Auditing Highland
The Ledger's review of Highland's budgets, audits, debt and redevelopment money.
The full audit section: stories by subject, key figures and records →
Background
Auditing Highland: what city records show about its audit, reserves, debt and 2026 budget
The Ledger is reviewing Highland's public financial records, starting with the fiscal 2025 audit, the fiscal 2027 budget and library tax increase, a renewed grant and legislative consulting contract, the Mitchell Hollow Trail and a state grant for secondary water meters. Every figure comes from a linked public record.
Read the explainer →Latest update · October 16, 2026
State board amends Highland's $5 million meter grant as the project estimate falls to $9.15 million
Utah's Board of Water Resources voted June 25, 2026 to amend Highland's secondary water meter grant to cover 70% of non-grant costs, up to $5 million, after the project's estimated cost fell from $9.8 million to $9.15 million. The city's estimated share drops from $2.8 million to $2.15 million.
Timeline
- State board amends Highland's $5 million meter grant as the project estimate falls to $9.15 million
- Mitchell Hollow Trail: council trims a change order to $148,084 after a $15,000 engineering increase
- Highland renews its $100,000 grant and legislative consulting contract on a 4–1 vote
- Highland raises its dedicated library property tax, adding $172,488 a year to the library budget
Latest updates
- Politics
State board amends Highland's $5 million meter grant as the project estimate falls to $9.15 million
Utah's Board of Water Resources voted June 25, 2026 to amend Highland's secondary water meter grant to cover 70% of non-grant costs, up to $5 million, after the project's estimated cost fell from $9.8 million to $9.15 million. The city's estimated share drops from $2.8 million to $2.15 million.
- Politics
Mitchell Hollow Trail: council trims a change order to $148,084 after a $15,000 engineering increase
Highland's council added up to $15,000 for trail construction engineering on Sept. 1, then voted 5-0 on Oct. 6 to approve a Vancon change order of up to $148,083.65, negotiated down from $160,129.20. A September register lists a separate $282,515.75 payment to the contractor.
- Politics
Highland renews its $100,000 grant and legislative consulting contract on a 4–1 vote
Highland's council voted 4–1 on Sept. 1, 2026 to renew a one-year, $100,000 contract with DLS Consulting, Inc. for grant and legislative support. Staff credited the consultant with helping the city secure about $4 million in grants over four years; one council member proposed an in-house grant coordinator instead.
- Politics
Highland raises its dedicated library property tax, adding $172,488 a year to the library budget
Highland's council voted 4–1 on Aug. 11, 2026 to raise the city's dedicated library tax rate from 0.000097 to 0.000145 while lowering the general city operations rate. The increase is budgeted to bring the library $172,488 more a year, which staff said would pay for staffing changes and consortium costs.