Commission Minutes

1852-2000

Prior to the current mayor/council form of government, the Salt Lake County Commission served as the governing body that organized and maintained county services and that managed all county business and property. Minutes were kept by the Salt Lake County Clerk and include both summaries of topics discussed during the meetings and a listing of all orders and decisions made by the board.

Salt Lake County Archives maintains all of the Salt Lake County Commission Minutes from its first meeting in 1852 to its dissolution at the end of 2000. The change in form of government from a commission to a mayor and council system began in 2001. 

Access: Indexes are available to facilitate research in the Commission Minutes. Topics were indexed using business names, surnames, county agency names, subjects, or types of proceedings (agreements, resolutions, etc.).  

Salt Lake County Commission Minutes from 1852 - 1972 are available online.  

Topics Included in Commission Minutes:

Territorial years, 1852-1896: The predominant activities discussed in the minutes involved the laying out of roads and irrigation canals; the creation and supervision of election and school districts; providing for the poor and the insane; and locating sites for the erection of public buildings. They also levied property taxes, paid bills and wages, and supervised the operation of county government. Appointment of officials and issues regarding personnel hiring, salary, and retention decisions are also recorded in the Minutes. After 1884 they were responsible for issuing business licenses, including franchises for utilities and transit systems. Provision was also made that year for them to approve the incorporation of towns.

Twentieth Century: The development of water and sewage systems, the coordination of police and fire protection, the supervision of private contractors and their work on county projects and housing subdivisions, and the provision of a wide variety of other social services. After 1941 zoning issues also became an important topic in the minutes.

For more information about the Commission Minutes, 1852-1972, the Utah State Archives created a detailed and very thorough descriptive guide about this record series.