional revenue, a 2.23% increase over the certified rate, or $10.76 a year on an average residential property. ^[2]

The minutes list Unified Fire Authority's member fee at $5,890,706, an increase of $205,556. The board adopted its fiscal 2027 budget, Resolution R10-26, which includes a $91,160 transfer for 25% of the police commander position. ^[2]

Staff described an $8.3 million budget for rebuilding Station 103 and recommended adding about $3.5 million to fund balance in the coming year. Long-range models anticipate two more fire stations; the next would be partly financed with bonds and a later one, around 2033, fully with bonds. Those are forecasts, not approved borrowing. ^[2]

Trustee Jared Henderson said the district in practice does not spend new-growth revenue on operations but sets it aside for future stations, and that this allowed the Station 103 rebuild to be paid largely with cash. ^[2]

The Station 103 contract was awarded a year earlier by the City Council. Its Aug. 13, 2025 minutes say the project was noticed for bid on June 17 through a two-phase process, 13 contractors submitted qualifications and four were narrowed. KIER Construction submitted the lowest bid, at approximately $6.8 million, and received the highest overall score. City Manager Nathan Cherpeski recommended a 10% contingency, and Councilmember Jared Henderson moved to award the contract to KIER including that contingency. Councilmember Terrah Anderson seconded, and Anderson, Henderson, Teddy Hodges, Sherrie Ohrn and Mayor Lorin Palmer voted yes. ^[4]

The minutes in that packet were awaiting approval. The council's Sept. 24, 2025 minutes record approving the Aug. 13 minutes on the consent agenda, with Anderson absent and the other four voting yes, and say they were approved Oct. 8, 2025. ^[5]

A separate budget document gives a component figure. The Aug. 27, 2025 packet's proposed budget-amendment explanation for the replacement lists a building cost of $6,850,600 and a contingency of $685,060, along with architect, permit, inspection and traffic-control items. That is staff budget material, not the executed contract, an invoice or a payment, and the Ledger has not added it to the $8.3 million total project budget. ^[6]